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
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
lucre all on the pennie all for aduauntage neyther to care ought howe he cometh by it swering and stering cursing and banning euen to deceaue his owne father on my faith and honestie it cost me thus much hauing in deede neither faith nor honestie to sweare by and therfore it were the leise matter if he appealed only to his false faithe and litle honestie But he spareth not to take to wit nesse the righteous iudgements of almightie God that seeth his falshod and yet will he not spare to say now as God shal saue me as God shall iudge me thus and thus it stands me in and yet it stands him not in half the money yea often times the bier shall haue it for the third penie that the seller asketh O mercifull God what an order is this among Christians And no nation noted for this horrible abusage more than englishmē We think we should not thriue if we should not use this curset kind of bargayning We counte it almost nothing now adaies it is growne into sutche a cusstome euery seconde worde to be poudred with an othe for credit yea to blaspheme God his dredfull iudgementes to renounce God and the benefite of our saluation and that for a little credite or for a paltrie gaine Curfed be that gaine that winneth such a losse that body and soule is lost to the which al the winning of the wide world were but a trifle Cursed be that credite that to retaine his estimation with an haede beleuyng man will not styeke to blaspheme and renounce his part of god But thou louedst cursing and cursing will come vppon thee Cushe a poynt sayeth his mayster that fingreth the gaine Iura periura secretum prode◅e noli Sweare h◅oreson and for sweare be wray not my mistery This is a mystery with a very mischefe that the coue◅ouse mas◅ter without all conscience teacheth his man Is this the waie to thriue Haue these menne I will not saie any feare of God for they haue none Non est timor d◅i ante oculos eorū But haue they any opinion there is a God No truely they saie in their harts with the foole ther is no god For if they thought there were they durst not thus abuse him And therfore the master careth not for the seruants instruction how he should come to the knowledge of God but with his seruant would haue all daies alike Sabaoth day and other And neuer passeth whether his seruant here know or beleue God his word or no. The seruant now being without all knowledge like a beast and his master without all conscience like a dyuell he hath as litle conscience to deceaue his master as his master wold haue him haue to deceaue others And hence cometh so many stubborn knaues saucie marchants crafty varlets priuie theeues ruffianlye cutters ryottous prentices and all the wicked sort of suche vnfaithfull seruantes among artificers and marchants that deceiue so many other men make their maysters bankruptes and bring them selues to miserye And thoughe the principall faulte herein bee in the maister that complayneth on his seruaunt yet is not this a bolster to the seruaunt whose dewtye is thoughe not to assent to theire mayster in wickednesse yet in euery rightefull thng to obey honour and loue their master with all seruice truth and diligence If they doe not either they shall neuer be masters them selues or be like wise punished in their seruants Behold the faithful seruise of Abrahams man and how god blessed his iorney and his master made him the guide of all hee had Beholde the faithfull seruice nighte and day hot and colde of Iacob to Laban how plētifully God multiplied and encreased his stock Beholde the chaste fidelitie of Ioseph to his maister Putiphar and his trustie diligence vnder the keper of the prison and how the Lord made euery thing to prosper that hee did and exalted him to the lordship of all Egipt and made all his kynne to honour him Seruants therfore be obedient vnto them that are your maisters according to the fleshe that is whiche haue power ouer your bodies not ouer your soules In all things not with eie seruice as men pleasers but in singlenesse of hart fearing god And whatsoeuer ye do do it hartily as to the lorde and not as vnto men knowing that of the lord ye shall receaue the reward of the inheritance for yee serue the Lord Christ And ye maisters do vnto your seruants that which is iust and equal knowing that ye haue also a maister in heauen And if thou hast a faithfull seruant let him be vnto thee as thine own soule c. Intreate him as thy brother Let thy soule loue a good seruant defraude him not of libertie neither leue him a poore man c. And thus this loue betwene the maister and his seruant wil become an exceding faithfull loue But be it neuer so excellent a loue yet bicause it is but duetie in the seruant and of the master cometh for his seruants painful ▪ trustie and profitable seruice therfore So God loued the world that this is but hireling and seruile loue to be cōpared to it We reade of greate loue that Princes haue loued their subiects withal and subiects again haue loued their Princes This is a goodly and Godly loue also wold to God it were so faithful in euery countrey as it ought to be Then should we not haue harde of suche oppressions and ciuile warres in foreine realmes nor of suche conspiracies and rebellions as hathe bene in oure owne A Prince oughte to be a father and mother to their people and to make reckning of so many children as they haue subiectes The subiect again ought to be as a chylde vnto his Prince and to make reckenyng of his soueraigne as of his own father or mother yea to make a greater accompt of him or her than of his father that begate him or his mother that bare him not only for that the state is greater and euen immediate next to God and representing god him selfe but also for the greater commoditie that both he his parents his kin and all his countrey receyue by the peasable and vertuous gouernement of the Prince not only of infinite benefits of bodye aud goodes but that passeth all bodily and temporall matters the free passage of the Gospel of Iesus Christ the mayntenance of his true Religion the faithfull feding on his word and sacraments that refreshe and nourishe his soule to lyfe euerlasting Therfore next vnder God there is no loue ought to be greater than this that the naturall subiecte doth owe his naturall Prince nor any thing is a surer defence to the Prince next vnder Gods protection whose anoynted the Prince is and in whose handes is the princes hart then is the faithfull loue of his subiects No horse nor harnesse no garde nor gunne nor garrison no forte nor castle no armie no treasure
nor anye thing that a Prince canne deuise in yearthe to defende hym selfe and saue his honoure by is of more value than this one thyng the Subiectes faythful loue Neyther hath the subiecte a greater earthly treasure gyuen hym of GOD than a godly and louyng Prince nor a greater scourge in thys lyfe can there be than when Propter peccata populi facit hypocritam regnare For the peoples wyckednesse God sendes an hypocrit a false worshipper of God a setter vp of superstition and idolatrie an hatefull and cruel tyrant that loueth not his subiectes to raigne ouer them Consyder then with your selues how exceedingly we the people of Englande are bounde in this greate benefite among infinite other to Almightie God that wee be subiects vnder sutche a most gracious Prince that without suspition of lie or flattery we may truely saye Non taliterfecit omni nationi He hath not dealte so with anye nation as he hath dealte with vs Looke thorough out all Christendome comparisons are odious ye shall fynd no countrey no kingdom no realme no citie no state nor any people to enioy all those benefites all that whyle and after that sorte that we haue doone and long shall doo I trust vnder our most blessed Soueraigne The Lorde that hathe wroughte these benefytes to vs by her bee blessed for her and as in a stretched out arme he hath by her deliuered vs from the bōdage of Egipt Pharaos tirannie as hee hath to the preseruing gathering together and feeding vs poore strayed scattered famished weryed sheepe of his folde stirred her vp to be our shepherde deliuered her and vs from the Beare and the Lion as he hathe infeoffed her not onely with royall honoure and supreme gouernement but also endowed her with sutch princely qualities and excellente vertues that other people wonder at her as a myrror other Princes lerne at her as a patterne and we feele the benefit of her as a mother So God that for hys glorie and oure profite hathe giuen her to vs and vs to her for his mercie and truthes sake vouche safe to continue encrease blesse defende and prosper her long to raigne ouer vs and of a yong Lady make her an olde lustie mother amongst vs that hath suche motherly loue vnto vs What now remayneth on our partes to her but lyke faythfull subiectes to honour and obey her with all our industrie lyke louing and naturall children to loue her with all our hartes like Godly Christians with all prayer and supplication to praye for her and lyke true Englishemen to fyghte for her with all our mighte to healpe her with all our goods yea and nede were to die for her also For this I durst saye for her that if neede were as God forbidde or if her deathe coulde doe vs good as it can not but bring vs greatest hurte she woulde not sticke to suffer death either for Gods cause or for ours And this shee shewed full well when tyme was howe readie she was to become a constant mar◅ir for the truthe euen to the very pinche of deathe She went with Christ ouer Cedron into the garden and there slept not as som of the disciples did but sawe euen the cup and horrour of death before her So well she toke his crosse and followed him But God deliuered and exalted her to restore his truth and God preserue her to maintein it Amen Let vs therfore welbeloued of God and loued of her render loue for loue againe vnfainedly And al false harlots all doggish Doegs all dissembling Papists among vs that saye Amen from their teeth and wold if they could eate her with their teeth God turne their harts for his mercy or for his Iustice detect and roote them out that she our louing prince we her louing subiects maugre al Gods hers our enemies may long time liue and loue in God together Amen for Iesus sake Amē But what is this loue also were it neuer so vnfained or any of all these loues or all these loues and put them altogether and adde on the heade of al these loues the loue that we owe to God aboue all things which is most principally to be cōsidered to loue God with all our harte with all our soule with all our might and in respecte of this loue to set all other loues aside yea to hate oure selues in comparisō of this loue of God yet al the loues that we are able to bere one to another and all to God we are bound to them by so many causes that they are all rather dueties than loue And our loue whē it commeth to his most perfection is so imperfecte and hath so many bracks and blots till this corruptible shal put on incorruption and this mortall put on immortalitie yea when that which is perfect is com the imperfect abolished and that faith and hope shal cease only loue continue yet shal it neuer com nere this incomparable loue of god to vs wherby So God loued the world that for y worlds saluatiō he gaue his only begottē son Why sir may not a prince here in this world so loue his people to geue also his only begotten sonne for them and that for naughty caitiues theues wicked ones and traitors to him and to their countrey and that by the laws they ought to suffer a most reprochefull deathe yet may not this prince minding the iustice of the law shal passe so feruently loue those malefactours that he will not spare to geue his only begotten sonne to the laws seueritie and bitter deathe for the redemption of those trāsgressors so entierly beloued of him surely this were a maruelous harde case we can not put a harder no though he died him selfe for them We neuer redde of any sutche prince The ensample of Codrus that procured his owne deathe to saue the Athenians The ensample of the Philenian brethren that voluntarily were buried quicke for the enlarging their countrie bounds The ensample of the Decij and Curtius and such as gaue them selues to deathe for the preseruation of their coūtries this was maruelous great loue that moued them but nothing like the case here put How beit this is nothinge like to Gods case neither For if the prince bare sutche loue to those malefactors no great loue in any creature could com with out greate causes on their partes either that they had don for the prince or might doe for him that moued him to beare them this exceding loue But in God the creatour there was no cause at all as is alreadie declared on the worlds behalfe wherefore he shold loue the world neither benefite nor personage nor any thing besides the loue it selfe of god The Prince in this case might not fauoure his sonne or loue those offenders more than he did his sonne but the sonne of God is his best beloued neither did he this to his sonne as not louing his sonne or lesse louing his
Neyther is the handling worthie of any name although the matter can not be named worthily inough For the matters sake therfore not for the manner of it I shoued it out when I could not holde it in and among others chéefely commend it to your good Lordship whome as God hath made not onely a singular succourer and especiall setter forth of his truth and al good letters but also a publike patrone therevnto and euen a father to our moother and nourice of learning the renounted vuiuersitie of Cambridge that now God be praysed for it flourisheth vnder your protectioÌ„ so he vouchsafe to his glory your ioy and our comfort long to blesse and prosper your honour therin Your Lordships humble to commaundâ—… in Christ Iohn Brigges Sic Deus dilexit mundum c. So God loued the worlde that hée gaue his only begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beléeueth in him should not perishe but haue Euerlasting lyfe RIGHT Honorable and deare beloued in the Lord Iesus This sentence is the entrie into that portion of Scripture that is appoynted to be red for the Gospell this daye and a parcell of the disputation whyche Nichodemus hadde in the nyght with Christe A shorte sentence and for the vnderstanding plaine and easy but for the contente of the matter a most notable sentence comprehending in briefe wordes both all things and the causes of them all God the Creator and al the world created the mercifull loue of God the miserable perdition of Mankind Gods election without beginning mans saluation without ending the most singular gifte of God without comparison the Eternall life of man without merites To be briefe what is not conteyned in this sentence the whole scope and argument whereof standeth on the causes of our saluation euen the groundeworke and principles of Christianitie the locke and keye of our Religion Whiche being opened all controuersies at this day in question betwene vs and our aduersaries as depending hereon are apparant and soone decided For my playner and easyer processe herevppon I purpose to diuide this sentence into foure parts Wherof the first shal be of gods eternall purpose to the world In these two endes Vt non pereat sed habeat vitam aeternaÌ„ that it shold not perish but haue eternal life The second shal be of the cause that moued Almightye God to this purpose of the worlds saluation that is to say Sic dilexit euen the only ioue of god The thirde part shall be to consyder the meanes that God being thus purposed and moued wrought this benefite by that is to say Vt daret filium suum vnigenitum He gaue his only begotten sonne to worke it The fourth and the last part shall be to consider wyth what effertuall instrument we receyue and apply those causes of our saluation to our benefite that is to wit Qui credunt in eum By a stedfast Faith in hym Wherein are comprehended these foure causes The originall cause and fountain of mans saluation Gods eternall purpose the motiue cause inducyng hym therevnto Gods loue the efficiente and formall cause thereof the Sonne of GOD the 〈◊〉 and instrumentall cause of the same Gods gifte of Faith in Manne Thus this whole sentence So God loued the worlde c. beeing 〈◊〉 and deuided orderly into these foure partes lette vs make oure entrie into the seuerall consyderations of them with faythfull and humble Prayer Precatio You haue hearde deare Christians whereon I purpose to proceede euen on this sentence Sic Deus c. Yee haue hearde what notable matter it conteynethe what is the summe and argument thereof and howe I haue distributed the same Wherof the fyrst part hath to behold the eternal purpose of Almightie God in these endes that the world should not perishe but haue euerlasting lyfe This parte hath two things principally to consider Whereof the syrste is these two endes perdition and lyfe eternall The seconde is these two parties God and the worlde God that deliuereth from perdition and giueth eternall life the world that is deliuered from perdition and receiueth eternall lyfe The former is comprehended in these woordes Vt non pereat sed habeat aeternam vitam that it should not perishe but haue Eternall lyfe Whiche wordes are placed last and are the ende of the sentence and lyke wise are the last end that wee shall come vnto But bicause the drifte whereto the sentence tendeth and we also directe the leuell of all oure life is to escape perdition and to obteyne life eternall not vnorderlye it commeth to bee fyrst consydered For although the ende is laste in practise yet in mynde the ende is fyrste of all Hee that is aboute to buylde an house fyrste hath his generall ende and purpose wherefore he wold build and or euer he set on the building he deuiseth his platforme how he shal be able to compasse the same Quis ex vobis c. Which of you sayeth Christ disposed to buylde a Toure sitteth not downe before and counteth the cost whether he haue sufficient to perfourme it least after he hath layde the foundation and is not able to perfourme it all that beholde hym begynne to mocke him saying This man began to buylde and was not able to make an ende Or what Kyng going to make battaile againste an other Kyng sitteth not downe fyrst and casteth in his mynde whether he be able with tenne thousande to meere him that commeth against him with twentie thousande c. What man hauing a iourney to goe first considereth not the place whether the entent wherefore and the manner howe he wil trauaile thether and then he setteth on his Iorney and last of all commeth there This is the differnce of the foole and wise as our Prouerbe sayth to looke or we leape As Esope telleth of the two Froggs that in a dry Sommer sought for water and when they came to a deepe pit Here sister sayth the one is a good place for vs to abide in here is water inough nay softe quod the other Frog let vs viewe a litle ere we leape in if water shoulde faile here also howe should we get out again The wise therfore geue this councell Quicquid agas prudenter agas respice finem Whatsoeuer thou doest doe it warily and forecast the ende therof Beholde howe Christ commendeth the steward whiche otherwise was a wicked man for this his industrie in prouidyng for the ende O that the children of life were halfe so wise so prouident and forecastyng as the children of this worlde in their generation be O that rashe youthe amongst vs wolde consider this order in their vnaduised enterprises being caried aware in the headstronge wilfull delight of present pleasures and will not se the wretched ende Qui ducit ad interitum that hurlethe them headlong into destruction and all bicause they wolde not forsee the sequele and ende thereof Voluptates specta abeuntes non accedentes Looke not on pleasures face but
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
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
sonne than vs but only he did it for the loue of vs yet his loue of vs is onely in and for his sonne The Prince might seeke glorie and renowne by this strange fact as the Philosophers did in al their sufferings but Christ sought ignominie due to vs to bring vs to raigne in glorie with him In the ende the Prince must nedes die and his sonne also and how soone either of them God knowes And whether by not so famouse a deathe or no God knowes And how they shold haue liued with what troubles feares and changes God knows These things might moue them to be the willinger to suffer death that once they must nedes suffer and this they know But the sonne of God was not subiecte vnto deathe he neded neuer to haue died for death had no power ouer him as he truly sayd Habeo potestatē ponēdi animam meam iterum sumendi eam I haue power to geue ouer my life and to take it againe It lay in his owne power to die or not to die but that of his mere loue he vouchesaued for to die Moreouer the Princes death could worke but a small and trifling benefit the sauing of theyr bodily life for a whyle that perchaunce myght die body and and soule within a minute of an houre after But the death of oure vnspotted Lambe the sonne of God is become suche a sweete and acceptable sacrifice to GOD the Father and so effectuall vnto vs that if any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for oure sinnes onely but for the sinnes of the whole worlde To conclude there is as mutche difference betweene this or any other case that can be put of any creature husbande wife parentes children frend enemie neighbour stranger maister seruant prince subiect or whose loue soeuer it be as is betwene the creature creator as is betwene the person of a wretched mortal man the person of the liuing and immortall god The loue of God therefore whereby he so loued the worlde that he gaue his sonne for it doth excell all comparison doth excede all speache doothe passe all vnderstanding Wee speake but in a darke speeche theron we vnderstand it but as chyldren we see it but thorough a gl◅sle we know it but in part yea the angels meruaile at it and cannot fully conceaue the breadth the length the depthe the heigthe of this incomprehensible loue of God to manne and to knowe this loue of Christe whiche go◅th beyonde all knowledge But that we may haue some taste of this sweete loue of God some ioy of this his excellent gifte let vs deare beloued as we maye a little beholde the same He gaue his only begotten son Here are two things to be considered The one is the thing it self that for this loue he bestowed vpon vs The other is the maner of his bestowing it The thing that he bestowed was euen his sonne not his seruant but his sonne not his frende but his sonne euen his true begotten sonne and that his only begoten son Such as the father is suche is the sonne the Father is God the sonne is God God of the substance of his father very God and equall to his father in substance eternitie grace glorie power and euery thing For all that the Father hathe hee hathe giuen to him and he and the father are one Hee is the expresse image of the inuisible God the first begotten of all creatures the wisdome of his father by whome the world was made the light of the worlde the way the truth and the life the authour and fynisher of our faithe the prince of pastours and great shepeherd of our soules the true vine the bread of lyfe the rock and fountayn of the liuing waters the corner stone of the building and foundation therof the king of glorie the prince of peace the anoynted of God the high priest the mediator of the new Testament the lamb of god that taketh away the sinnes of the world the reconciler of God and man the Emanuel the Messias the blessed seede the hope and redemption of Israell The lord sauior Iesus Christ in whome is the fulnesse of the diuinitie in whom only is layde vp the vnsearchable treasorie of all the riches of the glorie grace fauor of this infinit loue of God euen the only begotten son of god So muche more excellent than the angels in as much as he hath obteined a more excellēt name thā they For vnto which of the angels sayde he at any tyme Thou art my son this day haue I begotten thee And agayne I will be his father and he shall be my sonne and againe when he bringeth in his firste begotten sonne into the world be saith And let al the angels of God worship hym c. to the Son he saith O god thy throne is for euer euer the scepter of thy kingdom is a scepter of righteousnes thou hast loued righteousnesse and hated iniquitie wherfore God euen thy God hath anoynted thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellows And thou Lord in the beginning hast established the earth and the heauens are the workes of thine handes they shal perish but thou dost remayn and they al shall waxe old as doth a garmēt and as a vesture shalt thou fold them vp they shal be changed but thou art the same and thy yeares shal not fayle Vnto whiche of the angels sayde hee at any tyme Sitte thou at my right hād til I make thy enemies thy foote stoole And hath he then poured foorth on vs poore and wretched synfull misers sutche treasures of hys blessings that he hath giuen vs euen this his son in quem desiderant angeli prospicere on whom the angels desire to looke yea saithe the same sonne him self Dedit vnigenitum filium suum He gaue his only begotten sonne O infinite and vnspeakable loue O most preciouse gifte O most orient pearle O most happie marchant that can get this iewel The price of this gifte can not be tolde the value of this iewel is inestimable siluer and gold pearle and stone is nothing comparable to this wonderfull gifte of god No we are not bought with corruptible things as siluer and golde but with the precious bloud of Christ the sonne of God The sonne of God why could no lesser gift haue serued vs might not he haue geuen vs an angell But euen his sonne And that his only begotten son Might not he haue gyuen vs one of his adopted sonnes some notable man or womā some patriarche some Prophet some apostle or some holy sainte of god No God spared not to giue his his onely begotten son for man Yea nothing coulde sufficiently pacifie the wrath of God satisfie his iustice make due recompence for our vndue offence reconcile vs to the fauour of GOD againe vanquishe
my bodye and refresh my spirites then the rest of my body and the refreshing of my spirits is a greater matter than is my lying downe to sleepe I buylde an house what moueth me to doo suche cost to shelter and shrowde me from wynde and weather from heat and colde from danger and enimie and to defend and keepe me and myne then this my defence is a greater cause than my house buylding is And eueÌ„ so God loueth a man why loueth he him bicause he is a good man then the goodnesse of the man is a greater cause than the loue of god And thus in conclusion not onely the greater cause of mans saluation is in man and the lesser cause in God but also that little cause in God is referred to mannes goodnesse also And so the cause in God is cleane swalowed vp lyke a drop in the sea â–ª a beane in a Monks hoode a mouse in a cheese nay rather a ciphre in Algorisme the loue of God in the cause of mans saluation And yet for fashions sake the name of Gods loue of Gods grace of Gods mercie of Christs merits must be pretended but when all is done the woorke of man is the efficient is the formall is the finall and principall cause of mans saluation As Bonauenture sayeth that although the death and resurrection of Christe take away our sinnes and iustifie vs attamen neutri attribui potest propriè causalitas iustificationis habet tamen aliquam causae proprietatem scilicet per modum meriti interuenieÌ„tis ê“ reducitur ad causam materialeÌ„ formalis enim est gratia hoc est charitas c. Neuerthelesse the causing cause of Iustification can not proprely be attributed eyther to Christes death or to his resurrection although it hath some propretie of a cause that is to wit by the meanes of merite commyng betwene which is reduced to the materiall cause for the formall cause is grace that is to say charitie Heere is a name of grace but when the name is expounded it falleth out he ment not the loue and free fauour of God but charitie that is mans loue the very contrary in this poynt vnto grace and free fauour of god And so mans loue is the formall cause of mannes saluation but it muste bee called forsoothe the grace of God. Heere is agayne the Passion and Resurrection of Iesus Christe sayde to take away synnes and to Iustifie vs What can be a godlyer saying and truer than this Who could find fault with this Who woulde require more yf they meane as they say Why haue thei then another meaning What is that Forsoth the death and Resurrection doth it but not proprely as any cause therof Lo here is the cause cleane takeÌ„ away nay not so but it is not a cause properly how is it theÌ„ it hath yet some propertie of a cause This is a contrarie tale to it selfe at lest it hath som propertie of contrarietie But what kynd of propertie of a cause hath the deth and resurrection of Christ to take away sinnes and to iustifie man Forsoothe in this consideration by the meanes of mans desert and good works coÌ„ming betwene and being a stickler in the matter But how commeth it betwene as a small cause Nay as the material cause also of his saluation And so maÌ„s charity is the formal cause mans merits are the material cause Grace is named The deathe and resurrection of Christe is named but it is no cause properlie and if it haue anye propretie of a cause it is onely by reason of mannes merites goyng betweene Is not thys a proper doctrine Whether will not this doctrine presume to goe Why maye not the Papist say as well that manne is the cause of God as to say that mannes merites are the cause of Gods loue Is not the loue of God euen GOD hymselfe Quicquid dicitur de Deo Deus est The Wisdome of God is God the power of God is God and the loue of God is god And so Sainâ—…t Iohn dothe saye Deus est charitas qui maner in charitate in deo mâ—…net deus in eo God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him Nowe if mannes goodnesse bee the cause of Gods loue is it not then the cause of God also What is prâ—…de if this bee not pride Where is Adam and Eue that woulde become like Gods if they be not here Where is that proude kyng of Babylon that sayde with Lucifer I wyll aâ—…cende aboue the cloudes I wil be like the most high but in this doctrine Where is that man of sinâ—…e that would exalt himself aboue all that is called God if not in this blasphemous presumption of the Papists Qui quaerentes suaÌ„ iustitiaÌ„ stabilire c. That seking to set vp their owne righteousnesse are not subiect to the righteousnesse of god But let this diuelishe doctrine goe wyth the diuell downe the lane from whence it came and let vs humbly receyue the doctrine of Iesus Christe that the cause whiche moued God to saue the worlde was onely in him selfe for his owne sake for his owne goodnesse and most merciful fauour for his tender loue that of his owne accorde good nature be vouchsafed to beare the worlde and not for any cause of goodnesse in the worlde were it neuer so little a cause For how little so euer thou ascribest to thy selfe thou takest from God thou robbest God of his glory and of his glorie God is a iealous god neyther will he part stakes with any other for any part or parcell therof Oh sayth the Papist it is a very little thing a small modicum that wee require and modicum non nocet a litle hurteth nothing an inche breakes no square That is not true modicum nocet modicum A little hurteth a litle yea and that a great deale in this case wherin on the one part God is all in all will haue all the glorie of it as right requireth if he haue not al he wil haue none There is no halting betwene God and Baal no agreement betwene God and the diuell no felowshippe wyth light and darkenesse And what is manne else but darkenesse â–ª but mancipium Sathanae the boÌ„dsclaue of Sathan before God lighten and deliuer him On the other part the diuel will not bee contente with a little grauÌ„t him neuer so litle in the beginning as good giue him all for in the ende he will striue to haue all giue him an inche hee will take an elle giue him but his little toe he will thrust his foote his leg his body after and seuen diuels more for company and the ende of that man shal be worse than the beginning Obsta principijs serò medicina paratur Stoppe therfore the beginnings otherwise it will be too late to seeke for healpe Take away the cause else the effect wil neuer be taken away Man will euer
be proude and glorie in himselfe if there be any cause of his own saluation in himself be it neuer so small a worke or neuer so smal a preparatiue or inclination therevnto he will take to much hart of grasse and not of grace theron Nay sayth the Papist wee will neuer by Gods grace denie the grace of god God hath a negatiue voice he may dash all we can not be saued without god But hath not man an affirmatiue voyce What will ye leaue him then It is but a little that we require God wot a very small sparke and that so ouercouered with the ashes of synne and corruption that it can neuer giue of it self any light or heat of a fier except the ashes be blowne away some stickes layd to to kindle the fyre And further then this say the Papists we willnot asâ—…e sith ye are so importune vpon vs we demaund at the least but this that ye graunt man to haue no more goodnes of himselfe than sutche small sparkes of election â–ª free will disposition and preparation as God seing them peepe out and giue but a glimpse vnder the ashes of synne with his worde he bloweth the ashes away and putteth too matter for vs to worke our owne saluation vpon What shall we sticke with them well beloued in this small request This seemeth to be but a triste What power is here giuen to man When woulde these sparkes make a fire to warme one by if the ashes were not blown away and sticks layd too which inferreth we can do nothing of our selues without the grace of god In whiche poyne they say true but they say not all the truth For not onely without Christ we can not become this good fyre but also without Christ we haâ—…e no such sparks in vs to begin this fyre withall for the word of God to blow vpoÌ„ But as the wood is his y he must put to his gracious gifts as the winde is his wher with he must blowe on vs his blessed worde and holy spirite so must the sparkes be his and all for else we are nothing but euen dead coales ashes Except ye speake of suche sparkes of the lustes of concupiscence as by the diuels blowing and oure owne laying of sticks togyther wil of themselues make suche a blase as wyll burne bodye and soule for euer For the fyre whereby wee be enflamed wyth the loue of GOD came of hym that sayd I came to bryng fyre into the worlde and what woulde I but it should burne The fyre that declared God to be the lorde and not Baal cam downe from heauen there was none in the wood but rather water The fiery tongs that sate on the disciples heds and warmed theire hartes came not of anye sparks of their owne but only from the ho ly ghost Then is not this that they count so small a request in any case to be graunted them both for the falsenesse of the begynnyng and the inconuemeÌ„ce of the sequele of it For first in the begynning they grounde on a wrong principle that there is at the least sutche sparkes in man where as there is no sutch at all in man whiche as it is therfore alye affirming that to be in manne that is not in him so it maketh hym proude of that he hath not That there is no sutche sparkes of goodnesse in manne is euidente Cum mortuâ—… esseâ—…is in delictis when as ye were dead in sinnes sayth S. Paule speaking of the tyme before God called them But dead coales are not quicke coales nor haue any sparke of fyre in them if they be deade for otherwise they be not fully dead But we were dead in sinne therfore there were no sparkes of goodnesse in vs If ye thinke the worde dead be to straightly vrged and that wee were not fully deade in synne but halfe dead as the Papistes wrest that parable of the man that fell into the theues handes then would I aske the question whether we were quickened by Christe or no but Saint Paule saveth Viuâ—…ficauit nos in Christo Hee quickened vs in Christe thorough loue Propter nimiam charitatem qua dilexit nos Therfore it muste needes folow wee were euen deade before neither was there any sparke of the life of grace in vs before that of his mere loue in Iesu Christ hee quickned vs For loke how mutch ye denie the deadnesse so mutche also yee denie the quickenyng But the quickenyng is onely of Loue and in Chryste therefore besydes thys cause of loue and besydes Christ there is nought in vs but death of synne there is no sparke alyue And in lyke case for free will there is no freedom but in Christe Si filius vos liberauerit verè liberi eritis If the sonne make you free sayth Christ then are ye free in dede But till then they are held captiue in the snares of the diuell to do his will they are seruauntes of sinne nor can do ought or will doe oughte or encline to ought but sinne And so mutche as yee denie this bondage so muche ye denie that freedom whiche Christ hath set them in Likewise for the filthe of that our naturall vncleannesse wherein we walowed and were so berayed that euen the cleanest place of vs was lyke a foule cloute in so mutche that God sayeth Thoughe thou washe thee with Nitre and rubbe thee neuer so much with soape yet art thou spotted in thine iniquitie before mee Untill wee bee washed with the bloude of Iesus Christe and then we be cleane through oute then were our synnes as redde as scarlet they shall be made as whyte as snow yea Et supra niuem dealbabor wee shal be made whyter than the snowe or fullers white sine ruga macula without any spot or wrinkle Looke then how much cleannesse thou attributest to thy selfe so muche thou deniest the washing of the bloud of Iesus christ For it is a good coÌ„sequeÌ„ce whatsoeuer was washed clean before it was washed it was foule Whatsoeuer was redemed and made free before it was redeemed was captiue What soeuer was found before it was founde was loste Whatsoeuer was rered vp was falne And whatsoeuer was quickned the same was dead before Then followeth it sithe all these benefites are wroughte on vs that we were bondsclaues we were falne we were defyled we were lost we were euen dead we had no freedome no staye no cleannesse no knowledge where we were no life in vs before This then is a false assumption that they would so sayne haue graunted vnto them and therfore in no case to bee assented vnto Neyther is the sequele hereof so small and tryfâ—…ing a thing as here to haue it granted they woulde seeme to make it It is a paltrie matter say they a very little thing and in a manner nothing that wee require If it bee so small a matter why do they so earnestly desire it why
taken down and burned bycause he could keepe himselfe no better O cruell Canibali O barbarous Priests worse than Iudas that betrayed him worse than Cayphas Annas and Pylate that arraigned and iudged him worse than the very tarmagant Iewes that so despitefully put him to death Coulde they fynde in theyr heartes thus agayne with more despite to handle and execute for euen so and that ryghtly they called it theyr Lorde and mayster Iesus Christe Alas poore Christe what an hard handlyng was thys But thankes be to God this was not Christe as they thinke neuerthelesse if it had bene hee they shew theyr good willes vnto him and howe they wold order him amongst them What is this but euen to say Hic est haeres venite occidamus eū This is the heire come let vs kil him then the inheritāce shal be ours And euen thus as they order the person of Christ so order they al his dignities prerogatiues and titles that his father gaue hym and all the offices wherto God the Father sente him Diuiserunt sibi vestimentamea They haue deuided my garmēts amōgst them saith Christ they haue made hauocke and spoyle of all and haue left him nothyng What one poynte is there of his royall kingdome of his high priesthode of his perfect sacrifice of his precious purchase of his continual mediation or any other office that they haue not taken the same to themselues or giuen the same to other Do not they take vpon them the forgiuenesse of sins Do they not take vpon them to be sacrificing Priests Do they not giue to their Pope the kingdom al the titles of Christ Do they not send vs to other mediators beside Christ haue thei left any thyng to Iesus Christe but a bare name of Iesus Christ Yea of what value do they esteme the death of Iesus Christe but to take awaye the bare name of a thing For first all the Papists doo affirme that the death of Christ is fully effectuall onely for originall sinne that is to say for infants that can make no satisfaction wanting wil reason knowledge and al abilitie therevnto But all other actuall sinnes wee must our selues make satisfaction for them besides the death of Christe And hereon aryseth theyr doctrine of satisfaction wherein if a manne haue doone an offence he must cōfesse it to them and they enioyne him penance which if he do he satisfieth for his sin If it be to hard a penāce O good mayster gostly father saith the penitēt this penance is too sore for gods sake an easier penance Then buie it out saithe he ye may turne it to mony And I warant ye he payeth full sweetely for it For euery sinne be it neuer so horrible is rated at his price and that is mutch higher than they make the price of Christ and this is their satisfaction for all their actuall sinnes but wherto thē serueth the death of Iesus Christ For originall sinne saye they And is this al◅well yet this is somwhat and that indede a great matter Original sinne is a horrible cōtagion and corruption of the whole nature and substāce of man and therfore a greuous sinne No no saithe Pigghius what man ye are more afraide then nedes Original sinne is in dede no sinne at all No is why is it then of al men called sin Ha thou foole why callest thou thy writing thy hande is thy writing thy hand in dede No but bicause it was written by my hand it hath the name of my hand And euen so saithe Pigghius is originall sinne a name of sinne but not in dede any sinne Sed tantū qua diximus analogia peccatum dici quomodo dici mus scripturam manum aut frigus pigrum It is no sinne neither before nor after baptisme c. But only may be called sinne by the proportion aforesayde euen as we cal our writing our hande or colde slow bicause it makes vs slow Is not this a proper doctrine of the Papists Who wolde haue thought they had held sutche horrible erroures of the very principles of our faithe But wherto tendeth this How is it against the death of Christe Laye these two doctrines together in forme of argument and see what conclusion will ryse theron Original sin is no sinne in dede but onely a bare name of sinne The death of Christe is fully effectuall to take away only originall sinne for al other actual sinnes require besydes satisfaction for them Ergo the death of Christ is fully effectuall to take away no sinne in dede but only a bare name of sinne Here is a very lowe price that this iewell is now come to yet was it better before whē it was at a grote and now it is come to nothing no not so muche as three halfe pence the price of an olde dogge Thus trode they downe and brought to no purpose the moste high raunsome of oure soules the precious death and passion the holy perfect and propiciatorie sacrifice on the altar of the crosse made once for euer by our high priest Iesus Christe Thus caste these foolishe builders asyde that stone that God hath made the head corner stone whereon all the building riseth This haue they estemed and prised this iewell and in the balance of their owne selfe loue haue made them selues to waygh a greater paise than christ Thus haue they ordered the only begotten sonn̄e of God whome of hys infinite loue God gaue to the worlde that it shoulde not perish but haue eternall lyfe They pretend otherwise as Herode did to worship Christe and doucke and curtesie downe to the ground at the verie name of Christ for thei had left him nothing but his name But to what purpose was al that honour to his name misusing thus his person and spoiling him of his office Is not this Iudas trayterouse kisse openly to saye Aue rabbi all haile maister and to saye priuily Ipse est tenete eum Lay hand on him it is euen he and his very bodie eate him vp or hang him vp They saye they did this to honour him wold they be content with sutche honoure This is an honour with all my harte and God geue them sutche honour as they geue god In name they geue hym honoure but the more hypocrites they Simulata sanctitas duplex iniquitas Their fained holines is double wickednes what do they lesse than did the Iews to clothe him in purple like a king crowne him with thorne like a diademe geue him a reede like a scepter and to geue him a bare name like a bable and spoile him of all his merites like a theef◅ is not this also to crie Crucifige crucifige like a Iewe and euen to crucifie the sonne of God againe so mutche as in them doth lie that thus doe order him surelie surelie the very Turks think better of Iesus Christ that are our open and professed enemies then the Papists what soeuer they thought of him did order