whome they beleue nat Iames also teacheth lette the man aske in fayth nat doubtynge And Mathew .xxi. what soeuer you aske in your prayer beleuynge you shal haue it Therfore the way to make thy seruyce to god and worshyppyng of him trewe perfect and pleasaunt and also acceptable is of necessitie to learne to knowe thys doctryne of faythe and mercy which is gyuen frely ¶ Faythe ABOVTE THYS VOcable and worde of faythe many do make much a do agynst vs whiche maketh vs to meruayle that there hath bene and is so greate darkenesse in the churche that the very naturall signification of thys worde which is in euery mannes mouthe that all mennes eares are full of it is so loste forgotten and vnknowen that fewe do vnderstande it aright The whiche losse of the ryghte meanynge of faythe beynge much to be lamented hathe associated to it another greater and more euyll that it is harde and almost vnpossible to plucke the enueterate and olde erronyous opinion out of mennes heades The which certayne raylers as Cocleus and certayne other which do shewe them selfe to be of a more sadde and demure sort do most styfly and stronglye defende and mayntayne with whom bycause they seke nat for the knowledge of the truth but how they may serue theyr owne apetyte and foolyshe blynde disease we entende nat for to brawle and scolde referrynge vs to the iudgement of vertuouse and learned men For the Prophettes and the Apostle do declare and shewe so plainly the verye true signification of faythe that of no man which hathe hys ryghte wyttes it can be denyed Fayth therfore is nat only a knowledge of the hystorye of Chryst but it is a stedfast trust also in the mercye of God promysed to vs for Chryst sake Grace And to beleue that lykewise grace which is the free mercye of God the gyft of the holy Ghost and lyfe euer lastyng is promysed to vs and that euen so it shall be perfourmed Thus to beleue and to be agreable to the promyse couetynge and desyrynge thys heuenly comfort and there in for to haue our repose and rest when we do heare that god wyll be mercyful to vs for Iesu Chryste sake it perteyneth to the inwarde parte of man the hert and mynde Wherefore when we do heare say that by faythe we are iustified we maye nat imagine and thinke that we are iustified bicause that faythe is a Godly and a worthy vertue But when we saye that by faythe we are iustified we must vnderstande this sayinge relatyuely hauyng respect to that thynge whiche I do receyue by faythe beinge the fre mercy promysed to vs for Christ sake by the whiche we are made iust pleasaunte and acceptable to God By thys fayth we apprehende receyue and knowledge the mercye of God makyng it fytte and mete for our necessary vse Faythe is a vocable relatyue For faith and confidence although I graunt them to be qualities yet they be as all other vocables and wordes of affections to be taken relatiuely that is to say to be referred hauynge respect to an other thynge beside it selfe As by thys example Thys worde loue is respectyuely taken to that thynge whiche is loued Feare hathe hys abiecte that thynge which is feared So the abiecte of faythe or confidence is that thynge which is trusted and hoped after Thys maner of dialecticall reasonynge and profe nat so muche as chyldren but do knowe it to be true The which that vnshame faste and foule mouthed personne Mensenger as bolde as Gawyn within tempest audacitie and oute of all season dyd reprehende But I do appeale to the whole iudgemente of them that be learned men whiche knowe that vocables relatyue are to be vnderstande respectiuely as it is sayde in latyne Secundum dici perceyuynge howe necessary is the vse of these smal and tryfelynge to seme to preceptes in matters whiche be of great import and weyght ⧠LYKEVVISE as these wordes folowinge are to be taken respectiuely The confidence of his treasure maketh the ryche man in tyme of deâ—th scarsty to be of a quyet mynd and stomake that is to say Thorow his treasure the riche man is quyet So when we saye that by faythe we are iustified streyghte waye thou doeste remembre the correllatyue beynge thorowe mercy for Christ sake promysed we are made iust I remembre that I haue bene sometyme demaunded and asked thys question Wherfore we must say By faythe we are made iust yf we wyl that man shal be iust by the mercye promised for Chryst Wherto I answere sayinge that these wordes ar correllatiue that one hauynge respecte to that other By faythe we are iust and by mercy we are iust There must nedes be mention made of faythe for as much as by some motion and meane we muste receyue thys gyft of mercy applienge it to oure commodities And when we do speake of faythe our mynde doethe loke streyght way on Chryst beholdynge the mercy which is frely promised for him beinge thorowly persuaded that we are made iust nat for our owne vertues and dedes but for some thynge elles whiche is without vs and nothinge of our self that is for Christ the mediator which sytteth on the ryght hande of the father callynge and intreatynge for vs. Thys fayth being in our mindes is nat a phantasy or an idel cogitacioÌ„ but it is a thing which stryueth and wrasteleth with the terrors and tormentes of our conscieÌ„ce with sinne with deathe and with the Deuyl whiche by huge and wonderous craftes doeth besege our sycke myndes to dryue them if he mighte into the contempt of God whiche contempte vtter and most to be wailed desperation doth folowe As Cayn Saull Iudas with a great many mo whiche rekenyng them selfes abiect from God did incontinent lye with all furyous and outragyous madnes begyn to hate and dispise God There be an other sort whiche passinge nat for God do thynke that there is no God at al lyuing lyke epicures as Pharao which when they be in the stormysh and troublous brontes and daungers do nat regarde naye they do dispise the worde of God and the heauenlye comfort nat aydinge them selfe with fayth but beynge as men broken and clene ouercome do gyue place to the Deuyll which sayeth to them there is no God whiche hathe any power and that the worlde with al the contentes thereof is not gouerned by God but that al thynges doeth liue and dye agayne come and go again naturally Contrary wise they which do gyue eare to the Gospel that to be cast downe into the extreame calamities and miseries as it were into the bottom of Hel and to be thence brought out and restored agayne are the verye workes and ordynance of God Those men do staye and comforte them selfes with faythe they haue theyr refuge vnto theyr captayne Christe Hym they knowe to be the conquerer which breaketh the heade of the Serpent whiche as is before sayde doeth distroye the workes of the Deuyl beyng and
sercheth with the instrument of his spirite the very reynes of our backes ye the depest thoughtes and cogitations of our hertê declared the cause the very principall cause and cause efficient of all our malydes with these wordes Quia non cognouerunt me neque patrem meum bicause they knew neyther me nor yet my father It foloweth therfore that if we knowe him and his father we wolde both loue and feare both him and his father And contrary wise bicause we know neither we loue and feare neyther nay we hate and persecute both The ignorance then of God being the cause that we be voide of all feare and loue of the lorde what maruayle is it if we do runne headling into all kinde of mischefe if we sette nought neyther by God nor by the world if we regarde nat his precept his fruyt full teachinges and most beneficial promises Nay truly Sathan the father of ignorance is nat so contented to leâ— hys disciples rest at that point of lytle regardinge of the lorde his goodnes but he doth styrre them to high treason against his maiestie to open contempte and manifest blasphemy to the defiance of his godhed proclayming warre against his infinite power with trompettes and heraldes of armes of his owne begettinge and sendinge dishonouring him minishing of his godly and imperiall tytles those I say which do belonge of ryght by his own purchase and great coÌ„quest to the heuenly crowne I do meane the titles of our creation of our redemptioÌ„ of our iustification and free acceptatioÌ„ they giuing honor vnto the creatures in the stede of the creator with lyke detestable most dampnable and hereticall persuasion and opinion in ascribinge part of our saluation ye sometyme altogyther to our own worthy deseruingê and merites the prayse whereof he hys owne selfe lyke a most valiant captayne with no feyned sweate of his owne body with no counterfeyted bloude with no mocking death for he was a right naturall man and no man dyd euer offer so much as he dyd obteyne and wyn ¶ What meruayle is it though such as they be are traytors against theyr prynces here in erth if they do worke in huggar muggar theyr most pitiful and lameÌ„table distruction to the ouerthrowe of whole realmes to the vtter castinge away and decay of common welthes to the impouerishinge of al the worlde to the mayntenans of theues murtherers of theÌ„ that are voyde of al pytye against theyr fathers and mothers of whormongers aduouterous persons rauishers of vyrgins breakers and dispysers of the most holy state sacrament of wedlocke and finally the very roted sede of al kind of mischiefe ¶ If therfore the knowledge of god causeth the loue of god so that without we knowe him we can nat haue neyther him nor none of his benefites in estimation and valour of a good strawe it foloweth consequently of necessitie that the lacke of the knowledge of him causethe the hatred and lytle good affection towarde him or any of his workes So that it foloweth that the cause that we loue him nat is the cause we know him nat Nat as Iudas knewe hym whiche alway was present in coÌ„pany with hym familier with hiÌ„ at borde table with him which kyssynge his blessed mouthe and knowinge him corporally betrayed him Nat as the Iewes knewe him whiche scourging and beating of his blessed body commytted al kynde of vilany nayled his body to the crosse and so forth as the hystory maketh most godly ghostly mention For that corporal knowledge howe lytle it profiteth nay howe much it hurteth if you do rest there and go no further the mayster of al heuenly knowledge Christ declareth with verye playne wordes speakinge of his owne flesshe and bloude saying the flesshe profiteth nothing at al it is the spirite that gyueth lyfe and quickeneth The lorde dyd speake playnly nat meaninge any other thing then he did with his mouthe speake and declare To mannes iudgement what thing coulde be more heuenly more blessed as it is in dede than to haue the body of our sauiour forty wekes within our owne bodies as the vyrgin Mary had But if that she had nat knowen him in her spirite a lytle more perfectly than her corporal knowlege might haue gyuen informatioÌ„ forsoth it shuld haue profited her very lytle or nothinge she had ben no mete vessel habitacle or mansion place for that sacred body But gyuinge credyte at the last forsakinge her owne reason and iugement wherby she coulde nat attayne to the knowledge of God his wyl plesure being of her selfe counseled to the contrary by natural reason as by these wordes appeared Quoniam virum non cognosco I neuer had flesshely knowledge and company with man I knowe nat what it meaneth I can nat tell whiche way it shulde be so most lyke a playne simple and vertuous mayden felinge her spirites moued and newe altered in her selfe for the holye Ghost wrought merueylously in her and strongly nature gaue place reason quaked fayth relyued so that to the wordes pronounced by the Aungell Thou shalt conceyue c. she made no more a do but yeldinge herselfe vp cleane as one hauing no power of her selfe answered these wordes here I am the handmayde of the lorde let the lorde do with me as it shal please him This worde whereto Mary gaue credit and belefe did get her with chylde this word was made flessh this worde came into the worlde naturally sinne excepted To this worde before any thinge was nothinge did gyue place to be made some thing and of nothing al thing To this worde if Adam had gyuen credit and belefe by the whiche worde he was made and created he had nat fallen nor many more after him This worde the holy fathers froÌ„ Adam to Moises had nat writen but declated and pronounced by the mouthe of God wherby they knewe God and beleued God to be God and the Messias to come To this worde Moyses gaue credyte which was gyuen to him in the mounte in the tables of stone written with the fynger of God that he shulde gyue them to the people that they might be his people a people that shuld feare and loue the lorde This word Moyses dyd wryte in the boke called the Deuteronomium This worde the lorde commaunded to be in the handes of his people and neuer to be left out of theyr handes to be alway with them in al places at al tymes at theyr eatinge and drinkinge ye and at theyr slepinge hauing it for a pyllow to lay theyr hedes on and in theyr iurneys to be theyr companion to comfort them to be theyr staffe to staye them and holde theÌ„ vp And finally in al theyr pastimes to be theyr reioyse delyte This worde was harde of the people in the mounte wherby they knewe God by the whiche he wolde be knowen and nat by any out ward vision bicause partly oure flesshe and corrupt carnall nature can nat aryse vp into the mount to
God brynge with it ⧠And bycause that the Papystes do beat into the heades of the simple plain and vnlearned people to styrre them to the hatred of the worde of God sayeng and beatynge theyr handes that these newe felowes they do teache no good workes they bydde you do no more but beleue and you shall be saued lyue you neuer so licensiously so lewdly To coÌ„uince them therfore of theyr most deuelyshe malice and open sclaunder in the thyrde parte he speaketh and teachethe good workes what workes and howe they muste be done howe they shal be pleasaunt and acceptable to God The whiche workes he callethe a Christian mannes obedience A christian mannes obedience which commeth necessary after faythe In the which parte he shewethe howe venyall sinne is to be taken and what sinnes they be whiche makethe vs destytute of grace and the holye Ghooste ¶ In the fourthe and laste parte lyke a moost diligent Scholemayster be settethe forthe one after an other all theyr Sophistical cauillations and croked argumentes where with they myght deceyue and begyle a ryghte good clerke that bothe you maye knowe what they be and howe they are to be dissolued and put awaye whiche thynge shall be very necessary to be marked that when men do heare them in theyr reasonynge wryenge and wrastynge the woorde of god thei may stop theyr mouthes with the ryghte vnderstandynge of it that at the laste they shal be ashamed to brynge anye more suche durte before men At thys poynt this Godly clerke finisheth his worke very profytable and necessarye for all men The whiche woorke I wolde exhorte all men to rede earnestly and to marke the auctorities of the scriptures by hys Godly laboure gethered togyther for the vse of other men that they may haue them at all tymes in a redynes to ferche them forthe of theyr brestes as it were shaftes oute of a quyuer to serue theyr purpose to the mayntenaunce of the trewe worde and glorye of God agaynst the whole rabble of the Papystrie ¶ In consideration therfore of the most propensed and redye good wyll and fauoure whiche youre grace alwaye hath borne and doeth beare styll to the most heauenlye worde of God and to the furderars thereof I coulde deuysing with my selfe fynde no man more fytte to whome thys treatyse shulde be dedicate and gyuen better than to youre grace Whose naturall inclynatyon to al goodnesse to be very Godly the mooste lucky and prosperous successes of all your affayres the Lorde declarynge his especyall fauoure and loue to youre grace warde that agayne in hys defence you shoulde haue a stronge stretched oute arme agaynste hys enemyes do giue so trewe and manyfeste euydence and testyfycatyon that all Chrystendome speakethe moste honourable thereof ⧠To the whiche worke of Iustyfycatyon I haue annexed and sette to a lyttell matter nat vnfruytefull I truste called an Apologye or Defence of the worde of God declaryng and prouynge howe nedeful it is that the word of God be in the handes of all men and common for al persones shewynge also what great inconuenyence commeth by the lacke thereof beynge the only cause of al the detestable enormities and vices whiche are wroughte and commytted thorowe all the worlde Wherewith as with an apple of myne owne tree moost lowly with all reuerence I submitting my selfe vnto youre grace do presente and gyue trustynge in the Lorde that accordyng to your olde accustomable gentylnesse you wyll with no lesse good wyll receyue and accepte thys myne enterpryse than it was with a most pure and louynge herte offered vp Whereby I am surely certayned of .ii. commodytyes thereby receyued Fyrste that the purenesse and sinceritie of my herte to your grace ward is hereby declared and also accepted Secondelye that all they whiche shall receyue any profyt of this translation shall most thankefully next to God ascrybe the occasyon thereof to your grace whome I beseche the Lorde long to preserue to the safe tuition and good gouernaunce of oure soueraygne Lorde and vyrgyn Kynge and to the comforte of all the realme and dyscomforte of al those whiche are Goddes and his grace his enemyes and specyally to the furderaunce of the worde of God Whose excellente Maiestie I pray God manye yeares to contynewe with increase of all hys Godlye gyftes that his grace may sprynge and growe of a lyltell swete tender plante to be a strong olde tree with many goodly and comfortable braunches ⧠AMEN ☞ THE IVDGEMENTE OF PHILIP MELANCHTON concernynge the artycle of the iustyfycatyon of man which is by fayth only IN MY BOKE ENtytuled the common places of the scripture my mynde and entente was to declare and make open with all simplicitie and plainnesse as nighe as God wolde gyue me leaue all that the Prophettes and Apostles haue written and taughte concernynge the artycle of iustification entendynge nowe the selfe same thynge bycause that that kynde of matter is mooste peculyer and proper vnto the Epystle of Paull vnto the Romains purposynge in some places thereof to speke more playnly THE Phylosophers do call Iustyce a certayne Obedyence vniuersal as touchyng to al vertues that is to saye an outwarde honeste dyscyplyne the whiche a man by hys owne strength may and can perfourme The whiche Iustyce Iustyce of workes Paull doeth call the Iustice of the lawe and the Iustice of workes We haue often tymes declared to you that God wyllethe and commaundethe that all men shal be bounde and as it were tyed faste with an outewarde honest dyscyplyne as Paull witnesse the sayinge The lawe is made for the vniuste and the Lorde doethe punyshe those which be offenders and brekers of this dyscipline as be those whiche are swearers periurous personnes blasphemers of the Lorde seditious manquellers horemongers thefes and lyers It is true that Arystotle sayethe Neyther Hesperus nor yet Lucifer the nyghte and the daye starre are nat more beautifull and goodly thaÌ„ Iustice that is to say honest discipline It is forsoth a good ornameÌ„t of man beyng no thyng in the world that thys weak nature of man can or maye perfourme more excellente than thys But yet for all that we muste be certaynly assured that this dyscyplyne can nat by any meanes satysfy and perfourme all that the lawe doethe requyre Oure outewarde workes are nat perfect as the very lawe but that thys discipline is nothiÌ„g els but as it were a smal shadowe of the lawe bearynge thereto witnesse excellently Paull the 2. what is to behold moyses vnder a vayle Corinth 3. Cap. sayeng these wordes The Iewes do beholde and loke vpoâ— Moyses with a couered face vndeâ—vayl that is to say nat hauing the very lawe shynynge in them I do meane the knowledge of God and a perfect obedyence suche I saye as can be no more requyred but onlye a fewe outewarde workes The lawe of God doethe aske at our handes No man for hiâ— workes is iust before God nat only externe and outwarde workes
tyranny of the Deuyll and extreame death Therfore when that lyfe euerlastinst is begon in vs then we do obaye the Lawe and kepe the commaundementes as it is wrytten I wyl poure forthe on the house of Dauid the spirite of Grace and of prayer ¶ IF I hadde in me all Fayth The thy tâ— obiectyon â–ª and nat loue I am nothinge Which is thus to be answered as before is sayd I coÌ„fesse that loue is necessary but the loue of God can nat be nor be acceptable except fyrst by Fayth we do receyue remissyon of sinne imputation of iustice Euery man maye inuente and deuyse of theyr owne braine a loue of God but the very loue of god which is a perfect loue must be referred to the wrasteling of the minde and to the true motions in our inuocations and perylles Some men there be whiche do doubte whether God doethe passe or regarde mannes necessitie and causes whether that eyther prosperitie or aduersitie doeth chaunce and happen by fortune withoute any prouision and gouernance of God or nay Some men feling and perceyuyng in them selfe the angre and wrath of God doeth in theyr afflictioÌ„s trobles fal down dispairiÌ„ge rayling against the iugement of God Of these great stormes and bytter shures of the mynde preacheth the heauenly voyce comforting the mindes of meÌ„ in the middes of the great waues sourges of theyr troubles with the promise of the Gospel When the mynde of man doth comfort and lyft vp him selfe with this Fayth kowledginge the mercye of god then foldweth loue It is necessary therfore that Faythe doethe go before whiche askethe remyssyon of synne The whiche feyth dothe not leane and depende of our worthynesse or deseruinges Therfore thoughe that loue dothe folowe it is not consequente that for that loue we be iustified but for Christ sake only Men commonly do expounde this word loue of the loue of god and of our neyghbour therfore I haue answered as touchynge the loue of god But Paule in this place speaketh not of the loue of god but of the loue of our neighbour which much lesse can meryte remission of sinne Forgiue and thou shalt be forgiuen Ergo. The fourt obiection By our forgiuenesse remission to other we merite to vs our iustification These wordes be exhortynge to repentaunce as be many suche lyke in the prophettê as Esai the .i. Cap. Cease and leaue you of from doyng euil and lerne to doo good Then shall your synnes be wyped from you The fyrste part of this is a precepte of repentance The second part conteyneth a promise Precept Christ doth not say you shal obtein pardon for your pardon but he commaundeth only that we do pardon and forgiue our neighbour Promise Afterward he doth giue vs knowledge of a promyse which promyse is dependinge of an other thynge than of the worthynesse of our workes what a trouble and vexacion wold it be to our consciences if we shuld thyncke that the pardon of god shoulde depende on the purenes and worthy dignitee of our forgiuenesse pardon to other whiche haue offended vs For be they neuer so well made frendes those which were at variaunce yet remayneth some scarre grudge of the old displeasure Therfore it is necessary some other cause waye of remission of our sin to be sought and so to kepe the true sence and mynde of the Gospel concerning the free forgiuenes of sinne There is also such an other saienge in Daniel The fyrst part whereof perteynethe to pennance or repentance as this Loue and enbrace iustyce helpe the miserable wroÌ„gfully oppressed and defend the church against tyrantes and persecutours The seconde part conteyneth the promise as this And thy sinnes shal be forgiuen thou shalt be heled and made whole of thy infyrmities Repentaunce must nedes be and yet our forgiuenes and pardon must be frely giuen and receyued by Faythe For if the promise shulde be none otherwise a promise than we are worthy depending on oure worthynes then it shulde be made voide and no promise as Rom. viii ¶ Loue is the pryncipall and chifest of all vertuse Ergo. The fyft obiectyon for loue we are reputed iuste I doo denie plainly the consequent the reason is manifest for it wold folowe muche better if you wolde saye Loue is the chefest and godliest of al vertuse Ergo. Bycause we canne not perfourme that loue as we ought to do we are nothing iustified for that vertue If we had the vertues whiche the lawe of god doth require and were without syn then we might be sayde well to be iuste for loue other vertues but bycause of our wekenesse and gret infirmite is far from that parfection of the law not begynnyng in loue as we ought to do therfore the gospel setteth forth an other iustice teaching vs not for our owne vertuse but for some other thyng that is not in vs that is for our mediatours sake the sonne of god to be reputed iust but vnder a condition that by feithe we do assure our selfe that god is merciful to vs for his sonne sake It foloweth that we be by imputation that is to saye bycause it pleaseth hym to impute it to vs of his only goodnes and fauour beinge made iuste nat for oure owne vertues though we seme to haue some beginniÌ„g of them in vs. But if a man wyll demaund and knowe the difference of vertues marke well Fayth Hope Faythe receyuethe in this life remission of sinne Hope is a lokinge and a trusting in dede after that thinge whiche is promised that is oure cleane deliuerance whiche is to come Fayth is a consent wherwith the wyll of man wylleth and receyueth the promise so beinge made quiet and at rest wel setteled in his minde for the mediator the sonne of God his sake And when the wyl is so contented then the hert is at rest and wel pleased receyuyng comfort and gladnes which is the beginniÌ„g of a newe life These motions foloweth Hope and Loue. ¶ Bycause that Faythe doeth make vs certayne that God is merciful to vs we do call and loke for the other benefytes promised to vs. Loue. And so loue doth ryse bicause we do knowledge that God is nat ydle as the folyshe reason of man doeth feyne and that he is our frende and no enmye to vs as the Lawe doeth declare And that he is a merciful father taking pitie of our great affliction calamitie coueting to deliuer vs. Bearing thereto his selfe witnes by an other sayinge I do liue and wil nat the death of a sinner By this way we knowledginge that we are receyued into Grace and our inuocations harde and granted to vs of god We do submit our selfes vnto him and so is kyndeled in vs a certayne reuerent loue and desyre to him ward preferring God before all other thinges Whiche loue in this lyfe is nat brenninge as it ought to be but very weake and colde ¶ They do
iustice Men of â—ower agaynst coÌ„science and right care nat a beane what wrong and iniury they do to the meane sorte if that eyther house or lande pastures or woddes doth lie commodiously for theyr purpose and specially when it ioyneth to any part of theyrs Such as doth thus haue nat red the blessing in the olde Testament conteyned with the reward prepared for them which do ioyne house to house felde to felde farme vpon farme some one maÌ„ .xx. some .xxx. some .xl. scant xx good meÌ„ which shuld be able to serue theyr prince at nede maynteyned where in tymes past hath nat ben so fewe as .v. hundred as by experience in places nat long dayes paste was almoste founde to true As for fynes and incoms with reysinge of theyr rentes they be so importable so tedious and so heuy that the pore tenantes or theyr yeres be halfe expyred shall be glad to lay the keye vnder the dore and runne theyr wayes ¶ Such is the pitie we haue of our christian bretherne so lytle is the feare and loue of God among vs ye which professeth the Gospell which thinge makethe wel for the Papistes to the sclaunder of the worde of God As for the office of a iudge Iudges what man can saye but it is moste iustly executed vpright without parcialitie nat fauouringe of one man more than an other nat prolonging of sutes in the fauor of the ryche to the vtter vndoing of the pore nat takyng of gyftes worthy to be compared to the courte of the Ariopagittes which to auoyde percialitie iudged al causes by night darkling If it be any otherwise thaÌ„ I haue declared it is to be ascribed and imputed to none other thing more nay to nothiÌ„g so much as to that they be nat in feare of the iudgement of the lorde which doth commaunde with these wordes Iudge and ministre right iudgement you sons of men There is no man that can fynde fault with those kind of men which are occupiers Occupyerâ— liuing by theyr laborius venter and trauayle so vpeight is theyr dealinge so iust so indifferent that almoste no faith no truth no trust no confidence is to be giuen to theyr othe muche lesse to theyr worde and bare promise Theues What Thefe wolde steale and robbe to be hanged on a gallow if he were toched with the feare and loue of the lorde Murtherâ— Who wold be so stony harted to quel and sley his brother for whom Christ did suffer and shedde his bloude Aduouter persons What man wold be an aduouterer a fornicatour a committer of rapt if he had but one sperkil of the feare and loue of God knowinge that they which do so shall nat inherite the kingdome of heauen iudged by sentence diffinitiue without helpe of appellation to euerlastinge sorowes excepte there be in this lyfe or they departe a true and perfect repentance with truste in the mercy promised for Christe sake Traytors What causeth so many ranke traytours and rebelions againste theyr moste lawfull kinges and gouerners constituted immediatly vnder God and by God ouer them to kepe them in a good rule quietnes peace and tranquillitie but that they do want and lacke the fear and loue of the lorde the hygh king and gouernour ¶ The want wherof the more and greater it is the more ranke and poysonous are the treasons which are wrought Adam ¶ Howe great an euyll this is howe huge and foule a monster of howe innumerable calamities and sorowes which we haue and do susteyne this is a moste wicked mother what thinge can better set forth or paynt as it were in a table or in a glasse before your eyes more euidently more lyuely than the great fall of Adam beinge for lacke of the feare and of the loue of the lorde which broughte vs into thraldome bondage and captiuitie of the Deuyl For if he had loued him for his benefites bicause he was created by him a heauenly creature like vnto his owne image or if he had feared him for feare to displease him whom he found so good a lord or for feare of breaking of his commaundement as of hys heade and mayster for he that is commaunded is vnder him that doeth commaunde he wold nat haue transgressed whose transgression is our transgression whose fall is our fall Oure sinfull lyfe and corrupt maners beinge the relyques dregges and remenaunte of hys olde sore Cayn ☞ What caused cursed Cayn to slee so cruelly Pharao and vnnaturally his owne brother What caused Pharao to persecute the children of Israel Dauyd What made kynge Dauyd to commyt abhominable aduoutry nat contented with one mischeuous dede but also to ioyne and adde bloudy murdre to stynkynge aduoutry in sleying the husbande of the woman with the most lamentable distruction of many mo Iudas What caused Iudas to be a traytor to his most louing mayster To be truely certayned and assured there was nothinge elles in the cause but the want of the feare and of the loue of the lorde O cruel and dampnable mischiefe comminge from the bottomlesse pytte of Hell What remedy and salue is to be founde for this foule sore what is the cause that it reygneth so much among vs christiaÌ„s euery where that almost no feare nor loue of the lord is found in any place nay rather open contempt and blasphemy and dishonor to his most blessed and holy name what man can expresse the cause therof that this plage more to be feared than any pestelence hath so infected the ayre thorowe al the worlde that no man hygh nor lowe what state degree or dignitie so euer he be hath escaped it Iob. The foule botches and sores of Iob did neuer stinke so sore to the nose of man as thê maketh vs to be abhorred of god stopping his heuenly nose and turninge his merciful visage frome vs. Among our earthly phisicions which do take cure of bodyly deseases only which bodies being neuer so wel healed shall at the last go to corruption the cause of the disease and sicknesse knowen being the chefe point of theyr scieÌ„ce the parth which is sicke is halfe cured and holpen alredy For lykewyse as in ministration of medecines the cause of the bodily infyrmitie nat knowen perfectly they do kyl sley and murdre nat with knife but with poyson the party which seketh after helpe and remedy So the cause and rote of the sicknes perceyued the medycation is made therafter to the helpe and comfort of him that complayned and lamented his grefe and infyrmitie Euen so agayne of our spirituall infyrmities and sicknes which kylleth nat the body ye oftentymes doth sende both body and soule to the whorlpole of hell paste remedy and helpe if he commeth ones into that place speaking our Heuenly mayster and doctor and spirituall phisicion Christ whiche knoweth all our waters a litle better than we do our selfes to whom al our diseases and maladies are thorowly knowen which