whome god gaue consolation saying there is in thy bosom conceaued two sundry nations two people shalbe deuided of thy belly That is thou knowes not which of them is the seede of the promesse the yongest haue I chosen to whome the eldest shall serue This is conforme to the sayinges of S. Paule Rom. the 9. Chap. But trust well she vnderstoode spiritually by faith that Iacob was the promised seede when shee procured and laboured so diligently that he should get the blessing of his father defrauded the eldest Esaw This was not knowē to Isaac for he wold not only that Esawe should succeede to the heritage but to haue gottē the blessing also which Iacob obtained by perswasion of his mother Neuerthelesse Esaw remained with the heritage in his fathers house and ceased not still to pursue Iacob who at last was compelled to fly for feare of his life And so euer the seede of the serpent pursues the chosing conforme to this beginning Let Abell dye and Cain liue But finally the seede of Iacob succeeded to the land of promission And inioyed the heritage Howbeit they were long troubled and afflicted in Egipt THE X. CHAP. 1 The wrong opinion of the Iewes of the promised seede 2 Wherin the vngodly place iustification 3 Sathan moues his members against the true professours of faith 4 Ieremie the Prophet of God resisted the whole Ecclesiasticall power of the Iewes 5 The head of the serpent troden downe by the death of Iesus Christ. 6 The article of iustification preached after the death of Christ. YE shall vnderstande that the Iewes had a fleshly opiniō of this promised seede for they vnderstood that the Messias which was promised to them should rule temporaly as Dauid did and establish his realme in great quietnes rest withal pleasure voluptuousnes as yee may vnderstand by the desire of the mother of the Sons of Zebedee Her Sons being with Christ and his Apostles were of the same opinion as testified the aunsweare of Christ saying to them yee knowe not what ye aske But the spirituall knowledge which the Fathers had was farre different therefrom Who vnderstoode in the spirit that the realme of Christ was spirituall and not temporall to the which they were led by faith By this yee shall vnderstande not only that the fleshely iudgement is deceaued in knowledge of this seede but also of the persecution of Sathan Euer perswading the wicked and vngodly which are his seede to persecute the womans seede of the promisse That is the chosen who according to the promisse of God obtaine victorie by faith in the bloud of Christ. For Sathan intending to destroye this article of iustification may not suffer the preaching thereof that is That by grace through faith and not of our owne rightuousnesse and workes We ar made safe please God are receaued into fauour with him and accepted as righteous and iust not of our merites or deseruinges but through the merits of Christ Iesu our Sauiour By the cōtrary the wicked trusts in their owne strength and merites And will haue their good works inuented by them selfe without the commandement of god a part of their saluation And who will not authorise the same they persecute of deadly hatred and must needes dye as Abell did So let Abell dye and Cain liue that is our law sayeth the vngodly In the Church of the Iewes our saide aduersarie ceased not to impung this article and perswade the wicked to persecute the godly and kill the prophets for preaching the same for defence of the which Ieremie the Prophet resisted the hole Ecclesiastical power authoritie of the Church of the Iewes that is the multitude of the wicked being a few number of the chosen that assisted to him as yee may reade Ieremie the 26 Chap. Not the les afterward hee was stoned to death for the same cause which is the reward of mā that is which mā giueth for the true preaching of this article So let Abell dye and Cain liue Finally the persecution of sathan our aduersary perswaded the death of christ his Apostles and martyres and their true successours all for this article But euer Christ got victorie and triumphed by his word only In so much as he got victorie of the deuill hell and death of the lawe sinne the world and the fleshe through his death and resurrection So by faith in his bloud al the Prophets Apostles martyres confessors with their bloud haue watered the Church and haue left a sure testimonie to vs for confirmation of this article that in the bloud of christ and not in their owne bloud workes or deedes they are made safe and haue gotten the realme of heauen conquest and purchased to them by Christ and not by them selfes nor their merites The which confession is the cause that the godly ar euer persecuted by the wicked So let Abell dye and Cain liue that is our lawe THE XI CHAP. 1 How sathan hath deceaued the worlde after Christ and wherewith he hath cled him 2 An euident argument showing them which this daye are called bishoppes to be the church malignant 3 An exhortation to them which enter in the church by the Popes authoritie aend of his power to make bishops 4 Wherein the wicked Iewes gloried and wherein the Pope his kingdome NOw our aduersary perceauing by the death of Christ that the promise made in Paradise was fulfilled and his head troaden down that is his power strēgth by the sheding of the bloud of Christ this article of iustificatiō laid so abroad the church of christ is so strongly edged with the same that all his imaginatiōs with the which he deceaued mankind had no place to peruert the perfite faith Then inuented he a new maner of habite which hee founde in the same church amongst the slouthfull ministers whome by processe of time seeing them idle not occupied in the reading teaching and preaching of the scriptures hee prouoked to inuent workes of their own conceite And also to abuse the holy sacramentes and good workes of God with vaine superstitions the which they call good workes And by this meanes he hath so drawen them from faith that they knowe not what the same is nor what Christ is but as it were a Theefe hanged vpon a gallous or gibbit innocētly or like another maner of prophane history of Hector or of the great Alexander And therefore hath prouoked them to pursue this Article more cruelly then euer it was pursued from the beginning of the worde Them selfes by worde confessinge the same with their mouth reading singing and of their maner dayly teaching and preaching the same And yet neuerthelesse dayly burning killing banishing the true faithful preachers of the said article confessours therof And so euer shall Abell dye and Cain liue that is our lawe say they Our said aduersarie that he should not be perceaued hath transformed him selfe in to an Angell of light
iust no common weale might bee conserued and kept in rule and order but all would run to confusion Therefore are Princes and higher powers commanded of God to be obeyed as his good worke for they ar the ministers of God vnto good Neuerthelesse yee shall neuer finde man so iust in fulfilling this iustice but the lawe of nature shall accuse him that hee hath not done his whole duetie whiche the same requireth Neither the Prince to the Subiect nor the Subiect to the Prince nor equall to equall that is Neighbour to Neighboure The knowledge of this lawe of nature is borne with man prented in his harte with the finger of God And therefore let euery man consider his owne estate and hee shall perceaue that if god wil accuse him with this law he shall not be found iust because of the deedes of the law no flesh shalbe found iust before God Notwithstanding hee which doth the deedes of this law and is obedient thereto in doing and leauing vndone according to the external works is so reakoned iust before mā and liueth in the same and therefore hath the name of iustice The Ceremoniall Iustice is the obedience and fulfilling of the Statutes ordinances and traditions of man made by the bishop of Rome and other bishops Counsels Schoolemaisters and Householders for good rule and order and maners to bee kept in the church schooles and families This is a good work and necessarie to be had with these conditions that is that they be made not repugnāt to the law of god that through keping of them no man thinke him the holyer before god nor yet therefore to obteine remission of sinnes or to bee found righttuous before god Nor yet that the same may bind or oblish any mā to the obseruing of them vnder the paine of deadly sinne Neuerthelesse how well that euer ye obserue or keep them that is this law Ceremoniall ye shall not bee found iust there through before God becaus of the deedes of the lawe no flesh shalbe found iust before him The Iustice of the law morall or Moy. law which is the law of God exceedeth is far aboue the other two iustices It is the perfite obedience required of mā according to all the works and deeds of the same Not only in externall and outward deed but also with the inward affections and motions of the hart conforme to the commandement of the same saying Thou shalt loue thy lord god with all thy hart with all thy mind with all thy power and strength And thy neighbour as thy selfe This is no other thing but the law of nature prented in the hart of man in the beginning nowe made patent by the mouth of god to man to vtter his sin and make his corrupted nature more patent to him selfe And so is the lawe of nature and the lawe of Moyses ioyned together in a knot which is a doctrine teaching all men a perfite rule to know what he should do and what he should leaue vndone both to god and his neighbour The Iustice of the lawe is to fulfill the law That is to doo the perfite workes of the lawe as they are required from the bottome of the hart And as they are declared expounded by Christ and who soeuer transgresseth the same shall neuer be pronounced iust of the law But there was neuer man that fulfilled this lawe to the vttermost perfection thereof except onely Iesus Christ. Therefore in the lawe can we not finde our iustice because of the deedes of the lawe no fleshe shalbe made iust before God For the probation hereof wee will showe the aucthorities of the Scripture frō the beginning how the most holy fathers were trāsgressours of the law And therefore could neuer be made righteous by the same and if they which were most holy could not be foūd iust by the deeds of the law much lesse may the wicked be pronounced iust by the same Therefore wee must take this conclusion with the Apostle S. Paule All haue sinned haue neede or are destitute of the glorye of God And are made iust freely by grace through faith in the bloud of Iesus christ Adam first in the paradise transgressed the law and therefore the same accused him and condempned him and all his posteritie as rebels and transgressours of the same to the death Neuertheles the law remaineth still holy iust and good requiring the same holynesse Iustice and goodnesse of vs as testified S. P. Roma 7 And because wee doo not the same the lawe euer accused vs and pronounced vs rebelles and transgressours as our forefather Adam was Who might neuer be pronounced iust by the law becaus of the deeds of the law no flesh shal be made iust before god seeing all mē gotten by naturall propagatiō hath descended of Adam he is corrupted and rebel to the law as Adam was For he might get no better sonnes nor his nature was This corruption is so infixt in the nature of man that hee is neuer cleane purged thereof so long as this mortall body of sin the spirit remaineth together and this is the cause why wee fulfill not the lawe in the pure and cleane forme as the same requireth the deedes thereof to be done For this cause S.P. sayeth Nowe I worke not this euill but the sinne which dwelleth in me for I know ther dwelleth in me that is in my flesh no good for the good which I would that doo I not but the euill which I would not that doo I as Paule wold say so rebellous is my wicked nature to the affections of my spirit that the very things which I know good and would doo for weakenes may I not complete I would loue feare honor and thanke God with all my hart and all my strength and adheere to his promis in euery houre and all tribulation but by the wicked fleshe I am impedite to doo the same For howbeit I haue feare and loue begun into me yet are naturall securite and concupiscence impedimēts that they be not pure and perfite as the law requireth and albeit I haue faith begun in me which teacheth that God is true in al his promisses Yet natural dubitatiō and imbecillity causeth me frequently to doubt if God shall deliuer And so murmurs sometime the fleshe and loues not God withall the hart Here my hartes ye may learne at the Apost to know this corruption of nature For he giues the example in himselfe and in no other teaching euery one of vs to iudge our selfe and not our neighbour This corruptiō of nature is called originall sinne which is the wanting of originall iustice that should haue beene in man according to his first creation This corruption of nature followed the fall of Adam in all men that the nature of mā may not truely obey the lawe of god nor fulfill the same for the inherent faultes and concupiscence in the hart of man engendred of
the paine which the curse of the lawe inioyned to vs by sinne in whome wee haue redemption by his bloude remission of our sinnes according to the riches of his mercy and grace What wordes may bee more plaine to proue this iustice onely by faith in Christ excluding our merites Yee haue the same assertion in the Epistle to Titus the second Chapter Galath the fourth and Apocalypsis the fifth chapter Where it is written Thou art worthie O Lord to take the booke and open the seales of it for thou art slaine hast redeemed vs to god in thy bloud hee saith not in our workes but in thy bloud Here ye may see and consider our sinnes were no light thinges Cōsidering there was no other thing whiche might pacifie the wrath of the Father but the bloud and death of his onely begotten sonne Christ Iesu to bee made man for that cause And now for vaine inuented Imaginations of ignorant Sophistes which will not onely be their owne redemers but also redeme others this pretious bloud is repute in vaine or a light thing It followeth whome God hath layde before a sacrifice or satisfaction through faith in his bloud to the forthshowing of his iustice for remission of the sinnes by-past the which god hath suffered or in the suffering of god to the forthshowing of his Iustice at this time that he may be iust and iustifie him which is of the faith of Iesu Christ. Here the apostle aboundeth in wordes to exclude all sophistrie and vaine conceate of workes which mē intende and would intende to make satisfaction for sinne For hee setteth forth Christ here the full sacrifice and satisfaction for sinne And therefore he called him the mediatour of the new testament by intercession of his death And also Christ offered a sacrifice for sinnes and for euer sitteth at the right hand of God beholding till his enemies bee made his foote stoole And S. Iohn saith if any shall sinne we haue an aduocate before the father Iesus Christ who is iust and he is satisfaction for our sinns not only for ours but for the whole worlds that through faith in his bloude For there is nothing may bring vs thereto but faith only And no satisfactiō may be but Christes death who hath ones dyed therefore and shall not dye againe death shall haue no more dominion of him In the which hee hath declared him iust in fulfilling the promis made of him in the lawe and prophetes That is that he was to make vs iust which could not make our selues iust And where hee saith for remission of sinnes bypast the which God hath suffered c. Vnderstand not that of the sinns bypast before the cōming of Christ onely but also of all sinnes committed to the worldes end For these words are spoken foorth of the mouth of god with whome all things is present as yee may consider by the wordes of Christ speaking to the Iewes on this maner Before Abrahā was I am Howbeit Abrahā was dead a thousand yeares before his incarnation So to the penitent all sinnes are bypast Therefore the remission of sinnes by past in Christes bloude indured to the end of the worlde This is necessary to know for two causes principally The one is for confounding of the heresie of the Nouatiās which peruert the sayings of the Apost wherevpon they would inferre that man once beeing iustified and thereafter falling in sinne may haue no place of repentance whiche were the peruerting of all the scriptures of God and his promisse in the bloud of Christ who is the lambe of god that taketh away the sinnes of the world And our aduocate sacrifice and satisfaction Howbeit the Apost speaketh plainly that it is impossible to be renewed to repentance through renewing of baptisme for that were to crucifie christ againe not in his fleshe but in thy fleshe which would be new baptised The other cause is to exclude their opinion which think that Christ satisfied but for originall sinne onely that baptisme giueth or hath purchaste grace to man after the baptisme that he may satisfie for his owne sinnes by recompensation as god were a marchant to chop change with man That if Christ was the first marchant they shalbe the next And this is as great a heresie as the other by the which they would make the death of Christ but a vaine trifle and chaunge faith into workes of mans making The which is the work of the deuill that euer intended to impung this Article of iustification by the mixtion of workes This opinion S.I. confoundeth in his 1. Epistle the first and 2. chap. where he declareth first if a man say he hath no sinne hee deceaueth himselfe And then if man sinne as doubtlesse all men dooth he sayth wee haue an Aduocate Christ Iesu who is iust and is a satisfaction for our sinnes Moreouer all men howe iust that euer they bee neede dayly to praye forgiue vs our debts as we do our debtours the which prayer were not necessarie nor Christ had neuer taught the same If we might haue satisfied for our owne sinnes at any time So Christ is euer our satisfaction and we dayly sinners Therefore we ought euer to pray forgiue vs our debts as we forgiue our debtours It followeth in the definition where is thy glorie by what lawe is it excluded of works No but by the law of faith and concludeth man to be made iust by faith without the deeds of the law ye shall vnderstand that glorie in this place is taken for the sure trust and beleefe which men putte in their owne workes and merites the which the apost wil haue cleanly excluded forth of this article giuē wholy to christ who deserueth the same becaus he is obteiner thereof to vs through faith in his bloud The which faith wil haue no thinge participant with it in this case more then the sight of the eye will haue or suffer the finger in it to help the sight No it can not suffer a mote but euer waters being hurt till the mote be taken foorth Euen so faith foorthshoweth all thing to the glorie of God and merites of Christ without all workes or merites of man If Abraham had beene made iust of works thē had he wherein to reioyse but not before god And also hee had not obteined that name to be called the father of the faithfull but the father of workers Therfore the scripture saith Abra. beleeued god and it was reakoned to him for righteousnesse In the which scriptures yee shall not onely finde this iustice whiche is of value before god attribute and giuen whole to faith in the mercy of God but also the workes expresly excluded For either wee must be made iust by faith only or by workes only because they may not bee mixt without Christes death be in vain for to him that worketh saith Paule The
life and to reconcile vs to the Father Therefore if we will haue our thirst and drouth quenched refreshed seeke vnto Christ who is the fōtain ofliuely water of the which who soeuer drinketh shall neuer thirst but it shalbe to him a fontaine of running water to euerlasting life THE III. CHAP. 1 The fruit of tribulatiō vnto the faithfull 2 God is a peculiar father vnto the faithfull what care he takes of them and wherfore 3 Tribulation the signe of Gods loue 4 The iudgement of the wicked concerning tribulation what they do and why they despaire therein THis vehement drouth and thirst had Dauid the holy Proph. when he said O god thou art my God of most might and power therefore I seeke thee early in the morning with most ardēt desire mysoule thristeth after thee and my flesh desirs thee great feruēt was this desire of the holy man as ye may read the .62 ps which teacheth vs howe profitable holesom cōmodious the trobles afflictiōs and incōmodities of the world are to the faithfull and godly men In so much that the flesh which euer of the own nature is aduersarie enemy to the spirit drawing entising the same frō the true worshipping of god with frequēt troubles calamities is so brokin and debilitat that it takes peace with the spirit and altogether most feruētly seeks god saying better is thy goodnes mercy benignitie the which thou showest to thy faithfull flock thē this corporall life therfore my lippes shall neuer cease to praise thee O happy is that trouble and afflictiō which teacheth vs thys way to know our good god moues this thirst in our soule that we may learn to cry vnto our god as the fathers did O thou my god as Dauid s. Paul say in diuers places I giue thanks sayth Paule to my god for you my bretheren Howbeit hee be god to all creatures by creation yet to the faithfull he is one speciall and peculiar god whose troubles and afflictions he seeth and shal deliuer them thereof Euen as he did his people of Israell forth of the handes of Pharao without all our deseruinges or merites Therfore let vs not looke vpon our merites worthines or vnworthines but only to his mercy and goodnes putting all our trust hope and beliefe into him into no other thing either in heauen or earth and say with the Prophete Dauid O Lord my strength I shall loue thee The Lord is my surenes my refuge and my deliuerance and after be vnto me a God Defender and a house of refuge that thou mayst saue me for thou art my strength for thy names sake thou shalt lead me and nourish me that is I put no cōfidence in my owne strength wit nor manly power but only into thy mercy goodnes by the which I am defended preserued frō al euils lead and keeped in all goodnes for thou takest care vpon me and art my only refuge and strength vnwinneable in all my troubles and aduersities Therefore my welbeloued bretheren let vs reioice greatly of this our litle trouble and afflictions and consider them to be good not euil the signs and tokens of the goodwill of God toward vs not of Ire nor wrath and receaue them forth of his hands nether of chaunce accident nor fortune but of his permissiō and certaine purpose to our weale as the tryall and exercysion of our faith And that hee punisheth vs not that wee bee lost thereby but to drawe and prouoke vs to repentance according to that saying I will not the death of a sinner c In the which he requireth of vs obediēce faith and calling vpō his name as the Prophet Dauid teacheth vs saying Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble I shal deliuer thee and thou shalt honor me that is beleeue me euer present with them which vnfainedly call vpon me and I shall not abstract my fauor helpe and supply from them but shall so deliuer them that they may therfore giue me great thankes and praise For I desire no other thing of mā This maner of trouble bringes Patience and Patience Proufe and Proufe hope which frustrates not but greatly conforts the faithfull The world hath another iudgemēt of this trouble and the wicked man when the same happeneth to him hee grudges murmurs contrarie God saying Why hath God punisht me what haue I done to be punisht of this maner Thē gathers he in his hart had I don this thing or that thing soght this remeady or that remedy these thinges had not happened to me And so thinkes that they are come to him either by chaunce or fortune or neglecting of manly wisdome thus he fled from god and turneth to the help of mā which is vaine In the which finding no remeadie finally in his wickednesse despaires for hee can do no other thing because al things wherin he put his trust beliefe hath left him and so rests no consolation THE IIII. CHAP. 1 What do the faithfull in time of tribulation 2 What we haue of our owne nature and what of Iesus Christ. 3 What Adam did after his trangression 4 The goodnes of god showen vnto Adam 5 What Adā wrought in his iustification 6 To Abraham being an Idolater was made the promis that he should be the Father of many Nations and the conclusion therevpon BVt the godly say O my good God thankes and prayse be to thee who hast visited thy froward child vnprofitable seruant hast not suffered me to runne on in my wickednes but hast called me to repentance I know my offenses iustly haue I deserued thys punishmēt yea ten thousand times more for my sins the which sore repenteth me Our wicked nature teacheth vs to fly from thee to diffide or doubt of thy mercy and goodnes And to excuse in our selfes our sinne and vice and obiect the same in another as our forfather Adam did hauing no respect to person or loue of any creature more then he had for cōtrarie his owne fellow which was of his owne flesh he obiected the crime to excuse himselfe Yea and also against God thinking that the good work of god making the woman and geuing her to hym in fellowship was the cause of his sin and fal as the scriptures saye Ge. 3. Chap. But faith in the bloud of thy onely begotten sonne christ Iesu leadeth vs to thy mercy stoole and hope conforteth vs that wee are not ouercome in this battell knowing perfectly that the fleshe is subiect to these bodyly afflictions that the dregges of sin may be mortified in vs the which we haue of our forefather Adam Thys corruptiō of nature teacheth vs what we haue of our first Parentes and what we are of our selfes which being cōsidered shal lead vs to the knowledge of god in whome we shall find goodnes mercy
going about vs as it were a roaring lion seking for the pray to deuour or swolow Against whom we shold resist stoutly into faith taking in our hand the sword of the spirit which is the word of god with the rest of the armour perteyninge to a christian knight specified by S. P. Ephe. the 6. Chapter The substance of the article of iustification is to cleaue and stick fast by our God knowing him our Maker and Creator and to beleeue firmly and vndoubtedly that wee are not righteous nor iust of our selfs nor yet by our workes which are lesse nor wee but by the helpe of another the onely begotten Sonne of God Christ Iesu who hath deliuered and redeemed vs from Death the Deuill and finne And hath giuen to vs eternall life as hereafter at length shalbe declared Aboue all thing the saide article is to be holden in memorie recent among the faithfull And at euery tyme houre driuen and inculcat in their eares as it were a trumpet without the which faith which is the fondation of the christian religion and Church of Christ is made so darke and mistie that no place shalbe founde where vpon to build the the perfite workes of faith THE VII CHAP. 1 What obtained Adam and Eue seeking wisdome contrarie Gods commandement and what they which seekes iustification other wayes then teacheth the scriptures 2 Whereby is the wicked man made iust 3 Where may Sathā enter and where not 4 What wrought the lawe into Adam and the office thereof vnto vs. THe ground stone and sure firme rock whereupon all godly workes and vertues are builded our said aduersarie Sathan vexed in the paradise when in the beginning he perswaded entised our forefather Adam and Eue to leaue their faith into God their Maker and Creator and consent to his false perswasiō which was that through their owne wisedome strength and power they might be made equall and like vnto god who gaue them life promised the same euer to endure with all pleasures commodities in paradise The Deuill perceauing the woman voide and without faith loue and feare of God said howbeit ye eat of the fruicts of this trie ye shall not die the death ye know not wherefore God hath forbiddē you to eate of the same but I shall show you the cause God knoweth that in what soeuer daye yee shall eate of the fruict of this trie your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be like Gods knowing good euill This same persuasion hath all the wicked which perswades man to trust to his owne workes merites power and strength therby to be made iust and to get greate rewarde of god for doing of workes not commanded by God but inuented by mās vaine conceat thinking that God shallbe pleased therewith But surely euen as our forefather was deceaued so shall we be if we consent thairto Heerefore giue trust to no thing in this case or matter but to God and his word keeping euer faith pure and clean without all mixtiō of works in the making of a wicked mā iust And then our aduersarie shall get no place to enter to deceaue vs. Ye shall vnderstande that Adam knew good and euill before the eating of the aple for that teached him the law of nature and the other great wisedome hee was cloathed with as yee may reade in Eccles. the 17. Chap. saying god created them with the spirit of knowledge and with wisedome and vnderstanding hee fulfilled the harts of them and shew vnto them good and euill His iudgementes iustice also he shew to thē What thē was the knowledge Adā got of the eating of the aple onely that he had offended his good god trāsgressed his law the which shew to him his offences and sin By this knowledge he vnderstood that hee was fallen frō the good state in which he was created shuld haue remained if he had obeyed the law of his god into the miserable estate of sin for he had neuer knowen what the trangression of the lawe had bene if he had not sinned The law before taught him what he should doo leaue vndone what was good what was euill and after he sinned the lawe vttered the same to him broght him in knowledge thereof for it can do no other thing to the sinner but trouble his minde and bring vpon him great feare and dread This proues the sayings of god to ADAM inquiring who hath showen vnto thee that thou was naked but that thou hast eaten of the tree of the which I commauded thou shouldest not eat This hatred and enimity is old which Sathan hath moued cōtrary mankind had the beginning at the first creation of man of malice cōceaued to bring man in the same rebellion he was in This persecution of sathan shal endure to the latter iudgement therefore let vs bee walke full and diligent euer armed with our shield faith the word of god euer printed in our hartes taking no care of wordly troubles hoping hastely to be deliuered therfrō cōsidering we haue no permanēt Citie here but as Pilgrimes trauailing to and fro beholding and looking for that heauinly citie and place prepared to vs from the beginning of the world THE VIII CHAP. 1 Wherefore Cain slew Abell howe long god suffered the article of iustification to be pursued by the seede of Cain 2 What paine hee tooke at last and howe Sathan reserued his seede 3 Whereof sprang the Idolatrie whiche abounded betweene the dayes of Noe and Abraham and vnder what pretext it was defended SHortly hereafter the said aduersarie a man killer and lyer perswaded entised the one brother to slaye the other of malice without any cause but that the one brother Abell being iust godly offered into faith a more pleasant and acceptable sacrifice vnto God then the other Cain who was wicked and an hipocrit whose sacrifice pleased not god becaus the person was not acceptable to him Therefore god looked to Abell and to his workes vnto Cain and his workes he looked not There followed against the saide article the perpetuall persecution of Sathan intolerable by the sonnes of Cain while God wes compelled prouoked of his ryghteous iudgement to drowne the whole worlde once to purge the same from sin reseruing defending through his mercy onely the perauthor of faith and righteousnesse Noe. Neuerthelesse Sathan keped his seed in the third sonne of Noe Cham as testifies the historie After this the whole world rysing in a madnes fury impugning this article of iustificatiō finding inuenting innumerable Idols and religions with the which they pretēded to please God with their owne works and inuentions euerie one making to him selfe a particular or peculiare god or gods The which is no other thing but to think that without the help of Christ of their owne power works Inuentions they may redeeme them selues from sin all euils and please
opinions iudgements but the perfite christian mā should looke first in his corruption of nature consider what the law requireth of him in the which he finding his imperfection and sinnes accused for that is the office of the law to vtter sinne to mā and giueth him no remedy then of necessitie is he cōpelled either to dspaire or seeke Christ by whome hee shall get the iustice that is of value before God which can not begotten by any law or works because by the deedes of the lawe no fleshe shalbe iustified before God Yee shall not meruell of the oft rehearsinge of these wordes that of the deedes of the law no fleshe shalbe made iust that is declared reputed foūd or pronounced iust before god for they are rehearsed before the forthsetting of the article of iustification that it may seeme the more cleare and to that effect the same wordes were spoken by the Apostle Rom. the third Chapter Of this maner we know what euer the lawe speaketh to them it speaketh whiche are in the lawe that all mouthes may bee stopped and all the worlde made subiect vnto god because by the deedes of the law no fleshe shalbee made iust before him And therefore I haue repeated them so oft because they lead all men to the perfite knowledge of their iustificatiō which is in Christ. This proposition of the holy spirite is so perfite that it excludeth if ye will vnderstande the same right all the vaine foolish arguments of sophistrie made by the iustifiers of them selfes which peruerte the wordes of S. Paule as they doo the other scriptures of god to their peruersed sence and mind saying that the Apostle excludeth by these wordes the workes of the law Ceremoniall and not the deeds of the law of nature morall law of Moyses The which shameles sayings are expresly euacuat by the wordes of the Apost Insomuch that no man of righteous iudgement can denye but shall feele the same as it were in their hands by this probatiō the law speaketh to all that is accuseth all men that are vnder the law All men are vnder the law of nature or the law of Moys Therefore the Apost speaketh of the law of nature Moy. and of all men which he comprehendeth vnder Iewe gentill as he proueth by his argumētes in the first and second Chap. to the Roma And concludeth in the third Cha. all men are sinners If all men bee sinners none is iust If none bee iust none fulfill the lawe If none fulfill the lawe the lawe can pronounce none iust Therefore concludeth he that of the deedes of the law no flesh shalbe founde iust before God The same is proued by Dauid in the 13. Psalme Here ye see by the words of the Apostle he intendes to proue and declare all men Sinners That is to stoppe all mens mouths and to dryue them to Christ by the accusation of the law No law may make or declare all men sinners and subdue the whole world to God but the law of nature and Moyses Therefore vnder that word law the Apost comprehēded the law morall and not the law Ceremonial only Becaus it followeth in the text The knowledge of sinne is by the lawe And also I knewe not sinne sayth S.P. but by the lawe Nor I had not knowen that lust or cōcupiscence had bene sinne were not the law said Thou shal not lust Therefore ye cānot eschew but confesse that the Apostle speaketh of the law morall yea and of all lawes and all men because hee excepts none Therefore let vs conclude with the Apost and the holy spirite that the iustice of god is without the law made patent and forthshowē by the lawe and prophetes And then shall we come to our Iustice which is Christ as S. P. saith the 1. Epist. the first chap. to the Corinth If yee will saye of your vaine conceate as ye which are aduersaries to faith euer obiects vanities that the Apostle in his conclusion comprehendeth not all men proceeding from Adam by naturall propagation but that some iust men are excepted Ye shall not finde that exception in scripture of any man except Christ. Who beeing both God and man is expresly excepted because hee neuer contracted sinne Fraude nor deceat was neuer found in his mouth by this exceptiō all other are excluded because there is no other who can be found iust but he For that cause he only fulfilled the law and satisfied the same By whome all which beleeue are accepted as iust without the deedes of the lawe through faith in the bloude of Iesu Christ. Let vs passe forward therefore in the scriptures for to finde the Iustice of a christian man which can not be founde in the lawe nor deedes thereof THE XVI CHAP. 1 The diuersitie of names of that iustice which is acceptable before God 2 Iustice is plainly reueled in the euangell 3 What is to liue in faith or by faith THe iustice whereof we haue made mentiō in the beginning and that is so cruelly and tyranously persecuted by our aduersarie Sathan is called the iustice of God the iustice of faith and the Iustice of a Christian man The whiche is all one thinge glued and ioyned together that by the same wee are in Christ and hee in vs by the mercy of god purchased by christ through faith in his bloude without all our deseruings either proceeding or following the same And it is so farre different from the other iustice of the law as darkenesse from light and heauen from earth becaus it wilbe alone and not participant with any other thing that Christ may haue his due honour Who obtained this iustice frō the father and is the price thereof And first it is called the iustice of god because it proceedeth only of the mercy of God Secondly the iustice of faith because faith is the instrument whereby in Christ we obteine the mercy of God freely giuen to vs for Christes sake And thirdly it is called ours because by faith in Christ without all our deseruinges wee receaue the same and are made reputed and compted iust and accepted in to the fauour of god And all three ar one Iustice deuided by sundrie names as is before saide which is this article of iustification As by example almes deede is but one name And yet after the common maner of speaking it is appropriat truely to three that is to the Giuer to God and to the Receauer In almes the poore and indigent haue no part but only to receaue and giue thankes The giuer freely giueth of his liberalitie substance and for gods sake So it is properly called the almes of the giuer and iustly attribute vnto god becaus for his sake it is giuē And also to the receauer becaus he is made rich therewith In the like maner this iustice of God proceedeth of his aboundant mercy and grace fauour and goodnes which hee beareth toward man kind that is poore
may saue you It is writtē all which is not of faith is sinne How then can ye do any worke preceeding faith that it may please God or prouoke him to loue you considering all that ye doo out of faith is sinne Will ye say that he deliteth in sin No no it is a thinge most abominable in his sight therfore all that euer ye do how excellēt the work be in your sight it is sin before God and yee heape sinne vpon sinne which is abomination in his sight as sayeth the Prophete Esay The workes which follow faith make you not iust because or euer yee worke good works yee must be made first iust and thereafter in faith yee worke the works of iustice Neuerthelesse the saide workes may not saue you nor merite the kingdome of heauen to you muchlesse may they merite to others But yee are made safe by the mercy of God and not of workes as S. P. sayeth Not of workes of righteousnesse which we haue done shall we be saued but according to his mercy God hath saued vs Here yee see not onely workes excluded in generall forth of this article but also the workes of iustice which can not be done but by the iustified man where are then your workes which deserue the kingdome of heauen of their worthinesse not onely to your selues but superaboundant to others They are excluded by the Scriptures of God Therefore I exhort you to exclude them also cleaue to faith THE XXI CHAP. 1 The opinion of the wicked seeking their owne glorie 2 The workes commanded by God done without faith ar abomination before him 3 Whereby commeth the new birth 4 Paule refuseth his workes seeking no Iustification thereby 5 The conclusion of all the Scriptures 6 What is giuen to man which hath true faith I Meruell greatlie of your blindnesse which are aduersaries to this article would euer mixt it with works specially of your owne making that yee may bee a parte of your owne saluation But I ought not meruell thereat because yee seek your own glory not the glory of god for euer ye cry the law the law good works good works the which yee neuer doe nor yet it is in your power of your selfe to complete according to the perfectiō that yee may set thē before the iudgement seat of god And this same thing did your forefathers the scribes Pharisies against Christ. And now yee against his faithfull litle flocke of the same blindnesse and ignorance For to establish your owne iustice yee neglecte the iustice of god and will not be subiect thereto as the Apost sayeth And Christ sayeth Yee are they which iustifie your selues before men but god knoweth your harts because that which is of great estimation in mens eyes is abominable before god Euen so it is of your workes not commanded by god how honest or shining that euer they be in the sight of of man for verily God wilbe pleased with no workes of mans innentioun but with the workes commanded by him selfe And the same should be done in faith according to his will and not ours for the which we are commanded and should daylie praye Thy will o heauenly father be fulfilled not ours What better works cā mā doe thē the works cōmāded by god as praiers almes deedes fastings and keeping of holy dayes and others as ye may reade Esay the first Chap. The which god by the mouth of the prophet calleth abomination And Christ called prophecying preaching casting forth of Deuils miracles wonders and signes and many other great and excellent vertues done in his name The workes of iniquitie and the doers of them the workers of iniquitie saying passe away from me all yee which are workers of iniquitie for not all which say vnto mee Lord lord shall enter in the kingdome of heauen But they which doo the will of my Father whiche is in Heauen These workes are contemned by god for no other cause but that they ar wrought by the wicked without faith or mixt with the article of iustificatiō thinking therethrough to be made iust or to be a part of their owne iustification And therefore cannot please God but greatly displease him because the good worke is conuerted into sinne through the iniquitie of man Neuerthelesse they appeare in the sight of man to be most excellent good and should haue a great reward after the iudgement of man but yee see here what rewarde god giueth them And seing the workes commaunded by God to be done are so displeasant in his sight wrought by the wicked without faith What shalbe of your workes which are not commanded by God nor haue no authoritie in his Scriptures but inuented by your selues of your good zeale and intention to make your selues iust by them hauing no respect to faith but to the working of them of the selfe deed yea verily expresse contrarie the scripture and plaine Idolatrie Neuerthelesse he that doth them yee make iust and he that doth them not yee condemne Is this any other thing but to make the death of Christ in vaine and to be iustifiers of your selues for seing the iustice which is of value before God is not of the deedes of the law how can it be of your deeds Therefore Christ wil say vnto you Passe from me all ye workers of iniquitie I know you not Notwithstanding in other places of the scripture yee shall finde the same workes greatly commended by God where they are done by the iust man as the fruites of faith reward promised to the workers of them So they confesse them vnprofitable Seruantes when they haue done all that they can For Christ saide to his Disciples when yee haue done all whiche is commanded you to doe then say wee are vnprofitable seruantes Wee haue done that which wee were bounde to doe And if they which fulfill all the commandements of god are compted or repute by him vnprofitable seruants what haue wee to glorie in which fulfill not one of his commandements Now I pray you lay this text to your assertion if thou wilt enter into life keep the commandements and ye shal thinke shame of your sayings insomuch as yee would impung the article of iustification there with and mixt workes with faith to the making of a wicked man iust Now I trust it be sufficiently prouen by authority of the scripture as is before rehearsed at length to the satisfactiō of a Christian and godly man that works are excluded forth of this article of iustificatiō haue no participatiō therewith but follow faith as the due fruites therof that all glorie may redound to god howbeit the wicked hypocrits and iustifiers of thē selues will neuer be satisfied by any authoritie of the scripture for they cannot nor will not be content with god nor his word but euer impung the same to establish their owne authoritie and glorie And therfore are neuer at rest
image and similitude male female hee made them whom he indued and cled with most excellent gifts of nature and godly vertues with originall iustice full integritie the law of nature imprented in his hart with power to do the same of his own freewil And put him in the paradise of pleasure that he should labour kepe the same with cōmandement to eate of the fruites of al the trees of paradise and forbad him to eate of the fruites of the trie of knowledge of good and euill standing in the middes of the Paradise Adioyning the paine if he transgressed this commandement saying whatsoeuer day thou eatest of the same thou shalt dye the death Not only gaue god a lawe to man but also to beast Sunne Moone Elementes and all his Creatures in their kindes the which they should not transgresse nor ouerpasse That in his creatures hee might be glorified and haue obediēce of them to that effect hee made them and gaue them the lawe This exposition yee shall finde in the 148. psal Where the prophet exhorts all creatures animate and inanimate to preach and forth show the glorie of god because he said the word they were made and gaue commandement they were created So the law was giuen to man to the effect he should knowe his Maker glorifie him and obeye him for obedience is the fulfilling of the law To obeye god is to loue God with all thy hart with all thy mind power strēgth and thy neighbour as thy selfe This lawe was prented pure and cleane in the hart of Adam who had free will and power of himself to do the same For God made man in the beginning and left him in the power of his owne counsell hee gaue to him his preceptes and commandements saying if thou wilt keepe the commandementes they will keepe thee c. Hee put before him fire and water that hee might put his hand to which of them he liked He layd before him life and death good and euill saying what euer shall please him shalbe giuen to him c. The perfection of Adam and knowledge of the law the rightuousnesse and integritie of him in his creation with the excellent gifts and godly vertues he was indued with are vnspeakeable as saith Ecclesiasticus the 17. Chapter God created man of the earth and made him after his owne Image and similitude turned and conuerted him againe in the same And cled him with vertues according to himself c. Read the whole Chap. which will instruct you of these noble vertues and qualities of Adam What might hee want being perticipant in vertues to the godly nature nothing at all and so all the workes of god were made perfite the which he neuer altered nor changed No more did he his lawe but after the fall of mā by his prophetes and holy Preachers hee set forth and vttered his lawe in the same forme pure estate as it was created That man thereby might the more perfitly knowe his weakenes and imperfection Therefore the Apost saith by the law is the knowledge of sinne The lawe is not sinne but sinne is not knowen but by the law That is the cause why the law workes anger and hatred The law of Moyses of the two Tables was but a vttering and declaration of the law of nature And that proues the sayinges of Christ For when he had made a long sermon teaching his disciples and the people the perfection of the lawe of Moys as ye may read the 5.6 7. Chap. of S. Math. concludes on this maner All things whatsoeuer ye wil men do to you doo ye the same to them For this is the law and prophetes Here ye see the law and all the preaching of the Prophetes ioyned in a knot to the Lawe of nature which teacheth vs what we should doo and what we should leaue vndone This lawe was perfitly prented in the hart of Adam who wanted no perfection to fulfill obserue and keepe the same to the vttermost perfection thereof For transgression of the cōmandemēt of god our forefather Adam was exiled banished forth of paradise and spoiled of the integritie perfection and all the excellent qualities dignities and godlie vertues with the which he was indued by his creation made rebell and disobediēt to God in his owne default And therefore hee might not fulfill the law to the perfection as the same required For the lawe remaining in the owne perfection Iust holye and good requireth and asketh the same of mā to be in deed fulfilled But all men proceeding from Adam by naturall propagation haue the same imperfection that hee had The which corruption of nature resisteth the will and goodnes of the law which is the cause that wee fulfill not the same nor may not of our power strēgth through the infirmitie and weakenes of our flesh which is enemie to the spirit as the Apostle saith O miserable man accuse not God but thy selfe because thou fulfillest not the lawe For howbeit thou in thy default fell from thy goodnes and perfection of nature by the which of thy own friewill and power thou might haue fulfilled the law into euilnes and imperfection and hath corrupted thy nature Neuertheles God remained iust good true and vnchangeable and his lawe also which requireth of thee her duty not according to the fragilitie of thy nature but to the puritie of her nature according to the good will of God Therefore impute no fault to god nor yet to his lawe that thou fulfillest not the same but to thy selfe and thy corrupted nature which obeyed the will of the Deuill and resisted the good-will of god THE XV. CHAP. 1 What remained in man after his fall and what may man do thereby 2 The opinion of the Philosophers touching the wickednes of man 3 The office of the lawe and what shall man accused thereby doe 4 The conclusion of Paule and euasion of Sophistes therefrom with argumēts conuincing them as Lyers NOtwithstanding after the fall of man remained with our first parents some rest and footsteppes of this lawe knowledge and vertues in the which hee was created And of him descended in vs by the which of our free will and power we may do the outward deedes of the law as is before written This knowledge deceaued and beguiled the Philosophers for they looke but to the reason and iudgement of man and could not perceaue the inward corruptiō of nature but euer supponed man to bee cleane and pure of nature And might of his own free wil and naturall reason fulfill all perfection And when they perceaued the wickednes of man from his birth they iudged that to be by reason of the planete vnder whome he was borne or through euill nourishing vpbringing or other accidents and could neuer consider the corrupted nature of man which is the cause of all our wickednes And therefore they erred and were deceaued in their