the roote or fyrste springe of that lytle goodnesse which is in vs vtterlye there is no beginning at all of any naturall disposition in vs to receyue the grace to the ende that suche disposition shoulde bee assysted by the seconde grace But cleane contrarie there is naturallye in vs nothinge but darknes and enemitie against God wherfore it was néedefull y â— god should of his onelye mercie fyrste of all drawe vs that is to saye to make vs altogether newe creatures concernyng the quallyties lyghtning those which be not onely partlye blynded but vtterlye darknesse it selfe geuinge vs hartes to vnderstande chaunginge our steny heartes into fleshie heartes creatyng in vs pure hartes that is to saye makinge newe altogeather that is within vs of a wycked wyll a good and godlye wyll briefelye workinge in vs to wyll and also to doo So that the Apostles woordes be verified that we cannot only thinke of our selues any thing that is good and that the children of God haue nothing but that which they receyued by grace So then for asmuch as grace must make vs good trées before wee can beare good fruite it foloweth that there is no méeting together of grace and free wyll for the spirite of God by his pure grace hath made vs free from sinne in vnyting vs by fayth to Iesus Christ from whome we get a new life to bring foorth fruite to God and lykewyse when our wyll being made free worketh thorowe grace there is no merites but onely frée rewarde geuen not being due For on y e contrary the best workes that we can doo deserue eternall payne were it not for the grace of God for the best workes of them selues doo but pollute the grace which God hath put in them 18 The thirde difference of the matter of good worke is to knowe wherto they be good THe thirde difference is yet greater that is to saye touchinge the worthinesse of good workes for our parte to speake in fewe wordes that for to vnderstande by what ryght or tytle we bee assured of eternall lyfe onelye Iesus Christ contenteth vs being geuen to vs and applyed to vs by fayth onely by the onelie grace mercie of God as we haue sayde before more at large And therefore wee detest and abhorre this woorde merites or to merite and confesse with harte and mouth that concernynge the beste woorkes whiche we can doo we count our selues vnprofytable seruauntes and that eternall lyfe is altogether of the pure and frée mercye and gyft of God Wherefore I make this argument more then hath béene sayde before in the tenthe article Good woorkes commeth from Iesus Christe dwellinge in vs by whose power and vertue we do them by grace as the corrupt nature of Adam in the whiche we were borne bryngeth forth in vs sinne For we must possesse Iesus christ which is y â— good trée before we can bring foorth good fruite in him For the cause ought to go before the effect And as S. Paul declareth that whatsoeuer is done without faith is sinne it foloweth then consequentlie that faith goeth before good works For by it onely we embrace Iesus Christe Nowe he which hath true faith is immediatly iustified being fullie quieted and pacified in his coÌ„science Howe then can good workes Iustifie vs and consequentlie saue vs. For we must of necessity be iustified and so consequentlie haue iust tytle to Saluation before wée can doo any one good worke In this lyeth all our consolatioÌ„ that we haue our onelie refuge to the speciall grace and mercie which is presented to vs in Iesus Christ onelie which is not our Sauiour and redéemer in part but all altogether 19 To vvhat ende good vvorkes doo serue vs before God and before men BY this it appeareth plainelie howe wroÌ„gfully they charge vs as though we did disalow good workes where as on the contrarie we doo with all our powers endeuour our selues as muche as is possible for vs to declare which be the verie true good workes and from what spring or fountaine they procéede that the symple people be not deceyued ignorauntlie Notwithstanding we do not grouÌ„d our selues in any respect vpon our workes neither in part nor in al wheÌ„ we come to declare by what tytle eternal life is giuen vs but content our selues with Iesus Christ only And also we acknowledge our regeneratioÌ„ with the fruites proceedinge to our synguler comfort as foloweth Fyrste good workes serue to profite our neighbours and also to prouoke the verie Infidels to geue glorie to God Secondlie they assure vs more and more of our Saluation not as causes thereof but as testimonies and effectes of the cause to wéete of our fayth as wee haue declared in the thirtéenth article Beholde also whye it is sayde that God rendereth to euery manne accordyng to his workes and also that Abraham was Iustified by his workes not that our workes bée causes of our saluation in no wyse for that our a feeble foundation and vncertaine neyther dooe oure workes make vs righteous before God but because our good workes bee Testimonies and effectes of oure faythe the whiche apprehendeth Iesus Christe oure true and onelye ryghteousnesse as hath béene sayde heretofore Thirdelye wée knowe that water is of the nature of his firste Spryng So lykewise for that oure regeneration is neuer accomplyshed nor fullye perfecte here on earthe but there is continuall battayle betwéene the fleshe and the Spirite and there remayneth I saye greate and grosse darckenesse in oure vnderstandynge and lykewyse greate rebellyones in oure fleshe It followeth then that the beste workes whiche maye proceede from the perfectest man in the worlde if they were strayghtlie examined they shoulde bee founde none otherwise but deâ—â—lynge the graces of GOD lyke as wee see a cleare running water whiche is of it selfe pure is defyled and polluted by runninge throughe some vyle or filthie place Wherefore Dauid sayde that no lyuinge creature is founde iuste before GOD by his workes Also Sainte Paule cryed â–ª out and saide I doo not the good whiche I woulde doo and the euyll that I woulde not doo that doo I. O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer mée from this boddie of death Beholde howe the Saintes of God teache vs to speake of our beste workes in steade to vse this woorde meriting and of merites Notwithstandinge wee confesse the goodnesse of our GOD to be so great that in consideringe his Chyldren not in themselues but in Iesus Christe his welbeloued Sonne with whome they be vnited and ioygned by Faith and also regardinge the fruites of his Graces not as they be polluted by our infirmities and weaknesse but because they be as it were procéeded or issued from him he doth accepte them and allowe them yea euen so farre as to recompence them as well in this lyfe by many blessynges bothe
that concerning afflictions First although all kinde of afflictions and also death bée entered into the worlde thorowe sinne yet God when he punisheth vs hath not euer respecte to our sinnes as it appeareth in the history of Iob and z many other places but in scorging vs he hath diuers respects tendynge to his glorye and our profyte as shalbe sayd hereafter in the laste artycle of the fowrth poynt Furthermore although god â–ª doth afflict his elect for their sinnes vntyll they feele y e very paines of death yet is he not angry with them as a Iudge to condempne them but as a Father chastising his chyldren to preserue them from perishing or geue other example 11 The remedy which onely faith fyndeth in Iesus Christ onely against the second assault of the fyrst temptation grounded vppon this that we be vnfurnyshed of the righteousnes which God requireth of vs. THe second assault which sathan may make against vs because of our vnworthines is that it is not sufficient to haue lyued without sinne or to haue satisfied for our syns but is required furthermore y â— man should fulfyll the whole lawe that is to saye that he hath loued God perfectly and his neighbor as him self Bring forth theÌ„ this righteousnes or els how wilt thou beare y â— curse of the law and the maiesty of god Now what can al the righteousnes of man helpe vs against this assault For here is spoken of a perfect obedieÌ„ce according to y â— lawe whiche was neuer founde but in Iesus Christ only Let vs learne here again to appropriate to vs by faith another treasure benefite of Iesus Christe that is to say his righteousnes For we know that it is he that hath fulfilled al righteousnes hauing perfectly obeyed God his Father perfectly loued his enemies so y â— he became accursed for them as s Paul sayth that is to wete he did beare the iudgement of the wrath of God for them to the ende y â— we being â—lad with this perfect rightousnes which is imputed to vs by faith as though it were properly our own we may be made acceptable before God as brethren and coheyres with Iesus Christ Now for this poynt Sathan must perforce haue his mouth stopped so that we haue y e fayth which maketh proper to vs Iesus Christ with all the riches and treasures which he hath to communicate to those which beléeue in him 12 The third assault of the same temptation grounded vppon the naturall corruption or originall sinne whiche is within vs. SAtan hath yet remaining one assault in the temptation of our vnworthynes which is this Although thou hast satisfyed for the payne of thy sinnes in the person of Iesus Christe that thou art also clothed with his righteousnesse yet art thou corrupted in thy nature wherein alwaye remayneth the roote of all sinne How darest thou then appeare before the maiestie of God enimy to all vncleanes and also which séeth the botome of thy hart Now coÌ„cerning this poynt we fynde yet one easie remedie in Iesus Christ only vpon whom we must staye But we be yet so enclosed in this mortall body that wée doo not the good whiche wée woulde and yet doo féele the synne that remayneth in vs and the flesh that striueth against the spirit by reason whereof we be yet defyled in body and soule concerning our selues but for as much as by fayth wée be vnyted incorporated rooted and grafted in Iesus Christe by whome our nature hath bene from the first moment of his conception more fullye restored sanctified and made more pure then euer it was created in Adam for asmuch as Adam was made but accordinge to the image of God and Iesus Christ is very God who hath taken vpon him our â—iesh conceyued by the vertue of the holy ghost this sanctification of Iesus Christ is imputed to vs as our owne then cannot y â— naturall corruption which resteth partly yet in vs come in accompt for as much as it is couered cloathed with the holynesse of Iesus Christe who is much more able to sanctifye and cleanse vs before God then the natural corruption is to defyle and corrupt vs. 13 The remedye against the seconde temptation whether we haue faith or not IN the second temptation SathaÌ„ shall replye vpon this that Iesus Christ is not deade for all synnes for as muche as all shall not be saued Then let vs haue recourse to our fayth and answere him that true it is none but the beléeuers doo receyue the fruite of this passion satisfaction of Iesus Christe But this in steade of desmayinge vs doth rather establishe vs. For that we do know in our hartes that wée haue faith wherby it is already saide in the thyrd article of this fourth point it is not inough only to beléeue that Iesus Christe came to saue synners but we must particularlye euerye man applye and appropriate Iesus Christ to himself in such wise that he doo conclude with him selfe I am in Iesus Christ by faith and therfore I caÌ„not perishe but am sure of my saluation so then to be assured that we haue ouercome Sathan in these thrée assaults of the first temptation and also to resist the second wée must examine our selues whether we haue this faith or not The meanes is to ascend by the effectes vnto the knowledge of the cause which worketh them Nowe the effectes which Iesus Christe worketh in vs when wée haue appreheÌ„ded him by faith be of two sortes The first is the testimony which the holye spirite bringeth to our spirites that we be the children of god and which maketh vs cry abba father in a certain assoraunce Secondlye we must vnderstand when we do ioyne appropriat to oure selues Iesus Christe by fayth it is not by a certaine vaine or folish fantasie Imagination but really and in déede although it be spirituallye in such wyse y â— as the soule bringeth foorth her effects and woorkes being naturallye vnited to the body so when by faith Iesus Christ is geuen to vs to dwell in vs his vertue then bringeth and sheweth forth his force vertues The which is vnderstaÌ„d in the Scripture by this worde regeneration because they make vs become newe creatures concerninge the qualities And this regeneration hath thrée partes For as the naturall corruption holdeth our personnes captiue bothe in body and soule working in vs bothe synne and death Lykewyse the vertue of Iesus Christe commeth and taketh possession in vs and bringeth to vs thrée effectes that is to saye mortifycation of this corruption which the Scripture calleth the olde man the burying also thereof and finallye the rysynge and restoringe of the newe man as S. Paule describeth these thinges The mortyfication of our corruption and synne is the worke of Iesus Christ in vs wherby hée quencheth and
temporall and Spirituall as is declared in the symmilitude of the Talentes as also in this celestyall kingdome accordinge to his good pleasure not because it is dewe to our workes as though wee deserued them but by his pure grace and mercie onelie according as God sayde in his Lawe p not that he wyll paye theyr merites as dewe to those whiche loue him and keepe his commaundementes but that he wyll shewe mercie to them Fowrthlie good workes be certaine testimonies of our Faith and also doo assure of our eternall Election for fayth is necessarilie ioyned to Election Nowe that this is so muche more necessarie as the worlde maketh lesse accoumpt of it supposing that the doctrine of election were a certaine curious and incomprehensible thing which is contrarie Fayth is no other thing but an assuraunce whiche wee haue that the promyses of eternall lyfe appertayneth vnto vs because we were predestined and elected therevnto Wherefore all that is spoken of fayth and of the fruytes of faythe is spoken in vayne and vnprofytable excepte wee Ioyne this poynct of election as the onely staye and foundation of all that is aforesayde Nowe when Sathan putteth vs in doubte of oure election wee maye not search first the resolution in the eternal counsel of god whose maiesty we cannot comprehende but on the contrarye wée must begin at the sanctification whiche we fele in our selues to ascende vp more hier for asmuch as our sanctification frō whence procéedeth good works is a certaine effect of the faith or rather of Iesus Christe welling in vs by faith And whosoeuer is vnited to Iesus Christe is necessarilie called and elected of God to saluation in such wise as he shall neuer be reiected nor forsakē So it appeareth that the sanctifycation with the fruites therof be as y ◠fyrst step or degrée wherby we begin to ascende vp to the fyrst true cause of our saluation to wéete of our frée eternall electiō For whosoeuer saith that he beleueth notwithstanding gouerneth not his life by the spirit of God declareth wel that he is a lyar deceiueth himself For this cause Saint Peter admonished vs to make our vocation Election sure by good workes Not that they be the cause or y ◠foundation of our vocation Election For S. Paule declareth plainly the contrarie But for asmuch as good works bring a certaine testimony to our conscience that Iesu Christ dwelleth in vs consequently we cannot perishe beinge elected to saluation 20. Remedies against the last and most daungerous temptation vvhiche is ▪ vvhether vve be saued or not HEre resteth yet the last and moste daungerous temptations of all Sometime it hapneth that Iesus Christ deferreth to call some of his elected vntyl y ◠last howre of their life so y e it séemeth y ◠they be not very well furnished with these vertues wherof we haue spoken neither did euer féele them for that y e cause was not as yet working in them and the cause must goe before the effect And also sometimes the perfectest and most holyest persons fall into this extremitie sorrowing and lamenting for that they feele not these good mocions but séemeth that it is vtterly quenched in them and then Sathan bringeth in these doubtes that where as before they thought they had faith but was not but a shadow or vain appearāce of faith Or elles that whereas they beleued before nowe by theyr owne fault the gift is taken from them Nowe wee muste take heede to resist thys temptatyon as most daungerous of all Concerning those whiche feele theyr vocatiō to be long ere it come to thē yet their assurance is neuerthelesse grounded and established vppon some of these articles and effects aforesaid And as for their interior testimonie of cōscience of tentymes it worketh more lyuelye then in some of those which are called muche sooner as the experience is well declared in the poore théefe that was hanged by Christe And concerning the workes of regeneration it is to be vnderstande that the gretest and most eccellent workes whiche the holye ghoste worketh in vs is the hate of synne the loue of God the assuraunce of our saluation in Iesus Christe and the inuocation of hys name Wherefore he that feeleth these mocions in hym selfe although it bée not vntyll the houre of death hathe a certayne testimonie of hys true faythe ▪ and consequently of his election and saluation And for those whiche féele those good mocions quenched in them sorowing and lamentyng as it happeneth sometimes to the holiest most perfectest persons Let them consyder these pointes folowyng to ouercome suche temptations First for as much as the two operations and effectes aforesayde bee as the two Ankers to holde vs fast and when one fayleth to sticke the more surer to the other vntyll wee haue gotton strength on bothe sydes againe As when Dauid and Sainct Peter fell so beastly yet there is no doubt but they lamented and sorrowed vntyll they felt the workyng of theyr regeneration and sanctification But béeyng in theyr temptation they stayed them selues vpon the Anker of the testymonye which the spirite of God broughte into their conscyence whyche caused them not to doubte not withstandynge theyr fall but that they were the children of God and that theyr fault was forgeuen them Secondly although both these operations and effectes bee verye féeble and weake yet ther is no cause to be discouraged For it is not required of vs for to beleue fullye and perfecttlye but to beleue onelye in suche wise as if one lytle sparke of fayth and so folowyng one lytle mocion of the workyng of it so that it be true and vnfaynedly that is to saye comminge from the true roote of fayth bee sufficient to assure vs of oure saluation The reason is for that oure saluation is not onely stayed vpon oure fayth although without faythe none can be saued but vpon hym whome we apprehende by fayth that is to saye Iesus Christ And fayth is of suche vertue that accordinge to the promise of God one lytle sparke thereof how lytle so euer it bee doth apprehende Iesus Christ fully and perfectlye Yet not withstandyng the greater our fayth is the greater power it hath to ioyne vs nearer nearer and to graffe vs déeper in Iesus Christe And wee ought to be displeased and to lament when in steede of goinge forewarde we recoyle and slyde backwarde and yet the Diuell hath not wonne his processe Although we slyde backe so that our slyding bring vs to steppe vp againe and go the better forwarde Thyrdlie when we be so lamenting and troubled for the feelynge of our neclygence and synnes let vs séeke to the lyke examples of the Saintes which were as deepe in as wée or rather deeper yet neuerthelesse they ceased not to pray with assurance to be hard because they were the chyldren of God howe great and beastly sinnes soeuer they
by fayth and he that hath Iesus Christ hath all it foloweth that by him onelye our consciences haue wherein to be so pacified and so well contented and fullye satisfyed that namely we haue wherein to reioyce in our afflictions for as much as we knowe and be assured that they come not to vs at aduenture but bee sente of hym whoe hath reconciled vs vnto hymselfe by Iesus Christe entreating vs in the fame wyse that hee hath done hys owne Sonne and so by lyttle and lyttle to learne vs to hate sinne and despyse the worlde and moreouer by this meanes hee moueth vs to praye and call vnto him more earnestlye and deuoutlye and also chasticeth vs in trying and prouing our fayth and in fine maketh vs a shewe or a marke for all the world to looke at to declare how great is hys vertue and power in those which he hath armed and strengthened with his holye sririte Of the Church The fyft poynt 1. That there hath alvvaies beene and euer shall be a Church out of the vvhich there is no saluation ALl those thinges whereof we haue spoken to bee established and performed by the goodnesse of God be in vayne if there were not certaine people which felt and tasted of the fruict and commoditie hereof But for as much as Iesus Christ hath an eternall kingdome he can neuer be without subiectes it was meete then from the beginning of the world that there should be a church that is to saye a Congregation and assemble of people such as it hath pleased God to chuse by his grace y e which haue acknowledged and serued the true God according to his wyll by the meanes of Iesus Christ onely attayned by faith as it hath bene amply declared And wee must confesse moreouer by the same meanes that his Church and assemblye shal last for euer what soeuer assaults that all the Deuyls in hell can inuent or prepare against them Finallye it must be confessed necessarilye that wythout Iesus Christe there is no saluation And whosoeuer dieth not being a member of this congregation and assembly is excluded and locked out from Iesus Christe and from his saluation For the vertue to saue whiche is in Iesus Christ appertayneth not but to those whiche acknowledge him for their God and onely sauiour 2. There can be but one true church AS there is but one God â–ª one faith and one onelye Mediatour betwene God man euen Iesus Christe heade of his Churche So lykewise there can be but one Churche 3. VVherefore vve call the Churche catholyke FOr as much as God hath spred forth his Gospell that is to saye the preaching of saluation whiche is the Scepter of his kyngdome thorowe the vniuersall worlde and hath chosen of all nations such as séemed good to him For this cause there ought to bée confessed one catholike Church that is to saye a vniuersal Church Not that it comprehendeth al men generally for the greatest parte be not of it but because the faithfull be dispersed ouer all the earth according as the Lord hath chosen them not beyng restrayned to any certaine place tyme nor nation 4. In vvhat thyng lyeth the communion of sainctes BEcause the churche hath but one onely Lord soueraigne prince all the faithful in what place soeuer they be dispersed be conioyned knyt together as y e burgesies or inhabitants of one communaltie being all partakers of y â— same pryuiledges that is to say of the goods and treasures of Iesus Christ who for this cause is called their head as they be called the members of hym for that hee only by his vertue vniting and ioyning them to himselfe doeth quicken them iustifie them and sanctifye them wherfore none maye lawefully vse thys title head of the Churche but hee onely And beholde this is it that we call the communion or communaltye of sayntes For in the scripture this worde Sainte is attributed to all faithfull lyuing yet in this worlde for as much as they haue attained to Iesus Christ by fayth their onely righteousnes and sanctification 5. The churche hath but one heade that is to saye Iesus Christe to vvhome there needeth no lieu tenaunt IEsus Christ head of this Churche for the reason which we haue sayde wyll haue no companyon as the wyse woman in the scripture to the whiche the Church is compared hath but one Husbande and one body hath but one heade He hath no néede of any Successor for he is God lyuing eternallie nor any Vycar or Lieuetenaunt for wée haue all hys wyll by wrytinge And moreouer being God hée is euer present hym selfe in the myddest of hys Churche by his infinite power neuer departing from it as he him selfe hath promised â–ª which neyther Vycar nor Lieuetenaunt can doo And in déede the blindest man in the world may see whether those men hée toumbled and fallen beadlonge which woulde robbe or deprâ—ue Iesus Christe of this preheminence where as in déede they haue scarce one lyttle â—â—rner of the worlde to gouerne in comparyson of the whole worlde 9. The commuâ—ion of the Saintes letteth nor hindâ—râ—â—h not the diuersity of offyces amonge the faythfull IEsus Christe gouerneth his Churche so by his holye spirite that notwithstandyng he vseth men as instrumentes for to plant and to water as S. Paule speaketh moreouer be distributeth his giftes and graces diuerlly howe when and to whome seemeth good vnto him for the entertainment gouernment of all the bodye of the church in the whiche he wylleth all thynges to be done by good order and pollicy It is not Gods pleasure nor wyll that we should accept all the members of y â— church equal in their charges and offices and by this meanes brynge a confusion into the house of God But contrariwyse one of the principall differences that we haue with oure aduersaries is we require that the ecclesiasticall pollicie be established and set vp agayne according to the woorde of God with the aduyse and counsell of the auncient fathers whiche haue left vs theyr Canons for testimonies of the conduction and gouernement which they held in theyr tyme yet notwithstanding all thinges to be ruled by the worde of God â–ª and consider dilligentlye what thinges are expedient to be reteyned or to be altered for the edifycation of the Church For in matter of policye euerye man knoweth well that all thynges bee not conuenient in all tymes nor in al places marke I saye this is it that wee haue alwayes required and we yet earnestly require it But seing the negligence of manye and the small hope that we haue to bee prouided for in a generall or common consent force hath constrained certrine princes Lordes hauing knowen and seene the common disorders to prouide and sette orders in theyr owne countreyes as we doe sée Now they doe not well that fyll the eares of