those thinges that pertaine to the spirite of god Here Simonides was at his witts ende and required respite Here Anaxagoras poynted vp to heauen with his finger but he coulde tell what it was in hys heart Here Democâ—…itus eyes so lette him that hee put them bothe out Here Cato cried Mitte arcana dei coelumque inquirere quid sit here Socrates durst affirme nothing but this one thing that he knew nothing Heere Aristotle confesseth he hadde but owles eyes And shall wee then make his metaphysiks good diuinitie as our Scholemen more blynde than those phylosophers did to confirme this matter withal but they haue so rooted them in the diuinitie of their god Aristotle that they can not lift vp themselues from themselues to search this cause of Gods benefite in God from whom it proceedeth but will seeke in them selues to fynde the causes of it Lette vs looke on them therfore a litle and see how busily or rather howe bussardly they looke in them selues to fynde oute the cause thereof For if they ransacked well all corners in themselues they shuld fynde many a slouenly corner and a full sluttish house many a fylthy synke of durt many an heape of dust raked vp many a rotten post many a foule copweb many an adders nest and euen a caue of Cacus a Cerberus denne a foule carrion of the body a fouler horrour of the soule frâ—…ught with sinne and wretchednesse how soeuer lyke a Phariseys cup like a painted sepulcher it carrie an outwarde countenance But doo they not se this in serching them selues or if they see it howe can they abyde the syght thereof nay verily they se it not Ther is a beame in their eyes called Philautia selfe loue and this little preatie moate dothe so hinder their syght forsoothe that they see no suche thing nor smell any such stench they are so acquainted with it nor fynde any suche fault in themselues neyther is that the thing they seke for and therfore although they sawe it they let that alone and passe by it with the Priest and the Leuite as though they sawe it not but they seeke for the contrary What merite what vertue what cause is in them selues wherefore God should bestow this so great a benefite vpon man No doubt there is a cause in man say they wherfore God did thus vnto man He sawe some thing in man that moued him thervnto peraduenture we haue founde the cause euen here had not the worlde done some good turne to God and so gifte gafte one good turne asketh another clawe me clawe thee the worlde might haue done so muche for God that God was indebted to the worlde he coulde not but euen of his Iustice Merito digni vel condigni vel congrui By the merite of dewty or worthinesse or congruitie requite the world with this benefite Stoode the case thus betwixte the worlde and God for then here is cause inoughe in man no Papist the case was nothing so nor so NoÌ„ ex operibus quae fecimus nos not of the works that we haue wrought Non secunduÌ„ opera nostra not acording to our works Ex operibus legis non iustificatur omnis caro no flesh shal be iustified no not by the works of Gods law for why ê™ erat legi impossibile The la we could not performe it it wrought but wrathe in vs and encreased our sin bicause we were sinners coulde not fullfil it and therefore became giâ—…ty and accursed by it If God then should worke by iustice Domine quis sustinebit Lorde who should abide it we had not done any good to him before at all that he shoulde recompence Quis prior dedit illi et retribuetur ei Who gaue him ought aforehand that he shoulde make him retribution in a pitifull case were we before he vouch safed for to choose vs wilt thou see what thou wast before God chose the either for any thing in thy parents or in thee euen from the first houre thou waste borne Looke the sixteenth chapter of Ezechiell before cited The woorde of the Lorde came vnto me saying Sonne of manne cause Hierusalem to knowe hâ—…r abhominations and say Thus sayeth the Lorde God vnto Hierusalem thine habitation and thy kinrede is of the lande of Canaan thy father was an Ammorite and thy mother an Hethite and in thy natiuitie when thou waste borne thy nauell was not cut thou waste not washed in water to soften thee thou wast noâ—… salted with salte nor swadled in cloutes none eye pitied thee to do any of these things vnto thee for to haue compassion vpon thee but thou wast cast out in the open fielde to the contempte of thy persone in the day when thou wast borne and when I passed by thee I saw thee polluted in thyne owne bloud and I sayde vnto thee when thou waste in thy bloud thou shalte liue euen when thou waste in thy bloud I sayde vnto thee Thou shalte liue Lo the pickle that euen the Churche and choyse of GOD was in beefore the Lorde dydde choose her If thou sayest yet peraduenture hee dydde thys for her frendes sake shee came of good parentage and was well allyed to those whom God hyghly fauoured and to whom God made a great promise to be good to them and to theyr seede after them True in deede hee dydde so but yet in this respecte see howe hee renounceth thys for anye cause also and vpbraydeth to her euen her father and mother and all the whole stocke shee came of Thou arte thy mothers daughter that hath caste off her husbande and her chyldren and thou arte the syster of thy systers whyche forsooke theyr husbandes and theyr chyldren youre mother is an Hethite and youre father an Ammorite and thyne elder syster is Samaria and her daughters that dwelle at thy lefte hande and thy yong syster that dwellethe at thy ryghte hande is Sodome and her daughters And as more sharpelye in Esaye hee callethe the Iewes the seede of the wycked corrupte chyldren the sonnes of Witches the seede of the adulterers and of the whore rebellious children false sede the egges of the Aspis the webbes of Spyders the generation of Uipers boasting in vaine of Abrahams parentage who himself also before he was called was an heathen was an idolater till God redemed and called him and therfore neither they nor he had deserued this benefite of eternall lyfe that God dyd purpose to them What then was the cause that moued God herevnto was not this the cause therof that although they had done no such good turnes to God by dutie or coÌ„gruitie to moue him to recompence yet they had not offended him nor displeased him And therfore God mighte the easyer be induced to bestow this benefit on them But had not euen the electe of God offended God were they not of olde Adam In quo omnes peccauerunt in whom all haue sinned that came of him are
also Quae culpa saith Pigghius ê™ peccatum possit esse animae adhuc innocentis recens nati paruuli c. what fault what sinne can there be of the innocent soule and of the litle child newe borne who for that he hathe not receyued the vse of reason and the facultie of freewil is not yet vnder the law nor can be obliged by any law whereof he may be made a transgressour But as this is a most false errour the cleane distruction of the Christian faith so is this a most true principle that what soeuer they be yong or olde Deus conclusit omnes sub peccato God hath shut vp all vnder synne neyther vnder the sinne of an other only and not of theyr owne synne but of Adams theyr first father imputed vnto them Naytheyr sinne is euen their owne sinne In quo omnes peccauerunt In whom all haue sinned neyther is al sinne to be measured by age of man or wil of man or reson of maÌ„ only but PeccatuÌ„ est iniquitas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Iohn sinne is the swaruing from Gods law whiche sithe it bindethe all mankinde and none not regenerat in Christ are answerable thervnto it followethe they muste nedes be sinners old or yoÌ„g bicause without regeneration in Christ not Adam only himselfe of whome we came but all thâ—… whole substâ—…nce externall and internall of mankynd is so infected defiled with sin that no thyng but God câ—…n clense it Quis potest facere muÌ„duÌ„ de immundo coÌ„ceptuÌ„ semine nisi tu qui solus es Who can make a clean thing of a thing that 〈◊〉 ceyued by foule sâ—…de but only thou that art alonâ—… There is none cleane beefore him from sinne Ne infans quidem vnius diei No not the infant that is but one day olde 〈◊〉 that is lesse than a day olde while he is yet in his mothers wombe Ecce saith Dauid that was an holy prophet in iniquitatibus coÌ„ceptus sum in peccato coÌ„cepit me mater meâ—… Beholde sayth he I was begotten in wickednes and my mother conceaued me in sinne Was Dauids father an hoorehunter and his mother an harlot Was Dauid a bastard and misbegotten no suche thyng he was the lawful sonne of I sat Why then is the acte of matrimonie sin and wickednesse no suche thing neyther thou sinnest not if thou takest a wife sayth S. Paule and if a virgin marie she sinneth not yea mariage is honorable among all men and is a bed vndefiled Howe was then Dauid gotten and conceyued in synne For so the he came of sinful seede euen the sede that begat and conceyued Dauid was corrupt staynd with synne And as the seede was so was the chylde Quòd natum est ex carne caro est What that is borne of fleshe is flesh of Adam is Adam of a thorne is a thorn of a brieris brier of a crab is a crabbe and euery thyng yeldethe fruite after his owne kynd qualitie And therfore of a sinful father the chylde is borne a sinner euen the fyrst day and moment the chyld is born yea a sinner before it is borne Well say the Papistes admit all this in old and yong were sinne yet I trust ye wil make a distinction of sinne all sinne is not mortall synne Is no synâ—…ne venyall If there be peradueÌ„ture then the worlds synnes were not so great as that they deserued to peryshâ—… for their synnes and so myghte the easâ—…yer bâ—…e forgâ—…uen bycause theyr sinnes were veniall Nay Papist this helpeth thee not no more than thy other shiftes For although we graunte nor â—…uer denyed that there is distinâ—…tion to bee made of synnes of the whyche some bee originall some bee actuall some be in thoughte some be in worde some be indede some be of negligence som be of wilfulnesse some be of ignorance some be of malice some be more heynous than other some sinnes be yea and wee admit also this distinction of mortal sinne and veniall synne yet admit wee it not in suche sort as the Papistes do that thys difference is in the nature of synne whereby any is veniall as though it were bycause it is lesse synne therefore it shold bee veniall For be it more or be it lesse or of what sorte of synne so euer it be if it be synne it is mortall in the nature of it and deserueth no forgiuenesse but euen death for recompence For without all distinction sayde GOD to Adam When soeuer thou eatest thereof thou shalte dye And from hym it hathe followed that Vnius delicto omnes mortui fumus By Adams offence we are all deade Per peccatum introijt mors Death eâ—…tred by syn and therfore Stipendium peccati mors est The rewarde of synne is death For why it came from the dyuell Qui facâ—…t peccatum ex dia bolo est and the diuell is a murtherer from the begynnyng and therefore yf yee liue after the fleshe Moriemini yee shall dye Neyther is thys to bee vnderstoode of horrible synnes onely but euen Affectus carnis mors est The affection of the fleshe is Death also Neyther is thys to be eluded as thoughe the Apostle spake onely of a bodyly and temporall death but hee speaketh plat and playne of condemnation Iuditium quidem ex vno in condemnationem The faulte came of one offence vnto condemnation And agayn The faulte came on all menne to condemnation Why then saye the Papistes shall all menne bee damned And where is then youre Uenyall synne Forsooth euen it followeth at the harde heeles Gratia autem ex multis delictis in Iustificationem But the grace is of manye offences to Iustification Heere are manye offences named and all deserue damnation but they become Uenyall yea they hynder not Iustifycation How commeth thys of theyr owne nature nay but by grace by fauour by the gifte of God and not by the nature of the sinne in which respect all stande in the state of damnation But to those that are in Iesu Christe nihil est condemnationis there is no damnation vnto them not that the sin or sinner deserued this but for that they haue receaued the attonement made by Iesus Christe Yea but dydde not God saythe the Papist forsee that they shold receyue Christ and although they were all sinners and subiect to damnation yet did not he foresee that they wold repent them of their sinnes and become faithfull and amende their lyues when hee should call them and peraduenture therfore he wold they should not perishe but haue eternall lyfe euen bicause he foresaw they shoulde become good men although they were euill Nay Papist this is no cause no more thaÌ„ the other nei ther their workes presente neyther their workes to come For the scripture simply comprehendeth all workes whether they be past or they be present or they be to come Vocauit nos Deus
vocatione sua sancta non ex operibus nostâ—…is sed iuxta pro positum suum God called vs wyth his holy callyng not by reason of our workes but according to his purpose Neyther are wee iustified by the the woorkes euen of Gods law In lâ—…ge nemo iustificatur apud Deum neyther saued hee vs sayeth S. Paule for the workes of our righteousnesse If then we are neyther saued nor iustified nor cal led for our workes shall wee thinke we be chosen for our workes when Gods choyce is before hys calling his calling before our iustifying our iustifying before wee obteyne saluation Naye if our workes be not the cause of our sauing nor of our iustifying nor yet of our calling much lesse be they the cause of oure election whiche was before the foundations of the world were cast I grant that God foresaw we should do good works howbeit our good woorkes were not the cause of his election but his election was the cause of our good workes Elegit nos in ipso ante mundi constitutionem vt essem us sancti immaculati in coÌ„spectu eius per charitatem He chose vs in him before the making of the worlde that we should be holy and vnreprouable in his syght through loue Then were not good works to come the cause of Gods choise made before but God that by his election did ordein them to glory ordeined them also to do good workes after And so good workes are not in the cause wherfore but in the purpose whereto the elect of God are chosen Conditi sumus ad bona opera Wee are made of God to doo good workes Good workes are the fructes of the sprite of God after he hath iustifyed vs Quomodo enim potest iuste viueâ—…e saith S. Augustine qui non fueâ—…it instificatus How can he liue iustly that before hand shall not be iustified 〈◊〉 bâ—…na opera iustificatum non praecâ—…dunt iustificandum They folowe hym that is iustified already but they goe not before him that is to be iustified Then are not good woorks the cause but the effects of Gods worâ—…s in vs He chose vs he called vs hee conuertâ—…d vs he gaue vs faith he maketh vs ayte to do all good workes to the prayse of his glory and not to merite our saluation by them For saythe Saincte Augustine 〈◊〉 facis opera tua vt glorificeris hoc prohibuit Si autem vt Deus glorificetur hoc iussit Christus If thou dost thy works for thys cause that thou mayst be glorifyed thys Chryst forbad thee But yf thou doste them that GOD maye be glorifyed thys Chryste commaunded thee These therfore and all these Papisticall cauillations that make man or any thing in man be it neuer so good to bee the cause of this good purpose of Gods eternall Election to the worldes saluation are but false Popish fetches and lying vauntes to establishe theyr owne ryghtousnesse to deface Gods glorye and are no causes at all that moued God hereto Nay soft sayth the Papiste stay your conclusion there is one thyng yet behynde Be it that none of all these are the causes no not mannes good woorkes nor that wee ought to woorke to merite saluation thereby but to set foorth the prayse and glorie of GOD and that God made all things for his glorie yet notwithstanding myght this be some cause euen that hee sawe hee shoulde get glory by vs and by oure woorkes Neyther myghte this seeme so small a cause for had he not saued vs then should not he haue ben glorifyed by oure good workes What then Bonoruâ—… meorum non eges sayeth Dauid Thou haste no neede of my good workes Maye a man bee profitable vnto God as hee that is wyse may be auaylable vnto himselfe is it any thyng vnto the Almightie that thou arte iust or is it profytable to him that thou 〈◊〉 est thy wayes vprighte Can his glory shine no other way but by our workes or by our saluation What if all we had ben lost had he lost any thyng therby Lost Christ any sparke of hys glorie by the lost chyld Iudas Lost God any glorie by the wyckednesse of Pharao Nay he got glory therby and so hee doth ouer all his enemies They hinder not his glorie as they thynke they doo nor he hath any neede that wee should encrease it and set it out And thoughe we had neuer ben borne he had lost no glorie and we had vtterly ben loste he had loste no glorie and no creature had euer bene made he had loste no whit of glory It had ben al one to him although not al one to vs for he hath no nede of vs nor of any creature but we haue nede of him To coÌ„clude therfore none of all these are any causes that moued God to bestowe this benefit on the worlde that it should not perishe but haue eternall lyfe why what is the cause then is it a causelesse thing is there no cause of it Yes verily and that a great cause What is that we haue runne thorough all causes that I thynke maye well bee reckened vp and you haue denyed them euery one In deede Papist thou haste runne rounde aboute the wood and haste assayed at manye a gappe to enter but canste not get in lyke to the olde riddle What is that that runneth rounde aboute the tree and neuer entreth in They hadde wonte to say it is the barke of the tree but it is a blind Papist that sticking only to the trees rinde and barke looketh altogether on the outwarde apperance of man and searcheth to fynd in the visyble creature the cause of the highest workes of the inuisible Creator O saplesse barke of a rotten and frutelesse tree twise dead and plucked vp by the rootes when wylte thou be able to fynde out this cause of Gods eternall purpose he that will fynd a thing must seke it where it is not where it is not The Papistes seke this cause where it is not not where it is In maÌ„ they haue raked metely wel but ther it is not they haue sought ouer al the world and euery creature neither is the cause of Gods purpose to be fouÌ„d in any creature no not in the elect theÌ„selues Where muste it needes then remayne but euen in the Creator the cause of the purpose in the purposer and only in God himself and to say the truth it can not be otherwise For sithe the purposer is God and God is agens liberrimum he can not bee tyed to causes besydes himselfe for then he were not free sith Gods purpose is eternall as is hymselfe without beginning and al other things and causes haue beginning then is nothing the cause of Gods purpose but Gods purpose is the cause of euery thing For if he had not purposed ought to haue ben it had not ben but it is it is then bycause he purposed it shold be To coÌ„clude sith God
churche of Christe so often called the spouse the wyfe the welbeloued of Christ but bicause the Lorde of his only loue mercie chose her Wherefore was Dauid chosen king from following the sheepe but bicause hee was a man SecuÌ„dum cor meum eueÌ„ after the hart of God that is to say whom God delighted in and loued Wherfore was Salomon chosen to sitte in the seate of Dauid before all his brethren but bicause Dominus dilexit cum The Lord loued him Wherfore did Christ choose the twelue Disciples before all other in the worlde Non vos me eligistis sed ego elegi vos You chose not me but I chose you But bicause sayth he as my father loued me so haue I loued you Wherefore leaned Iohn on the breast of Iesu and durst aske him more boldly than the other Disciples but bicause he was the disciple Quem diligebat Dominus whom the Lorde loued Wherefore are we chosen to be the people of God in the Iewes place But euen bycause God hath sayd Vocabo non plebem meam plebem meam non dilectam dilectam non misericordiam consecutam misericordiam coÌ„secutam I will call them my people whiche were not my people and her beloued whiche was not beloued and her to haue obteined mercy which had not obteyned mercy Wherfore now that we are chosen of God are we afflicted Quos diligit Dominus castigat The Lorde correcteth whome he loueth Wherfore can no affliction ouercome vs make vs fall from God as doo the reprobate the chaffe and seede in the stonie grounde but the Electe are purifyed in tribulation as golde in the forneys In his omnibus superamus per eum qui dilexit nos In all these thyngs wee ouercome through hym that loued vs Wherfore haue we in those afflictions sutche a confident truste in God that they shall not hurte vs Quia charitas Dei diffusa est in cordibus nostris per Spiritum Sanctum qui datus est nobis Bycause the loue of GOD is shead abroade in our hartes by the Holy Ghost whyche is gyuen vnto vs Then the fountayne and onely cause of all the grace and fauour that wee receyue of God is the loue of god Propter multam suam dilectionem qua dilexit nos Euen for the greate loue that hee loued vs withall And therefore Christe whyche is the well beloued sonne of God Hic est filius meus dilectus in quo mihi complacui Thys is my well beloued sonne in whom I am wel pleased and in whom wee are made also the beeloued sonnes of God and who hath so loued vs that hee gaue his lyfe for vs than the whiche no man can haue a greater loue hee hath fully declared in the very fyrste woordes of thys Sentence the very fyrst and principall cause of the Worldes saluation saying Sic DEVS dilexit So God loued the worlde there is no cause hereof in manne but onely and all in god I doo not thys for youre sakes O Israell sayeth the Lorde God but for myne owne names sake You shall remember your owne wycked wayes and youre deedes that were not good and shall iudge your selues worthy to haue bene destroyed for your iniquities and for your abhominations Bee it knowne vnto you that I doo not thys for youre sakes sayeth the Lorde God. And as God dothe thys mercyfully vnto his Electe not for any cause in them but for his owne names sake The cause is altogether in him not in vs so the cause that moued hym is his mere goodnesse his infinite mercye his owne good wyll and his very loue vnto vs. What shal we say then to those false prophets that haue so sotted vs in our owne loue that they haue made vs beleue the cause to be in vs of oure saluation our pure naturall qualities our preparatiue workes oure free will oure good deedes and satisfactions to bee the cause why wee escape perdition our merits and our righteousnesse to be the cause why wee receyue eternall lyfe Our election to be the cause of Gods election our loue of God to be the cause of Gods loue to vs Nay soft sayth the Papist ye tell oure tale amisse we say not that these be the only causes neither grauÌ„t we that the loue of God is the only cause but ther are causes in both these parties God and the worlde which causes both ioyntly coÌ„curring together we are therby saued from perdition receiue eternal life We here what they say but what sayeth S. Paul These two saith he caÌ„ not in this matter be compartners Reliquiae secundum electionem gratia Dei saluae factae sunt si autem gratia iam non ex operibus alioquin gratia noÌ„ est gratia The remnaunt shall bee saued accordyng to the Election of the grace of GOD but yf it bee by grace then is it not by woorkes For otherwise grace were not grace And so on the contrary parte if it be of works then is it not of grace for otherwyse workes were not works And the reason is bicause of the opposition betwene grace and workes that the one hath to the other in the cause of Iustification for although in those that be alredy iustified workes are not seuered from grace nor grace from workes but rather al their workes be graces and gifts of God as S. Hierome sayeth Deus in nobis operatur opera â—…am omnia opera nostra operatus es domine ait propheta de eius dono c. God worketh all our workes in vs of his gyft for as the Prophet sayth Thou Lorde haste wrought all our workes Yet in this poynt of the causes of our saluation whether they be altogether of God or altogether of maÌ„ or ioyntly of God and man together that is to saye of Gods grace and mans works concurrent in this poynt grace and workes do so disagree and are become Membra diuidentia haue such a contrary aspect the one to the other that they can not here be ioyned without confounding them yea the one taketh awaye the nature of the other For first grace which signifieth free fauor and gift as S. Augustin saith Gratis datur propter ê“ gratia nominatur It is giuen freely or gratefully whervppon it hathe his name Grace But admitte there can be founde any cause in the partie to whoÌ„ it is giuen that by any meanâ—…s did deserue to haue it giuen him then is it not a mere free gift proceding only of gracious fauour and so is it not grace Likewise on the contrary part for works To him that worketh reward sayth saint Paule is not giuen according to grace or fauour but according to duetie Hee that hathe wrought for any thing be it little or much that he hath wrought so litle so much it debarreth from the nature of grace It is not of mere and free fauour that he hath any
Neyther is the handling worthie of any name although the matter can not be named worthily inough For the matters sake therfore not for the manner of it I shoued it out when I could not holde it in and among others chéefely commend it to your good Lordship whome as God hath made not onely a singular succourer and especiall setter forth of his truth and al good letters but also a publike patrone therevnto and euen a father to our moother and nourice of learning the renounted vuiuersitie of Cambridge that now God be praysed for it flourisheth vnder your protectioÌ„ so he vouchsafe to his glory your ioy and our comfort long to blesse and prosper your honour therin Your Lordships humble to commaundâ—… in Christ Iohn Brigges Sic Deus dilexit mundum c. So God loued the worlde that hée gaue his only begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beléeueth in him should not perishe but haue Euerlasting lyfe RIGHT Honorable and deare beloued in the Lord Iesus This sentence is the entrie into that portion of Scripture that is appoynted to be red for the Gospell this daye and a parcell of the disputation whyche Nichodemus hadde in the nyght with Christe A shorte sentence and for the vnderstanding plaine and easy but for the contente of the matter a most notable sentence comprehending in briefe wordes both all things and the causes of them all God the Creator and al the world created the mercifull loue of God the miserable perdition of Mankind Gods election without beginning mans saluation without ending the most singular gifte of God without comparison the Eternall life of man without merites To be briefe what is not conteyned in this sentence the whole scope and argument whereof standeth on the causes of our saluation euen the groundeworke and principles of Christianitie the locke and keye of our Religion Whiche being opened all controuersies at this day in question betwene vs and our aduersaries as depending hereon are apparant and soone decided For my playner and easyer processe herevppon I purpose to diuide this sentence into foure parts Wherof the first shal be of gods eternall purpose to the world In these two endes Vt non pereat sed habeat vitam aeternaÌ„ that it shold not perish but haue eternal life The second shal be of the cause that moued Almightye God to this purpose of the worlds saluation that is to say Sic dilexit euen the only ioue of god The thirde part shall be to consyder the meanes that God being thus purposed and moued wrought this benefite by that is to say Vt daret filium suum vnigenitum He gaue his only begotten sonne to worke it The fourth and the last part shall be to consider wyth what effertuall instrument we receyue and apply those causes of our saluation to our benefite that is to wit Qui credunt in eum By a stedfast Faith in hym Wherein are comprehended these foure causes The originall cause and fountain of mans saluation Gods eternall purpose the motiue cause inducyng hym therevnto Gods loue the efficiente and formall cause thereof the Sonne of GOD the 〈◊〉 and instrumentall cause of the same Gods gifte of Faith in Manne Thus this whole sentence So God loued the worlde c. beeing 〈◊〉 and deuided orderly into these foure partes lette vs make oure entrie into the seuerall consyderations of them with faythfull and humble Prayer Precatio You haue hearde deare Christians whereon I purpose to proceede euen on this sentence Sic Deus c. Yee haue hearde what notable matter it conteynethe what is the summe and argument thereof and howe I haue distributed the same Wherof the fyrst part hath to behold the eternal purpose of Almightie God in these endes that the world should not perishe but haue euerlasting lyfe This parte hath two things principally to consider Whereof the syrste is these two endes perdition and lyfe eternall The seconde is these two parties God and the worlde God that deliuereth from perdition and giueth eternall life the world that is deliuered from perdition and receiueth eternall lyfe The former is comprehended in these woordes Vt non pereat sed habeat aeternam vitam that it should not perishe but haue Eternall lyfe Whiche wordes are placed last and are the ende of the sentence and lyke wise are the last end that wee shall come vnto But bicause the drifte whereto the sentence tendeth and we also directe the leuell of all oure life is to escape perdition and to obteyne life eternall not vnorderlye it commeth to bee fyrst consydered For although the ende is laste in practise yet in mynde the ende is fyrste of all Hee that is aboute to buylde an house fyrste hath his generall ende and purpose wherefore he wold build and or euer he set on the building he deuiseth his platforme how he shal be able to compasse the same Quis ex vobis c. Which of you sayeth Christ disposed to buylde a Toure sitteth not downe before and counteth the cost whether he haue sufficient to perfourme it least after he hath layde the foundation and is not able to perfourme it all that beholde hym begynne to mocke him saying This man began to buylde and was not able to make an ende Or what Kyng going to make battaile againste an other Kyng sitteth not downe fyrst and casteth in his mynde whether he be able with tenne thousande to meere him that commeth against him with twentie thousande c. What man hauing a iourney to goe first considereth not the place whether the entent wherefore and the manner howe he wil trauaile thether and then he setteth on his Iorney and last of all commeth there This is the differnce of the foole and wise as our Prouerbe sayth to looke or we leape As Esope telleth of the two Froggs that in a dry Sommer sought for water and when they came to a deepe pit Here sister sayth the one is a good place for vs to abide in here is water inough nay softe quod the other Frog let vs viewe a litle ere we leape in if water shoulde faile here also howe should we get out again The wise therfore geue this councell Quicquid agas prudenter agas respice finem Whatsoeuer thou doest doe it warily and forecast the ende therof Beholde howe Christ commendeth the steward whiche otherwise was a wicked man for this his industrie in prouidyng for the ende O that the children of life were halfe so wise so prouident and forecastyng as the children of this worlde in their generation be O that rashe youthe amongst vs wolde consider this order in their vnaduised enterprises being caried aware in the headstronge wilfull delight of present pleasures and will not se the wretched ende Qui ducit ad interitum that hurlethe them headlong into destruction and all bicause they wolde not forsee the sequele and ende thereof Voluptates specta abeuntes non accedentes Looke not on pleasures face but
forsooke towne houses and dwelte by themselues besyde the townes dyd but mock bothe with God and the worlde and so were buryed to the worlde that they lyued in the chiefest pleasures of the worlde they were gone so cleane out of the worlde that they hadde gotten the best landes and wealthe of the worlde in their possessions But as those worldelyngs deluded the worlde so is there none no not the Electe of GOD that come in this worlde to suche perfection but that they may be called euen the worlde bycause they were of the world and yet are in the worlde Neyther sayth Christ they be deliuered yet from the world Nō rogo vt tollas ex hoc mundo sed vt serues eos à malo I praye not that thou wouldest take them out of the worlde but that thou woldest kepe them from euyll And for thys fyrste cause to humble the electe by remembring them what yet they were and in part what they be and in what place and state they stande euen the electe of God are called the world The second reason whie the electe of God may be called the world is bicause they be dispersed through out the world and are of al sorts and kynds of the world For as the worlde is not this or that place nor one or two Realmes but all places in euery climate of the worlde so the Churche of Christe is not tyed to Sainct Peters chaire at Rome nor to the Latin church as the Papists would bound it nor to the Affricanes as the Donatistes contended Sed in omnem terram exiuitsonus eorum Ite in vni uersum mundum but is dispersed throughout all the face of the earth God hath his electe euen thoroughe all the Worlde and that of euerye kynde and sorte for as the world is not one state all are not princes all are not subiects all are not men al are not women c. But the worlde is all Nations kynredes conditions states orders personages sexes ages and all degrees of persones soo the Electe are of all sortes ryche and poore hyghe and lowe weake and stronge wyse and symple olde and young what so euer God accepteth none for hys person more than other There is neyther Iewe nor Gentyle manne nor Woman nor anye respecte of difference in Gods election and therefore the electe may well bee called the Worlde The thyrde reason is for the dignitie of the Electe not onely for the analogie of the name which in Greke and Latin signifieth cleane and pure so well as the worlde where as in deede the worlde is corrupt and subiect to vanitie for mannes fault and onely the elect are pure and cleane whose filthe is clensed with the bloud of the vnspotted Lambe of God and so by good proportion may be called the worlde but also for that the worlde was euen made for them although they be the least part of the worlde yet they be the best part of the world euē the choyce of god whom though the world dispise be vnworthy of them yet are they before God in dede the very heires and lordes of the world So saith S. Paul of Abrahā the father of the faithful Quod sit futurus haeres mundi that he shold be the heire of the world and so sayth he also of al Gods people Omnia vestra sunt All thyngs are youres whether it be Paul Apollo or Cephas or the worlde or lyfe or death or things present or things to come al are youres and you are Christes and Christe is Gods. For as Christe is the heire of all the worlde so are the Elect coinheritours with him In consideration of whiche dignitie Saint Paule rebuked the Corinthians for going to lawe before Heathen Iudges abasyng them selues vnder the worlde beyng the Iudges of the worlde Knowe yee not sayth he that the Sainctes shall iudge the worlde If the worlde then shall bee iudged by you are yee vnworthye to iudge the smallest matters Knowe yee not that wee shall iudge the Angels how much more than matters worldely The spirituall manne iudgeth all thyngs and is iudged of none For in dede he only hath the true iudgement of al things and knoweth howe to rule and order them howe to take them howe to forsake them howe to loue them how to hate them how to esteme them how to despise them howe to vse them howe to refuse them He vseth that that should be but vsed and enioyeth that shold be enioyed For this difference Vti Frui Sainct Augustine sayeth is euen the ground of all our lyfe and doctrine This doo not the wicked they vse that they should enioye they enioy that they shold but vse therfore whatsoeuer the wicked vse enioy or haue they ar but theeues and robbers it is none of theirs but proprely and duely belongeth to the sonnes of god And therfore for this cause also may the elect be called the world Then soloweth it that there is no contrarietie in these propositions God by his eternal wil and purpose would that the world should not perishe but haue Eternall lyfe and yet that neither al creatures nor al mē nor the wicked worldlings shoulde escape perishing nor haue eternall lyfe sith the elect of God may for these iust causes be called the world that only shall not perish but haue eternall lyfe This restraint of this word the world for the elect of God out of this worlde not considered diuers haue staggred at this and suche other sentences and fallen into greuous errours Origen stombling at this blocke fell fowly in the myre affirming that all men shoulde be saued at the lengthe yea the dyuels in Hell and all but that was too grosse an errour The scripture as I haue noted already against the Papists is manyfest to the contrarye After him came Pelagius wyth a fyner inuention who hearyng here that the world shoulde be saued and considering withall how farre this terme the World doth firetch euen to the wycked destitute of all grace and to euery man in general imagineth that God without all election or choyce of one more than an other wold simply haue al men alyke to be saued that al men haue alike free will election and iudgement to choose whether they will be saued or no. This doctrine being a very plausible doctrine to the itchyng eares of manne tickled wyth the pride and loue of his owne freedome and abilitie was by and by so snatched vp for a iewel that almost there was no part of Christendome that had it not yea that was not so infected with sutche a spice of it as neuer could be puld out since Nor almost any doctoure except Saincte Augustine but hadde some smacke thereof hauing bin the moste of them in theyr youth Philosophers and of Platos and Aristotles principles sucked oute theyr errour Yea Saincte Augustine was a whyle him selfe blemished therwith tyll afterward he came to more sounde knowledge
thyng for the abuse Thys doctryne beeyng ryghtlye vsed is so farre from anye inducemente to dispayre or presumption that it is the moste excellente Triacle that canne bee receyued to expell the vyolence of bothe these poysons there is no suche medicine but maye bee so euell geuen or taken that it maye worke a contrarye effect but take the medicine as it should be taken and no wise or learned man wil disalow it The Corinthians dyd so vnworthely receaue the Lordes Supper that they eate and dranke theyr owne damnation And for this cause many were sick and weake among them and many died shal none therfore receaue it yea shall it not be offered to all so many abuse this doctrine of Gods election and reprobation euen to their owne damnation shall we not therfore receaue it at al yea had not all the more daunger the more nede to knowe howe to receyue it rightly The Papists snatche at the ensamples of those that haue hurt them selues by it and alledge gladly against vs what inconueniences may ensue hereof but they tell not of the good that coÌ„meth of it and howe many are confirmed in their faith therby where as the euyl is not of this doctrine but of the diuell and their abusage Euen as Christe him selfe is an offence and stomblyng blocke an occasion of warre and persecution not of himself but by the wickeds not taking or mistaking of him This doctrin rightly taughte and so receaued firste sheweth vs what of our selues we be children of wrathe enimies of God an heape of sin deseruers of damnation and euen a worlde of wickednesse we are the worlde This consideration is terrible and woulde bring vs in deede to desperation if it wente no further but it goeth further it sheweth vnto vs the comfortable sight of Gods mercie that hath taken vs out of the world and made vs inheritours of another worlde Neither that this matter hangs in doubt but is already certainely doone and ratified in the booke of life Gods eternall purpose that cannot be changed Nowe for me to doubte that cannot be changed now for me to doubtewhether I am one of this choise number or no I haue no sutche cause lest of all to thinke I am one of the reprobate and so dispaire I learne no sutch thinge by this doctrine neither ought I to iudge my self at all mutch lesse before the time of iudgemeÌ„t come and then let Chryst be my iudge in the meane time I haue good cause to hope the beste where I know not the worste for I haue Christ on my side if he be with vs who can be against vs Christ iustifieth who can condemne And for warrant of Christ I haue his word and Sacramentes I heare them and receaue them And Christ hath sayde Qui ex Deo est Verba Deâ—… audit propterea nos non auditis quia ex Deo noÌ„ estis In whiche wordes he not only comforteth me by an infallible token that I heare his word which reprobates doo not but also confirmeth my fayth in this Article that I heare it bycause I am of god I am not of God bicause I heare it for then myghte I haue cause to doubte if my beeing of God depended on my hearyng but my beeyng of God is grounded on him and therof springeth my obedience of hearing his worde to bee a witnesse to confirme me that I am of god Yea I â—…ecken so muche the more that I am of God that the diuel tempteth me to despaire He saith to me Thou art of the number of the damned and although in the secrete iudgements of God he know no more than I knowe no nor so mutche bycause I feele Gods spirite testifying to my spirite the assurance of Gods fauour Yet bicause he assayleth me with this most sharpe temptation I knowe he is mine enimie and he being mine enimie I know I am none of his I am Gods betweene whome and Belial there is no conuention but enimitie and tentation Now then he thus assayling me as I feare him not being in the hande of Christe and thence can not hee nor all the diuels in hell fetche me I reason boldely out of the hande of Christe that the diuel my tempter is a lier and was from the begynnyng chiefely when hee speakethe his owne but this is his owne when he sayth I am damned from whence hath he it he is not Gods counsellour therfore it is his owne deuise euen therfore it is a lie and it being a lye it foloweth then am I the elect childe of God to be saued And thus his temptation driueth not me to desperation but makes me so much the more surer of my saluation But now that the diuell can not doo by desperation he assayeth by presumption For euen thus he assaulted Iesus Christ first to driue hym to dout whether he were the sonne of God in his fauour or no and to make him feare that he should perish Wherin when he preuayled not but was ouerthrowne euen by this confidence that wee ought to haue of the prouidence of GOD then hereon he tooke occasion to tempte Christ by presumption That where he certainly assured hym selfe to be the chylde of God and so depended on his prouidence that he knewe hee coulde not perishe Upon this woulde the diuell haue drawne hym to presume by presumption of the certentie of Gods protection to haue hurled downe hym self hedlong and forsake the meanes of descending downe that God hadde appoynted But Chriâ—…te confuted him saying Non tentabis dominum â—…euÌ„ tuum Thou shalte not tempt the Lorde thy God And euen thus when he can not by this doctrine breede wanhope in vs as he dothe to sominâ—… and the Papistes woulde bring vs all to the nerâ—…e dore by of continuall doubte then he sturreth vs vp to presumption that if we bee chosen alreadie and our names enrolled the matter purposed and ratified and can not be changed then needest thou not feare to doe what thou wilte to liue as thou lust What nedest thou take paynes why suffrest thou affliction what nedest thou to praye why sholdest thou go to sermons what nedest thou do any good why ensuest thou not thy pleasure why liuest thou in nede why killest thou not thy selfe thou art sure of Heauen alredy and shalt streight ways be in glory whatsoeuer thou lust to do thus doth the Deuil tempt the children of God euen by this holsom doctrin many that ar amoÌ„g vs but not of vs Exâ—…eruÌ„t è nobis sed noÌ„ fueâ—…uÌ„t è nobis for if they had beÌ„ of vs they wold haue coÌ„tinued with vs These whom the diuel setteth on this hil top hee maketh in dede to presume as he himself once did plucketh theÌ„ down hedloÌ„g into al mischief as he himself was hurled doun into al misery â–ª this he doth I grant and herein the Papists sar true that he doth it by occasioÌ„ of this
doctrin I arâ—…uÌ„t also but that this doctrine is the directe 〈◊〉 hereof that is euen more than the deuels â—…tioÌ„ the Papists malicious sâ—…laÌ„der of this doctrin Was the fast of Christ the directe cause of the diuels temptation and yet here on the diuell picked his occasion of tempting christ There is nothing ordeined of God to so good purpose but the diuell will seeke occasion therby to worke some euil successe so farre as he can But let him tempt as hee did Christ let him sift as he did Peter let him buffet as he did Paule let hym stryke as he did Iob let him go roaryng lyke a Lion as he doth about vs all Christe shall driue him away Peters faith shall preuayle yea the gates of hell shall not preuaile againâ—…e it Gods vertue in Paule shall be stronger in infirmitie Iob shall neuer let go thys trustie saying Etiam si interfecerit me sperabo in euÌ„ Although he kill me yet will I truste in him And al we that haue this firme belefe of Gods election shall neuer bee confounded Spes non pudefacit What shall we say then to these things If God be on our syde who can be agaynst vs who spared not his sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shall he not giue vs all things with him also Who shall laye any thyng to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that iustifyeth who shall condemne It is Christe whiche is dead yea or rather whiche is risen agayn who is also at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguishe or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sworde as it is written For thy sake are we killed all daye long we are counted as shepe for the slaughter neuer the lesse in all these things we are more thaÌ„ conquerors through him that loued vs For I am persuaded that neither deathe nor life nor Angells nor principalities nor power nor things preseÌ„t nor things to com nor heighth nor depthe nor any other creature shal be able to separate vs from the loue of God whiche is in Christ Iesu our Lorde And shall I now feare the sclander of a rayling Papist to driue me from this houlde and fortresse builte on the worke of Gods eternall election founded thus in Iesus Christ go now Papist and sclander this doctrine to be presumption to be the neglecte of all vertue to be the inticement to all vice and licentious lyuinge Thou lyest Papist it is but thy sclaunder it is but the Diuels temptation And euen as before in the temptation to dispaire so now euen for his temptation and thy sclaunders I ground my selfe the faster thereon I will spit on my fingers and take better holde on the mercifull election of God than I did before hurling awaye all brittle sticks and rotten posts of mans merits and leaue only to the myghtie bulwarkes and strong battlements of Gods eternall purpose of my saluation Neyther shall I fall downe headlong neyther tempte I God for trusting to his mercie for I know he that hath ordayned me to the ende of eternall lyfe hathe ordained also the meanes for me to go thether And as I thank hym hartly for the one so I will by his grace obey him humbly in the other looke what soeuer hee commaundeth me his grace I truste shall not be in vayne in me but make me able to doe all good workes to the glory of him that hath electe mee Haec est spes mea reposita in sinu meo Go go now sclandering Papist and say this is presumption But let the Papist go and let vs here set downe our firste standâ—…d againste the tempting Deuell against the wicked worlde against the tremblinge fleshe against the sclandering Papist and stay our selues on this first parte Hic murus aheneus esto Lette this be a brasen wall vnto vs that all theire gunshotte shall neuer batter downe the eternall purpose of almightie God before the foundations of the worlde were layde that the worlde not the wicked worldlings nor euery particuler maÌ„ in the world but the elect of god y he hath chosen out of the world shold not perish but haue eternall life The Seconde parte THe seconde parte that I deuided this treatise into is to consider the cause of this Gods goodnes towards the world a passing great benefite is this of God that he wold not suffer the world to perish that we ar traÌ„slated from death we shal not be damned but a farre more passing benefit is this that he hath translated vs from death to lyfe that we shal not only not perish by damnation but haue lyfe and that eternal To the which benefit no worldly blessings of god nor al the riches felicity of the whole world is coÌ„parable For what shold it profite me to win all the world and lose myne own soule or what shold I geue to redeme my soul withal From whence then proceded this surmounting goodnes of almightie God vnto the world was there no cause mouing him thervnto â–ª yes verily that a great cause Here the Papists chiefly the ScholemeÌ„ labor meruellously to serch out the cause that moued God to bestowe on the world this excellent benefite of eternal life wherin so it be done reuerently according to the maiestie of sutche a matter their trauell were not disalowable but wheÌ„ they presume to go beyoÌ„d their bounds to curiously no meruel if they be striken as was Vzias for his vnreuerent presumptioÌ„ to touch the arke of god WheÌ„ they go quite an other way wheÌ„ they seke the causes there where the causes be not when wil they finde the cause thereof but mistake the cause as the blind Sodomites coulde not finde Lots dore as the blynded Syrians were mis led to Samaria and euen like the blinded Hob runne vp and downe about the house catching at euery thing commeth next to hande crying this is it that is it wearying them selues neuer finding the cause in dede therof Semper discentes nuÌ„quaÌ„ auteÌ„ ad viaÌ„ veritatis peruenientes â–ª always learning but neuer attaining to the way of the truth bicause thei take NoÌ„ causas pro causis no causes for causes which is the gretest error in Philosophie that can be mutch more in this high mistery of diuinitie and the causes of Gods doings that passeth all mannes Philosophie The Philosophers say nothyng is thoroughly knowne whereof the causes are vnknowne and to know eche thing by the causes of it is the true and perfect knowlege Herin they said true but alas their selues neither knewe the thinges nor the causes of them they neyther knew them selues nor God we must not searche then the cause hereof by Philosophers and yet they did as muche as carnall men can do but Animalis homo non percipit ea quae sunt Spiritus Dei the fleshly man perceyueth not
Faythe and take holde of Chryste No sayeth Christe hymselfe Hoc est opus Dei vt credatis in eum This is the worke of God that ye beleeue in hym whome hee hathe sente It is not your worke Donum Dei est It is Gods gift Then man hath nothyng at all in hym selfe not so mutche as to put out his hande and receyue this gifte excepte GOD geue hym this gyfte also to receaue it except God geue him this hand to put out howe can he put out that he hath not it muste needes bee then that those that receyue this gift the sonne of GOD are euen the elect of god Crediderunt quotquot praeoidinati fuerunt ad vitam aeternam Euen so many beleued as were ordeyned to eternall lyfe And further then thys we will not we dare not we can not wade howe soeuer the diuell the worlde the fleshe the Papists doo startle hereat but moste humbly lette vs prayse and magnifie God for this and saye with Christe Confiteor tibi pater c. I giue thee thankes O Father Lorde of Heauen and earth bicause thou haste hidden these thyngs from the wyse and prudent and haste opened them vnto babes it is so father bycause thy good pleasure was such It is not so bicause it was oure pleasure oure will oure merite our worke our preparatiue or any thyng in vs But GOD hath only of his mere mercyful loue begunne it wrought it and performed it in his choyse vessels of mercie thorough his onely begotten sonne oure Lorde and Sauioure Iesus Christe Thus haue I derely beloued in the lord a great deale to long I graunt deteined your pacience but the matter for me I hope wil pleade my pardon A matter of no lesse momente in it selfe than conteyning the weyghtiest poynts of our religion the chiefest controuersies of oure contention and all the causes of our saluation Neither myghte wee passe through these matters hauing to deale with suche crafty and warbling aduersaries so soone as the ordinarie time in this place dothe require but I haue presumed in this extraordinarie Sermon or rather was driuen thereto to driue out the time extraordinarily for the aduersaries to step their mouths and if it please God to win their harts also at least for our selues to confirme strengthen ours against all theyr cauillations Which effect that it may worke in them and vs let vs neuer forget this most worthie sentence So god loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that all that beleue in him shold not perishe but haue eternall life Let vs remember all the foure parts into the which I deuided this sentence In the firste let vs seriously set before vs these two endes Euerlasting death and Euerlasting life Secondly these two parties God and the world chiefly considering the eternall purpose and election of God the first cause and originall of our saluation In the second parte let vs consider what moued God to elect vs to life euerlasting nothing in the world but all in him selfe euen only his owne mere loue Wherin remember withall howe greatly they haue abused you or rather abused God by little and litle in taking all from God and let vs render all to him from whose loue all procedes to vs In the third parte consider by what meanes god hath wrought it euen by Iesus Christ His only begotten sonne What a passing loue thys was surmounting all kindes of loue what an excellente gifte it was and how the Papists trode it vnder foote and let vs beware least we misuse this gifte by securitie of life as they by false doctrine dyâ—… deface it Laste of all let vs receaue thys gifte by faith the only meanes we take it by and take hede of them for in euery thing they haue shewed them selues to God and man vnfaithfull neither know they what faith meanes and therefore are they suche enemies of this doctrine that only a stedfast faithe apprehending The sonne of God doth make vs acceptable vnto the father But let vs leauing them to Gods iudgemeÌ„ts to come vpon them admit and beleue this his eternall truth and prayse God for these his vnspeakable mercies poured on vs in Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with the father and the holy ghost three persons and one most perfecte and euerliuing Godhed be all prayse and glory now and for euer Amen FINIS 1. Cor â–ª 2. Luc. 14. Philip. 3. Prou. 2. Rom. 6. Ludouiâ—… Viues Eccl 7. 3. Reg. 2. Osee. 13. Rom. 6. Math. 16. Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 9. Matth. 20 Matth. 2â—… Mark 9. Luc. 16. Matth. 15. Iohn 14. Iohn 10. Ierem. 7. 2. Pet. â—… Matt. 22. Mat. 22. Luc. 12. 1. Peter 4. Hebr. 10. Apoc. 3. Matth. 24 Matth. 25. Matth. 10. 1 Iohn 5. â—… Ion. 2. 1. Iohn 2. Iohn 1 Mare 16. Legenda in vita S. Francis. Iohn 17. 1. Iohn 2. Matth. 7. Iohn 6. Ephes. 1. Rom. 8. Iohn 13. Iohn 5. 1 Cor. 6. Gen. 3. Gala. 6. Iohn 12 Iohn 17. Rom. 10 Marc. 16. Rom. 10. Gala. 3. Rom. 4. 1. Cor. 3. 1. Cor. 6. 1. Cor. 2. Lbi. 1. Dâ—… doct christiana 1. Tim. 2. Rom 9. Prouer. 15. Rom 9. Rom. 9. Matth. 26. Ephes. 1. Rom. 8. Aug li. 50. Homiliâ—…r Homili 17. Act. 9. Psalm 117 Phil. â—… Iohn 6. Iohn 17. Ephes. â—… Rom. 9. Ezech. 33. 1. Tim. 2. Matth. 23. Psalm 17. Exod. 6. Malach. 3. Rom. 〈◊〉 Hebr. 13. Exod. 3. 2 Cor. â—… Lâ—…c â—… Rom. 8. Psalm 13. 1. Tim. â—… Matth. 6. Matth. 5. â—… Tim. 3. Ierem 2. Iohn 4. Gen 3. Rom. 13. Esa 48 Prouer. 25 1 Pet 4. 1 Cor. 13. â—… Cor. 11. Matth. 22. Matth. 10. Iohn 8. 2. Cor. 6. Iohn 8. Matth. 4. 1. Iohn 2. Matth. 4. Luc. â—…2 Iob. 1. â—… Pet 5. Matth. 16. 2. Cor. 12. Iob. 13. Rom. 5. Rom. 8. 1. Iohn 3. Collos. 1. Marc. 8. 2 Reg. 6. Gen. 19. 4 Reg 6. 2. Tim 3. Luc 10. 2. Tim. â—… 2. Tim. 1. Rom. 3. Rom 8. Rom 4. Psalm 126 Rom. 11. Ezech. 16. Ezech. 16. Esai 1. 57. Gen 12. Iosu. 24. â—…sa 59. Act. 7. Rom. 5. Gal. 5. Rom. 3. Rom. 3. Rom 6. Gal. 3. Gen. 18. Rom. 7. Matth 7. Luc. 6. Iohn 15. Ephes. 1. 1 Cor. 2. Psalm 48 Psalme 31. 2. Cor. 2. Rom. 5. Ephes. 2. Rom. 7. Iacobi 1. Rom. 8. Rom. 7. Matth 12. Poueâ—…b 〈◊〉 Matth. 15. Ierem 17. Gen. 6. Gen. 8. Psalm 13. Pigghius de origin peccato Rom 5. 1. Iohn 3. Iob. 14. Psal. 50. Ruth 4. 1. Cor 7 â–ª Heb. 1â—… Iohn 3. Gen. 2. Rom. 5. Rom. 6. Iohn 8. Rom 8. Rom 8. Rom 5. Rom. 5. Rom. 8. 2. Tim 1. Gala. 3. Tit 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…phes 2. Gala. 5. Ad 〈◊〉 lib. quâ—…st 2 De â—…ide operibus cap 14 â—… Thâ—…ss 2 Rom 9. 〈◊〉 13. 1. Cor. 2. Augu in Psal. 6â—… Psaâ—…m 1â—… Iob. 〈◊〉 Iohn 17. â—…xod 9. Rom 9. Psalm 77. Iud epist. Psalm 15. Gen 3. Heb. 12. Exod. 19. Iob
reward giuen for of good conscience by right and iustice he deserueth somwhat euen of dutie Therfore if hee wrought any thing in this matter of the cause of his owne saluation he deserueth then somewhat euen of dutie to the obteyning of his owne saluation Neither let the Scholemen go so gingerly to worke with theyr threefolde distinction of deseruyng Merito digni condigni congrui by the merite of dignitie condignitie congruitie descanting by which of these three they shoulde make their clayme least they shoulde seeme to attribute too muche to manne A good playne fellowe that coulde scarse vnderstand these quaint termes what woulde he thynke hearing of desert but that it is plain debt and dutie ▪ Yea what could he thinke otherwise and why should he not clayme for his due somuch as he deserued for his worke And doth not saint Paul here without any such nicenesse go as plain ly to the matter and saye if it be of worke it is of duetie And againe Dignus est operarius mercede sua The workman is worthy of his rewarde He must be payde it he is worthy of it it is his dutie daly not with him in termes muche lesse tell hym it is free gift it proceedeth of gracious fauour of mere loue curtesy Thou liest it is his own euen of dutie he hath earned it wel and truly and therfore it is not gift nor fauour nor loue ▪ nor curtesy nor free nor grace but euen playn debt and dutie And shal we now say that of dutie we deserue heuen or deserue some part of our saluation of dutie that God is in our debt This were Iacke sauce in dede to claime debt of God to chalenge God of dutie but thou must nedes do thus if thou puttest in workes for any part of the cause of thy saluation Neither canst thou delude god on this wise by ioyning these two together as who shoulde saye thou wilt not ascribe all to thy selfe lyke the priest at Masse but like a good felow let God haue som part with the. Ha sut◅le foole Sim suttle deceued himself Thinkest thou thus to mo◅k God Thou mayst so bleare and deceiue a blinde Papist But Deus non irridetur God is not mocked no nor any that hearken to S. Paule that sayth These two can not be ioyned togither The olde bottell wyll holde no new wine the olde coate will not be pieced with new cloth for so the rent is worse so the bottels are burst and the wine is spilt This is an busit matche of mans workes and Gods grace in the cause of our saluation This is worse than Iugum ducere cum infidelibus To drawe the yoake with infidels This were euen Christe and Belial together For what is man but the child of Belial before God geue him his grace and wylte thou ioyne mans works and the grace of God togither to be cause of thy saluation nay S. Paule hath sued such a diuorce alredy betwene these two that if thou wilte haue grace to be a doer grace must be all the doer farewel works If thou wilt bring in works adiew fauor grace is clean gone These two cānot be ioyned together in the causes of saluation For sayth S. Aug. Si vllis bonis meritis datur iam non gratis datur sed debita redditur ac per hoc non vero nomine gratia nuncupatur vbi mer ces c. If it be geuen for any good merits then is it not geuē free but is of duty rendred and hereby it is not called grace by a true name sith that as the same apostle sayth reward is accompted not after grace or fauor but by debt But if that it may be fauor that is to say free it findeth nothyng in man whereunto it may be rightly indebted whiche is also truely vnderstode that is said Euen for nothing shalte thou make them safe then truly fauor giueth merites fauour is not giuen for merits then fauor goeth before faith it selfe from whom all works haue their beginning To conclude therefore as it commethe not by works alone nor chiefly so not ioyntlye neither with the fauoure and loue of God neither in partnor parcell nor any whyt by works at all for if it shoulde grace is expelled challenge is made of duty debt is claimed reioising is made but not with god but it commeth all of fauor Gratia saluati estis yee are saued by grace challenge dare not be made of dutie Dimitte nobis debita no◅tra Forgiue vs our deseruings Debt is damnation Nobis cō fusio faciei Unto vs belōgeth confusion of our faces Vbi est igitur gloriatio tua ▪ exclusa est Per quam legem factorum non s◅d per legem fidei arbitramur enim iustificari hominem per fidem absque operibus legis Where is then thy reioicing It is excluded By what lawe of workes No But by the law of Faith. Therfore wee deeme that a man is iustified by Faith without the workes of the lawe If then workes are thus by S. Paul in the matter of Iustification thrust clean out of the dores by the heade and shoulders shall wee suffer the Papists to bring them in and shoulder out grace and the fauour of God in the cause of his election and of our saluation But needes wyll the Papistes ioyne these two that can not be ioyned the merits of man and the fauour or loue of god Now syth they will needes ioyne them together whether wer it fitter to haue the better ende of the staffe to be the greater cause of the twain the cause proceding from god or the cause proceeding from man a reasonable man would think say without any studie for the matter surely the greater cause is in god Were he not then vnresonable and too too wicked that durst affirm the greater cause of our saluation to be in man Well what say the Papists to this question Man shal be saued why so Bicause God loues him as ye haue alredy proued yea but answere me precisely to this point wherfore thinkest thou God loues him Forsoth bicause that eyther he is a good man a iust man a vertuous man a man that loueth and feareth God or bicause he foreseeth he shuld so be and therfore he loueth him Why then mās goodnes is the cause of Gods loue But Vnumquodque propter quid illud magis Euery thing loke wherfore it is done and the thing wherfore it is done is greater than the thing that tendeth thereto I eate my meate wherefore To nourishe my bodye then is the nourishement of my bodye a greater cause than my meat as sayth Saint Paule Esca ventri The meate is made for the belly and not the bellie for the meate I take Physicke when I am sicke wherfore to recouer my health the r◅couery then of my health is greater than phisicke I laye mee downe to slepe why so to rest
my bodye and refresh my spirites then the rest of my body and the refreshing of my spirits is a greater matter than is my lying downe to sleepe I buylde an house what moueth me to doo suche cost to shelter and shrowde me from wynde and weather from heat and colde from danger and enimie and to defend and keepe me and myne then this my defence is a greater cause than my house buylding is And eueÌ„ so God loueth a man why loueth he him bicause he is a good man then the goodnesse of the man is a greater cause than the loue of god And thus in conclusion not onely the greater cause of mans saluation is in man and the lesser cause in God but also that little cause in God is referred to mannes goodnesse also And so the cause in God is cleane swalowed vp lyke a drop in the sea â–ª a beane in a Monks hoode a mouse in a cheese nay rather a ciphre in Algorisme the loue of God in the cause of mans saluation And yet for fashions sake the name of Gods loue of Gods grace of Gods mercie of Christs merits must be pretended but when all is done the woorke of man is the efficient is the formall is the finall and principall cause of mans saluation As Bonauenture sayeth that although the death and resurrection of Christe take away our sinnes and iustifie vs attamen neutri attribui potest propriè causalitas iustificationis habet tamen aliquam causae proprietatem scilicet per modum meriti interuenieÌ„tis ê“ reducitur ad causam materialeÌ„ formalis enim est gratia hoc est charitas c. Neuerthelesse the causing cause of Iustification can not proprely be attributed eyther to Christes death or to his resurrection although it hath some propretie of a cause that is to wit by the meanes of merite commyng betwene which is reduced to the materiall cause for the formall cause is grace that is to say charitie Heere is a name of grace but when the name is expounded it falleth out he ment not the loue and free fauour of God but charitie that is mans loue the very contrary in this poynt vnto grace and free fauour of god And so mans loue is the formall cause of mannes saluation but it muste bee called forsoothe the grace of God. Heere is agayne the Passion and Resurrection of Iesus Christe sayde to take away synnes and to Iustifie vs What can be a godlyer saying and truer than this Who could find fault with this Who woulde require more yf they meane as they say Why haue thei then another meaning What is that Forsoth the death and Resurrection doth it but not proprely as any cause therof Lo here is the cause cleane takeÌ„ away nay not so but it is not a cause properly how is it theÌ„ it hath yet some propertie of a cause This is a contrarie tale to it selfe at lest it hath som propertie of contrarietie But what kynd of propertie of a cause hath the deth and resurrection of Christ to take away sinnes and to iustifie man Forsoothe in this consideration by the meanes of mans desert and good works coÌ„ming betwene and being a stickler in the matter But how commeth it betwene as a small cause Nay as the material cause also of his saluation And so maÌ„s charity is the formal cause mans merits are the material cause Grace is named The deathe and resurrection of Christe is named but it is no cause properlie and if it haue anye propretie of a cause it is onely by reason of mannes merites goyng betweene Is not thys a proper doctrine Whether will not this doctrine presume to goe Why maye not the Papist say as well that manne is the cause of God as to say that mannes merites are the cause of Gods loue Is not the loue of God euen GOD hymselfe Quicquid dicitur de Deo Deus est The Wisdome of God is God the power of God is God and the loue of God is god And so Sainâ—…t Iohn dothe saye Deus est charitas qui maner in charitate in deo mâ—…net deus in eo God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him Nowe if mannes goodnesse bee the cause of Gods loue is it not then the cause of God also What is prâ—…de if this bee not pride Where is Adam and Eue that woulde become like Gods if they be not here Where is that proude kyng of Babylon that sayde with Lucifer I wyll aâ—…cende aboue the cloudes I wil be like the most high but in this doctrine Where is that man of sinâ—…e that would exalt himself aboue all that is called God if not in this blasphemous presumption of the Papists Qui quaerentes suaÌ„ iustitiaÌ„ stabilire c. That seking to set vp their owne righteousnesse are not subiect to the righteousnesse of god But let this diuelishe doctrine goe wyth the diuell downe the lane from whence it came and let vs humbly receyue the doctrine of Iesus Christe that the cause whiche moued God to saue the worlde was onely in him selfe for his owne sake for his owne goodnesse and most merciful fauour for his tender loue that of his owne accorde good nature be vouchsafed to beare the worlde and not for any cause of goodnesse in the worlde were it neuer so little a cause For how little so euer thou ascribest to thy selfe thou takest from God thou robbest God of his glory and of his glorie God is a iealous god neyther will he part stakes with any other for any part or parcell therof Oh sayth the Papist it is a very little thing a small modicum that wee require and modicum non nocet a litle hurteth nothing an inche breakes no square That is not true modicum nocet modicum A little hurteth a litle yea and that a great deale in this case wherin on the one part God is all in all will haue all the glorie of it as right requireth if he haue not al he wil haue none There is no halting betwene God and Baal no agreement betwene God and the diuell no felowshippe wyth light and darkenesse And what is manne else but darkenesse â–ª but mancipium Sathanae the boÌ„dsclaue of Sathan before God lighten and deliuer him On the other part the diuel will not bee contente with a little grauÌ„t him neuer so litle in the beginning as good giue him all for in the ende he will striue to haue all giue him an inche hee will take an elle giue him but his little toe he will thrust his foote his leg his body after and seuen diuels more for company and the ende of that man shal be worse than the beginning Obsta principijs serò medicina paratur Stoppe therfore the beginnings otherwise it will be too late to seeke for healpe Take away the cause else the effect wil neuer be taken away Man will euer
be proude and glorie in himselfe if there be any cause of his own saluation in himself be it neuer so small a worke or neuer so smal a preparatiue or inclination therevnto he will take to much hart of grasse and not of grace theron Nay sayth the Papist wee will neuer by Gods grace denie the grace of god God hath a negatiue voice he may dash all we can not be saued without god But hath not man an affirmatiue voyce What will ye leaue him then It is but a little that we require God wot a very small sparke and that so ouercouered with the ashes of synne and corruption that it can neuer giue of it self any light or heat of a fier except the ashes be blowne away some stickes layd to to kindle the fyre And further then this say the Papists we willnot asâ—…e sith ye are so importune vpon vs we demaund at the least but this that ye graunt man to haue no more goodnes of himselfe than sutche small sparkes of election â–ª free will disposition and preparation as God seing them peepe out and giue but a glimpse vnder the ashes of synne with his worde he bloweth the ashes away and putteth too matter for vs to worke our owne saluation vpon What shall we sticke with them well beloued in this small request This seemeth to be but a triste What power is here giuen to man When woulde these sparkes make a fire to warme one by if the ashes were not blown away and sticks layd too which inferreth we can do nothing of our selues without the grace of god In whiche poyne they say true but they say not all the truth For not onely without Christ we can not become this good fyre but also without Christ we haâ—…e no such sparks in vs to begin this fyre withall for the word of God to blow vpoÌ„ But as the wood is his y he must put to his gracious gifts as the winde is his wher with he must blowe on vs his blessed worde and holy spirite so must the sparkes be his and all for else we are nothing but euen dead coales ashes Except ye speake of suche sparkes of the lustes of concupiscence as by the diuels blowing and oure owne laying of sticks togyther wil of themselues make suche a blase as wyll burne bodye and soule for euer For the fyre whereby wee be enflamed wyth the loue of GOD came of hym that sayd I came to bryng fyre into the worlde and what woulde I but it should burne The fyre that declared God to be the lorde and not Baal cam downe from heauen there was none in the wood but rather water The fiery tongs that sate on the disciples heds and warmed theire hartes came not of anye sparks of their owne but only from the ho ly ghost Then is not this that they count so small a request in any case to be graunted them both for the falsenesse of the begynnyng and the inconuemeÌ„ce of the sequele of it For first in the begynning they grounde on a wrong principle that there is at the least sutche sparkes in man where as there is no sutch at all in man whiche as it is therfore alye affirming that to be in manne that is not in him so it maketh hym proude of that he hath not That there is no sutche sparkes of goodnesse in manne is euidente Cum mortuâ—… esseâ—…is in delictis when as ye were dead in sinnes sayth S. Paule speaking of the tyme before God called them But dead coales are not quicke coales nor haue any sparke of fyre in them if they be deade for otherwise they be not fully dead But we were dead in sinne therfore there were no sparkes of goodnesse in vs If ye thinke the worde dead be to straightly vrged and that wee were not fully deade in synne but halfe dead as the Papistes wrest that parable of the man that fell into the theues handes then would I aske the question whether we were quickened by Christe or no but Saint Paule saveth Viuâ—…ficauit nos in Christo Hee quickened vs in Christe thorough loue Propter nimiam charitatem qua dilexit nos Therfore it muste needes folow wee were euen deade before neither was there any sparke of the life of grace in vs before that of his mere loue in Iesu Christ hee quickned vs For loke how mutch ye denie the deadnesse so mutche also yee denie the quickenyng But the quickenyng is onely of Loue and in Chryste therefore besydes thys cause of loue and besydes Christ there is nought in vs but death of synne there is no sparke alyue And in lyke case for free will there is no freedom but in Christe Si filius vos liberauerit verè liberi eritis If the sonne make you free sayth Christ then are ye free in dede But till then they are held captiue in the snares of the diuell to do his will they are seruauntes of sinne nor can do ought or will doe oughte or encline to ought but sinne And so mutche as yee denie this bondage so muche ye denie that freedom whiche Christ hath set them in Likewise for the filthe of that our naturall vncleannesse wherein we walowed and were so berayed that euen the cleanest place of vs was lyke a foule cloute in so mutche that God sayeth Thoughe thou washe thee with Nitre and rubbe thee neuer so much with soape yet art thou spotted in thine iniquitie before mee Untill wee bee washed with the bloude of Iesus Christe and then we be cleane through oute then were our synnes as redde as scarlet they shall be made as whyte as snow yea Et supra niuem dealbabor wee shal be made whyter than the snowe or fullers white sine ruga macula without any spot or wrinkle Looke then how much cleannesse thou attributest to thy selfe so muche thou deniest the washing of the bloud of Iesus christ For it is a good coÌ„sequeÌ„ce whatsoeuer was washed clean before it was washed it was foule Whatsoeuer was redemed and made free before it was redeemed was captiue What soeuer was found before it was founde was loste Whatsoeuer was rered vp was falne And whatsoeuer was quickned the same was dead before Then followeth it sithe all these benefites are wroughte on vs that we were bondsclaues we were falne we were defyled we were lost we were euen dead we had no freedome no staye no cleannesse no knowledge where we were no life in vs before This then is a false assumption that they would so sayne haue graunted vnto them and therfore in no case to bee assented vnto Neyther is the sequele hereof so small and tryfâ—…ing a thing as here to haue it granted they woulde seeme to make it It is a paltrie matter say they a very little thing and in a manner nothing that wee require If it bee so small a matter why do they so earnestly desire it why
that rightly Neyther are we against it that faithe shewe it selfe by works but rather they that dare not let theyr works come to the light and shew of the word of God least the worde should reproue their workes and shew them to be but works of darknesse to be their owne deuises not any suche good workes at all as they to the simple do crake vpon For the triall of this they shunne the light ▪ and therefore it is a good argument of our 〈◊〉 Christe against their works that they be nought Qui malè agit odit lucem nec venit ad lucem ne arguantur opera eius Hee that do the euill hateth the light and commeth not to the lyght least his workes should be reproued Wheras therfore faith should be shewed forth by works euen by this argument of S. Iames Ex effectibus fidei of the effects and and works of faith besides the forlayd argument of Saincte Paule are they agayne consuted to to haue no Fayth For where they not onely doo the woorkes of darknesse but openly defende and maynteyne them as the sitting vp of stewes and brothell houses and that euen vnder theyr owne Popes nose And thys is a ruled case of Christ A good tree can not bring forth euil frute Then surely if they were true beleuers on Iesus Christ they could not mainteine and defend suche wickednesse which is a thousand partes worse than the doing of it But as S. Iohn sayth In hoc manifesti sunt filij dei filij diaboli In this is manifest who are the sons of God and who are the sonnes of the diuell The sonnes of God doo sinne but it is of infirmitie but to maynteyn their sinfull worke is the very declaration of the childe of Sathan Oh saye they we mainteyne it not as good but confesse it to be euill howebeit we maynteyne it to driue away a greater euill But sayth S Paule Non faciamus malum vt inde eueniat bonum Let vs not do euill that good may come of it For it followeth Quorum damnatio iusta est Whose damnation is iust Now if they shall iustly be damned that wyll do euill that good may come theron shall they escape more iust damnation that will doo euill not that so muche as good may come thereon by theyr owne confession but onely the auoyding of a greater euill and yet that is no necessary auoyding of it neither Now if these euil doers shall be damned and no true beleuers shal be damned then are the Papistes no true beleuers muche lesse were they not extreme impudēt can they boast of workes that maynteine sutche open wickednesse But they wil say they boast not of this as in dede they haue little cause and mighte more honestly seeke fygge leaues to hyde their shame therein but they haue infinite other woorkes to shewe their faith by and that I do them iniurie they vpbrayding want of worls to vs to shewe our faith by and we to stande in examining of their workes to improue therby their faith but I crie them mercy I will no further rippe vp their euill workes but be contente for this once to haue shewed this one euil herbe that I thinke is able to marre all their pot of porrage For I tell yee it is Mors in olla Death in the porrage pot that no lesse thā damnation had they twenty good herbes besides But let them doe now as mutche for vs hardily and spare not and lay in our dishe so muche as but one like faulte I speake not this as though wee were without fault we are sinners greuous sinners the iustest of vs all and if we shoulde say we had no sinne we shoulde deceiue our selues and there were no truth in vs This doo the Papistes that say they can do all that God commanded but God commaunded not to sinne and therefore in saying they can fulfill the commaundements of GOD what do they saye but that they can be withoute sinne Whiche the proude Pharisey vaunted of that he was not a sinner as other men We sinne euen with the Publican but with the publican we are sorie for and repent vs of our sinne But name me one worke that God forbiddeth and we bidde defende and mainteyne the same one good worke that god biddeth and we forbid oppugne write against the same This wee haue named in them neyther shall they be euer able to name the lyke in vs But what neede we name say they any particular vice publikely defended of you when this only doctrine takes away all good workes For if I be iustified only by faith what neede I doo any good works are they not all cleane taken awaye No forsooth are they not taken away at all bycause they be remoued from the article of Iustification the workes remayn and that as necessarily to be done as before is shewed but they be not set in the place where the papists wold haue them placed in this article of receauyng Iustification where only faith consisteth Why then say they ye turne faith out of her cloathes if ye take works from her ye leaue her naked and doth a naked and bare faithe iustifie vs In deede woorkes are the cloathes of faith and serue as clothes doo decke and set this lady out but as the body was before the clothes and without the clothes and is of an other substance than the clothes so was faith before workes and is borne of God as naked as my nayle in respect of any merite of woorkes eyther preceding or concurring And thus was alwayes fayth pictured Nuda fides a naked faith But not so but that she is clad streyght wayes with the frutes of the spirite and the ornaments of al good woorkes but it is not her apparell that sets her out to god Omnia nuda sunt aperta oculis eius All things are naked open to his eyes But her apparell sets her out to man And so sayth S. Iames being a man Shewe me thy fayth by thy workes and I will shew thee my faithe by my woorkes Therfore works serue to shew forth faith to them that can not see but by outwarde shewing and so iustifieth one man before an other declareth vnto me y suche an one is iustified not to iustify him before God who seeth the things not seene Nec iuxta intuitū hominis ego iudico Homo enim videt ea quae parēt Dominus autē intuetur cor Neither do I iudge saith God after the sight of man for man seeth those things that appere but the Lord beholdeth the heart He loketh on the faith hidden within Domine oculi tui fidem respiciunt sayeth Ieremie O Lord thy eyes loke vppon the faithe Corde creditur ad iustitiam sayth S. Paule with the hearte wee beleeue to righteousnesse Fides est argumentum non apparentium Faith is an argument of things that appeare not But works
S. Paule you were sealed with the holy spirite of promise whiche is the earnest of our inheritaunce So that we haue boldnesse and entrance with the confidence which is by faith on him Nolite itaque amittere confidentiam Cast not away therfore your confidence which hath a great recompence of rewarde This is the trust that we haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs And if we know that he heare vs whatsoeuer we aske wee know we haue the petitions that we desire of him This is no diuels faith neuer a diuel in hel can do this Neither is this y faith of those wicked ones that are his meÌ„bers howsoeuer they vainly crake of that they haue not neyther is this the papists faith by the papists owne profession that he must stil waue in suspeÌ„ce haÌ„g in doubt but this is the faith of all those y shal receiue eternall lyfe These things sayth S. Iohn haue I written to you that beleue in the name of the sonne of God. Not that ye should hang in doubt but that ye should knowe howe that ye haue eternall life That yee haue it saith he not that ye may haue it may goe with it but ye haue it for saide he immediately before He that hathe the sonne hathe life and he that hathe not the sonne of God hath not life Sutche is the vertue of true belefe faith that he hath alredy life in true assurance bicause he hath him assuredly the whiche is truthe and life Well saithe the Papist for all this heauing and shouing yee shall not haue all youre will we haue yet then at the least one good qualitie vertue whiche shall saue vs and that is euen our faith if ye will admitte nomore But here the Papists begin to cauell and wraÌ„gle which is a signe they draw to the last cast For they know well inough where the scripture thus ascribeth iustifieng and saluation to faithe that it taketh not faith in that respect that it is any quality or habite in vs no not infused of God nor any vertue theologicall nor yet any action of the minde But only in respect of the relation that it hath to Iesus Christ to grace to the mercies to the promises and to the gift of God God is all in all the gift Christ is only my iustification but bicause the feete wherwith we com vnto it is faith We are brought in saith S. Paule Through faith into this grace wherin we stand Nam fide statis By faith we stand Per fidem ambulamus with the feet of faith we walke to the mounte of God Bycause the eye wherby I looke on Christe is faithe Abraham vidit diem meuÌ„ Abraham sawe my daye saith Christ with the eye of faith Bicause the hande wherby I receaue it is faithe Quotquot receperunt eum So many as receaued him euen those that beleeue in his name he gaue them power to be the sons of God by which hand God guided the Isralites Apprehendi manum eorum vt edueerem eos è terra Aegipti I tooke them by the hand to leade them out of the land of Aegipt And by which hand we take hold on heauen Apprehende vitam aeternam Take holde fast on eternall life with this hande of faith Bycause the hart wherin I kepe it is faith Corde creditur with the heart we beleue and he dwelleth in the harte by faithe Bycause all these things are ascribed to faith Therefore the scripture saith that faith doth iustisie vs when Christ dothe iustifie vs bicause by faith I receaue Christ which is my iustification This I do not by my works but by my faithe therefore I saye with S. Paule Faith iustifieth without workes that is faith only applyeth the mercies and merits of Iesus Christ freely offred vnto me without any preparation or merite at all of mine And thus dothe S. Paule plainly expound him selfe in the seconde chapter to the Ephesians Ye are saued by grace through faith and that not of your selues for it is the gifte of God it comme the not of works leste anye man shold boast him selfe For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which God hath ordayned that we shold walke in them Here is first set down the state of iustification how we be saued Works are excluded from thys matter yea our selues and all as any cause hereof The reason is alleaged least we shold boast our selues and so all the glory shoulde not redeâ—…nde to God Then do they deface Gods glory and beaste themselues that put works or any thing in them selues in the cause of iustification The only 〈◊〉 is here made grace and least we sholde thinke any part of this grace to be in vs that is debarred also and grace is pronounced to be the only gift of God. Then is the meane shewed wherby we receyue this iustification through faith saith he here again works are lefte clene out and only faith is mencioned And thus is our iustificatioÌ„ wrought which done then beginneth S. Paul to deale with good works and sheweth the ende and ordinance of them not to be our iustifying or our meriting but only to walke in them And sheweth withal what good works are sutche as God hath ordained in Iesus Christ and not our own traditions And so in short and most pithy words knitteth vp all this controuersie Now if the Papist require to be further satisfied where S. Paule hath sayd we are saued by grace how it is wrought by grace least he sholde mistake grace for the good gifts that God hath geuen vs thinking by them for to be saued S. Paule with the lyke pithe and breuitie in the fourthe of the Romains declareth all the circumstance to him how it is wrought To him that worketh not saith he but beleueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is accounetd for rightousnesse euen as dauid declareth the blessednesse of the man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnesse with out works saying blessed are those whose iniquities are forgeuen and whose sinns are couered blessed is the man to whom the lorde imputeth not sinne The partie iustifieng is God the partie iustified is the vngodly man the vngodly manne hath no godly woorkes how then shall hee be iustified God offereth his promyse of iustification in Christe his sonne the vngodly man and destitute of all godly works beleueth Gods promise streight is thys man accepted before God for righteouse Why he hathe no righteousnesse in hym What though he is accepted for righteous He is altogether vngodly What of that All hys vngodlynesse is cleane couered neyther shall any poynt thereof be layde to his charge euen as though he had none at al And this is blessednesse and grace that that goodnesse he hath not is imputed to him euen as though hee had it And that wickednesse that hee hath â–ª is not