saithe that the scripture doothe conclude all men vnder sinne in those thre places thow mayst se the thre wordes that I rehersid before withe the whiche Paule describithe the infirmites of man whiche infirmites Esai 53. Io. 1 Soothe testifie that they ar translatid into Christ Not so that we shuld be clene deliuerid from them as thowghe they were ded in oure nature or oure nature changid or shuld not prouoke us oni more to I le but that they shuld not damne vs bicause Christ satisfied for thē in his awne bodie And Paule saithe Rom. 5. that Christ died for sinners whiche were infirme and callithe those synners thennimies of God how beyt he callythe not them Theostygas in the scripture that is to say cōtemnours of God Euery man is callid in the scripture wickid and thennimie of God for the priuation and lacke of faithe an loue that he owithe vnto God Et impij uocantur qui nō omnino sunt pij that is to say they ar callid wickid that in all thinges honorithe not god beliuithe not in God and obseruithe his commaundementes as they shuld do whiche we cannot do by reason of this naturall infirmite or hatred of the fleshe as Paule Callithe it Ro. 8. against God In this sense takithe Paule this worde wickid Rom. 5. when he saithe that Christ died for the wickid So must we interpretat sainct Paule and take his wordes Or els noman shuld be damnid Now we know that Paule him selfe Saint Iohn and Christ damnythe the contemprours of God or souche as willinglij cotinew in sinne and will not repent Ma. 12. Mar. 3. Luce 12. Paul Rom. 8.1 Corint 5.2 Co. 6.2 Pe. 1. Those the scripture excludithe frome the generall promis of grace Thou seist by the places afore rehersid that thowghe we can not belyue in God as vndourttidly as is requirid by reason of this oure naturall sickenis and diseace yet for Christes sake in the iudgment of God we ar accōptid as faithfull fydeles for whoys sake thys naturall dyseace and syckenys ys pardonyd by what name so euer Sainct Paule callithe thes naturall infirmite or Originall sinne in man And this imperfection or naturall sickenis taken of Adame excludithe not the person feom the promis of God in Christ except we transgresse the limimites and boundes of this Oryginall synne by oure awne folie and malice and ether of a contempt or hate of Godes worde we fall into synne and transforme our selfes into the ymaige of the deuill Then we exclude by this meanes oure selfes frome the promises and merites of Christ who only receuid oure infirmites and Originall diseace and not the contēpt of him and his law farther the promes appertaine to souche as repent Therfore Esai Capit. 53. said without excepcion that the infirmites of all men were cast vpon his Blessid shulders It is oure office therfore to se we exclude not oureselfes from te generall grace promisyd to all men It is nat a Chrystiane mannes part to attribute his saluation to his awne frewill withe the pelagion and extenuat originall sinne Nor to make God thauctor of I le and oure damnatiō withe the Maniche Nor yet to say God hathe wrotē fatall Lawes as the Stoicke and withe necessite of desteny uiolently pullithe one by the here in to heauen and thrustithe thother hedling into hell But assertaine thy selfe by the scripture what be the causes of reprobation and what of Election The cause of reiection or damnation is sinne in man whiche will not hire nether receaue the promes of the gospelle or else after he hathe receauid it by accustomid doing of I le he fall ether in a contempt of the gospell will not studie to liue there after or else hatiht the gospell because it condemnithe his vngodly liefe And would therwere nether God not gospell to punishe him for doing of ile This sentence is trew how so euer man iudge of predestination God is not the cause of sinne nor wold not haue mā to sinne Psalm 5. Non Deus uolens iniquitatem tu es That is to say thow art not the God that willyt he sinne Osee 13. it is said Thy perdicion o Israel is of thy selfe and thy succur only of me The cause of oure electiō is the mercy of God in Christ Ro. 9. How be it he that wil be part taker of this election must receaue the promes in Christ by faithe for therfore we be electid because afterward we ar made the membres of Christ Ephe. 1. Rom. 8. Therfore as in the iustification or remission of sinne there is a cause towghe no dignite at all in the receauer of his iustification euen so we iudge him by the scripture to be iustified and hathe remission of his sinne because he receauid the grace promisid in Christ So we iudge of election by the euent or successe that happenithe in the liffe of man those onli to be electid that by faithe apprehend the mercy promisid in Christ other wice we shuld not iudge of election for Paule saythe plainlye Ro. 8. that they that be led by the sprit of God ar the children of God and that the sprit of God dothe testifye withe oure sprites that we ar the children of God being admonishyd by the scripture we must leaue sinne and do the workes commaundid of God or els it is a carnall opinion that we haue blindid oureselfes withe all of fatall desteny ād will not saw vs. and in case there folowe not oure knolege of Christ amendement of liffe it is not liuelie faythe that we haue but rather a vayne knolege and mere presumpsion Io. 6. saithe Noman commithe vnto me except my father draw him many men vnderstond these wordes in a wrong sence as thowghe God requirid in a resonable man nomore then in a ded post and markithe not the wordes that folow Omnis qui audit a patre discit uenit ad me That is to say euery man that hirithe and lernithe of my father cumnithe to me God drawithe withe his word and the holy gost but mānis dewty is to hire and lerne that is to say receaue the grace offred cōsent vnto the promes and not repugne the God that callith God dothe promesse the holy goost vnto them that aske him and not to them that contemne him We haue the scripture daily in oure handes reade it and hire it preachid Godes mercy euer cōtineu the same let vs thinke verely that now God callithe and conuerte our liefes to it let vs obey it and beware we suffre not oure folyshe iudgmentes to wander after the fleshe leste the deuill wrappe vs in darkenis and teache vs to seke the election of God out of the scripture all thowghe we be of oure sealfes bound men vnto sinne and can do no godd by reason oure originall and race is vitious yet hathe not the deuill inducid holie his similitude into ony of Adames posterite but only into those that contemne and of
worold it is declarid Deut. 28. et Psal 128. if thow hirethe wice of thy lord God and obserue it thow shalt be blissid in the fild and at home blessid in all thynges that thow takest in hand to do rede the Chapiter if thow wilt not lerne the will of thy lord thow shalt be cursid in the feld and at home and vnfortunate in all thy actes farther without the knolege and obedience of this law no person in the worold can iustlie and conuenientlie serue in his vocation or condition of liefe of what degre so euer he be Wherfore Moses commaundid Deut. 4. that noman shuld decline from this lawe nether to the right hand nether to the leiffte mening by these wordes that noman shuld add or take ony thyng from it but simple to be obserue it as it is yeuen and wroten vnto vs Ffrom this rigth line and trewe regle of Godes word man arrith diuerse waies som time by ignorance because he knowithe not or will not know that onlie thexpresse word of God sufficithe He holdithe withe the moost part and cōdemnithe the beter as it is to be sene at this present daye This reason takithe place it is alowid of the moost part and stablishid by so many holie and lernid bishopes therefore it is trew When they can not by the scripture proue neither the lerning nether the lief of there doctors to be good The second waie that ledith from the word of God is mony times the poure and authorite of this worold As we se by the bishope of Rome and all his adherentes who yeuith more credenc and faithe onto one Charter and gift of Constantinus then to all the hole bible An other errithe by mistakyng of the tyme making his supersticiō far elder then it is will not for sake the faulshed for the truithe An saithe thus my father beliuide and shuld I beliue the contrarie thus rather will giue credit to his father being blind then vnto God his great graunt father that seith to the law of man more credit then to the law of God As the knolege of man is thus with drawē frō the word of God be ignorancie and I le vsid customes so is the liue and conuersation of man like wice Not gouernid withe the word of god but with accustomid fraude an gile euery man in his uocation and condition of lyffe The spiritualite with false receauid and I le deseruid tea this The temperaltie with false cōtractes and preposterous bying and sellnig The princes and superiour poures of therthe for the moost part and all lernid men other in mayntaining a wrong religion or in not restoring the trew decline far from this simple and sincere verite conteinyd in godes word Some dispense with a lesse yle to a voyede a greater harme Some prescribe lawes for the consciens of man for atime vntill it may be farther deliberatid vpō or approuid godd by a generall counsell These men greuouslie offend thē selfes and causith other to do the same In case the law made for the time seme not godd vnto souche as shall at amore leasure haue thexamination therof the lawe for the meane time shal be condemnid as hereticall and pernitious Then put the case that many or at the leste some of those that ledd there consciens after the lawe made for the meane tyme dye How stondithe then the case withe these departyd soules that were deceuyd whiles they liuyd by false doctrine Thei doutles ar loost for euer and without tyme if they dyed in ony errour of the Catholice faith as Crist saythe Luce 6. spekyng of false interpretoures of the word of God If the blynd lede the blind he sayth not only he that ledith shall fall into the dyche but boothe Therfore it is not sufficient that people haue a lawe for the meane tyme but what so euer the consciens begynnithe with all it must end in the same That is to say no law at all shuld be spoken of consernyng the consciens but thonlie word of God whiche neuer alteryd nor cannot be alteryd Matt. 5. Luce 16. Psal 18. Dauyd Psalmo 119. prouithe the immutabilite of Godes worde by too stronge reasones if heuens and Erthe made by thy worde can not be alteryd how mouche more the word it selfe Rede the too verses that begynne withe the letter lamed in Englisse thus Thy word lord abidithe for euer as the heauens testifye Vnto the whithe law the consciēs of man in maters of faithe is bound onlie for when so euer or who so euer prescribythe ony law for the cause of religion and yeuith it this title for the meane time vntill it may be iudgyd by a generall counsell or other wyce decreyde by thassemblaunce of lernyd men thauctor of the law declarithe hime selfe not to know whether his law be trew or false leding to hell or to heuē to saue the cōsciēce of man or to dāne it but leuith it in dowt ād makith it as vncertaine as these that shall haue the cēsure ād iudgmēt therof preferrid ūto there discretiō ād lerning I would wishe therfore ād hartel◠pray vnto almightye God to put into the hartes of all superior poures of the Erthe grace and knolege to chose 4. indifferent iudges to apeace all contrauerses in religion If the Clergie shuld iudge the worold would and might say they ar to partiall and for many respectes would to mouche fauour there awne cōmodite If the Temperalty shuld iugde the Clerge would think som̄ thing to be downe of displeasure or malice that allwaies in maner hathe remainid betwene the partes Farther if Apapist Lutherion or Zuinglion shuld iudge they agre so I le one with tother that the mater could not want suspicion Therfore I would haue on s these iiij indifferent iudges to breake the striffe The Bible in Ebreu the Bible in Greke the Bible in Latine and the Bible in Englisse or in ony other oulger tong according to the speache of the Realme where this communicatiō shuld be had Then doutles these iudges that fauorith not moreth one part then the other no more one person then the other Would sone set men at peace incase they louyd not dissention But as long as thauctorite of ony generall counsell or iudgment of mā is accomptyd equiualent and egall withe the word of God the truythe cannot be sincerelie knowen Souche as can interpretat nothing well but lokithe to fynd occation to calumniat the good meanyng of the thing well spoken wil say I haue an ile opinion of God the eternall in heauen and like wyce of the superiour poures in hearthe bycause I damne the disciples of the false Doctors withe the doctors and take from all poures of the erthe auctorite to prescribe ūto there subiectes ony law touchyng religion of the solle As consernyng the iudgment of God agaynst those that be seducyd by false prechers or makers of false lawes Sainct Luce capit 6. Ezech. 3. et 13.
superiour poures of therthe that thow yeue theÌ„ nomore nether no lese honor nor reuerence then the word of God commaundithe This he declarithe by the 12. Princes that were sent to explorate and sarche the priuites and conditioÌ„ of the lond of Canaan too of theÌ„ perswadid the people to beliue Godes promes and not to fere the people that dwellyd in the land vnto these Godly Princes was no faithe nor credit yeueÌ„ of the people The Princes that perswadid the thing contrary vnto God were beliuid of the people and there counsell admittyd by this we lern that souche Magistrates as perswade the people by Godes word shuld be beliuid and obeide the other not in the cause of consciens There must God only be hard Act. 5. Matt. 10. Or else people shall faile of a right faythe for he that knowith not what his deutye is to God and his lawes will beliue rather alie with his fore fathers then the truithe with the word of God and this maÌ„ is no mete auditour nor disciple of the word of God For lacke of this preparatiue the worold hathe erryd from the truithe this many yers to the dishonor of God and danger of Chrystiane solles Men doothe not loke what godes worde saithe but extollithe the auctorite of mannes lawes preferring the decre of a generall or prouinciall consell before the word of God whiche hathe browghte this abhomination aÌ„d subuersion of all godlye doctrine in to the churche of Christ The thyrd preparatiue is obedience boothe vnto God and man It were as godd neuer to reade the scripture nor to hyre sermon incase we mind not to obey vnto the word of God spoken or reden Therfore doothe Moses abraide and reprehend them Deu. 1. wheÌ„ they knew the lond to be godd by the frute that the 12. princes browght vnto them they would not procede forthe in there iurney to possesse the land but murmuryd against God wherfore they peryshyd in the desert Therefore we must briÌ„g with vs vnto the reding of the word of God obedieÌ„ce and be redy to do euery thing it commaundethe thowghe it seme neuer so difficile As Abraham did in leuing his countre Genes 12. and offryng his sonne Gen. 22. and as christ commaundith all that will be his Disciples Matth. 10. Luce. 14. the thing that God commaundithe must be obeyd what danger so euer happen Ye if it be the lost of oure lieffe Luce. 9.17 Matth. 16. Like wyce the commaundement of the superiour poures and noman shuld detract nether denye his obedience beccuse he is a Christiane 1. Pet. 2. Ro. 13. Ephe. 6. Col. 3. Tit. 2. not onlie with Iye seruice but from the hart sustaining not onlye souche chargis as the necessites of the coÌ„mune wealthe shall require but also withe liefe to defend the same not feriÌ„g how strong an ennimie is agaynst hym nor how manye but rather to consider how stroÌ„g God is that hathe promisid to preserue euery mannes right and yeuen commaundement that nomaÌ„ shall do the other wrong Deut. 5. Exod. 5. Non facies furtum commit no thyffe againe Honora parentes Honor thy father The whiche commaundement requirithe obedience to all superiour poures only obey the word of God what so euer shall happen vnto man in his godlye vocation as Moses coÌ„mauÌ„dyd Deut. 20. if thow see horsmen and cheriotes more then thow hast fere not god is withe the as we haue example in Abraham Gedeon Iosaphat and others The fourthe preparatiue is that they shuld obserue the commune lawes vsyd among all people whiche is callid ius gentium that they shuld peaceable passe by the possessions of the children of Esau the Mount Seir and like wice by the Moabitis not to molest theÌ„ nether there Godes but by souche thinges as they wantid for monie till they passid there limites aÌ„d bondes the whiche law bound them not to spoyle robbe and barne wher so euer they came as well there frendes as there fores as it is vsyd in oure tyme among Christianes that say silent leges inter arma That iâ— to say lawes be dispensid withe all in the tyme of war contrary vnto this deuillishe opinion God requirid them to passe as trew men and not as thyffes as those that were obedient vnto all honest and godly lawes and not as exempt and priuilegyd persones from all vertews and godlynys The fyghithe preparatâ—â—e is that they shuld esteme this doctrine of the commaundementes as it was worthy And declaryd the estimation therof withe mony reasones The fyrst of the vtilite aÌ„d profete that it bringithe wherof he spekythe in the 4. cap. Deut. Haec est sapientia intelligentia vestra coram populo That is to say this is youre wysdome and prudence before the people this is the doctrine onlie and law that teachithe how to lyue well aÌ„d to auaide the displeasur boothe of god and man and ledithe to eternall felicite what other people is there of the worold saithe Moses that hathe there godes as present as oure lord God as many times as we inuocate and call vpon him This doctrine was yeueÌ„ from heaueÌ„ and the auctor there of is God A doctrine allwaies to be lernid and obseruid not in Paper or parshment but in the hart of man And dailie tawghte vnto the worold as the maner of the yeuyng of it declarithe Exo. 20. vnto all the people it was preachyd not in an obscure aÌ„d darke place but in the mouÌ„e cletely and openly that noman shuld dout of it as thowghe it came out of Trophonius caue sainct Patrice purgatory or the priuey chambre of the Bishope of Rome Boothe the law and the law yeuer knowen of all the people Minos was familier withe Iubiter as the Poetis fayne Numa had communication withe Aegera the Godes but noman was record therof He might therfare feyne what he list As many superstitious hypocrates hathe donne There apperyd vnto Gregorie a child in the bred of the aulter the whiche visition if it were trew was deuillishe and wrowght by the deuill to deceaue the people of God Brigitta saw like wyce in here contemplacions wounders The Bishoppes in there decretalles seyth like wice meruelles and misteris that noman else can se except he be sworen to renownce Godes lawes For they teache one faythe and the gospell an other one kynd of godd workes and Christ an other This law is of an other sort and perfection Openly manifestyd by God not vnto one prynce or lernyd man not vnto 12. or 70. heddes and principalles among the people but vnto all the hole congregation and not sodenly but with great deliberation and preparation of the people for the space of thre dayes Exod. 19. this law therfore Moses would the pedple to esteme as a thing of all thinges moost to be estimyd As they do nothing at all that say the Scripture containithe not all necessarie doctrine for the healthe of man But nedithe mannes decres The sixt