had ment to say if a man know not himself to be a sinner nor thirst after righteousnesse hée cannot tast of the swéetnesse of Iesus Christe how swéete it is to talke of him to thinke of him and to follow his most holy life But when we once throughly knowe our owne infirmity by meanes of the law let vs hearken too S. Iohn Baptist who poynteth vs too the soueraigne Phisition with his Finger saying Beholde the Lambe of GOD which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde For hée it is that deliuereth vs from the heauie yoke of the Lawe abrogating and disanulling the curses and sharpe threatninges of the same healing all our infirmities reformyng our free will returning vs too our ancient innocency and repairing in vs the image of our God insomuch that according to S. Paules saying like as by Adam we bée all dead so by Iesus Christ we are al quickened And it is not to beléeued that the sinne of Adam which we haue by inheritance from him shoulde be of more force than the righteousnesse of Christe that which we also inherite by faith It séemeth that man hath great cause to complayne that without any reason why hée is conceaued and borne in sinne and in the wickednes of his parents by meanes of whoÌ„ death reigneth ouer all men But nowe is all our sorow taken away in as muche as by a like meane without any occasion geuen on our behalfe righteousnes and euerlasting life are come by Iesus Christe and by him death is sâ—aine whereof Saint Paul maketh a very godly discourse which I purpose too set downe héere following Wherfore faith he like as by one man sin entred into the world death by sinne euen so death went ouer al men forasmuch as al men haue sinned For vntil the law sinne was in the worlde but sinne was not regarded as long as there was no law Neuer the latter death reigned from Adam vnto Moyses euen ouer them also that sinned not after the like manner of the transgression of Adam who was a figure of him that was to come But yet the gift is not so as is the offence for if through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Iesus Christe hath abounded vnto many Neither is y â— gift so as that which entred in by one that sinned For the fault came of one offence vnto condemnation but y â— gift is of many offences to iustification For if by the offeÌ„ce of one death reigned through one much more shall they which receiue the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousnesse reigne in life through one that is Iesus Christ. Likewise then as by the offence of one that fault came on al men to condeÌ„nation so by the righteousnesse of one the benefite abounded toward all men to the iustification of life For as by one mans disobedieÌ„ce many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shal many also bée made righteous Moreouer the lawe entred thereupon that the offence should abound neuerthelesse where sinne abounded there grace abounded muche more that as sin hath reigned vnto death so might grace also reigne by righteousnesse vntoo eternall life through Iesus Christe our Lord. By these wordes of S. Paul wée manifestly perceiue the thing to be true which we haue said héereto fore that is to wit that the law was geuen too make sinne knowne which sinne wée doe also knowe not to be of greater force than Christes righteousnesse wherethrough we be iustified before God For euen as Iesus Christ is stronger than Adam was so is his righteonsnesse more mightie than the sinne of Adam And if the sinne of Adam was sufficient enough to make al men sinners and children of wrath without any misdéedes of our owne muche more shall Christes righteousnesse be of greater force to make vs all righteous and the children of grace without any of our owne good workes which cannot be good vnlesse that before we doe them we our selues be made good as Augustine also affirmeth Hereby a man may know in what errour they bée who by reason of some great offence despaire of Gods good wil imagining that he is not willing to forgeue couer and pardon al sinne hauing already punished and chastized all our â—â—â—es and iniquities in his owne onely begotten and dearly beloued sonne and consequently graunted a generall pardon to all mankinde which euery body enioyeth that beléeueth the gospel that is to say which beléeueth the happy tidings of the Apostles haue published through the whole world saying We beséeche you for Iesus Christes sake bée yée reconciled vnto GOD for he that neuer knew sinne was made a sacrifice for our sinne that we might become righteous in him The prophet Esay for seeing this great goodnesse of God writeth these heauenly wordes which doe so well paint out the passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ and the cause thereof as it is not to be founde better described eveÌ„ in the writings of the Apostles Who saith he wil beléeue our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed But hée shall growe vpp before him as a branch and as a roote out of a dry grounde hée hath neither forme nor beautie when wée shall sée him there shal be no fourme that wée should desire hym Hée is despised aâ—d reiected of men he is a man full of sorrowes and hath experience of infirmitie wee hidde as it were our faces from him hée was despised and wee estéemed him not Surely hée hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrowes yet we did iudge him as plagued and smitten of God humbled but he was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities The chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed All we like shéepe haue gone astray wee haue turned euery one to his owne way and the Lorde hath laide vpon him the iniquitie of vs all he was oppressed and he was afflicted yet did he not open his mouth He is brought as a shéepe to the slaughter as a shéepe before the shearer is dumme so he openeth not his mouth O great vnkindnesse O thing abhominable that we which professe our selues Christians and heare that the sonne of God hath taken all our sinnes vpon him and washed them out with his precious blood suffering himselfe to bee fastened too the Crosse for our sakes shoulde neuerthelesse make as though we woulde iustifie our selues and purchase forgeuenesse of our sinnes by our owne woorkes as who woulde say that the desertes righteousnesse and bloodshed of Iesus Christe were not enough too doe it vnlesse we came to put too our workes and righteousnesse which are altogether deâ—iled and spotted with selfe loue selfcliking selfprofite and a thousande other vanities for which wee haue neede to craue pardon at Gods hand rather then reward Neither doe we thinke
wee prepare our selues to this holy sacrament quickening vp our spirites with a feruent loue to our neighbourward For what greater spurre caÌ„ we haue to prick vs to loue one another thaÌ„ to sée that Iesus Christ by giuing himself vn too vs not onely allureth vs too geue our selues one to another but also by making himselfe common to vs all maketh vs also to be al one selfesame thing in him In respect wherof we ought to couet procure that in al of vs there may be but one mind one heart one touÌ„g accorded vnited together in thought words déeds And wée must mark wel that as oft as we receiue this holy and woorthy sacrament we binde our selues to all the dueties of charity as not to offende any of our brethren nor too leaue any thing vndone that may be profitable and helpfull in their necessity But if ther come any to this heauenly table of the Lord y â— are diuided at variaÌ„ce w t their brethreÌ„ the same must assure themselues that they eat vnworthily are guilty of the body blood of the Lorde that they eate and drinke their own damnation for that there wanted nothing on their behalfe but y â— the body of Iesus Christ was rent plucked in péeces again whilest they by hatred are diuided froÌ„ their brethren y â— vs to wit froÌ„ the members of Iesus Christ haue not any part w t him and yet neuertheles in receyuing this holy communion pretended to be Iéeuâ— that their whole saluation consisteth in the participation and vnion with Iesus Christ. Then let vs goe my brethreÌ„ to the receiuing of this heauenly bread to celebrate the remembrance of our Lords passion and to strengthen and fortify the belief and assurance of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes with the remembraÌ„ce therof and to quicken vp our minds toungs to praise exalt the infinit goodnes of our God and finally to cherish brotherly loue and to witnes y â— same one to another by â— streight vnioÌ„ w t al of vs haue in the body of our Lord Iesus Christ. Besides prayer and the remembring of Baptisme and the often resorting to the most holy communion there is one other very good remedy against di strust fearfulnes which is no lesse friend to Christian charity namely the remembrance of our predestination and election to eternal life grounded vpoÌ„ the word of God which is the sword of the holy Ghost wherwith we may beate back our enimies Reioyce ye in this saith the Lorde that your names are written in heauen There is no greater ioy in this life nor any thing that more comforteth the ChristiaÌ„ that is afflicted tempted or falne into any sinne than the remembraÌ„ce of predestinatioÌ„ the assuring of our selues that we be of the number of them whose names are written in the book of life w t are chosen to be fashioned like vnto the image of Iesus Christ O how unspeakeable is the comfort of him y â— hath this fayth museth coÌ„tinually in his heare vppon this excéeding swéet predestination wherby he knoweth y â— although he fall often yet notw tstanding God his father who hath foreordeined him too euerlasting life holdeth him vp reacheth out his hand vnto him coÌ„tinually And he saith continually in himselfe if God haue chosen me and predestinated me to the glory of his children who can hinder me If God bee with vs sayth S. Paule who can be against vs Nay rather to the end that the predestination may be accoÌ„plished in vs he hath sent his déere beloued sonne who is a most sure earnest penny pledge vnto vs that wee which haue receiued the grace of the Gospel are Gods children chosen to eternall life This holy PredestinatioÌ„ mainteineth the true christiaÌ„ in a continual spiritual ioy increaseth in him the indeuour of good works and inflameth him with the loue of God and maketh him enimy tothe worlde and to sinne Who is so fierce and hardharted which knowing that God of his mercy hath made him his child from euerlasting will not by by be inflamed to loue God Who is of so vile base courage y â— he will not estéeme al the pleasures al the honors al the riches of the world as filthy myre when he knowes that he hath made him a â—itizen of heauen yea these are they that worship God rightly in spirit truthe receiuing al thinges as well in prosperity as in aduersity at the haÌ„d of God their father â—nd euermore praising and thanking him or all as their good father who is righteâ—us and holy in al his woorks These being inflamed with the loue of God and armed with the knowledge of their Predestinatiâ—n feare neither death nor sinne nor the diuel nor hel neither know they what the wrath of God is for they sée none other thing in God but loue and fatherly kindenesse towardes them And if they fall into any troubles they accept them as tokens of Gods fauour crying out with S. Paule Who is it that shal separate vs from Gods loue shal tribulations shall anguish shall persecution or hunger or nakednes or perill or sword as it is written for thy sake are we killed all the day long and counted as shèep appoynted to the slaughter But in al these things we get y â— vpper haÌ„d through him that hath loued vs. Wherfore it is not for nought that Saint Iohn saith how the true Christians know right wel that they must be saued and glorified that by reasoÌ„ of the same affiance they make themselues holy as Iesus Christ is holy And when S. Paul exhorteth his disciples too a good and holy life he is wont to put them in remembrance of their election and predestination as of a thing of very great force to stirre vp the mindes of the true Christians to the louing of God and too the perfourmance of good woorkes And for the same cause our good Lord Iesus Christ speaketh openly of this holy predestination as one that knew of how great importaunce the knowledge therof is to the edifiyng of his electe But perchaÌ„ce thou wilt say to me I know well that they whose names are written in heauen haue cause to liue in continuall ioy glorifie God both in woord and déede but I know not whether I am of that nuÌ„ber or no therfore I liue in continual feare specially because I know my selfe to be an excéeding weake and frayle sinner from the violence whereof I am not able to defende my selfe but that I am ouercome of it daily And furthermore forasmuche as I sée my selfe continually afflicted and troubled with diuerse temptations mée thinks I do as it were behold with mine eyes y â— wrath of God scourging me To answere to these doubts of thine I say my right déere brother that thou must assure thy selfe that al these are but temptations of the diuel
THE benefit that Christians receiue by Iesus Christ crucified Translated out of French into English by A. G. Imprinted at London at the three Cranes in the Vintree for George Bishop and Thomas Woodcocke 1580. To the English Reader THou hast here deliuered to thee good Reader a litle treatise first written in the Italian tongue and printed at Venice after that translated intoo thâ— French language and printed at Lions and nowâ— translated printed for thee to reade in the Englishe tongue Enquire not of the Author he is vnknowen and to know him would doe thee but little good Reade the booke deuoutly regard the matter of it attentiuely it may doe thee much good in these euil dayes This may be counted among the greatest euils with which this age is infected that they which are called christians are miserably diuided about Christ. And yet in trueth as the Apostle saith vnto vs there is but one God which is the father of whom are all things and we in him our Lord Iesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him To discourse on this diuision and the cause thereof woulde be to some pleasing to some it would be displeasing For what one truth can please mindes so diuersly diuided would God it could please al to become one in that one Christ whose name we all doe carrie In this little booke is that benefitâ— which commeth by Christ crucified to the Christians truely and comfortably handled which benefit if all Christians did truely vnderstand and faithfully embrace this diuision would vanishe away and in Christ the Christians should become one To this ende reade this booke and much good in Christ may it doe to all them which doe reade it Amen The Translator sendeth greeting to all Christians vnder heauen I Cannot maruell ynough whereof it commeth that all of vs are more mooued by iniuries then by benefites and that we take the one so much too hearte imprinting them in our remembraunce and forget the other so suddaynely Truely wee cannot denie but that among so many other imperfections wherewith wee are vnhappily defiled wee haue also taken this of the greate corruption and maymednesse of our earthly and transitorie humane nature wherein there cannot be imagined any thing more vnconuenient nor more hurtefull than reprochefull vnthankfulnesse whiche a man might rightly terme the welspring of all Vices For by it our myndes are so drawne away and peruerted that the more wee bee besette rounde aboute and loden with the benefites of GOD our Soueraigne Father so muche the more become wee blockishe and as it were distraught and out of our wits running after our own lusts and vanities wherthrough as though wee had drunke of the Riuer Lethe we forget our selues and misspende our whole time busying our heades like litle Children that goe seeking of pinnes in the Sande whereaboute they are so wholly occupied that although a man call them they heare him not or at leastwise make as though they hearde him not from whence if wee did nowe and then lifte vp our eyes vntoo Heauen and inforce our selues too remember the greate benefite that wee daily receiue of his right fatherly goodnesse and mercy it were not to be doubted but we shoulde be more inclined to loue him and too obey his holy will than wee be whereas which worse is we be not onely carelesse to yeeld due thanks vnto him but also at al times cease not to offend him so deepely is the vice of vnthankfulnesse rooted in vs. Rightly may he be blamed for vnthankefulnesse which acknowledgeth not the good that hath been doone to him at leastwise by saying Gramereie Vnthankfull is he that forgetteth it but tootoo vnthankful is he that rendereth euill for good Wherefore wee can finde no lawful excuse because that which way soeuer we turn our selues the bountifulnesse of this greate God shineth throughout vppon vs. Let vs a little stirre vp ouâ— wittes and let vs looke aboute vs as farre and wyde as the huge frame of thâ— world may exteÌ„d so diuinely set together garnished with so greate diuersitie of goodly creatures so wel coÌ„passed in such an order so wisely coÌ„pacted that ther is nothing superfluous nothing vnprofitable nothing whereof there may not be reÌ„dred a reasoÌ„ This huge Sun the fouÌ„tain of al light heat the cause of al earthly generation the Moone which marketh vs out the yeeres the monthes and the seasoÌ„s the sky so trimly azured richly set with the â—â—istering starres this huge Sea which beateth vpon all sides of the earth the weight wherof is borne vppon his owne rounde counterpeise the great number of liuing creatures that are vppon it whereof some flye in the Ayre euery where dispersed and othersome dwell in the hollow Caues of it which nature hath fashioned of set purpose for them what shal I say more So many high mountaynes within whose veynes are founde innumerable treasures And others from whence issue many a faire spring sprouting out their thin and cleere water And othersome whereout doe gushe violent streames and pleasaunt Riuers nourishing infinite numbers and kindes of fishes So many trees and plantes yeelding most delicate fruites and sweete sauours Such store of medicinable hearbes and rootes So many Playnes and Valleys moste fruiteful Such store of medowes beautified with their louely flowers And to be short the full hugenesse of the whole the power of the Elementes and thâ— naturall beautie of the creatures what are they else but the vtterance and open shewing of Gods loue and great liberaltie towardes vs of which ech one in his kinde giueth glory to the Lord yea aske euen the â—eastes they will informe thee demaund of the foules of the ayre and they wil tell thee or else speake to the earth and shee will reporte vnto thee and to the fishes of the Sea and they will answeare thee The Lorde spake the woorde and wee were made hee commaunded and we were created For in his hande is the life of euery liuing thing And by him haue all of vs our being moouing and continuance Suche is the speache of allcreatures Onely man who is made after the image and likenesse of God indued with vnderstaÌ„ding memorie and reason shewing himselfe in that behalfe more vnhappy then the brute beastes passeth ouer the aboundance of so greate benefites with his eyes shut betrampling and beraying them with his feete as a swine doth precious stones Insomuch that after he hath once wholly buried remembrance there insueth ignoraunce and vtter blindnesse O lamentable state of reasonable man who can hope for any change in thee except it be from euil to woorse seeyng thou hast no knowledgâ— at all of God and that all his benefites are despised through thine extreeme vnthankefulnesse in this behalfe if so many creatures wherewith this whole huge world is garnished to thy vse and to touche thee yet more neerely if the cunning compacting together of thine owne body which may well
insomche that he reioyceth or suffereth in his members Therfore like as Iesus Christe is our clothing by faith so also must we through loue become the clothing of our brethren haue as good care of them as of our owne bodies for they be meÌ„bers of our body wherof Christ is the head And this is the holy godly loue charity which springeth and procéedeth of the true vnfeined faith which GOD hath breathed into his elect which faith as saieth S. Paul worketh by loue Howbeit forasmuche as the life of our Lorde Iesus Christe wherewithal we must be clothed was a continuall crosse ful of troubles reproches persecutions if we wil fashion our selues like vnto his life we must coÌ„tinually beare the crosse as he himself saith If any man wil come after me let him forsake himselfe take vp his crosse and follow me But the chief cause of this crosse is for that our god purposeth to mortifie the affections of our mind and the lustes of our flesh by that exercise to the end we may conceaue in our selues the great perfection wherein we bee comprised by our Lorde Iesus Christe by being grafted into him Also his wil is that our faith being â—ined like gold in a furnace of troubles should shine bright too his glory Moreouer his intent is that we by our infirmities should set out his great power which the world in despite of it beholdeth in vs inasmuch as our frailtie becommeth strong by troubles and persecutions the more that it was beaten downe and oppressed so much the more it is strong stedfast Whereof the Apostle S. Paul saieth wee carry this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellencie of the power might be gods and not ours On all sides we suffer tribulation but wée are not ouercome wée bée poore but not ouercome of pouertie we suffer persecution but yet are we not forsakeÌ„ we be despised but yet we perish not and so we daily beare about vs the dying of our Lord Iesus Christin our body that the life of Iesus Christ may also be openly shewed in vs. And séeing the case is so y â— our Lorde Iesus Christ and all his deare disciples glorified God by tribulations let vs also imbrace them ioyfully and say with the Apostle S. Paul God forbid that I should glory saue in the Crosse of our Lorde Iesus Christe and let vs so deale as the worlde may whether it wil or no perceiue and sée with his eyes the wonderfull effectes that God worketh in such as sincerely imbrace the grace of his Gospell Let vs so deale I say as the worldlinges may sée with how great quietnesse of minde the true Christians indure the losse of theyr goodes w t death of their children slaunders the diseases of the body and the persecutions of false christians and also that they may sée how the only true Christians doe worship God inspirite and truthe taking in good woorth at his hand whatsoeuer hapneth and hoâ—ding all that he doeth to be good righteous and holy praysing him alwayes for the same whether it be inprosperite or aduersitie thanking him as a most gracious and louing father and acknowledging it for a right great gift of Gods goodnesse too suffer any aduersitie and chiefly for the go spell and for following the steps of Christ specially forasmuch as we know that tribularioÌ„ ingendreth pacience and pacience tryall and trial hope and hope maketh vs not ashamed I say y â— patience engendereth triall because that whereas God hath promised helpe in trouble to suche as trust in him we finde it by experience in that wee continue strong and stedfast all the whyle and are vpholden by the haÌ„d of God which thing we could not doe withal the powers that wée haue of our owne So then by patience wée finde that our Lorde geueth vs the helpe that he hath promised vs at our néede whereby our hope is confirmed And it were an ouer great vnthankfulnes not to trust to such an aide fauour for the time to come as wee haue founde by experience to be so certaine stedfast hâ—réfore But what néede wee so many wordes It ought to suffise vs to knowe that the true christians are through tribulation clothed with the image of our Lord Iesus Christe crucified which if wée beare willingly and with a good hearte we shall in the ende bée clothed with the image of Iesus Christe glorified For as the passions of Iesus Christe doe abounde so through him shall the consolations ouerabounde and if wée suffer with him héere below for a tyme we shall also regine with him there aboue for euer The sixth Chapter Certaine remedies against distrust BUt forasmuch as the Deuil and manâ— wisdome labour continually to dispossesse us of this most holy faith wherethrough we beléeue that all our sinnes are chastized punished in Iesus Christe and that through his most precious bloodshed we be reconciled to the maiestie of God it is very néedefull for a ChristiaÌ„ to haue his weapons alwaies in a readinesse to defend himselfe from the saide most mischieuous temptation which séeketh to bereaue the soule of her life Among the saide weapons in my iudgement the mightiest and best are Prayer the often vse of the holy communion the remembring of holie Baptisme and the minding of Predestination In our prayer we may well say with the father of the poore Lunatike person of whoÌ„ mentioÌ„ is made in the Gospel of S. Mark Lorde Iesus helpe mine vnbeliefe Or else we may say with the Apostles Lorde encrease our faith And if there reigne in vs a continuall desire to growe in faith hope loue we wil continually pray as S. Paul instructeth vs. For prayer is nothing else but a feruent minde setled vpon God By the remembring of Baptisme we shall assure our selues that we are at peace with God And forasmuch as S. Peter saith that the Ark of Noe was a figure of Baptisme therefore like as Noe was saued from the flood of the Arke because he beléeued y â— promises of God so also are we by faith saued in Baptisme from Gods wrath Which faith is grounded vppon the worde of our Lord Iesus Christe who saith y â— hee which beléeueth is baptized shal be saued And good right it is for in baptisme we put on Iesus Christ as the Apostle S. Paul affirmeth consequeÌ„tly we be made partakers of his righteousnes and of all his goodes vnder this precious robe the sinnes y â— our â—railtie committeth lie hidden and couered and are not imputed vnto vs. And so according as S. Paul saith the blessednes which the Psalmist speaketh of apperteineth vnto vs namely Blessed are they whose misdoings are forgeuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man to whomâ— the Lorde imputeth not sinne But it standeth a Christian in hand to take good héed that vpon these wordes