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
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
nor anye thing that a Prince canne deuise in yearthe to defende hym selfe and saue his honoure by is of more value than this one thyng the Subiectes faythful loue Neyther hath the subiecte a greater earthly treasure gyuen hym of GOD than a godly and louyng Prince nor a greater scourge in thys lyfe can there be than when Propter peccata populi facit hypocritam regnare For the peoples wyckednesse God sendes an hypocrit a false worshipper of God a setter vp of superstition and idolatrie an hatefull and cruel tyrant that loueth not his subiectes to raigne ouer them Consyder then with your selues how exceedingly we the people of Englande are bounde in this greate benefite among infinite other to Almightie God that wee be subiects vnder sutche a most gracious Prince that without suspition of lie or flattery we may truely saye Non taliterfecit omni nationi He hath not dealte so with anye nation as he hath dealte with vs Looke thorough out all Christendome comparisons are odious ye shall fynd no countrey no kingdom no realme no citie no state nor any people to enioy all those benefites all that whyle and after that sorte that we haue doone and long shall doo I trust vnder our most blessed Soueraigne The Lorde that hathe wroughte these benefytes to vs by her bee blessed for her and as in a stretched out arme he hath by her deliuered vs from the bōdage of Egipt Pharaos tirannie as hee hath to the preseruing gathering together and feeding vs poore strayed scattered famished weryed sheepe of his folde stirred her vp to be our shepherde deliuered her and vs from the Beare and the Lion as he hathe infeoffed her not onely with royall honoure and supreme gouernement but also endowed her with sutch princely qualities and excellente vertues that other people wonder at her as a myrror other Princes lerne at her as a patterne and we feele the benefit of her as a mother So God that for hys glorie and oure profite hathe giuen her to vs and vs to her for his mercie and truthes sake vouche safe to continue encrease blesse defende and prosper her long to raigne ouer vs and of a yong Lady make her an olde lustie mother amongst vs that hath suche motherly loue vnto vs What now remayneth on our partes to her but lyke faythfull subiectes to honour and obey her with all our industrie lyke louing and naturall children to loue her with all our hartes like Godly Christians with all prayer and supplication to praye for her and lyke true Englishemen to fyghte for her with all our mighte to healpe her with all our goods yea and nede were to die for her also For this I durst saye for her that if neede were as God forbidde or if her deathe coulde doe vs good as it can not but bring vs greatest hurte she woulde not sticke to suffer death either for Gods cause or for ours And this shee shewed full well when tyme was howe readie she was to become a constant mar◅ir for the truthe euen to the very pinche of deathe She went with Christ ouer Cedron into the garden and there slept not as som of the disciples did but sawe euen the cup and horrour of death before her So well she toke his crosse and followed him But God deliuered and exalted her to restore his truth and God preserue her to maintein it Amen Let vs therfore welbeloued of God and loued of her render loue for loue againe vnfainedly And al false harlots all doggish Doegs all dissembling Papists among vs that saye Amen from their teeth and wold if they could eate her with their teeth God turne their harts for his mercy or for his Iustice detect and roote them out that she our louing prince we her louing subiects maugre al Gods hers our enemies may long time liue and loue in God together Amen for Iesus sake Amē But what is this loue also were it neuer so vnfained or any of all these loues or all these loues and put them altogether and adde on the heade of al these loues the loue that we owe to God aboue all things which is most principally to be cōsidered to loue God with all our harte with all our soule with all our might and in respecte of this loue to set all other loues aside yea to hate oure selues in comparisō of this loue of God yet al the loues that we are able to bere one to another and all to God we are bound to them by so many causes that they are all rather dueties than loue And our loue whē it commeth to his most perfection is so imperfecte and hath so many bracks and blots till this corruptible shal put on incorruption and this mortall put on immortalitie yea when that which is perfect is com the imperfect abolished and that faith and hope shal cease only loue continue yet shal it neuer com nere this incomparable loue of god to vs wherby So God loued the world that for y worlds saluatiō he gaue his only begottē son Why sir may not a prince here in this world so loue his people to geue also his only begotten sonne for them and that for naughty caitiues theues wicked ones and traitors to him and to their countrey and that by the laws they ought to suffer a most reprochefull deathe yet may not this prince minding the iustice of the law shal passe so feruently loue those malefactours that he will not spare to geue his only begotten sonne to the laws seueritie and bitter deathe for the redemption of those trāsgressors so entierly beloued of him surely this were a maruelous harde case we can not put a harder no though he died him selfe for them We neuer redde of any sutche prince The ensample of Codrus that procured his owne deathe to saue the Athenians The ensample of the Philenian brethren that voluntarily were buried quicke for the enlarging their countrie bounds The ensample of the Decij and Curtius and such as gaue them selues to deathe for the preseruation of their coūtries this was maruelous great loue that moued them but nothing like the case here put How beit this is nothinge like to Gods case neither For if the prince bare sutche loue to those malefactors no great loue in any creature could com with out greate causes on their partes either that they had don for the prince or might doe for him that moued him to beare them this exceding loue But in God the creatour there was no cause at all as is alreadie declared on the worlds behalfe wherefore he shold loue the world neither benefite nor personage nor any thing besides the loue it selfe of god The Prince in this case might not fauoure his sonne or loue those offenders more than he did his sonne but the sonne of God is his best beloued neither did he this to his sonne as not louing his sonne or lesse louing his
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
is 〈◊〉 causantiuÌ„ causarum the cause of al causings and of all causes when we here it is Gods purpose so to be shal we not think eâ—…en this purpose of god the causer to be cause sufficient but we will seke for other causes in the causes inferior things that themselues are caused What absurditie were this in man and what presumption ahainst god sith we heare it is gods purpose and we are not content therwith Well say the Papists be it the cause be only in God and not in man nor any creature that he purposed to bestowe this benefite on the world yet she we me a cause in god himselfe that moued him hereunto Why is not this a sufficient cause of it selfe that we haue sayd al this while it was Gods purpose If this will not suffise thee what will suffise thee Shall I say it is Gods determination that is al one with purpose Shal I say it is Gods appoyntmente this is all one also Shall I say it is his good wil and pleasure what is this but in effecte the same also what shall I saye then that shall contente them Surely neyther I nor all the world shal be able to say any thing that can satisfie a warbling Papist in this matter For how should we satisfie him that is not satisfied with the purpose determination appointment wil and pleasure of God but he will needes know why God purposed determined and appointed why it was his will and pleasure But see euen here if this will content the Papist wee haue a further cause expressed in the firste begynnyng of this sentence Sic dilexit So God loued the Worlde Lo loue is the cause therof Yea but what made him loue the worlde saith the Papist nothing yes euen bycause hee would vouch safe so to doo Why sayeth he this commeth to the former cause hee loued it bicause he would But wherfore woulde he loue it Here the Papist setteth mee I confesse neyther will I search nor can I find any further cause than this neyther am I ashamed to be so sette of a Papist that I can go no further wheÌ„ I come to the loue good wil of God of which if it were so easy a matter to shew a further cause why was not S. Paul ashamed when he came to the alleaging of Gods will to crye oute that the Iudgementes of God were vnsearchable and durste goe no further after he had alleaged it to be Gods wil bycause beyond this cause he coulde fynde no cause hygher his fadome coulde reache no further Heere was abyssus abyssum inuocat Here was sette the Cherubin and the flamyng sworde to stoppe the entrie into this vnsearcheable Paradyse Here were the boundes of Gods Mountayne Sina limited that the people nor the Priestes nor any else durste or coulde enter into but onely our heauenly Prophete lyke to Moyses Iesus Christe not only man but GOD himself also And wil a beast a Papist a brutishe fleshly man presume to come neare thys mountayn yea to go beyond the boundes appoynted Shall not a dart be cast through him that dare presume thus beastely What is man that he should not be content when he heareth platte and playne it is Gods wyll but he wil demaund a reason of the same Iob neuer durste presume thus farre as the Papists doo yet when in the anguishe of his mynde hee wente beyonde hys reache The Lorde out of the whyrle wynde sayde Whoe is thys that darkeneth the counsell by woordes without knowledge Gyrde vp now thy loynes lyke a manne I wyll demaunde of thee and declare thou vntoo mee Where waste thow when I layde the foundations of the earthe Declare yf thou haste vnderstandynge c. Wylte thou disanull my Iudgemente or wylte thou condemne mee that thou mayste bee iustified or haste thou an arme lyke GOD or doest thou thunder wyth a Voyce lyke hym Decke thy selfe nowe wyth Maiestie and excellencye and arraye thy selfe wyth Beautie and glorye Caste abroade the indignation of thy wrathe and beholde euery one that is prowde and abase hym looke on euery one that is arrogante and bryng hym lowe and destroye the wycked in theyr place hyde them in the duste together and bynde theyr faces in a secrete place then wyll I confesse vnto thee also that thy ryghte hande can saue thee Thys presumption then not to bee content wyth the expressed good wyll of GOD but to searche further causes of his wyll then hee hath expressed that is his loue is euen to make our owne right hande our Sauiour as the Papistes doo Let vs therefore be content with this cause of Gods purpose that it is his good wil and procedeth of his mere loue And that his loue is the very and onely cause hereof as oure Sauioure Chryste hathe sayde Sic Deus dilexit mundum GOD so loued the worlde The loue of God is the cause of the Worldes saluation than the whyche what can bee a more notable cause and more comfortable herein than the loue and good wyll of god But the Papist whose mouth is not yet stopped nor hys ambitious mynde contented groynethe hereat that all shoulde proceede from the good wyll and loue of GOD Did not wee saithe he loue him before and then he loued vs No Papist we loued him not wee hated him as is already she wed In hoc est charitas non ê™ nos dilexerimus Deum sed quod ipse dilexit nos Loue consisteth herein sayeth S. Iohn not that we loued him but that he loued vs Prior dilexit nos he loued vs before and not we him before for then were all this in vayne then were the cause in vs not in God then were it no godamercie to God that we are saued but gramercie myne owne selfe for God requited me but loue for loue What a pawne checkemate were this to the loue of God But herein commendat charitatem suam Deus in nobis quoniam cum adhuc peccatores esâ—…emus God not onely loueth vs but herein he maruellously setteth out the glory and praise of his infinite loue vnto vs that euen when we were sinners when we were enemies he loued vs The only and whole cause then of Gods purpose to our saluation is the fauour loue of god Wherfore was Iacob preferred before hys brother Esau Iacob dilexi I loued Iacob Wherefore chose he the seede of Abraham Isaac and Iacob to be hys people for any merite of these their fathers which were holy patriarkes No Quia dilexit patres tuos forbicause hee loued their fathers Wherfore saith God vnto the Israelites The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a precious people vnto hym selfe aboue all people that are vpon the earthe The Lorde did not set his loue vpon you nor chose you bicause ye were mo in number than any people for ye were the fewest of al people but bicause the Lord loued you Wherfore is the
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
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
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
cōtende they so harde for it and in no case will let it go Would they haue vs relent to thē that stand in the defence of the glory of God and wil not they relent to vs in so small a matter that belongeth only to the glorie of man Wherfore thinke ye do they thus Late◅ anguis in herba There is a Snake in the grasse a padde in the strawe surely there is a greater matter in it than they pretende or we are al aware of Nay say they here is neyther snake nor adder No is out of dout it is ex genimine viperarum of the generation of adders for so saint Iohn hath statly told vs Wel yet it is but a little one a yong adder ye nede not be so afrayd of it ywisse it can not sting ye oh kil it not it is a prety worm nay kill it for Gods sake it is a mischienous worme And though it can not sling now yet saith S. Paule Ven◅num aspidum sub labijs eorū the poyson of aspis is vnder the tong of it if it liue it will proue a firie serpent and sting the Israelite euen to death A yong cubbe can play pretily like a litle whelpe it will not bite the henne may goe by it it wil not hurte one chick O it is a pretie foole Alacke who woulde kill it but for all that kill it say I else it wil kill chicken hen cock and all and it may come by them yea not only the olde Foxes but the young cubbes wasted the Lordes Uineyard And therefore sayeth God Capite nobis v◅lpes paruulas Catche vs these yong Foxes and suffer them not neither only the yong Serpent and the cubbe but also euen the yong chyld of the Babylonian the very infante of concupiscence Oh softe what will yee doo Staye youre hande it is a sweete babe kille it not kyll it not sayeth the Papiste Kyll them euery mothers chyld sayeth Dauid Happie is the manne that taketh their children and dasheth theire braines againste the stones Unhappie then is the Papiste that saueth them and pitt◅eth the deathe of them as Saule did Agag and loste his kingdome for his laboure Lette vs not therefore through foolishe pitie that destroyeth a Citie relente herein to the Papiste but crucifie mortifie kill the olde manne and all the lustes of the fleshe for they are noughte but Inimicitia aduersus Deum Enemitie against God and can doo noughte else but synne And yf there bee any breathe lefte in thys chylde that olde Adam hath gotten of concupiscence it breatheth nothyng but the lawe of Rebellion against the lawe of the minde euen in the Saintes of GOD if there be any sparkes suffered it may breede a perillous daunger A greate blase and sore fire maye come euen of one sparke Ensample Lette but one sparke fall in a barrell of Gu◅pouder see what a flashe yee shall haue and all of one sparke Beware therefore of grauntyng the Papistes so mutche as one sparke of goodnesse in the cause of our saluation For of this one sparke whatsoeuer shall arise muste bee ascribed to this sparke as the originall of all be it neuer so great a fire It neither came of the wind although the winde encreased it neither of the layer too of the wood though he ministred the matter nor of the wood it selfe that burneth for that is but the matter whereon the fire dothe woorke but all the fire waxe it neuer so big came of that little sparke of fire So all the goodnesse that is in manne after his callyng sprang of this sparke of goodnesse before his callyng onely GOD is made here but the blower of the bellowes or the wood carier and layer of the styekes together a meane office for God whereby as we say sutche a man made the fire when in deede the first sparke was the very maker of it so they gyue God the name of making causing al our goodnesse but in very dede that goodnesse was caused and made of that fyrste sparke of goodnes that the Papists imagin to be in our selues before God called vs What a wicked doctrin is this that thus ascribeth al to it self and nothing to god in the causes of our saluation except it be such seruile offices in healping to kindle the fyer as wee our selues woulde disdayne and wold put the meanest seruāts we haue to do But suche doctrine such effect it wrought For out of this wicked roote haue sprong infinite horrible errours Out of this sparke so great a flame hath risen as hath mounted vp to suche an height that the Papistes say they can do all that God cōmandeth Which thoughe it be a moste false blase and crake of their owne righteousnesse The iuste man sinneth seuen tymes a day and when we haue done all that we can doo wee are vnprofitable seruaunts yet how shall we now extinguish this stame had it not ben better to haue quenched it when as they saye it was but yet a sparke But will it heere goe out or stinte and goe no further Nay rather this stame of pryde aryseth greater mountyng so farre aboue all the woorkes of erogation to the woorkes of supererogation that they boasted they could doo more than euer God commanded Which hath giuen suche a counterfeyte blase of holynesse the angel of darknesse transfiguring himself lyke an angel of light that all the candels on Candelmasse day gaue not half such a light as the Popishe Uotaries their Uoluntarie works did giue Wherby all these mischieues and thousandes mo did spring the grace of God was defaced Gods word it selfe was burned the Priestes woorshipped god with strange fire or rather God himself was quite abolished and Idols worshipped in his sted◅ the bodies of the Saintes of God the temples of the holy ghost were with this fyre cruelly consumed to ashes the rage whereof so kindeled ▪ that the sparkles haue flowen ouer all neuer so perfecte frendship is like vnto it We reade of notable neighborly loue in stories The Heathens lymited thys loue to them that dwelt next them Neyther they only but we also doo apply the name of neighbors to them that dwell nere vnto vs And indede a very greate commoditie it is to haue an honest neighbour dwell by a man no lesse ann◅yāce to be matched with an ill neighbour In so mutche that the olde Romains when they made a sale or let out an house among the chiefest cōmendations that the seller wold set it out withal or the bier wold require or esteme it for this was always one by name whether it had a good neighboure adioyning to it or no. For no smal benefits ensue of neighborly loue But the scripture comendeth a neighbour to vs in an other sense ▪ euen for the ◅rem man and stranger to me that I am no kyth nor kinne vnto nor acquainted wythall nor is my countrey manne yea though he be my enemie
imputed to him but couered as thoughe he had it not and so is sodeynly transformed into another man Who is able to do so straunge and miraculous a woorke the iustifier Who is that god Doothe God iustifie the vngodly Dothe not God say Wo be to them that make euill good c. and that iustifie the wicked True he sayeth so of them and woorthyly that approue that for good whiche is euill but this manne is not now euill but was euil and of euil is made good And therfore woe againe to them that make good euill Why what goodnesse hathe hee to make hym good Forsoothe euen the greateste goodnesse that can bee deuised or wyshed for and that is euen the Sonne of GOD himselfe That is goodnesse inough But what hath he to doo with that Christes righteousnesse is not his ryghteous nesse Yes sayeth the synner thoughe that I haue none of myne owne I haue Christes He is my ryghteousnesse that I might be made the righteousnesse of God bycause I haue put on Iesus Christe bicause I haue receyued him by faith and so with him his righteousnesse is in mee And he and his righteousnesse being in me though I bee of my selfe a sinner Iam non ego viuit verò in me Christus quòd autem nunc viuo in carne in fide viuo filij Dei qui dilexit me tradidit semetipsum pro me Now it is not I but Christ dothe liue in me as for that I nowe liue I lyue in the faith of the sonne of God that loued me and gaue himselfe for me Why is thy faith of such vertue then to work this matter No my faithe onely apprehendeth Christ that is my righteousnesse and God of his fauourable mercy accepteth this my faith that is the apprehender for his sake that is apprehended as though the righteousnes of Christe were euen myne owne God dothe not this for my sake nor for my workes sake nor for my faithes sake but for his owne sonnes sake whome I flee vnto and flee from my selfe and from all other and catche holde only vpon him by faith And this my faithe in him is imputed to me for rightuousnesse Thus was it imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse it shall be like wise imputed to you for righteousnesse if yee beleeue in hym that raysed vp Iesus Christe So y this belefe deserueth it not no more than any other worke deserueth it though beleefe be the onely receyte and apprehension of it yet all consisteth but in imputation acception in vouchsafing and accompting this to bee ours that in it selfe is not ours we do but onely receyue by faithe Iesus Christ offered of GOD the Father vnto vs whome if wee doo receyue Cum filio suo nobis omnia donat He giueth vs all things with his sonne and so are we counted righteous Well sayth the Papiste were there no more in vs but euen thys yet lyeth it in vs to receaue Christe into vs here is some thyng and that no small matter euen the receauing of it See welbeloued so sain the Papist wold haue some thing to boast vppon he will play small play rather than he will sitte out What a hearing were this in a miserable caitife begger that had not one pennie in all the world to blesse hym but lieth in the stretes an outcast in extreme wretchednesse an honest mans comes by and euen vnasked of mere pittie biddeth him holde out his hande and giueth him a good liberall aâ—…mes the begger where he should had he any grace render at the leaste his humble hartie reuerent thankes vnto him that so freely gaue him this reliefe goeth craking awaye and â—…osting of him selfe that except he had put foorthe his hand 〈◊〉 it the other had not geuen it him Were this proude begger worthy his almes that thus impudently would blemish the liberalitie of the geuer bicause hee was the receauer He had doone a great matter had he not trowe you for letting the almes to fal into his hand A theef condemned to death and euen ready to bee executed findyng in himself no cause wherfore he shold be pitied nor in any other any meanes wherby he mighte be healped and seeth euen before hym the horrour of death that he hath deserued sodeynly vnlooked for vnsued for vnasked vnthought vppon moste of all vndeserued commeth the Queenes Maiesties pardon that shee of her owne voluntarie of her owne gracious mercy and pitie sendeth hym sealed and written wyth her owne hande and freely without any condition or exception offereth it vnto him biddeth him take it and he shall not suffer death but bee freely pardoned cleane forgiuen and be accompted as no suche felon euen as though he had euer bene a good subiecte and be receyued agayne into as muche grace and fauoure yea and greater than euer hee was before He putteth out his hande and receyueth it And as soone as he hath it he boasteth by and by what a myghtie deede hee hathe doone to receyue this pardon for otherwise saith he if he had not so done the Queene could not haue saued him it laye in his owne choise and power whether he wold be pardoned yea or no I praye you were sutche a fellowe woorthy to bee pardoned But thus deale the Papistes wyth thys pardon of Iesus Christe naye they deale farre woorse in this matter with GOD and Christe his sonne than any man is able to deale wyth manne For as this offer and gyft of GOD excelleth all comparison of Princes offers so manne in respecte of GOD whome he hath offended is in farre more wretched estate of synnes captiuitie and daunger of eternall deathe than all the beggers ' and prysoners in the worlde Neyther can he yf he well consyder and weyghe hys case doo so muche as the begger or prisoner maye for though he may resemble them in the refusall and so with them bee moste vnwoorthie eyther of almes or pardon yet hath not he that libertie in this matter of the soule to receyue it of his owne free will as they haue libertie to receyue that is offred them in bodily matters For although this gyfte â—…e offered vnto all yet none doo nor can receyue this gyfte but those to whome the meanes also to receyue it is gyuen The meanes is Faythe but euery manne hath not Faythe nor fayth is not of vs though it bee in vs Faythe is the gyfte of GOD fleshe and bloude reueales it not but he Qui diuisit vnicuique secundum mensuram fidei That hathe deuided to eche manne accordyng to the measure of Fayth Vnto you sayeth Saincte Paule to the Philippians it is geuen that ye shold not only beleeue in Iesus Christe but also suffer for him And for his owne parte sayeth hee Misericordiam consecutus sum vt sim fidelis I haue obtayned mercie that I might be faithfull And therefore it is not a voluntarie matter of our choyse to put oute the hande of
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