faith thy holy law is destroyed but I through experience that thou geuest me of my selfe am constrained to say the contrary that thy lawe is confirmed and established by fayth sith it is so that the man which is not iustified through faith doth feare thée as a sharpe and rigorous iudge where as he that is iustified by faith loueth thée worshippeth thée as a father the one as a most vile slaue serueth thée for feare the other as a right louing sonne serueth thée for loue Whereupon to the one thy commaundements do appeare very greuous and vnto the other they be very pleasant The one hauing thespirite of the world through the wisedome of the flesh loueth himselfe and the world the other hauing thy spirite by faith loueth thée and his neighbour for thy sake and the more faith encreaseth so much the more groweth charitie in that which cōsisteth al the obseruation of the lawe Therfore my Lord encrease in vs faith so that in vs may be established and fulfilled thy holy lawe to thy honour and glory ¶ Vpon the iiij Chapiter O My Lord if that noble Abraham could not glory in thy sight that he was iustified by his works what ought I vnhappy sinner to hope of my workes Wherfore like as he beleuing thy promises was fréele iustified by faith so I besech thée that I may obtaine from thy mercy the frée remission of my sinnes beleuing on Iesus Christ And like as Abraham receaued the circumcision of the flesh for a token of the iustice of faith semblably let me receyue from thy spirite the circumcision of the harte to thintent that I may serue thée in holines and in iustice all the dayes of my lyfe And euen as Abraham receiuing the promise of posteritie innumerable as the starres he doubted not through infidelitie neither be considered his bodie vnable to procreation by age neither his wyfe which was baren by nature but beinge strengthned by fayth and trustinge through thy word for that which he could not loke for by his naturall reason he beleued that hée should be the father of many nations and geuing glory to thée beleued assuredly that thou wast able to perfourme that which thou haddest promised which raisest vp the dead and with thy word geuest being to thinges which as yet be not likewise promising me my Lord by thy mercy the remission of sinnes and to take me for thy sonne also to geue me euerlasting lyfe graunt me grace that I thereof may not doubte through vnfaithfulnes neyther permitte me to behold so much my vnworthines that I should not fasten the eyes of my minde alwayes stedfastly vpon thy veritie the which is more able to saue me then my iniquitie to damne me and geue me a fayth so strong that hopinge through thy promise for that which I could not trust for by my sinnes I may beleue by the merites of thy onely begotten sonne to become of the child of wrath the child of grace and inheritour of eternall lyfe and that I may render thée dew glory beleuing stedfastly that nothing is impossible to thée whom though I be dead in sinne thou canst reuiue with thy iustice If my soule bée brought in a maner to nothing through iniquitie thou hast power to geue it a being most noble and immortall restoringe in it thy image The which grace my Lorde I besech thée that thou wilt graunt vnto me and to all other thy elects through Iesu Christ our Lord the which by thy ordinaunce died vpon the crosse for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustice ¶ Vpon the v. Chapiter MY Lord we are iustified through the liuely faith which thou hast geuen vs and be reconciled vnto thée through Iesu Christ our redéemer which hath brought vs vnto his kingdome by the meanes of fayth Graunt vs O Lord grace to continue in thy grace and augment in vs fayth in such wise that our soule may reioyce and glory not onely in hope of eternall glory but also in the tribulations of this present life knowing for a suretie that tribulation worketh pacience and pacience probation probation hope which deceaueth not by thy increadible loue that thou heare bearest vs wherof the holy ghost rendreth a most certein testimony which is geuen vnto our spirite and the passion of thy onely begotten sonne the which to obey thy will died vpon the crosse for vs miserable sinners and thy enemies where as scarse might be founde one that wold die for his frende either for one iust vertuous man If therfore thy charitie toward vs hath ben so great that while we were euill and wicked Christ dyed for vs much more now that we are iustified through hys bloud we shal be saued from thy anger by him because that being thy enemies hée hath brought vs in fauour with thée by his death much more now being reconciled we shal be saued through his life O Lord God write these most sweete thoughts with thy finger in our hartes that being crucified by thy grace we may here glory that thou art our God and our father through Iesus Chryst thy sonne our redéemer Amen My Lord God man was by thée created vnto thy image similitude that is most holy iust and Lorde of the world but he through his disobedience became vniust vngodly deceitfull and seruaunt of the Deuill neither should this our misierie euer haue had an end if thy mercy had not ordeyned it from euerlastinge that thy onely begotten should be the beginning the middest and th end of our saluation Therfore we can not so much bée sory for the sinne of Adam as we ought to be thankefull vnto thée for thy benifites because that like as by Adam sinne entred into the world and so death euen so through Iesu Christ is come vnto vs life iustice and grace a great deale more and of more force which wée haue receiued from thy kindnes by Iesu Christ than the hurte that Adam hath done vs through his transgression because that one sinne alone hath condemned vs and the grace of Christ doth deliuer vs from many sinnes And if by the sinne of Adam death hath reigned in the world much more through Iesus Christ life shall reigne in those that receiue the aboundaunce of grace and of iustice which he geueth to the faithfull Therfore like as the disobedience of our first parents made vs sinners worthy of eternal death so the obedience of thy sonne maketh vs iust and worthy of eternal life And if afterward the lawe taking place sinne dyd abound the Gospell comming after the lawe grace hath much more abounded to thend that like as sinne hath reigned which leadeth to death so now grace may reigne that iustifieth guideth such as beleue vnto eternall lyfe through Iesus Christ thy sonne and our redéemer ¶ Vpon the vj. Chapiter O Iesu Christ my Lord we are dead and buried in baptisme and be risen againe with thée as thy true members Therfore my
lord with thy spirite mortifie our flesh and quicken our spirite that we may liuely perceiue the vertue of thy death and of thy resurrection If our old man be crucified with thée to thintent we might walke toward heauen in the newnes of lyfe why in vs as yet do liue the lustes of the flesh which do drawe vs vnto the earth Why do they not suffer vs to worke all that which the spirite desireth O our Sauiour heare our lamentations and helpe vs for the glory of thy holy name sake and if we be verely thine make vs in dede conformable vnto thy image And like as death after thy gloryous resurrection hath no more power ouer thée but beinge destroyed by thée thou liuest eternally wyth God semblably we all being releued by thy grace permit not my Lord that we be any longer maistered of sinne which is the death of our soule but graunt vs grace to liue alwayes to thée and to sanctifie our soules bodies to thy seruice to th end that vnto thy honour may be set vpon the earth a resemblance of that holy and blessed lyfe which we shal liue in heauen after the last resurrection ¶ Vpon the vij Chapiter MY Lord when I consider the great corruption of mans nature on me cometh a horror and incredible feare of my selfe sithens it is so that whyle thou leauest man in his darknes and in his ignorance he hath neuer true feare of thée nor true knowledge of thy lawe but may be well compared vnto foolish beastes is verely like vnto them and now thinketh that sinne which reigneth in hym is dead and it liueth But when thou giuest him such perceueraunce that he is hable to sée and to consider to what thing the lawe bindeth him then sinne shewing forth his force declareth it selfe aliue horrible and very mightie and man is knowne to be moste weake and worthy of death because that the lawe is spiritual and requireth the puritie of the harte and man is carnall and full of affections and of vncleane desires The lawe commaundeth that a man should loue thée with al his soule with all his harte and with al his powers that he put al his hope in thy mercie and that he directe al his doings to thy honour but man loueth himselfe aboue all things he dependeth vpon creatures and is most desirous of glory and for euery little trifle he is angry with his neighbour and as much as he can persecuteth him whereas the lawe cōmaundeth him that he should loue him as himselfe Finally the the law forbiddeth the desire of the flesh the more it is forbiddē so much more it wareth fierce bringing forth fruite to death encreaseth damnation Likewise sinne which dwelleth in man taking an occasion by the lawe that is holy and iust becometh more mightie and more pernicious and by the lawe in which is set forth iustice life is gendred in man death and vnrighteousnes And while the power of the lawe lasteth there continueth enmitie of man with thée and with the lawe Let therfore my lord thy mercy be blessed the which hath brought vs from most greuous bondage of the lawe vnto the moste pleasaunt libertie of the gospell and to the kingdome of grace and in the stede of the face of Moyses which feareth threatneth curseth and condemneth serueth vs the face of Christ which assureth blesseth and saueth vs geuing vnto the faithfull the holy ghost the which deliuering them from the yoke of the lawe maketh them in loue with thée and with the lawe that liuing iustly and holily vpō the earth we may liue in Paradise eternally through Iesus Christ our Lord. We besech thée my Lord when that day shal come and when this most greuous battayle shall end that the spirite may not desire against the flesh that the flesh likewise may not desire against the spirite which eftsones maketh my life very bitter because I do not that which I would but I do that which displeaseth me Albeit it is not I that any longer in this wise do worke but the sinne that dwelleth in me for that I know there dwelleth not in me that is in my flesh any goodnes Then it is so that I haue a good will but I can not do that good which I desire Wherfore I do not that good which I would but that euill which I wold not And if I do that euill which I would not it is but the sinne that remaineth in me This I say because thy holy lawe deliteth me as touching the inward man that is as concerning the spirite the which is prone and bent to serue thée and to liue after the order of thy lawe But I se an other lawe in my flesh that is an other inclination that striueth continually against the inclination of my spirite maketh me prisoner and seruaunt of the tyranous lawe of sinne the which is directly contrary to thy holy lawe Wherby it cometh to passe that like as my spirite is wholy geuen vnto iustice to holines and desireth the death of the body for to liue with Christ farre from the greuaunces of the flesh euen so my flesh is delited with iniquitie it feareth nor loueth thée my Lord neither geueth credite to thy promises it loueth the entisements of the appetites the pomps of the world neither wisheth euer to come to an end of this mortall life Vnhappy person that I am who shall deliuer me from this defiled and sinfull flesh from this mortal clod of concupiscence the which neuer giueth me rest but alwaies vexeth me and continually fighteth against my spirite I yeld thée thankes my Lord through Iesus Christ which with the sacrifice of his flesh hath purged all the sinnes of my sinful flesh in so much that they be not imputed to me by thée to damnation In the meane season I liue after thy spirite and through liuely faith I am partaker of the most pure flesh of Christ which at length shall make my corruptible flesh conformable to his glorious flesh and shall deliuer me from the body of this death makinge that which is carnall spirituall after such sorte that all the lustes and rebellings of the flesh shall bée brought to nought that all the parts of my body and of my soule and of my spirite might be pure holy and cleane and most redie to accomplish eternally thy holy will Therfore I that in times past was wont to serue with the mind of my flesh to the lawe of sinne now with a mind renewed by thy spirite I serue thy lawe my Lord but with the remnantes of my flesh that is of the olde man I serue neuerthelesse the lawe of sinne and do know my selfe so farre from the perfecte iustice of thy holy lawe that altogether I should despayre of my saluation if I did not acknowledge Iesus Christ for my redemer and for my iustice To him with thée be glory euerlastingly ¶ Vpon the .viij. Chapiter MY Lord my
soule melteth for swetenes when I read these moste swéete wordes pronounced by thy spirite that they be frée from all condemnation which be in Christ Iesu which do not liue after the flesh but after the spirite because that the law of the spirite of the life which is in Christ Iesu hath deliuered me frō the lawe of sinne of death so that now I am become by thy grace a member of Christ Iesu the which making a sacrifice of his flesh vppon the trée of the crosse hath destroyed sinne and death to iustifie to geue vs eternall life that we should not liue after the flesh but after the spirite because that if we shall liue after the flesh we shall dye for that the affection of the flesh is contrary vnto thy holy lawe and to the spirite of Christ which is the fountaine of life Mortifie therfore my Lord the affections appetites of our flesh that the spirite of Christ may liue in vs the which now shall sanctifie our soules with his presence and thou hereafter shalt make glorious and immortal our bodies in the last resurrection My Lord if the people of Israel haue gloryed so much of the lawe by the which they receaued the spirite of bondage that engendreth feare how much more ought we Christians to reioyce of thy gospell by the which we receaue thy sonne whose spirite bringeth forth loue and geueth vs boldnes to cal thée father O my Lord graunt me to taste so much of thy spirite that my soule may onely glory of this incomprehensible treasure Cause my lord that thy spirite alwaies may render testimony vnto my spirite that I am thy sonne and consequently thy heyre and coheritour with Christ which through reproch and bitter death entred into the kingdome of glory and of life Therefore my Lord strengthen my harte so that following thy steps I may boldly set thy crosse before the honours and pleasures of the world and this temporall life loking with pacience for the redemption of my body and knowing for a suertie that the tribulations which be susteined in this world for Christes sake be not worthy the glory which shal be reueled vpon vs in the world to come And for because the inuocation of thy holy name is our onely refuge in our afflictions and I of my selfe know not how to pray as it is mete let thy holy spirite O Lord helpe my infirmitie direct my praiers in my tribulatiōs comfort me certifyinge me that like as to Iesu Christ all thinges wrought together for the best when he semed to the world forsaken of thée semblably euery thing helpeth the saluation of those which loue thée and be called by thée after the determination of thy good pleasure because thou hast appoynted from euerlastinge that thy children should become conformable to the image of thy sonne in the crosse and in glorie to th end that he might be the first begotten among many bretherne If therfore my Lord thou hast shewed me this fauour to call mée vnto this brotherhod why should not I glory with my selfe in the crosse of Christ specially knowing that thou iustifiest them whom thou callest doest gloryfie those that be iustified by thée And if thou be with vs who shal be against vs If thy charitie was so great that to deliuer vs from death thou hast geuen to death thy sonne how can it be that thou wilt not graūt vs with him al things Who then shal be so bold to accuse at thy iudgement seat thy electes If thou by thy mercy assoylest them and acceptest them for good iust yea if Christ be dead to deliuer them from damnation and be risen againe and ascended into heauen to make intercession for them who shal be hable to condemne them And if thou hast geuen vs so great and worthy gages of thy loue who may make vs beleue that thou louest vs not Whether tribulation misery persecution hunger barenes daungers or swerd yea I do beleue that all these thinges shall cause vs to be more certaine of thy good will towards vs because that through thy grace we shal ouercome and in ouercoming let vs vnderstand be assuredly perswaded that we shall haue the vpper hand in all our temtations I besech thée my lord to confirme vs with thy spirite in this holy persuasion so that euery one of vs may say with thy Apostle I am sure that neither death neyther life neither Angelles neither princes neither powers neither thinges present neither things to come neither highnes neither lownes neither any other creature shal be able to separate vs from the loue that God beareth vs in Christ Iesu our Lord. ¶ Vpon the .ix. Chapiter MY Lord when thy sainctes do say that the predestination of the electes doeth not depend of mans workes but of thy mercie because that onely they be saued which by thée be chosen through grace the wisedome of man can not abide this veritie saying that this being true thou shoulddest be vniust cruell and parciall As though that if a potmaker can make of one lumpe of clay some vesselles to honour and some other to dishonour it might not bée lawfull for thée to fashion of one selfe substaunce some men to perdition which bée the vesselles of wrath in the which doth appeare thy iust iudgement and some other to saluation which be the vesselles of grace in whom is set forth thy glory But the wise of the world say as pleaseth them I for my selfe my Lord do render thée infinite thankes that it hath pleased thée that eternall life should depend of thy mercy and not of mans will because that my corruption is so great that I am sure I should go into perdition if my saluation did depend vpon me And I knowe for a suertie that euery one to whom it shal be graunted by thy grace to enter into the knowledge of his vanity wil be of the same opinion because he is wretched which trusteth in his owne power and blessed is he that putteth affiaunce in thy mercy throuh Iesus Christ our Lord. ¶ Vpon the x. Chapiter MY Lord I know by experience that thy onely begotten sonne Iesu Christ is th end of thy holy law because he promiseth lyfe to all the fulfillers and curseth the transgressoures therof But how much more a man vnderstandeth the lawe and is enclined to obserue the same so much more hée knoweth himselfe for a sinner and doth despayre of his owne strength And for what end doth the lawe bring a man to desperatiō To this end that he might be constrayned to runne vnto Iesus Christ the onely Sauiour whereunto the iustice of faith exhorteth him speaking to him in this wise O sinfull man despeire thou not for thy vnrighteousnes for if thou wilte beleue with thy harte and confesse with thy mouth that Iesus Christ very God and very man dyed for thy sinnes and is risen againe ascended into heauē for thy iustice thou shalt be iust