which what so euer he promised vnto Abraham in his posteritie he hath performed it vnto vs in Iesus Christ our Lord whom he restored again from death to life declaring therby that Abraham did not beléeue amisse which trusted that he could giue life to the dead and to make the things that were not for to be We oughte not therfore to giue our thaÌ„ks vnto the law of Moses for our iustification but wholely altogither to Christ which â—â—â—ly yelded himselfe to death to put away our sinnes without our desertes and the same rose againe from death to the end we should abstaine from deadly things and neuer after commyt such enormities and sinnes as Christ dyed for I say therfore that Christ died to kill our sinnes in vs and the same rose again from death that we by meanes of him being made dead to our sinnes should also rise againe with him vnto newnesse of life and to liue according to rightuousnesse which by the benefite of his death we haue most amplie receiued The fifth Chapter The povver of faith hope and loue and hovv death raigned from Adam vnto Christ by vvhome only vve haue forgeeuenesse of our sinnes THerefore we be made rightuous from oure sinnes not by the lawe of Moses which augmenteth rather our offences neither by the merite of our good woorkes but euen as Abraham was so be we also reconciled vnto God through the onely dignitie of our faithe Vnto whome also Abraham was counted righteous for his faithe and that not by the lawe of Moses but by the onely sonne of God oure Lorde Iesus Christe which washing away oure sinnes in his bloude and by his deathe reconciling vs againe vnto God which before was offended with oure sinnes opened vnto vs the way wherby we through our faith without the helpe of our Circumcision might be drought into the graâ—e of the Gospell In which Gospell all that be the children of God stand stedfastly in faithe Neither stand they all only with light and mercie harts but also reioyce and glory as well for that they be atone with God as also to haue sure hope shewed vnto them that for the continuaÌ„ce of their faith they shal once come to the eternal glory of god And as we enuie not the Iewes though they glory in their circuÌ„cision so it repeÌ„teth vs not of our faithe which bringeth to vs so great frute neither yet â—â—e we for thinke our reioysing by hope whereof we be most happily comforted set at a sure stay The which though it doe not yet appeare but moste suffer many things before we come vnto it yet we accompt our afflictions and troubles of great glory and praise which we suffer in the meane time and shall open the way for vs into immortalitie for we haue receiued this example and mightie doctrine of Christe himselfe that in suffering afflictions patiente is made strong and by patience we are rendred vnto God and proued daily amongst men Againe the more that we be proued by perplexities and troubles so much the more strong is our hope of rewarde Neither shal we doubt or feare that our hope will deceiue vs and forsake vs or be once ashamed that we haue beléeued in as muche as we haue a sure earnest or gage that it is his wonderfull loue towards vs which is not shewed only without forth but also moste aboundantly it is imprinted in our hartes which also worketh oure loue towardes him It God had not wonderfully loued vs his only deare sonne shoulde not haue bene suffered to descende into this miserable world and to receiue mortal fleshe vpon him and therein to suffer death yea the moste cruel and shameful death for vs which were abandoned and giuen ouer to all filthie and dissolute liuing This notwithstanding he loued vs in suche manner that he willingly and fréely suffered such crueltie for vs Amongst men one man cannot be founde so frendly that wil suffer death for his felow And though peraduenture there be some men that wil die for some of their speciall friendes which haue deserued it by benefites or giuing of gifts yet the frendship and loue of God excéedeth all kinde of loue which deliuered his onely deare Sonne 〈◊〉 be moste â—â—e 〈◊〉 tormented and cruellie wounded to the death for moste accursed and wretched sinners which benefite loue séeing he hath shewed to the very wicked and most gracelesse offenders how muche more wiâ—â— he shewe it to the penitent harted and his deare louers Christ died for vs for a while â—â—ase againe from death to liue for euermore By whose only puissant and triumphant death séeing we be now reconciled vnto God which before was greuously offended with vs to the ende we should afterwardes haue him beneuolent and mercifull then muche rather shall his life performe this foreséeing that we fall not againe into oure olde filthie iniquities His death tooke away our offences and his life shall guide our innocencie His death bought vs from the boÌ„dage of the diuell and his life shall maintaine the louely fréedome of his father towardes vs These be suche euident tokens of Gods almightie loue towardes vs that we may not onely vs sure with firme hope and confidence that we be safe from his ire to come but also they liuely encourage vs to reioyce in the same not vaunting or extolling our good woorkes but wholly giuing thankes to God to whose only goodnesse we may euer referre all our perfecte felicitie which he hath prepared for vs not by the lawe nor by Circumcision or other Ceremonies but only by his sonne Iesus Christ And it was moste secretely prouided by the highe Councell of God that the way to restore vs againe to health should agrée in fashion vnto the way that brought vs to destruction For like as by one the first Adam which gaue the first onset to the traÌ„sgressing of Gods lawe sinne came into the world and death also by the meanes of sinne which deathe is the ende and rewarde of sinne and the forcible venome and poison of the soule also as it chaunced that sinne began at the head of maÌ„kinde throughe whome it also came vnto all his posteritie Euen so by Christ the seconde Adam in whome we be new borne by faithe innocencie was broughte amongste vs and life folowed innocencie And so this felicitie which procéedeth of the newe beginner of mankinde is deriued vnto all men which by faithe appertaine vnto Christe and leade an innocent and cleane life Further after that sinne was broughte into this worlde and inuaded all men it would not be put away neither by the lawe of Moses nor yet by the lawe of nature but only the lawe testified that they which offended did onely deserue punishment Howe beit the Gentiles had no punishment appointed vnto them for their offences but 〈◊〉 infantes which by season of their tender youthe haue not the vse of the lawe of nature neither yet can rightly
highe and notable mysterie For after almighty God of his great goodnesse had created Adam farre passing all other his creatures in the excellencie of his creation and had also but of very base and vile matter made him vnto his owne godly imâ—â—â— and similitude resembling therein his diuine maiestie in heauen and moste godly perfection of all innocencie wherwith he was highly endued at his first originall and beginning he then placed him in a most pleasant Paradise of all â—oy and singular comfort and gaue frée choise and libertie vnto him to vse all things there at pleasure and to his owne hartes desire saue only he forbad him to eate of the frute of the knowledge of good and euil which was of most amiable apearance beautifull to beholde and most pleasantly placed in the middest of Paradise The commaundement heereof was not burdenous or vnreasonable for man to beare but only requested therein due obedience and loue towardes his louing God and maker vnto whome only that noble creature man aboue all other creatures should haue had most speciall regarde considering moste déepely in him selfe the excellencie of his maiestie that so graciously formed him blessed him and moste pleasantly placed him and there to looke for al goodnesse only at his holy hand not to take as it were vpon him selfe by his owne woorthynesse the forme of goodnesse and euill but should onely haue holden that for euil and forbidden which God restrained as euill and to count that only for good and rightuous which of God is allowed and graunted God therefore toke Adam and to put him out of all doutes brought him to the same place and shewed him the very trée and the frute therof standing in the middest of the Garden of pleasure and forbad him the eating thereof with an earnest charge and threatning saying on this wise vnto him In what so euer houre thou shalt eate the frute of that trée thou shalt surely die be subiect to eternall deathe Yet notwithstanding this straighte restrainte of God Adam stackered and dealt but slipperly vntruely and carelesly with his faithful God and maker transgressing his holy commaundement and gaue more credit to the persuasion of the woman and of the wicked serpent than to the truthe of Gods woorde and his holy commaundement Whiche was nothing else but eueÌ„ so much as in them did lie to take vnto theÌ„selues the form of good and euil as out of them selues or by some other meane rather than of God their maker vnto whose only wil and pleasure they should most humbly haue yéelded their obedience as vnto him who alwayes most gratiously wisheth all goodnesse vnto euery man For he being by the woman and the serpent deceiued thought that God was not indifferent towards him but that be had rather of sette purpose withdrawne from him some parcell of his diuine and godly wisedome Therefore for as muche as in mind he was thus deceiued sodenly chaunged and departed now from God declaring thereby his vnstayednesse infidelitie and vnfaythfulnesse and looked not for all good things only at his gracious hands as of duetie he should but yelded to the Diuell receiued that was offered and tasted to his condemnation of that strayt forbidden fruite to aduance and set forwardes him selfe to the presence and secrete highnesse of Gods mightie maiestie and that rather by some bye way with his owne will and consente then contenting him selfe with the onely will of God and so to recouer thereby as he thought the fulnesse of his necessitie and lacke of perfection which he then imagined to be muche wanting in him selfe And thus with his forgetfulnesse haughtinesse of heart infidelitie slipperines disobedience vnthankfulnesse against his God and Maker and deserued therby his iust vengeance and to be for euer the fyrebrande of hell euer burning euer dying and neuer to dye the seconde death he yet fastened vppon life which he moste happily receiued through the onely compassion and great mercy of God who notwithstanding offence so gréeuously committed agaynst him wherby eternall damnation was due to the offendour and to become a bondeslaue vnto the Diuell for euer to whom he so willingly yelded so diligently obeyed beléeued folowed and serued yet as is sayde so great and vnspeakable was the mercy of God towards man so infinitely his loue abounded and so tender he was ouer him and so sorowfull for his gréeuous fall from blisse into perdurable tormente and paine and to redeeme him agayne from it and from the diuell that he moste certaynely decréed with him selfe to curse his owne deare sonne and to pushe him as it were forwards by the shoulders to most cruel death for the recouering agayne of man And so through his sonnes moste paynefull death and passion to saue mankinde from euerlasting â—â—ath and damnation which Adam himselfe and his whole posteritie fell into through the infection of his pride disobedience and loosenesse of heart agaynst god Euen here verily as ye perceiue had the iuste God iuste occasion by iustice iustly to expell man to confounde him to damne him and to leaue him vtterly destitute of his grace and to yéelde him to the Diuell for euer for so did his righteousnesse and truthe require Consider these were the wordes that God spake vnto him I tell thée Adam in what soeuer houre thou eatest of the fruite thou shalt surely dye the death How beit the great goodnesse and mercy that was in God called him backe from moste seuere iustice and required not vtter reuengemente and thereby to suppresse man a very frayle poore and naked creature In the meane tyme therfore God found out the very true and ready way whereby his righteousnesse truth might fully to effect be satisfied and wherein also the swéetenesse of his mercy shoulde specially be exercised and declare foorth the mightinesse of it selfe that is truely to say the onely Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Chryst which as I sayde before was willingly pushed vnto deathe to deliuer Adam and his whole posteritie from their sinne and damnation through the onely fauour and mercies sake of God the eternall father Therefore bicause mankinde coulde in no wyse be saued and deliuered fréely from sinne death and the Diuell and so made agayne at one with his so louing and faythfull a God as he shewed hym selfe vnto Adam his firste creature but onely by Chryst Iesus hys owne and onely Sonne Chryst dyd moste willingly ioyne in consente with his father and so tooke vppon him selfe the rigour of his fathers terrible sentence pronounced iustely agaynst Adam the curse of the whole lawe vpon his owne backe and dyed Adams due death for him and for vs all that were by him in the lyke state of damnation For euen so sayth the Prophete Cursed is he that hangeth on trée Wée be now therefore redéemed agayne by Chrystes death from our bondage and from the seruyce and slauerie of the Diuel and from that most bitter curse that was proper vnto Adam
and to all his ofspring Wée are also by Chryst taken out of the kingdome of darknesse and placed through his onely deserte in the cleare lighte and in the moste gloriouse kingdome of our eternall and louing god In thys maner passing now further on my purpose the gentle Reader shall take the speciall meaning of the holy Apostle in his Epistle on thys wyse whyche is that all true Christian men muste wholly depende vppon the mercy of God throughe hys deare Sonne Iesus Chryst for the fulnesse of their eternall redemption and by hys onely merites to attayne their eternall saluation And that all suche as looke to come vnto it by their owne merites deseruings and woorkinges are in that poynte lyke vnto their father Adam whiche in hys pride and disobedience went about to come to the Maiestie of God through his owne deuises vayne byewayes and very fonde attemptes at what tyme he moste vnlawefully yéelded to eate the fruite that was moste lawfully of God forbidden him All which proud attempters may be wel assured to abide also the like cursse that was giuen to Adam but not a blessing or the saluation that of God was mercyfully promysed and that onely by the merytes of Iesus Chryst onlesse they will beginne to repente of their pride blindenesse and disobedience and onely referre it to our mercyfull God him selfe throughe the onely faythe and beléefe due from them to our Lorde Iesus Chryste who onely satisfieth the truthe and iustice of GOD in thys poynte whiche sayde vnto Adam In what so euer houre thou eatest of the fruyte thou shalte surely dye the death By which onely satisfaction of Chryst all men euen as Adam bée reconciled agayne vnto God the father their sinnes fréely remytted and come boldely agayne to the presence of hys maiestie and not by our owne deuises and foolishe inuentions as the more pitie it is many men moste blindly doo that beareth at this day the names of Chrystians Wherefore in as muche as it was then concluded that Chryst was the very perfecte waye to restore man agayne to his perfect ioy and felicitie which before he had loste It was thought of God almightie méete and necessarie to sende vnto him a lawe before the comming of the sauiour Chryst which might put him daily in mynde of his fall from the ioyes wherein God had once moste happily placed hym as also to lay playne open before his face his abhominable pride disobedience and wretched liuing For which cause many hundreth yeres after the fall of Adam was thys Lawe proclaymed by the Patriarke Moyses written and set foorth in Tables and Bookes to the ende that by the straytenesse thereof all men mighte knowe not onely the great mercy of God ouer them but also their owne naughtie nature weakenesse blyndenesse and myserable state through their disobedience and sinne which before the Lawe came hadde welnighe forgotten their deadly fall and knew not in effecte what sinne was they were so wretchedly blinded in the vanitie of their pride and false imaginations To the ende therefore that all creatures should know their owne case and imperfection their damnable state and condition the laws was proclaymed which besides that it manyfested vnto vs the wonderfull mercy of God towards vs as also the state of Adam our first parent and the filthynesse of all our sinfull and abhominable liuing and the giuing furthermore vnto vs such precepts and commaundements of vertuous conuersation and liuing as alwayes is séemely for godly men to vse by the which all men at all times should haue rectified and amended their vngodly liues It also prescribed certayne Ceremonies which men dayly exercise among them selues taking the same and stedfastely also beléeuing that they dyd but prefigurate the deathe of the same Chryst which was promysed to dye the deathe in the behalfe of Adam and his whole pasteritie wherein if men in tymes passed dyd vse among them selues according to this sense and meaning they were founde righteous before God not for dooing the Ceremonies but onely for their beléefes sake which they conceyued in Chryst to come whom onely the Ceremonies dyd but barely prefigurate Al which ceremonies sayth S. Paule should vtterly now cease and stande no more in effect amongste christen men Inasmuch as nowe the very truthe and thing it selfe is already come and shineth amongste vs which they before only prefigured And euen thus did God most louingly sée to the repairing againe of his decayed Creatures that so muche had offended him in their loosenesse and falling from him And for which only cause his own and only deare sonne was promised toke vpâ—â— him therfore ouâ— flesh and died therin the most sharpe and â—â—uel death Wherfore God now at this time requireth nothing else at our handes but to haue alwayes respect vnto his mercy thorow Iesus Christ and to beholde also his wonderfull loue towardes vs to the ende we should be ashamed of our owne sinfull actes how ofte so euer we turne our mindes from him through the committing of vice which is displeasant abhominable alwayes damnable in his sight Also howe that we should meekely acknowledge and confesse daily vnto him our owne sinnefull liues the miserablenesse of our nature how of our selues we are not able to thinke speake nor do any good thing and not stubbernly to do as Adam did run from the face of God hide our sinnes from him or else couer them from his presence with our own vaine inuentions For Adam at what time he knewe that he had offended and broken his commaundement he perceiued immediately what state he stoode in and by the accusation of his owne conscience he felte in him selfe the pricke of sinne he began then to be trudging and to hide him selfe from him and soughte meanes to couer him selfe althoughe with moste simple and very slender clothing which he then accordingly but litle trusted vnto like as it is all vnprofitable that man of hys owne braine wil deuise to cloke his sinne with all although both he and his make flie neuer so fast from the face of the Lord and seeke meanes to hide them selues But yet notwithstanding all this saide disobedience hautie and proude stubbernesse of Adam which after he had most wretchedly offended chose rather to hide him self from God than meekely to acknowledge his fault before him the louing Lord was stricken so full of compassion and mercy towards man his simple naked and poore creature that he quickely folowed and hastened him self after that fugitiue and runnagate found him quickly but conferred most mildly with him put him in minde of his decay great myserie and the happie life that he miserably had falne from and saide on this wise to him Adam where arte thou which should signifie vnto him O Adam knowest thou what thou hast done hast thou considered wel with thy self of thy present state and what miserie thou art now falne into froÌ„ thine innocencie blissefull state and felicitie by coÌ„tempt of my
discerne the good from the bad are not amongste men coumpted sinners as men are sinful neither so corrected for their offences euen so it chanced vnto the Gentiles which did sinne contrary to the lawe of Moses hauing no knowledge thereof Yet sinne was not absent from the Gentile before that the lawe was giuen as dothe witnesse against him the lawe of nature But they did fauor pardon them selues in their sinnes stil offended God as though they had ben priuiledged persons bicause they had not amongst theÌ„ the law of Moses Therfore at the tune he was not come that should take away the sinnes of the worlde and put away the tirannie of deathe and sinne which through Adam entred into the world raigned amongst men vnpunished as in Adam which brake the commaundement of god Notwithstanding the same did long before prefigure the comming of Christ which shuld be after him Not that Adam was like in all things vnto Christe but that in some speciall things he represented the image of him And in this point was Adam like vnto Christ bicause that both of them were the first beginners of the generations But Adam of the earthie generation and Christ of the heauenly Furthermore bicause that from either of them as from a beginning came certaine procéedings vnto all men But from the earthie Adam came the originall and beginning of vnrightuousnesse and deathe And from Christ the heauenly Adam came the beginning of innocencie and euerlasting life Which bothe though in some part they be like yet in equalitie they very much differ For as in this speciall pointe to saue is a thing of more might and puissance than to kill so is Christ much more mightie which saueth than Adam that killeth And the obedience of Christ was of greater efficacie with god his heauenly father to bring vnto men their life than was the traÌ„sgression of Adam to bring vnto them their death Wherfore the goodnesse of Christ doth muche excéede the offence of Adam least a man should fall into despaire of his healthe when he remembreth the sinne of his first father For if it be reason that the sinne of oure firste father Adam shoulde condemne suche an infinite numbre of men by greater reason the benefite of Christe should restore them vnto life againe whome God hath appointed the author of our innocencie and hath graunted vnto him that his death should not only take away the spot and tirannie of oure sinne and deathe but hath giuen to the handes of the same to dispose vnto all men the power of rightuousnesse in steade of theyr sinnes and the heauenly kingdome for the tirannie of their death Therfore as the fall of Adam was no great hurt to the faithfull so the goodnesse of our Lord Christ maketh vs at one with his heaueÌ„ly and mercifull father Also as Adam through his offence was the occasion that all his posteritie doe stande as in the state of damnation so the mightie benefite of Iesus Christe towardes vs hath put away all our offences In witnesse wherof he hathe sealed it with his moste precious bodie vppon the crosse as â— moste â—uâ—e testimonie of the same But to come againe vnto that wherof we haue spoken before If it were so prouided of God from the beginning to take away from man his sinne and to restore againe vnto him his life after this sorte what did it then preuaile to make a lawe which did profit nothing at all to saluation yes verily the lawe did profit muche that by the knowledge thereof the benefite of Christe mighte the more cleerely and euidently appeare vnto vs For the more that our sinnes menaced and cruelly threatned vs so muche the more manifest was the benefit of Christ which alwayes cheareth vs land deliuereth vs from sinne The lawe plainly laide open vnto all men the death of sinne which though some went about with striuing to ouercome it yet the tirannie therof was so sharp so stout and valiant that it was impossible to be vanquished But the goodnesse of Christ was much â—â—nightie than it put all tâ—raâ—â—â—e of death to slight from al such as would beléeue only in him This proâ—â—t therfore we gâ—â— by the law that we perceiue truely therby the magnitude greatnesse of Christes benefit towards all men by which it commeth to passe that like as the diuel through the tirannie of sinne brought death vnto all meniso the goodnesse of almighty God giueth life vnto all men throughe his owne deaâ—e sonne Iesus in which our only â—ord Prince I reioyce being now made frée from the bondage of death vnder which not long héeretofore I haue most wofully liued The sixth Chapter For so muche as vve be deliuered thorovve Christe from sinne vve must fashion our selues to liue as the seruauntes of God and not after oure ovvne lustes The vnlike revvard of rightuousnesse and sinne AND whereas I haue saide before that sinne by the lawe was manifest and made muche more abundant and did greatly profite to the ende that the goodnesse and mercie of God shuld be more euident vnto vs yet let as man héreby take occasion to continue in his sinne and say in this manner within him selfe Séeing that sinne setteth forthe the goodnesse of God towards men it shall be expedient alwayes to sinne to the end the goodnesse of God may be alwayes the more euident and knowne But God defend from the hartes of Christen men all suche wicked thoughtes For I doe héere meane the sinnes of the olde and former life which God by his mercie tourned vnto oure profite and commoditie And God forbid also that after we be once made frée from sinne conuerted into the state of innocencie we shuld forsake our deliuerer from thence and fall headlong againe into our olde noisome trade Deathe and life be so farre at oddes that they can neuer agrée the one with the other Wherfore assone as we begin to liue vnto Christe we be then deade to sinne and to the Diuell But if we liue to sinne and to the Deuill â—e are damnablie deade euen in that we liue And in liuing to Christ we alwayes liue and are dead to sinne which he only put away through his most precious and bitter death And in receiuing the baptisme of Christe we exercise the same misterie continually amongste vs For when we be Baptised in the name of Christe we doe â—is with him to oure olde sinnes which by vertue of his Passion were putte away And we doe not onely die with him but also be buried wyth him and that through the same Baptisme That lyke as he which neuer liued to sinne yet dyed for our offences and was restored agayne to euerlasting lyfe not by the strength of any man but by the poweâ— of God his almightie father euen so wée béeing stirred vp by him from the death of sinne and filth of our olde offences doo now liue a new life in
flesh or from this body of death which is thus subiecte to so many miseries to so many prouocations enticementes to naughtinesse encombred with so many vices and wel nigh confounded with these daily conflictes that alwayes haleth me pulleth me downe and draweth me forcibly to destruction and death Think not you that he hath iust cause thus to bewaile his state and to crie out that in this manner is daily beséeged assaulted and troubled with so many mischéeues cruell and deadly aduersaries But the remedie heereof considered and the most happie meanes remembred for our deliuerance O what cause of great thankfulnesse by bounden duetie and all humblenesse haue we to giue vnto our God which mercifully hath set vs in moste happie state and safetie and deliuered vs from these noysom miseries euen for the onely loues sake he bare vnto vs not through the lawe of Moses or Circumcision but by his onely and moste deare sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ the which if by him it had not so ben ended and done I my selfe being but one man among others shuld haue bene a runner but in an vnconstant race and drawne in such sorte hither and thither with the impious cordes of inconstancie vanitie that happily now and then I should with ioyfulnesse haue serued the lawe of my God with my spirite in desiring the things that be honest and godly but with my faultie flesh the lawe of sinne in coueting corruptly the things that bée dishonest and by the deadly force thereof my pore spirite alwayes preuailed against and turmoiled with miserie The eight Chapter The lavve of the spirite giueth lyfe The spirite of God maketh vs Gods children and heires with Christ The abundant loue of God can not be separated BVt now although there be yet many blots and stumbling blocks of the old boÌ„dage stil remaining among christen men ther is yet no dout but through their godly study christen endeuer they may easily passe by them and not be so violently drawn vnto such horrible sinnes for they are now entred into the heauenly fréedom of Christ vnited and made one with him through their lyuely faith and true promise made at baptism All whiche by this chaunge haue now cessed to liue again after the illectation or wanton enticing of the sensuall lustes of their flesh in asmuch as the lawe of Christ which is heauenly spiritual and the author of lyfe béeing also strong and full of might hath fréely deliuered them all from the bondage and lawe of sinne from death the famyliar companion of sinne and the iust reward of the same Whiche thing bycause the lawe of Moyses was carnall and in consideration thereof very weake of it selfe God did foresée and prouide for the saluation of man after an other sorte and fashion And lyke as I haue sayde before that in one man there was two menne one carnall and an other spirituall euen so within the precinct of Moses lawe there are two lawes the one grosse and carnall and the other holy and spirituall The fyrst of these two lawes haue Moyses for his auctour and beginner whiche as it was not perpetuall euen so it was not of vertue to giue any saluation to man The seconde lawe is spirituall straunge full of efficacie and immortall whiche Chryste himselfe hath consummate and fulfilled to all suche as beléeue in him Howbeit it was very expedient that one fleshe shoulde abolishe and put awaye an other one sacrifice to preuayle before an other and one death moste mightily to suppresse an other Therfore God the father hungring and thirsting in his mercie after mans saluation sent his onely deare sonne whiche though he were frée from all contagion of sinne yet he toke vpon hym the same fleshe that all other sinners had and became conuersant amongst the wicked as one of them himself for the most precious redemption of man vnto the same saluation And yet verily so vnkyndely he was entreated amongst the sinners so despitefully and cruelly handled that they put him to the moste shamefull death and crucified him among the synfull moste vyle and false théeues Which for mannes sake tooke vpon hym our very body of synne that he might vnder the same fourme and similitude of sinne ouercome sinne and after that abolishe it and putte it cleane awaye Hée was made a sacrifise for oure trespasses and so dying in the fleshe whiche he tooke amongst vs broughte death to subiection and bondage whiche before bare rule ouer vs thorough the lawe and the corrupt affections of our bodies whiche also brought all things to suche a passe that considering the putting away of the grosse and fleshely parte of the Ceremoniall lawe wée shoulde thencefoorthe embrace the seconde part of the lawe whiche is heauenly and spirituall And that ministreth not ire and threatnings as doth the olde parte of the lawe but very rightuousnesse to all suche as doe not leade their liues after the letter and Ceremonies of the Iewes but after the spirite and inwarde minde of the lawe as men regenerate and newe borne againe in Iesus Christ The Iewes in their Ceremonies had as it were but the deade picture and image of rightuousnesse but we haue the verâ—â—â—e liuing and quicke rightuousnesse it selfe and the very perfecte rule of all godlinesse which Christ by his spirit hath wrought in vs Wherfore the true change of our state conditions and fashions of religion declareth the manner of a newe life in vs And we perceiue very euidently that all such of the Iewes which still continue in the rottennesse of their olde forme of religion and in the fleshe or grosenesse of the lawe are delighted and pleased with all suche things as are grose carnall and fleshly Contrariwise all suche as are engrafted into Christ are become spirituall and precise in rightuousnesse vtterly banishing from them all such olde things as appertaine to the fleshe and are constantly rapte in their mindes to all suche things as are spirituall For truely euen suche as the state condition and nature of the man is suche is his desire and common inclination to worke As touching our fleshe we be all mortall but Christe that is immortall hathe nowe called vs to a life in him which is immortall Againe the carnall lawe of the Iewes is alwayes againste Christe and calleth vs from him which for the same cause bringeth death with it in as muche as it contendeth and striueth againste him which is the only author of life By reason whereof the Iewes being stricken with the zeale and loue of the same lawe did put to death the author of their life and iustification But coÌ„trariwise they that set the grosenesse of the lawe at naught and folowe the spirite doe finde most plentuous life in Christe Iesus Neither doe they argue vppon the barren and hungrie obseruances of the lawe but hauing in their hartes the pleasant sauor and taste of charitie be well stayed in them selues liue ioyfully
pietic and godlinesse daylie profiting and encreasing therein not through our owne power but through the euerlasting power of the mightie spirite of god For séeing by Baptisme we be grafted into the body of Chryst and the maner transfourmed in him whatsoeuer we sée done in him which is our head the same by all congruitie we ought to expresse and to auoyde in vs all things to the contrarie which are before him his sanctified members He rose from death to lyfe he ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hande of his almightie father All these are done and fulfilled in Chryst Wherfore wée muste also endeuer our selues to accomplish the same Then béeing dead to our olde sinnes through Baptisme if wée represente thereby the death of Chryst it shall bée necessarie that in auoyding all kinde of sinne and filthy liuing and continually exercising our selues in godly operations to pretende also his resurrection Howbeit we shall represente Chrystes death in suche maner not that wée should destroy our bodies and dye in déede but in that wée shall so muche quake and shrinke at our sinnes and filthy life that wée may bée thought to dye to them Inasmuche therefore as all men haue in them as it were a double originall and beginning of them selues as is declared before wée must also imagine to be in vs as it were two men the one of them to be olde and grosse and to beare the similitude of Adam and the other to be new and amiable and desirous alwayes of heauenly things representing Chryst Our olde man therefore by the mysterie of baptisme muste be slayne and crucified with Chryst vppon the crosse with which also muste be exiled and vtterly banished all concupiscence and worldly delectation which is the very body of sinne and it dyeth truely in all men when they haue their sensuall lustes in detestation and obey no longer vnto them Who soeuer then dyeth with Chryst in this maner is grafted into the number of the righteous and ceaseth any more to be thrall and subiect to sinne from the tyrannie whereof he is deliuered by Chrystes passion Béeing therfore dead in Christ to our olde sinnes by baptisme we trust by his onely benefite and deseruings leading a Christian life to reigne also with him aliue And so we ought to leade our liues that we do not fall agayne into our olde iniquities but alwayes to haue before our eyes the vertue of Chrystes death which he suffered for the sinnes of the worlde geuing vs example to follow and to dye dayly vnto the same For Chryst did not so rise agayne from death to lyfe that he would afterwards geue any place to death or corruption but he rose to be immortall and neuer to giue place agayne to corruption Therefore all men muste thinke that by the mysterie of baptisme they be once dead to their sinnes and from thencefoorth to be made new creatures and to be truely sayde reuiued agayne vnto an immortall lyfe leading it in all innocencie and godly conuersation For he liueth to God that liueth to godlynesse to righteousnesse and to all other vertues And inasmuche as we be incorporate into the body of Iesus Chryst and made one with him It is therfore most conuenient that we do confourme our selues to him in all godly exercise Which we shal easily bring to passe if we shall not consent to our olde lothsome impurities wherwith the diuell by watchfull oportunitie laboreth and searcheth to defile vs. Neither shall we suffer our members beyn◠once consecrate into the body of Chryst serue the diuell any more whose hellie stoutenesse and haught arrogancie Chryst our head hath spurned vnder his féete for our sakes But suche we muste exhibite our selues before his heauenly presence that it may appeare vnto him throughout our whole lyfe and conuersation that we with him haue clerely relinquished and forsaken all the deserts of death and to be transposed as newe menne into newe kynde of lyuing All which wée may easily attayne and compasse if wée gladly intende to directe our members and the thoughtes of our hearts not to vyce to serue the diuell but to righteousnesse to serue the immortall god And wée muste thinke it our bounden duetie and a case of strayght charge wholly and altogither without exception to serue God inasmuche as wée haue bound our selues so to doo by our promise made vnto him at our firste entring to him by baptisme Neither shall wée feare the mightie temptation of sinne that it shall bring vs agayne into the bondage of the diuell which at this time are not bounde to the lawe that alwayes dyd caste sinne in our téeth rather than qualifie his rage agaynst vs but all wée be now vnder the grace of God which as it was able to delyuer vs from the burden of sinne euen so it can defende vs from the falling into it agayne How be it I woulde not so bée taken héere because I say wée be not bounde to the Lawe that therefore wée may fréely sinne without offence or because the grace of God hathe pardoned our olde enormities that therfore it giueth vs licence to sinne agayne vnpunished no veryly but wee ought muche rather to flée from vyce and sinne at this time because wée bée not dryuen to doe it by force of the Lawe but onely by the deseruings moste vehemente loue and gentle prouocations of GOD towards vs in hys Sonne The maner and fashion of our seruyce is chaunged but not vtterly abolyshed and put away Wée haue so forsaken the seruice of the law that we do serue chryst and his gospel whom if we do serue we serue not in bondage but reigne in hys moste glorious libertie and freedome Wherefore it is partly in our arbitremente to serue which we luste but bothe of them we can not serue Neither the law nor yet the Gospell wil enforce vs to yeld our seruice vnto thē but if we promise our seruice either to the one or to the other we ought of al cōgruitie to obey the same with whō we couenant our seruice Wherfore he that couenaunteth with sinne to serue it must receiue the reward of sinne which is death Contrariwise he that serueth Chryst must obey him shal receiue the reward of life saluation For the frute of our obedience purchaseth nothing to the augmentation of Chrysts aduauntage but it redoundeth vnto our owne proper acceptation in him And in this poynt I gratifie you thanke Chryst for you which although heretofore you haue led a moste miserable lyfe in seruing dead Idolles and in filthy concupiscence yet nowe béeing set at libertie from them ye wholly yéelde your selues constante to the fayth of the Gospell willing to liue hereafter not as constrayned by the commaundement of the Law but according to the heauenly fréedome and the new doctrine of the Gospell of Chryst Into the which you be insinuate and engraffed after suche a
sorte as though ye were wholly transformed and chaunged into an other nature redéemed from the prison of sinne to the ende you shoulde obey vnto righteousnesse and doo the prescriptes thereof And surely it is not an impossibilitie or else a thing harde for you to obey vnto vertue And as the nature of sinne doth gretly differ frō the nature of innocencie euen so the rewardes also of them bothe be much vnlike By meanes wherof waying the thing as it is we haue much more occasion to serue God than the deuill Yet whosoeuer obeyeth vnto vice serueth the diuell but he that serueth God obeyeth vnto innocencie Howbeit I thinke it best to temper my communication in this case according to the infirmitie and weakenesse of some of you in whom the spirite of God is not yet perfectly setled But this thing I earnestly require of you all that righteousnesse may haue at the least wise as good entertaynement among you as sinne And whereas before you haue exhibited your members to serue vnto vice and filthynesse continually fallyng from one vice vnto another to your owne confusions euen so it is now required that you exhibite your members vnto righteousnesse and for your profites and to ascende from one vertue to another vnto your moste worthy and highe commendation Surely it shal be a great shame for you if chryst haue not as great roome and place in you now at this tyme as had the diuell in times paste or else that you doo not aswell obey vnto righteousnesse as you haue heretofore done vnto sinne And to say as the matter partely occasioneth yée may peraduenture haue somewhat to lay for your excuse for that in times past being then but Paynims ye did obey vnto sinne and thought your selues not subiect to this new righteousnesse of the Gospell to obey vnto it inasmuche as yée knew not the law But now yée haue no maner of thing to lay for your defense Therefore if that the nature of vertue shall not be sufficient of it selfe to moue you to this obedience yet at the least wyse yée shoulde reuolue with your selues the great diuersitie of the rewarde for the seruices bothe the which ye haue already sufficiently put in practise Call to remembraunce I pray you what rewarde ye receiued at such time as ye became bounde to serue vnto the filthe of sinne and vnclenlynesse Verily your vices which ye then exercised brought you vnto suche abhomination and beastly filthynesse that after the putting away thereof ye worthily became ashamed and lothesome vnto your owne selues And not this onely chaunced vnto you through the working of vice and wickednesse but also the diuell was alwayes ready at hande with death to pay it vnto you for your rewarde which he duely ought vnto you for your seruice done vnto him Wherefore considering the life that yée ledde before was not rightly to be called life but rather very death it selfe ye haue now great occasion to say that the exchaunge of your seruice is worthy all acceptation by which beeing made frée from the power of sinne yée are become seruaunts of Iesus Chryst I doo not doubt but ye well perceiue the diuersitie of these two masters the wages and rewards of whom also if ye well consider with your selues I feare not but ye will confesse that of very wretched sinners ye are become and made the pure and cleane seruaunts of the almightie god All which after you haue finished the fewe yeres of your seruice ye shall receiue at the hands of your master immortalitie for your salarie and wages I woulde wishe therefore ye shoulde compare togither the two masters the one with the other God and the diuell godlynesse and filthynesse and life euerlasting to the eternall death of hell and ye shall euidently discerne the profite and frute that procéedeth from them all For as I sayde before the rewarde of sinne is death which the diuell payeth for all such seruice as is doone in fylthinesse and sinne so contrarywise he that serueth God hath payde vnto him euerlasting lyfe not as due vnto him for his seruice but it procéedeth onely vnto him from the speciall mercy and goodnesse of God and that not by Moyses but through Iesus Chryst our Lorde vnto whom God the father woulde we shoulde render our thanks for all suche graces blessings and benefites as we receiue of him and not vnto the Lawe or Circumcision that is not through keping of the Law or through the dignitie of our works The .vij. Chapter Chryst hath deliuered vs from the Law and death Paule sheweth what the flesh and outwarde man is and calleth it the law of the members BIcause Chryst hath not onely redéemed vs from the tyrannie of sinne but also from the bondage of the lawe and that not the Gentiles onely which were not obediente to the Lawe but also the Iewes them selues that were all vnder the prescriptes and appoyntments thereof vnto whom euen now at this present do I speake For all you know well inough who soeuer he be that is bounde vnder a Lawe as you were not long since vnder the Lawe of Moyses that so long tyme yée were bounde to serue and kéepe it vntill it be fully expired and lose the strength therof the which after it be once abrogate and dissolued they bée sette at lybertie and become frée from the further obseruing of it For as the maner of the Lawe is betwixte the marryed wyfe and hir husbande euen suche also it is touching the Lawe of Moyses For the marryed woman is no longer bounde vnto the commaundemente of hir husbande but so long as he lyueth with hir whiche when he is deade shée is sette frée and at lybertie from hym and is then made hir owne woman to doo what she lysteth But the same woman if shée would disorderly séeke hir fréedome from hym and become wyfe to an other man during the lyfe of hir firste husbande shée ought to bée taken for an harlotte and a committer of adulterie in hir dooyng Notwithstanding if shée continue iuste to him through all his lyfe time and willingly beare hir selfe in subiection vntyll he dye from hir then shée may well marrie with an other man You muste know that the state of mariage is not lyke to the state of Inheritaunce which descendeth from one to another of the same lyne and kindred Neither is it lyke the case of a bondeman which when hys master dyeth dothe not then chaunge his state and condition but onely his master But the state of mariage altereth assoone as the husbande dyeth Euen so it fareth with the Lawe of Moyses which was giuen to the Iewes for a while and did with hir Rites and Ceremonies prefigure Chryst to come and to that onely respect But when the true light of Chrystes presence was come then all the shadowes and ceremonies ceassed and stoode no longer in effecte For in stéede of the shadow we then receiued the body
it selfe This is then to be considered in asmuche as the Lawe of Moyses was mortall as is the husbande to the wife it can be no wonder to the true christian man to heare that it is dead which so long as it was aliue had full strength and power ouer them that were in subiection to it How be it at thys tyme you Iewes you haue no matter to doo wyth the Lawe in as muche as it is nowe deade to you or at the least wyse you deade to it thoughe it were still aliue For after that Chryst which is the onely truthe came amongest vs all the Lawe of Moyses was abrogate frustrate and of none effecte as touchyng the Letter and Ceremonies thereof Considering therefore you bee all now incorporate into the body of Chryst and maried vnto him as a wife vnto hir husbande béeing set at libertie from hir olde husbande by the death of the lawe and further séeing your husbande now at these dayes is liuing and immortall bicause he dyed for your sakes and rose agayne from death to life and so euermore afterwards to continue aliue it shall be now your parte to compose and confourme your selues a louing and a continuall wife to suche an immortall husbande and neuer afterwards to caste any one tytle or iote of your loue to the remembraunce of your olde good man for so dooing it can not be chosen but offence must be committed to the great sorow and grefe of this your so louing Espouse But alwayes haue in your minds that like as heretofore you shewed your selues seruiseable vnto your firste husbande and to accomplish with good will al his commaundements euen so now you ought to enforce your selues to yéelde suche obedience and seruice at this time that it may be acceptable to God your father and pleasaunte to Chryst your moste deare and swéete spouse For so long as we were vnder the law as vnder our husbande it had gouernement ouer vs which by reason of the many requestes that it made euer charging vs with disobedience and lacke of good seruice was an occasion that we found our selues alwayes distressed alwayes in displeasure agaynst him and neuer to satisfie and fulfill his commaundement by occasion whereof our seruice was euer vnperfect gréeuous and subiect to correction and punishment Therefore now at this time béeing set at libertie from his iurisdiction vnder which bicause we liued alwayes in sinne and displeasure we dyd not liue but were rather all dead vnder the same vntill our time appoynted it shall therefore now well become vs to be no longer obedient to our olde husbande which was carnall and mortall but wholly vnto our new spouse which is heauenly and spirituall And from hencefoorth to yéelde our seruice not to the law in the letter and ceremonies but vnto Iesus Chryst in the spirite of God which spirite we haue receiued from the hande of our spouse for a wedding ring to put vs alwais in remēbrance of our hartie dutie good wil towards him But I stand in dout least some man héere will obiecte against me and say Séeing then that in seruing the lawe we were euer founde in sinne of the same and also subiecte to deathe it shall seeme to conclude that the lawe was sinne and broughte vs to deathe for as it is the propertie of rightuousnesse to bring men to life euen so is it the propertie of sinne to bring men to deathe Wherefore considering the law brought vs to death it may be called sinne or at the least wise ioyned patente to sinne But God forbid that any man shuld thinke so for verily the law is not the author of sinne but the Herauld messenger of sinne which was vnknowne to vs before the lawe was proclaimed at which time euery man folowing his owne sensualitie and lust thought that he might lawfully doe what so euer his hart corruptly desired and thought it also lawfull to desire that which séemed pleasant in his owne conceit For which cause pardoning and flatering my selfe in this behalfe I thoughte it none offence at all to couet that which did belong to another man if the law had not saide vnto me Thou shalt not lust And no man can denie but that the lawe was declared for the coercion and restraint of sinne though the thing it selfe hapned all contrarie vnto vs throughe oure owne vice and imperfection For at what time the lawe did open vnto vs our sinnes and gaue vs not thereto might and strength to resist them it came to passe that our luste to sinne was made the more quicke and readie to it bicause the nature of man is such that it most lusteth after that thing which is moste forbidden it How be it before the knowledge of the law came many of our sinnes we knew not and some of them we knewe after suche a sorte that we persuaded our selues they were not forbidden vs Throughe which reason all we had the lesse regarde to consider what was lust to sinne in as muche as all we by nature set small store by suche things as we thinke we may haue at our will and commaundement Wherefore after the lawe had once set forthe the multitude of sinnes to oure faces and did forbid them to vs then we were the more gréedie to spot and defile our selues with the committing of them By which occasion sinne toke to himself strength and encoragement in vs which before the comming of the lawe lay and slept was as dead At which time I my selfe when I knewe not the lawe I led my life like an outlawe and thoughte within my selfe that I might sinne withoute the committing of any offence to god But when I perceiued the law that did forbid me to sinne thē my sinne began to waxe stout and to aboūd in me and to take the bridle in his téethe Which faring thus foule with me wheras before I thought I liued I became in mine owne cōscience starke dead bicause by the law I perceiued my deadly wound and yet could not abstaine from sinning Whereby it came to passe that the thing which was prouided me of God for my helth was made to me an occasion of my death Which thing was not through any iniurie of the law but it was only through mine owne vice weakenesse imperfection For hauing in me a certain promptnesse and readinesse to sinne and my lust also taking some occasion by the lawe it selfe bicause as I said before men do most cōmonly lust after that which is forbidden them I was then euen full of all gréedinesse to sinne And thus the diuel vsing that wickedly which of it selfe was good enticed me vnto sinne by occasion of the law and by occasion of sinne vnto death to the end I should acknowledge my selfe guiltie therof and to be thrall vnto him for the same Therfore thus you sée then that there is no cause why any mā should contemne or depraue the lawe which as
it was giuen of God who is alwayes perfectely good of him selfe so it proponed and set foorthe vnto al men good and holesome ensignements For it cannot be chosen but that the thing must néedes be good and godly that hateth and forbiddeth sinne and naughtinesse And héer another will say vnto me then séeing the law which is good bringeth with him that which is also good why then shuld I say that it brought death vnto men which is very naught and hath alwais his beginning of sinne and wretchednesse Certesse a mā might safely say thus vnto me If in case the law should engender sinne but the truthe is not so for the law truly is not the author of death but the cause of our death is sinne which is in vs who of it selfe is so wicked that it turneth that thing which is very good into naughte destruction Yet notwithstanding that thing which is good and pure of his owne nature openeth vnto vs howe filthie and vnseemely a thing it is which is naught and vitious for that verily the law wrought declared vnto vs the abhomination of our sinnes and was not the author and cause of them for all men knowe that the lawe is spirituall and alwayes stirreth men to honest things and spirituall actions the which bicause the law dothe not bring to effect that which so much it desireth to do surely to speake of my self I am in the fault therof and not the law For in as much as I am carnal and prone to sinne and by occasion of the long continuance in it am made as bond therunto as a bond man vnto his master and am so blinde drouned in vice and filthinesse that I cannot tel what I ought to do for I doe not that thing which knowledge and reason declareth vnto me to be honest though I my self do couet the same but I rather commit that thing which is vnresonable dishonest the which though I hate detest it yet I do commit the same bicause the vice and power of concupiscence that is in me violently compelleth and draweth me therunto by which reason the offenders them selues will in no case that any fault shuld be imputed vnto the lawe but to our owne fragilitie weakenesse and great imperfection For in as muche as we in oure weakenesse being so compelled to doe that thing through concupiscence which knowledge and reason detesteth escheweth and damneth I do therfore consent to the law that it is holy good bicause it dothe of it selfe forbid the same thing which the inward and spiritual part of my body grudgeth at disaloweth and vtterly dāneth Wherefore the law which so straitly forbiddeth all things that be euill muste néedes be counted holy precious and good Which althoughe I commit suche euill in obeying the motions of my fraile and corrupted fleshe the outwarde parte and moste grose substaunce of man yet I wel perceiue them to be wicked and abhominable that also in mine inwarde man I hate and abhorre them Héere will one then say vnto me why dost thou not then obey to thy spirit and inward man which so consenteth to the law that is good and also stirreth thée to honestie and godly operations I answere For this same cause we must imagine to be in eache one of vs two men the one of them grose and carnall and the other more pure and of lesse corruption The first may be called the outward man and the seconde the inward man The first is procliue and ready to sinne the second hauing in him as it were certaine séedes of honesty is more appliant to embrace vertue And according to his possibilitie and power he gladly shunneth and striueth againste all corrupted motions and the filthie desires of sinne Howe be it that parte of vs is most properly called the man which of it selfe is moste pure and cleane and best inclined Therefore as often as mine inwarde man consenting to the goodnesse of the lawe is stirred and so consenteth to honestie and yet doth the contrarie it séemeth then that it is not I that doth it For what is he which doth the thing that he hateth and wanteth will to doe it But héere is adioyned to mine outwarde man a certaine promptnesse and readinesse to sinne by meanes wherof it chaunceth ofte that when I desire to doe the thing which is honest and good I am constrained to do that which is hurtfull naught In which grose part of me I confesse to be no goodnesse at al. For althoughe I desire to doe that thing which according to reason and knowledge is honest yet I finde in me no power or strength to worke that which I moste gladly estéeme and commend But in as much as this corrupted and carnal concupiscence is in me of much more strength and force to driue me to offend than is reason which calleth me to the estimation of vertue I am forcibly drawne from the good vse thereof which I most specially desire and do daily commit the sinne and iniquitie which I inwardly hate and moste iustly condemne Considering therfore that a man in doing euill dothe it not voluntarily or with glad consent but by enforcement and againste his will then when that thing is committed which mine inward man most gladly repugneth and striueth against it is not truely and properly said that I am the committer of the euill but rather more aptly to be applied to the grose desire promptnesse and readinesse of the outward man in whome alwayes sinne is resident and beareth most deadly sway Which promptnesse to euill the lawe cannot take away from me but so ofte as I yéelde and obay to euill then the lawe openeth and layeth plainely before me by the testimonie of my conscience the iust iudgement of God ouer me and perpetuall condemnation to my soule The good nature of reason and honestie throughe the grace of God in the inward man draweth me to the estimation of loue and vertue wherunto I am truely taught by the law but I finde also an other law in the mēbers of mine outward mā which is clene contrary to the lawe of my inward mā and violently stirreth me to the gréedie embracement of euill Therefore abiding thus alwayes in this case of conflict that reason draweth me one way and concupiscence an other way it commonly thus fortuneth that the woorse parte preuaileth and reason ouer mastred and laid on the ground For the promptnesse I say and readinesse to sinne so muche aboundeth in me as also the accustomed vse thereof through the vsual familiaritie great felowship which it euer hathe with my weake and fraile nature that I am still haled by constrainte like a bonde slaue or prisoner vnto filthinesse and sinne whether I will or will not O miserable wretche that I am which am thus in thraldome to suche filthie slauerie and moste bitter state of bondage who shall deliuer me and make me frée from this
and be at peace with all creatures Superstition of it selfe is contentious and full of debate but the true worshipping of God is full of tranquillitie peace and quyetnesse Neyther can it bée any maruell at all to sée so muche contention amongest men for kéeping of suche superstition of the Lawe considering the same is neuer at one with God him selfe for it is none other thing but to adhere and sticke faste to the carnall and grosse lawe which God rather would to be made adnichilate and of none effecte amongest men and that by his sonne Iesus Chryst to the ende that in the place thereof shoulde succeede the law Spirituall than to be by suche contention at defiance with God. For he that is affectionate to the lawe whiche so muche dissenteth from the mynde and will of God can not be but cleane repugnaunt and contrary to him for so muche as his onely will and pleasure is wée should altogither folow the contrary Wherfore let no chrystian man thinke it a tryfle or small faulte to wedde him selfe or to be besotted to the kéeping of the lawe and to continue in the same It shall bée founde to be but a fryuolous and vnfruitefull thing to please the will of man and to displease the good will of god The obseruation of the carnall and ceremoniall lawe of Moyses may well please the affections of carnall men but truely the God of all holynesse and truthe will take it in euill parte and very displeasauntly onlesse the same shall ouerpasse the letter of the grosse Lawe and become the follower of the Lawe that is spirituall Therefore let the Iewes to the vttermoste of their mighte and power holde vp and mayntayne if they may their Ceremonies as in example the Ceremonies of the Booke of Moyses called Leuiticus their feastes of the new Moone their washings with all suche lyke of whose sort also be now the garments of the Priests and their fleshly Sacrifices expiations or pourgings consecrations their halowings cursings the difference of meats holydays vowes créepings knéelings knocking 's kyssings crossings with all the rest that they doo extremely vse in their temples yet for all that through the obseruation of all these or any of them they shall neuer be made righteouse although they glory neuer so muche among them selues ouer them All which things therefore appertayne nothing vnto you that are now become spirituall and suche maner of men as Chryst dothe vouchsafe to dwell in euen in the temples of your hearts for he that is but externely or onely baptised in the flesh remayneth yet still in the fleshe onlesse the same be inwardly washed moysted and tempered with the swéete taste and moysture of the spirite of god Wée be not made méete tempâ—â—s for Chryst through our ceremonies but by vertue and power of the spirite which whosoeuer hath not within him is yet carnall and very farre from Chryst And if it so be that Chryst dwell in our hearts then inasmuche as Chryst is nothing else but charitie truthe temperaunce and all other vertues how shoulde there then be any place lefte in a Christian man for the receiuing of any vice into him It beste becommeth him to expresse Chryst in his works that hath him inhabiting within his heart Chryst did once dye in his flesh as is before sayd but now he liueth euerlastingly whom we oughte to expresse in our selues in suche maner that our earthly body that is our carnall and outwarde man which always prouoketh vs to disobedience and sinfulnesse be dead in vs and to forsake all vayne pleasure that offendeth God that the spirite that is our spirituall and inwarde man may liue in vs which alwayes stirreth vs to all honestie to iust and godly things Furthermore if the spirite of God be within vs which restored Chryst from death vnto life it is so frendly and frutefull vnto vs that it will not be idle and vnoccupied in vs for the spirite is louely liuely quicke full of efficacie and vertue Wherefore the same spirite according to our godly natures and inclination will worke with mercy that thing in vs which did most mightily worke in the Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ It restored him agayne from death vnto life and will suffer him to dye no more euen so it will call vs backe agayne from our sinnes which be the grounde of our death and giue vs lighte to auoyde all wickednesse and to lyue hencefoorth a deuoute and moste godly life Therefore all wée liuing to this spirite are bounde to this spirite and owe due obedience therevnto and not to our flesh vnto which wée are already deade For after wée became to bée made one with Iesus Chryste wée became to bée no more debtors to the fleshe God forbidde therefore that wée shoulde hencefoorth leade our lyues after the corrupte desire of our flesh which with all duetie should obey and serue it selfe vnto the spirite and become with all constancie bound vnto it Moreouer al you be called vnto the state of life but if you shal frame your conuersation according to your flesh you shall surely dye And contrarywise if through the strength of the spirite you shall quench the desires of your fleshly lustes then without doubt yée shall be blessed and lyue Neither is the commaundement of the spirite hards to be kepte which although it call men vnto mightie highe and heauenly things yet it calleth all suche as be willing and desirous to serue and obey it And it breatheth suche lyuely force of loue into all their heartes that it causeth them to thynke there is nothing harde nor vnpleasaunt to them whyche haue in them selues that heauenly truste and ready wyll to serue GOD and his holy Gospell And as the body lyueth by hys spirite euen so dothe the soule lyue by hir spirite And agayne if the spirite of the body bée weake and faynte then is also all the body weake and sicke But if it bée healthfull liuely and strong then is all the body lyuely strong and lustie Therefore they that frame their lyues after the spirite of GOD be the dearely beloued and true children of god And they that be truely the children of God will represente and moste ioyfully shewe the naturall conditions of their father and will frankely and fréely doo all suche things as they shall thinke will please their father But seruaunts for asmuch as they be not ioyned to their masters by nature but by law do their seruice vnto them for feare or else for the auoyding of displeasure and punishment and not for onely obedience loue and duetie which thing is proper vnto the Iewes who do obey the law kepe externely the coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts therof with al precisenesse lest they shold fal into bodily punishmeÌ„t But al you are made frée froÌ„ the law to the end you should serue it no more in feare of any punishment but should desire like naturall children moste gladly to
time the signe of this couenaunt that the Lorde would be their God and they should be his people We wil nowe passe ouer from the couenant or testament of Abraham to Christes couenant or Testament The couenant that was made with Abraham is so strong and not to be abrogated that on lesse a maÌ„ kéepe it perpetually he shall not be a Christian or faithfull man For except the Lord be thy God and thou the seruaunts of him only for thou shalt woorship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serue there is no cause why thou shuldest boast thy selfe to be a christian man But he whom thou so worshippest and seruest is so thy God that is to say thy highest good that he giueth himself fréely to thée that he casteth away himself vnto deathe for thée that he might reconcile thée to him selfe He which hath performed it promised this grace long since wheÌ„ our father transgressed his lawe and after that he euer renued that promisse to the fathers There was none other cause why he promised it but bicause that blessednesse coulde not happen vnto vs although we endeuored and labored for it til we swet againe till the fall of oure first father were forgiuen and satisfied But when Christe being now offered for vs had pacified the diuine iustice in suche sorte that by him only a man might goe vnto god Nowe hath God made a newe couenaunt with mankinde Not so newe a couenant as though he had hardly or skarcely found this remedie at the laste but bicause that whereas he had long a goe prepared it he gaue it when the time was come This new couenant then or testament is the fré◠and vndeserued forgiuenesse of sinnes which God hath liberally giuen by his son They therfore the trust to God by Chryst doo bring their children to that trust and fayth for wée muste adde that withall as Abraham and his posteritie in old time was circumcised so are they circumcised but with the circumcision of Chryst which is baptisme Baptisme therefore tendeth euen to the same effect that Circumcision dyd in the olde tyme for it is the signe of the couenaunt that God hath made with vs by his sonne Baptisme then is the chéefe and principall signe of the new Testament or couenaunt Further how that Couenaunt is made perfect the celebration of the Lordes Supper bringeth vs in remembraunce thereof Not surely that the Supper is the Couenaunt but bicause the Couenaunt is brought to memorie in it and that thanks be giuen to the Lorde for so liberall a benefite What is then the new Couenaunt Frée remission of sinnes by the sonne of god Thereof it commeth that forasmuche as this frée remission of sinnes is obtayned by the death and shedding foorth of the bloud of Chryst the same death and bloud may peraduenture be called the Couenaunt Although if a man speake truely and properly Chryst is not the new Testament but the mediator of the newe Testamente As Paule speaketh for the very couenaunt is the remission of sinnes Notwithstanding wée will not these things to be spoken so farre foorth as though wée thought it a faulte if the death of Chryst or his bloud should be called the Couenaunt but for the intente louingly to stirre vp these rashe felowes that loue to striue with wordes to the cleare vnderstanding of these things Now let vs goe further Chryst would that the memorie of his benefite which he perfourmed with so bitter death should euer â—ée in full strength among vs Wherevppon he not without cause instituted the frequentation also of the remission of sinnes none otherwise then he did once institute the celebritie of the deliueraunce out of the Egyptiacall bondage Now séeing that the bloud of the Couenaunte may be called the Couenaunt and that we in this celebritie or assembly doo giue thanks for the bloud that is shed by the which the Couenaunt is finished vp and made perfect thereof it also commeth that we call it the bloud of Chryst By the which wée onely make commemoration that the bloud was and is shed for vs And then euen as wée haue called the bloud the Couenaunt so wée name the signe or token also of the bloud shed the Couenaunt Say all this to be but an olde wiues tale except the words of the Apostle proue it That the remission of sinnes is the very couenaunt Paule teacheth That this testament couenaunt or bargayne is obtayned by the bloud and death of Chryst Peter giueth warning And Paule to the Collos 1. Furthermore none of the Apostles calleth the death or bloud the couenant but the bloud of the couenaunt Notwithstanding wée leaue it to a mans libertie for instructions sake that they may be called the couenaunt Reherse the Apostles words and marke them wel If then the bloud it selfe which was shed is not called the couenaunt but the bloud of the couenaunt as by which the couenaunt of frée remission is obteined and confirmed how much more is this Cuppe of the bloud not the couenaunt but a signe and token of the bloud of the couenaunt The signe therfore hath receiued the name of the thing signified as it is aboue euidently shewed The Sacrament therfore of the couenaunt and testament if a man take Sacramente for the principall and externe signe of the couenaunt or promise is baptisme But of the passion of Chryst by which this couenaunt or testament is perfourmed this assembly is the signe in the which the bread and wine are deuided in commemoration of Chrystes death with thankes giuing of the faythfull béeing all of one accorde Héere we ought not to be so impotent to braule so stiffely about the name whylest one will haue this assembly of thankes giuing to be a Sacrament and another denieth it For when we vnderstande the thing it selfe clerely why striue we yet about what name we shall call it FINIS Of Vanitie by Martinus Cellarius Ecclesi 1. Vanitie of Vanities sayd the Preacher Vanitie of vanities and all things are vanitie IT IS A GENERAL proposition which coÌ„teineth the one parte of the state of this sermon namely that al things vnder the sunne are vayne But euen now a questioÌ„ is here offred at the entring of this matter of vanitie what thinges they be which here of Salomon are numbred amoÌ„g vaine thinges whether onely man with his cares and worldly desires or else whether he putteth other things also vnder vanitie as are the elements and things growen concrete of them The definition of this word vaine shal solue easily the question if a man shew what the scripture properly meneth by this word Habel that is vaine superfluous foolish Those men which hold only man to be here counted vaine with his counsels life they may allege two reasons for them selues One is considering that man as the head giueth the cause of vanitie to the rest of al things as shal hereafter more plainly appers The other reason
sorte scripture speaketh of the olde creature when it treateth that al things are to be renued In Esai 66. and in the Apostle .2 Corinth 2. 9 But yet this rightnesse in the firste man was not a rightnesse of the reuelations of the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen although these things were put in him to be brought foorth in their time but of innocencie which was ioyned with the ignoraunce of the counsels of God touching his saluation and glory 10 And so the expression ef the deuine Image was set in innocencie and not in the manyfestation of the fathers wisdome that then should be made which béeing hidde from time out of minde in a mysterie the Apostle sayth that he speaketh to the Corinthes in the .1 epist. 2. 11 Which wisedome is reuealed onely in Chryst who hathe the keyes to locke and vnlocke the gates of the kingdome of heauen 12 But this Chryst was neither promised nor beganne to be reueled till Adam had fallen Gene. 3. This very séede shall breake thine head 13 Wherof commeth this notable saying of the Apostle God hath shut vp all things vnder sinne that he might haue mercy vppon all Therefore as the first man lacked experimentes of grace and wrathe of falling and rising agayne of ignomie and glorie whylest he stoode euen so the mysterie also of Christ in whom onely the treasures of gods wisdome were layd vp were then vnknowē sinne opening the crosse and the crosse opening glory Rom. 5.11 1. Cor. 4. 14 So that as the first man of the body made of clay by the maker of all things was by nature a weake and frayle worke although that if he had not sinned he shoulde haue bene immortall by the iustice of God who punisheth no man with death without sinne according to thys For the rewarde of sinne is death euen so there lay open vnto him an occasion soone to catche a fall For béeing vnexperte in things although whyle he was yet innocente he mighte soone be brought to eate of the fruite that should be his bane by the subtill Serpente at the enteraunce of concupiscence into him which by viciating the body should bring death and rayse vp warre to the inner man whom the spirite of feare had put in him whereof the Apostle treateth in the seuenth to the Romanes 15 And that is brought to passe by the engines of Sathan who is a murtherer from the beginning a spirite of dissention and not of peace as the heauenly man Christ witnesseth of him in Iohn 8. Chapter By whom it happened that Adam béeing tempted beganne to haue experience by the infection of sinne what the wrathe of God was what grace was what the power of sinne was and what medicine was for the same Chryst Iesus that blessed séede that should be borne of him béeing shewed vnto him 16 Where it muste bée wayed what it is that Adam had hys eyes opened after hys fall and lykewise what is the Trée of the knowledge of good and euill and why it was so called and what occasion was offered and whence it was taken to promyse Chryst what Gods counsell was about the fall and after it about the crosse and what the mysterie of the crosse is to glorie oute of the vndoubted Scriptures 17 But Sathan meditated this fall by a difference First castyng his bayte by the crafte that was in hym at the woman béeing the weaker kinde to the tasting of that cruell apple 18 Whereof also the curse fell vppon him which was the author of so great destruction whom Chryst Iesus the seconde Adam woulde destroy with hys adherentes and would saue the earthy Adam with his posteritie which were written in heauen and had not fallen as dyd the reprobate serpente 19 And so it chanced that the first man enduced by sathan to transgressiō began to haue a delight in erthly things putting vppon him the euill affections of the corrupted fleshe Where the nature of the earth out of which he was taken vttered first it selfe vnder Sathan the mother of the matter 20 For the earth is an element sluggish slouthfull colde dull and full of darkenesse lacking euery acte and motion excepte it be newe chaunged from aboue with spirite and lighte In this sorte is the olde and earthy man And therefore these termes olde earthy haue no prayse in scriptures 21 And suche fruite also came of him by propagation and encrease of the fleshe corrupted fruite of darknesse not of light of death not of life of wrath not of grace of malediction and not of benediction by his owne nature 22 For the order of right state loste by which the liuely body was obedient to the iudgement of the mynde and the mynde obediente to the spirite what other mighte néedes reigne than iniustice in stéede of life wrath in stéede of grace darknesse in the stede of light 33 Which iustice properly is nothing else than a conformitie of all things in the reasonable creature to the lawe of Gods mind by which it is cōmaunded that God be loued aboue al things a man to loue his neighbour as him selfe 24 Of iniustice the matter is cleane contrarie By which Adams posteritie depraued and corrupted follow the disposition of Sathan the author of iniustice 25 For he proudly boasting him selfe of the giftes of nature created glorifieth not God the true life and lighte as he is worthie and hateth the reasonable creature whom it behoued him to loue as béeing nexte creature vnto god And specially he set vpon the innocent Lambe by guyle and deceyte whom he slew in heauen by purpose and counsell from the beginning and driuen downe from thence into these lower parts when he had no more power in heauenly things he likewise deceitfully set vpon man béeing a weake péece of worke made of earth and brought into this worlde vnder the sunne these euils which we sée 26 In consideration whereof he is called the principate and chéefe ruler of darknesse and the father of lyes according to this of Iohn 8. when he speaketh a lye he speaketh properly of his owne for a lyer he is and the father of lying 27 Contrarywise God is the author of Iustice not of iniustice of that which is righte not of naughtinesse of truth not of lyes as Chryste also is comming from aboue who sayth of him selfe But bicause I say the truthe vnto you you beléeue me not Which of you will reproue me of sinne Except a man would say God to be the author of euill priuately for that he giueth not his spirite which onely maketh rightnesse of Iustice But of that spirite I pray thée to whom is God detter 29 Forasmuche therefore as sinne is the priuation of rightnesse which ought to be in man the same in Scripture is worthily called vanitie that is a friuolous thing and a thing of naught And they which followe sinne are counted to follow and goe about vanitie and a thing of naught The Psalme sayth
after this earthly according to this saying It is sowe a naturall body it riseth a spirituall body So that the spirite viâ—ifying is not here taken as which shoulde be oppoâ—ed and layde agaynst that which is innocente and right but agaynst that which animateth with earthly life Wherevpon the first Adam although he were iuste with the spirite of innocencie yet lacked he this viuifying spirite as the Apostle taketh him to the Corinth whose body was natural not spiritual earthly not heauenly Neither could it be transformed into a heauenly body without either the death of it or immutation very like vnto deathe as he clerely signifyeth when he proueth by the mutuall conuersion that the resurrection consisteth not without death alleaging a similitude of the séede of which Chryst had mentioned before in Iohn So that Christ receiued the name of the New man then specially when he was raised vp by resurrection from the dead to the right hand of the glory of God and not before when he had put of mortalitie and the ignomie of the crosse of his fleshe to the which he was borne for vs of the virgine he namely then being declared to be truely the sonne of God by the spirite of power according to this which was begotten of the séede of Dauid after the fleshe which was declared to be the sonne of God with power according to the spirite of sanctification of this that Iesus Christ our Lord rose againe from death To which time also this properly pertaineth in the seconde Psalme Thou art my sonne I haue this day begotten thée the Apostle Paule reciting it for that time in the Actes 50 For as much therfore as the newe man is suche he giueth the nature of heauen from whence he came which heauen is agile ful of vertue and light After this sort is the heauenly man and all the children that come of him 51 And for that there was no way for this Adam to fall namely he which was conceiued by the spirite of God not able to be brought to sliding as he witnesseth of himselfe when he sayeth The Prince of this world commeth and in me he hath nothing at all 52 And the same returned to heauen froÌ„ whence he came downe euen as the earthly returneth to the earth of which he was made al things returning to their beginnings by diuine disposition as he sayth of him selfe in the thirde of Iohn And no man ascendeth into heauen but he which came down from heauen euen the sonne of man which is in heauen 53 Séeing then that the olde man and the nowe are so farre distante in beginning and ending in nature and affections the olde shall not become newe except he lay away from him his affections and desires and put on him the newe affections of the newe man. 54 Which can not be done without a new birth death that the olde man die to him selfe that is to the loue of him selfe and to the contempte of God and that the newe man be borne a newe to heauenly desires that is to loue God aboue al things and our neighbors as our selues for this loue is the ende of the lawe and the summe of all the rightnesse of diuine iustice vnto which we are to be reformed which the very order of creation cléerely teacheth in which he ought to be loued with equal loue which hath taken equall degrée of perfection with thée But such is man made to the similitude of God. 55 For as much therfore as we must be borne again it is a question wherof or by what we be regenerated or what set to the helping hand to the renuing of vs Is it the light of nature which containeth the law wrytten in all mennes hartes and mindes No not that for that light being corrupted with originall sinne howe should it wipe away the spot and place innoceÌ„cie in stead therof Further the light of nature is darknesse if it be compared to the light of God which bringeth eternall life as aboue it is shewed Now what coÌ„munion may be betwéene vice and integritie betwéene darkenesse light By regeneration we are begotten the children of lighte But how shall darknesse procéede to so great light 56 Muche lesse shall the woorkes of the lawe performe so great a woorke which if they be done are too weake in cause as done by the lighte of nature by the rightuousnesse of the law so that all naturall things in man and created strengths take a fall 57 What remaineth then vnto regeneration Only the spirite of Iesus Christe purchased for vs by his bloud which may repurge the childe of olde Adam into a newe man Other thing there is none neither in heauen nor in earth as I haue aboue proued in the rule of iustification 58 And that witnesseth the newe man him selfe being the aucthor of this natiuitie when he saith in Iohn Except a man be newe born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God. 59 Where looke what the naturall winde is in this visible worke of the world in this aire next vnto vs through the light of heauen waters from aboue to make the earth bring forth frute the same the spirite of God the father in Christ his sonne to this Tohu and Vehu that is to this vnformed and rule â—arthe of the godly that is to say to their mindes by the light that no man can come at and spirituall waters to renue their stomackes to bring forth frutes worthy of heauen 60 And for that cause in the mention made of regeneration is ioyned water to the spirit In which and by which the new birth may be wrought And in an other place fire is also taken to company to worke so great a worke when we read He shall baptise you with the spirite and fire 61 In which part respecte is had to the figures of the created worke For as in it the spirit or winde was coupled with the waters which he shuld moue preparing the earthe by the light brought vnto it to the encrease of that which come of hir euen so the work of regeneration offreth it self hir earth first emptie voide hir water of the spirit and of light which is the fire that new regenerateth heauen which in Iohn we spake of a litle before hither also are those things to be called which we read of Helias of the spirit commotion and fire .3 Reg. 19. 62 Whereof it is that the olde and newe Testamentes speake so ofte of the spirite of Messiah by which he testifieth all saluation that pertaineth to man Esay 32.44.61 Ezechiell 36.39 Ioel. 2. c. 63 Notwithstanding this spirituall power of God the father is poured in by a certain order by an order of certentie â–ª For first it is fully resident in Christ as in the head and from thence it floweth into the Church of the elect as into the body and is imparted to his members to
euery man according to the measure of the giuing of Christ the head agréeing to this For God giueth not the spirit to him by measure And as pertaining to the donation we read this For he shall receyue of mine and shall declare it vnto you In like sorte to the Ephesians 4. But grace is giuen to euery one of vs according to the measure of the gift of Christe 64 And so only the sainctes are partakers of spiritual perfection of part and from member to member of which Christ is fully in possession whome the kingly annoynting of the fathers power glory and maiestie annoynteth without measure to all perfection of God the father Whereunto also this of the Apostle pertaineth you are Christes and Christe is Gods. You I say are Christes as the membres of the head but Christe is Gods as the heade of the vniuersall diuinitie For that perfection of the body which is poured out throughout all the members the same resteth whole in Christe the head Esay 11. 65 This is it which the Apostle calleth corporally and héereunto also pertaineth that woorde the fulnesse or complement whereupon the Psalme sayth of Christ The Lord sayd vnto my lord And an other Psalme sayth of the Sainctes I haue sayd yée are Gods. And Peter sayth ye are partakers of the diuine nature 66 Which places are truely to be vnderstanded as the new borne are truely called the children of god For as there is a true regeneration euen so there is a true participation and possession of the diuine nature and of the diuine lighte wisedome and rightuousnesse This is our hope and vocation in Christ the head of the participation of the substāce of God and of the nature of the father by that we be borne a newe of the spirite of Christ Iohn 3. 1. Pet. 1. Rom. 8. Gal. 4. 67 But we speake héere of Christe as the treating of him pertaineth to the cause of regeneration which commeth of the spirite For what the scripture speaketh of the eternall word we holily woorship and will speake thereof in an other place 68 Therfore we be not called the sonnes of God newe men after the same sort that Christ is For he is the naturall sonne of God and the newe man bothe within and wythout But we be the sonnes of God by adoption and new men only inwardly in this world He is borne the sonne of God and the newe man We are begotten the children of death and of sinne by the first Adam and we are borne the sonnes of God and a newe creature by the second Adam For of the earth we be earthie and in Christ the heauenly man we are taken to grace and to the enheritance of sonnes by newe birth which shall in the day of resurrection put on newe fleshe vppon vs euen of the fleshe of Christe 69 So that héer being renued while we liue in this world we consist of two men of an outwarde and inwarde man of a body corrupted with concupiscence and of a minde repaired with the spirite of the newe couenaunt 70 The body once corrupted is not restored in this world for it is all earthie tending to the earth of his owne will and waight And therefore he also returneth vnto it bicause of the sentence once giuen vppon it when the temprament of this worldes elements is dissolued of which it is made as Salomon oft teacheth in this sermon And is now and then mortified that it folowe not the desires to which he is inclined that firie spirit of the heauenly new birth quite burning them vp 71 The inner man therefore that is the minde which is put into this body to rule it is only renued in this life to the felowship of the diuine light 72 Wherefore they that be regenerate in this fraile life cary men about with them as cōtrary the one to the other as are light and darkenesse death and life and as farre dissident as heauen and earth The outwarde and olde man is visible the inward and new man is inuisible The outwarde man is earthly and the inwarde man is heauenly The outward man is conceiued of carnal seede and the inward man is strengthened with the spiritual séede of the word of the liuing god The outward man is fed with meats that will perish but the inward man groweth with eternal foode The one is made flesh of the flesh of man the other is made a spirit of the spirit of God. 73 The outwarde man is euer polluted and sinneth but the inward and new man neuer neither cannot it sinne as it cannot die 74 And no maruel for as much as thou shalt finde contrary lawes in them The one of sinne which holdeth vs downe to the ground persuading earthy and carnal desires the other calleth vs vpwarde burning in desires of heauenly things where a man may sée the maruellous coniunction of bothe men set together for experience of so great things not without the maruellous councels of the diuine prouidence 75 Further the olde man is created of God and therefore made of nothing the newe man is borne of God so of something namely of his spirite Wherof he neuer dieth he neuer waxeth olde And these are the things which Christ disputeth of the life eternal which true faith bringeth that is to say the spirit of Gods light Vppon this poynt standeth the hope and consolation of Sainctes 76 By this faith the outwarde man obtaineth pardone if the spirite of the inwarde man remurmur against him while we dwel in this life For faithe staide vp with the rightuousnesse of an other that is with Christe which being innocent died for offenders deliuereth the faithfull from dampnatorie sentence of death and sinne and draweth backe the desires of the olde man that he do them not the bridle of the spirit caste in his téethe For it is not obtained that they haue no being in vs and that they wholely be destroyed in this worlde as long as this flesh liueth the resurrection giueth that in which both the body it selfe shall be also raised vp out of the duste of the earth from deathe vnto life to fulfill the body of Christe which as the head to the body went before being the first begotten sonne of the newe creature and the vnspotted firste frutes of the kingdome of the fathers maiestie 77 For what life shal the head haue without the body or the body without the members 78 And the fall of the first man so repaired and amended we shal be restored to that from whence we fel that is to wit to rightuousnesse and innocencie but in a far better state and condition for in this innocencie the earthy life shal be chāged for an heauenly mortalitie for immortalitie and after sinne fall shall be changed for resurrection and the ignomie of the crosse for glory So great is the goodnesse and wisdom of God which thus farre and this way must be reuealed 79
kéepe suche good order by reformation among the people that the slaunderous persons rebellions and séekers of disorder may not haue place through sufferaunce whereby the name of God shoulde be blasphemed And as touching the first I minde not to declare vnto you what doctrine ought to haue place but rather giuing thanks vnto almightie God for that he hath not onely giuen vnto you the lighte of his pure knowledge but that he hath also giuen vnto you good counsell and discretion to cause his pure veritie to be preached So that God bée thanked you bee not to teache what is the true fayth of Christian men and the doctrine which they ought to receiue seing that by your meanes the puritie and truth of the christen fayth is agayne restored that is that wée beléeue God to bée the only gouernour of our soules that wée kéepe his lawe for the onely rule and spirituall gouernaunce of our consciences not to serue him after the fantasticall and foolishe inuentions of men Also that according to his diuine nature he will bée accordingly serued in spirite and in all puritie of heart Of the other parte acknowledging that there is in vs nothing but all euill and wickednesse and that wee be in all our knowledge and affections in such wise corrupted that our soules béeing dispayred in our selues be lyke vnto a bottomlesse pitte or a world of all abhomination and iniquitie And all the presumption of our wisdome dignitie or power to do wel be taken away we may haue free recourse to the fountaine of all goodnesse which is Iesus Christ receiuing that which he giueth vnto vs that is to say the only merites of his death and passion to the end that by the same meane we may be reconciled vnto the Lorde our God that being washed with his bloud we shoulde not feare that our faultes shoulde impéeche vs but to finde grace before his celestiall throne that being assured our sinnes be fréely forgiuen vs and pardoned by the vertue of his moste blessed sacrifice we shall put therin our whole trust and assurance and not to dout at any time of our heauenly comfort and health and that we be sanctified by his spirite in giuing our selues to the obedience of the iustice of God that being fortified by his power and grace we shall be valyant conquerors of Sathan the world and the fleshe and finally that being members of his body we feare not but that God will take vs for his children and that we may haue confidence to call vnto him as vnto our father And that we be aduertised to bring to this ende all that is saide and done in the churche that is being retired from this sinnefull world and other our deadly aduersaries we may be lifted vp to heauen with Christ our head our Lord and sauioure Wherefore then séeing that God hath wrought in you and giuen you the grace to restore againe the knowledge of this moste sounde and holy doctrine which hath bene so long time buryed by curssed Antichriste I leaue to kéepe you with longer purpose and that which I haue touched of the manner of teaching is only for that the people may be rightly instructed and to féele that which the Apostle sayth that is that the woorde of God is a sworde cutting with two edges piercing the thoughts affections euen vnto the marowe of the bone I say this my Lord for that I thinke there is very few liuely preachings in the realme but rather that the moste part reciteth them as it were by lector I wel perceiue the necessitie that constraineth your Lordship therunto for â—â—rst yée haue not commonly as I thinke your Pastors so good and apte as you would lawfully wishe and desire wherfore it is néedefull for you to séeke diligently and to supplie that lacke Secondly there might chance to be many light spirites which would peraduenture leape beyonde their boundes sowing corrupted and foolishe fantasies as oftentimes they doe in newe things But all these considerations impéecheth not but that the ordinaunce of Iesus Christe ought to haue his course as in preaching the gospell Nowe this preaching oughte not to be deade but quicke and liuely bothe for to teache exhorte and to reprehende as S. Paule saith to Timothe in suche sorte as if any infidell do enter he may be wounded ouercome and taken as he saith in another place to giue glory and praise to god You knowe also my Lord how that he speaketh of the liuelynesse the ought to be in the mouthes of them which would approue them selues good and faithfull ministers of the Gospell of Christe that they ought not to haue or vse woordes of Rethoricke or muche curiositie entending therby to be in the greater estimation but that the spirite of God oughte to sounde in their voyces for to woorke in power and vertue All the daungers that are to be feared of men ought not with humaine policies so appeare at any time or in any place that thereby the spirite of God be impeached or let to haue his libertie and due course in them in whome he hath so plentifully distributed of his graces for the edifying of the church of god It is true that in the meane time nothing were better nor more expedient than to stoppe the lightnesse of fantasticall spirites which taketh ouer much licence Also to shutte and close fast the gates of all curiosities and newe wicked doctrines But the best and moste conuenient meane shall be such as God him selfe hath appoynted and shewed vnto vs that first bicause there be some resolute of the doctrine that all oughte to preache the which all Prelates and Curates should sweare to folow that none be receiued into any Ecclesiastical charge onlesse he promisse to obserue the same true concorde and vnion After that to haue a formall and common instruction for to instructe the yong children and the ignorante people which should make them acquainted with the true Doctrine in such wise that they may discerne it from lies and corruptions which else might be brought in To the contrary beléeue me my Lord that the Churche of God shall be neuer well conserued without Cathechisme For it is as the séede to be kept that the good graine perisheth not but that it may growe and encrease from age to age Wherefore if your grace desire to builde a woorke long to endure which shoulde not shortly be in decaie cause that the children in their yonge age be instructed with a good Cathechisme that may learne them bréefely and according to their small capacitie to knowe wherein consisteth the true christianitie or most perfect religion of Christe This Cathechisme shall serue for two purposes that is to say for an introduction to all people to profitte well in that which shall be preached vnto them and also the rather to descerne if the wicked shal at any time presumptuously set forth any vnsound or straunge kindes of Doctrine In the
of the Gospell is one of the beloued children of God which saith he chastiseth euery childe that he receiueth and euen for the same cause suffering our troubles patiently heere in this world the same ministreth vnto vs a certain inward tast of our acceptatioÌ„ to God and further to declare vnto vs all as it were the way to come vnto the folowing of the Gospell Gene. â— Iohn 4. Iohn 1. What commoditie we do receyue by the lawe Galat. 5. Gene. 17. Gala. 3. Collos 2. 1. Pet 5. Ephe. 4. Collos 2. 1. Pet 3. 1. Pet. 4. 2 Timo. 2. Reuels 6. A man must imagin to be in him selfe two sorts of men the one olde and earthy the other new and heauenly Our olde man must be slayne and crucified with christ according to the mysterie of holy baptisme The true trust of the mortified christian The example of Christ What it is to liue vnto God. Iohn 8.2 Pet. 2. The due consideration of a godly christiaÌ„ The power of gods grace vnder which only all godly christians are stayed The lawe forsakeÌ„ and why Both Christ and the lawe together cannot be serued The frute of our obedience what coÌ„meth therof Of sinne and innocencie The great shame of a christian what it is Gene. 2. Roma 5. Two masters The rewardes of them boâ—â— 2. Corin. 7. Math. 5. By the comming of christ the lawe touching the ceremonies therof was of no effect The duty of the Churche towardes Christ What the discommodity is to be in bondage to the lawe The lawe is not sinnefull but it is the heraulde and messenger of him Exod. 20. Deut. 5. The law openeth sinne but it geeueth no power to resist sinne Through the lawe sinne and the true record of conscience man feeleth in him selfe no life but death Esay 48. 1. Tim. 2. Esay 5 21. The power of sinne in our earthly bodies Two men are possessed of euery man and how they are called according to the scripture Gene. 6. Sinne alwayes resident in the outward man. The conflicte betwixt reason and concupiscence The coÌ„plaint of the holy apostle why The cause of the apostles reioicing Iohn 8. Gala. 4. Hebr. 7. Two lawes The great mercy of God. 2. Corin. 5. Esay 55. Superstition contentious against God. What it is to be affectionate by the lawe Ceremonies carieth with theÌ„ no righteousenesse We are not made the temples of Christ by ceremones but by Gods spirit He that possesseth Christ expresseth him in his works The spirit of God what it worketh in the godly that possesseth it If we liue to Gods spirit we are in all things bound to obey it The will of the spirit is easie to be obeied The grace of Gods spirit and what it worketh in the elect The godly propertie of the true childe towardes his father Gala. 4. 2. Timo. 1. 2. Cor. 1.5 Ephe. 1. By what meanes we come to the inheritance o God. Math. 5. 2 Cor. 4. 1. Iohn 3. 2. Cor. 5. Iohn 16. Hebr 1. Esay 26. Iere. 17. In what maner the spirit prayeth for vs vnto God. The feite miseries of this life are not to be feared not to withdrawe our harts from prayer We beare our troubles the more paciently in this life because we see before hande the fauour of God for our deliueraunce Nume 14. Esay 50. Gene. 22. Esay 53. Our hope in the constancie of Gods mercy for our sheelde and buckler A godly admonition The people that are blessed of God feare neither the deuell nor any of his ministers Psalm 43. Wel may afflictioÌ„s diuersly happen to the godly that they shall sooner confirme them in the loue of God the ouercome them from the same Exod. 32. Exod. 19. Deut. 7. Roma 2. Gala 4. Gene. 22. Who be the children of Abraham Gene. 18. Gene. 25. Mala. 1. The election of God maketh the children of Abraham but not the neerenesse of birth Exod. 33. Gods great mercy towards the stubborne Iewes Osee 2. 1. Pet. 2. Esay 10. Osee 1. Zacha. 13. Amos. 9. Esay 1. The mercy of God towardes the Gentiles The cause of the Ievves fall The hatred of God against proud men The cause of the Gentiles submission vnto God and to the faith in Christ Esay 28. Esay 28. Roma 9. Two kinds of righteousnesse Christ the end of the lavve Gala. 3. Leuit. 18. Deutero 30. Hovv the vvord of God is in our mouth in our hart Esay 28. Miche 2. Act. 2.22 Esay 52. Esay 53. Iohn 12. Psalm 18. Deutero 3 2. Esay 52.65 Esay 65. Iere. 31. 3 Reg 19. 3. Reg. 19. Deutere 9. What they be that atteine vnto the saluatioÌ„ of God. Esay 9. Act. 7. Psalm 68. The contempt of the Iewes ageinst the Goâ—pell of God and Christ The cause whi Paule discourseth ageinst the Iewes The Gentiles commodity bi the fall of the Iewes Roma 1. 1. Timo. 2. 2. Timo. 1. Paule exhorteth the Gentiles to godliâ—nesse of life exod to be an ample to the Iewes Esay 65. To reioice at anothers fall it is not good but it is greate godlinesse to beware by the punishment of another to fear and amend that which is amisse godlinesse to beware by the punishment of another to fear and amend that which is amiste The Iewes iustly cut of froÌ„ their stock and the Gentiles planted therin without desert 2. Cor. 3. An exhortatioÌ„ to the Gentiles to beware of pride Pride the fall of the Iewes The time of the Iewes conuersion vnto Christ Luk. 21. Psalm 13. Esay 59. The Iewes dearely beloued of God for their parents sake Gods rememberaunce towards the Iewes Gods mercy towards the GeÌ„tiles The Iewes and the Gentiles ioined in one faith to Christ God not being the author of sinne why he suffereth men to fal into sin God beeing cleere of mans fall turneth the same to good Sapi. 17. Sapi. 6. Esay 4 9. 1. Cor. 2. God wold we shold acknowlege his goodnesse depende onely vppon his prouidence and not put any confidence in our owne merites Esay 44. Roma 16. Philip. 4. Philip. 4. What sacrifices the true christians offer to God. The Saboth day Sapi. 6. Esay 4 9. 1. Cor. 2. Ephe. 5. 1. Thessa. 4. Ecclesi 3. Roma 14. 1. Corin. 8. True charity 1. Cor. 15. Ephe. 4. The visible body of maÌ„ with the whole meÌ„bers therof A similitude Howe to vse the giftes of God. 1. Cor. 14 Actes 2. Eccle. 32. Deut. 15. Amos. 5. 2. Pet. 2. Eccle 31 The flesh The Spirit Hebr. 13. Philip. 2. Prouerb 3. Esay 5. Prouerb 20. 1. Pet. 3. 2. Cor 8. To reuenge is the propertie of Iewes The way to true peace as best becoÌ„meth a christian Deut. 32. Prouerb 25. Charitie temperaunce and modesty noble vertues in a christian for the conuersion of others vnto Christ Christian contention Vaine coÌ„tentioÌ„ The christian in the excelleÌ„cie of calling ought to excel all others in vertue The christians warned to beware least thei be compassed and trained from the truth by the