foretold them by Esay of whom he shoulde be borne namely of a virgine by Micheas where hée shoulde be borne namely in Bethléem both by Moyses himselfe and also by Daniel he declared vnto them the tyme when he should be borne the afflictyons whiche he shoulde suffer for their restitution he painted at large in Esay and Zachery the saluation of hys people glory of his resurrection and kingdome both by Esay Ieremy and Zacharye hée foretold them so that from Adams fall he trayned man to take holde of his promise concerning the séede for their delyuerance All which notwithstanding so farre were they from the true sense and féeling thereof that neither themselues were profited nor by their example the heathen prouoked to seeke after god Wherefore God new for hys truthes sake mynding the consummation of hys promise determyned the finall establishment of thys couenant in the handes of the promised sede whereunto both Iew and Gentile shoulde be inuited that he as the sole mediator betweene God and maÌ„ might make the full reconcilement Wherefore the tyme beyng nowe come of hys long promised determination hée sent his sole and onelye begotten some our Lorde and Sauyour Iesus Chryst who of the virgine takyng fleshe was made man lyke vnto vs in all things sinne excepted who after many afflictyons in publishing declaryng Gods full purpose concernyng the consummation of hys couenaunt sealed vp the same with his owne giltlesse death and bloudshed And after hys risyng agayne from death sent his disciples abrode into all the partes of the earth to publishe that glad tidinges of mans reconcilement to God and deliueraunce from death and sinne by the merites and iust desert of Iesus Chryst Thus hauyng shewed how man regarded the Law and how in Christ the promised séede the couenant was consummate it followeth Cap. 7. ¶ How the obedyence and gyltlesse death of Christ was a full satisfaction for the disobedience and deserued death purchased to all mankinde by Adam Forasmuch as Adams rebellious dysobedieÌ„ce had so swalowed vp the whole nature of man into sinne and wyckednes as is shewed before that hys whole nature is nothing els but a full obedyence wylling desire and naturall pronesse of the whole man vnto sinne and rebellion And contrarywise the law of God is the absolute rule of ryghteousnesse which challengeth to the fulfilling thereof the full obedience willing desire and naturall pronesse of the whole man vnto righteousnesse These two being thus direct contrary which notwithstanding the God of all compassion for the triumphant glory of hys victiorious mercy by the mediation of Chryst the appoynted séede had bound himselfe by promise to reconcile In consideration whereof it was expedient that to thys reconcilement suche a medyator in the promysed séede shoulde be sent as participating in some poynt with both the extremes namely God and man myght haue an omnisufficient habilitie in hym selfe to consummate the absolute reconcilement wherefore Christ the eternall sonne and wisedome of the father commyng downe from heauen beyng very righteousnesse it selfe indewing the similitude of sinnefull flesh became perfect man like vnto vs in all thinges except sinne And so of his diuine nature and of naturall man sinne excepted became one perfect Christ namely that perfect and onely meane which in hym selfe had absolute habilitie to consummate the recencilement in asmuch as he was fully possessed of the natures of both the extremes namely perfect god and perfect man sinne excepted who hauing in himselfe full obedience willing desire and naturall pronesse of the whole man vnto the law he being righte ousnes it selfe passing through many troubles afflictions in proclaiming to stubbern man his nature office cause of his comming the nature of the new â—ouenaunt wher of he was the mediator finally offered vp him self vnto the iustice of God hys father the absolute end consummation and sacrifice of thys reconcilement As he vnto whom all the former promyses law and prophetes had respect and relation who now appearing before the sentence of the law and iustice of God presenteth hymselfe the full raunseme and reconcilement of mans transgression by the iust desert of hys innocent and giltles sufferyng that as by the rebellious acte of one gilty man namely Adam sinne and eternall death was engendered euen so by the obedient acte and giltles death of one gilteles man namely Iesus Christ sinne and eternal death is iustly againe destroyed and eternall lyfe the crowne of righteousnesse absolutely and most truely purchased for maÌ„ So that as the first Adam by corrupting nature made man the slaue of sinne so Christ the last â–ª Adam by adoption hath restored hyni agayne to be childe of righteousnesse Thys is he in whose person it is sayde by the Prophet Oseas O death I will be thy death O hell I will be thy sting so that by hym death is swalowed vp into victory hys lyfe hath deuoured our death hys righteousnes hath subdued our sinne hys saluation hath vanquished our damnation he hath put out the hand writing of the ordinaunces which were against vs he hath taken it out of the way and fastned it vpon his crosse Thus all the promisses as Sainct Paule saith being in him accomplished hee nowe remaineth an aduocate at the right hande of his father making intercession for vs beyng our peace our hope and consolation our wisedome iustice sanctification and redemption our light our waye and our life the accomplishement and end of the lawe vnto whom euen from the creation of Adam vntill his comming all the doing of God hadde respecte and relation Thus the sonne of God became man to make men by adoption the sonnes of God the glorious became abiecte to make the abiects glorious The blessed became cursed to make the cursed blessed The rich became poore to make the poore rich The righteous became condemned to make the condemned ryghteous The frée became bonde to make the bonde free greate was the sore of sinne that neded such a salue as neither 〈…〉 riarke nor Prophet power nor Potentate Aungell nor Archangell nor any other but onelye the sonne of God was able to make And hée not otherwise then by hys death and innoceÌ„t bloudshed Great I say was the sore of sinne Thus hauyng shewed that Christ is the ende of the lawe and hys death the omuisufficient redemption of man it followeth Cap. 8. ¶ To enquire the nature of the new couenant and what on the behalfe of man is required to the attaynement of ryghteousnesse in the same ALthough in the first couenantmade betwene God man concernyng mans restitution namely in the lawe God offered vnto man very much vnto whom in dede he ought nothing yet notwithstanding the offer being vnder such conditions as mans corrupte nature coulde no waye neyther by action nor consent satisfie as is shewed before surely the hope of that offer vanquished into iust feare and horror of the sentence
he is naturally defiled with the séede of all these corruptions wherby the truth of the definition is euident And for further confirmation therof God in Genesis sayth thus My spirite shall not alwayes striue with man because he is flesh Now seing Christ the most wise expositor of the scriptures affirmeth that by the fruite the trée shall be discerned therefore by the fruites of fleshe declared by Saint Paule in the 5. chapter to the Galathians it is plainely gathered that fleshe is nothyng els but a masse of iniquitie and corruption but the whole man was before concluded vnder the name of fleshe Therefore the whole man is a masse of iniquitie and corruption Againe in the 8. of Genesis he sayth The imagination of mans harte is euill euen from his youth whereby it appeareth that there is wickednes and corruption cleaning vnto hys nature which Dauid also vttereth in playne wordes Behold sayth he I was begotten in wickednes and in sinne hath my mother conceyued me And Ieremy sayth That the hart of man is wicked and peruerse And of the vncleanes and naturall corruption of mā thus Iob in playne woordes beareth witnes Who sayth he can make him cleane that is conceiued of vncleane seede And Christ himselfe sayth That that which is borne of flesh is fleshly The meaning wherof is plaine by that which is sayd before Agayne Paule witnesseth That thorough the offence of one man sinne hath entred vpon all men Againe the same Paule to shew the filthy corruption of nature sheweth the opposition and contrarietie betwene the lawe and sinne The law sayeth he is spirituall I am carnall solde vnder sinne as though he had sayd The lawe is pure but I am corrupt which he proueth by Christes owne rule namelye by the fruites For sayth he that good which I would that do I not but that euill which I hate that do I If nowe I doe that I would not then is it not I that do it but sinne that dwelleth in mee Where this is to be noted that he affirmeth sinne to dwell in hym that is to haue possession of hym and naturallye to cleaue vnto hym Agayne the same Paule accuseth the whole worlde that there is none righteous that there is none wise or that seeketh after God. Now I trust the truthe of the definition is sufficiently confirmed whereunto I will also adde somewhat of the opynion of the fathers that the agréemente betwene vs in the truthe thereof may appeare Thus writeth Augustine Contra vulnus originalis peccati quo in Adam omnium hominum corrupta mortificata est natura vnde omnium concupiscentiarum morbus moleuit potens remdium est mors filij Dei Domini nostri Iesu Christi The death of our Lorde Iesus Christ the sonne of God is a myghty remedye agaynst the wounde of originall sinne wherewith the nature of al men is in Adam corrupt and slayne and from whence the infection of all concupiscence hath sprong And the same agayne in his booke of nature and grace Natura verò ista hominis qua vnusquisque ex Adam nascitur iam medico indiget quia sana non est For thys nature of man wherein euerye man is borne of Adam hath now néede of a Physition because it is not found Agayne vpon the Gospel of Iohn Non natura quae tota fuerat per liberum arbitrium in ipso radice vitiata not by nature whiche through free will was wholye defiled in the verye roote And agayne he calleth it Perditionem hominis liberi arbitrij The losse of a man and of free wyll And agayne Amissionem imaginis dei The losse of the Image of God. Agayne thus wryteth Origene In lege pro illo qui natus fuerit iubetur offerri hostia par turturum aut duo pulli colūbini ex quibus vnus pro peccato et alius in ho locaustomata pro quo peccato offertur hic pullus vnus nūquid nuper aeditus paruulus peccare potuit et tunc habet peccatum pro quo hostia iubetur offerria quo mundus negatur quis esse etsi vnius diei fuerit vita eius In the lawe it is commaunded that for hym that is borne a payre of turtles or two yong pigeons shoulde bee offered of the whyche the one shoulde be for a sinne offeryng and the other for a burnt offeryng For what synne is thys one pigeon offered coulde the newe borne chylde sinne yea euen then hee hath synne for the which he is commaunded to offer a synne offeryng from the whyche there is no man clere and though hee bee but one daye olde And a lyttle after in the same place Sciebant enim illi quibus mysteriorum secreta commissa sunt diuinorum quia essent in omnibus genuinae sordes peccati For they to whom the secretes of the deuyne mysteries were committed knew that the naturall filthinesses of sinne were in al men And agayne the same Origene vpon Leuit. Quaecunque anima in came nascitur iniquitatis peccati sorde poluitur what soule soeuer is borne in fleshe it is defiled with filthe of wickednesse and sinne And Hierome vpon Ezechiell A pueritia appositum est cor hominis ad malum vt ne vnius quidem diei a natiuitatis suae exordio sine peccato sit humana conditio Mans heart is set vppon euill euen from his childhood that the nature of man is not one daye from his birth without sinne And agayne Ambrose Omnes homines in primo homine sine vitio conditi sumus et omnes naturae nostrae incolumitatem eiusdem hominis praeuaricatione perdidimus inde tracta mortalitas inde multiplex corporis animique corruptio inde ignorantia et difficultas All men were in the first man created wythout synne and all by the transgression of the same man haue lost the freedome of our nature from thence wee toke the manifolde corruption both of body and soule from thence ignoraunce and dulnes c. And Bernard speakyng thereof A primo homine vsque ad nouissimum protenditur in singulis quoque a planta pedis vsque ad verticem diffunditur hoc venenum It is stretched euen from the first man to the last and thys poyson spreade abroade in euerye man eeuen from the soole of the foote to the crowne of the hed Now I suppose it is sufficiently proued what originall sinne is Wherefore I wyll now a little touche the common doctrine of the earnest enemies I meane the Papistes concernyng the same Their common receyued definition therof amongst their schoolemen is thys Peccatum originis est reatus tantūm seu imputatio qua propter lapsum Adae omnes homines secundum naturam propagati rei sunt Originall sinne is onely the giltiship or imputation whereby all men generate according to nature are through the fall of Adam giltye For the
veniall for to bée veniall and remyssible is all one thing and therfore all sinnes which through fayth are forgeuen are veniall wherby the truth of the definition appeareth and hereby it is euident that no sinne can be called veniall in respect of his owne nature for so it is deadly but for that through mercy it is remitted so that one and the selfe same sinne is in diuers respectes both deadely and veniall for in him where sayth is it is veniall and where faith is not it is deadly Whereby it is also euident that vnto the wycked no synne is denyall so then the dyfference betwene veniall sinne and deadlye consisteth not in the nature of the sinne but in the wil of God which to the faythfull remitteth it and to the vnbeleuers reteineth it Now touching the opinion of the scholemen concerning veniall sinne it is a world to sée how they turmoyle them selues about it some of them thinke thē to be called veniall sinnes because they be light and easily remitted or els washt away with holy water as they terme it others thinke it so called because after death it should be remissible by the fire of Purgatorye ▪ others thynke them called remissible or venyall in respect of the sinne agaynst the holy Ghost which is called irremissible or vn forgeueable But the better learned amongst them accompt venyall synnes the dysposition or pronenesse towardes the thoughtes and affectyons whiche leade vnto deadly synne Herein is this one thyng worthy the notyng that howsoeuer they amongest them selues disagrée in diuersitie of opinions about the same yet in this one thyng they all agrée that none of them all taketh either counsell witnes or authoritye out of Gods worde concernyng the same The errour of all whiche can not be hidden from him that considereth what hath bene sayde before And vpon these false groundes thy inferre dyuers opinions of corrupt doctrine whereof I will rehearse one or two First they affirme that some synnes in the wicked be veniall synnes which is proued false Agayne that venyall synnes should be light synnes and not of their owne nature damnable Againe that they should bée washed away wyth holye water or clensed by the fire of Purgatory And yet Iohn Baptist sayd Beholde the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world And againe the Angell sayd to Ioseph He shall saue his people from their sinnes Neither sayd Iohn nor the Angel coniured water or Purgatory shall take away the sinnes of the world or saue the people from their sinne These thinges suffice for a faste of their errors herein Now forasmuch as it doth plainly appeare both what originall and actuall sinne is it is therby gathered that the difference betwene them is onely this That in actuall sinne that which is as it were the matter or substance of the sinne remaineth not after it be committed but onely the giltiship or bonde to the penaltie As when a man committeth whoredome murther theft or any such like soe soone as the acte is done the sinne is ended so that the whoredome murther or theft is past and gone but the giltiship and bonde to the penaltie remaineth but in originall sinne both the substance and matter of the sinne and also the giltiship remaineth still for the corruption remaineth still whereby euery man féeleth in his nature repining against all goodnes and a gréedy lust to the contrary Thus by Adam sinne entred into the world death by the meanes of sinne and all naturally are become the children of wrath and all dead in sinne so that death and damnation raigne ouer euery man Thus hauing shewed the excellencie of mans creation and horror of his transgression whereby all his ofspring are naturally rebells vnto God and slaues vnto sinne and death it followeth Cap. 2. ¶ That that transgression made man an apt subiecte for the two properties of God namely mercy and iustice to worke vpon NOw man hauing thus throwne him selfe headlong into the dolorous dūgeon of deadly dispaire ouerwhelmed with swallowing surges of distroyng distres being now dedicate vnto the iust conceiued wrath of God as the coniured foe to his owne former felicitie Now lyeth his caitife conscience displayed before the offended Maiestie of his late louing Creator but now reuenging Lord so farre hath his rebellious outrage banished all grace and stampe of the diuiue nature that no print or image therof remaineth perfect within him In stede of all those glorious ornamentes he hath endued himselfe with peculiar beauties of his own choice namely ignorance enuie pride crueltie carnalitie and all other sinne and that so naturally that the same now lurketh not in him as an accident which may be remoued from his nature but all his whole corrupt nature is now nothing els but sinne it selfe The whole man body minde thought worde and déede vtterly peruerted into the same so that the whole endeuour and disposition of his nature through rauishing sway of insatiable luste vnto sinne trauelleth with vnquenchable thirst the execution of the fruite therof Whereby it appeareth that man is now become a most apt subiect and conuenient matter wherin the iustice of God hath to display the magnificence of his power For he being now nothing els but wickednes it selfe which the iustice of God vtterly abhorreth and hateth in due punishment of him all the creatures of God haue to testifie and magnifie the pure and vnspotted righteousnesse of God which with holy and iust power punisheth most duely the hatefull and rebellious monster sinne and wickednes But as his iustice hath here an apt subiect wherin to manifest to the whole world the holy fearfull and reuerent Maiestie therof so hath his other most victorious proprietie namely hys triumphant and superaboundaunt mercy such a subiect of the same man wherin to manifest the glorious conquest therof as the whole world by vewe of the same shal be enforced to testifie and confesse the infinite largenes of hys mercy farre to excede and surmount all the residue of his glorious workes Wherefore the diuine Maiestie being not onely louing and merciful but in déede loue and mercy it selfe willing yet of his infinite bountie incomprehensible goodnes to loue that which now by nature was most vnworthy hys loue pittying the vtter dissolution and deserued destruction of mankinde God I say vewing beholding with a blincke of vndeserued grace the miserable calamitie of this cursed and iustlye condemned caitife glaunsed by him with a certain dimme slent of comfort concerning his restitution and adoptiou againe into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God in promising that by the séede of the woman the Serpentes head should be brused Thus being apparant that Adams transgression bringing in sinne and death made him and his ofspring rebells to God and consequently an apte subiecte for the mercy and iustice of God to worke vpon It follweth Cap. 3. ¶
And all the workes of fayth procéede from the entyre obedience of the minde vnto God but what obedience is thys to challenge that from God by desert which no workes no not the very workes of the faythfull are able to make iust title vntoo as is proued in the 9. chapter wherby it appeareth to be the presumptuous worke of corrupt and ambitious man encroching vpon Gods prerogatiue namely vpon hys honor to challenge that by desert which no worke is able to counteruaile seing it is proued no worke can satisfie the iustice of god And let no man maruell that workes can be wicked hauing apparance of holines for the Scripture testifieth that the deuil caÌ„ transforme him selfe into an Angell of light that is into the pure Image of holines therefore there is no doubt but he is able to cloth hys workes with the same liuery And to conclude All workes done to any other end then is aforesayd are of the same stampe how 〈…〉 appeare in outward shew for it is not the acte but the purpose of the doer which God considereth God will haue obedience not fayned holines Wherunto wel agréeth this saying of S. Augustine Videtis quia non quid faciat homo considerandum est sed quo animo faciat In eodem facto inuenimus Deum patrem in quo inuenimus Judam patrem benedicimus Iudam detestamur benedicimus charitatem detestamur iniquitateÌ„ Quantum enim praestitum est generi humano de tradito Christo nunquid non cogitauit Iudas vt traderet Deus cogitauit salutem nostram quaredempti sumus Iudas cogitauit precium quo vendid 〈…〉 Dominum filius ipse cogitauit precium 〈…〉 ledit pro nobis Iudas cogitauit precium quod accepit vt venderet diuersa ergo intentio diuersafacta fecit Cum sit vna res ex diuersis eam intentionibus si metiamur vnuÌ„ amandum alterum damnandum vnum glorificandum alterum detestandum inuenimus Ye see that we may not consider what a man doth but with what minde and will he doth it For we finde God the father a worker in the same dede in which we finde Iudas a worker we blesse the father we abhorre Iudas we blesse the loue in the father we deteste the wickednes in Iudas For what knowledge is geuen vnto mankinde concerning the deliuery of Christ Did not Iudas mean to betray him but God ment our saluation wherwith we be redemed Iudas had respecte vnto the price for which he solde the Lorde the son him selfe had respect vnto the price which he gaue for vs Iudas minded the price which he receaued for sale of hym Wherfore the diuersitie of the intentes maketh the workes contrary If we measure one selfe thing by the diuers intentes of the doers we shall finde the one to be im braced the other to be condemned the one to be extolled the other to be detested And agayne Chrysostome Etenim quod fit iuxta Dei voluntatem quamuis videatur improbum esse tamen omnino Deo gratuÌ„ est acceptum contrà quod fit praeter Dei voluntatem ac secus quà m ille vult fieri quanquaÌ„ existimatur acceptum Deo tameÌ„ est omnium pessimum iniquissimum Of a truth that which is done according to the will of God although it seeme to be wicked yet is it altogether pleasaunt acceptable to god Contrarywyse what soeuer is done besides the will of God and otherwise then he will haue it done though it be esteemed as a thing acceptable to God yet it is of all other the worste and most wicked And that thou mayest vnderstand this to be true read the 3. of Kinges the 19. chapter concerning Achab that took ea certaine King of the Assirians and Phinées was for mans slaughter honoured with Priesthoode Hierome Matth. 23. Aug. ad Vincent epistola 48. Aduersus MaximinuÌ„ lib. 4. Iob. 1â— In psal 98. Aduersus Valentinij script li. 2. cap. 50. Chrysost in epist. ad Gal. cap. 1. August de doctrina Christiana lib. 1. ca. 37. In epi. 157. Roman 3. Matth. 22. Galat. y. Epist 〈◊〉 de vsu commu nionis ad Bohemos Epistolae 7. de amplâ—cteÌ„da 〈…〉 te Ecclesiae ad Bohemos Man onely created to gods Image was made Lord of all his other erthly creatures Man as soueraigne and Lorde of all creatures first gaue them their seueral names Eua the â—omaÌ„ was geuen vnto man to be his helper To man was graunted free liberty to easie of all that was in paradise sauyng only of the 〈◊〉 of lyfe What the image of God in maÌ„ is Man was the most excelleÌ„t erthly creature Yer 〈…〉 c 〈…〉 Originall righteousnes Man is called the image of God for the excellency of the nature that he was first created in Eph. 4. Col. 3. The fall of Adam The glorious state of man vtterly ouerthrown by disobedieÌ„ce That innecency couered sinne abhorred The miseries of maÌ„ that came by the traÌ„sgression of Adam the first man. Gen. 3. Ge. 1. 6. Originall sinne The generation and issue of maÌ„ corrupted The definition of original sinne 〈◊〉 Cor. 15. Deth hath no power but ouer the vnrighteous Ephe. 2. Rom. 1. Col. 3. Gen. 6. Gal. 5. Gen. 8. Psal 51. Iere. 17. Iob. 14. Rom. 7. Rom. 7 Psal 50 In libro de articulis falso sibi impositis Arti. 1. Cap. 3. Tract 17. In Luchirid ad LaurentiuÌ„ cap. 30. Origene Rom. 6. lib. 5 We are conceyued in originall sinne Homil. Hierom. cap. 47. Ambrose de vocatione geÌ„tium Lib. 1. Cap. 3 All men in the first man were created without sinne but by transgression he lost all purchased deth Bernard Sermone de passione domi ni feria quata hebdomadae poenosae The Papistes definition of original un Two thynges in euery sinne to be considered An other o biection The aunswer God câ—â—ated the first man heauenly lyke himself but yet added 〈◊〉 condition of hys obâ—dience Iâ—â— 14. we are all through Adam made bonde and thrall vnto sinne An other obiection An answer to the obiection In other obiection The aunswer The nature of the Serpent A false argument An other obiection The aunswer A proper mery history The definition of actuall sinne The definition of actuall sinne The teaching that there is but vii deadly sinnes is mere papistical false All sinne for the which death is due is of it selfe deadly un Rmo. 6 Rom. 3. Rom. 7 Rom. 8 Abac. 2 Hebr. 10 Iohn 8 The definition of veniall sinnes Act. 10 Deadly sinne veniall sinne are in diuers respects but one The difference betwene deadly sinne venial sinne The opinion of the scholemen concerning venial sinne The scholemen agree in error â–ª The false opinion doctrine of the papists Iohn 1. Math. 1. The difference betwene originall and actuall sin By Adam sinne entred into the world The wicked and damnable state that man of himselfe is in As God by hys iustice condemneth â—â—steth vs downe
incident vnto theÌ„ then otherwise Such was the tickling of ambitious desire such was the horrour of contumelious ingratitude that now in stead of homage and duetifull thankes for so excellent an estate straightway is he trayned into suspition of hys louing creator And now seking in this desire to be the author and builder of his owne soueraigntie willingly he tasteth the fruit But forth with he felt the errour of his stray and iust scourge of hys fall beholdyng his nakednes and shame Now is he which was before the glory of God made through his rebellious contempt so lothsome in hys owne sight that shamyng hys owne filthy nakednes he séeketh to make aprons of figge leaues to hyde that which before was naturally and most secretly couered with the pure robe of innocency Now féeleth he the hyre of hys cruell ingratitude new the bitter tuice of the tasted fruite stingeth hym the excellent dignity of hys first creation lost the sower sappe of deserued destruction fully felt in possession the rigorous reuenge of his ragyng rebellion now wofuâ—ly wringeth hym downe droppeth the glory of hys royall estate A full dispossession of all the excellent ornamentes of grace a swalowyng spoyle of all former glorious gifts Now sinne hauyng him fully in possession displayeth before his eyes the ensign of death Horror and calamity rush in on euery side that which he before in the swellyng of desire forgate to acknowledge Now the ouerwhelming calamitie of painefull practise hath forced hym to féele namely that God was the only stay and glory of hys estate the roote and cause of all hys dignitie Now filthy wretch hence flieth he from the face of his God whose presence before was the beutie of his comfort the dreadfull vew of deserued destruction burrieth him into corners to hide himselfe He that before ioyfully presented him to his maker yea he in whom was writen the glory magnificence of god now for fearful shame shroudeth him from his presence and being called in this corruptioÌ„ shieldeth his misery vnder the trembling shade of silly defence beyng demaunded why he had tasted of the forbiddeÌ„ fruit the womaÌ„ saith he whoÌ„ thou gauest vnto me gaue me of the tree I did eate As though he should haue said although the contempt of thy commaundemeÌ„t displayeth it self in the acte by me coÌ„mitted yetalas so measure my cause by the due circumstance that I be not made faulty aboue my trespas the breach of thy coÌ„maundement I cannot hide seing the vew of my wretched nakednes bewrayeth the same in so great a cause onely this small refuge resieth for my defence Though I be gilty of the acte yet as the author I am not culpable seyng this woman whom thou gauest vnto me being deceiued by the serpent supposing a glorious soueraigntie coupled with so beautiful a bayte sethyng down vnder the hungry desire of higher dignity breakyng out of the liâ—â—es of thy appoynted boâ—nâ—es into the maze of persuaded libertie presented to me a tast ther of as a rare and singuler benefie which alectiue perswasion abusing my affection caried my will into so vnaduised consent that I yelded to the same Wherfore though touching the crime I haue no iust defeÌ„ce yet as the author I am not culpable Thus could graceles error euen in an instant shrowd the giltyship of this chylde of destruction vnder the habite of wrangling defence to holde tremblyng plea against his creator Now beganne he to shyne in the right coloures of confusion so farre was hée failen from acknowledgyng of offence Here with God beholding his glorious Image and likenes vtterly cancelled and defaced the beawtifull grace of all his goodnes despitefully rased the stompe or Printe of his deuine nature most filthily blotted out God I say beholding this accordyng to maÌ„s iust desert began to hate hym refuse hym for his worke and to lothe that which before he liked Now all the former delight which he thoughte to haue reposed in man was turned into iuste anger hys likyng into lothing hys fauour into frownes hys cherefull countenaunce into destroying displeasure So that whole man both thought lyfe and action through the noysome stinke of this hatefull rebellion became so abhorfull a creature vnto hys maker that it not onely repented hym that euer hée made man but for hys farther plague he also cursed the whole earth Here entred our first foyle and haynous infection namely our originall sinne the depriuation and ruine of whole nature the spoyle and corruptioÌ„ of all vertues both of body and mynde the swallowing sea of all confusion the cursed cloud of ignoraunce the déepe darkener of all deuine knowledge the ruinous roote of all outrage the mother of al conteÌ„pt the hed and fountayne of all sinne the banisher of reason and surrenderer of all the raynes and gouernment of lyfe into the hands of licentious lustes and filthy affections And to be shorte the whole fountayne of the tragedy of our confusion triumphe of Sathan But now as from the roote is deriued and sent into euery braunche and sprowte that naturall sappe from whiche they take their substaunce and increase So thys hatefull impe nothyng vnfruitfull in hys cursed kynde begate accordyng to the venemed iuice of his corruption children of hys owne heare lyke vnto hymself namely wicked peruerse corrupt and rebellious swarmyng full of all filthe and wyckednes naked barrayne of any one spot of goodnes Here agayn in this place forasmuch as sinne the effectes therof haue ben touched I thinke it not inconuenient for playne vnderstandyng to bestow some labour about the consideracion therof Wherefore first of all beginning with originall sinne it maye bée thus defined Originall sinne is the losse of originall righteousnesse and corruption of the whole nature of man the truth of this definition is thus proued Thus writeth Paule to the Corinthians The stinge of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the lawe So then the law is the strength of the sting of death but the law to be the strength of the stinge of deathe is nothyng els but this namely that the stynge of death hath no strengthe but ouer suche as the lawe declareth to be vnrighteous but the lawe declareth none to bée vnrighteous but suche as haue lost originall righteousnes Therefore the sting of death hath no strength but ouer such as haue lost original righteousnes but the stinge of death hath strength ouer the whole nature of man therefore the whole nature of man hath loste original righteousnes which was first to be proued Agayne the same Paul to the Ephesians affirmeth That man is by nature the child of wrath And again in an other place he affirmeth That the wrath of God commeth in respect of fornication vncleannes vnnaturall lustes euill concupiscense couetousnes c. And therfore it followeth that man séeing he is by nature the childe of wrathe that
vnderstanding of the errour of this definition it is needefull to marke thys that in euery sinne there are two thynges to be considered namely the offence it selfe which is as it were the matter or substaunce of the sinne and also the giltiship subiection or bonde to the penalty due to the same As here in originall sinne that which is as it were the matter or substaunce thereof is the corruption which is in nature Now for asmuch as death is the penaltie due vnto the same corruption therefore that bonde and subiection wherein man standeth tyed vnto this penaltie is called the giltiship Now these men in this definition frée and discharge mans nature from all the corruption which is as it were the matter and substaunce of the sinne affirming that originall sinne is now nothyng els in vs but a participation of the bonde or subiection wherin Adam stoode tyed to the penaltie and no participation of the corruption of hys nature The shamefull vntruthe whereof is by that whiche is sayde before more then manifest for as muche as it is there proued that Originall synne is not onelye accordyng to theyir saying an imputation of Adams giltishippe or bonde to the penaltie due to the offence but also a full corruption of hys whole nature Now forasmuch as the Papistes drawe so néere vnto the Pelagians and Anabaptistes as well aboute the nature of originall sinne as the propagation thereof therefore although aboue all thynges I labour to be briefe yet wyll I stay the ouervewyng of one or two of the principall argumentes vsed herein How can it be say they that thys corruption of nature shoulde so be from the fathers conueyed into the chyldren that theyr nature shoulde equally bée poysoned wyth the same infection Where vnto it is aunswered That althoughe Adam was created after the Image of God participatyng hys naturall goodnes and vertue as was shewed before all whiche séede of originall righteousnes shoulde by hym haue bene conueyed into hys posteritie yet were all those excellent qualities not so indiuisibly coherent to hys nature but that to the retayning of them there was a certayne condition annexed the breache whereof shoulde bée hys depriuation from all namely vnder the condition of hys obedience vnto god That séeyng God had crowned hym wyth so excellente giftes fréewill and power eyther to vse or abuse them that conditionally if he by disobedience abused them hée should lose the dignity of his estate and possession of them all Now these ornamentes beyng lost by his disobedience and hys nature wholy spoyled of originall rightâ—â—usnes and whâ—ly ladeÌ„ with corruption and vncleannes it followeth that all his children are by hym infected with the same neither could they by hym be generate in any other condition of nature then that whiche vnto hym was proper â–ª for very nature teacheth this that in all perfect generation that is where generation is betwene creatures of on kynde the lyke doth euer bryng â—orth the lyke neither can a sheepe bryng forth a wolfe nor a wolfe a sheep but one nature is euer common both to the bréeders and to the broode Wherefore Adam hauing hys nature vtterly corrupted through his fall must néedes conuey the same corruption into all hys ofspring accordyng to thys saying of Iob VVho can make hym cleane that is conceyued of vncleane seede And amongst men euen in ciuill iustice if a man that is borne free do by some great offence lose the fréedome of hys estate and become bond all his posteritie are borne in the same thraldom and so remayne likewise bond neyther can they make title vnto that fréedome which once their father possessed seing in hym they haue all iustly lost it But here agayne the aduersaries obiect that as by the fall of Adam nature receiued this foyle to the infection of all hys posteritie so by his iustification he beyng agayne made righteous it shoulde follow that he should conuey a iustified nature into all hys posteritie Unto thys obiection it is thus easily aunswered that in euery sinne as hath bene shewed before two thynges are to be considered namely the acte and the giltiship Now Adams iustification did not for the present state restore hys first originall purenes or clense hys nature from all her corruption but only this it did it assured him that the giltiship of hys corrupt nature was not imputed vnto hym and layd to hys charge so that hys iustification did not purge hys nature from sinne but it dyd frée and acquite hys person from the giltiship and obligation wherein he stoode tyed vnto the penaltie Wherefore Adam still possessed hys corrupt nature wherin all hys ofspryng by hym were generate wherby all theyr natures were laden wyth the same infection An other of the aduersaries obiections is thys that séeyng no acte is sinne vnlesse it bée willinglye done and that chyldren in theyr infancye haue no wyll therefore it shoulde follow that infantes haue no sinne For aunswer whereof it is easily graunted that as touchyng actuall sinne in themselues of theyr owne committyng they haue none but touchyng originall sinne theyr nature therwithall remayneth defiled seyng theyr nature can be of no other condition as is sayd before then the originall nature where of they be bred Should not a man séeyng the yong whelpe of a Wolfe or Tygre call them beastes of a rauenous or cruell nature because that their weakenesse thorough tendernes of age can not expresse in action those properties of nature Yes surely they wante but tyme and age to make them manifest Likewise the Serpent in the harte and colde of the wynter lyeth in hys shrowde so weake that he may be touched without daunger of hys bityng which happeneth by want of strength and not that he shoulde be iudged therfore to haue loste hys venimous nature for so soone as aunswerable tyme furnisheth hym of strengthe hée bewrayeth the same Euen so younge children thoughe they haue no actuall synne in them of theyr owne committyng whiche they call personall sinne yet are they vtterly defiled by the originall corruption of their whole nature and want onely tyme and age to expresse the fruites therof And hereby appeareth the grosenes of thys errour in that they reasonne from A specie to the generall woorde by a Negatiue then whiche kynde of argumente none is falser For this it is infants haue no actuall sinne Ergo they haue no sinne And where theyr argument was grounded hereon that vnlesse it were willingly done it were no sinne thereto it may be truly answered that euen this sinne whereof they are culpable was willingly committed though not in theyr owne persoÌ„s yet in their first father of whose corrupt séede they were bred Others there bée that doe more vehemently vrge the matter thus If say they there be originall sinne it must néedes be that the same cleaueth to the soule for the fleshe beyng of it self of
brute sēseles nature is not capable thereof and the soule we receyue not of our parentes but of god How then commeth it that from our parentes we shoulde receyue this corruption The which is thus by some learned fathers answered that the soule is not by hys creation sinfull but forasmuch as mans disobedience hath vtterly spoyled hys whole nature of original righteousnesse and forasmuch as the soule is in the creation knit vnto a body subiect vnto that losse and made a part of the accursed man Therfore it is forthwith both depriued of the original grace and vertue wherwith by creatiō it was indued and wherewith it should haue gouerned the body And also it hath no meanes to vse it selfe but by the instrumentes or organes of the body whiche through the curse are naturally indewed with nothing but filthines and vtterly vnapte to all spirituall woorkes wherby it stubburnlye resisteth and impugneth the spirit who beyng now depryued of many of those vertues wherwith it was by creation indued is vnable to encounter the corruption of the fleshe and specially in her owne organs or instrumentes and therefore yeldeth vnto the inclinations thereof so that where it shoulde haue raygned ouer the bodye now contrarywise the body raygneth ouer it and suppresseth it and carieth it away captiue vnto the lusts aunswerable to the body And euen naturall Philosophy teacheth this that betwéene the soule and the body there is a certaine sympathy or knitting of affection for who seeth not that in melancholy bodyes the mynde is heauy and solitary in sanguine bodies mery and lyght c. whereby it appeareth that the mynde beyng thus inclosed in thys house of corruption is greatly blinded and drowned in the perfection thereof and so caryed away vnto the delight thereof Surelye thys curious searche of the propagation of originall sinne as it is very hard and difficulte so it is more then vaine and vnto saluation nothyng at all necessary Wherefore the aduersaryes ought rather in following the counsell of Saint Augustine in thys matter to labour and study to finde the way howe they must be drawen out of the danger of this originall filth corruption then curiously to stand questioning how they fell into it he rehearseth a pretye story how a certayne man chauncyng to fall into a déepe pitte lying there shouting crying an other hearing him came to the pitte and began very diligently to ēquire of him how hée fell in I pray thée saith he neuer aske me how I fell in but study diligentlye how thou mayst helpe me out Hauing thus briefly spoken of originall sinne I thinke it not conuenyent because thys deuysion is receaued to speake now of actuall sinne whiche in déede is nothyng els but a fruite or effect of the other Wherefore it may bée thus defined actuall synne is euery thought woorde and déede or whatsoeuer is contrary to the lawe and wyll of God and what soeuer is not of fayth The truth of this definition is thus gathered forasmuch as it is already proued that the whole nature of man is by original sinne vtterly corrupted Therefore the same synne triumphyng in his nature as a cause continually woorkyng can not but bring forth her effectes or fruites And by the woordes of Christ the fruite must bée aunswerable to the trée therefore all thoughtes woordes déedes what soeuer procedeth frō that corrupt nature is corrupt vncleane so actuall sinne and that thoughtes be herein cōprehended it is playne for that they bée the effectes of the originall corruption For Christ himselfe sayeth Out of the heart goeth euill thoughtes and if any acte beside be not comprehended vnder these woordes thought woorde or déede the same is comprehended vnder these generall wordes of Paule whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne Whereby it appeareth that not onely euyll thoughtes wordes and déedes be actuall sinne but also those thoughtes wordes déedes which otherwise morally of their owne nature be honest and good yf they bée done out of fayth that is to say if they be done by enuy not through fayth acceptable vnto God in Christ euen those thoughtes wordes déedes séeme they neuer so holy bée sinne Now forasmuch as there is a deuision of actuall synne which hath bene of long tyme receyued it is expedient that somewhat bée sayde concerning the same The deuision is thys into deadly sinne and into veniall sinne About both which partes not only how triflingly but also how wickedly the scoolemen do holde shal partly be shewed Wherfore first touching deadly sinne in that they bynd them to a certayne number affirming onely seuen sinnes to be deadly they doe not onely geue vnto man securitie in that hys enemy hath but seuen wayes to assaulte hym vnto death from which if hée can imagine hym free he thinketh hymselfe in any other offence not to synne deadly whereby all other synnes are extenuate and all wicked inclinations affections and thoughtes excluded from the number of deadly sinnes And yet sinnes be called deadly for no other cause but because death is due vnto them And therefore vnto what sinne soeuer death is due that sinne is consequentlye deadlye but death is due to all synne For Paule sayth generally the rewarde of sinne is death and therefore all synne is in respecte of hys owne nature deadly And though there bée synnes whyche God imputeth not to man yet that commeth not through the smalnes and lyghtnes of the synne but through the mercye of god And where agayne they affirme that deadly sinne doth not exclude fayth but that they maye both stande together they no lesse deceaue you as hereby appeareth for S. Paule sayth they that walke after the flesh can not please God wherefore who so pleaseth God walketh not after the fleshe but whosoeuer walketh in fayth pleaseth god Therefore whosoeuer walketh in fayth walketh not after the fleshe but to walke after the fleshe is to walke in deadly sinne Therefore they that walke in fayth walke not in deadly sinne whereby it followeth that faith and deadly sinne cā not stande together Agayne whosoeuer is dead hath no lyfe in hym but whosoeuer hath no life in hym hath no fayth in hym For the iuste do liue by fayth Therefore whosoeuer is dead hath no fayth in him but they are dead in whom deadly synne raygneth For hee that synneth is the seruaunt vnto synne Therefore they in whō there is deadly synne haue no fayth in thē Let thys for a touch or say of their errours concernyng deadly sinne suffice Now touching veniall or remissible sinnes they may thus be defined Ueniall synnes are all those synnes whiche through fayth are forgéeuen The truth of thys definityon is euident by these woordes of Peter in the .x. of the Actes To hym geeue all the prophets witnes that through hys name all that beleeue in hym shall receaue remyssyon of synnes but whatsoeuer is remytted is
and therby to haue bene stirred by flyght to séeke the immutable and perdurable free promyse of God cōcernyng the womans séede thankfully but yet boldely chalengyng priuilege of the same séeing the matter now hung not vpon his worthynes but vppon the truth of Gods promise That is to say that euen as God is true so hath hée bounde himselfe to performe mans deliueraunce in hys good tyme by the womans séede And vppon this fayth ioyfully to haue reposed hymselfe But alas foolishe man did not so which notwythstanding the lenitie and long sufferyng of God bare with sinfull man to sée if yet in any tyme he would haue regarde of hym selfe and sée from whence he were fallen But nothing it booted for on trotted hée in the high way of wickednesse wherein the farther he trauailed the smother larger and more delicate he found it Wherefore God being not mutable as man but one and the same for euer most myndefull of hys promyse whereof the memory séemed now almost rased out of the heart of careles man God I say vouchsafed to renue the same agayne that in larger wordes vnto Abraham in saying In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth bee blessed And the same he continued in lyke forme of wordes afterwardes to Isaac Here was the matter renued agayne still shooting at one marke namely that by the séede of the woman the Serpentes head shoulde bée brused But now hée offereth a playne explication of his meaning concerning the brusyng of the Serpentes head namely that where man by despisyng the commaundement of God and leanyng to the subtill perswasion of the Serpent was fallen into the cursse of God Now was it promised that in the séede of Abraham all the nations of the earth shoulde bée blessed that is to say deliuered from that cursse againe It is also come to a more particularitie for now the promised séede is limited within one stocke namely of Abraham Thus by degrees the purpose of God goeth forward more and more openyng it selfe labouring styll to prouoke sinfull man to foresée hys great daunger and flye to the promysed séede for refuge whiche notwithstandyng corrupt mā hasteth so fast after wickednes that litle hée regarded the condition of hys owne miserye wherefore in the rypenesse of tyme God seyng the wickednesse of man growen to so monstruous an extremitye that none of all his former workes nor frée promyse coulde wake hys sluggishe hart to consider his owne miserye and so prycked by necessitye to flye to the promysed séede as to the shoote ancker of hys safetye God I say séeyng this neuer vnmyndefull of hys promyse determyneth now finally to set before man such a glasse wherin hée coulde no waye flye nor escape from the most cleare and euident sight of his owne owgely and monstruous nature that lothed with the sight therof he forthwith might bée dryuen to flye to the soueraigne medicine of hys restitution namely to the frée promise of God in the séede of Abraham Wherefore now chusyng out one kynde of people as was sayde before namelye the chyldren of Israell to make of them a patterne to the reste of the worlde that wyth the vewe of their obedyence towardes God all the worlde myght bée prouoked by their example to seeke after hym vnto them I say he deliuered the lawe whiche contayned in it two seuerall offyces the one exterior or outwarde the other spirytuall and inward The outward office of the law leadeth to the maintenaunce of the common societie in thys life for man according to the letter obseruyng the outwarde shewe of the workes thereof although in the doors thereof that bée nothyng but synne yet ciuyll vertue and common order is thereby amongst men conserued and publyke societie mayntayned without whiche the lyfe of man shoulde taste nothing but confusion The inwarde and spirituall offyce thereof is thys that man comparyng hys corrupte nature therewyth and beholdyng the vtter repugnaunce and contrarietye betwéene them myght forthwith haue acknowledged hys great rebellyon against God and perfectly vnderstande that the delyueraunce of man consisteth in the frée promyse of God concernyng the séede namely Chryst and in no righteousnesse that he in the lawe coulde chalenge seyng his nature direct contrary to euery parte of the same so that the law was not by Moyses declared vnto man to iustyfie hym Not that the lawe wanted habilitie thereunto if man coulde haue performed the ryghteousnesse required in the same whereunto hée was in hys first creation made able but by the reason of hys dishabilitie through corruptyon the lawe was opened vnto hym to be as Saint Paule saeth The displaier of the strength of synne a threatner of the cursse a bewrayer of hys wickednes the admynistratyon of death the increase of synne the stirrer vp of the motions of synne the cause of wrath the increaser of offence But vnto what ende was the lawe thys vnto man to hys destruction No but to driue hym by the dreadfull vewe of hys iust condemnation vtterly to abandon hymselfe and all hys owne workes and rightcousnesse and to flye from the sentence of the lawe vnto the sentence of grace conteyned in the frée promyse of God concernyng the séede to come namely Chryst Saint Paul to the Galathians propened thys question hymselfe After hée hath beaten them from the Lawe to the promise in Christe TVherefore then serueth the lawe as thoughe hee had sayde if no man can be iustyfied by the lawe to what ende then serueth it He aunswereth himselfe it was added because of transgressyons till the seede came vnto whiche the promyse was made that is it was added that synne myght appeare and to make sinne out of measure sinfull and to conclude all vnder sinne that al by the fearfull sentence thereof myght flye to the promise and waite the time of the séede to come namely Christ vnto whom the promise was made and by hym receyue their deliuerance Seyng mans restitution stode now only vpon the promise truth of God and not vpon the lawe to the fulfylling of any part wherof he had lost both habilitie and inclination And therefore S. Paule sayeth If there had bene a lawe geuen whiche coulde haue geuen life then no doubt righteousnes shoulde haue come by the lawe that is to say if such a law had bene geuen as corrupt man had bene able to haue performed and kept thē no doubt hee should haue bene iustified by the law But the law being such whereunto he neither had habilitie nor inclination it had onely force to shewe vnto hym what hee ought to be and to pronounce vpon him the sentence of death and his iust condemnation to force him thereby to flye from thence to séeke his frée reléefe in Christ the promised séede to come But hereunto the aduersaries obiect that if God should commaunde vs things vnpossible to vs to performe then should we both be iustly
also admit another deuision For some of them be onely inward workes or workes of the mynde as to beleue to hope to feare to loue and such like And some other are from the mynde produced into external or outward acte to geue geue almes to succor to preach to teach and such lyke All which be called outwarde workes And workes in both these latter significations be those whereof in thys matter is spoken but for so much as some of them be good and some euill therefore that the difference may appeare good workes may thus be defined Good workes are onely such workes as in the commaundementes of God be required or in any other place of Scriptures for the further explication of them expressed which tend to the true worship of God and outward witnessing of mans election in Christ The truth of thys definition is thus proued for the firste parte Namely that all the workes be good whiche in the commaundementes or any other place of the Scriptures for theyr further explication be appointed It is euident for so muche as hereby we know them to be good workes for that by God the doyng of them is commaunded Secondly that they tende to the true worshippyng of GOD it is thus proued by Christ hymselfe where he sayth Let your lyght so shyne before men he telleth the ende wherefore it should shine namely that others seeing your good woorkes may glorifie your father which is in heauen Here is the ende of good workes namely the glory and worship of god And for asmuch as God is not worshipped vnles he be truely worshipped for he is worshipped in spirite and truth therefore they onely be good workes which tende to the true worship of God which secondly was to be proued Nowe touching the last part that they be a testimony of mans election in Christ it is euident by these wordes of Peter Brethren sayth he be more diligent by good woorkes to make your election sure whereby it appeareth that good works are a testimony of the assurance of his election in Christ whereby the truth of the definition appereth and by this definition it is plaine that all superstitious workes of mans inuention be no good woorkes forasmuch as they tende not to the true worship of god Here resteth againe somewhat to bee opened of the erroures of the papistes aboute woorkes whereof they haue for their purpose deuised diuers strange distinctions as theyr preparing workes of congruent merite their Opus operantis or worke of the woorker their Opus operatum or acte of outward execution and their vndue woorkes or woorkes of supererogation Wherefore first touching their preparing worke of congruent merite wherof somwhat hath bene sayd before in the discourse about iustification first what they feigne them it appeareth namely the fruites of that theyr preuenting grace which they imagine to reduce a man into such a traunce as they faygne him therin as a man might say neyther dead in sinne nor aliue in Christ whereby all morall or ciuill woorks wrought though of nature they be not absolutely worthy workes to merite full righteousnes yet by a certayne conueniency as they terme it in equity they deserue fauour and so prepare toward the full attaynment of iustification and these be all the morall workes which be wrought by such as be not regenerate The error of which drowsie dreame is more then palpable for the scripture of God can acknowledge no middle estate betwene God and the deuill He that is not against him is directly with him he that gathereth not together letteth not thinges lye vntouched but he scattereth abrode He that is not aliue in Christ is dead in sinne S. Paule could paynt out no meane estate betwéene both he consessed all eyther quicke in Christ or dead in sinne The rewarde saith he of sinne is death And again You hath he made aliue that were dead in trespasses and sinne And agayne to the Colossians And ye which were dead in sinne and in the vncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickened with him so that there is no meane estate Eyther the woorkers of theyr preparing woorkes be aliue in Christ or dead in sinne But a liue in Christ they cannot be by these woordes of Paule for all before regeneration are dead wherefore euen as a dead man hath in him selfe no power at al to prepare himselfe towardes life againe so al being before regeneration dead in sinne haue no power at all to woorke any worke that may prepare them vnto lyfe or regeneration And for that cause doth Paule call them dead in sinne that they might know themselues as vtterly vnable to helpe towardes their own regeneration as a dead carcas is to helpe it selfe to the attaynment of life agayne Whereby the vilenes of this presumptuous inuention of preparing woorkes appeareth Now touching their workes called Opus operantis or worke of the worker after theyr meaning it is thys namely the acte and holy purpose of the minde wherewith the worker goeth about any worke which they counte holy and theyr Opus operatum or acte executed is the outward execution of the same woork Now touching theyr vndue workes or workes of superogation it is necessary for playne vnderstanding what they meane to rehearse the inuention of the forged fable thereof For the grounde wherof they begin wyth a goodly and bewtifull shewe of aduauncemente of Gods vnspeakable sauour towardes vs God say they who might haue prescribed vs such straight and seuere precepts to haue bene obserued as had ben vtterly to vs impossible hath notwithstanding delt more fauourably with vs and commaunded vs nothing but that which if we list we be able to perform and a great deale more And yet notwithstanding he demaundeth no farther of vs but to performe the same by the doing whereof we shall deserue saluation though we do no more But if any be towardes God so liberally minded that he will of hys francke disposition do more neyther shall he lose the prayse nor reward of the same And this ouerplus aboue the fulfilling of the cōmaundementes is that they call theyr vndew workes or workes of supererogation superabhominatiō I should say Who euer heard a more presūptuous blasphemy Doth not the commaūdemēt require a full obediēce willing desire natural pronenes of the whole man as in the 4. chapter is euidently shewed Now then if the whole indeuour of all the parts of man be thus tyed by iust bond of dutie vnto the cōmaundement from whence then commeth theyr ouerplus of vndue woorkes Nay is it not both there and in the v. chapter euidently proued that man is vtterly vnable to fulfill the commaundement and that the Lawe was not by Moyses deliuered vnto man to the ende he should enable him selfe to the fulfilling thereof but contrariwise by vew of his insufficiency to driue him to Christ But will ye know why these men inuented this
et in lege possit deleri hoc decreuit vt solam fidem poneret per quam onmium peccata aboleret vt quia nulla spes per legem omnibus hominibus erat dei misericordia saluarentur Because sin began to be increased by the craft of the aduersary that man through the restraint mought bee found more giltie God of hys mercifull goodnes alwayes carefull for man that that which without law was transgressed might in the lawe be blotted out decreed this Namely to appoint fayth onely to be the meane whereby he would extinguish the sinne of all men that seing no hope was left to any man in the lawe they might by the mercy of God be saued Agayne the same Ambrose In Christo Iesu data est gratia quia hoc constitutum est vt qui credit in Christum saluus sit sine opere sola fide gratîs accipiens remissionem peccatorum In Christ Iesu is grace geuen forasmuch as this with God is decreed that who so beleueth in Christ is saued by fayth only without worke receauing freely forgeuenes of sinnes Agayne Hillarius vpon the 8. of Mathew hath these wordes Sola fides iustisicat onely fayth doth iustifie Notwithstandyng these authorities of Scriptures and fathers yet do the aduersaries kéepe styll theyr brasen faces and stoutly sweare it stare it out that none but heretickes and schismatickes affirme that onely faith iustifieth Truely gentle reader if thou béest not setled in error thou cāst not but see their wicked and shameles facing in crying out that we corrupt the scriptures and that none of the fathers gathered out any such sense or meanyng of them concerning which matter thou hast heard diuers of them tell theyr owne tales Now it is here principally to be noted that wher mans iustification is a free remission of sinnes and imputation of righteousnes vnto hym through fayth in Christ it may be that because the phrase of the Scriptures of these aucthorityes attribute the same so many tymes to fayth that therefore some myght gather thereby that fayth is the efficiēt cause of mans iustification which is not so for the efficient cause is onely God euē as sinful mā destitute of Gods grace is the materiall cause and as the declaratiō of Gods iustice righteousnesse in performaunce of hys free promyse to the encrease of the glory of hys grace is the finall cause And forasmuch as vnto this worke two instrumentes were requisite the one to be vsed by God whiche was Chryst of whom hée made the sacrifice and offeryng the other to be vsed by man whiche is fayth Therefore that fayth beyng as I saide the instrument whiche taketh holde of the promyse hath relation vnto the obiecte of fayth Namely vnto Chryst and the promyse and so hath the title of iustification imputed vnto it for so sayth the Scripture Abraham beleeued God and God imputed that to him for righteousnesse Whyche Paule dyuers tymes rehearseth to shewe that fayth is not the efficient cause of iustificatyon but the obiecte of fayth Namelye Chryst and the promyse And that fayth receyueth the tytle thereof onelye by imputation and not by proprietie of nature Namely because it is that wherewith man taketh holde of Christ and the promise whiche I thought worthy the notyng Thus hauyng shewed the nature of the newe couenaunt touchyng mans iustification and that fayth is the onely meane required in man to the attaynement thereof it followeth Cap. 9. ¶ To know the certayne tokens of that fayth wherunto iustification is imputed and the difference betwene the workes of the faythfull the works required in the law FAyth beyng the gift of God as Paule to the Phillippians affirmeth for vnto you sayth he it is geuen not onelye to beleue in Christ but also to suffer for hym fayth I say beyng the gyft of God is accompanyed wyth newnesse of lyfe which possesseth suche beautyes of Gods grace as forthwyth kyndle the soule or mynde wyth desire of true obedyence vnto God by ingraftyng hym both into the similitude of the death of Christ whereby he dyeth vnto sinne and also into the similitude of hys resurrection whereby hée ryseth vnto a newe lyfe beyng sure that the olde man of synne is crucified that henceforth hée shoulde no more be seruaunt to sinne So that now she trayneth hys affection towardes the thynges aboue from the thynges on the earth in that hée is dead to synne his life béeing hydden in Chryst wyth God whereby hée laboureth to mortifye the affectiōs of the earthly members as hauing put of the olde man with hys workes and put on the new whiche is renued in knowledge after the Image of God shapen vnto righteousnesse and true holines laboring not to greue the spirite of God by whom he is sealed vnto the daye of redemption but knowing himselfe the temple of the holy ghost laboreth to clense and purifie the same Whiche desire is not now kindled in hym as in respecte of merite but as proper and peculiar vnto the faith which through grace hath takē the possession of the mind wherby he is trāsformed into the similitude of Chryst so that where before he yelded himselfe seruant vnto all the workes of the fleshe now contrarywise he laboureth to pursue all the woorkes proper vnto the spirite Beyng certayne that the grace of God whyche bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared and teacheth hym that hée shoulde denye vngodlinesse and worldly lust◠and that he should liue soberly righteously and godly in this present lyfe Séeyng Chryst gaue him selfe for him to redéeme him from all vnrighteousnesse to purge hym peculiar vnto him selfe feruently geuen to good workes that so he might walke worthy of the Lorde in all thinges that please being fruitfull in all good woorkes and increasing to the knowledge of God because hée is hys workemanshyp created in Chryst Iesus vnto good woorkes whiche God ordayned that he shoulde walke in them Now forasmuch as these be the proprieties or fruites belongyng to regeneration whyche entreth wyth true fayth Therefore presentlye where soeuer she taketh place shée maketh her selfe knowne by these effectes and forthwith vpon her arriuall begynneth fight with the olde man of sinne and déedes of the same And whereas before whilèst the strong armed man namely the deuill kept the pallace that is possessed the soule or mynde all thinges were in peace that is man slumbred in security féelyng no fight in conscience Now so soone as a stronger commeth in place namelye the holy ghost furnishyng the minde with true faith whereupon newnes of lyfe and true godlinesse atténde Then foorthwyth entreth man into the christian fight for presently all the forenamed graces are encountred by the deuyll and the corruptyon of hys sinfull and rebellious nature according to these sayinges Hostis noster adhuc in hac vita nos positos quanto magis nos sibi rebellare
The grace of Christ commeth freely and not for merues sake August de câ—uitate dei lib. 14. cap. 1 August de spiritu et litera cap. 18 Ibidem Cap. 13. By fayth to Iesus Christ we are iustified IbideÌ„ in Psal 31. No merits but mercy preueâ—ed out iustification August in expositione 2. Psal 31. IbideÌ„ in Psal 18. We are frely iustified in the bloud of Christ God of hys owne mercy hath saued vs. IdeÌ„ in Psal 5. IdeÌ„ in Psal 142. God for the glory of hys names ake doth freelye sane vs by his grace and mercy Idem de teÌ„pore sermone 49. Ambro. de vocatio gent. libro 1. cap. 5. Ad valent epist. 46 Idem lib. 2. homiliarum homilia 14 Augustine calleth such heretikes as ascribe grace to merite August Sexto epist. 105. Aug. Valentino et fratribus epist. 46 Contra duas epist. pelagionorum Lib. 1 IdeÌ„ ad Sextum Rom. praesi epist. 105. Idem libro 3. contra pelag hipognast cap. 37. De compuâ—tions cordis The reasoning of the aduersarirs Man is iustified thorow fayth wythout workes Rom. 3. Gal. 2. 25y works no man liuing shal be iustified Peter Lom bard Hilla lib. 4. de trinitate Hier. in epist. ad Gal. Cap. 1. The 〈…〉 e of the scripture consisteth not in the wordes but in the meaning of the same Workes folow iustification Fayth apprehendeth righteousnes and workes declare the apprehension Good workes declare vs to bee righteous Fayth apprehendeth Christ by whom we are made righteous The meaning of S. Iames wordes Note here the maner of speaking of S. Iames. Fayth with out workes is a dead fayth True fayth cannot be without good fruites Abrahams fayth had fruites S. Iames enueigheth not agaynst a true fayth but against a fayned false fayth Math. 19 The keping of the commaundementes of God were hable to iustify vs if we were hable to obserue them Leuit. 18 No man hath nor can keepe the lawes as God requireth them to be kept A questyon moued by a lawyer vnto Christ Christes aunswer to the lawiers question Luk. 5. This is a hard speeche to the louers of the worlde An other argument of the Papistes The Papistes accompte Christ to be very weake that beyng able to iustif 〈…〉 a man before he was conuerted were not also able to restore him if he fell after he was regenerate Hebr. 6. Hebr. 10 Luk. 12. 1. Iho. 2 Christ is our iustification both before Baptisme and after An other obiection The aunswere Rom. 4. Fayth doth iustify because it apprehendeth Christes iustification 1. Cor. 13. Fayth hope and loue Obiection Aunswere Loue fulfilleth the law Fayth is the instrument wherby we receaue our iustification by Christ An other obiection Aunswere Our iustification is done by Christ before our workes God worketh to saluation only in his children that is in the iustified God by his owne working and not be ours maketh vs his children All good workes are wrought by God in them that are iustified by fayth Psal 7. Psal 18 The righteous being vnder the mercilesse persecution lament and 〈…〉 e. The righteous cry out that they are no such offendours as the wicked report them to be The righteous offer the innocency of their causes to the iudge ment seat of god Dauid reioiceth that he held hys hand and hart from committing of wickednes against Saul 1. Sam. 20. The innoceÌ„cy of Dauid in respect of Saules crueltie Psal 51. Psal 38. 130. Psal 19. Psal 32. God must haue the whole honor of maÌ„s saluation IustificatioÌ„ why it is imputed to fayth and not to workes Eph. 2. No worke may be don vpon hope of reward 1. Cor. 11. August in epist. 1. IohaÌ„ nis tract Aduersus Iudaeos erat one The Table wherein note these two letters a. b. a. signifieth the first side of the leafe and b. the second A. ABrahams faith had frutes 112. b Adam created 1. a Adam deceaued by Eue hys wife 4. b Adam accuseth his wife 6. a Adam the firste man made vs bond and thrall vnto sinne 44. a Adams disobedience hath corrupted all mankynd 12. a. b Anavaptistes Pelagians and Papistes 11. b Argumentes made by the Papistes of good workes aunswered 95. a. b. 107. a. 115. a. 116. a. b. 117. a B BLasphemye to Christes death and passion 68. a C CHrist onely taketh away the sinnes of the world 19. a Christe the sonne of God was made man and borne of the virgine Mary 42. a Christ was perfect God perfect man. 43. b Christe is very righteousnes it selfe 43. a Christ is our Aduocate to the father 44. b Christe is our iustification both before Baptisme and after 116. b Christe the seconde man hath made vs free froÌ„ sinns 44. a Christe became accursed to make vs blessed 44. b Christ had payd the full taunsome of mannes transgression 44. a Christe iustifieth vs before we worke 119. a Conflictes attende continually vpon true fayth 81. b Corrupte doctrine of the Papistes 29. b D DAuid reioysed in hys innocency 121. a. b Death hath power ouer the vnrighteous 7. b Death hath power ouer the whole nature of man. 7. b Death is dew to all sinne 17. a Death and damnatioÌ„ reigneth ouer euery man. 19. b Deadly sinne excludeth fayth 17. a Deadly sinne veniall sinne what difference 18. a DefinitioÌ„ of actuall sinne 16. a Definition of veniall sinne 16. b Definition of loue 25. b. 26. a Definition of the law 29. a Degrees of perfection 29. b Definition of habite 49 b DefinitioÌ„ of fayth 56. b. 57. a. b Definition of workes 65. a. b. DefinitioÌ„ of iustification 62. b Definition of woorkes of the faythfull 84. b Difference betwene originall and actuall sinne 19. a Deuill is the enemy of mans felicitie 4. a Deuill and God there is no middle estate betwene them 67. a Deuill an enmie to vertuous lyfe 81. a Duetie or debt hath two senses or meanynges 101. a E. EDen the garden wherein man was placed at his first creation 1. a Errors of Papistes about workes 66. b Eue the woman was goueÌ„ vnto man to be his helper 1. b Eue deceiued by the deuil 4. b Exposition of this place of Iohn we haue receued grace for grace 48. b F. FAyth and deadly sinne can not stand together 17. b Fayth onely apprehendeth the promises of God. 47. a Fayth diuerslye taken in the Scriptures 55. b. 56. a Fayth what the scholemen thinke of it 56. a Fayth onely attayneth instification 70. a Fayth onely iustifieth proued by the Scriptures and anâ— cient fathers 70. b. 71. a. b 72. a. b. 73. a. b. 74. a. b. 75. a. b 76. a. b. 77. a. b. 78. a. b Fayth is not the efficient cause of our iustification but God onely 78. b. 79. a Fayth is aceompanied wyth newnes of life 79. b. 80. a. b 81. a Faythe is made knowne by good workes 82. a Fayth hope and loue 118. a Fayth is the instrument wherby we receyue iustification 118. b
Fayth in Iesu Christ iustifieth vs. 103. a Fayth apprehendeth ent righteousnes 109. b. 110. a. b Fayth without woorkes is a dead fayth 112. a Fayth that is liuely cannot be without good workes 112. a Fayth iustifieth because it apprehendeth our iustification 117. a Flesh is but a masse or lumpe of iniquitie 8. a Fruites of sinne 20. a G. GOD abhoryed man and refused him for his worke 6. b God cursed all the earth for mans offence 6. b God in his creation of man conditioned that he shoulde not breake his to 〈…〉 ment 12. 〈◊〉 God commaundeth vs to loue him and our neighbor 24. b God cōmaundeth nothing impossible proued false 30. a God him selfe freely procured mans redemption 31. a God is true of his promise 32. a. b God gaue the lawe to the children of Israell 33. a God sent his prophets to declare the promised seed 41. b God trayned man by his prophers to take hold of the promised seed 42. a God loued vs first 50. b God by his grace is the onely worker of mans health and saluation 51. a God and the deuill there is no middle estate betwene them 67. a God for the glory of his name doth freely saue and iustifie vs. 10. 4a b. 105. a. b. 106. a. b God is the worker of all good workes in his iustified children 119. a. b God must haue the whole honor of mans saluatiō 122. a God wroughte in loue in sending Christ to suffer death to redeeme man. 124. a. b God the father a worker in the same deed that Iudas wrought in 124. Gods vnspeakeable mercy declared to vs in Christ 2. b 20. b. 21. a Gods iustice 20. b Gods creatures euery of them vnder heauen inuiolably obserue the lawe of their creation saung man onely 22. a 23. b Good workes are the feuites of good fayth 82. a Good workes are to be done of the faythfull but not as the price of our redemption 82. b Good workes are witnesses to good sayth 83. a. b. 84. a Good workes for owe our iustification 89. b Good workes two thinges are required in them 90. a 91. a. b. 92. a Good workes require affectiō of the hart 92. a Good workes declare vs to be righteous 110. b Grace hath saued vs through fayth in Christ and not of our selues 46. a Grace defined by the Papistes 49. a Grace of God is geuē vs freely and not for merites sake 102. b H. HAbite defined 49. b Holy water nor purgatory can clense vs of our sinnes 19. a I IMage of Nature and Grace 1. a Image of God what it is 2. a Image of God in man. 2. a Infantes haue no actual sinne of their own cōmitting 14. a Inward workes 65. a Innocency of man clerely lost 5. a Iudas wrought in treason 124. a. b Iustification commeth by faith and not by workes 47. a 48. a. b Iustification how it is vnderstand in the scriptures 62. a Iustification taught by the Papistes 63. a. 64. a. b Iustificatiō foloweth not good workes but good workes folowe iustification 89. b Iustification is often pronounced vpon workes for faithes sake 96. b Iustificatiō why it is imputed to faith not to workes 122. a L LAberinth of errour maze of confusion 92. b Lawe declareth them to be vnrighteous that haue lost originall righteousnes 7. b Lawe of God is spirituall 8. b Lawe had two offices 33. b Lawe why it was geuen to man. 30. b. 31. b. 34. a Lawe is able to iustifie a man if man coulde performe the righteousnes of the law 34. a Lawe is vnpossible to man to be obserued his nature being now corrupted as it is 36. a. b. 37. a. b. 38. a. b. 39. a. b. Lawe of God geuen to man in most fearefull and terrible maner 40. b Lawe bringeth terrour feare 41. a Lawe of God is the absolute rule of righteousnes 43. a Lawe might saue vs if we could obserue the law 113. b Lawyer moueth a question to Christ 114. a Loue fulfilleth the lawe 118. a Loue is the fulfillyng of the commaundementes of God. 24. b. 25. a. 26. a. 27. a. 28. a. b M MAn placed in Paradise 1. b Man made soueraigne Lorde euer all earthly creatures 1. a Man created to the excellency of Gods Image 1. a. 2. a. 3. a Man ashamed to confesse hys sinne 5. b Man and all his issue corrupted 7. a. b Man a masse or lompe of iniquitie 8. a Man by nature is the child of wrath 8. a. b. 9. a. b. Man in his first creation was without sinne 10. b Man by hys rebellion and sinne brought forth frutes of his owne choyse 20. a Man made an apt subiect for the mercye and iustice of God. 20. b Man in wicked estate 20. d Man of his owne nature hath affection to rebellion 92. a Man is iustified by faith without workes 107. a Man cannot satisfie the lawe 29. a Man is not myndefull of hys duety towardes God. 32. a Mans originall iustice 1. a Mans glorious state ouerthrowen 5 a Mans workes are sinnefull 9 a Mans corrupt nature 29. a Mans duety towardes God. 31. a Mans nature proue to rebellion and sinne 43. a Mercy and not merites hath preuented our iustification 103. a b. 104. a N NAture of mā is proue and ready vnto sinne 28. a O OBiectiōs with aunsweres 12. a 13. a. 35. a. 118. a Opus operantis 67. b Originall righteousnes 3. a. b Originall sinne and our most heynous infection 6. a Originall sinne defined 7. a Originall sinne defiled the nature of man. 10. a. b Originall sinne defined by the Papistes 11. a. 14. b. 15. a. b Outward workes 65. a P PApistes Pelagians Anabaptistes 11. b Papistes their vnformed fayth 61. a. b Papistes their formed fayth 61. a Papistes errours aboute workes 66. a Papistes builde a labirinth of errour and a maze of confusion 92. b. 93. a. b. 94. a Papistes Argumēt of workes 95. a. b. 96. a. b Papisticall doctrine 18. b. 49. a Pelagiās Papistes and Anabaptistes 11. b Pelagius heresie 50. a. 51. a Penaunce an apt and mete instrument for the Papistes 68. b Perfection denyed 29. b Peter Lombard 108. a Preparyng workes what they are 66. b. 67. a Purgatory nor holy water can not take away sinnes 19. a R RAhabs fayth had frutes 113. a Reward is not properly so called when it is payd to a labourer for his trauell but rather a duety 101. b Righteous persons complayn and cry to God. 120. b Righteousnes commeth not by the law 41. a Righteousnes how it is vnderstand in the scriptures 62. a Righteousnes how it is impu ted vnto vs. 69. b Righteousnes and iustification are diuerstye taken in the scripture 85 a. b. 86. a. b. 87. a. b. 88. a. b. 89. a S SAint James meaning of workes 111. a. b. 113. b Satisfaction is the best officer that the papistes can retaine 68 b Scholemen how they handle fayth 58. a. b. 59 a. b. 60-a b Scholemen what they say of veniall sinne 18 a Scholemē agree in error 18 b Scriptures that seeme to promise reward to workes are expounded 94 b Sense of the Scripture is not in woordes but in the meaning of the same 108 b Serpents kind to be weake and tame in winter 14. a Sinne that is to say euerye sinne that deserueth death is a deadly sinne 17. a Sinne triumpheth ouer man and driueth him from hys glorious state a Sinne the fruits therof 7 a Sinne by the offence of one man entred vpon al mē 8. b Sinne wherin two things are to be considered 11. a Sinne deadly sinne veniall are in diuers respectes but one 18. a Sinne deadly sinne veniall what difference 18. a Sin of man was so grenens an offence as coulde net bee cured but by the death and bloudshedding of innocente Christ the onely Sonne of God. 45. a Sinnes to say there are but. 7. that be deadly is false 16. b Sinnes by fayth are forgeuen therfore called veniall 18. a V Deniall sinnes 17. b. 18. a W WIsedome of God in his creation of man. 1. a Workes good are a testimony of mans election 66. a Woorkes taught by papistes 66 a Workes which the papists cal preparing workes 66. b Worke of the worker 67. b Woorkes of supererogation 67. b. 68. a Workes no not the workes of iustified are able to iustifie before God. 69 a Workes of the law 84. b Workes of the faithfull 84. b Workes of the faithfull are insufficient to fulfill the lawe 85. a. Workes are not the cause of rewarde but God for his own glory accepteth them 96. b 97. a Workes must be done for t 〈…〉 glory of God and not for 〈◊〉 wardes sake 97. b Worke what value they are accompted of in the scriptures 98. a. b. 99. a. b Woorkes when we haue wrought all that we can say that we are vnprofitable seruantes 99. b Workes of supererogation are the popes marchandise and are most superstitious and wicked 99. b Workes how they were estemed of the fathers 100. a. b Workes can iustifie no man. 107. b Workes declare a righteous man. 109. b Workes declare what fayth hath apprehended 109. b Woorkes folowe iustification 109. a Workes may not be done for rewardes sake 123. a. b. FINIS Faultes escaped in Printinge Fol.  Lin.  3. a 14. wrieth read writeth 5. a 17. the read that 9. b  in the margine Luchirid read Enchirid. 15. b 3. perfection read imperfection 18. b 19. thy read they 20. a 10. diuiue nature read diuine nature 38. a 22. miserenitur read miserebitur 53. b 2. then read them 61. a  in the first note vnformed read formed    in the second note formed read vnformed 64. a 15. ay read as 76. b 22. am read tiam 77. b 3. iniquitaids read iniquitates 81. b 8. beway read bewray 97. b 1. shewed read sheweth 98. b  in the note Ier. 1. read Iere. 2. 100. a 12. iustitia read iustitiae 103 b 1 inferretur read inferreretur 104. b 1. of the punishemēt read of thee but punishment 106. a  in the note praesi read p 〈…〉 i. 107. a 〈◊〉 sayth read fayth Ibidem b 16. non medulla read in medulla 110. b 19. put out of 113. b 19. my commaund read the commaunde
where he teacheth the cause of errour he sheweth the same to bee ignoraunce of the Scriptures Ye erre sayth he because ye know not the Scriptures Wherefore if your blinde teachers seeke to witholde you frō the Scriptures you see they deceaue you for these be they only that can witnes the truth How greatly in the Actes of the Apostles are they of Berea commended where the reason is geuen of their great readines in receauing the Gospell for they dayly searched the Scriptures whether those thinges were so you see that the Scriptures the law and the Prophets are onely the witnes and auouchers of the truth These men went not to the fathers writings to enquire whether the Apostles sayd true but they went to the Scriptures as to the piller of trust whose witnes they were sure could neuer deceaue them Thus where your seducers would make you beleue that the Scriptures belong not to you they falsely deceaue you as now they may see the text beareth recorde that these of Berea were both men women and that not a fewe Chrysostome in his Homely of Lazarus and the riche man exhorteth all men to the reading of the scriptures and specially by name occupiers marchantes and householders alledging that they can neuer attain saluation without continuall trauell in the Scriptures affirming that they haue more neede to read the Scriptures then holiermen for that they continually passe their life in greater danger Thus vehemently doth this good father exhort all mē to the reading of the Scriptures which your vncharitable teachers aboue all thinges forbid you and yet you see both out of Paul and Christ himselfe this rule confirmed that all true doctrine hath the witnes of the lawe and the Prophets that is the witnes of the Scriptures Whereby you must examine the truth of your fayth and vtterly condemne all maner of doctrine that hath not this witnes he geueth to the Galathians this absolute decree If we sayth he or an Angell from heauen preach vnto you otherwise thē that which we haue preached vnto you let him be accursed By these rules examine the counterfeite doctrine of your faithles deceiuers search the bottome of their Masse or propitiatory sacrifice say iustly vnto them it hath not the witnes of the lawe and the Prophets no witnes of the Scriptures They bring a newe doctrine ye muste holde them accursed Likewise for theyr praying to Saintes their Purgatory their pilgrimages theyr holybread theyr holy water theyr ringing their senssing their worke of the worker their executed workes their vndewe workes their lyftynges theyr crossinges theyr breathynges their bendynges theyr dombe shewes their washyngs their annoyntings theyr shauynges their reliques and a thousād such follies you may iust ly say to them they haue not the witnes of the law and the Prophets no witnes of Scriptures they preach a new doctrine you must hold thē accursed If they gentle Reader ment to deale playnely with you they could easely tel you that their doctrine can not abide to be examined by the Scriptures of God they could tell you that the greatest indeuour and study of the chief pillers of their fayned Religion is clerely to deface and discredite the scriprures but they will neuer tell you that for thē they be sure you will credit them no farther And because you may know that I tell you the truth I will in hys owne wordes rehearse the sentences of one of their owne Cardinals concerning the same Thus writeth the Cardinal Cusa Certè hoc te non moueat quòd diuersis temporibus alius alius ritus sacrificiorum etiam Sacramentorum stante veritate inuenitur Scripturásque esse ad tēpus adaptatas variè intellectas ita vt vno tempore secundum currentē vniuersalem ritum exponentur mutato ritu iterū sententia mutaretur Truly let not this moue thee that with diuersitie of tyme there is founde diuers formes both of sacrifices and Sacramētes the truth neuertheles remaynyng and that the Scriptures are framed to the tyme and diuersly vnderstand so that one tyme they must be vnderstand accordynge to the vniuersall custome and when that custome agayne is chaunged the meanyng of the Scriptures agayne must be chaunged Gentle reader marke this opē blasphemy for the word of God abydeth for euer That is to say is euer one the same And Dauid sayth that it is an vndefiled law But if this man say true no doctrine can be more filthy for what greater corruption can be attributed to any then to be inconstant vncertayne still mutable with time but beare him yet further Thus sayth he in an other place to confirme the same doctrine Quare nec mirum si praxis Ecclesiae vno tempore interpretatur scripturam vno modo alio tempore alio modo Intellectus enim qui cū praxi cōcurrit est spiritus viuificans It is no merueile if the practise of the Churche interpret the Scriptures at one tyme one waye and an other way at another tyme for the meanyng whiche goeth with the practise is a quickenyng spirite If this to a Christiā cōsciēce be not horror then what may offend it Truly gentle reader if thou belong vnto God thy hart can not but tremble at such fearefull blas phemy and yet is this one of the principall pillars of that bewitchyng Synagoge wherevpon your teachers would haue your faith grounded if you knowing and seyng wil runne to destruction ye worthely perishe but I hope better of you This haue I sayd to make you know them what they would tell you if they durst vtter all Nowe touchyng this treatise I haue therin offred no doctrine vnto you but that which is witnessed by the lawe and the Prophetes Namely by the Scriptures vnto euery part wherof after the same is confirmed by the Scriptures I haue added the fathers sentēces which were of the sounder iudgement to shew that both they we do acknowledge one truth whereunto I haue added the shameles and subtile shifts of some of your false teachers captains I meane Some of the head Papistes and principall Scholemen bewraying their trechery wherin gētle reader this onely I craue at thy handes to read with patience examine by the rule of S. Paul and Christ him selfe which of vs soeuer hath not witnes of the law and the Prophetes the Scripture of God thinke he bryngeth a new doctrine holde hym accursed The Lord if it be his holy will open your eyes that you may perfectly see and constantly confesse hys victorious truth in the will of his onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ before whom in that great day shall truth be crowned and errour cōdemned to the glory of hys name and endeles felicitie of all the eelect amongest whom the Lorde place vs to whom be all glory and prayse for euer Amen ¶ The Argumentes of the Chapiters 1. THat Adams willfull transgression made him his ofspring rebels to God
brought in sinne and death 2. That that transgression made man an apt subiect for the two properties of God namely iustice and mercy to worke vpon 3. That for the manifestyng of maÌ„s subiection to both those properties the declaration of the law was nedefull wherein the condition of his estate might appeare 4. That the nature of the lawe is to be knowen and what is requisite to the fulfilling thereof and the contrarietie betwene the same the corrupt nature of man. 5. To what end the lawe should be geueÌ„ vnto man he hauing no power to satisfie any part of the same 6. How man regarded the lawe how in Christ the promised seede the couenaunt concerning mans restitution was consummate 7. How the obedience and death of Christ was a full satisfaction for the disobedience and deserued death purchased to al mankinde by AdaÌ„ 8. To enquire the nature of the new couenaunt what on the behalfe of maÌ„ is required to the atteinment of righteousnes in the same 9. To know the certaine tokens of that faith wherunto iustification is imputed the differeÌ„ce betwen the workes of the faithfull the workes required in the lawe 10. To know what iustificatioÌ„ or righteousnes it is which the scriptures attribute to works also what fayth it is against which S. Iames speaketh why iustificatioÌ„ is imputed to fayth and not to workes THE IMAGE of Nature and Grace ¶ That Adams wilfull transgression made him and his ofspring rebels to God and brought in sinne and death Cap. 1. THe eternal wisdome of God hauyng created Adam our first father after the excelleÌ„cie of his owne Image adorned naturally with iustice holines and all perfection to be vnto hym as it were the beauty and glory of all hys workes so aduaunced him by his creation aboue the rest of all his earthlye creatures that vnto him alone he gaue the rule and preheminence in nature to be their Lord and ruler That is to whome all they should obey and serue for the first taste of the which excellent dignitie and prerogatiue he placed theÌ„ all before him as before their soueraign Lord from his mouth to receiue seuerally their titles and proper names according to the whiche they all were called Then geuing Eua vnto hym for his helper he placed him in the garden of Eden the possession of all earthly delightes appointing vnto him the kéeping therof with frée libertie for hys reliefe and comfort to taste eate of all the excellent fruites therein the onely trée of knowledge of good and euill excepted of the whiche he forbade hym to eate affirmyng that what houre soeuer he tasted therof he shoulde dye the death Now forasmuch as the matters here spoken of namely the Image of God in man and mans originall iustice and perfection do iustly chalenge some explication therof as well that the excellency of Gods first benefites towardes man might after a certayne maner bée séene and the glorious estate of his former dignitie more gréedily thristed for agayne and also the outrage of his ingratitude with greater detestation abhorred and the filthines and foule corruption of his nature and miserye of his presente estate by vewe of his former perfection more perfectly paynted out And finally that the triumphe of Gods vnspeakeable mercy in Christe which notwithstanding so huge transgression hath not onely pardoned him but also adopted hym into the fellowship and libertie of his owne sonne that all these I say might be made the more apparaunt those wordes do iustly chalenge some explicatioÌ„ Wherfore where it is sayd that man was created after the image of God it is to bée vnderstand that he was created the most excellent earthly creature being made partener of the naturall goodnes and vertue of God namely holy wise iust pure good true immortall c. hauyng both power perfectly to know God also power and fréewil constantly to beleue him to serue him to obey him to loue him to feare him and to be shorte to perfourme such workes as aunswered to the image of so excellent a Paterne And therefore doth Tertullian writing agaynst Marcion moste excellently and briefly define the Image of of God thus Haec ergo imago censenda est dei in homine quod eosdem motus sensus habeat humanus animus quos deus heet non tales quâ—les deus pro substantia enim status exitus distant Therefore is this to be accouÌ„ted the image of God in man that the mynde of man must haue the same mouinges felings which god hath although not euen suche as God hath for as touching substance of state and ende they differ That is to say that is the image of God which naturally loueth that which god loueth hateth that which god hateth which of very nature iudgeth of all things according to the iudgemeÌ„t of God All which thinges were necessary to the duety of mans office for seyng God had made and created hym as it were his liuetenaunt or vicegerent ouer all his earthly creatures it was necessary that to their gouernement hys nature should participate of the excellent properties of God that thereby in the whole execution of his office hée might haue power not to swerue from his duty and obedience required in the same And hereby appeareth what originall righteousnes was in maÌ„ namely holines knowledge wisedome iustice purenes goodnes truth immortalitie loue temperance chastitie vnlust fréedome from sinne naturall and willing obedience to God hauing power to do good not to sinne not to dye c. and that he in respect of this excellente and glorious condicion of this original nature is called the image of god It is thus out of the Scriptures of God easily gathered Thus writeth Paul to the Ephesians Lay from you the olde maÌ„ which is corrupt through the deceiuable lustes and be ye renued in the spirit of your mynde and put on the new man which after God is shapen in righteousnes and true holines And again the same Paul to the Colos sayth Lye not one to another seyng ye haue put of the olde man with his workes and haue put on the newe which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that made him Now what the putting on of this new willingly forgetfull of his creator from whome he had not onely receyued hys beyng but also the prerogatiue of so excellent dignity He I say missed by deceitfull perswation neglecting the glorye of his creator rather gaue credite to the light perswasion of his wife then to the reuerend and dreadfull maiesty For his wife being deceiued by the serpent supposed the commaundemeÌ„t to haue bene geuen rather of subteltie to hinder their dignitye and as it were a scarcrowe to fray them from the tast of that fruite whereby their excellency might increase or as though God had rather not vouchsafed them that further good happe which by taste thereof was