which righteousnesse is not onely graunted vnto the Iewes but also to the Gentiles and finally to all them that beleeue in Chryst Iesus Both which righteousnesses Moyses did set foorth and maketh mention of them in his lawe Of the which two the worldly righteousnesses he mentioned in the Booke of Leuiticus and it stoode in Ceremonies that were but for a time appoynted and sayd kéepe my lawes and iudgements which who soeuer shall do them shall liue in the same And he likewise declared the seconde righteousnesse which is euerlasting and is obtayned by the onely merite of our liuely fayth in Iesus Chryst as in the Booke of Deuteronomij where he sayth Thou shalte not say in thine heart who ascendeth into heauen for that is to plucke Chryst out of heauen Agayne let no man say who descendeth into the depth of the earth for that is to call Chryst agayne from death And herein is a likelyhoode that the same man beléeueth neither of them bothe which demaundeth the practise or experience of them But who soeuer beléeueth truely and sincerely knoweth this for a more suretie than to seeke for any further aduertisement thereof that is that Chryst dyd once descende from heauen and ascended thither againe and now sitteth on the right hande of his father both which are moste true though we doo not now sée them with our bodily eyes Also that he descended into the hels and from thence returned agayne and still liueth though the same be vnknowen to our outwarde senses yet it shall be sufficient for vs to beléeue that all this was once done fulfilled Therfore nothing else now remayneth to vs and to al those that did sée these things brought to passe with their owne eyes but only to beléeue his holy Gospell And we néede not séeke very farre to here the truth of all this for the Iewes themselues dyd behold and sée it fulfilled and yet did not beléeue it Howbeit there were many that heard of it and did not sée it and yet they beléeued it Neither is there concealed or hidden from vs among the whole scriptures any one parte of this poynte but they doo witnesse the same and biddeth vs to haue recourse vnto the Gospell for the very certayntie therof and sayth thus to vs The worde is néere vnto thée euen in thy mouth and in thy hearte And what woorde is this that the Scripture here speaketh of verily euen the onely worde of the Gospell which bringeth with it perfect health and is now preached of vs whom Chryst hath appoynted for the same purpose But how is it in thy mouth and in thine heart It is verily in thy mouth if thou doest confesse with thy mouth and acknowledge vnto al men that our lord Iesus Chryst is already come and hath suffred for vs And it is in thine heart if thou do beléeue vnfaynedly with all thine heart that God hath restored him agayne vnto euerlasting life that we hereafter may dye with him to our sinnes and euermore to liue with him for the deserts sake of his passion death resurrection For in our hearts is our right beléefe which beléefe is the true vncounterfeited key to open the doore vnto righteousnesse Notwithstanding bicause wée be bound to glorifie God it shall not be sufficient for vs to conceiue this faith in our hearts but also to acknowledge confesse Christ amongst men with our mouthes if we wil come to our perfecte health and saluation But in all these you cléerely sée that the summe of this matter dependeth not vppon the Law and Ceremonies but onely vppon true fayth in Chryst the which Esaias the prophete witnesseth where he speaketh of Chryst who soeuer sayth he shall beléeue in him shall not be ashamed In which words we muste diligently marke that wheras the Prophete sayth who soeuer shall beléeue he playnely maketh no difference betwéene the Iewes and the Gentiles but meaneth them all indifferently Also whereas he sayth shall beléeue he meaneth not Circumcision or any other suche lyke thing but vtterly excluding all the Ceremonies he onely requireth our fayth which is vnto all Nations an vniuersall gyfte and vertue Further God is suche a one that he is not Lorde to the Iewes onely but generally to all nations kinreds and people whose large benefite is not so straytely pinched in and shutte into an onely angle or corner of the worlde or that it should onely appertayne to them of Iewry and so peraduenture of them to be so cleane supped vp that nothing thereof shall remayne vnto others but hys bountyfulnesse is without all measure and ouerfloweth not to one onely Nation or twayne but stretcheth foorth withoute exception to all kinreds and people so that the same call onely vppon him for his helpe and succour with an earnest and vndoubting fayth And euen thus testifieth the Prophet Micheas Euery man sayth he that shal call vpon the name of the Lorde shall be saued Héere you well sée that the Prophet excepteth no man Therefore whosoeuer with a faythfull heart shall call vppon the name of God whether he be Iew Gentile or stranger shal come vnto his saluation Contrarywise whosoeuer shall not call vpon the name of hym shall not be saued How beit no man calleth vppon him or demaundeth his helpe and succour in whom he doth not beléeue And how shall men beléeue on him of whom they haue not heard Agayne how can men héere of him excepte there bée some to preach of him And how can men preach him if there bée none sent to doo it namely of him to whom the Gospell appertayneth Of whiche preachers Esaias speaketh and sayth O how beautifull and precyoâ—â—e are the féete of them that preache peace and of them that tell good things Héere you perceiue by the Prophete that all the Preachers of Chryst are commaunded to Preache not Circumcision and holy dayes but the peace that coupleth vs togither in perfecte charitie and suche other good things as be alwayes good and good of their owne nature And there is nothing now lefte behinde vnpreached that toucheth the calling of mortall men to their saluation in as muche as the Gospell of Chryst is preached vnto all Nations though they doo not all beléeue it and giue their onely trust thervnto For euen so the Prophete Esay sayde that it shoulde so come to passe speaking in the name of the Apostles Lorde sayd he who did beléeue our sermons and preachings For among the Nations there bée very few that beléeue the Gospell of Chryste if they bée compared to them that doo not beléeue it Let vs therefore gather togither in a summe those things that we haue spoken of before which is if the calling vpon God do bring health vnto men and agayne if they that doo not trust in him doo not call vppon him then is fayth specially of a Christian man required before all things and not Circumcision or the customes of the
which what so euer he promised vnto Abraham in his posteritie he hath performed it vnto vs in Iesus Christ our Lord whom he restored again from death to life declaring therby that Abraham did not beléeue amisse which trusted that he could giue life to the dead and to make the things that were not for to be We oughte not therfore to giue our thaÌ„ks vnto the law of Moses for our iustification but wholely altogither to Christ which â—â—â—ly yelded himselfe to death to put away our sinnes without our desertes and the same rose againe from death to the end we should abstaine from deadly things and neuer after commyt such enormities and sinnes as Christ dyed for I say therfore that Christ died to kill our sinnes in vs and the same rose again from death that we by meanes of him being made dead to our sinnes should also rise againe with him vnto newnesse of life and to liue according to rightuousnesse which by the benefite of his death we haue most amplie receiued The fifth Chapter The povver of faith hope and loue and hovv death raigned from Adam vnto Christ by vvhome only vve haue forgeeuenesse of our sinnes THerefore we be made rightuous from oure sinnes not by the lawe of Moses which augmenteth rather our offences neither by the merite of our good woorkes but euen as Abraham was so be we also reconciled vnto God through the onely dignitie of our faithe Vnto whome also Abraham was counted righteous for his faithe and that not by the lawe of Moses but by the onely sonne of God oure Lorde Iesus Christe which washing away oure sinnes in his bloude and by his deathe reconciling vs againe vnto God which before was offended with oure sinnes opened vnto vs the way wherby we through our faith without the helpe of our Circumcision might be drought into the graâ—e of the Gospell In which Gospell all that be the children of God stand stedfastly in faithe Neither stand they all only with light and mercie harts but also reioyce and glory as well for that they be atone with God as also to haue sure hope shewed vnto them that for the continuaÌ„ce of their faith they shal once come to the eternal glory of god And as we enuie not the Iewes though they glory in their circuÌ„cision so it repeÌ„teth vs not of our faithe which bringeth to vs so great frute neither yet â—â—e we for thinke our reioysing by hope whereof we be most happily comforted set at a sure stay The which though it doe not yet appeare but moste suffer many things before we come vnto it yet we accompt our afflictions and troubles of great glory and praise which we suffer in the meane time and shall open the way for vs into immortalitie for we haue receiued this example and mightie doctrine of Christe himselfe that in suffering afflictions patiente is made strong and by patience we are rendred vnto God and proued daily amongst men Againe the more that we be proued by perplexities and troubles so much the more strong is our hope of rewarde Neither shal we doubt or feare that our hope will deceiue vs and forsake vs or be once ashamed that we haue beléeued in as muche as we haue a sure earnest or gage that it is his wonderfull loue towards vs which is not shewed only without forth but also moste aboundantly it is imprinted in our hartes which also worketh oure loue towardes him It God had not wonderfully loued vs his only deare sonne shoulde not haue bene suffered to descende into this miserable world and to receiue mortal fleshe vpon him and therein to suffer death yea the moste cruel and shameful death for vs which were abandoned and giuen ouer to all filthie and dissolute liuing This notwithstanding he loued vs in suche manner that he willingly and fréely suffered such crueltie for vs Amongst men one man cannot be founde so frendly that wil suffer death for his felow And though peraduenture there be some men that wil die for some of their speciall friendes which haue deserued it by benefites or giuing of gifts yet the frendship and loue of God excéedeth all kinde of loue which deliuered his onely deare Sonne 〈◊〉 be moste â—â—e 〈◊〉 tormented and cruellie wounded to the death for moste accursed and wretched sinners which benefite loue séeing he hath shewed to the very wicked and most gracelesse offenders how muche more wiâ—â— he shewe it to the penitent harted and his deare louers Christ died for vs for a while â—â—ase againe from death to liue for euermore By whose only puissant and triumphant death séeing we be now reconciled vnto God which before was greuously offended with vs to the ende we should afterwardes haue him beneuolent and mercifull then muche rather shall his life performe this foreséeing that we fall not againe into oure olde filthie iniquities His death tooke away our offences and his life shall guide our innocencie His death bought vs from the boÌ„dage of the diuell and his life shall maintaine the louely fréedome of his father towardes vs These be suche euident tokens of Gods almightie loue towardes vs that we may not onely vs sure with firme hope and confidence that we be safe from his ire to come but also they liuely encourage vs to reioyce in the same not vaunting or extolling our good woorkes but wholly giuing thankes to God to whose only goodnesse we may euer referre all our perfecte felicitie which he hath prepared for vs not by the lawe nor by Circumcision or other Ceremonies but only by his sonne Iesus Christ And it was moste secretely prouided by the highe Councell of God that the way to restore vs againe to health should agrée in fashion vnto the way that brought vs to destruction For like as by one the first Adam which gaue the first onset to the traÌ„sgressing of Gods lawe sinne came into the world and death also by the meanes of sinne which deathe is the ende and rewarde of sinne and the forcible venome and poison of the soule also as it chaunced that sinne began at the head of maÌ„kinde throughe whome it also came vnto all his posteritie Euen so by Christ the seconde Adam in whome we be new borne by faithe innocencie was broughte amongste vs and life folowed innocencie And so this felicitie which procéedeth of the newe beginner of mankinde is deriued vnto all men which by faithe appertaine vnto Christe and leade an innocent and cleane life Further after that sinne was broughte into this worlde and inuaded all men it would not be put away neither by the lawe of Moses nor yet by the lawe of nature but only the lawe testified that they which offended did onely deserue punishment Howe beit the Gentiles had no punishment appointed vnto them for their offences but 〈◊〉 infantes which by season of their tender youthe haue not the vse of the lawe of nature neither yet can rightly
discerne the good from the bad are not amongste men coumpted sinners as men are sinful neither so corrected for their offences euen so it chanced vnto the Gentiles which did sinne contrary to the lawe of Moses hauing no knowledge thereof Yet sinne was not absent from the Gentile before that the lawe was giuen as dothe witnesse against him the lawe of nature But they did fauor pardon them selues in their sinnes stil offended God as though they had ben priuiledged persons bicause they had not amongst theÌ„ the law of Moses Therfore at the tune he was not come that should take away the sinnes of the worlde and put away the tirannie of deathe and sinne which through Adam entred into the world raigned amongst men vnpunished as in Adam which brake the commaundement of god Notwithstanding the same did long before prefigure the comming of Christ which shuld be after him Not that Adam was like in all things vnto Christe but that in some speciall things he represented the image of him And in this point was Adam like vnto Christ bicause that both of them were the first beginners of the generations But Adam of the earthie generation and Christ of the heauenly Furthermore bicause that from either of them as from a beginning came certaine procéedings vnto all men But from the earthie Adam came the originall and beginning of vnrightuousnesse and deathe And from Christ the heauenly Adam came the beginning of innocencie and euerlasting life Which bothe though in some part they be like yet in equalitie they very much differ For as in this speciall pointe to saue is a thing of more might and puissance than to kill so is Christ much more mightie which saueth than Adam that killeth And the obedience of Christ was of greater efficacie with god his heauenly father to bring vnto men their life than was the traÌ„sgression of Adam to bring vnto them their death Wherfore the goodnesse of Christ doth muche excéede the offence of Adam least a man should fall into despaire of his healthe when he remembreth the sinne of his first father For if it be reason that the sinne of oure firste father Adam shoulde condemne suche an infinite numbre of men by greater reason the benefite of Christe should restore them vnto life againe whome God hath appointed the author of our innocencie and hath graunted vnto him that his death should not only take away the spot and tirannie of oure sinne and deathe but hath giuen to the handes of the same to dispose vnto all men the power of rightuousnesse in steade of theyr sinnes and the heauenly kingdome for the tirannie of their death Therfore as the fall of Adam was no great hurt to the faithfull so the goodnesse of our Lord Christ maketh vs at one with his heaueÌ„ly and mercifull father Also as Adam through his offence was the occasion that all his posteritie doe stande as in the state of damnation so the mightie benefite of Iesus Christe towardes vs hath put away all our offences In witnesse wherof he hathe sealed it with his moste precious bodie vppon the crosse as â— moste â—uâ—e testimonie of the same But to come againe vnto that wherof we haue spoken before If it were so prouided of God from the beginning to take away from man his sinne and to restore againe vnto him his life after this sorte what did it then preuaile to make a lawe which did profit nothing at all to saluation yes verily the lawe did profit muche that by the knowledge thereof the benefite of Christe mighte the more cleerely and euidently appeare vnto vs For the more that our sinnes menaced and cruelly threatned vs so muche the more manifest was the benefit of Christ which alwayes cheareth vs land deliuereth vs from sinne The lawe plainly laide open vnto all men the death of sinne which though some went about with striuing to ouercome it yet the tirannie therof was so sharp so stout and valiant that it was impossible to be vanquished But the goodnesse of Christ was much â—â—nightie than it put all tâ—raâ—â—â—e of death to slight from al such as would beléeue only in him This proâ—â—t therfore we gâ—â— by the law that we perceiue truely therby the magnitude greatnesse of Christes benefit towards all men by which it commeth to passe that like as the diuel through the tirannie of sinne brought death vnto all meniso the goodnesse of almighty God giueth life vnto all men throughe his owne deaâ—e sonne Iesus in which our only â—ord Prince I reioyce being now made frée from the bondage of death vnder which not long héeretofore I haue most wofully liued The sixth Chapter For so muche as vve be deliuered thorovve Christe from sinne vve must fashion our selues to liue as the seruauntes of God and not after oure ovvne lustes The vnlike revvard of rightuousnesse and sinne AND whereas I haue saide before that sinne by the lawe was manifest and made muche more abundant and did greatly profite to the ende that the goodnesse and mercie of God shuld be more euident vnto vs yet let as man héreby take occasion to continue in his sinne and say in this manner within him selfe Séeing that sinne setteth forthe the goodnesse of God towards men it shall be expedient alwayes to sinne to the end the goodnesse of God may be alwayes the more euident and knowne But God defend from the hartes of Christen men all suche wicked thoughtes For I doe héere meane the sinnes of the olde and former life which God by his mercie tourned vnto oure profite and commoditie And God forbid also that after we be once made frée from sinne conuerted into the state of innocencie we shuld forsake our deliuerer from thence and fall headlong againe into our olde noisome trade Deathe and life be so farre at oddes that they can neuer agrée the one with the other Wherfore assone as we begin to liue vnto Christe we be then deade to sinne and to the Diuell But if we liue to sinne and to the Deuill â—e are damnablie deade euen in that we liue And in liuing to Christ we alwayes liue and are dead to sinne which he only put away through his most precious and bitter death And in receiuing the baptisme of Christe we exercise the same misterie continually amongste vs For when we be Baptised in the name of Christe we doe â—is with him to oure olde sinnes which by vertue of his Passion were putte away And we doe not onely die with him but also be buried wyth him and that through the same Baptisme That lyke as he which neuer liued to sinne yet dyed for our offences and was restored agayne to euerlasting lyfe not by the strength of any man but by the poweâ— of God his almightie father euen so wée béeing stirred vp by him from the death of sinne and filth of our olde offences doo now liue a new life in
pietic and godlinesse daylie profiting and encreasing therein not through our owne power but through the euerlasting power of the mightie spirite of god For séeing by Baptisme we be grafted into the body of Chryst and the maner transfourmed in him whatsoeuer we sée done in him which is our head the same by all congruitie we ought to expresse and to auoyde in vs all things to the contrarie which are before him his sanctified members He rose from death to lyfe he ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hande of his almightie father All these are done and fulfilled in Chryst Wherfore wée muste also endeuer our selues to accomplish the same Then béeing dead to our olde sinnes through Baptisme if wée represente thereby the death of Chryst it shall bée necessarie that in auoyding all kinde of sinne and filthy liuing and continually exercising our selues in godly operations to pretende also his resurrection Howbeit we shall represente Chrystes death in suche maner not that wée should destroy our bodies and dye in déede but in that wée shall so muche quake and shrinke at our sinnes and filthy life that wée may bée thought to dye to them Inasmuche therefore as all men haue in them as it were a double originall and beginning of them selues as is declared before wée must also imagine to be in vs as it were two men the one of them to be olde and grosse and to beare the similitude of Adam and the other to be new and amiable and desirous alwayes of heauenly things representing Chryst Our olde man therefore by the mysterie of baptisme muste be slayne and crucified with Chryst vppon the crosse with which also muste be exiled and vtterly banished all concupiscence and worldly delectation which is the very body of sinne and it dyeth truely in all men when they haue their sensuall lustes in detestation and obey no longer vnto them Who soeuer then dyeth with Chryst in this maner is grafted into the number of the righteous and ceaseth any more to be thrall and subiect to sinne from the tyrannie whereof he is deliuered by Chrystes passion Béeing therfore dead in Christ to our olde sinnes by baptisme we trust by his onely benefite and deseruings leading a Christian life to reigne also with him aliue And so we ought to leade our liues that we do not fall agayne into our olde iniquities but alwayes to haue before our eyes the vertue of Chrystes death which he suffered for the sinnes of the worlde geuing vs example to follow and to dye dayly vnto the same For Chryst did not so rise agayne from death to lyfe that he would afterwards geue any place to death or corruption but he rose to be immortall and neuer to giue place agayne to corruption Therefore all men muste thinke that by the mysterie of baptisme they be once dead to their sinnes and from thencefoorth to be made new creatures and to be truely sayde reuiued agayne vnto an immortall lyfe leading it in all innocencie and godly conuersation For he liueth to God that liueth to godlynesse to righteousnesse and to all other vertues And inasmuche as we be incorporate into the body of Iesus Chryst and made one with him It is therfore most conuenient that we do confourme our selues to him in all godly exercise Which we shal easily bring to passe if we shall not consent to our olde lothsome impurities wherwith the diuell by watchfull oportunitie laboreth and searcheth to defile vs. Neither shall we suffer our members beyn◠once consecrate into the body of Chryst serue the diuell any more whose hellie stoutenesse and haught arrogancie Chryst our head hath spurned vnder his féete for our sakes But suche we muste exhibite our selues before his heauenly presence that it may appeare vnto him throughout our whole lyfe and conuersation that we with him haue clerely relinquished and forsaken all the deserts of death and to be transposed as newe menne into newe kynde of lyuing All which wée may easily attayne and compasse if wée gladly intende to directe our members and the thoughtes of our hearts not to vyce to serue the diuell but to righteousnesse to serue the immortall god And wée muste thinke it our bounden duetie and a case of strayght charge wholly and altogither without exception to serue God inasmuche as wée haue bound our selues so to doo by our promise made vnto him at our firste entring to him by baptisme Neither shall wée feare the mightie temptation of sinne that it shall bring vs agayne into the bondage of the diuell which at this time are not bounde to the lawe that alwayes dyd caste sinne in our téeth rather than qualifie his rage agaynst vs but all wée be now vnder the grace of God which as it was able to delyuer vs from the burden of sinne euen so it can defende vs from the falling into it agayne How be it I woulde not so bée taken héere because I say wée be not bounde to the Lawe that therefore wée may fréely sinne without offence or because the grace of God hathe pardoned our olde enormities that therfore it giueth vs licence to sinne agayne vnpunished no veryly but wee ought muche rather to flée from vyce and sinne at this time because wée bée not dryuen to doe it by force of the Lawe but onely by the deseruings moste vehemente loue and gentle prouocations of GOD towards vs in hys Sonne The maner and fashion of our seruyce is chaunged but not vtterly abolyshed and put away Wée haue so forsaken the seruice of the law that we do serue chryst and his gospel whom if we do serue we serue not in bondage but reigne in hys moste glorious libertie and freedome Wherefore it is partly in our arbitremente to serue which we luste but bothe of them we can not serue Neither the law nor yet the Gospell wil enforce vs to yeld our seruice vnto thē but if we promise our seruice either to the one or to the other we ought of al cōgruitie to obey the same with whō we couenant our seruice Wherfore he that couenaunteth with sinne to serue it must receiue the reward of sinne which is death Contrariwise he that serueth Chryst must obey him shal receiue the reward of life saluation For the frute of our obedience purchaseth nothing to the augmentation of Chrysts aduauntage but it redoundeth vnto our owne proper acceptation in him And in this poynt I gratifie you thanke Chryst for you which although heretofore you haue led a moste miserable lyfe in seruing dead Idolles and in filthy concupiscence yet nowe béeing set at libertie from them ye wholly yéelde your selues constante to the fayth of the Gospell willing to liue hereafter not as constrayned by the commaundement of the Law but according to the heauenly fréedome and the new doctrine of the Gospell of Chryst Into the which you be insinuate and engraffed after suche a
it selfe This is then to be considered in asmuche as the Lawe of Moyses was mortall as is the husbande to the wife it can be no wonder to the true christian man to heare that it is dead which so long as it was aliue had full strength and power ouer them that were in subiection to it How be it at thys tyme you Iewes you haue no matter to doo wyth the Lawe in as muche as it is nowe deade to you or at the least wyse you deade to it thoughe it were still aliue For after that Chryst which is the onely truthe came amongest vs all the Lawe of Moyses was abrogate frustrate and of none effecte as touchyng the Letter and Ceremonies thereof Considering therefore you bee all now incorporate into the body of Chryst and maried vnto him as a wife vnto hir husbande béeing set at libertie from hir olde husbande by the death of the lawe and further séeing your husbande now at these dayes is liuing and immortall bicause he dyed for your sakes and rose agayne from death to life and so euermore afterwards to continue aliue it shall be now your parte to compose and confourme your selues a louing and a continuall wife to suche an immortall husbande and neuer afterwards to caste any one tytle or iote of your loue to the remembraunce of your olde good man for so dooing it can not be chosen but offence must be committed to the great sorow and grefe of this your so louing Espouse But alwayes haue in your minds that like as heretofore you shewed your selues seruiseable vnto your firste husbande and to accomplish with good will al his commaundements euen so now you ought to enforce your selues to yéelde suche obedience and seruice at this time that it may be acceptable to God your father and pleasaunte to Chryst your moste deare and swéete spouse For so long as we were vnder the law as vnder our husbande it had gouernement ouer vs which by reason of the many requestes that it made euer charging vs with disobedience and lacke of good seruice was an occasion that we found our selues alwayes distressed alwayes in displeasure agaynst him and neuer to satisfie and fulfill his commaundement by occasion whereof our seruice was euer vnperfect gréeuous and subiect to correction and punishment Therefore now at this time béeing set at libertie from his iurisdiction vnder which bicause we liued alwayes in sinne and displeasure we dyd not liue but were rather all dead vnder the same vntill our time appoynted it shall therefore now well become vs to be no longer obedient to our olde husbande which was carnall and mortall but wholly vnto our new spouse which is heauenly and spirituall And from hencefoorth to yéelde our seruice not to the law in the letter and ceremonies but vnto Iesus Chryst in the spirite of God which spirite we haue receiued from the hande of our spouse for a wedding ring to put vs alwais in remēbrance of our hartie dutie good wil towards him But I stand in dout least some man héere will obiecte against me and say Séeing then that in seruing the lawe we were euer founde in sinne of the same and also subiecte to deathe it shall seeme to conclude that the lawe was sinne and broughte vs to deathe for as it is the propertie of rightuousnesse to bring men to life euen so is it the propertie of sinne to bring men to deathe Wherefore considering the law brought vs to death it may be called sinne or at the least wise ioyned patente to sinne But God forbid that any man shuld thinke so for verily the law is not the author of sinne but the Herauld messenger of sinne which was vnknowne to vs before the lawe was proclaimed at which time euery man folowing his owne sensualitie and lust thought that he might lawfully doe what so euer his hart corruptly desired and thought it also lawfull to desire that which séemed pleasant in his owne conceit For which cause pardoning and flatering my selfe in this behalfe I thoughte it none offence at all to couet that which did belong to another man if the law had not saide vnto me Thou shalt not lust And no man can denie but that the lawe was declared for the coercion and restraint of sinne though the thing it selfe hapned all contrarie vnto vs throughe oure owne vice and imperfection For at what time the lawe did open vnto vs our sinnes and gaue vs not thereto might and strength to resist them it came to passe that our luste to sinne was made the more quicke and readie to it bicause the nature of man is such that it most lusteth after that thing which is moste forbidden it How be it before the knowledge of the law came many of our sinnes we knew not and some of them we knewe after suche a sorte that we persuaded our selues they were not forbidden vs Throughe which reason all we had the lesse regarde to consider what was lust to sinne in as muche as all we by nature set small store by suche things as we thinke we may haue at our will and commaundement Wherefore after the lawe had once set forthe the multitude of sinnes to oure faces and did forbid them to vs then we were the more gréedie to spot and defile our selues with the committing of them By which occasion sinne toke to himself strength and encoragement in vs which before the comming of the lawe lay and slept was as dead At which time I my selfe when I knewe not the lawe I led my life like an outlawe and thoughte within my selfe that I might sinne withoute the committing of any offence to god But when I perceiued the law that did forbid me to sinne thē my sinne began to waxe stout and to aboūd in me and to take the bridle in his téethe Which faring thus foule with me wheras before I thought I liued I became in mine owne cōscience starke dead bicause by the law I perceiued my deadly wound and yet could not abstaine from sinning Whereby it came to passe that the thing which was prouided me of God for my helth was made to me an occasion of my death Which thing was not through any iniurie of the law but it was only through mine owne vice weakenesse imperfection For hauing in me a certain promptnesse and readinesse to sinne and my lust also taking some occasion by the lawe it selfe bicause as I said before men do most cōmonly lust after that which is forbidden them I was then euen full of all gréedinesse to sinne And thus the diuel vsing that wickedly which of it selfe was good enticed me vnto sinne by occasion of the law and by occasion of sinne vnto death to the end I should acknowledge my selfe guiltie therof and to be thrall vnto him for the same Therfore thus you sée then that there is no cause why any mā should contemne or depraue the lawe which as
flesh or from this body of death which is thus subiecte to so many miseries to so many prouocations enticementes to naughtinesse encombred with so many vices and wel nigh confounded with these daily conflictes that alwayes haleth me pulleth me downe and draweth me forcibly to destruction and death Think not you that he hath iust cause thus to bewaile his state and to crie out that in this manner is daily beséeged assaulted and troubled with so many mischéeues cruell and deadly aduersaries But the remedie heereof considered and the most happie meanes remembred for our deliuerance O what cause of great thankfulnesse by bounden duetie and all humblenesse haue we to giue vnto our God which mercifully hath set vs in moste happie state and safetie and deliuered vs from these noysom miseries euen for the onely loues sake he bare vnto vs not through the lawe of Moses or Circumcision but by his onely and moste deare sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ the which if by him it had not so ben ended and done I my selfe being but one man among others shuld haue bene a runner but in an vnconstant race and drawne in such sorte hither and thither with the impious cordes of inconstancie vanitie that happily now and then I should with ioyfulnesse haue serued the lawe of my God with my spirite in desiring the things that be honest and godly but with my faultie flesh the lawe of sinne in coueting corruptly the things that bée dishonest and by the deadly force thereof my pore spirite alwayes preuailed against and turmoiled with miserie The eight Chapter The lavve of the spirite giueth lyfe The spirite of God maketh vs Gods children and heires with Christ The abundant loue of God can not be separated BVt now although there be yet many blots and stumbling blocks of the old boÌ„dage stil remaining among christen men ther is yet no dout but through their godly study christen endeuer they may easily passe by them and not be so violently drawn vnto such horrible sinnes for they are now entred into the heauenly fréedom of Christ vnited and made one with him through their lyuely faith and true promise made at baptism All whiche by this chaunge haue now cessed to liue again after the illectation or wanton enticing of the sensuall lustes of their flesh in asmuch as the lawe of Christ which is heauenly spiritual and the author of lyfe béeing also strong and full of might hath fréely deliuered them all from the bondage and lawe of sinne from death the famyliar companion of sinne and the iust reward of the same Whiche thing bycause the lawe of Moyses was carnall and in consideration thereof very weake of it selfe God did foresée and prouide for the saluation of man after an other sorte and fashion And lyke as I haue sayde before that in one man there was two menne one carnall and an other spirituall euen so within the precinct of Moses lawe there are two lawes the one grosse and carnall and the other holy and spirituall The fyrst of these two lawes haue Moyses for his auctour and beginner whiche as it was not perpetuall euen so it was not of vertue to giue any saluation to man The seconde lawe is spirituall straunge full of efficacie and immortall whiche Chryste himselfe hath consummate and fulfilled to all suche as beléeue in him Howbeit it was very expedient that one fleshe shoulde abolishe and put awaye an other one sacrifice to preuayle before an other and one death moste mightily to suppresse an other Therfore God the father hungring and thirsting in his mercie after mans saluation sent his onely deare sonne whiche though he were frée from all contagion of sinne yet he toke vpon hym the same fleshe that all other sinners had and became conuersant amongst the wicked as one of them himself for the most precious redemption of man vnto the same saluation And yet verily so vnkyndely he was entreated amongst the sinners so despitefully and cruelly handled that they put him to the moste shamefull death and crucified him among the synfull moste vyle and false théeues Which for mannes sake tooke vpon hym our very body of synne that he might vnder the same fourme and similitude of sinne ouercome sinne and after that abolishe it and putte it cleane awaye Hée was made a sacrifise for oure trespasses and so dying in the fleshe whiche he tooke amongst vs broughte death to subiection and bondage whiche before bare rule ouer vs thorough the lawe and the corrupt affections of our bodies whiche also brought all things to suche a passe that considering the putting away of the grosse and fleshely parte of the Ceremoniall lawe wée shoulde thencefoorthe embrace the seconde part of the lawe whiche is heauenly and spirituall And that ministreth not ire and threatnings as doth the olde parte of the lawe but very rightuousnesse to all suche as doe not leade their liues after the letter and Ceremonies of the Iewes but after the spirite and inwarde minde of the lawe as men regenerate and newe borne againe in Iesus Christ The Iewes in their Ceremonies had as it were but the deade picture and image of rightuousnesse but we haue the verâ—â—â—e liuing and quicke rightuousnesse it selfe and the very perfecte rule of all godlinesse which Christ by his spirit hath wrought in vs Wherfore the true change of our state conditions and fashions of religion declareth the manner of a newe life in vs And we perceiue very euidently that all such of the Iewes which still continue in the rottennesse of their olde forme of religion and in the fleshe or grosenesse of the lawe are delighted and pleased with all suche things as are grose carnall and fleshly Contrariwise all suche as are engrafted into Christ are become spirituall and precise in rightuousnesse vtterly banishing from them all such olde things as appertaine to the fleshe and are constantly rapte in their mindes to all suche things as are spirituall For truely euen suche as the state condition and nature of the man is suche is his desire and common inclination to worke As touching our fleshe we be all mortall but Christe that is immortall hathe nowe called vs to a life in him which is immortall Againe the carnall lawe of the Iewes is alwayes againste Christe and calleth vs from him which for the same cause bringeth death with it in as muche as it contendeth and striueth againste him which is the only author of life By reason whereof the Iewes being stricken with the zeale and loue of the same lawe did put to death the author of their life and iustification But coÌ„trariwise they that set the grosenesse of the lawe at naught and folowe the spirite doe finde most plentuous life in Christe Iesus Neither doe they argue vppon the barren and hungrie obseruances of the lawe but hauing in their hartes the pleasant sauor and taste of charitie be well stayed in them selues liue ioyfully
and be at peace with all creatures Superstition of it selfe is contentious and full of debate but the true worshipping of God is full of tranquillitie peace and quyetnesse Neyther can it bée any maruell at all to sée so muche contention amongest men for kéeping of suche superstition of the Lawe considering the same is neuer at one with God him selfe for it is none other thing but to adhere and sticke faste to the carnall and grosse lawe which God rather would to be made adnichilate and of none effecte amongest men and that by his sonne Iesus Chryst to the ende that in the place thereof shoulde succeede the law Spirituall than to be by suche contention at defiance with God. For he that is affectionate to the lawe whiche so muche dissenteth from the mynde and will of God can not be but cleane repugnaunt and contrary to him for so muche as his onely will and pleasure is wée should altogither folow the contrary Wherfore let no chrystian man thinke it a tryfle or small faulte to wedde him selfe or to be besotted to the kéeping of the lawe and to continue in the same It shall bée founde to be but a fryuolous and vnfruitefull thing to please the will of man and to displease the good will of god The obseruation of the carnall and ceremoniall lawe of Moyses may well please the affections of carnall men but truely the God of all holynesse and truthe will take it in euill parte and very displeasauntly onlesse the same shall ouerpasse the letter of the grosse Lawe and become the follower of the Lawe that is spirituall Therefore let the Iewes to the vttermoste of their mighte and power holde vp and mayntayne if they may their Ceremonies as in example the Ceremonies of the Booke of Moyses called Leuiticus their feastes of the new Moone their washings with all suche lyke of whose sort also be now the garments of the Priests and their fleshly Sacrifices expiations or pourgings consecrations their halowings cursings the difference of meats holydays vowes créepings knéelings knocking 's kyssings crossings with all the rest that they doo extremely vse in their temples yet for all that through the obseruation of all these or any of them they shall neuer be made righteouse although they glory neuer so muche among them selues ouer them All which things therefore appertayne nothing vnto you that are now become spirituall and suche maner of men as Chryst dothe vouchsafe to dwell in euen in the temples of your hearts for he that is but externely or onely baptised in the flesh remayneth yet still in the fleshe onlesse the same be inwardly washed moysted and tempered with the swéete taste and moysture of the spirite of god Wée be not made méete tempâ—â—s for Chryst through our ceremonies but by vertue and power of the spirite which whosoeuer hath not within him is yet carnall and very farre from Chryst And if it so be that Chryst dwell in our hearts then inasmuche as Chryst is nothing else but charitie truthe temperaunce and all other vertues how shoulde there then be any place lefte in a Christian man for the receiuing of any vice into him It beste becommeth him to expresse Chryst in his works that hath him inhabiting within his heart Chryst did once dye in his flesh as is before sayd but now he liueth euerlastingly whom we oughte to expresse in our selues in suche maner that our earthly body that is our carnall and outwarde man which always prouoketh vs to disobedience and sinfulnesse be dead in vs and to forsake all vayne pleasure that offendeth God that the spirite that is our spirituall and inwarde man may liue in vs which alwayes stirreth vs to all honestie to iust and godly things Furthermore if the spirite of God be within vs which restored Chryst from death vnto life it is so frendly and frutefull vnto vs that it will not be idle and vnoccupied in vs for the spirite is louely liuely quicke full of efficacie and vertue Wherefore the same spirite according to our godly natures and inclination will worke with mercy that thing in vs which did most mightily worke in the Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ It restored him agayne from death vnto life and will suffer him to dye no more euen so it will call vs backe agayne from our sinnes which be the grounde of our death and giue vs lighte to auoyde all wickednesse and to lyue hencefoorth a deuoute and moste godly life Therefore all wée liuing to this spirite are bounde to this spirite and owe due obedience therevnto and not to our flesh vnto which wée are already deade For after wée became to bée made one with Iesus Chryste wée became to bée no more debtors to the fleshe God forbidde therefore that wée shoulde hencefoorth leade our lyues after the corrupte desire of our flesh which with all duetie should obey and serue it selfe vnto the spirite and become with all constancie bound vnto it Moreouer al you be called vnto the state of life but if you shal frame your conuersation according to your flesh you shall surely dye And contrarywise if through the strength of the spirite you shall quench the desires of your fleshly lustes then without doubt yée shall be blessed and lyue Neither is the commaundement of the spirite hards to be kepte which although it call men vnto mightie highe and heauenly things yet it calleth all suche as be willing and desirous to serue and obey it And it breatheth suche lyuely force of loue into all their heartes that it causeth them to thynke there is nothing harde nor vnpleasaunt to them whyche haue in them selues that heauenly truste and ready wyll to serue GOD and his holy Gospell And as the body lyueth by hys spirite euen so dothe the soule lyue by hir spirite And agayne if the spirite of the body bée weake and faynte then is also all the body weake and sicke But if it bée healthfull liuely and strong then is all the body lyuely strong and lustie Therefore they that frame their lyues after the spirite of GOD be the dearely beloued and true children of god And they that be truely the children of God will represente and moste ioyfully shewe the naturall conditions of their father and will frankely and fréely doo all suche things as they shall thinke will please their father But seruaunts for asmuch as they be not ioyned to their masters by nature but by law do their seruice vnto them for feare or else for the auoyding of displeasure and punishment and not for onely obedience loue and duetie which thing is proper vnto the Iewes who do obey the law kepe externely the coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts therof with al precisenesse lest they shold fal into bodily punishmeÌ„t But al you are made frée froÌ„ the law to the end you should serue it no more in feare of any punishment but should desire like naturall children moste gladly to
owne seruaunte from stumbling Neither wyll his Lorde take it for any stumbling at all to mysse herein bicause he séeth that hys faythe and conscience doo kéepe him quiete and safe from all the daungers thereof And euen thus as it is héere spoken of the choyse of meates that enter into a mans body so lykewise it is to be vnderstanded of the obseruation of Holy dayes and feastes of the newe Moone with all other suche Ceremonies which are onely to be suffered for the weaklings sake or else for no cause at all For to obserue them amongest men that are perfecte it is greatly repugning the will of God and the holy Gospell Also the weake man in his fayth maketh difference betwixt day and day as though one day were holy and another vnholy and that it is lawfull to eate that thing vpon one day which may not be eaten vppon another day But contrary he that is strong and sounde in his fayth taketh vnto hym selfe all dayes indifferently and iudgeth the whole tyme of his life to be consecrate and appoynted altogither to godlynesse and true Religion For the disputation or questioning about these matters let not the Christian concord be broken amongest you in any case but let euery man for the tyme follow his owne iudgement and not condemne any other mans opinion inasmuche as either of the parties may be without offence in either of them a time of perfection may be séene to grow to true vnderstanding and godlynesse But that man which iudgeth to him selfe that all days alike be holy and are dedicate to all godly vses he iudgeth aright vnto the Lord neither is it material vnto thée how much it is that he iudgeth Also he that maketh difference of dayes if he doo erre therin he erreth vnto his Lord and it maketh no matter at all vnto thée Further he that without scrupulositie eateth of all kinds of meats the same also eateth for the Lords pleasure inasmuche as he therfore giueth thanks vnto him thorough whose onely benefite he eateth and through whose gracious benignitie al things are created for the vse of mankind Againe he that abstaineth frō sundry meates by reason of his weaknes he abstaineth for the lords pleasure this is nothing materiall vnto thee considering that though he eate but herbs rootes yet notwithstanding he yeldeth his harty thanks vnto the lord euen as thou thy self also doest vnto him Wherin if God shall allow and accept his thanks what hast thou then to do with him for it The cause of this matter is not one but the matter it selfe is one and the minde is one and the Lorde also is one This man is thankfull to God for his bountifull goodnesse hauing libertie by him to eate what him list and that bicause the law of the Gospell maketh rather a difference and choyse of our minds than it dothe of meats And another man thanketh him for his frugality and temperaunce in meates considering that by occasion of his weaknes in this behalfe eschueth surfetting vnnatural contagion by reason hereof kéepeth also him selfe within the limites of chastitie In suche things we be all of like affecte neither oughte we for the vpholding of our fantasticall opinions in these poynts be therfore at variaunce with our brother or one christian man with another It shal be sufficient vnto either partie to be contented if god him self do allow the thing vnto whom onely appertayneth the moste true and iuste iudgemente For the thing it selfe is indifferente and to bée borne withall according to the condition of tyme One Christian man hath no further to doo with another but onely to profite one another Neither dothe any man liue his owne seruaunte or properly to him selfe considering wée be all seruauntes to the Lorde which hathe boughte vs from vyce to godlynesse and from death vnto lyfe Therefore there is no man that either liueth or dyeth his owne seruaunte but the seruaunte of another maister whych hathe power ouer him euen bothe for lyfe and death Thus then if the seruaunt liue he liueth not for his owne pleasure and honour but onely for the Lords honour or otherwise for his dishonour Which if he dye he doth it also to fulfill the wil of the Lorde Wherefore whether he liue or dye if the Lordes will therein bée doone it commeth of him selfe and not of thée neither will he therfore chalenge any thing at thy hand How shamefull a thyng then shall it be for one seruaunts to be comptroller of another seruaunte which is felow seruaunte with him in the seruice of God if he to whom the seruyce is doone bée sufficiently therewith contented And there is no bondeman amongest men so muche bonde vnto hys maister as wée béeing all seruauntes are bounde to our maister Chryst which hathe bought vs and redéemed vs not with siluer nor golde but onely with his most precious bloud Therfore if we fall we fall vnto him and if we stand we stand vnto him Agayne if we liue we liue to him and if we dye we dye vnto him All other bonde men doo ceasse to bée any more bounde to their Lorde and Mayster after they be once dead but all we that haue Chryst to our Lord be in suche case with him that whether we liue or whether we dye we be alwayes his for whose sake all things do◠liue and haue their béeing For Chryst hathe authoritie not onely vppon them that bée aliue but also vppon them that be deade inasmuche as he employeth bothe his life and deathe for our saluation For thy sake he was made man and for thy loue he once dyed and the same rose agayne from his death vnto lyfe to the ende he shoulde bée Lorde bothe of the quicke and of the deade If wée liue vnto godlynesse we may thanke hym for it if wée bee deade to our vyces wée may refer it to his only goodnesse he is the Lorde and he is the Iudge And why then shoulde one seruaunt take authoritie vpon him agaynst another forasmuch as the thing onely appertayneth vnto the lord Thou that art superstitious how darest thou be so bold to iudge him that is stronger than thou thy self which eateth without any questiō of al kind of meats and vseth al daies alike in the seruice of god or else thou that art strong why darest thou haue thy brother in contempte that is weaker than thou thy selfe as though a man woulde say that thou shewest thy selfe rather his Lorde than felowe seruant with him To what end doth either this or that man take vpon him the roume of the Lord preuenteth the iudgements of God which shall be onely at the last day at the glorious appeasaunce of Iesus Christ Wherfore one man may not iudge another but one must helpe and instruct an other in the most holy and perfect state of religion For Christ that is Lorde vnto vs all will giue iudgement vppon all at what tyme wée
highe and notable mysterie For after almighty God of his great goodnesse had created Adam farre passing all other his creatures in the excellencie of his creation and had also but of very base and vile matter made him vnto his owne godly imâ—â—â— and similitude resembling therein his diuine maiestie in heauen and moste godly perfection of all innocencie wherwith he was highly endued at his first originall and beginning he then placed him in a most pleasant Paradise of all â—oy and singular comfort and gaue frée choise and libertie vnto him to vse all things there at pleasure and to his owne hartes desire saue only he forbad him to eate of the frute of the knowledge of good and euil which was of most amiable apearance beautifull to beholde and most pleasantly placed in the middest of Paradise The commaundement heereof was not burdenous or vnreasonable for man to beare but only requested therein due obedience and loue towardes his louing God and maker vnto whome only that noble creature man aboue all other creatures should haue had most speciall regarde considering moste déepely in him selfe the excellencie of his maiestie that so graciously formed him blessed him and moste pleasantly placed him and there to looke for al goodnesse only at his holy hand not to take as it were vpon him selfe by his owne woorthynesse the forme of goodnesse and euill but should onely haue holden that for euil and forbidden which God restrained as euill and to count that only for good and rightuous which of God is allowed and graunted God therefore toke Adam and to put him out of all doutes brought him to the same place and shewed him the very trée and the frute therof standing in the middest of the Garden of pleasure and forbad him the eating thereof with an earnest charge and threatning saying on this wise vnto him In what so euer houre thou shalt eate the frute of that trée thou shalt surely die be subiect to eternall deathe Yet notwithstanding this straighte restrainte of God Adam stackered and dealt but slipperly vntruely and carelesly with his faithful God and maker transgressing his holy commaundement and gaue more credit to the persuasion of the woman and of the wicked serpent than to the truthe of Gods woorde and his holy commaundement Whiche was nothing else but eueÌ„ so much as in them did lie to take vnto theÌ„selues the form of good and euil as out of them selues or by some other meane rather than of God their maker vnto whose only wil and pleasure they should most humbly haue yéelded their obedience as vnto him who alwayes most gratiously wisheth all goodnesse vnto euery man For he being by the woman and the serpent deceiued thought that God was not indifferent towards him but that be had rather of sette purpose withdrawne from him some parcell of his diuine and godly wisedome Therefore for as muche as in mind he was thus deceiued sodenly chaunged and departed now from God declaring thereby his vnstayednesse infidelitie and vnfaythfulnesse and looked not for all good things only at his gracious hands as of duetie he should but yelded to the Diuell receiued that was offered and tasted to his condemnation of that strayt forbidden fruite to aduance and set forwardes him selfe to the presence and secrete highnesse of Gods mightie maiestie and that rather by some bye way with his owne will and consente then contenting him selfe with the onely will of God and so to recouer thereby as he thought the fulnesse of his necessitie and lacke of perfection which he then imagined to be muche wanting in him selfe And thus with his forgetfulnesse haughtinesse of heart infidelitie slipperines disobedience vnthankfulnesse against his God and Maker and deserued therby his iust vengeance and to be for euer the fyrebrande of hell euer burning euer dying and neuer to dye the seconde death he yet fastened vppon life which he moste happily receiued through the onely compassion and great mercy of God who notwithstanding offence so gréeuously committed agaynst him wherby eternall damnation was due to the offendour and to become a bondeslaue vnto the Diuell for euer to whom he so willingly yelded so diligently obeyed beléeued folowed and serued yet as is sayde so great and vnspeakable was the mercy of God towards man so infinitely his loue abounded and so tender he was ouer him and so sorowfull for his gréeuous fall from blisse into perdurable tormente and paine and to redeeme him agayne from it and from the diuell that he moste certaynely decréed with him selfe to curse his owne deare sonne and to pushe him as it were forwards by the shoulders to most cruel death for the recouering agayne of man And so through his sonnes moste paynefull death and passion to saue mankinde from euerlasting â—â—ath and damnation which Adam himselfe and his whole posteritie fell into through the infection of his pride disobedience and loosenesse of heart agaynst god Euen here verily as ye perceiue had the iuste God iuste occasion by iustice iustly to expell man to confounde him to damne him and to leaue him vtterly destitute of his grace and to yéelde him to the Diuell for euer for so did his righteousnesse and truthe require Consider these were the wordes that God spake vnto him I tell thée Adam in what soeuer houre thou eatest of the fruite thou shalt surely dye the death How beit the great goodnesse and mercy that was in God called him backe from moste seuere iustice and required not vtter reuengemente and thereby to suppresse man a very frayle poore and naked creature In the meane tyme therfore God found out the very true and ready way whereby his righteousnesse truth might fully to effect be satisfied and wherein also the swéetenesse of his mercy shoulde specially be exercised and declare foorth the mightinesse of it selfe that is truely to say the onely Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Chryst which as I sayde before was willingly pushed vnto deathe to deliuer Adam and his whole posteritie from their sinne and damnation through the onely fauour and mercies sake of God the eternall father Therefore bicause mankinde coulde in no wyse be saued and deliuered fréely from sinne death and the Diuell and so made agayne at one with his so louing and faythfull a God as he shewed hym selfe vnto Adam his firste creature but onely by Chryst Iesus hys owne and onely Sonne Chryst dyd moste willingly ioyne in consente with his father and so tooke vppon him selfe the rigour of his fathers terrible sentence pronounced iustely agaynst Adam the curse of the whole lawe vpon his owne backe and dyed Adams due death for him and for vs all that were by him in the lyke state of damnation For euen so sayth the Prophete Cursed is he that hangeth on trée Wée be now therefore redéemed agayne by Chrystes death from our bondage and from the seruyce and slauerie of the Diuel and from that most bitter curse that was proper vnto Adam
sorte as though ye were wholly transformed and chaunged into an other nature redéemed from the prison of sinne to the ende you shoulde obey vnto righteousnesse and doo the prescriptes thereof And surely it is not an impossibilitie or else a thing harde for you to obey vnto vertue And as the nature of sinne doth gretly differ frō the nature of innocencie euen so the rewardes also of them bothe be much vnlike By meanes wherof waying the thing as it is we haue much more occasion to serue God than the deuill Yet whosoeuer obeyeth vnto vice serueth the diuell but he that serueth God obeyeth vnto innocencie Howbeit I thinke it best to temper my communication in this case according to the infirmitie and weakenesse of some of you in whom the spirite of God is not yet perfectly setled But this thing I earnestly require of you all that righteousnesse may haue at the least wise as good entertaynement among you as sinne And whereas before you haue exhibited your members to serue vnto vice and filthynesse continually fallyng from one vice vnto another to your owne confusions euen so it is now required that you exhibite your members vnto righteousnesse and for your profites and to ascende from one vertue to another vnto your moste worthy and highe commendation Surely it shal be a great shame for you if chryst haue not as great roome and place in you now at this tyme as had the diuell in times paste or else that you doo not aswell obey vnto righteousnesse as you haue heretofore done vnto sinne And to say as the matter partely occasioneth yée may peraduenture haue somewhat to lay for your excuse for that in times past being then but Paynims ye did obey vnto sinne and thought your selues not subiect to this new righteousnesse of the Gospell to obey vnto it inasmuche as yée knew not the law But now yée haue no maner of thing to lay for your defense Therefore if that the nature of vertue shall not be sufficient of it selfe to moue you to this obedience yet at the least wyse yée shoulde reuolue with your selues the great diuersitie of the rewarde for the seruices bothe the which ye haue already sufficiently put in practise Call to remembraunce I pray you what rewarde ye receiued at such time as ye became bounde to serue vnto the filthe of sinne and vnclenlynesse Verily your vices which ye then exercised brought you vnto suche abhomination and beastly filthynesse that after the putting away thereof ye worthily became ashamed and lothesome vnto your owne selues And not this onely chaunced vnto you through the working of vice and wickednesse but also the diuell was alwayes ready at hande with death to pay it vnto you for your rewarde which he duely ought vnto you for your seruice done vnto him Wherefore considering the life that yée ledde before was not rightly to be called life but rather very death it selfe ye haue now great occasion to say that the exchaunge of your seruice is worthy all acceptation by which beeing made frée from the power of sinne yée are become seruaunts of Iesus Chryst I doo not doubt but ye well perceiue the diuersitie of these two masters the wages and rewards of whom also if ye well consider with your selues I feare not but ye will confesse that of very wretched sinners ye are become and made the pure and cleane seruaunts of the almightie god All which after you haue finished the fewe yeres of your seruice ye shall receiue at the hands of your master immortalitie for your salarie and wages I woulde wishe therefore ye shoulde compare togither the two masters the one with the other God and the diuell godlynesse and filthynesse and life euerlasting to the eternall death of hell and ye shall euidently discerne the profite and frute that procéedeth from them all For as I sayde before the rewarde of sinne is death which the diuell payeth for all such seruice as is doone in fylthinesse and sinne so contrarywise he that serueth God hath payde vnto him euerlasting lyfe not as due vnto him for his seruice but it procéedeth onely vnto him from the speciall mercy and goodnesse of God and that not by Moyses but through Iesus Chryst our Lorde vnto whom God the father woulde we shoulde render our thanks for all suche graces blessings and benefites as we receiue of him and not vnto the Lawe or Circumcision that is not through keping of the Law or through the dignitie of our works The .vij. Chapter Chryst hath deliuered vs from the Law and death Paule sheweth what the flesh and outwarde man is and calleth it the law of the members BIcause Chryst hath not onely redéemed vs from the tyrannie of sinne but also from the bondage of the lawe and that not the Gentiles onely which were not obediente to the Lawe but also the Iewes them selues that were all vnder the prescriptes and appoyntments thereof vnto whom euen now at this present do I speake For all you know well inough who soeuer he be that is bounde vnder a Lawe as you were not long since vnder the Lawe of Moyses that so long tyme yée were bounde to serue and kéepe it vntill it be fully expired and lose the strength therof the which after it be once abrogate and dissolued they bée sette at lybertie and become frée from the further obseruing of it For as the maner of the Lawe is betwixte the marryed wyfe and hir husbande euen suche also it is touching the Lawe of Moyses For the marryed woman is no longer bounde vnto the commaundemente of hir husbande but so long as he lyueth with hir whiche when he is deade shée is sette frée and at lybertie from hym and is then made hir owne woman to doo what she lysteth But the same woman if shée would disorderly séeke hir fréedome from hym and become wyfe to an other man during the lyfe of hir firste husbande shée ought to bée taken for an harlotte and a committer of adulterie in hir dooyng Notwithstanding if shée continue iuste to him through all his lyfe time and willingly beare hir selfe in subiection vntyll he dye from hir then shée may well marrie with an other man You muste know that the state of mariage is not lyke to the state of Inheritaunce which descendeth from one to another of the same lyne and kindred Neither is it lyke the case of a bondeman which when hys master dyeth dothe not then chaunge his state and condition but onely his master But the state of mariage altereth assoone as the husbande dyeth Euen so it fareth with the Lawe of Moyses which was giuen to the Iewes for a while and did with hir Rites and Ceremonies prefigure Chryst to come and to that onely respect But when the true light of Chrystes presence was come then all the shadowes and ceremonies ceassed and stoode no longer in effecte For in stéede of the shadow we then receiued the body
fulfilling of this their euerlasting glory and ioy in his appoynted time Wherfore considering the matter goeth on this wise with vs what neede haue we then to disquiet our selues about the troubles miseries that dayly happeneth vnto Either why should we not take them with all pacience séeing that suche is the grace and fauour of God that he most mercifully mindeth our speedy deliueraunce from thence Surely God hath in so many things declared already his moste high loue and goodnesse towards vs that we may be well assured he wil stil stand vnto vs and be on our side a most stable piller agaynst al the assaults of our deadly aduersarie Which always béeing most true what cause haue we to care or what can his malice preuayle agaynst vs seeing the moste mightie God hym selfe taketh our parte Either why should we doubt at all of the fauour of God to be with vs which dyd not spare his onely deare sonne and his most high treasure of heauen but did as it were put him forwards to death for vs that were most wretched sinners agaynst him and altogither in his fathers indignation He did embase his owne and onely sonne and made him vile to the ende that thereby he would extoll and aduaunce vs he made him a sacrifice to deliuer vs from our offences he deliuered him to his death that by the meanes of it wee might haue life Wherfore séeing he thus gaue his own deare sonne for vs in whom dwelleth the fulnesse of al things shall it not then folowe that he will also helpe vs with all things as he doth his sonne In as muche as he hath made vs felow heires with him of the kingdome of his heauenly ioy what will God sticke to giue vnto vs what soeuer it bée whiche hath already fréely giuen that thing for vs which is much more preciouse than all the creatures in heauen and in earth And all we may be well assured that God will not chaunge his minde with vs but in the constancie of his mercy will at all times be our buckler our shielde and mightie defence agaynst the outrage and force of all our aduersaries What is he therefore that will or once dare take vppon him to bring any accusation or lay any condemnation agaynst the electe of God whom he hath now by hys moste high wisedome chosen and taken for his owne deare sonnes Thinke you that God will heare the aduersarie of our soule agaynst those whom his onely sonne hath so preciously redeemed and for his sake hath so frely pardoned and forgiuen their offences against him God that is the iudge of all creatures hath deliuered vs from the gyltinesse of our former life now accounteth vs righteous in his sight Therfore who dare be so bolde to condemne those that he pronounceth righteous But yet hereof we muste in any wise carefully take héede that we fal not againe into the lothsomnesse of our old sinnes wickednesse Christ him self hath euer had such an hart burning loue towards vs that for our redemption sake to saue vs frō damnation he willingly suffred gushing out of his side the flowing streames of his bloud which also after his death rose agayne only to foresée all things necessarie both for the reioycing of his louing brethren as also in al things to comfort strengthen them The same christ now being made our only aduocate iudge is ascended into the heuēs there sitteth with maiestie on the right hand of his heauenly father in al things equal with him and there daily with the open apparance of his bloudy wounds pledeth our cause with him craueth the continuāce of his gret mercy towards vs in this life to haue for vs after this life in ful reward of his most precious purchase euen euerlasting ioy felicitie For which consideration sith the father of heauen hath thus pronounced vs for the deathes sake of his dere sonne guiltlesse blessed and iust which procéedeth of the only tendernesse of his vnspeakeable loue what man is he thē that from henceforth wil feare the deuil dread tirants or any one that is his minister or else any slaunderer priuie conspirator curssed speaker or wicked cōdemner of him Therfore for as much as we be al so many wayes bound vnto God and his deare sonne Christe what thing is that what thing is it that is once able to withdraw vs from the loue of them both or else shall not suffer vs to loue them againe for their moste wonderfull great mercies towards vs Shal the tempestuous stormes and troubles of men withdrawe vs from them Shall the slipperie chaunges and chaunces of this wretched world plucke vs backe Shall anguishes shall persecutions shall hunger shall nakednesse shall perill either shall the sword All which the holy Prophet Dauid hathe prophecied to chance vnto the elect of God which speaketh in the spirit of God on this manner we are for thy sake O Lord daily deliuered vnto death and are estéemed as shéepe appointed to the slaughter These same things although they séeme to be importable greeuous to the weak flesh yet they are not able to pluck vs from the loue of God his dear sonne Christ Wel may they diuersly sundry wayes happen vnto vs but surely they cannot ouercome vs yea the more that they fortune vnto vs so muche the more doe they confirme the loue of vs towardes Christe and his loue also towards vs in as much as we alwayes depart from the same afflictions as liuely victorers and ouercommers of them Not throughe oure owne powers but through the protection and defence of him vnto whō we owe all things that we haue Neither will God that loueth vs so hartily suffer vs to be ouerthrowne neither can we hauing in remembrance his wōderful goodnesse towards vs cease to loue him againe for any kinde of miserie that cā happen in this wretched life vnto our earthie fraile bodies How he it al those things of the which I did euen now speake are but light and of small effecte to plucke our harts from the loue of God but I am wel assured that bisides al those neither death neither life neither the Angels of heauen neither might nor power neither things present though they bring al kindes of miserie with them neither things to come whether they shall bring good or bad vnto vs neither highe nor low neither visible nor inuisible neither any other creature shall at any time once be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which he hath shewed vnto all vs in giuing his only deare sonne our Lord Iesus Christ to be our redemption and to pay our ransome to his and our father for al such offences as we moste horribly committed dayly against him The ninth Chapter Paule complaineth vpon the hard hart of the Ievves that vvould not receiue Christ and hovve the heathen are chosen in their steade
Lawe Further fayth is conceiued in the hart of man not by the experience of outward things but only by godly Sermons and preachings of the true Apostles of Christ that is fayth is not conceyued by the eyes but by the eares the office of which conueyeth the preachings and godly exhortations into the obedient and lowly harte of man Now therefore sith the light of the Gospell is declared throughout all the worlde and the name of Chryst preached to euery body what meaneth it then that so fewe of the Iewes doo beléeue in him Can they excuse them selues say that they haue not heard of Chryst yea verily the same thing is now already fulfilled which the Prophete Dauid did Prophesie Throughout the whole earth wente foorth the sounde of them and their wordes vnto the endes of the earth Wherfore in as much as Chryst hath bene promised before times by the mouth of so many Prophets and now preached also of the Apostles his very true witnesses in all nations and regions of the worlde can the Iewes then excuse them selues and say that they heard not of him No verily for they haue séene the light of the worlde yet their malice hath blinded their eyes They haue heard the Gospell but their enuie hath stopped their eares For they had rather be enuiers of the Gentiles which are called to saluation than to folow their fayth And of both these two things did Moyses and Esaias heretofore prophesie that is that the Iewes would caste the Gospell away from them and that the Gentiles woulde receiue it And Moyses in Deuteronomij prophecied of the same wheras he speaketh of the person of God as offended with the vnbeléefe of the Iewes and sayth I will prouoke you to enuie and by a foolish nation I will anger you which hitherto in comparison of you was not taken nor counted for any nation And you which doo séeme in your selues to bée wise I will anger you through the same foolish and beastly nation and cause your anger to be a great deale the more hotte in you And Esaias folowing Moyses doubted not to testifie that the obedience of the Gentiles was much more acceptable to God than the pertinacie and stubbornesse of the Iewes for thus he speaketh in the person of Chryst I am founde of them that sought me not and haue appeared vnto them that asked not after me Lo what a worthy witnesse Chryst him selfe here recordeth of the Gentiles fayth But agayne the children of Israell whom it dyd specially become to embrace Chryst and his Gospell hearken here what Esay sayth All the day long sayth he haue I stretched foorth mine hande vnto a people that beleeueth not but speaketh agaynst me For which cause Chryst sayth by the same I haue sent prophetes vnto the Iewes which they haue all slayne and put to death and by the multitude of miracles done amongst them I haue stirred and prouoked them but in stéede of the thanks which they should haue giuen me for them they say that I had the diuell within me and that with the helpe and power of Béelzebub the prince of the Diuels I wrought all the sayde miracles And euen thus they despised all humilitie and obedience and misconstrued to euill parte the great vertue and power of almightie God. The .xj. Chapter All the Iewes are not caste away therefore Paule warneth the Gentiles that be called not to be high minded nor to despise the Iewes for the iudgements of God are deepe and secret BVt what of al this that we haue here spoken or for what purpose is it thus vttered It is to declare that the Gentiles are adopted and taken to God for their faythe 's sake though before they were all straungers from him and that all the chosen and peculiar people of God are now cast off and vtterly put away from him for their vnbeléefes sake No surely it were not conuenient that the same people shoulde be vtterly reiected and caste away from God which hitherto he hath alwayes taken and made an account of them to be his owne deare dearlings and creatures Certesse if God had caste all hys owne people away from hym then shoulde not I now haue preached Chryst foras muche as I am by birthe a very Iewe descending from the stocke of Abraham which appertayneth to the Trybe of Beniamin Whiche also thoughe I dyd moste cruelly persecute the godly and well dysposed people towardes God yet for all that I am now called to preache the Gospell of his deare Sonne Chryste Also I doo not doubte but yée very well remember what is written in the thirde Booke of Kinges where Helias the Prophete speaketh vnto GOD by accusation and complaynte vnto hym of the Iewes vngodlynesse and sayth Lorde they haue slayne thy Prophetes they haue ouerturned thyne Altares and I am lefte alone behynde and they lay also in wayte for me to take my lyfe from me Wherein also mée thinketh that God mighte iustely vppon this greate vnkindenesse and incredulitie of the Iewes haue caste them vtterly from him and neuer afterwards haue looked towardes them But yet for all this marke what aunswere was made of God vnto Helias I haue reserued sayth he vnto my selfe seuen thousande men which haue not bowed their knees vnto Baal Which thing as it dyd chaunce in the dayes of Helias that God woulde not then altogither renounce his people but of an infinite number of sinners reserued some a few of them to him selfe euen so doothe the same thyng chaunce vnto them at this tyme For God hathe not suffered all the whole Nation to perish and to caste them selues away neither suffreth he all men of any other Nation to continue alwayes in their sinnes and to dye in them Of bothe whiche though there be but a few that do beléeue in comparison of them that doo not beléeue yet God for his benignities sake reserued some of his owne people to him selfe not bicause they were Iewes borne or bicause they obserued the Law of Moyses but onely bicause he chose them out from all the reste to bestow vpon them his good graces blessings and benefites in as muche as it came by the election and the benefite of God and not of any their deseruings least they should extoll the largenesse of their owne will and power or glory in the beautie of their owne workes for the goodnesse that is bestowed vppon men for their well dooing is properly to be called a rewarde and not a benefite That is truely to be called a benefite whiche of good will is employed vnto them that doo not deserue it But if a man should heape vp all his good works and seruice togyther and lay them agaynst the benefite and for their sakes to chalenge the same then the benefite loseth the name of a benefite and becommeth playnely a iuste rewarde And why did it thus happen vnto the Iewes verily bicause they attayned not to that thing which
vprightly deale in their holy functions woorthy theyr laud and commendation then the honor that is done vnto them is done woorthily vnto God him selfe But contrarywise if they shall abuse the excellencie of their state as men corruptly folowing their owne sinfull lustes and regarde not the vtilitie of the people then the honoure that is done is done only to the magistrate eschuing all vprores breaking no peace but to kéepe an order with humblenesse in all their publike weales To conclude therefore conforme your selues as well to the common tranquilitie of the publike affaires as also to serue the expectation of the magistrates that héerein in any wise there may not be once found in you any offence at all Also among your selues haue this in remembrance that ye make neither chalenge nor paiment of any custome tribute or other earthy taxing one of an other but only of mutuall and brotherly charitie to lead your liues in vnitie Which also that of right by order is to be done amongst you let it be of that perfection and Christen vehemencie that there be no delay towards any person which should lawfully require it and to auoid an extremitie of his condition that after oft demaunds may chaÌ„ce to fal To the magistrates when you haue payed that which they haue taxed vpon you then are you frée for the time and no longer detters in that behalf vnto them But althoughe throughe your godly charitie you haue thus fully satisfied all men to their lawful requests yet it doth neuer satisfie it selfe but alwayes laboreth studieth to heape benefite vpon benefite vnto euery man. Therefore before all other things embrace and kéepe stil amongste you that noble vertue charitie which in it selfe fulfilleth most amplie all the whole law For whatsoeuer he be that in pure christen charitie loueth his neighbor hath in him selfe the very summe of Moses law pleaseth God most singularly But if charitie be awaye the obseruation of many lawes suffiseth not thoughe the number of them be infinite Againe if it beare sway and raigne amongst you there néede none other lawes at all in as much as this only vertue of charitie setteth forthe vnto oure perfect knowledge the ful effecte that the whole commaundements requireth of vs The law of Moses forbiddeth adultry manslaughter theft false witnesse coueting of another mans goods vsurie with many such like but the whole summe of all these is bréefely comprehended in this coÌ„maundement of charitie Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe Charitie to hir power séeketh for the profite of all men whether they be good or euill and not to hurte any man Therefore to what purpose doeth it serue to prohibite that you doe no hurte this waye or that waye sithe the nature of charitie is to hurt no man whatsoeuer he be Can he that loueth kill will he that loueth his neighbour as him selfe séeke to defile his neighbours wife will he robbe and spoyle his neighbour of his goodes that is ready to helpe and succour him with his owne gâ—â—d â—â—e will he beare false witnesse to the hurte of his neighbour that vpon his owne perill will saue and defende hym will he set foorth his riches vnto vsurie which thinketh the whole summe of his goodes to be common for others necessitie will he couet another mans losse or misfortune to whom he wisheth as well as to him selfe Or can he with will vexe any man for whoÌ„ Chryst dyed if he vnfainedly loue Chryst and him It is very true therefore that charitie it selfe is the summe of the whole lawe By charitie we all learne what to folowe and what to eschue and put away from vs To the loue of which euen the very nature and condition of the time enforceth vs that is to say that in taking vpon vs true repentaunce and amendement of our liues we awake euen from the sléepe of darkenesse and death the errour of our olde liues The night season in the darkenesse therof séemeth to giue libertie of offence bicause of his owne condition it is shamelesse and darke for in the darkenesse of the nighte all suche as in the vncleannesse of their hearts are inclined to whordome and wantonnesse giue them selues then to fulfill their filthy luste yet notwithstanding as soone as daylighte appeareth they leaue off their sinfull workes of darkenesse and doo decke or fashion them selues agayne to the open shew and face of the worlde Wherein béeing thus in the brightnesse of the day made agayne as new men they shew them selues abroade and are become of filthy wantons chaste and cleane persons of dronkards sober men of sediciouse felowes quiet men and of slouthfull and lumpish lubbors liuely quicke and cherefull men For which cause according to the time we must holily apply and frame our liues which if we in déede shall rightly vse we shall then the more ioyfully account vppon our saluation and to be now néerer at hand vnto vs than in the dayes of Moyses although we then beléeued it to be very nigh vnto vs The night of our olde life is gone past and the clere day is euen at hande which shall make open and manyfest all the moste déepe and darke secrets that lye moste couertly hidde Let vs now therefore in the bright day of Gods grace shining presently vpon vs moste happily embrace it and conforme our selues to the clerenesse of that heauenly light casting away from vs al our deadly darke nightly maners wherof in the fayre light of the day we may be all ashamed And if it be a godly maner that as soone as the light of the day appeareth we gladly yeld to the time and euery of vs decke our bodies with more comely apparell that in the sight of men we may appeare more decent séemely then much rather at the comming of the clere light of the Gospell we should adourne and garnish our soules with the most séemely beautiful vesture of vertue And he that thus worthily walketh in this true light of life let him not drede at any time the sighte of God who euer and in all places beholdeth our dooings And so let vs altogither in this world dispose our liues that it may euidently appeare before the face of God before all his holy angels and vnto all other his creatures that we haue clerely cast from vs the obscuritie and darkenesse of our liues and to walke honestly in the cléere light it self not abusing the time in eating drinking in chambering wantonnesse neither in strife enuying or vnchristenly contending among your selues with al which vices suche like you haue heretofore ben most filthily spotted and foyled walking in the darknesse of your olde liues But now at this time séeing you be altogither vnited vnto christ by baptime take him vpoÌ„ your backs garnish your selues with him yea let him shine in you throgh your holy coÌ„uersation all your life long whose name
relieuement and succoure of man he tooke paciently vnto him selfe the most vilanous and despitefull rebukes like as Dauid by the spirite of God prophesied before of him saying The rebukes of them that rebuked thee fell vppon me And this same is written in the Psalmes not only to oure knowledge therin but that we should also daily practise and folow it and should learne by his example with what leuitie softnesse and gentlenesse our neighbor is to be entertained vntil he waxe more strong in Christ and forsake the very childehoode of his imbecillitie and weaknesse Therfore like as Christ did embase him selfe to our owne miserable and weake estate to the ende that litle and little he might bring vs familiarly vnto his moste excellent highnesse euen so it shall best become vs to take example by him to allure our neighbor with humblenesse vnto the true worshipping of the eternal and true god And this example is in such sort declared vnto vs through the whole scriptures euē as though by painting in a table it were plainly set forth before our eyes to the end we shuld alwayes haue it in our ful sight where so euer at any time we dispose our selues which is that as Christ through his sufferāce redéemed saued vs also by his meeknesse came to euerlasting glory euē so al we likewise through the vsing of our softnesse with our ignorant weak brethrē let vs trust to come vnto the same benefite of God which indifferently abideth al them that do walk in his wayes and be apte folowers of his example whose rule we haue professed which is loue peace Wherfore I pray vnto almightie God the aucthor of loue peace and pacience which exhorteth you vnto sufferance by his holy scriptures and withoute whose helpe we can doe nothing at all that he woulde vouchesafe to woorke in you and amongst you all one only will and consent and that you be conioined together in a most perfecte vnitie one to another after the example of Christ which charged vs with nothing so much in all the world as he did wyth peace with mildnesse mutuall loue and concord And so verily we shall set foorth amongst men the glory of God the very father of Iesus Christ if we shall shew one to another here in this present life that thing whiche he taught and shewed before vnto vs And euen so also shall al men perceiue you to be the true disciples of Christ if that like as you al professe and preache Christe with one mouth you shall also declare your selues together in your actes to be of one mutuall consent and minde Wherfore I beséeche you euen in the bowells of Chryste that ye occasion not the Gentiles to be doubtfull of your most holy profession or to stirre them to dissention and variaunce among themselues which are now but newly called from idolls vnto Christ neither yet the Iewes which be appointed frō their olde tipes and shadowes to the true worshipping of the true God himselfe but rather do you entreate one another with all obsequie and obedience and in faithfull shaking one another by the handes do you profite togither in all goodnesse that like as Christe entertained all you neither did impute vnto you the errors of your olde life but by brotherly charitie embraced you all to declare therby his loue the glory of his eternall father both towards you and to all men euen so you should in folowing and performing of the same one towardes another declare also in your déedes the loue and glorye of Christ whiche obeied vnto both sortes of men that is as well vnto the Iewes as vnto the Gentiles Vnto the Iewes he shewed his obedience to the ende he wold in all his actes set foorth the truth of his father which said before that he wold truly performe that thing to the posteritie whiche he promised to their elders by the holy oracles and saying of the Prophets that among themselues they mighte be ioyfull and glad seeing they haue now receiued the truthe it selfe which Moyses before declared should come in his figures similitudes And to the Gentiles whiche had nothing at al promised vnto them he became also obedient and kinde to the end that all they through the only mercy of God and his owne most painfull deserts were brought from their miserable death vnto the most pleasaunt life ioy and saluation Let the Iewes therefore now reioyce in them selues bicause they haue already receiued the thing which by promyse they haue long wished and looked for And let the Gentiles also reioyce for their parts bicause they haue receiued that thing which they neuer thought to haue attayned vnto For euen so God himself ordeyned the thing to come to passe as Christ by his spirite speaketh in the Psalmes saying For this cause will I prayse thée among the Gentiles and sing in thy name Agayne he sayth Reioyce ye Gentiles and laude him al ye nations Also Esaias prophesying the same thing sayth There shal be the roote of Iesse and he that shal rise to reigne ouer the Gentiles in him shall the Gentiles trust Therfore vnto God almightie I pray with mine heart for you which hath thus by his Prophetes giuen you occasion to haue hope in him that he will now perfourme that thing in déede vnto you which he hath heretofore promised and that in the taking away from you all dissention and variaunce he will replenish you with ioy concorde and peace by the meanes of your stayed fayth in his sonne Chryst to the ende that your hope which you haue alredy conceiued of God may dayly encrease more more in you through the strength of the same fayth and the working in you of the holy ghost These things I speake vnto you not as one that doubteth of you feareth you to be faynte or colde in the right vse of vertue for I am well assured that among many vertues ye are all specially endued with the noble vertue of charitie and with the gifte of perfecte knowledge among your selues whereby you are all able one of you sufficiently to instructe another herein without néedefull trauell of any other teacher Notwithstanding I did the more boldely write this same vnto you not respecting herein any iuste cause of your ignorance or as though my seruice were now offered vnto you as vnto vnwilling receiuers but onely to admonish you what thing moste principally you ought to doo according to your knowledge as vertuouse and well doers and that voluntarily and of your own frée motions yet that ye might the rather from hencefoorth muche more copiously worke the same at mine earnest desire and exhortation In the behalfe wherof I do extende myne office which is appoynted vnto me although thereof I bée vnworthy obeying gladly vnto the wyll of Chryst Iesus whose cause I doo now entreate endeuoring my selfe to the vttermoste of my power to set foorth his most holy Gospell
god But euery suche promisse is not properly called a vowe for there be certaine promisses in the lawe which although they were made at will yet coulde they not be omitted as was the promisse by which Israell tooke vppon him to doe of his owne will all the things that the lawe commaunded according to the saying of Exodus All things which the Lord hath spoken will we do heare This promisse did the manner of the couenant expresse to Israell as in whose conditions it was expresly put that God woulde be the God of his people if he woulde heare the words of the couenant and obey vnto the law Le. 26. Deu. 28. Nowe a vow is a voluntarie promisse which is in a mannes choise to promisse or not to promisse withoute offence according to this of Deutronomie when thou vowest a vow to the Lord thy God thou shalt not be slacke to pay it for the Lord thy God wil require it And if thou deferre it or slack the time to pay it it shall be reckened to thée for sinne But if thou lust not to promisse thou shalt be without sinne But the matter was otherwise touching solempne oblations or only commaunded for a time according as euery mannes estimation was Exod. 30. Such oblations were voluntarie yet they were no vowes Therefore we must séeke a difference by which a vow may be sundred ▪ from other oblations And that differēce shall be made with a diffinition A vowe is a voluntarie promise made after the example and forme of the lawe which is put in the power to vowe it or not to vowe it as was the law of the Nazarites and also the vowe of the soule of which we reade in Leuit. 27. But in this vowe were two things regarded One principall which was chéefely acceptable to God namely an harte prone and inclined by feare to the glory of God which hart the law required before al things The other not principall which is the externe oblation being but mysticall and figuratiue which was destinate to a certaine ende that is to wit to the kingdome of Christ in which it should be finished that is fulfilled spiritually according to this saying of the Apostle These things are the shadow of things to come but the body is in Christ Therfore as pertaining to this part of vowes a distinction héere offereth it selfe againe that thou put one vowe of the law and an other of the gospell ▪ This to be true the other mystical the first Moses teacheth the latter Christ And that the apostle closely toucheth to the Romanes when he sayeth Therefore are we buried togither with him by Baptisme vnto death that as Christe was raysed vp from the deade by the glory of the Father euen so we also walke in newenesse of life Thys is the true Vowe thys is the true Consecration of the godly by the whiche the Sainctes bynde them selues to God that they will walke in a newe life laying a side the olde by the light of the spirite of Christe being forebrought vnto them not by their owne power but by the power of God by which they are newe borne to the hauing of these desires in them selues and by which they are thus brought to offer them selues vnto god In which power of regeneration who so be therein it is as frée to them bothe to thinke well and to doe well as it is to beastes to goe by the vitall breath of naturall life or as it is to birdes to flie abrode vnder the skie Which vowe of the newe lawe the godly did prefigure in the olde couenaunt by externe oblations as did the Nazarites by the regal bushe of their heades by the auoiding of deade corpses and by abstaining from wine And this performed they according to the measure of the spirit of childhoode So that there is one and an especiall vowe euen as there is one kingdome of God one and principall couenante one Priesthoode which is annoynted with the spirit that oile of heauen one sacrifice one heauenly inheritāce but according to the time Besides all these true and principall things the people that were vnder the lawe prefigured mysticall vowes and sacrifices a mystical couenaunt also shewed in the fleshe and deputed to an earthly inheritaunce and a mysticall kingdome likewise Priesthoode vntil the fulnesse of times Of which things the Apostle sayeth to the Hebrues The law obtaining the shadowe of good things to come but not the image it selfe of things Nowe this image is veritie the fulfiller of the olde lawe by the spirite giuen of the newe lawe In which euen as other things so vowes also only spiritual haue place being attempered to the nature and disposition of the lawe Further this lawe is written by the spirit in the harts of the Sainctes being frée from externe obseruation of time of sacrifice of place of ceremonies and of nation according to this saying of Christ The kingdome of heauen commeth not with obseruation Therfore let cease suche prophane vowe◠of superstitious religions which are taken in apparell in meates in liuing vnmaried in place and to places and to obserue times for they haue neither the lawe nor the gospell to stande on their side As for the lawe pertaining to mysticall things that is externe things 〈◊〉 is abrogated The others kingdome trauaileth not in the externe choise and respecte of things but contrarywise it standeth in peace and ioy of the holy ghost as the Apostle sayth to the Romanes Thou vowest a prescript manner of apparell the gospel prescribeth thée none but maketh it frée Thou segregatest a certaine kinds of meate and drinke to thy selfe but the Gospell segregateth none Thou iudgest thy selfe in meat and drinke contrary to that which the Apostle biddeth which saith Let no man therfore iudge you in meat and drinke Thou maist say If there be none obligation of vowe iudgement hathe no place But thou naughtily vowest and by thy vowe separatest the vse of meate which Christ maketh frée to thée to whose féete and to the feete of his members all things are subiecte by the ordinance of God according to Genesis and to the Psalme The Apostle sharply inueying against you calleth you false Prophets which commaundeth to abstaine from meates which God hathe created to be receiued with thankes giuing of the faithfull Thou furthermore vowest to liue vnmarried being vncertaine with thy selfe of the gifte of chastitie or what successe it will haue with thée which is not mannes gifte nor at our owne arbitrement but the méere gift of God namely to be obtained by prayer at the will of the giuer of none other mannes power according to this saying All are not able to cōprehend this saying but they to whome it is giuen Therefore if thou canste be continent or chaste thou art continent by the benefite of God and not by thine owne Therefore be thou chaste fréely according
sorte scripture speaketh of the olde creature when it treateth that al things are to be renued In Esai 66. and in the Apostle .2 Corinth 2. 9 But yet this rightnesse in the firste man was not a rightnesse of the reuelations of the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen although these things were put in him to be brought foorth in their time but of innocencie which was ioyned with the ignoraunce of the counsels of God touching his saluation and glory 10 And so the expression ef the deuine Image was set in innocencie and not in the manyfestation of the fathers wisdome that then should be made which béeing hidde from time out of minde in a mysterie the Apostle sayth that he speaketh to the Corinthes in the .1 epist. 2. 11 Which wisedome is reuealed onely in Chryst who hathe the keyes to locke and vnlocke the gates of the kingdome of heauen 12 But this Chryst was neither promised nor beganne to be reueled till Adam had fallen Gene. 3. This very séede shall breake thine head 13 Wherof commeth this notable saying of the Apostle God hath shut vp all things vnder sinne that he might haue mercy vppon all Therefore as the first man lacked experimentes of grace and wrathe of falling and rising agayne of ignomie and glorie whylest he stoode euen so the mysterie also of Christ in whom onely the treasures of gods wisdome were layd vp were then vnknowē sinne opening the crosse and the crosse opening glory Rom. 5.11 1. Cor. 4. 14 So that as the first man of the body made of clay by the maker of all things was by nature a weake and frayle worke although that if he had not sinned he shoulde haue bene immortall by the iustice of God who punisheth no man with death without sinne according to thys For the rewarde of sinne is death euen so there lay open vnto him an occasion soone to catche a fall For béeing vnexperte in things although whyle he was yet innocente he mighte soone be brought to eate of the fruite that should be his bane by the subtill Serpente at the enteraunce of concupiscence into him which by viciating the body should bring death and rayse vp warre to the inner man whom the spirite of feare had put in him whereof the Apostle treateth in the seuenth to the Romanes 15 And that is brought to passe by the engines of Sathan who is a murtherer from the beginning a spirite of dissention and not of peace as the heauenly man Christ witnesseth of him in Iohn 8. Chapter By whom it happened that Adam béeing tempted beganne to haue experience by the infection of sinne what the wrathe of God was what grace was what the power of sinne was and what medicine was for the same Chryst Iesus that blessed séede that should be borne of him béeing shewed vnto him 16 Where it muste bée wayed what it is that Adam had hys eyes opened after hys fall and lykewise what is the Trée of the knowledge of good and euill and why it was so called and what occasion was offered and whence it was taken to promyse Chryst what Gods counsell was about the fall and after it about the crosse and what the mysterie of the crosse is to glorie oute of the vndoubted Scriptures 17 But Sathan meditated this fall by a difference First castyng his bayte by the crafte that was in hym at the woman béeing the weaker kinde to the tasting of that cruell apple 18 Whereof also the curse fell vppon him which was the author of so great destruction whom Chryst Iesus the seconde Adam woulde destroy with hys adherentes and would saue the earthy Adam with his posteritie which were written in heauen and had not fallen as dyd the reprobate serpente 19 And so it chanced that the first man enduced by sathan to transgressiō began to haue a delight in erthly things putting vppon him the euill affections of the corrupted fleshe Where the nature of the earth out of which he was taken vttered first it selfe vnder Sathan the mother of the matter 20 For the earth is an element sluggish slouthfull colde dull and full of darkenesse lacking euery acte and motion excepte it be newe chaunged from aboue with spirite and lighte In this sorte is the olde and earthy man And therefore these termes olde earthy haue no prayse in scriptures 21 And suche fruite also came of him by propagation and encrease of the fleshe corrupted fruite of darknesse not of light of death not of life of wrath not of grace of malediction and not of benediction by his owne nature 22 For the order of right state loste by which the liuely body was obedient to the iudgement of the mynde and the mynde obediente to the spirite what other mighte néedes reigne than iniustice in stéede of life wrath in stéede of grace darknesse in the stede of light 33 Which iustice properly is nothing else than a conformitie of all things in the reasonable creature to the lawe of Gods mind by which it is cōmaunded that God be loued aboue al things a man to loue his neighbour as him selfe 24 Of iniustice the matter is cleane contrarie By which Adams posteritie depraued and corrupted follow the disposition of Sathan the author of iniustice 25 For he proudly boasting him selfe of the giftes of nature created glorifieth not God the true life and lighte as he is worthie and hateth the reasonable creature whom it behoued him to loue as béeing nexte creature vnto god And specially he set vpon the innocent Lambe by guyle and deceyte whom he slew in heauen by purpose and counsell from the beginning and driuen downe from thence into these lower parts when he had no more power in heauenly things he likewise deceitfully set vpon man béeing a weake péece of worke made of earth and brought into this worlde vnder the sunne these euils which we sée 26 In consideration whereof he is called the principate and chéefe ruler of darknesse and the father of lyes according to this of Iohn 8. when he speaketh a lye he speaketh properly of his owne for a lyer he is and the father of lying 27 Contrarywise God is the author of Iustice not of iniustice of that which is righte not of naughtinesse of truth not of lyes as Chryste also is comming from aboue who sayth of him selfe But bicause I say the truthe vnto you you beléeue me not Which of you will reproue me of sinne Except a man would say God to be the author of euill priuately for that he giueth not his spirite which onely maketh rightnesse of Iustice But of that spirite I pray thée to whom is God detter 29 Forasmuche therefore as sinne is the priuation of rightnesse which ought to be in man the same in Scripture is worthily called vanitie that is a friuolous thing and a thing of naught And they which followe sinne are counted to follow and goe about vanitie and a thing of naught The Psalme sayth
euery man according to the measure of the giuing of Christ the head agréeing to this For God giueth not the spirit to him by measure And as pertaining to the donation we read this For he shall receyue of mine and shall declare it vnto you In like sorte to the Ephesians 4. But grace is giuen to euery one of vs according to the measure of the gift of Christe 64 And so only the sainctes are partakers of spiritual perfection of part and from member to member of which Christ is fully in possession whome the kingly annoynting of the fathers power glory and maiestie annoynteth without measure to all perfection of God the father Whereunto also this of the Apostle pertaineth you are Christes and Christe is Gods. You I say are Christes as the membres of the head but Christe is Gods as the heade of the vniuersall diuinitie For that perfection of the body which is poured out throughout all the members the same resteth whole in Christe the head Esay 11. 65 This is it which the Apostle calleth corporally and héereunto also pertaineth that woorde the fulnesse or complement whereupon the Psalme sayth of Christ The Lord sayd vnto my lord And an other Psalme sayth of the Sainctes I haue sayd yée are Gods. And Peter sayth ye are partakers of the diuine nature 66 Which places are truely to be vnderstanded as the new borne are truely called the children of god For as there is a true regeneration euen so there is a true participation and possession of the diuine nature and of the diuine lighte wisedome and rightuousnesse This is our hope and vocation in Christ the head of the participation of the substāce of God and of the nature of the father by that we be borne a newe of the spirite of Christ Iohn 3. 1. Pet. 1. Rom. 8. Gal. 4. 67 But we speake héere of Christe as the treating of him pertaineth to the cause of regeneration which commeth of the spirite For what the scripture speaketh of the eternall word we holily woorship and will speake thereof in an other place 68 Therfore we be not called the sonnes of God newe men after the same sort that Christ is For he is the naturall sonne of God and the newe man bothe within and wythout But we be the sonnes of God by adoption and new men only inwardly in this world He is borne the sonne of God and the newe man We are begotten the children of death and of sinne by the first Adam and we are borne the sonnes of God and a newe creature by the second Adam For of the earth we be earthie and in Christ the heauenly man we are taken to grace and to the enheritance of sonnes by newe birth which shall in the day of resurrection put on newe fleshe vppon vs euen of the fleshe of Christe 69 So that héer being renued while we liue in this world we consist of two men of an outwarde and inwarde man of a body corrupted with concupiscence and of a minde repaired with the spirite of the newe couenaunt 70 The body once corrupted is not restored in this world for it is all earthie tending to the earth of his owne will and waight And therefore he also returneth vnto it bicause of the sentence once giuen vppon it when the temprament of this worldes elements is dissolued of which it is made as Salomon oft teacheth in this sermon And is now and then mortified that it folowe not the desires to which he is inclined that firie spirit of the heauenly new birth quite burning them vp 71 The inner man therefore that is the minde which is put into this body to rule it is only renued in this life to the felowship of the diuine light 72 Wherefore they that be regenerate in this fraile life cary men about with them as cōtrary the one to the other as are light and darkenesse death and life and as farre dissident as heauen and earth The outwarde and olde man is visible the inward and new man is inuisible The outwarde man is earthly and the inwarde man is heauenly The outward man is conceiued of carnal seede and the inward man is strengthened with the spiritual séede of the word of the liuing god The outward man is fed with meats that will perish but the inward man groweth with eternal foode The one is made flesh of the flesh of man the other is made a spirit of the spirit of God. 73 The outwarde man is euer polluted and sinneth but the inward and new man neuer neither cannot it sinne as it cannot die 74 And no maruel for as much as thou shalt finde contrary lawes in them The one of sinne which holdeth vs downe to the ground persuading earthy and carnal desires the other calleth vs vpwarde burning in desires of heauenly things where a man may sée the maruellous coniunction of bothe men set together for experience of so great things not without the maruellous councels of the diuine prouidence 75 Further the olde man is created of God and therefore made of nothing the newe man is borne of God so of something namely of his spirite Wherof he neuer dieth he neuer waxeth olde And these are the things which Christ disputeth of the life eternal which true faith bringeth that is to say the spirit of Gods light Vppon this poynt standeth the hope and consolation of Sainctes 76 By this faith the outwarde man obtaineth pardone if the spirite of the inwarde man remurmur against him while we dwel in this life For faithe staide vp with the rightuousnesse of an other that is with Christe which being innocent died for offenders deliuereth the faithfull from dampnatorie sentence of death and sinne and draweth backe the desires of the olde man that he do them not the bridle of the spirit caste in his téethe For it is not obtained that they haue no being in vs and that they wholely be destroyed in this worlde as long as this flesh liueth the resurrection giueth that in which both the body it selfe shall be also raised vp out of the duste of the earth from deathe vnto life to fulfill the body of Christe which as the head to the body went before being the first begotten sonne of the newe creature and the vnspotted firste frutes of the kingdome of the fathers maiestie 77 For what life shal the head haue without the body or the body without the members 78 And the fall of the first man so repaired and amended we shal be restored to that from whence we fel that is to wit to rightuousnesse and innocencie but in a far better state and condition for in this innocencie the earthy life shal be chāged for an heauenly mortalitie for immortalitie and after sinne fall shall be changed for resurrection and the ignomie of the crosse for glory So great is the goodnesse and wisdom of God which thus farre and this way must be reuealed 79
whiche be borne vnder the Lawe of Moyses should haue the promise of god pertaine only vnto theÌ„ as their inheritaunce then it should seeme that the promise of God were vayne of none effect Forasmuchas it is euidently knowen that the benefit of God coÌ„meth to no man for the lawes sake yea so farre the lawe is from iustification and the giuing of thys so high a benefyte that it rather threateneth vs with the yre and indignation of god whereas contrarywise fayth maketh the vngodly righteous Neither can there be any inheritaunce of peace and reste for the children to haue where as nothing else is ministred but sinne and indignation And if you demaunde of me how it chaunceth that the law rather ministreth yre than righteousnesse I will declare thus vnto you you can make no man gyltie of any crime onlesse in laying the law agaynst him you open his fault vnto him the knowledge of which faulte the lawe ministreth and declareth Also the lawe of Moyses prescribeth many things of circumcision of the Saboth dayes of the feast of the new Moone of the difference of meates of mortuaries of the strangled of bloud of washing all which be of that condition that though they be obserued yet they do not make a man righteouse but he that transgresseth them is gyltie and subiect to punishment by meanes of the law But the law of Moyses seeing it chargeth no body but onely the Iewes and agayne séeing the inheritaunce of all nations is geuen of God vnto Abraham to be their father it is impossible that the promise of God shoulde appertayne vnto all Nations through the benefite of the Law which is onely giuen to the Nation of the Iewes It concludeth therefore that the inheritaunce commeth by fayth that our iustification may be séene to procéede of the onely grace and fauour of God and not of any couenant or obseruation of the law And thus it is knowen how the goodnesse of Gods promise descendeth to Abrahams posteritie And I doo not meane all them onely to be of Abrahams posteritie which be eyther of his kinred or else ioyned with him in the law but much rather all such as expresseth Abrahams fayth For it is muche more expedient that the alliaunce and similitude of fayth shoulde be of more efficacie by which he deserueth to receiue the promise of God than the alliaunce and coniunction of the law which engendreth offences and maketh men gyltie of them Therfore the Iewes are deceiued to boast so muche of Abraham as of their only and proper father seeing he is the father of al such Nations and of all men of what countrey so euer they be that beleeue in our Lorde Iesus Chryst which thing appeareth by God him selfe in the .xvij. Chapter of Genesis when God chaunged Abrahams name and sayd I haue appoynted thée to be the father of many nations surely it must néedes be true that God him salfe sayeth But howe I pray you shal he be the father of many nations if he only belong vnto the Iewes wherefore as the Lord is vniuersall to all men that beléeue in him so he will that Abraham which is a figure of God and as Isaac is also of Christ should be the vniuersall father of all men that do represent him in the affinitie of his faithe And Abraham could not be deceiued of his beleefe which trusted to the promisse of him that did not only giue fertilitie to the barraine but also life to the deade Which being commaunded to kill his onely swéete deare sonne Isaac in whome was all his ioy and comfort did without any tarying or once questioning at all beléeue the words of the promiser and knewe that he could reuiue him againe and make them that be not to be againe at his will and pleasure The Iewes do glory in them selues and accompt them selues woorthy men and abhorre the Gentiles as nothing woorth at all but yet the goodnesse of God standeth in better steade to the Gentiles than Abrahams kinred dothe to the Iewes Truely the faith of Abraham was notable and therfore God fauoured him which doubted not in him neither mistrusted his truthe in suche things as by nature were to be dispaired of a in which be did not only declare the suretie and constancie of the promiser but also his mightinesse and omnipotencie Neither did he mistrust thoughe he him selfe was past the strengthe and power to beget a childe and his wife also barraine to be for al that the father of many nations and to be the aucthor beginner of so great a multitude of people as God shewed him the same time starres in the firmament For God brought him into the field let him sée an innumerable multitude of starres round about the whole world and saide As it is impossible for thee to number those starres that thou seest so it shall be impossible for thée to number them that shall come of thy séede Which thing though it séemed not of reason to be true partly for the debilitie of his body being an hundreth yeares of age and partly for that his wife was very olde and past the bearing of children yet all this notwithstanding he asked no question howe or what way it mighte come to passe but constantly beléeued the truth of God. And thus Abraham mistrusted nothing neither was doutfull in any thing but with al his hart beléeued the promisse of God and was made as strong in his faith as he was weake in his bodie which though he dispaired in his owne vertue and strengthe yet he toke moste sure holde through hope in the only vertue of the promiser And thus vsurping nothing in this poynte to his owne renoume he referred all to the glorie and laude of God whom he testified by this his great faith to be both true which will deceiue no man and also almightie which can performe what so euer he promiseth though it passeth neuer so much the streÌ„gth of men With this sorte of Sacrifice is God pleased which standeth in néede of no mannes helpe neither of his cunning or handie worâ—e And for this cause the scriptures saithe that Abraham was imputed rightuous Yet this thing was not written only for Abrahams sake that his faithe was imputed vnto him for his iustification neither doth scripture affirme that it was done only for Abrahams praise commendation but that it mighte be an example vnto vs that be Abrahams nephewes to do haue the like and that it might be knowne to all men that like as Abraham obtained to be called of God rightuous without the helpe of the lawe so shoulde we also obtaine of God to be called rightuous for our only faith with out kéeping of the lawe We sée héere that Abraham was called rightuous only bicause he beléeued god Wherefore we sée none other way to come to iustification to be saued but to beleeue in the same God throughe