thirtenth Chapter ¶ That true faith requireth an earnest consideration of mans estate and the loue of God towardes him appearing in the death of Christ THus haue we waded in the bottomelesse sea of Gods loue infinite mercy wherewith he loueth and embraceth the worlde not minding to finde any ende or to search the grounde thereof for we confesse with the Prophete Thy mercy O Lord reacheth vnto the heauens and thy faythfulnesse vnto the cloudes thy righteousnesse is like the mightie mountaines and thy iudgementes are like a greate deepe but by this which is sayde we haue assaid somewhat to tast of the goodnesse of God following herein the prouocation of the Prophete whiche calleth men to the consideration of Gods mercy by this call O tast and sée saith he how gracious the Lorde is Blessed is the man that putteth his trust in his mercy And thus far haue we tasted the loue of God as we might onely picking out the swéete marrowe of that bone which S. Iohn hath cast vs for the comfort of our soules to feede on God so loued the world c. In the which shorte and swéete sentence duely considered and weighed as it is worthy what find we but saluation shewing it selfe vnto vs in a bright glasse and that as is aforesayde it is a knot knitting vp the whole mysterie of our redemption wherefore in the handling thereof we haue passed to this point as that we haue losed and vndone the same and as grace was giuen haue layde out the partes thereof to the viewe of the Reader Now that we may gather vp those pieces and close the knot againe let vs stand a while and sée what rockes we haue passed let vs looke backe and view the wonderfull worke of God declaring his loue to our saluatiō we know therfore what a losse we had in Adam being depriued vtterly of the fauor of God for so God loued the world in the first foundation that we stoode in the state of innocencie comparable with the glorious Angels of heauen we were fashioned of earthe but not endangered to turne againe into earth we were made men but like vnto God ours matter and substance was earthly but our forme and fashion was heauenly the patterne whereafter God made vs was his own image being in subiection to god our creator but reigning as souereignes ouer all Gods creatures blessed in oure selues in our séede walking on a blessed earth enioying at will the fruits flours of pleasant paradise that image of heauē all our senses they were sette vpon pleasure wythout any lothsomenesse what sounded in the eare but the swéete and cōfortable voyce of Gods blessing Gods blessing was alway in our eies yea what was in oure mouth but Gods blessing Our labor was rest our reste was continuall our paines was pleasure and oure pleasure was eternall we sweated not for we had no neede to trauell we were ignorant of euill tasting of no corruptiō free from infirmities standing in the presence of God without feare beholding his glorious countenance without shame hauing health without danger of sickenesse enioying life without feare of death the fleshe and the spirite neuer striued the body obeyed the soule and the soule saued the body they were knit togyther with a fast bynding bande so that they might not departe the one from the other yea then was the body in better case than is nowe the soule separate from Chryste the soule was not subiecte to death nor the body in case to be corrupted of the duste neyther hell nor the graue nor dust nor death no not the feare of them mought touch or trouble vs so standing as God hadde appointed And such was the loue of God that he gaue all those heauenly commodities as a state of inheritance to our firste father to him and his heires for euer O goodly gift of God wherein the date is euer and a day and nothing betwixt heauē and earth excepted but only that the fruit of one tree might not be tasted But O fraile flesh O lykerishe lippes of earthly Adam that knewe not himselfe and considered not how mercyful and louing a God he had of his creator it did not content him to be a mā but he would be a God a Gods name he did not content him to rule and reigne ouer the insensible and vnreasonable but he woulde set his foote as farre forwarde as his Creator in whose handes he was as the brittle claye in the potters fingers Therefore when that man had so giuen ouer the seruice of God as rashly to break his holy commaundement and to deuour the forbidden fruite what then myghte the righteous Lorde doe of his iustice but plucke downe that presumptuous stomacke but set his face with furie against rebellious man but hate him but curse him and cleane caste him off as one that despised his goodnesse vnworthy of his fauour and vtterly to be reiected as the seruant of the Serpent the slaue of sinne and a méete helhounde for the Deuill Verily so are we without Chryste cursed creatures children of disobedience childrē of perdition euer rebelling againste the ryghteous God seruing the fleshe with his appetites gyuen ouer to concupiscence the lost sonnes of the lost father nothing heauenly but altogyther earthly vsing the worlde and the present life as a shadowe whose ende is eternall darkenesse and as a course to runne headlong to Hell being nothing but naked soules ashamed to stande in the sight of God no not the best of all were we as holy as holy Dauid but must be faine to saye after hym I haue sinned as whose righteousnesse are but rotten ragges all to bespotted with the foule blurre of sinne whose hope is desperation whose life is without lyght and whose desert is death So are we falne and our féete serueth vs not to get vp againe we are taken prysoners in captiuitie with the Deuill and we are not so ryche as to redéeme our selues for our desertes are but such that when we haue reckened all that we can doe yet are we but vnprofitable seruants but who is he that commeth so neere perfection as to performe that duetie to set his brother equall in loue wyth himselfe and to sette God before himselfe and that in al times all places and al respectes and who then is he that dare aduenture the tryall hereof and to stande to the extremitie of the lawe S. Paule hath tryed that way and gyueth vs a faire warning as that the lawe stoppeth euery mouth no flesh shall be founde righteous by that rule Let vs then cast aside those figge leaues whyche can not hide our nakednesse that is the deserts of the fleshe the deedes of the law for this waye we maye be sure to méete with that curse Cursed is he that abydeth not in all that is written in the lawe Let vs not make so litle of the loue of Christ and so much euacuate his crosse as to iustifie our selues by any lawe
euill and he that followeth euill counsell bycause he hath sinned he muste be payde with the wages of sinne here then are we as far to séeke as at the firste here then are we as farre out of the way as before here is no sure ground for vs to stand on yet that sting of death sticketh as déepe in vs as euer it did The eight Chapter ¶ The distresse and dispaire of man in the viewe of his owne wickednesse HOwe then is there no remedie to be founde must we néedes lie stil sweating in the greace of our own fleshly wickednesse is there none to delyuer vs from this body of death if it be so then sucke on Serpent then death take thy pleasure then craue thy righte graue open thy mouth Hell swallowe vp thy portion for thou God haste forsaken vs thou hast yéelded vp all thy right whyther shall we flée then where may we finde rest for our soules Thy face thou mightie one is alwayes against vs we sweate we burne we frie with the furie of wrath all places are to hote for man to reste on so is thine indignation kindled If I saye I haue done iustly then thou reprouest me as a lyer if I haue sinned then thou wilt streightly looke vnto me and wilte not holde me guiltlesse of mine iniquitie and séeing thou markest iniquitie straightly who shall abide it wherefore then hath thine handes fashioned me O that I had perished in my conception and that none eye had séene me and that I were as I had not bene that my graue had bene my mother beholde I goe and shall not returne euen to the lande of darkenesse into a lande I saye darke as darkenesse it selfe into the shadowe of deathe where is no order but the light is there as darknesse my dayes are as the smoke and my life as the shadowe O ye wormes I am your foode O corruption thou art my father O death thou art my mother out of thee was I taken and into thée I return to thée I bequeath that whyche I hadde from thée this lumpe of earthe this masse of fleshe To whome shall I betake my spirite I maye not long possesse it my selfe séeing thou wilte not haue it thou holy one I muste néedes yéelde it vp as a praye vnto myne enimie The ninth Chapter ¶ That Chryste from the beginning hath bene is and shall be the only staye and comforte of all sortes of men BVt thou sonne of man staye thée a whyle in pacience doe not so gyue ouer thy soule as to saye thy sinne is greater than it may be forgiuen humble thy selfe acknowledge thy rebellion but despaire not cast not thy selfe headlong into Hell is there no remedie to be found on earth then lifte vp thyne eyes to heauen there is a comfort there is a comfort cōming there is a sauing healthe in hande thy wounde is great indeede but there is a strong medicine a tempering thy fall was grieuous but thy rysing vp shall be as wonderfull many and mightie are thine enimies but there is one that shall fight for thée whose name is the Lorde of Hostes and he shall subdue all power Beholde thy creator hath not vtterly cast thée off thou hast found fauor in his sight S. Iohn saith God loueth the world yea suche store of mercie there is with God that although we were his enimies yet he is become our God againe and wyll stand an enimie against our enimies and although he seeth that the imagination of mans heart is euill euen from his youth yet he doth not vtterly cast vs off Goe to then Lorde we beséech thée we haue séene thy iudgements how terrible they are we are full fedde with the gall of thy bitter vengeance now if it be thy good pleasure turne thy face from our sinnes and blot out our offences create in vs a new hart renew a right spirit in our bowels shewe thy selfe once againe a mercyfull God we knowe we are not worthy to be called thy children we haue sinned againste heauen and against earth they bare part of our curse againste thée againste thée haue we sinned but if it be thy good pleasure turne thy louing countenaunce towardes vs Surely there is mercie wyth God he hath heard the gronings and afflictions of his people he is moued wyth compassion and pitie towardes vs beholde we that were shattered in pieces lying still in the sounde of sinne and buried vp in death the Lorde of his infinite goodnesse goth about togather vs vp and to set vs vpright agayne he intendeth to cast Adam in a newe mould and to make him a newe creature not of earth earthly but of heauen heauenly For there is a Lambe a killing whose bloud shall washe awaye our sinnes there is a stone framing it shall be layde in Sion it shal fall vpon our enimie it shal grinde his heade and crushe it in pieces we are but héele hurted but he shall be wounded on the head And it shall be thine owne childe Adam thyne owne séede Eue that shall thus subdue the Serpent So good and gracious is the Lorde he promiseth a victorie his owne mouth hath spoken it and wyth his mightie hande hath he brought it to passe for God so loueth the worlde that he hath sente what hath he sente euen that sauing séede that innocent Lambe prouided from the beginning he hath sent his onely begotten sonne bringing with him that pearle not to perishe with that heauenly treasure to haue lyfe euerlasting héere then maye we caste anchor all other remedies failing vs this is it we muste trust vnto this is the sure pledge of Gods fauor towardes vs without this comforte we had bene altogither comfortlesse but nowe is our ioy full and plenteous This is that ioyfull tydings sent from heauen brought by the Angell belonging to all as well as to those ioyful shepherdes be not afrayd saith the angel for beholde I bring you tidings of greate ioy that shall be to all the people that vnto you this day is borne a Sauiour in the citie of Dauid which is Christe O glorious daye wherein shineth suche a sunne the verye sun of God the bright sunne of righteousnesse in that day so bright were the beames of the sunne that they shyned euē into the dim eyes of Abraham this was the glorious day which he saw with such ioy Nowe by this is God truely become the God of Abraham Isaack and Iacob here is the performance of the heauenly promise and blessed bargaine made for him vs all betwixt Abraham and his God for when it might séeme a hope against hope that aged Abraham should haue any suche séede the Lorde knew that Sara would laugh and wonder at his worde yet the Lorde of his loue wherewith he loued the worlde established his couenaunt wyth them that in them sholude all nations be blessed yea we of England Irelande haue our parte in this blessing and of
thus I am righteous I walke vprightly I haue recouered my selfe with good workes eyther I am not faln either I haue deserued to be restored againe Such indeede was the saying of the Pharisie iustifying himselfe so he layde out before God his fardle of fastings his rustie packe of almes and tithes but howe sped he the nearer the Churche he made himselfe to be the further he was from GOD he departed home righteous in his owne eyes but so muche the more vnryghteous before god O playe not the Pharisies forget not your selues whose children you are what else but the childe of perdition O earth earth that thou shouldst make so much of thy selfe Nay this is not the way to recouer the lost Paradise this was that fooles Paradise whereinto the Galathians were brought and wherefore S. Paule rebuketh them O ye foolishe Galathians who hath bewitched you are ye foolish saith he to séeke your perfection in your fleshe Take héede then S. Paule counteth thee but for a foole if thou go that way to worke as to saye myne owne deserts shall rayse me vp from my fall no it will be but a vaine bragge in thée and the encrease of thy sinne to say I haue no sinne that were but to proue thy selfe a lier for if we saye we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs nay in so saying we make God a lyer so farre as lyeth in vs this therefore is but a stolne feather belonging to a better bird it is the armes of our heauenly king Christ it is his ensigne wherewith he triumpheth ouer his enimies to saye this who of you is able to reproue me of anye sinne let vs not robbe Christe of his honor let vs not make Gods of our selues for who is good but God To say that we are guiltlesse before the iudgement seat of God in that we shall haue a thousande witnesses against vs euen our own conscience crying and conuincing vs it were a better waye to confesse our selues sinners for that waye there may be some hope for if we acknowledge our sinnes God is mercifull to forgiue vs and to clense vs from al vnrighteousnesse This waye did the holyest of all take for what sayth Dauid that chosen of God he cryeth againste thee againste thee onely haue I sinned and my sinne is euer before me this was the confession of the father and his wise sonne Salomon whom God had endued with such giftes what hath he to say but guiltie wherfore he maketh his prayer and as it were aforehande bespeaketh the mercy of God for him and his people for he foresawe as he sayth that there is no man which sinneth not and he maketh this question who can saye I haue made myne heart cleane I am cleane from sinne And Iob a iust man as the markette of mans iustice goeth he saythe vnto God holding vp his hand I haue sinned what shal I doe vnto thée And Paule the elect vessell doth not he also say guiltie when he protesteth thus of himselfe I knowe that in me that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing nay he felt the burthen of sinne so heauie on his back that it causeth him to crie with a great grone and déepe sigh Oh wretche that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death And that holy Apostle Peter what sayde he but guiltie when he sayd vnto our Sauiour departe from me O Lorde I am a sinfull man Let vs therefore followe the wise counsel of the wise sonne of Syrach My sonne sayth he iustifie not thy selfe before the Lorde for he knoweth thyne heart This accompt therefore must we make of our selues we are bare Adams and naked Eues we haue nothing to hide our sinnes but the more we séeke to cloake them the more they doe appeare our own works they be but figge leaues they will not hide our nakednesse we shall be ashamed of them and will be faine to hide our heads from the presence of the Lorde when the coole of the day cōmeth that he wil call vs to accompt But why do I compare them to figge leaues the Prophete hath made a meeter comparison of them what is our righteousnesse like vnto it is almost a shame to speake of them as they deserue they are sayth he like vnto a cloth bespotted with the flowers of a womā O shamelesse hypocrites that can present the moste holy God with the shamefull cloutes and filthy ragges of their owne righteousnesse and offer that a price of their redemption Hath not God then left a lawe of righteousnesse by the whych we shall be iudged Yea verily But who will stande to the triall thereof that he hath kept that law he that thinketh that iustification cōmeth this waye lette him harken a little to the doctrine of S. Paule By the lawe saythe he commeth the knowledge of sinne that is it proueth vs guiltie it conuinceth vs of vnrighteousnesse and there is the office of the lawe but concerning our iustification we knowe saythe he that what soeuer the lawe saythe it sayth it to them which are vnder the lawe that euery mouth may be stopped and all the worlde founde culpable before GOD. And this is his conclusion therefore by the workes of the lawe shall no fleshe be iustifyed Nay let vs not take this waye let vs rather craue a pardon than pleade the law for that we see is a bone that choketh vs all if we stande vpon the plea we are sure to be caste in the great debte of sinne and after to be throwne in that prison of darkenesse neuer to be let loose againe no not til we haue payde the vttermost farthing Yet then we slide we fall here is no holde to be had no reste to be founde whiche way then shall we nowe turne vs Shal we séeke excuses to cloake our offences Shall we say this man or that man prouoked me to wickednesse had not this cause bene I had not transgressed neyther will this cloake serue vs it is not able to kéepe off the smoking raine of Gods wrathe which is poured downe out of heauen vpon all vnrighteousnesse This way was fyrst of al sayed but it would not preuayle with God for when God called Adam to reckening and sayd why hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commaunded thée that thou shouldst not eate then did Adam put it ouer to Eue and so sayde the woman whiche thou gauest to me she brought of the trée and I did eate then God called the woman saying why hast thou done this and she layde the blame vpon the Serpent hauing no more to say but this The Serpent beguiled me and I did eate But God helde not Adam excused by Eue nor Eue by the Serpente euery one of them beareth his iniquitie and they drinke all of one cup that is of the curse of God so he that giueth euill counsell shal haue the rewarde of