of man whiche is in heauen Now Nicodemus being destitute of all worldly and humane prudence and fynding him selfe full unhable by wytt or lerning to folow theffect of Christes preaching coÌ„serning the meanes of saluacion dependith only of the mouth of Christe and disputithe nomore the mater then Christe shewithe hym the way and makithe â ladder for Nicodemus wher withe he may ascend into heauen and saythe this wayes thow mayst understond the thing I spek of Sicut Moses exaltauit serpentem in deserto ita exaltari oportet filium hominis as Moses lifft upp the serpent in the desert so must the sonne of man belyfft uppe This history of the serpent was not unknowyn unto this lernid man albe it he consyderid not the mystery and sacrament that it figurid Now Christ teachithe hym in this place to understoÌ„d the lawe and because this oration of Christ wroten by sanct Iohan is obscure and lackith â declaracion somwhat of the purpose that Christ would proue omittit Ebreorum more alteram similitudinis partem I will annex the type and figure withe theffect and mystery of the figure and make the text playne Sicut Moses exaltauit serpentem in deserto sic exaltari oportet filiuÌ„ hominis Moses was commaundid to lifft upp this serpent in the wildernes for this cause that who so euer was stong or uenemyd withe the poyson of the serpentes if he lokyd upon the serpent of brasse might be helyd Here is the cause and theffect declaryd Why the serpent was lifft upp Now to the wordes of Christ Ita exaltari oportet filium hominis ut omnis qui credit in illum noÌ„ pereat sed habeat uitam aeternam So must Christ belyfft upp that as many as beliue in him shal haue euer lasting lieffe Here is Nicodemus tawght the way unto euer lastiÌ„g lief and because he was adoctor of Moses law Christ by the law made open the mater unto hym and browght hym from the shadow unto the trew body and from the letter unto the understonding of the letter sayng as those that by fayth beheld the serpent were helyd of the stynges of the serpent so souche as behold me in faythe hanging upon the crosse shalbe helid from there sykenis and sinne that the deuyll by the serpeÌ„t infectyd man kynd with all Now let us repet the text of Moses againe that we may trewly undrestond our sauiours wordes Fac tibi Serpentem urentem pone eum in palum in subli me sublatum fietque si serpens aliquem momorderit intueatur eum incolumis erit In these wordes is declaryd thre thynges Fyrst why the serpent was set upp The cause the people were stong withe serpentes Second theffectt the healthe of the people Thyrd the use that they shuld loke upoÌ„ hym so Iohan declarythe whi Christ was made man thuse and theffect of his humanite in these wordes Sic Deus dilexst mundum ut filium suum unigenitum daret ut omnis qui credit in eum non pereat sed habeat uitam aeternam The cause of his cummyng was the sinne and sikens of maÌ„ betyn by the serpent in paradyse theffect of his cumming was the healhe of this sikenis the use of his cumming was to belyue that his deathe upoÌ„ the crosse was and is sufficient for the remission of sinne and to optayne eternall lief Here is the iustification of maÌ„ lyuely expressyd and how many thinges concur as necessary unto the remission of sinne and yet man only iustified by faythe The word of God the preacher of the word Christ himselfe the coÌ„tricion of Nicodemus the holy goost that mouyd Nicodemusto cum by night unto Christ the consentyng wil of Nicodemus untho the wordes of Christ Yet only was hedelyueryd from sinne by the fayth that he had in the deathe of Christ as Christ saith sic oportet exaltari filium hominis ut omnis qui credit in illum non pereat sed habeat uitam aeternam This must be diligently markyd For as the fathers of the old church usid the serpent so must those of our church use the precious body of Christ they lokyd upon him only withe the yees of faithe they kyssyd hym not they cast no water upon hym and so wayshyd there yeys therwith all they touchyd hym not with there handes they eat hym not nor corporally nor really nor substancially yet by there belyue they optaynid healthe so Christ him selfe teachit us the use of his precious body to belyue and loke upon the merites of his passioÌ„ suffryd upon the crosse and so to use his precious body against the stynge of originall and actuall sinne Not to eat his body transformid into the form of bred or in the bred with the bread under the bread behind the bred or be fore the bread corporally or bodely substancially or realli inuisible or ani souch wayes as mani men to the great iniurijs of Christes body dooth teach but as the children of Israel only by fayth eat the body spiritually not yet born so by faythe dooth the Christianes eat hym now being ascendyd into heauen and none other wice as Christ saythe unto Nicodemus omnis qui credit in eum non pereat grauÌ„t that we could as well eat his carnall body as we eat other meat yet the eatyng therof nothing auaylyd And if the Apostelles had corporally eatin hym in his last supper it had profetyd nothing For he toke not his body of the holy uirgine to that use to be eatin for the remission sinne Or to sanctifie hym that eat him but to dye for synne and that wayes to sanctifie his churche as he saith himselfe that only by deathe the frute of his incarnacion shuld be dispersyd into the worold Nisi granuÌ„ frumenti deiectum in terram mortuum fuerit ipsum solum manet mortua prodest caro noÌ„ comesa But of this Iwill speake farther in the chapiter that folowithe This example of Nicodemus declarithe that nethâ—r the workes that go before iustificacion nether those that folow iustification deserue remission of synne Thoughe sole faythe exclude not other uertews to be present at the conuersion of euery sinner yet dooth sole fayth and only exclude the merites of other uertews and optaynith soly remission of sinne for Christes sake herselfe alone as paule saythe Ephes 2. Gratia saluati estis per fidem idque non ex uobis Dei donum est non ex operi bus ne quis glorietur Wher as playnly he excludith the dignite of workes and affirmith us to be reconcilid by faythe so dooth Iohan. cap. 1. attribut those too singuler yefftes unto Christ grace and uerite sayng lex per Mosen data est gratia ueritas per Iesum Christum facta est Here grace signifieth fre remission of sinne for the merites of Christ Verite is the trew knolege of god and the gyfftes off the holy gost that folowithe the remission of sinne Therfore souche as say they be not
iustifyed by faithe i Christ is asmouche to say as we optayne remission of sinne and ar acceptyd into the fauor of god by the merites of Christ to be iustied by workes is asmouche to say as to deserue remissiō of sine by workes Paule declarythe that for the dethe and merites of Christ we be sauyd and not by oure awne uertewes so that faythe doothe not only shew us Christ that died and now sittithe at the right hand of God but also applyythe the merites of this deathe unto us and makyth Christ oures faythe layng nothyng to gayge unto the iustice of God but the deathe of Christ and there upō clemythe marci and Godes promes the remission of sinne and desyrythe God to iustyfye and delyuer the soule from the accusacion of the law and right of the deuill whiche he is bound to do for his promesse sak Ezech. 33. Matth. 17. and altowghe withe this remission of sinne he yeuithe like wice the holy goost to work the will of God to loue boothe God and his neyghbowr not withstōding the conscience burdenyd and chargyd with sinne fyrst sekythe remission therof For this thyng the conscience laborythe and contendithe in all feres and terrours of sorow and cōtrycion it disputithe not what uertewes it bringith wreachid soule to accleme this promis of mercy but for sakyng here awne iustice ofrithe Christ ded upon the crosse and sitting at Godes right hand Nothyng makithe it the cause wherfore this mercy shuld be yeuen sauyng only the deathe of Christ which is ton litron the only sufficient price and gayge for sinne And althowghe it be necessary and requysyt that in the iustification of â synner contricion to be present and that necessaryly cherite and uertews lieffe moost folow yet dothe the scripture attribute thonly remission of syn̄e unto the mercy of god wliche is yeuyne only for the merites of Christe and receauid soly by faythe Paule doothe not Exclude those uertewes to be present but he excludith the merites of these uertews and deryuithe the cause of our acceptation in to the grace of god only for Christ And Mark this maner of speache fide iustificamur Hoc est fiducia misericordie sumus iusti This word faythe doth cōprehēd as well à perswacion and confidence that the promese of god appertaynith unto him for Christes sakeas the knolege of god for faith thowghe it desyre the cōpany of Contricion and sorow for synne yet contendith it not in iudgmen upon the merites of no workes but only for the merites of Christes deathe in case it dyd it auaylithe nothing For if a aman desyre to be delyūid from the law the law must be satisfied Whiche saithe diliges do minum deum tuum ex tota mente toto corde ex omnibus uiribus Deuteron 6. Now there is nor neuer was ony man born of the stoke of Adame in originall synne that feryd god asmouche as the law requirithe nor neuer had souche constant faythe as ys requiryd nor souche ardent loue as it requirithe seyng those uertewes that the law requiryd be infirm and debile for there merites we can optayne nothing of god we must therfore only trust to the merites of Christ whiche satisfied the extreme iot and uttermust point of the lawe for us and this his iustice and perfection he imputithe and cōmunicatithe withe us by faythe souche as say that only faythe iustifiethe not because other uertewes be present they cānot tell what they say euery man that will haue his cōscience appesyd moost Marke those too thynges How remission of synne is optaynid and wherfore it is optaynid faythe is the meane wherby it is optaynid and the cause wherfore it is receuid is the merites of Christ althowgh faythe by the meanes wherby it is receauid yet hathe nether faythe ner cherite ner contricion ner the word of god nor all those knyt to gather sufficient merites wherfore we shuld optayne this remission of synne But the only cause wherfore synne is for yeuing is the deathe of Christ Now Mark the wordes of Paule ffrely saythe he wear iustified by his grace Let the man byrst his hart withe contricion belyue that god is godd athowsand tymes burn in cherite yet shall not all these satisfie the law nor delyuer man from the Ire of god untill souch tyme as faythe lettithe fall all hope and confidence in the merites of souche uertewes as be in man and say lord behold thy unfrutefull seruant only for the merites of Christes blud yeue me remission of synnes for I know no man can be iustified other wyce beforethe as Dauid sayth Non iustificabitur in conspectu tuo omnis uiuens Psal 143. agayne Beatus uir cui Dominus non imputat peccatum Psal 32. He that would marke Christes communication wythe that Noble man and great Clerk Nicodemus Ioan. 3. Shuld be satisfyed how and wherfore man is iustified so plainly that no aduersary of the truithe shuld hurt this infallible uerite sole faythe to iustifie Nicodemus hauing â good opinion althow not â sufficiēt knolege of Christ Came unto hym by night and confessyd hym to be sent from God and that because of souche workes and miracles as he had wrowght Christ made answer Trewly Nicodemus Isay unto the Noman can se the kyngdon of God except he be born from â boue Nicodemus not undrestonding what Christ ment Askid him how an old mā could be born agayne and whether he could entre his mothers belye and then be born agayne Christe bringithe hym yet ner unto the light that he might know the meanes and saythe I tell the treuly Nicodemus that noman can entre the kyngdon of God Except he be born of the water and the holy gost c. Nicodemus confessyd yet agayne his ignorancy and desyryd to be father instructyd sayng How may these thynges be Christ answerid Thow art the great Master and Rabbi in Israel and yet ignorant of these thynges Meanyng that great and horrible must the ignorancy of the people be when there doctors know not the trewthe Nicodemus confessing his ignorancye and receauing reproche at Christes hand because he toke upon hym to teache other and yet â fole hym selfe in the religiō of god Might for shame haue lefte Christ and his gospell yke because he now is made â scholer that before was for his prudence and lerning the cheffe of the Iewes A pharise of moost notable estimacion Christ streight way confortithe hym all other lernid and unlernid and saythe Noman ascendithe into heauen Except he that descendyd from heauen the sonne of man Whiche is in heauen as thowghe Christ had sayd thus discomfort not thy selfe Nycodemus that althowghe thow be agreat lernyd man and yet ignoraunt of the wayes unto euer lasting lief for I promesse the there is noman lernyd nor unlernid that can of his awne wit and lerning ascend unto the knolege of lief euer lasting but only he that descendyd from heauen the sone
as shuld and awght to folow eueri iustified mā and disciple of Christ it is no meruell for there is no discipline and ponyshment for sinne and wher so euer the gospell be preachid and this correctiō not usid as wel agaīst the high is as the lowist there shalbe neuer agodly churche as à kynges armye towghthe hartes be neuer so good cannot resist the forse of his Ennymyes withe out weapon and artillery necessary for men of war nomore can the kīges maiesti the magistrates and preachers preseruethe churche agaynst the deuill and sinne with out thexcommunication of souche as openly offend the deuine maiesti of god and his word for by this meanes the sinner is tawght by the scripture to know hīselfe 1. Cor. 5. cōgregatis uobis meo spiritu una cū potestate domini nostri Iesu Christi ut is qui hoc patrauit tradatur sathanae ad interitum carnis ut spiritus saluus sit in die domini nostri Iesu Christi God would not only the fideles but also the infideles to be kept `in an order by the discipline of the law as Paule saithe Lex est iniustis posita lik wyce Deut. 19. Auferes malum ut audientes reliqui timorem habeant non miseriaris eius This politicall and ciuile use of the law teachith man to know his faultes and this discipline of the law exterior and ciuile is necessary for man for diuerse causes ffyrst to declare our obedience unto god Then to auoyed the punishement that allwaies god or else the magistrat reuengithe the transgression Thyrdly because of apuplike peace in euery commune wealthe that thone shuld not do iniuries to the other nether in body ner in godes There is yet an other cause why this discipline of the law is necessary whiche few men regard Paule saithe that it is à scole mystres Pedagogia unto Christ because souche as leuithe not to sinne and to do the thing contrary unto the expresse word of god to those Christ is not profetable this use teachite Paule 1. Cor. 6. Fornicatores Idolatre adulteri c. regnum dei nō possidebunt And so saith Iohan Omnis qui peccat exdiabolo est He that knowithe himselfe must refrayne from doing of yle Hyre the gospel and lern the gospell that the sprit of god may be efficatious in hym whiche cānot be as long as he hathe à purpose to continew in doing of yle Ezechiel spekyth of this use ciuile and politike of the law and likwyce of the second use therof whiche is as I sayd before to shew man his sinne to accuse man before God to fere hym and to damme man playnly capit 33 Viuo ego nolo mortem peccatoris sed ut uiuat conuertatur These wordes declare that as God would not the death of à sinner so he requirythe the sinner to cease from doyng of yle and to be conuertyd unto uertew as for the secōd use of the law whiche is to declare what sinne is I shewid before that it manifestith the greatnys and uilnys there of as Paule writithe it damnith synne and deliuerythe not from sinne per legem inquit cognitio peccati Lex iram efficit per legem peccatum fit excellenter reum Ro. 7 aculeus mortis peccatū uirtus autem peccati lex est 1. Cor. 15. In men that be addict unto the pleasure of this worold the law hath not this use say the preacher what he list let the word of God thretyne deathe eternall for sin̄e it auaylithe not he thinkithe that God is à slepe ād will at last be pleacid with afygg for sinne we shall find the contrary to oure great payne as other hathe before oure tyme that would not belyue the word till the felt the uengēce and punishment of god as Caim the drownyd world with the flud the burning of Sodoma with other It is agreat and horrible offence to hide or extenuat the iudgment of god against sinne and the uoyce of the law that cōdemnit the same God willith his pleasure to be knowyn openly Hier. 1. Eccededi uerba mea in ore tuo Ecce constitui te super gentes ut euellas destruas This use and office of the law none felithe nether perceuithe as wel as souche as be godes frendes Adam Abraam Iacob Dauid Ezechias c. Dauid sayde that the fere of godes didispleasure and Ire was no lesse payne unto him then thowgh the fyrse lyon had rent and dismembrid his body in peces sicut Leo contriuit omnia ossa mea Psalm 22. So saithe Paule O infelix ego homo quis me eripiet ab hoc corpore morti obnoxio He that befote saide Ego aliquando uiuebam sine lege id est fui securus non sentiens irā dei Now conuertid from à Pharisie to be and Apostell and browght to à knolege of hymselfe He confessythe his inbecillite and faultes and saith Noui quod non habitet in me hoc est in carne mea bonum yet Paule confessith that the law makyth us not à ferd to be damnyd because we cannot satisfie it but that we shuld com to Christ withe these confortabe wordes Conclusit omnes sub peccato ut omnium miseratur Agreat cōsolation for euery troblyd conscience thus man may know hymselfe to be as he is à uery wrecchid and damnable creature were not the uertew of Christes deathe Caput XIII WHat thoffice of à iustified man is Paule declarithe Tit. 2. Apparuit enim gratia salutifera omnibus hominibus erudiens nos ut abnega impietate mundanis cōcupiscentijs sobrie pie ac iuste uiuamus in hoc saeculo Be these wordes Paule for biddithe all impiete and dishonest lief and shewithe man that is iustified what he shuld do Not to lyue after the concupiscens of the fleshe but soberlye Not uniustly and doing wronges unto other but rather to Prophet and do well unto all men It sufficithe not man iustli to kepe his goddes But he is bound iustly to dispence his goddes with other whether they be of the body or of the mind religiously and not superstitiousli anotable word pie inquit as the word of god teachith and not as mānes lawes cōtrary unto godes law teachithe Expectantes beatam spem c. he prouokith men to lyue well and takithe his reason of the profet and cōmodite that folowith agodly lief whiche is immortall lief at the cumming of Christ to iudgmēt Likewyce with an other argument à liberatione Christ petitum ab honesto dedit semetipsum pro nobis c. the son̄e of god gaue nether gold nor syluer for our purgacion but his awnebody and precions bludd it is therfore an unwourthie thing and not becōming à Christiane man that by fay the hathe receuid this purgation to lyue à uitious and ungodli liefe But we shuld be an holy people and folowers of good workes There is a great uertew in this word zeloten it is not sufficient to worke well Except the iustified man with agodly zeale and ardent desire folow this godd worke be gon Therefore Paule saithe zelotē calō ergō etnō operatorē bonorū operū wherby we know that all thowgh we be delyuerid frō the malediction course and dānation of the law so that we reteyne à trew faythe and withe confidence in Christ repugne sinne and ouer com the terrours therof yet ar we boūd to the obedience of the law whiche is Godes will to kepe us from lyuyng ille and the more the iustified man beholdithe the law the more incresithe the knolege of sinne the more he beholdithe the mercy of God in Christ the more is his fay the incresith the lawis also necessarie for theiustified mā to teache hī withewhat workes he shuld exetcise his faythe withe all and obediēce ūto God We may not chose workes of our awne wysdom to serue withe all But would us to be gouernyd by his word as Dauid saythe Lucerna pedibus meis uerbum tuum Also Frustra me colunt mandatis hominum The wysdom of man not gouernyd by the word of God doothe sone erre It is caryd for the most part withe affections and chosithe the workes that be contrary to the law of god There fore this is trew that the ordinance of God still remanithe in the iustified man immutable that he must obey the law and serue in his uocacion according to the scripture that the exterior factes may bare testimonye of the inward reconciliacion The scripture is more diligent and more ample in teaching the Christiane iustified man the obedience unto God and uertews liefe then it is to shew us our saluacion in Christ for this purpose only that we shuld not by oure licētious liberty receaue the grace of god inuayne it is more hard for mā to know the gospell thē to folow the liefe of the gospell an other mā may preache Christ but the auditour must folow Christ the sciens of the scripture is practiue and not speculatiue it requirithe à doer and not à speaker only there be many that dissemblith faythe and hathe à certayne shew of religion when indede in the inward man is nofaithe at all let euery man therfore sarche his awne conscience withe what faithe he is indued and remembre that Christ sayd it is à strayght waye and narow that ledithe to liefe Math. 7. and but à few that walkithe there in therfore oure only remedye is to pray for grace and amend PRYNTYD IN ZVRYCH BY AVgustyne Fries Anno M. +D XLVII
to be testimonijs unto us of Godes mighty pore and to draw men unto uertew not these Idoles which the deuill causid to be set in the temple to brinig men from God thus did Christ teache the people his most blessyd death and passion and the frute of his passiō By the grayne of Corn cast into the erthe and sayde Nisi granum frumenti cadens in terra mortuum fuerit ipsum solum manet si aūtmortuū fuerit mul tūfructū affert He hankyd not the picture of his body upon the crosse to theache them his deathe as our late lernyd men hathe donne The plowghman be he neuer so unlernyd shalle better be insructyd of Christes deathe and passion by the corn that he sowithe in the fyld and likwyce of Christes resurrextion then be all the dedpostes that hang in the churche or pullyd out of the sepulchre withe Christus resurgens What resemblaynce hathe the takyng of the crosse out of the sepulchre and goying à prossession withe it withe the resurrexcion of Christ none at all the ded post is as ded when they sing iam non moritur as it was when they buryd it withe in pace factus est locus eius If ony preacher would manifest the resurrexcion of Christe unto the sences Why doothe not he teache tem by the grayne of the fyld that is rysyn out of the Erthe and commithe of the ded corn that he sawid in the winter Whidoth not the preacher preache the death ād resurrextion of Christ by souche fiqures and metaphors as the scripture teachith Paule wounderfully 1. Co. 15. Prouith with argumentes the deathe and resurrextion of Christes and ours like wyce that nothyng may be more playnly tawght â ded post caryd à prosession as mouch resemblyth the resurrextion of Christ As uery deathe resemblyth lief people shuld not be tawght nor by ymayge nor by reliques as Erasmus Rothorodam in his 3. book of Ecclesiastes well declarithe Lactanci us Firmianus usyth â wounder deuyne eloquent and playne maner in the declaring of this resurrextion which is song yerly in the church De resurrectionis dominice die with mani godli and deuine uerses The same Lactancius saythe that there can be no trew religion wher these ymagis be Augustad Mercellū reprehendithe them wounderfully in these wordes of Dauyd os habent non loquuntur seythe men may be son decreauid by imagis likwyce in the fyrst boke de consensueuangelistarū Souche as defend them haue nothing but sophisticall argumentes to blynd the people withe the scripture nor Apostelles churche usyd none as for Gregorie the great and Theodosius with other that defend them all the historis declare that mē of greater lernīg then they by the scripture condemnyd them as leo 3. themperour Constantinus 5. Who assemblyd all the lernid men of Asia and Graecia and condemnyd the use of imagis that Gregory and Martine the fyrst had stablishid but it forsith not had all Asia Affrica and Europa and Gabriel tharchangell descendyd from heauen approuid the use of imagis for asmouch as the Apostelles nether tawght nor wrote of them there authorite shuld haue no place the word of god soly and only is to be preferrid Galat. 1. whiche for byddith imagys Caput VI. The thyrd office of Christe is concerning his prysthade to offre sacrifice unto god and by the same to purge the worold from synne PAule Phillip 2. saythe that Christ humblyd hym selfe unto deathe of the crosse ad Ebre 2. he was made part taker of mannes mortall nature that by deathe he might destroy hym that had the imperie and dominion of deathe to say the deuill Iohan callith hym the lamme that do the take away the synne of the worold loan 1. all the sacrifice of the old law were figures and types of this only sacrifice whiche was appoyntid by god to dy and to suffre theire and displeasure of god for the synne of man as thowghe he hym selfe were asynner and had mery tid this displeasure the greatnis of this Ire sorow confusion ignominie and contempt nether angell ner man can expresse his paynes were so intollerable and his passion so dolorous his deite so obedient withe the fathers will that it was not only à sacrifice but also à iust recompence to satisfye for all the worold soly and only as Christ tawght Nicodemus Ioan. 3. as Paule Ebre 7. 8. 9. 10. Esa 53. and so all the prophetes and patriarches and souch â sacrifice as ons for all sufficithe Ebre 7. these too officies of Christ shuld neuer be out of remembraynce They declare the infinite mercy of god and likewyce his indifferent and egall iustice unto all creatures without respect of persones The token of his mercy may be knoyn in this that he would not that all man kynd shuld be loost thoughe in Adam all deseruyd eternall deathe he openyd his mercy unto Adam not only by word but also by the fyer that descendyd upon his sacrifices and his sonnes so to Abraam then to the worold by the incarnacion and deathe of his only sonne the promesse of grace and the promis of euer lasting lief unto souche as repent and belyue in hym The signes of his Ire and displeasure unto man is this that he would not accept man agayne into his fauour for no penence no sorow no troble no aduersite no weping no wayling no nor for the deathe of oni person Vntill his awne sonne most dere belouid by death appeced his displeasur and be cam suerty to satiffye the iustyce of God and the right that the deuyll had unto ull mankind This if man remembryd as depely and as ernestly as the mater requirithe it shuld make his hartfull sory and brig hym unto an honest and uertews trade of lyffe To consider this example of Godes iustice and equite in the appesing of his awne iust conceuyd Ire and lik wyce that he would do no wrong unto his mortall Ennymy the deuill except the sone of god had byn an aequall and iust redemption â pryce correspondent to contrepece and satisfie the culpe and gilt of mannes sinne God would not haue takē one soule from the right and iustice of the deuill Now of this infallible truithe that Christ hathe sacrifici only for sinne and his deathe accōptid only sufficient for the saluacion of man The churche of Christ is aryght iustructyd of to moost necessarie articles First of iustificacion and then of the right use of the sacrament of his holy body cōcerning iustification thus the word of God theachith Caput VII SAinct Paule whē hesaithe that we be iustifyed by faythe Rom. 3. 4. 5. he menythe that we haue remission of sinne reconciliacion and acceptation into the fauor of God so doothe this word iustifie signifie Deut. 25. hisdich where as God cōmaūdithe the iudge to iustifie quit and absolue the innocent and to cōdemne and punishe the person culpable Paule saythe we or iustied by faythe and not by workes to be
iustified only by faithe in the mercye of god throwgh Christ extenuat synne and godes Ire agaynst synÌ„e to mouche and likwyce spoyle Christe of his honor Who is the onli sacrifice that takith away the synne of the worold They that will iustifie them selfes ony other wayes then by fayth doothe dout all wayes whether there sinnis be for yeuen or not and by reason of this dout they can neuer pray unto god aright for he that doutith whether god be his freÌ„d or not prayeth not but as an Ethnyke saythe his pater noster with out faith and godly mocion of the hart He that is ê‘suadid by the gospell thowgh his awne unworthynis fere him from God yet beholdith he the sonÌ„e of god and belyuithe that bothe he hand his prayers be acceptid in Christ and thus acceptyd into grace will folow the lyue of â iustified man as Paule coÌ„mauÌ„dith Ro. 8. Coloss 3. and as all the scripture yeuith example for it is no profet to say sole fayth iustifieth except godlinis of lief folow as Paule sayth si secundum earnem uixeritis moriemini he that hathe opteinyd the remission of sinne must diligently pray for the preseruacion of Godes fauor as Dauid yeuith example unto the hole churche saing Cor mundum crea in medeus spiritum rectum innoua in uiceribus meis Ne proijcias me â facie tua Spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas à me Redde mihi leticiam salutaris tui spiritu principali suffulci me Psalm 50. This prayer conteynith â wounderfull doctrine and necessari to be dayli repetyd with great attenci on and hede first he defyryth to haue â hart pure and net iudgyng â right of God to fere his iustice agaynst sinne and to beliue stedfastly his promisyd merci unto the peniteÌ„ces and that this light and knolege be not taken from hym by the deuill or uanite of the worold as dayly we se souch as hatb the knolege of Godes word to lyue more worldly theÌ„ he that knoith not what god is then prayth to haue the helpe of god to gouern all his counsells and all the motions of his hart that they may be agreable unto the law of god full of fayth fere and cherite that for synne he be no more cast out from the face and fauor of god prayth to haue strength in aduersite and to reyoyce under the crosse of affliction not to murmur nor grug at ony troble but to obey willingly the pleasure of god not to leaue hym nor mistrust his mercy for ony punishment but to suffre what god pleacyth as mouch as god pleasith and when god pleacyth these uertewes must man practyse an use affter he is iustified as well as to optaine remission of his sinne or else he is not iustified at all he is but â speaker of iustificacion and hathe no iustice within hym As he makith Christ only his sauior so must he folow souch as were of Christis familie the patriarches prophetes and the Apostelles in the lyffe prescribid by Christ as they dyd or else they shalbe no disciples of the prophetes that were the doers as well as the speakers of uertewe But rather the disciples of the poetes that only commendyd uertew and folowid it not as ouid saythe Est deus in nobis agitante calescimus illo Sedibus aetherijs spiritus ille uenit These holy wordes auaylyd nothing Souch as cannot understond the Epistole of Paule to the Romaynes conserning iustification and what lief is requirid of hym that is iustified let hym red diligently the fyrst Epistole of Iohan and then he shall right well perceaue an other lyffe to be requirid of the iustified man then the gospellers led now aday that hathe wordes with out factes Which slaunderith the gospell and promotith it not as it is to be sen the more pety in souche meÌ„ and souche cornteis as the truith hath byn prechid along tyme. For the receuing of it unwortyly the lord will doutles take from them his worde and leaue them unto there awne lustes For this is certaine and to trew let the hole gospell be preachid unto the worold as it awght to be penence and à uertuse lieff withe faythe as God preachyd the gospell unto Adam in Paradyse Noe AbrahaÌ„ Moses Esay saing uegenti pecatrici Iohan the Baptist poenitencam agite appropinquat regnuÌ„ coelorum As Christ did Recipiscite ctedlte Euangelio Mar. 1. and then of an huÌ„dred that coÌ„mith to the gospel there would not com one when they here sole faythe and the mercy of god to iustisie and that they may eat all meates at all tymes with thankes yeuing they imbrase that gospell with all Ioy and willing hart And what is he that would not receaue this gospell thefles he itselfe were there no imÌ„ortal soule in it would receue this gospell because it promisithe ayd healpe and consolacion with out workes and when it hyrythe that it may as well eat â pastie of uenisiin upon the frydaye as à heryn what is he that would not be souche agospeller But now spek of the other part of the gospel as Paule teachith to the Romaynes 8. cap. Si secundum carnem uixeritis moricmini and as he prescribith the lieff of à iustified man in the same Epist 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. capite Christ Matt. 10. Peter 2. Petri 1. he that is iustified let hym study those canones to lyue by Sainct Paule writithe to â iustified churche of the Corinthions and to souche as had receauid the knolege of the gospel and sayth Si quis cum frater appelletur fuerit scortator aut auarus aut simulachrorum cultor aut conuiciator aut ebriosus aut rapax cuÌ„ eiusmodi ne cibum capiatis 1. Cor. 5. This part of the gospell is not so pleasaunt as the other therfore men take the first libertye and neglect the frutes that shuld folow the gospell and think theÌ„ selfes to be riche in the gospell as the churche of the Laodicenses iudgid of them selfes Apocalip 3. when they be indede miserable and wreachid poure and nakyd of all godlynys Paule declarithe Rom. 8. what It is to be iustified and to be in Christ to walke affter the sprit he seythe Nulla condemnatio est lex his qui sunt in Christo Iesu qui secundum spiritum ambulaÌ„t For â conclusion iustification is à fre remission of sinne and acceptation into tbe fauor of God for Christes merites the whyche remission of synne must folow necessaryly amendment of lyffe or else we receaue the grace of God inuayne 2. Cor. 6. Ro. 8. 2. Petri 1. Caput VIII OF this infallible uerite only the deathe of Christ to be the sacrifice for the expiacion of sinne may be necessarily tawght the right and trew use of the Lordes supper which men call the Masse Fyrst it is manifest that it is not â sacrifice for sinne as men teache contrary unto the word of god that saythe
Christ by one sacrifice made perfet all thinges Ebre 7. 8. 9. 10. and as Iohan. saythe Sanguis Iesu Christi emundat nos â peccatis and there remaynithe nomore after it as Paule saith Vbi peccatorum remissio ibi noÌ„ amplius hostia pro peccato and to take away all dout that remission of sinne caÌ„not be optaynid for the me rites of the masse Paule saith playnely that without bludshedding no sacrifice can merite remission of sinne Althowge Christ now sit at the ringht hand of god and pray for his churche and like wice dothe offre the prayers and complaynt of us that belyue yet it is only for the merites of his deathe that we optayne the mercy of godes promesse in the whiche he susteynid souche payne that the remembraunce therof and the greatnis of godes Ire agaynst synne put his precious body and solle in souch an agony and fere that his passion of sorow surmountyd the passions of all men that euer trauelyd or were bordenyd with the weight and peace of godes importable Ire agaynst man for synÌ„ in so mouche that he wept not only tyres of blud but so aboundantly payne forsid them to descend that they trycklid upon the growne Sore troblyd and ouer coÌ„ with sorow was Dauid Psa 6 When he wayshyd his bed withe tyres for synne but it was Ioy and myrthe if his paynes be conferrid to these dolores of Christ They wantyd no augmentation this sacrifice was kyllyd alitle and alitle from one place of iudgment send unto the other and all wayes from the flames into the ardeÌ„t coles his deathe upon the crosse so differryd that altowgh he was uery god and the dere belouid son of the ffather his abiection was so contemptible aÌ„d uile â–ª that he cried out as Aman moost destitute of godes fauor and loue and sayd Deus meus Deus meus quare dereliquisti me And untill souch tyme as he offryd his moost holy soule unto the father and his blessid side percid with the spere his paines and sorowes incressyd Lo thus was the maner to offre Christ for sinne affter this sort and cruell handelyng of Christ was theire of God apecid If they sacrifice Christ in the masse let theÌ„ hange hym tyrauntes agayne upon the crosse and thrust â spere to his blessid hart that he may shed his blud for with out schedding of blud is no remission the scripture damnythe this abuse of the lordes supê‘ and is the coÌ„culcation of his precious blud As concerning the use of this Sacrament and all other The rites aÌ„d ceremonijs that be godly they shuld be so kept and usyd in the churche as they were deliueryd unto us of the highe Bishope Christ the auctor of all Sacramentes For this is trew that he moost godly moost religiousi and moost perfetly institutyd and celebratyd the supper And None other wayes then the Euangelist doothe record the best maner and moost godly way to celebrat this supper is to preache the deathe of Christ unto the churche And the redemption of man as Christ did at his supper and there to haue commune prayers as Christ prayed with his disciples then to repet the last wordes of the supper and with the same to breake the bread and distribute the winne to the hole church Then yeuyng thankes to God depart in peace these ceremonijs that God institutyd not But repugneth Godes institution be not necessari but rether in ony case to be leffte because they abrogat the institution of Christ it semithe sufficient unto me if the churche do as Christ hath commaundid it to do Saynct Paule to the Corinthious affter the ascenfion of Christ at lest 18. yeres wrote his Epistole and sayd he would delyuer them nothing but that he had receauid of the lord and wrote conserning the use of the supper as Matth. Mark and Luk writithe this is therfore and ungodly disputacion that the Papistes contend abut the chaÌ„ge and alteracion of the bread and also à false aÌ„d pernicious doctrine that teachyth the corporall presence of Christ booth God and man in the bread for althowgh Christ said of the bread this mi body It is well knowyn that he purposid to institute à sacrament Therfore he spak of à sacrameÌ„t sacramentally To spek sacramentally is to gyne the Name of the thing to the signe so yet not withstoÌ„ding that the nature and substaince of the signe remaynit and is not turnid into the thing that it signifiet farther the uerite of the scripture and the uerite of à Christiane faith will not suffre to iudge and belyue Christes body inuisible or uisible to be upon the Erth Act. 1. Luce ult Mar. ult Act. 3. If we lik wyce consyder the other places of the scripture Ioan. 6. 16. 17. we shall fynd that Christ would not nor ment not to institute ony corporall presence of his body But à memory of the body slayne resuscitatyd ascendid into heuens and from thense to cuÌ„ unto iudgment trew it is that the body is eatin and the blud dronkyn but not corporally in faith and sprit it is eatyn and by that sacrament the promis of god sealyd and coÌ„firmid in us The corporall body remayning in heuyn in the 24 chapiter of Matthew Christ yeuing his church warning of this heresy to cum by the preaching of false Prophetes sayd they will say lo here is Christe lo there is Christ belyue them not for as the lightynyng coÌ„mith from the est into the west so shall the cumming of the sone of man be meanyg by these wordes that his body is not à phantasticall bodi nor inuifible as these teach that say his corporall body is corporally yeuen in the bread with the bred and under the bred inuisible Agaynst this errour I will set the word of God and declare the truith therbi that they haue but an ymagynacioÌ„ or ydeam of Christes body and not the natural aÌ„d corporall body and the fyrst reason is this Christe byd his disceples they shuld not belyue hym that shuld say Lo here is Christ or there is Christ he spake of his body doutles and humaine nature for he commaundith us to belyue that his godhed is eueri where as Dauid sayth and as he sayth my father and Iamone likwyce he told theÌ„ be playne wordes Math. the last capi that he would be with them unto the end of the worold Christ hauing but too natures one deuine and the other humane by these expresse wordes now he declarithe to be present with the one and absent with the other these thinges markyd I put this mater incomprysse to be iudgid of euery humble and cheritable sprytyd man who iudgithe aright of the body of Christ those that say bodely he is not in the sacrameÌ„t or these that say he is bodely and corporalli there If he be there corporally and bodely as they say Why shall Inot beliue these wordes Ecce hic ecce illic and say Christ lyyth that sayd beliue them
but untill souch tyme as they shew me that glorious and perfeit mannes body of Christ as it was shewid unto the blessid uirgine there sayng belyue belyue shall not com into my belyue for Christ saith Nolite credere Of Christes wordes Marci 13. de die illo nemoscit the moment of the last tyme No man knowithe nether the sonne of god in asmouche as he is man I gather this argument A maiori if it be denied Christ concerning his man hed to know the last day mouch more to be euery where or to be in diuer places at one tyme is denied his humanite for it is more iÌ„possible and wounderfull to be euery where then to know many thinges I kno the Geographus conceuithe and coÌ„prehendithe all the worold in his hed But to be in all places where as his thowghtes and sprit is ocopyed it is impossible farther Christ is body hathe not loost his corporall qualites but wher so euer he be corporaly there is he with all qualites of abody and not withe out qualites as these dreamers imagine I will not iudge my sauiour that died for the sinne of the worold to haue abody in heuen sensible with all qualites of trew man and in the sacrament with out all qualites and quantites of à trew body But abhor and detest with the scriptura this opinion as an heresy so litle differing from marcion that I can scarse put diuersite as corporally is the corporall and substantiall body of all Englond in the hed of hym that describith by mape or cart the hole Realme in Italy or other wher so corporally is the body of Christ in the hart of the Christian The concept imaginacion or form conceuid of Englond is not the body mater nor substance selfe of inglond no more is the spirituall coÌ„cept of Christes body the corporall body it selfe thowg Auicen and Auerrois would prow souch à conclusion yet the fayth of our Religion will not suffre it à Pantasticall imagination to be à trew substannce to say that Christes uere naturall body is in the erth and yet inuisible it is to destroy the body and not to honor the body Aristole li. 5. metaphisicoruÌ„ cap. 22. definit what inuisible is inuisible inquit est quod non habet omni no colorem Take this from Christes body that it is trewly in the sacrament corporally and yet inuisible is to say Christ hath lost all the colour shape and form of his humanite But what shall Aristolle do in this our fayth the scripture teachith what we shuld belyue ascendit ad coelos sedet ad dex tram Dei patris omnipotentis Inde ueÌ„turus est iudicare uiuos mortuos Act. 1. Mar ultimo Luc. ultimo And hath leffte us à sacrament of his blessid body the which wear bond to use religiousy and many times to exercise and stablish our fayth and he being absent corporally dooth communicat by fayth in sprit that most precious body and the merites of the same and would to god peple would use it with more reuereÌ„ce and more awght as the scriptur teachith with trew amendemet of lieff and fyrm fayth I pout out a book in Septembre last past dedycatyd to my lord of wincheffter where in I haue declarid all my fayth conserning this blessyd and holy sacrament therfor I will passe to the other offyce of Christes pryshed Caput IX THe fourthe offyce of Christ is to consecrat and sanctifie these that beliue in him He is not onli holy him self but makith holy others also As he saythe IoaÌ„ 17. Pro eis sanctifico meipsum ut sint ipsi sanctificati perueritatem this sanctification is none other but à trew knolege of God in Christ by the gospell that teachyth us how unclene wear by the sinne of Adamme an how that wear clensid by Christ for who is sake the father of heauen doothe not only remitt the sinnes wrowght willyngly agaynst the word of God but also the imperfectioÌ„n and naturall concupiscens whiche remaynythe in euery man as long as the nature of man is mortall How the father dooth sanctifie his people the prayer of Christ shewith Ioan. 17. sanctifica eos per ueritatem tuam sanctifie them by thy word purche the hart teache them halow them make them apt for thy kyngdon wherwithe withe thy worde which is euer lastiÌ„g uerite The meaÌ„s to sanctifie is the word of God the holy gost and faith that receuith the word of our redemption so doothe Peter say Acto 15. Fide purgari corda nostra Here is the cause expressyd wherby we accept our sanctificacion by fayth sayth sanct Peter saynct Paule 1. Corint 6. shewith for whois sake and wherfore we ar sanctified Abluti estis sanctificati estis iustificati estis per nomen domini Iesu ê‘ spiritum Dei nostri For the merites of Iesus Christe by the operacion of the holy goost This is to be allwaies markyd that when Christ had prayed his father to sanctifie his church by his word and by his holy sprit and destityd hym to preserue them from ile for his mercys sake He addid the pryce the merites and iust deseruyng of Godes graces and sayd I sanctifie my selfe for them because they may be sanctified by the truith He sanctified hymselfe for the churche when he died for the detestable unclenys and fylthinis therof more stynkyng and fylthy theÌ„euer was the thaborryd and leporous bodi of Lazar 9. as tawghe he had said for asmouch as I offer aÌ„d submitt myselfe unto the bytter and cruell payne of the crosse for the church thow must most holy father sanctifie them and accept them as sanctified norysh theÌ„ loue them and defend them for the price and satisfactioÌ„ of my deathe what à consolacion is this for euery troblyd consciens to undrestond althowgh it be unworthi of remission of sinne for the gratnys therof yet for the prayer of Christ he shall not be a cast away so that he belyue as Christ said he praid not only for his Apostelles but also for as many as shuld beliue his word till the woroldes end as many as wilbe gospellers as the Ioue the gospel aÌ„d there awne saluacion let them not daily and play with it as thowgh god were à babe to be pleacid with à figg for syn let hym thynk upon the most uile and tyrannous deathe of hym that only was able to clense us from sinÌ„e and from hens beware of sinne it suffycit as Paule saythe that before we knew the truith to lyue want only 1. Cor. 6. Caput X. Of this verite and truit that the gospell reachith us only to be sanctfiied in the blud of Christ is confutyd the blaspemus pryde of the Bishope of Rome THat namith hiÌ„selfe the most holy father and takith upoÌ„ him to sanctifie all other men of therth as Godes uicar and leaue tenent to absolue à poena à culpa to pull out of hel aÌ„d send to heuen with his pardons Masses and
it is wroten Esa 43. Populum istum for maui mihi ut laudē meam annunciet and likwyce ca. 66. the Prophetes and Apostelles dooth use many times this word annunciare pro laudare gratias agere so doth Paule 1. Cor. 11. Mortem domini annunciabitis donec ueniat ye shall shew the deathe of the lord untill he com id est ye shall celebrat the death of Christ with all preses and yeuing of thankes souche as be sanctified by Christe must lyue an honest and holy lief or else his sanctification auaylith not as god for soke the chylder of Israel for sinne so wil he do us they were electyd to be his people with this condition si audiendo audieris uocem uocē meā custodieris pactum meū Exo. 19. Eritis mihi in peculium de cunctis populis He that fauoryd not the Israelites but toke cruell uengēce upon them because they walkid not in there uocatiō will do and dooth dayly the same unto us Rom. 11. Therfore one of these too we must nedes do that say we be iustified and sanctified in Christ ether from the botom of our hartes amend or else be eternally loost with all our gostelie knolege for the ax is put to the rote of the tre So far is the malice of man procedid that the Ire of god can be nolenger differyd a great tyme hath the gospell byn knowen of many men Yet the lief of the gospell as new to syk as thowgh it were but now begon therfore see we how God beginnyth againe to permit the darkenys of errour to ouer whylme the worold souch blindenis euer folowith the contempt of godes word and the unthankfull receuing therof Tberfore as we be sanctified by Christ so let us bare hym and sanctifie hym in our brestes or else we peryshe Ro. 6. for fayth intendith and allways makyth hast unto this porte as Paule saith Tit. 2 ut sancte iuste ac pie uiuamus men knowith not what the gospell is they rede it as they reade beuis of hāptō or the gestes of Robin hode If they may know what the scripture sayth they iudge it sufficiēt wher as it is cleane cōtrary men shuld not only reade the scripture to be wyser but to be better we bare the name of Christ and confesse him We must therfore be those persones in who is lieff the stappes of Christ must appere or else we blaspheme our master wois name we bare Ro. 6. 13. because after baptisme we shuld lyue à modest and remperat lief Christ departid into the desert and fastid Making this answer unto the deuill Non in solo pane uinit homo man is not creatyd to the fond pleasures of the worold but to regard what the will of god requirith They deceaue them selfes that trust to fayth where as honesty of lief folowith not Faythe is matres in the soule of the Christiane and entertaynithe no souch seruantes as be adulterours Thyffes slaūderours dronkerdes Couetous persones Swerers ille and unocopyed raueners of the meat of the pore But cherite peace temperaney prayer liberalyte and flyyng thoccation of yle 2. Pet. 1. lacob 2. 1. Cor. 12. Caput XI AS the scripture teachīte Christ to be the ueri trew prist ād bishope the church prayth for the churche satisfieth the Ire of god for the sinne of the church and only sanctifieth the churche So doothe it proue Christ to be the Kyng Emperour and protector of the churche And that by thoffice and property of à kyng that defendithe his subiectes not only by his godly lawes but also by forse and ciuile resistance As the Ennymies of his commune wealthe shall ministre occaciō By those too menes euery cōmune wealthe is preseruid as the scripture teachith princes Christenid and Ethnikes Aristotelle in his politikes Iustiniane in the proeme of his institutions The scripture euery where Pharo that would this churche of god and commune wealth of the Israelites to be destroid was loost and all his Armie in the see the idolaters that would mak the cōmune wealthe of Christes churche one with the cōmune wealth of Egypt were destroyd souche as Rebellid Koreh and Rubinites agaynst the gouenrs of godes churche Moses and Aron were destroyed withe the artillyrie of godes ire all the princes and nations that possessid the land of Chanaan god destroyed to set his cōmune wealthe in an order In the later dayes when the kyng of this commune wealthe shuld be born the Angell declaryd unto the blessid uirgine of what puissance and poure this Kyngdom of Christ shuld be Regnabit inquit in domo Iacob in aeternū regni eius nō erit finis Lu. 1. althow now the cōmūe wealth of the churche hath no certayne place apointid where it shall remayne as it was appointid in thold law yet certayne we be that this kingdon of Christ remaynith upon the erthe and shall do till the erthe be burnyd Matth. 16. 28. 1 Corint 15. How be it as Christ wan and optaynyd this kyngdon in the later days with out shyld or spere so doothe he preserue it with his holy sprit and not will carnall wepynes as Christ sayed unto Pilate Ioan. 18. Regnum meum non est de hoc mūdo Menyng that he would not raygne in this worold as aprynce of this worold with pompe and pryde but defend his people with his holy sprit that the deuill nether the worold shuld not breake there pacïence thowghe many afflictions and sorowes shuld fyght against them for the truithes sake Christ doothe not deny to be the kyng of the worold Before Pilate But that he ment not to raigne woroldlye to the hindreaunc and defacyng of temperours dignite and title as the Iewes falsly accusid hym as Cirillus libr. 12. capit 10. in Iohannem sayth and so is the mind of saynct Augustine in the same place This kyngdom is spirituall Christ sitting at the right hand of God the father praithe for us yeuithe us remissiō of sin̄e and the holy goost to fight and ouercom the worold Hathe leffte here in the churche his gospell thonly wepyn to fight with all for the tyme of this mortall liefe Ioan. 17. Where he definithe lyffe euerlasting to be the knolege of god So doth Paule Ro. 8. proue this kyngdom to be spirituall And that concerning the body it apperith that Christ defendith not his people because they liue in souch disdayne and aduersite but here after it shall appere as Paule sayth Col. 3. And Ioan. 1. Io. 3. Nunc filij dei sumus sed nondum manifestum est quales erimus This kingdom shalbe euer persequutid till the woroldes end Psal 2. 115. 71. Esay the prophet describid the churche of this present lief sayng Dabit uobis dominus panem arctū aquam exiguam non auferet à te ultra doctorem tuū cap. 30. thus the church shall remayne but alwayes in affliction I know souche as fauorith not the truith will interpretat my wordes
lauding the goddenis of his creator allwayes obedieÌ„t unto his will allwayes folowing the order of reason with out all yle aÌ„d contrary concupiscence â–ª or other carnall resistance To be short mannis nature had byn in all thinges like unto the law and as perfet as the law of the decaloge or ten commaundementes had not he sinnid But what man is now after his transgression thus the Cbristiane reader shalbe aduertisyd Man fallen from his fyrst dignite and originall perfection is Now the creture that fightithe withe the law of God full of darkenis ignorancy and of the contempt of god without obedience fere and lone of God Oppreffyd and subiect vnto all calamites and willfull coÌ„cupiscens boothe of body and soule Caput XII THe Ennymie of god Ro. 8. The image of the deuill the library of lyes the frend of the deuill Right here of Eternall deathe and the chyld of damnation Ephes 2. Murtherers by the Meanes of synne not only of oure selfes but also of the sonne of god that neuer synnid and yet not understoÌ„ding this oure wofull case and condition we neglect boothe god and his law and fele not oure infirmites and sikenis the more is oure healthe to be desperyd of He that laborith withe à dangerous diseace and yet felithe not the greffe therof shall neuer fynd remedy nether haue the yle remouyd Wese this to be trew by naturall reoson Of all diseaces frenesie is the most dangerous yet the pacient felithe it not nor cannot shew where nor how this wofull and miserable diease molestith hym Therfore uery syldom or neuer besouche persones curyd and made hole Seyng the next way unto healthe is the knolege of the diseace And man is in him selfe sycke and infectyd withe more diseaces à thowsand fole then I haue rehersid it is not withe out cause that I say to know what man is to be necessary althowg he it seme not so unto souche as be dronk withe the pleasures of the worold and neuer thynk from the botem of there hart to return unto penence If the scripture of god and wrytinges of lernid men cannot persuade them what the ire of god is agaynst sinne my labores shall litle auayle I know well yet is euery disciple of Christ bound to sarche the glory of god and saluacion of his Neyghbour and commit the successe unto god It is uery difficile and hard for man to know hymselfe the only way ther unto is to Examin and open hymselfe before god by the light of the scripture and he that will be hold himselfe well in that mirrour and glasse shal fynd souche à difformite and disgrasid uisionogmi that he will abhor his awne proporcion so horrible diffigurid Let man seke no farther then the fyrst commaundent Exo. 20. Deut. 6. Diliges dominuÌ„ deum tuum c. thous halt loue thy lord god withe all thy hart withe all thy mind withe all thy poure and thy Neyghbowre as thy selfe then shall man perceaue his wrecchidnis how that he louithe nothing lesse many times theÌ„ god or his Neigbowr and ê‘ceue that he is the freÌ„d of the deuil and of the worold and à coÌ„temnor of god this wayes saynct Iames teachithe maÌ„ to knew hymselfe cap. 1 qui perspexerit in legeÌ„ quae est libertatis c. sainct Iames usithe this word law in the Ebrew feace Thorah whiche signifyythe à doctryne that theachithe instructithe and ledithe AmaÌ„as well uÌ„to the knolege of hiÌ„selfe as of God So saiÌ„ct Paule admirandis enallagis prosopopaeis in Epi. Ro. 7. disputat By the law commithe the knolege of synne he callithe the law the powre and forse of sinne 1. Cor. 15. only the law declarithe how great an Ile sinne is and the man that beholdithe the will of god in the law shall fynd hime selfe aÌ„d all his liefe giltie of aeternall deathe red the 7. capiter to the Romayns withe iudgmeÌ„t and then know what maÌ„ is how miserable spoylyd of uerte wand oppressyd withe sinne so Paule lernid to knew himselfe aÌ„d know not what sinne was till the law had made him afrayede and shewyd him that he was withe all his holynys benig à Pharise daÌ„nid PeccatuÌ„ occatione accepta ê‘ praeceptum decipit me per illud occidit Ro. 7. and in the same chapiter he she withe playnly what he saw in the glasse and contemplacion of the law that sinne was manifestid therby and the gratnis therof knowen Vt appararet peccatum per id quod erat bonum mihi gignere mortem ut fieret maiorem in modum peccans peccatum per praeceptum Marke the trauyce and pley betwene the law of God and the conscience of Paule and se how he yeuythe thankes unto his master the law and ê“clemit he it to be à spiritual aÌ„d holy thyng as à light or torche to shew man his ffylthy and stynking nature sayng lex spiritualis est at ego carnalis sum uenditus sub peccatuÌ„ Abondman of sinne and trayture of god Here thow seyst godd reader what amiserable wrecche man is and how man may know his miseri by the law How be it thowghe we rede it many times we be nether the wyser nether the better we be not tawght à dele bi this mistres the law she caÌ„not make us good scolers we daly and play so withe the worold we lyue in souche securite and ease that say she what she list we torn the deffe eare and will not hyre therfore to make man to know himselfe god sentithe an other mystres to scole man scilicet aduersite then we begyn to undrestond the law of god that disswadithe from sinne and we then know oure misery As Dauid Criethe that he is notable to bare the burdon of sinne if the lord execute iustice as the greatnis therof meritithe Si iniquitates obseruaueris dnÌ„e ê—s sustinebit Psal 130. Dauid when he felt the paynes of his adultery the deathe of his chyldre the conspyricie of Absolon the uiciating of his wiues exile and banyshement and souche other calamites In this scole of misery he lernyd this uerse Who can susteine the ire of god Now thowghe these temporall paynes be more then man caÌ„ support they be but sport and dalyance in respect of the paynes aeternall How be it man may lern by them how mouche God is displeacyd withe sinne and know himselfe to be as he is à uile peace of erthe withe all his pryd and pompe And A rebellion unto his maker as no creatur els is sauyng the deuyll and he this innword and secreatyle Rebellion of the hart blindnis of the inthinteÌ„demeÌ„t and frawardnys of will is dayly augmentid by the malice of the deuill and oure awne negligence that regardithe not what the law teachithe God reguyrithe of man Because the gospell teachithe we ar only sauyd by the mercye of God for the merites of Christ oure gospellers hathe set all at libertye and carith not at all of souche liefe