to bee agreeable to the Scriptures it appeareth by this that whatsoeuer the lawe forbiddeth is sinne for of the lawe is the knowledge of sinne but this concupiscence is forbidden by the lawe This the Aduersarie will not graunt but I proue it thus There are but two cōcupiscences forbidden one with consent and an other with out whereof that whiche is with consent is forbidden in the former commaundements Which appeareth by the expositiō of the seuenth Commaundement by our Sauiour Christ in the sixth of Matthewe who sheweth the lustyng after a Woman in harte that is with consent to be Adultery and the breache of the seuenth Commaundement Therefore it followeth the other is forbidden in the last And in deede if the same concupiscence were forbidden in the former and no other in this then should there not bee tenne Preceptes and Commaundementes but onely nine This also the Apostle teacheth who declareth how harde it was for hym to finde the height and depth the length and breadth of the corruption that is in the nature of man till he rightly vnderstood this Commaundement For thereby he plainely sheweth the moste secrete poyson of our nature to bee discouered by this Which can be no other then the very continuall springyng and wellyng vp of vnlawfull lustes euen before the harte resolutely agree vnto them Otherwise ther might bee in vs a motion and a power not standyng with the loue of GOD nor of our Neighbour without offence to GOD. Whiche can not bee the Lawe requiryng of vs that perfect holinesse of nature wherein we were created And surely if the Apostle had not esteemed this rebellion in his nature to bee sinne and mortall sinne he would neuer haue cōplained so greeuously of his estate in respect of it both in other places as he doth and especially in the seuenth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romaines in a greate parte of it and in the ende criyng Miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death Their doctrine beyng contrarie hath no maner of grounde in the Scripture For as for the first of Iames it is plaine he speaketh of suche a sinne as sheweth it self in an open and outward act to be sinne As for S. Austine though his authoritie nor any other Fathers maie be sufficient to warrant any doctrine to be of God yet takyng hym alleadged not for any suche purpose but as a witnesse of the doctrine taught and receiued in the Churche at his tyme I graunt he so writeth of concupiscence as except his writynges be well examined and conferred together a man would thinke he were of the opinion of our Aduersarie But beyng examined it will be found that his iudgemēt is with vs namely that this concupiscence is truely sinne and that he so taught the church in his tyme as it appeareth in sondrie places What discommoditte then can it bee to a Commonwealth to haue the people truely taught to knowe the greate corruption of our nature or what benefitt can it bee that thei should not vnderstand their wretched estate Surely none but this that for wāt of this thei should bee puffed vp in a pride of their owne free will and good workes and so not to regarde the inestimable benefitt and comforte of the death of Christ The Aduersarie alleadgeth in deede that if it be so that a man sinne euen without consent that then a man is discouraged to make resistaunce for that no man saith he wil striue against that whiche he can not auoyde that is about the resistaunce of mortall sinne whiche he can not auoyde if concupiscence be sinne and euery sinne be mortall I aunswere not withstandyng bothe these be true as thei are most true that yet the courage of resistaunce is not hereby taken awaie For the Apostle that confessed and taught bothe though he founde it a tedious combate and sweate in a maner water and bloud vnder his Harnesse so as he complained sometymes that he sawe a lawe in his members leading in captiuitie the lawe of his mynde and in this regarde cried O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death desiryng hereby as it were the ende of his warfare Yet did he not therfore giue ouer the fielde and yeeld hym self to sinne Naie rather the newe or the yong man whiche God had begotten in hym by his spirite valiauntly behaued himself in the battell oftentymes puttyng his aduersarie to the flight and by faithe assuryng hymself of the victorie in Christ Iesu And euen as a worthie knight and Champiō is not discouraged with the valure of his enemie but rather reioyceth in it knowyng his victorie shall be the greater So thei that are not cowardes in this spirituall warre but valiant in Christ their noble courage is so much the more stirred vp as thei see their enemie to be great and mightie that the honor of their victorie and triumphe in Christ maie be the greater Wherby it appeareth that our doctrine can in no sorte bee any hinderaunce to vertue or incouragemēt to vice But theirs must needes bee a great breeder of vice and extinguisher of vertue whiche perswadeth men that that is no sinne whiche is in deede sinne For hereby thei neglect the first motions and open the first doore and entraunce freely vnto sinne which it were the best spirituall pollicie to resist in the beginnyng whereof thei must needes be carefull which know it to be sinne and the other secure and carelesse whiche take it to bee no synne Therefore not ours but their doctrine openeth a wide gate to synne whiche is yet greatly enlarged by that he addeth in the ende of this Article that no man will striue against that whiche he can not auoyde For if this be so and that it is most euident that while we liue we can not amende this rebellion of our corrupt nature to the law of God then his councell is that all mē giue ouer striuing any more against sinne seeing they cannot with all their stryuing auoyd it But we are otherwise taught that tho we can not auoyde that sinne dwell in our mortall bodies yet to striue that it doe not raigne nor exercise Dominion ouer vs but that we striue againste it euen to bloud as the Apostle sayth and euen vnto death In the tenth place 10 Of reward of good and euill works in this life in the world to come comparison is made betweene our doctrine and theirs in the punishment of sinne in this life in the world to come and the reward of holines in heauen For the first he affirmeth that we say only faith in Christ is necessary for the obtaining of the forgiuenesse of sinne and this he sayth is an easie point How easie it is may appeare in the example of Abraham who was to beleeue that of his dead body there should spring children like the starres of heauen for multitude and that he should haue a seed in whome
abhominations for which after they might condemne them to the fire But we confer with them as desirous to delyuer their soules from the wrath to come and their present estate from such punishment as the law doth lay vpon them Releeuing of the prisoners of Christ was thorowe their extreme dealing an occasion to sundrie of great troubles But who hath heard of any Act. and Mo. who for this onely cause hath fallen into any trouble amongst vs. They killed fiue prisoners for the Gospell at Canterbury with famine and miserably relieued the rest for any torment As in time of imprysonment not one of theirs hath bene offered any for religions sake In deed if vnder color of conscience they haue intermedled so far in matters of State as that they haue bene to be tainted of treason it may be such haue beene examined vpon the Rack according to the auncient order both of this and other States in like cases that therby they might be constrayned to confesse that to the safety of many which otherwise they would obstinately conceale to the ouerthrowe of their Countrey Whereof not hauing vs in suspicion at any time but persecuting vs only for the Gospels sake yet some with Ioseph haue had the yron enter into their soule and other with Paul and Silas haue beene layd in the dungeons and there also had their feete put into the stockes Act. 16.25 singing to God as if they had byn in heauen Act. 5. I might name also a great nūber who with Peter and Iohn were whipped and scourged and reioyced that they were vouchsafed to suffer for the word of the Lord Iesu whereof as there were many so a young child amongst the rest was so sore beaten that he dyed of it who before his death was sent to his father whom they had put in the stockes in Lollards Tower Actes and Mo. setting a dish of water by him with a stone in it not much vnlike that of the Iewes which as they read said of Ieremie let vs put wood into his bread to torment the poore man with the pittiful sight of his child so shamefully beaten and many other such foule extremities I could remember them off How they dealt with Hun as it is like with some other which dyed in pryson is partly vnderstoode to their iust reproch and will be plainly discouered in the day when all secretes shal be reuealed It were to long to examine their like dealings in other countreys therfore I referre the Reader to their stories and namely to the 6. and 9. Chapters of the Spanish Inquisition where he shall see what close prysons what spare and lothsome dyet what strange and barbarous extremities are vsed by them The last poynt of the comparyson of vsage is in the execution of death which hee sayth hath beene done of their part in all fauor for iust reproofe wherof let the gentle Reader looke ouer the Storie of D. Tayler who being cruelly vsed all the way he went to execution there being ready for it was stroken a great stroke vpon the head with a waster and hurt againe with a fagot cast at him which light vpon his head brake his face that the bloud ran downe after stricken vpon the lips and last of all so smitten with a Halbard that hys braynes fell out But of all other horrible was the execution of the Garnesey woman Perotine both in her own person in that she was executed being great with child also in her child which being taken vp out of the fire viewed by the offycers was to the perpetual reproach of their most barbarous cruelty cast againe to his mother into the fire In elder time also terible was the executiō death of Sir Iohn Oldcastle the worthie L. Cobham is a witnesse to all ages of their barbarous executions It were to long to rehearse the stories of their most cruell executions in other Countries in all ages Therefore I referre the reader to the bookes themselues namely to the 12. chap. of the Spanish Inquisition Only two examples I will set down for a shewe one of more auncient time and the other of verie late In the low Countries at Tourney Bertram a zealous professor of the Gospell found such fauour as this man speaketh in his execution that after many rackings and tormentes before he had his right hande and foot pressed and mishapen with hot irons his tongue cut of his mouth stopt with a ball of iron his body let vp and downe to the fire till it was burned to ashes which were cast into the riuer Of late in the yeare 1581. at Roome Atkines an English man a zealous professor of the Gospell for a like matter as Bertrames was before which was the taking of their masse Idol from their altar and throwing it vpon the ground had this fauour shewed him in his execution that al the way he went to it as it is reported by such as saw it there were foure did nothing but thrust at his naked body with burning Torches and by a deuise for the purpose was burned so as his legges were burned first that the Tyrantes might feede their eyes with a horrible spectacle of so strange tormentes of the constant Martyr witnesse of Christ this hath bene their execution with al fauour Thus we see the chastisement layd vpon them is the rod of a tender most louing mother correcting her obstinate sonnes to bring thē to her obediēce duety but they haue beaten the true church of God with Scorpions as the Sirians did to the Israelites in Galaad they haue threshed it with flayles of yron Their greatest restraint is such I speak of those which are restrained for matter of religiō that they haue cōuenient roomes houses with gardēs to walke in but they thrust our poore brethren into their darkest dungeōs into the caues holes of the earth as into the dens of Dragons Their dyet is liberall and such as pleaseth them selues to haue but they so fedde the true Church of God in their time and yet doe where their authoritie may serue that she might and yet may in such places renewe the complaint of the olde church of Israell and of her cheefe heade and captaine Christ Iesus I haue eaten ashes as breade and mingled my drinke with weeping They gaue me gall and wormewoode to eate Psal 22. and vineger for to drinke they opened their mouthes vpon me as roaring Lyons they made me so spare that I might tell my bones my heart melted in me like waxe my tongue did cleaue to the roofe of my mouth for drought and I sate me downe vpon the earth Psal 2◠and in the dust But the Lorde whose right hand worketh such changes and alterations hath had compassion of our estate in this land his name be praysed for it and hath opened the prison doores he hath deliuered those which were vowed to death when his appoynted time was come
the greatest transgression of the one with the greatest breache of the other and so likewise in the reste keepyng a due rate and equalitie of sinnes that are matched together Therefore notwithstandyng wee esteeme not sinne light but all in their natures mortall and deadly yet wee make a great difference of sinnes Wherefore if thei vnderstoode by this distinction no other matter but to make a difference that some should bee greater then others thei haue no cause to striue with vs. And for this what commoditie it maie bryng to a cōmon weale we are in the blessing of God to looke for it this beyng our doctrine But thei vnderstande it farre otherwise as appeareth by the Counsell of Trent and by this aucthour For bothe determine mortal to be suche as by their natures and in iustice deserue euerlastyng death wherein we also agree But the poinct of variaunce is in this that thei saie all sinnes are not mortall but that there are sinnes whiche in iustice are not to bee punished with euerlastyng death whiche kinde of sinne thei call veniall Not vnderstandyng that God for Christes sake doeth forgiue it those whiche beleeue for so wee graunt that al are veniall For to the beleeuer all shall be forgiuen and there shall be no imputation of any sinne but takyng it in this sense which I haue declared in which I deny any sinne to be veniall affirme all to be mortall whiche our doctrine is groūded vpon the worde of God For this is generall of all sinne whiche the Apostle without exception of any saieth that the paine of sinne is death meanyng euerlastyng as it appeareth there by the mention of life euerlastyng life in the same place And thus the Apostle taught according to the lawe wherin it is saied expressely cursed bee he that abideth not in all that is commaunded in this Lawe But saieth he though your doctrine bee true yet doeth it not stande with good pollcie whiche is to kepe men in vertue and honestie as ours doth Because if al be mortall who will striue against sinne whereas admittyng all not to bee mortall though a man be caried into a veniall sinne yet would he striue to refraine from mortall consideryng it bringeth damnatiō And though this Romane doctrine be false yet doeth it more incourage men to striue against sinne But I saie this is to reason like an Atheiste For as I haue often saied before there can be no doctrine fit to procure the blessing of God to any state whervpon dependeth the wealth peace and honour of euery people and common wealth but only that which is of God And therfore whatsoeuer he maie suppose in our or their doctrine to bee for or against a state the truthe muste needes bee that all thynges reckened and in the ende it can neuer proue a good doctrine for any state that God hath not taught nor that vnproffitable whiche he hath deliuered vs. But I saie further that our doctrine in the Nature of the doctrine it self is more to restrainyng frō vice then that of theirs For what greater incouragement can there bee in all good reason and pollicie to sinne then impietie what stronger restraint then greeuous punishement Therfore their doctrine whiche teacheth so many sinnes negligences and ignoraunces not to bee in the iustice of the Lawe of God guiltie of death must needes hereby giue incouragement to continue in ignoraunce in negligences and other suche like offences But ours whiche truely teacheth the wrathe of God and euerlastyng death to depende vpon it muste needes bee more forceble to stirre vp all men to be carefull to auoide to the vttermoste of the grace thei haue receiued all maner of sinne and if the lesse muche more the greater whiche haue more greeuous condemnation But he and the rest of these Romanists in faith in allegiaunce suppose by makyng all sinnes to be punished with death that all are taught to be equall whiche is nothyng so For that death is not like vnto this whiche is of the naturall soule and bodie and of the life of the naturall man but it is a deadly castyng out of the presence and fauour of God with whom onely is life that which in deede and truth maie be so called for the comforte that is in it whereas the other is suche a life as some which liue in it wishe rather for death and would digge for it As Iob speaketh if thei might finde it and desire that the Moūtaines might couer them and the Hilles hide them from the wrath of God liyng vppon them Therfore if it be possible for men in the naturall death of the bodie to deuise greate difference of tormentes so as notwithstandyng all suffer death yet one maie endure without comparison greater tormentes in it then an other How much more in this case both by the natur of the death which thei suffer and by the almightie power of God is it possible that notwithstandyng all sinnes bee punished with death yet there should be sundrie kindes of that death the tormentes of the one to bee in comparison in them selues alwaies horrible more easie and tollerable then an other Which our Sauiour Christ expressely teacheth speaking of the punishment of Sodom and suche as should with contempt refuse the Gospell Wherefore that beyng an offence of their ignoraunce not of our doctrine it is not to bee imputed vnto it And so notwithstandyng any thyng is saied by hym or can bee saied by any to the contrary our doctrine in this point is most fit and strong for the restraint of sinne and their impunitie moste daungerous by incouragement to smaller offences to draw men also in tyme to the easier committyng of the greater Besides in this their doctrine it is to be noted that thei teache the sprincklyng with a little Holly water to be sufficient to take awaie those sinnes whereby the precious death of our Sauiour Christ is in this behalfe made of none effect For if thei bee not mortall sinnes the punishment whereof in the iustice of God is death then Christ dyed not for them and if he did then it followeth bothe that thei are mortall and death the rewarde and stipende of them and also that the guilt of them can not bee otherwise washed out but with the true Yssope sprincklyng vs with the most precious bloud of the sonne of God whiche purgeth all our sinnes The second poinct in this nineth Article is of the doctrine of cōcupiscence which he saieth that we affirme to be truely sinne euen in the regenerate and thei saie in the regenerate that is as this man affirmeth it in Christians after Baptisme as if al that are washed with the water of Baptisme are also borne againe whiche is no more true then that all receiuyng the Lordes Supper should receiue also the Spirite of Christ which the Apostle denyeth to be no sinne except that concupiscence bee consented vnto I acknowledge this to be our doctrine whiche
both he and al nations shoulde be blessed What discourses would a natural man here make to hinder with himselfe the credite of this promise Howe manye strong bulwarks and fortresses of fleshe and bloud and how many hie and mighty conceites of the naturall man as the Apostle saith were to bee ouerthrowne and beaten downe to the ground that Abram should beleeue this And how much more that by the death of Christ Iesu we should haue life euerlasting so many as beleeue in him by his shame and dishonour glory and praise by his woundse the cure healing of ours by his warres and agonies quietnesse and euerlasting peace Of all the things that God hath commanded this most needeth the mighty hande of God to worke it and maintaine it as in deede of all other it doth giue most glory vnto him But faith being so easy a matter with them they wel shew how little they vnderstande it For our doctrine that by fayth only in Christe al our sinns are forgiuen I acknowledge it to be true and glorifie God who hath wrought in vs by the powerfull work of his grace so to beleeue For this is our peace with him That this doctrine is holy and true it appeareth in that the Apostle hauing confirmed that Abraham was iustified by fayth inferreth vppon it that by the same Dauid pronounceth men to be happy namely because true happines is in hauing our sinnes forgiuen which we attaine vnto by faith in Christ Thus saieth the Apostle Peter to him al the prophets beare witnesse that forgiuenesse of sinnes is giuen to euery one that beleeueth in him Therefore the doctrine is sound and holy which when we teach we declare also in case of repentaunce what the fruites are of this faith whereby in deede we repent namely a sorrow for hauing sinned against God which striketh and woundeth the hart with a grief detestation of the wickednes committed and kindleth in it a loue and desire to doe those thinges which God hath commanded Finally such are the effectes of this fayth in repentaunce which the Apostle noteth to haue beene in those of Corinth 2. Cor. 10. As for auriculer confession which enforceth men of necessitie to confesse their sinnes one by one in the Priestes eare we teache it in deede for no parte of repentaunce because wee haue no commandement promise nor example for it In deede we bynde not men to this rehearsal and discouerie of their sinne vnto the minister which we esteeme to bee but a very tiranny ouer the conscience and exhort them onelye according to the example of Dauid to make their wickednesse knowne vnto God which suffiseth Yet if any bee so tempted as he standeth in need of councel of comfort and shall open his hart to the godly and faithfull minister they are not denied the comfort that may bee giuen them in this respect but vppon discerning of theire true repentaunce The minister is to assure his cōscience in his word of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes declaring the promise of the Gospell which is of grace and pardon to all that doe repent And this is the vse of that which Christe our Sauiour left vnto vs in the power of the keyes in regarde of particuler comfort A degenerate imitation wherof only is in their absolution which hee calleth a Sacrament without al reason For a sacramēt being a seale of the Gospell hath an outward creture applied to assure the promise vnto vs which shoulde haue some resemblaunce to the promise which is sealed by it as we see to be in the water of baptism and in the bread and wyne in the Lordes supper Another part of repentaunce they make to be satisfaction concerning which we teach that if it haue regard to the partie inquired be it eyther any priuate man or the whole congregation offended by so notorious offence then we teache I say that the discipline left vs by our Sauiour Christ doth require it For in such case bindeth that of our Sauiour tell the Church and leaue thy gift at the alter and be firste reconciled to thy brother much more therefore to the brotherhood which is the church and the felowship of all the brethren As for such a satisfaction as he mencioneth here of some temporall punishment in this lyfe to satisfie the iustice of God for sinne wee affirme and that moste truely according to the scripture that whatsoeuer is imagined of such satisfaction is highly derrogatory to the precious death of our Sauiour Christe who onely is the satisfaction for our sins which one point of their doctrine declareth they little vnderstand what the iustice of God and what sinne is that think it may so easely be satisfied for He nameth three satisfactory workes of praier almes affliction of the bodie wherby he saith they satsfy for their sins which are euen the depths of satan in this Rom. saith For what may be more derogatory to the crosse of our sauiour Christ and his sacrifice once offred vpon it for all wherby he hath fully satisfied for the sinnes of al that shall be saued and payed the vttermost farthing of their debt then that a man should take that vpon him which neither man nor Angell were able to beare that is to satisfie for his sinnes To whom it may be truely said which the prophet Ieremie saide to the hipocrite people of his time That is colour thy synnes neuer so well yet how shouldest thou say I haue not defyled me I haue not followed straunge Gods beholde thy way in that valley know what thou hast done Washe thy selfe with Snow water and make thee cleane with sope or the fullers scouring Hearbe yea gylt thy selfe ouer with Goulde And as Iob when hee had another manner of feeling of sinne and of the gilt of man in the sight of God then they seem to haue when they haue done all their satisfactory works and haue sought to washe them selues cleane with al as with snow water the Lord shal take and plunge thē into the ditch hee will tumble them in the myre and filth of the streetes that is discouer them to be most foule and vncleane Let S. Iohn teach suche men Apoc. 3. that tho they thinke they are rich yet that indeed they are naked and beggerly that they may seek to him for fine gold which shall indéede be able to enrich him with true riches that possesseth it and for a sute of apparel that shal indéed couer their shame giue them a comely presence in the sighte of God Prayer is a holy part of the seruice of God whereby we call vpon God according to his comandement in certaine assurance to be hearde of him but that this should be any work which God in iustice should receiue for satisfaction is a wicked fancy of the church of R. and from the beginning vnknowne in the Church of God Almes is a duety which God hath commanded in thankfulnesse of the loue and fauour we
the synne of Adam a will in man whereby he is freely and willyngly carried to that he doeth but this will I saie is of it self carried willyngly to no goodnesse but onely and alwaies to euill Therfore beeyng deade in respecte of any good whē after the will chuseth well this worke we teache not to bee of Grace preuentyng and assistyng but to bee wholie the woorke of grace For as if the spirite of life should reenter into a deade man who after should rise and walke and dooe other thynges agreeyng to a liuyng man it can not bee saied these actions proceade partely from the spirit whiche is inspired into him partly from the deade bodie For what helpe or furtheraunce can death bryng to an action of life So also the Spirite of God reenteryng into vs who are borne dead in our synnes and wee after liuyng in some measure the life of GOD by the same spirite it cannot bee saied that our will choosyng to doe that whiche is good or any other naturall facultie dooyng in any measure the will of God that it doeth it partly of it self partly of the spirite inspired into vs but the honor of suche actions is wholy due to that spirite That wee will is of our nature but that our will doeth will that whiche is holy and good is not partly of vs and partly of the Grace assistyng but it is wholie the woorke of Grace Yet is it the goodnesse of God to call it ours that is wrought in him by vs because it is not wrought without vs neither are we as an axe or deade instrument in the Lordes hande but the powers of our naturall soule tendyng of theim selues wholy to that whiche is euill are tourned by the grace and power of God to that whiche is good Whiche doctrine as it is moste true so doeth it giue to God the honour whiche belongeth vnto him Neither is it a hinderaunce to good woorkes that God be acknowledged the onely aucthour and woorker of theim But saieth he more like a Philosopher and naturall man then a Christian and a Diuine except it bee in a mannes power to doe well it must needes vtterly discourage hym from doyng good workes The answere wherof is that those whiche beleeue cannot but bee fruitfull in good woorkes notwithstandyng thei dooe not to the dishonour of GOD arrogate to themselues the praise of thē For as a man that is quickened with a liuyng soule can not but doe the woorkes and actions of a liuyng man so also thei which haue receiued the spirite of Christe whereby thei haue beleeued notwithstandyng thei bee not incoraged by this reason vnto it that of their former deade nature thei are able to heare see or vnderstande yet of the nature of that spirite thei cannot but dooe the actions of that life whiche that spirite doeth quicken and animate thē withall And as a branche of a wilde Oliue taken frō his owne stocke and implanted into a naturall Oliue notwithstandyng that of it self it bring no maner of helpe to beare a right Oliue but rather whatsoeuer power is in it is contrarie therevnto Yet of the nature of the right Oliue it cannot beeyng a liuely braunche of it but beare right Oliues Euen so it fareth with vs. Rom. 11. For wee are by nature wilde Oliues and our Sauiour Christe is the true and naturall Oliue Tree into whom beyng grafted by faithe shall we saie it wil neuer beare any fruite excepte the former wilde and sauage nature it had before in his owne stocke maie bee furtheraunce to it No but that nature beyng mortified and altered by the power of the true Oliue we cannot beyng liuely braunches in this Oliue of GOD but we must beare right and kindly fruites accordyng to the nature of the stock wee are receiued into Further as the nature of the spirite whiche wee are vouchsafed doeth leade vs to it so our indeuour is stirred vp herevnto in thākfulnesse vnto God for our saluation whiche he hath assured vnto vs by the power of the spirite giuen vs to the daie of our rededemption Therfore because we owe our selues wholie vnto hym that hath so derely bought vs and so graciously saued vs we are to apply our selues to all good workes wherby God our redemer may be glorified in vs. Whose glory if it be precious in our eyes as it worthely ought to bee more then heauen and earth wee cannot want prouocation to doe those thinges which he hath commaunded Now for the laste poinct of this Article of merite and the reward of heauen we say in deede that the doctrine of Merite and to teach that life euerlasting should be a reward deserued by our good works is a doctrine that maketh voyd in effect the death of Christ The benefite whereof by this meanes shal be onely this to procure vs this fauour with God that vppon condition that we doe suche and suche woorkes that then he will giue vs his Kyngdome for our woorkes sake whiche is a doctrine that of al other doeth moste discouer Antechrist as it is moste opposite to the doctrine and honour of Christe For wee are taught by hym that when wee haue doen all wee can doe wee are to acknowledge that wee are but vnprofitable seruauntes and thei teach that their seruice is worthie a reward and what reward of the kyngdome of heauen the glorie of God and of ioyes euerlastyng and vnspeakeable Thei teache these thynges to bee but a small purchase a little money giuen to their Corban the buildyng of a Monasterie or Abbey for a sort of Idle and Supersticious Friers to abuse the world and thynges many tymes of the iust desert of euerlastyng death to bee the worthie price of Gods kyngdome that is in effect that an Abbey a Seminarie College or suche like should be as muche worthe as the precious bloud of the Soonne of God Thus in deede we teache not nor whatsoeuer should become of all the states of the worlde ought not to teache it beeyng the proude doctrine of that presumpteous Antechriste guiltie of hye treason against the Imperiall state croune and dignitie of the kyng of heauen and earth Whose fauour and grace if we should saie wee had deserued we should account it little worthe and should take from hym his moste due and high honour of our saluation and be moste vnworthie his grace bestowed vpō vs. But saieth he who will be zealous of good workes if there be no reward of them in heauē I aunswere if there were none yet ought wee in thankfulnesse to GOD for our first Creation diligently to applie our selues to dooe his will and obeye his Commaundementes As also all cteatures sett forthe his glory in their kinde notwithstādyng there bee no rewarde promised them in heauen But I saie further that wee doe not teache that there is no reward for good workes but contrariwise that the reward of them is so exceedyng greate in heauen that no good deede shall bee