for his owne glorie then for the benefite of man Of the waters God created the great Whales euery thing liuing and mouing which the waters brought forth in abundāce according to their kinde euery fethered foule according to his kinde God saw al that he had made and lo it was very good and al these things were made as good for the necessitie of man God made these creatures for man yea he made them blissed for man saying bring forth fruite multiplie Now when God had thus prouided all things to mans hand set them in so blissed estate then came the course of our creation then he said let vs make man how after what forme in what moulde was he cast In our Image saith the almightie according to our owne likenesse not as other his creatures therfore that this high point of Gods loue might with the déeper consideration enter our harts Moyses repeateth it double Thus God created man in his image in the image of God created he him neyther did he make him sole and comfortlesse but male and female created he them neither when he had made man straight he cast him of set him as it wer a grasing with other his creatures so taking no further care of him but without long delay he gaue him his heauenly blessing he made him a souereigne and a ruler ouer all other his creatures and streight gaue him possession of them God blessed them and sayd bring forth fruite and multiply and fil the earth and subdue it and rule ouer the fish of the sea and ouer the foule of the heauē and ouer euery beast that moueth on the earth Now beholde the loue of God towardes man in his firste creation God viewed all the glorious workes of his fingers and they were all pleasant in his sight but he did moste glorie in man as the perfection of all his workes wherefore hée coulde not but delight in him while he kepte himselfe in that estate man was nowe a blessed man when God had blessed him and blessed euery thing about him wherefore Dauid rauished in manner with the consideration hereof bursteth out in vehemencie of spirite and sayth what is man O Lorde that thou art mindfull of him or what is the sonne of man that thou visitest him for thou hast made him a little lower than God thou haste crouned him with glorie and worship thou makest him to haue dominion ouer the workes of thy handes thou hast put all thinges vnder his féete all shéepe and Oxen yea and the beastes of the field the foules of the aire and the fish of the Sea and that which passeth through the pathes of the Seas besides all this he made him a Prince of Paradise and placed him in a garden of pleasure where he turned him on no side but euery eye was full of the blessing and loue of God. The fifth Chapter ¶ The fall of Adam and his miserable estate by occasion thereof THus God loued the worlde euen in his first foundatiō wherin he shewed manifolde tokens of a fatherlye fauour towardes man but this was not that speciall loue here meante there was yet no néede of that loue let vs therefore nowe consider the occasion of this our necessitie why God shoulde so shewe his mercie towardes vs as is here mentioned let vs search the sore so shall the salue séeme more precious He that can not in himselfe finde what he is of himselfe let him loke vpon Adam as the childe on the father and the true image of vs all so iustly valewing our selues what we are whom God so loueth we shall haue occasion to set the greater price on that loue and it may be as a spur vnto vs stirring vs vnto a further thankefulnesse Nowe therefore when God had so mercifully dealte with Adam settling him in that place of pleasure giuing him such libertie as these wordes do import Thou shalte eate freely of euery tree of the Garden yet leaste the pot might set vp himselfe against the potter least by presumption man shoulde aduance and equall himselfe with his creator it was the good pleasure of the almightie God to giue him this brydle to byte on and to kepe down that stomacke which he foresawe woulde shortly swell with pride so to restraine his libertie as in those wordes is expressed But as touching the tree of knowledge of good and euill thou shalte not eate of it for whensoeuer thou eatest thereof thou shalte dye the death This was the holy commaundement of our heauenly father whiche it had bene the parte of man willingly to haue obeyed alwayes to haue obserued neuer to haue resisted so might he haue kept his possession in Paradise For all the benefites which God had moste plentifully bestowed vppon man he desired but this one thing that is obedience to his will. This was a sacrifice wherewith he woulde be pleased he hath alwayes cryed for obedience euen from the firste man hither vnto but he could neuer get it at any mans handes excepting Christe the righteous For Adam how did he behaue himselfe what obedience shewed he he stopped his eare at the voice of the liuing God his louing Lorde who dealte so mercifully and liberally with him it was forgotten whiche God sayde thou shalte dye and that voyce of the serpent ye shal not dye howe soone did that enter the eare For the man he gaue eare to the Woman the Woman to the Serpent they brake the commaundement they eat of the excepted trée so the blinde led the blinde and they fel togither into the ditch they became subiecte to the curse of God who called them to accompt for their disobedience and gaue to euery one his seueral curse here is the point here lieth the matter a bleeding this is the olde sore as they say bred in the bone that will neuer be gotten out of the fleshe passing mans cunning to cure without a speciall remedie prouided of god O Adam how wert thou bewitched thou wert once in an highe and heauenly estate but thou arte falne flat to the earthe thou werte sure in Paradise but now thou art endaungered to become a firebrand of hell it was swéete meat perchance thou tastedst but thou shouldest haue remembred the sowre sause that followed Coulde not these blessings and manifolde benefites receyued of thy creator coole thy presumptuous courage coulde not the feare of falling into the contrarie plagues and calamities stay thy wilfull appetite O howe didst thou forget that threatning thou shalt dye the death that double deathe the due rewarde of thy sinne But thou shouldest haue bene obedient obedience had bene the waye to haue kepte thee vpright but nowe thou hast receiued thy wages the wages for sinne is death Whilest thou keptst thy selfe within the bounds which thy louing Lorde hadde appoynted for thée then waste thou an happie Adam O thanke God for that nowe arte thou vnhappie and in miserie thanke thy selfe
thy selfe will sinne for that Thou waste once in the fauoure of God he shewed hymselfe a moste fauourable father vnto thée whilest thou behauedst thy selfe as an obedient childe but nowe hath he iustly turned thée of Thou wast once the frée friende of God but nowe art become the sworne seruant of sinne and bondslaue of Sathan this is spoken as by the mouth of God. Then are you my friendes if you doe what I commaunde you nowe therefore arte thou an enimie vnto God bycause thou hast neglected his holy commaundement whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruaunt of sinne therefore arte thou Adam out of Gods seruice he that sinneth is of the Deuill thou haste sinned Adam therefore arte thou not of god Thou didst once receiue a blessing at Gods hande thou didst féele no part of paine God cared altogyther for thée thou tookest no care for thy selfe thou wast warme without clothes naked without shame satisfied without trauel thy meat was put into thy mouth God hadde so blessed euery thing for thée that the earth the herbes the trées the cattell the foules the fishe they gaue thée their fruite and yelded their encrease of their owne accorde in the meane while mightest thou take thy pleasure in thy garden but now thou haste sinned Adam therefore must thou harden thy handes to labour thou must set thy shoulders to heauie burthens thou must buie thy breade dearely with the sweate of thy face this might haue bene foreséene hadst thou not sinned thou néedest not haue sweated but there is no remedie that man may finde Thou art sicke Adam thou art sicke vnto deathe thou hast prouoked the wrath of God thou hast caused him to poure out his vengeance and to open his cup of curses O beholde howe the wrath of God being once kindled ouerrunneth the whole worlde for the disobedience of man sée what a flame riseth of the burning sparke of sinne As before in obedience man was blessed so in disobedience of the iustice of God muste he néedes be cursed harken therefore vnto the dreadfull iudgement and hard sentence pronounced vpon disobedience Adam thus sayth the Lorde bycause thou hast eaten of the tree whiche I commaunded thée thou shouldest not eate of Cursed is the earth for thy sake in sorowe shalte thou eate of it all the dayes of thy life thornes also and thistles shall it bring forthe vnto thee in the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate breade till thou returne to the earth thou art dust and to dust thou shalt returne againe O lamentable fall O pitifull case wherin thou nowe standest Adam so cladde and clogged with the intollerable burthen of sinne so ouerwhelmed with the bloudie floudes of Gods vengeance and curses so pitifully and plentifully poured out vpon thy heade and besides this he may no longen enioye his paradise he is dispossessed thereof he is banished he is turned abrode into the wide worlde whereas nowe he might not so much as come neare the trée of knowledge of good and euill for the which he ventred so far neyther might any longer enioy any part of that libertie as to eate of all other the trees and fruites of the garden lost also the fight of the trée of life These are the wages of sinne payde as debte due vnto a sinfull and disobedient man Let vs therfore by this knowe our selues what we are What is Adam he is but dust he is hated of GOD he is ashamed of himselfe he is cursed he is sicke with sinne he is deade he is twice deade subiecte to mortalitie and subiecte to eternall damnation Crie out then Adam giue thy Children warning that they maye knowe themselues tell them in what case thou standest and what an inheritance thou hast purchased for them Thus sayth your father O children of men he that hath cares to heare let him heare I was once a man a frée man a blessed man full of life as God had breathed into me the light shining rounde aboute me the mercie of God embrasing me on euery side if I behelde the earth there was blessing for me ingraued as it were in the herbs the flowrs the fruits thereof turning me to the firmamēt ther I sawe the sunne the moone the stars in them was God to be séene a blessed God likewise in the waters there were innumerable tokens of Gods tender mercie towards me so far was I in the fauor of my creator I might stand in his presence enioying his ioyfull countenance yea he made me like vnto his own Image But alas wretch that I am whē I was in honor knew not my self forgot my duetie became far vnlike to my God not like to my selfe but altogither like vnto a beast yea rather worse thā a beast for behold the dul ore he knoweth his owner the simple Asse he knoweth his masters crib but I man nay the shadowe of man a very worm no mā I could not bear the yoke of my creator I would not herken vnto his voice I denied him my seruice I haue sinned I haue sinned therfore I am worthily rewarded I presumed am therfore brought low I aduanced my self therefore I am throwne downe I haue eaten without néed therefore I am subiect to hunger I pine away for desire of the fruit of that pleasant garden I thirste as the Harte after the waters of those swéete rūning riuers I am become of the sonne of God the childe of wrath I am cleane altered I haue lost the light I walke in darknesse of a blessed creature I am become a cursed caitife Where may I rest myselfe I haue sinned and my sinne is euer before me against thée alone against thée Lord haue I sinned I dare not present my selfe in thy presence I tremble at thy voyce I am ashamed of my selfe Whither then may I flée what stay may I finde I sinke in sinne O that sting of death howe it pierceth me O death O graue yours is the victorie and thou Sathan mine enimie how ruefully thou roarest thou standest with open mouth readie to deuour me I finde yet no defense Thou subtill serpent that drewest me into this net how thou spettest thy poyson howe busie art thou about my héele how faste hangest thou howe suckest thou my bloude O that I coulde shake thée of or that I might bruse thy heade And thou Eue which shouldest be my comfort thou hast as muche néede of comfort thy selfe thou shouldest haue comforted me but thou hast deceiued me and thy selfe also we are become a cursed couple and with my creator I finde this comfort thou shalt die the death verily it had bene better for me neuer to haue bene made than so to haue falne into the handes of the liuing god This might be a true confession of Adams follye and the description of his estate after his fall wherein we haue to consider what we are of our selues without Christe euen as it were sworne
enimies and at vtter defiance with God. The sixt Chapter ¶ That all Adams posteritie are ioyned with him in the same guiltinesse of sinne and so stand in the same miserable estate NOw the matter standing at this stay if God did so stretch his mercie as that he woulde voutsafe to take vs into his fauour againe to make attonement with vs if we maye perceiue him notwithstanding our frowardnesse to receiue vs as his children then if we did not worthily estéeme that loue we were worthy double damnation But let euery man be thus minded that he standeth in case like with Adam Let euery one consider his necessitie and search his wounde and sée what néede he hath of suche a medicine for some peraduenture there be hauing so little taste of the truthe that they will say what tell ye me of Adam what haue I to doe with him Other not considering their owne infirmitie in whome the inposthume of sinne lyeth so hidden that they will beare themselues as whole and sounde whereas within like painted Sepulchers they are full of corruption hauing nothing in them to shewe when they shall come to be opened but rustie and rotten bones and suche sayings procéede from them as doe declare their hollowe heartes puffed vp with painted hipocrisie and double dissimulation These men will say I am not like Adam or if I had bene in Adams case I would haue looked better before I had made so rashe a leape But O thou man dissemble not with God iudge thy selfe leaste thou be iudged of the Lorde searche the bottome of thy conscience take thy glasse in thine hande is it a true glasse what then findest thou there but the very face of Adam be it neuer so well coloured It is true it is to true euery one of vs are falne we haue sinned euery mothers childe as truely as we are the séede of sinfull Euē it is but vaine to say this if I had bene in Adams coate for we haue each one of vs in our coates cloathed a sinfull Adam or to say if I hadde bene in his case for euery mans skinne is the case of a sinner Nay we maye not so ridde our handes we can not washe our fingers so cleane but that pitche of sinne will sticke faste what soeuer face be set on the mater O thou man that yet knowest not thy selfe that art so benummed of thy senses that thou féelest not the serpent whiche lyeth gnawing at thy héele whiche sléepest in a deade slumber and féelest not the sting of deathe fast fired in thy fleshe whyche bréedest in thy breste the consuming worme of sinne awake out of thy slumber stande vp and hearken to the cry of Esdras in his disputation wyth the Aungell O Adam saythe he what haste thou done for in that thou haste sinned thou arte not fallen alone but thy fall also redoundeth vnto vs that come of thée and so saith the Apostle that by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and so went death ouer all men for as much as al men haue sinned this floude of sinne it goeth with a higher streame thā the floud of Noe that went euen ouer the top of the Arke for so saith S. Iohn the whole world is set on wickednesse Thus do they say of vs and we can make no better of oure selues we are lost euery one of vs haue gone astray we haue lost our selues in the wilde wood of worldly wickednesse following that blinde guide our owne wilfull appetite Adam he gaue the first onset and we brake not the araye he brake the yce and we are lept into the ditch we are all hong on one hooke like fishe taken with the baite for we haue tasted of the cup of short swéete concupiscence and as Esdras saith we and our fathers haue all one disease meaning sinne that shrewe amongst the shepe of Gods pasture we are al sicke of sinne that is the griefe that Esdras complaineth of Ieremie 31. The fathers haue eaten a sowre grape and the childrens téeth are sette on edge withall This Prouerbe did the people vse in the time of Ieremie murmuring againste God as though they were punished for the offence of their fathers But thus saith the Lord euery one shall die for his owne iniquitie euery man that eateth the soure grape his téeth shall be set on edge Now what father what childe is it that hath not tasted of the sowre grape of sinne Dauid maketh thy confession we haue sinned we haue done wickedly wyth oure fathers recken al the children to the last all the fathers to the firste who is it that hath not eaten with Adam the Apple that grape it sticketh yet in our teeth we are all choked with the core of carnall cōcupiscence that subtil counsell of the Serpent which deceyued the first man it will also deceiue the laste that venime hath infected the whole race the whole broode of Adams birdes Dauid he thus saythe of no worse man than himselfe I was borne in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceyued me Beholde no sooner conceiued in Eue but as soone deceyued of the Serpent and this hath God to lay against vs as he doth againste the Israelites Thy first father hath sinned and thy teachers haue transgressed against me Séeing then we haue tasted one meate seeing that we haue sucked sinne of the forbidden fruite what maye we looke for but to be serued of the same sauce euen that bitter gall the dreadfull curse of God to turne to duste and to dye the death In this state stande we vnlesse God take pitie on vs we are falne we lie flatte on our faces we are become dustie deadly we can not helpe our selues but as the byrd taken in the nette we lie fast fettered our owne eyes not seruing vs to espie any way to winde out we are not able to moue our féeble legs nor to stretch forth our wearie handes our soules are sicke our hearts are faint we must néeds yéelde to our enimie and be taken as prisoners of Satan that fierce Serpent and fierie Dragon The seuenth Chapter ¶ That the sinne wherewith God may charge euery one of vs can neyther be bidden by vs nor excused by blaming any other NOwe by this we maye consider our fall that we are loste without some special remedie and that we haue no part in Paradise we are in darkenesse wythout light sick for sinne panting for breth and bléeding to death But yet before we despaire let vs looke about vs see whither we can espie any hooke to hang oure hope on let vs conferre and take counsel with our father Adam what is to be done if there appeare any staffe to stay on lette vs there catch holde if we haue any thing to say for our selues it is good to speak in time What then shall we say how shall we begin with God let him that thinketh himself best speak first wil he say
where was his sword now wher was his heart when the maid moued him this questioÌ„ art not thou one of this mans disciples what had he then to answer he made then a flat deniall of hys maister he was none of his disciples he knewe no suche man as Christe was and nowe was it tyme for the cocke to crowe for Peter to fall a weeping and a howling there was Christe left alone and giuen ouer on euery side for the shéepe they were all dispersed Now that guiltlesse Lambe with what a sorte of wicked wolues was he beset There was Annas the fyrste Caiphas the high Prieste Pilate the president there was the assembly of Scribes the â—ocke of Pharisies but thankes be to God the heauenly father his Christe had pacience ynough for them all There was in that Lambe bloude ynough for those greedy wolues the rulers and gouernors there were bones ynough for those hungrie dogges the Scribes and fleshe to satisfie that swarme of adders the Pharisies for all those there was pacience ynough with our suffring sauiour being ready to beare what soeuer burthen they might deuise to oppresse him wythall for they bounde him they made a scorne and a mock of him turning him into a strange disguised apparell platting a crowne of thornes vpon his heade adding thereto thorny and gauling wordes beyng haled and tossed to and fro betwixt Pilate the Priestes and the people one crying on this side beholde the man in dispite of his omnipotent godheade on the other syde another company crying hayle Kyng of the Iewes in contempt of this eternall kingdome and yet for further tryall of his pacience some blindfelded hym some buffetted him some moste shamefullye spued theyr spettle on his face then was hée tormented also wyth Pylates bitter scourge yet no resistance made Christ remedie was pacience but that was not thought ynoughe neyther scourging woulde not serue therefore he muste bée committed againe to the handes of Pylate hée muste be examined witnesse is sought and false witnesse is brought in agaynst the truth it selfe yea although Pylate himselfe coulde not but thus depose for his innocencie saying and repeating it often I finde no fault in hym wherefore yet thys friendship was shewed of Pylate that the people contented he shoulde bée let loose according to the custome of the Iewes This was the greatest curtesie that Christe founde he was set agaynste Barrabas an holy God compared wyth a wicked murtherer for so did Pylate put it to the peoples choyse saying Wil ye that I let loose vnto you Barrabas or Iesus whiche is called Christ naye if Christ should haue nowe bene let at libertie then had the Priestes his enimies froÌ„ the beginning lost al their labor wherfore Mathewe reporteth that they counselled the people to quite Barrabas and to aske Christ to be crucified wherefore the sauing and condemnation being referred vnto them when they cried for Barrabas that he might be saued then Pylate speaking somwhat fauourably as he durst on Christes part sayd what shall I do then with Iesus the answere was let him be crucified And Pylate demaunding again what euill hath he done That question might not be heard bycause it coulde not be aunswered but the more they cryed away with him crucifie him This was that rufull crie that Christe was content to heare for all the loue of God that was and shoulde be declared by him towardes the worlde he had this rewarde crucifie him nothing but crucifie him After this hard sentence as a lamb to the slaughter so was our Sauioure led out of the Citie to the place of his executioÌ„ hauing the coÌ„panie of his Crosse and bearing it part of the way himselfe Now must our Sauiour be serued as the Serpent in the wyldernesse he must be lifte vp to the crosse beholde he drinketh the cup of that curse Cursed is he that hangeth on the trée This is the true represented Isaacke that humbleth himselfe to the aultar a sacrifice for sinne and the Lorde suffereth that bloudy knife withdrawn froÌ„ Isaack to fall vpon his onely begotten sonne and to pierce his precious bowelles that the water mought runne out whiche shoulde washe away the sinnes of his people O Christians O men and brethreÌ„ this was ours by right but Christe is contented to beare our burthen he is contented to dye to dye the death the shamefull deathe the cursed death of the bitter crosse Nowe beholde the Lamb of God that taketh away the sinnes of the worlde O thou sonne of man sée what the sonne of God suffereth for thy sake sée how he is tormented let his panges enter a little into thy hart that thou mayste consider the loue of God towardes thee lette that pitifull scricke of our Sauiour alwayes ring in thyne eare as when he cryed my God my God why hast thou forsaken me for so did the sorrowes of death gripe him as thoughe he had indéede bene forsaken of his father wherefore he suffered him to be layde in the graue also that he might tast of al our infirmities as well vnder the earth as aboue howbeit nowe was it time for the Lord God to gloryfie his sonne in the heauens which had glorified him on the earth wherefore he might not leaue the soule of his dearely beloued in the graue nor suffer his holye one to sée corruption but hath raysed him vp to his ryght hande there to reigne with glorie vntil he make his enimies and our enimies if we be true Christians his footestoole and thus with the glorie of Christe doth the loue of God fully appeare towardes vs for in all this hath God and his Chryste sought our saluation for the sonne of man came for no other purpose but to saue that which was loste and by these meanes in summe hathe he atchieued the ende of his message he was deliuered to deathe for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification The tvvelfth Chapter ¶ How only faith wrought in vs by the spirit of God and grounded vpon the word of God maketh vs partakers of the fruit of Christes death THus is that worthy worke finished Nowe may Abraham reioyce with ful ioy for his promised séede is performed and he hath poured out his blessing moste plentifully vpon his faithfull children now is Adam truly made vp a new creature thus far is he in the fauor of God that he hath sent his only begotten son to purchase him his pardon God said in his indignation thou shalt die the death but so hath the sonne pleased him that he nowe cryeth thou shalt not perishe but haue life euerlasting Nowe shalte thou liue for so God loueth thée that Christ hath dyed in thy stead now mayst thou stand vpright for so God loueth thée that his Chryste hath falne for thee Chryste is rysen and beholde he so loueth thée that he offereth his gentle hande to rayse thée togyther with himselfe he hath deceyued the serpent
saued Christ by his resurrection hath purchased to himselfe an euerlasting kingdome and wée rysing in hym by faith are ioyned in that purchase Christ by nature is the sonne of God so are wée of his grace by fayth finally Christ is altogither ours by fayth which doth incorporate all Christians into his misticall bodie Christ as Saint Paule sayth is our peace howe but by fayth as he sayth we beeing iustified by fayth haue peace wyth God and the Apostle sayeth that the righteousnesse of Christ is our righteousnesse and howe is that but by fayth Chrystes holynesse is our sanctification his iustice is our iustification all this commeth by none other meanes than as Saint Paule declareth when Christe dwelleth in oure heartes by fayth we are filled wyth all fulnesse of God suche then is the force of fayth that wyth this one counter we may shortly cast the whole summe of oure saluation For art thou not deade to God but lyuest vprightly before him in holynesse and righteousnesse then haste thou fayth for the iust lyueth by fayth Art thou wicked and sinfull no marueyle if thou hast not fayth for whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne thys is the roote we are the trées the rest as oure good workes they are but flowers and fruites Nowe suche as the roote is suche is the trée and such as the trée is suche is the fruite for Christ maketh no more differences of trées and fruites but as in the Gospell Either make the trée good and his fruit good or else make the trée euill and his frute euill and what is that that maketh this difference but fayth the roote of all righteousnesse for vnlesse by this meanes we be truly graffed in Christ the true vine all that we doe it were as good vndone as good neuer a whit as neuer the better we make but wood for the fire it is in effect nothing but as hée sayth without me ye can do nothing and our workes whatsoeuer shew they haue if they be not rooted in Christ by fayth they are neither figges nor grapes but verie thornes and thistles well may they grow for a while but they may not flourish long euen as herbes that growe in the shadowe neuer well weathered with the warme sunne or rather as the grasse on the house top which lacketh his roote and therefore although it springeth in the Sommer season yet it soone withereth in the Winter and the mower neuer filleth his hand withal Let those then that séeme fruitful in good workes consider of what roote that springeth for the beleeuer worketh well moued by fayth and his fruite is life euerlasting but the misbeléeuing hypocrite he worketh of glory and he hath his rewarde missing farre of the right marke of righteousnesse all that he maketh is marred for lacke of beléefe his works are naught but bare leaues of the fruitlesse figge trée they are but paintings and shadowes mockings and apish toies in cōparison of that iustice of the iust liuing by faith for what is he that flourisheth neuer so much in his painted grapes and wel coloured fruites which is able to please God vnlesse he be a true trée planted of the heauenly father in the faith of christ what fruit is it that God will allowe vnlesse it be fet by fayth of the true vine doest thou fast well done if it be done in fayth doest thou giue almes to the poore doest thou breake thy bread to the néedie doest thou cloth the naked and succour the harbourlesse Good fruites verily therefore belike they come of a good trée whose roote is fayth watered with the precious bloud of our Sauiour Doest thou withdrawe thy handes from iniurie then doest thou beleeue of likelihood doest thou suffer wrong with pacience a good signe it is that thou art alreadie iustified by fayth and all those with such like good works of men of themselues they are not meritorious but with fayth they are acceptable for so generally speaketh the Apostle without fayth it is vnpossible to please God. Marke this infidelitie hath with it an impossibilitie but contrariwise if thou haue fayth feare not for that bringeth a possibilitie so large is the promise of Christ speaking to the beléeuers Nothing shall bée vnpossible vnto you O great is the force of fayth as the whiche to withstande it is impossible a little fayth is muche worth and will go farre yea although it be but as much as a grayne of Mustarde séede it shall plucke vp the rootes of sinne yea let the diuell cast vp Mountaynes agaynst vs yet will it haue his frée course and may not be seuered from Christ whatsoeuer standeth in the way it is whole in sicknesse frée in bandes strong in torments it shyneth in darkenesse it dyeth not with death it is cast into the waters and perisheth not it is tried in the fiery fornace and yet wasteth not it is troden downe but it ryseth againe it is assaulted but neuer yéeldeth it is wounded but yet getteth the victory Such as Chryst is such is the fayth of the Christian Christ is the body fayth is the shadow where so Christ goeth there faith fayleth not to followe It is no earthly thing but as Chryst came from the hyghe heauens so is that the heauenly gift of the holy Ghost Where Christe is occupied fayth is not ydle when Chryste worketh myracles in the body fayth worketh saluation in the soule when Christe vttered the worde fayth printed in the heart whē he fed the body with bread he fed the soule with faith the spittle was the meane to heale the eye but faith the instrument to saue the soule fayth hath his course with Christ in al places to al purposes it folowed Christ to the temple to the mountaine it was with him in the fielde in the house on the Sea on the lande it abydeth with him in temptations in torments it suffreth the scourge with him it hangeth on him on the crosse it goth into the graue with him it riseth with him it foloweth him through the clouds as it were with the wings of an Eagle entring the heauens after him there findeth foode to féede on where Christe suffreth hir to hang on his brest and to sucke of his precious bloud vntill she be satisfied Thus is faith exalted that it taketh vp hir place in the high heauens and is still so far in fauour with God that it can no rather call but it is heard no rather aske but it obtaineth no soner seeke but it findeth no rather knock but it is opened vnto hir So doth fayth worke for the beleeuer for he is the beloued of god to him is the sonne sent he receiueth the sonne Christe is his Sauiour the death of Christ is his life Christ taketh him vp with him in his Resurrection Christ is altogither his and who maye resiste him for God so loueth him that by Christ he shall not perishe but haue life euerlasting The
the high Priests and presumptuous Pharisies sawe that Chryste and his doctrine began somewhat to be accepted of the people they thinking that a derogation to their worships sente out theyr officers to take Christe as he was teaching in the temple but these officers although they came with full purpose to haue apprehended our sauioure yet so were they rauished with hys heauenly preachings and wonderfull wordes flowing from hym so plentifully that they had no power to doe their purpose but retourned agayne making thys answere to their maisters neuer man spake lyke thys man but so was not the malice of those hypocrites stayed and with suche wordes they stormed and stamped against him continually saying vnto those their messangers are ye also deceiued dothe any of the Rulers and of the Pharisies beleeue in him but this people which knowe not the law are cursed So did the Serpēt deceiue them that they did still spit their venome against that vnspotted lambe that sought their saluation they helde hym accurssed that followed Christ this suffered our Sauiour the high Priests could not looke so low as to enterteine hym amongst them the Pharisies and Scribes in their owne conceit were to wise to holy and to good to take him into their company it shoulde haue stayned their good name to be called Christians it was not for their worships to haue professed themselues the disciples of Chryste so was our Sauioure an abiecte an outcast and made of no reputation he was disdained bothe of Priest and Prince and this is maruellous in our eyes But it was the good will of God so to prouide for vs that we shoulde not perish for Christe hereby hathe approued himselfe the true annointed the selfe Sauioure and very Messias and Dauid also a true Prophet saying that the head stone of the corner shoulde be refused of the builders they made no more of Christe than a stone to stumble and to spurne at where then had our Sauioure his conuersation he betooke himselfe as he disdained not the name of a phisition comming to haue the sicke euen to be amongst Publicanes and sinners there was his company to visite poore Publicanes and to saue simple sinners that was his comfort This was the comfortable tydings that he had to send Iohn Baptist into prison The blind see the halt goe the leapers are cleansed the deafe heare the dead rise againe This was his garde he was still busie about these the blinde the Leaper the lame the deafe and the dead in the meane space where was the rich the wise and the welthy Nay they would not be taken for Christes souldiers but the poore saythe he receiue the glad tidings of the Gospell and happie it was that all fell not besides but that ther stoode some at receite to receiue the precious séede sowen by our Sauioure thus we sée a greate péece of the loue of God working in his sonne our Sauioure for what loue is this that the sonne of God shuld so humble himself to set vs in honor with his heuēly father but yet the greatest péece of loue and the chiefe token of gods mercy towards vs is yet behind and that which is vnspoken is more than all that hertofore hath bin spoken that doth S. Paule set forth after a most reuerēt sort howbeit no man may vtter it with worthy words that place which I mean is in the seconde to the Philippians whome he exhorteth by the example of Christ to humilitie and wherein for our purpose is to be séene the loue of God working in hys only begotten euē to the vttermost point that may be imagined within al the compasse of loue and in that he procéedeth by degrée gathering vp in shorte summe all whiche is spoken in our former wordes concerning our Sauioure that it myghte enter into vs with a déeper consideratiō this is his saying let the same minde be in you that was euen in Christ Iesus who being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God but he made hymselfe of no reputation and tooke vpon him the forme of a seruante and was made like vnto men and vvas founde in shape as a man Here let vs staye a while and deuide Paules sentence kéeping backe that whiche followeth vntill we haue somewhat considered this parte of Gods loue Christe the sonne of God a verye God a glorious God equal with the father and no wrong neyther is come downe frō the bright heauens to the bare earthe is content to be made of mans mettall taking on him very fleshe well pleased to be cast in the mould and simple shape of man no whit disdaining the wombe of a woman contente to be called the seede of Eue and laying aside his glory and as it were hyding his godhead emptied himselfe of all honoure becomming of the sonne of God the sonne of man like vnto man a very man a seruant of men and what else but a slaue to saue men if there had here a stay bene made yet might not the loue of God but séeme maruellous towardes man But that which followeth in Saint Paule that is muche more maruellous that cannot but inflame the hearte of the Christian with the loue of God breake the stony stomack of the infidel To what may I then compare those wordes following it is a thunderbolt that me thinkes should sound through the whole heauens piercing the clouds and shaking the foundations of the earthe bringing with it a smoking fire by the heate whereof the very mountaines melte lyke waxe ioyned with a wind that hurleth downe the high Ceders of Libanus Harken then O heauen giue eare O earth sée the loue of the almightie he saith the Apostle euen that glorious God beside that he became man in his manhoode he humbled himselfe and became obedient with what humilitie howe farre was he obedient euen to the death what death the death of the crosse Thys is that speciall loue God so loueth the world that he hath giuen his sonne to be a sacrifice for our sinnes to be slayne that we might not perishe and to die that we might haue euerlasting life The eleuenth Chapter ¶ A description of the passion of Christe and the profite that commeth thereby BVt yet that this loue mighte enter déeper and take a more grounded roote in our hartes let vs somewhat consider the deathe of the Lorde let vs sée what a preparatiue he had to his cup let vs marke the maner of his deathe and let vs behold him with our inward eyes in hys pangs as hee hangeth on the crosse thys therefore did our Sauioure forewarne his disciples what should become of him wherin we haue also a warning to consider the loue of God Beholde saith he we goe vp to Ierusalem and the sonne of man shall be deliuered into the handes of sinners vnto the chiefe Priestes vnto the Scribes they shall condemne him to deathe and shall deliuer him to the
for if righteousnesse be by the law then Christ died with out a cause Neyther will excuses serue to saluation for then shoulde the Serpent haue bene cursed alone as vpon whome all the blame was layde but if the Serpent seduce and be followed if the Deuill tempt and be not withstoode both Adam Eue man and woman they must néeds drinke of the cup of Gods curse This for the knowledge of oure selues what the world is which God so loueth and so setting before vs our reward by iustice the terrible torments intollerable flames of hel fire with the bitter byting worm that neuer dyeth whiche Satan threatneth leading vs forward fast fettered with the chaine of sinne what might we do but lye sweating in the myserable pitiful pangs of desperation what comfort might we finde one in another but teares and torments sorowes sighes crying and howling wéeping and wayling groning and gnashing of téeth But the merciful God the louing Lorde when we stoode at this point in manner at defiance with God although he sawe that al flesh had corrupted his way although he knew the imaginations of mans heart to be euil euen from his youth and saw that we alwayes bare a styffe stomacke agaynst him and his holy will yet hath he not vtterly cast vs of but blessed be his name for euer he hath shewed vs a glad and chearefull countenance hée taketh pitie vpon vs it grieueth him we should deserue his wrath but it woulde more grieue him that we should die the deserued death Wherefore he hath shewed vs marueylous kindenesse and more mercie than when we stoode first in his fauour yea more mercie I will not say than man might deserue but more than we coulde deuyse to aske For beholde he hath opened vnto vs all his treasure and endlesse riches of his infinite mercie choosing out as it were the best iewell of all hys store and stocke euen that precious pearle his owne glorie in whome is all his delight his onely begotten hys best beloued sonne in whome dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godheade bodily in whome are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge who is the verie expresse Image of the inuisible God him he hath not spared to make our Messias and to sende vs a sauiour to rayse vs from that foule fall of our first father to regenerate and make vs a new to conquer the world to slay the séede of the serpent and sée that we shoulde not perish but liue and reigne with him in his kingdome euerlastingly and how Christ hath approued himselfe a sauioure and how he persited that knotty worke of our redemption and made all sure that it might not perish what he suffered before he said it is finished we haue séene some shewe thereof but O that we could consider it worthily and weigh it in a iust ballance then should our harts vndoubtedly waxe hote with the feruent loue of God so maruellously declared in hys sonne our sauioure bearing this in mind alwayes that whatsoeuer he suffered he suffered for vs hauing still that voice of our Sauiour ringing in our eares and fresh in our harts the zeale of thy house hath consumed me Christe was sicke of that consumption euen of zeale to make vs an holy house to his father and what soeuer was done by Christe on the earth let vs recken altogyther vppon the ende whereof he himselfe protesteth the sonne of man came to saue that whyche was lost and whatsoeuer was layde vppon him let vs recken that ours by ryghte and that we deserued a thousande folde more than so for we alas like giddy shéepe haue gone astray we haue turned euery one of vs his owne way we were oppressed with burthen of sinne but by him we are eased and refreshed for he hathe layde vpon him the iniquitie of vs all that are come vnto him with our heauy lode surely he hath borne our infirmities and caried our sorrowes he was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastizement of our peace was vpon him and with hys stripes we are healed he came downe from the high heauens to raise vs that were fast slipping to the déepe darke hell he refused not to take vpon him the burthen of our flesh that we might by him be quickened in the spirit he liued amongst vs men that we by him might liue with God he suffered suche euill entreatie at that Foxe Herods handes least we might be a portion for Foxes and a pray for woolues he followed that thanklesse office of preaching that we myghte not perish but liue by hys worde for though the deuill say nay yet Christ sayth truely that man liueth by euery worde procéeding out of the mouth of God and therefore rather than hée woulde leaue vs vnprouided of that necessary foode whiche he brought from heauen he tooke well a woorth the misreports of the wicked blasphemers That we might call on him as a Sauioure he suffered himselfe to be called a Samaritane a sinner a surfetter and for our souls hâ—altâ— it was that he wrought so many a miracle by the meanes of one body cured visibly sauing a thousand soules by inuisible operation of faith so Christ himselfe saith vnlesse you sée signes and wonders you will not beléeue therefore to lay that salue to our sore also he professeth himselfe a Phisition and a Surgion nothing disdaining the company of such as were in miserie and despised of men he shut not his eyes to the blinde he came to the lame that coulde not come to him he looked on the Lepres he visited the sicke he wepte with the sorrowfull he lamented wyth Lazarus fewer times bidden to feastes than he was founde at burialls But this is to be accounted the least part of al the paines sorowes of our sauiour The cup the cursed cup of his crosse what hart is so harde that may consider that without great admiration of Gods mercy with howe bitter temptations did he take the tast therof before his hour came with what heauinesse of hart did he vtter his complainte vnto his disciples and againe to his father when he sweated that bloudy water let vs heare then our Sauioure himselfe vttering his complaints by the mouth of the Prophets Thus saith one he is despised and reiected of men he is a man full of sorrowes and hath experience of infirmities we hidde our faces from him we estéemed him not thys we knowe howe it was accomplished in that the hanghtie high Priestes and proude Pharisies regarded not but vtterly dysdayned our Sauiour by another Prophet he saith he that eateth bread with me lifteth vp his héele against me This we saw performed by saucy Iudas who when he had dipped with our Sauiour in his dish streight after gote him out and made vp his bloudy bargaine and as Christ forewarned his disciples deliuered the sonne of man into the handes of sinners another Scripture is he is
broughte as a shéepe before hys shéerer that openeth not his mouth so was he brought before Annas Cayphas Herode and Pylate of whome he heard euill wordes ynough to moue his pacience but it was vnmoueable therefore he gaue them the hearing and answered their quarrelling questions with humble silence for pacience and silence they were two of the sharpest weapons he mainteyneth his kingdome withall Another saying of our Sauioure is this I gaue my backe vnto the smyters and my chéekes vnto the nippers I hid not my face from shame and spitting how that was tried true we know when our Sauiour was so roughly handled of Souldiers vnder Pilate now layd on with fistes now smitten with rods and how shamefully he was bespetted the Euangelist dothe most faithfully report and howe he helde hys backe to the tormenters what backbyting he had as well by euill entreatie as misreportes thereof Pylats bitter scurge may be for witnesse sufficiente another Scripture saythe he is broughte as a shéepe to the slaughter in suche manner did our Sauiour goe out of Ierusalem to the place of hys execution called Caluaria where hee was offered vp an innocent lambe and slayne as a sacrifice with bloude for our offences And so dothe the Prophete crie in the person of Christe pouring out hys complaintes and declaring the terrible pangs that he had on hys Crosse I am saythe he become a worme and not a man a shame of men and the contempt of the people all they that sée me haue me in derision they make a mow at me and nod the head saying he trusted in the Lorde let hym deliuer hym let hym saue hym séeing hée loueth hym agayne hée saythe I am lyke water poured out and all my bones are out of ioynt mine hart is lyke waxe it is moulten in the midst of my bowells my strength is dried vp lyke a potsherde my tongue cleaueth to my iawes and thou hast brought me into the dust of deathe for doggs haue compassed me and the assembly of the wicked hathe enclosed me they pierced my handes and my féete they gaue me gall in my meate and in my thirst they gaue me vineger to drinke they parted my garmentes amongst them and cast lottes vpon my vesture rebuke hathe broken my hart and I am full of heauinesse and I looked for some to haue pitie on me but there was none and for comfort but I founde none These were the sighes and sobbes vttered of the Prophet to be verified of our Sauioure whiles he was in that terrible horror and dreadfull anguish of soule as he lay like a lambe broken to the crosse and most bitterly bléeding to deathe for so farre dyd he submit himselfe in the cause of our redemption that he is made the most perfect patterne of all pacience so did the loue of God work in him that he was consumed euen of very zeale to hys house so was he turmoyled and tormented brused and broken racked and rent into péeces for euill deseruing seruauntes for our disobedience hée performed the vttermost poynt of obedience as Sainte Paule saythe he was obedient to the death the deathe of the crosse The fourtenth Chapter ¶ The sweetenesse of Gods loue fealt by a true and liuely fayth THis was the price paid for our redēption this was the purchase of our pardon euen the most precious bloudshéeding of the only begottē son of God so hath the merciful Lord stretched his loue towards the world in Christ euen to the top of the crosse and so to the bowels of the earth the bottome of the graue from whence he is risen to the right hand of the father ther to reigne vntill he haue troden his enimies cleane vnder his féete Now we to whome belonged nothing but shame and reproch may fréely glory without all suspition of vanitie we that in ourselues had no cause but to lament haue nowe good leaue to reioice reioicing in the Lord now may we withoute all feare triumph ouer our enimies with that sure Souldier of Christ say O death wher is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie May we now stay ourselues but to fal in admiration of gods infinite mercie and say with the Apostle O the déepenesse of the riches of God with the Prophet O Lorde what is man that thou visitest him or what is the sonne of man that thou so regardest him No man can haue greater loue than to giue his life for hys friendes What then mighte we now aske more at Gods hands what péece of loue is there nowe left which god hath not fully bestowed vppon vs for Christ is that good shephearde which layth downe his life for his shéepe O Lord what is man that thou shouldest so regard him O that mē would consider this loue of God which S. Iohn maketh so much of that he repeateth it again and againe In this saith he appeared the loue of God toward vs bycause God sente hys only begotten sonne into the world that we might liue through him And agayne herein is loue saith he not that we loued him but that he loued vs and hath sente hys sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes Let this sentence be well weighed The loue of God is a well conteyning the water of life whose operation is reconciliation whose riuers are righteousnesse whose streames wipe awaye the sands of sinne whose little drops refresh the hote hart of man flaming and boyling with the smoking fire of Gods furie and besides this it is a fountaine not forced but fréely springing of it selfe so saythe S. Iohn it is not a reward for a desert it is not loue for loue one for another but it is loue for hatred mercy without merite fauoure for falshoode pitie for obstinacie pardon for rebellion the payment of honoure for the debte of shame bringing hope for desperation and lyfe vnlooked for in place of deserued death thus dothe S. Iohn lay foorth the loue of GOD before vs as it were still harping on thys one string God so loueth the vvorlde and on thys playeth S. Paule also not without great pleasure in such sort that I thinke where it entreth the eare it may not but muche moue the hart for first he putteth the Ephesians in mind of their old estate in what case they stoode before they were called to the grace of the gospell that they so knowing them selues might the better knowe God hys goodnesse towardes them ye were saith he dead in trespasses and in sinnes yée in time past walked according to the course of the world and after the Prince that ruleth in the aire euen the spirite that worketh in the children of disobedience and here ioyning himselfe and his fellowes with the Ephesians among whome we also had our conuersation in times past in the lusts of our flesh and were by nature what were they the children of wrath as well as others Such were they such children are we