through the merites of Iesus Christe and let vs liue merily and assured that the righteousnes of Iesus Christ hath vtterly done away all our vnrighteousnes made vs good righteous holy before God who beholding vs ingrafted into his sonne by fayth estéemeth vs not nowe any more as the children of Adam but as his own children and hath made vs heyres of all his riches with his owne begotten sonne The fourth Chapter Of the effectes of liuely faith and of the vnion of mans soule with Iesus Christ. THis holy faith woorketh after suche a sorte in vs that hée which beléeueth that Iesus Christ hath taken all his sinnes vppon him becommeth like vnto Christ and ouercommeth sinne the diuel death hell And the reason thereof is this namely that the Churche that is to witte euery faithfull soule is Christes wyfe Christ is her husbaÌ„d For we know how the law of marriage is that of two they become one selfsame thing being two in one flesh that the goods and substance of eyther of them become common too them both by meanes wherof the husband saith that thâ— dowry of the wife is his and likewise the wife sayeth that her husbands house and al his riches are hers of a truth so they are for other wise they should not be one flesh as the Scripture saith After the same maner hath God married his onely begotten déere beloued sonne to the faithfull soule which hath not any other thing peculiar of her owne saue onely sinne yet the sonne of God hath not disdayned to take her for his wel beloued spouse together with her peculiar dowry which is sinne And nowe by reason of the vnion which is in this holy mariage look what the one hath is also the others Iesus Christ therfore saith thus y â— dowry of mans soule my déere wife that is to wit her sinnes traÌ„sgressings of the law Gods wrath agaynst her the boldnes of the diuel ouer her the prison of hell and al other her euils are become mine are in my power to do what I list with them Wherfore it is at my choyce to deale with them at my pleasure therfore I will put out the hand writing which is agaynst the soule my wife I wil take it out of y â— way I will fasten it to my crosse in mine owne body in the same will I spoyle principalities and powers make a shew of them openly triumph ouer them and consumâ— them vtterly vnto nothing Now when God sawe his sonne who knew no sinne neither had any sinne in him thus willingly taking on him the foulenesse of our iniquity he made him to be sinne for vs eueÌ„ the very sacrifice for our sinne did sharply punish our sinne in him putting him to death euen the death of the Crosse. Howebeit for asmuche as hee was his welbeloued obedient Sonne he woulde not leaue him in death nor suffer his holy one to sée corruptioÌ„ but raised him vp from death to life geuing him all power in heauen and earth and set him at his right hande in glory Nowe then the wise likewise with excéeding great ioy doth say the Realmes and Kingdomes of my most déere husband sauiour are mine by him I am an heyre of heaueÌ„ my husbaÌ„ds riches that is to wit his holines his innocencie his righteousnes and his godhead together with al his vertue might are mine and for me therfore in him I am holy innocent righteous godly and there is not any spotte in me I am welâ—auoured faire inasmuch as my lawful husband hath not any blemish in him but is altogether goodly fayre And sith that he is wholy mine so consequently al that he hath is mine all that he hath is pure and holy it followâ—th that I also am pure and holy Therfore to begin at his most innoceÌ„t birth he hath thereby sanctified the birth of his spouse coÌ„â—â—â—ued in sin The godly childhood youth of the bridegrom hath iustified the childish and youthfull life of his déerely beloued bride For the loue vnioÌ„ that is betwixt the soule of a true ChristiaÌ„ and the Bridesgrome Iesus Christ maketh all the works of either of them to be coÌ„moÌ„ to them both By reason wherof when a man saith Iesus Christ hath fasted Iesus Christ hath prayed Iesus Christ was heard of the father raised y â— dead draue diuels out of men healed the sicke dyed rose again and ascended into heauen Like wise a man may say that a christen maÌ„ hath done all y â— selfsame works forsomuch as y â— works of Christ are the works of the ChristiaÌ„ bicause he hath done them for him Uerily a man may say that the Christian hath béene nailed to the crosse buried raised again is gone vp into heauen become the childe of God madâ— partaker of the godhead On the other side all the works that a Christian man doeth are Christes works because it is his will to take theÌ„ for his And forasmuch as they be vnperfect he throughly perfect and canot away with any vnperfect thing he hath made them perfect with his vertues to the end that his wife should be alwayes ioyfull well contented and not be afraide of any thing assuring herself that although there be yet still some defalte in her works yet notwithstaÌ„ding they be acceptable to God in respect of his sonne vpoÌ„ whoÌ„ he hath his eyes alwayes fastened O that vnmeasurable goodnes of Godâ— how greately is the christiaÌ„ bound vnto God there is no loue of maÌ„ be it neuer so great that may be coÌ„pared w t the loue that God beareth too the soule of euery faithfull Christian whereof Christ is the bridegrome Where vpon S. Paul saith that Iesus Christ hath so loued his wife the church which is builded of liuing stones that is of the soules of the beléeuing Christians that for to sanctifie her he hath offered himselfe to the death of the crosse cleansing her with the washing of water by his word to ioyne her to himself a glorious church without spot or wrincle or other like thing but that the shoulde be holy and vnblameable that is to wit like vnto him in holinesse and innocency and also be the true lawful daughter of God who hath loued the world so well that as Iesus Christ himselfe saith he hath geuen his onely begotten sonne to the ende that euery one which beléeued in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting For God sent not his sonne into the worlde too condemne the world but too the ende that the world might be saued by him insomuche that he which beléeueth in him shal not be damned Some man might demand after what maner the vnioÌ„ of this holy mariage is made how the soule which is y â— bride and her bridegrome Iesus Christ are knit together What assurance can I haue that my Soule is vnited
Christ and all that is his as we possesse our own garmēt And therfore to be clothed with Iesus Christ is nothing else but to beleeue for a certaintie that Christ is wholy ours and so is he in very déede if we beléeue so and hold our selues assured that by the same heauenly garment we be recetued into fauour before God For it is moste certaine that he as a most déere father hath geuen vs his sonne meaning that all his righteousnesse and al that euer he is can or hath done should be in our power and iurisdiction in such wise as it shoulde be lawfull for vs to make our boast of them as if we had done purchasen and deserued them by our owne strength And whosoeuer beléeueth this shal find that his belief is good true as we haue shewed heretofore Then must the Christiā haue a stedfast faith beliefe y ◠al the goods al the graces al the riches of Iesus Christ are his for sith y ◠God hath geuen vs Iesus Christ himself how should it be possible that he hath not geuen vs all things w t him Wow if this be true as true it is in déed y ◠Christian may rightly say I am y ◠child of God Iesu Christ is my brother I am Lord of heauē and earth of hel of death of the law insomuch as the law cannot accuse me nor lay any curse vppon me bicause the righteousnes of God is become mine And this fayth is it alone y ◠maketh a mā to be called a christī which clotheth him with Iesus Christ as we haue saide afore And boldly may this be called a great mystery wherunder are contamed marueilous things things not hearde of cōcerning y ◠great God which cānot enter into mās heart except God do first soften it w t his holy grace as he hath promised to do by his holy prophet saying I wil giue you a new heart and I wil put a new mind into you and I wil take away the stony hart out of your bodie I wil giue you a heart of flesh Now then he that beléeueth not after the said maner that Iesus Christ with all the goods that he possesseth is his cannot call himselfe a true Christian nor euer haue a quiet and ioyfull conscience nor a good and feruent courage too doe good but shal easily faint in doyng of good woorkes yea and moreouer hee shall neuer bee able to doe woorkes that are truely good This only beléefe and trust y ◠we haue in the merites of Iesus Christ maketh men true christians stout cheereful mery louers of God ready to doe good works Possessors of Gods kingdome and of God himselfe his right dearely beloued children in whō the holy Ghost doeth truely dwell What heart is so cowardly cold vile which cōsidering the inestimable greatnesse of the gift that God hath bestowed vpon him in geuing him his owne so welbeloued sonne with all his perfectnesse is not inflamed with an exéeding earnest desire to become like vnto him in good works specially séeing that the father hath giuen him vnto vs for an example wheron we must continually loke framing our life after such a sort as it may be a true counterpaine of the life of Iesus Christ forasmuch as Christe as saith S. Peter hath suffered for vs leaning vs an ensample to the ende that wée should follow his footesteppes Out of this consideration issueth another kinde of clothing of a mans selfe with Christe which we may terme an example clothing for so much as the christiā must frame his whole life after y ◠example of Christe fashioning himselfe like vntoo him in all his déedes words thoughts leuing his former wicked life decking himselfe with the new life that is to wit with the life of Christe By reason whereof S. Paul saith Let vs cast away the workes of darkenesse and put on the armour of light not in feasting nor in drunkennesse nor in chambering wantonnesse nor in striefe but put vpon you the Lorde Iesus Christe and make no preparation for the flesh nor for the lustes thereof Héereupon the true Christian being in loue with Iesus Christ saith in him selfe Sith that Iesus Christe not hauing any néede of mée hath redéemed mee with his owne blood and is become poore to inriche mée I will likewise geue my goodes yea and my very life for the loue and welfare of my neighbor And like as I am clothed with Iesus Christ for y ◠loue he hath borne to me so wil I haue my neighbor in Christ to cloath himself with me and with my goodes likewise for ◠loue that I beare him for Christes sake He that doth not so is no true Christian for he cannot say that he loueth Iesus Christe if he loue not the members brothers of him if we loue not our neighbour for whose sake Christ hath shed his blood wée cannot truely say that wée loue Iesus Christe who being equal with God was obedient to his father euen to the death of the crosse hath loued and redéemed vs geuing himselfe vnto vs with al that euer he hath After the same maner we being rich hauing abundance of good things at Christes hande must also be obedient vnto God to offer giue our workes al that me haue yea euen our selues to our neighbours and brethren in Iesus Christe seraing them and helping them at theyr néede and being to them as another Christe And like as Iesus Christ was lowly and gentle and far from all debate and strife so must wee set our whole mind vpon lowlinesse and méekenesse eschewing al strife and impacience as well which consist in wordes and reasoning as in déedes And as Iesus Christ hath indured all the persecutiōs spites of the world for y ◠glory of God so must we with al patientnes chéerefully beare the persecutiōs and reproches that are done by false Christians to all suche as will liue faithfully in Iesus Christ who gaue his life for his enemies and praied for them vpon the crosse and so must wée also pray alwayes for our enemies willingly spēd our life for their welfare And this is to folow Christs steps according as S. Peter saith For whē wée know Iesus Christ with al his riches to be our own good which thing is to be clothed with Christ too become pure cleane w tout spot ther remaineth nothing more for vs to doe but to glorifie God by following the life of Iesus Christe and to doe to our brethren as Christe hath doone to vs and specially forasmuch as wee bee warranted by his word that whatsoeuer we do to his brethren ours he accepteth it as a benefit doone to himselfe And doubtles séeing that the true Christiās are members of Christ we cannot do either good or euil to the true Christians but wee doe it likewise vntoo Christ
he dwelleth Then let them begin to become god Christians and put away their Iewish mindes and imbrace the grace of the holy Gospel in good earnest then shal they know that the good and true Christians both haue the holy Ghost also acknowledg ethēselues to haue him But some one may say to me that the Christiā cannot by any meanes know that he is in Gods fauour without some speciall reuelation and so consequently that he cannot know whether he be predestinated or no. And he may specially alledge these wordes of Solomon A man knoweth not whether he be worthy of hatred or of loue and also these wordes of the Apostle S. Paul to the Corinthians I féel not my selfe guilty of any thing and yet féele I not my selfe iustified for all that It séemeth to be sufficiently declared by the textes of holy scripture that the sayde opinion is false and now remayneth onely to bee shewed briefly that these two textes wherevpon the same opinion is chiefly grounded ought not too bee taken in that sense As touching Solomons sentence although it be scarce wel faithfully translated in the commontranslation yet is there not any man so dull who in reading Solomōs whole discourse may not plainely perceiue that by saying so he ment that if any man will take vpon him to iudge by the casualties that happen in this life who is loued or hated of God Hée laboureth in vain◠considering that the selfesame chaunces which light vppon the righteous light also vpon the vnrighteous vpon him that sacrifizeth aswell as vpon him that sacrifizeth not and as soone vppon the good man as vppon the sinner Whereof it may be gathered that GOD doeth not alwayes shew his loue towards those whome hée indueth with outwarde prosperities and contrariwise that hée sheweth not his displeasure towards those whome hée punisheth Then my ryght deare brethren in Christe Iesus our Lorde doe you thinke it reason to conclude that a man cannot bee sure of Gods fauour because the same surenesse cannot bée perceiued by the sundry chaunces that happen euery day in these transitory and temporall thinges A little afore Solomon saith that a man cannot discerne any difference betwéene the soule of man and the life of a Beast for it is séene that both man and Beast dye after one manner Shall wée then conclude by this outwarde accident that the perswasiō which we haue conceaued of the immortality of y ◠soule is grounded but only vpon coniecture so surely and it were a great folly to stande vppon a thing so notably knowne And as for S. Paules wordes I say that forasmuche as he was speaking of the administration of the Gospell hee ment that his hearte misgiues him not of any misdealing therein and yet for all that that hée is not sure hee hath doone his whole dutie to the full and therein obteined the prayse of righteousnes to Godward as if he had done all that perteyned and was conuenient to be done by a faithful Steward and therefore in speaking of his office like a iust and discrete person he durst not iustifie himselfe nor auow that he had discharged his dutie to the uttermost and satisfied his Lords wil but referred all thinges to the only iudgement of his Lord. And verily whosoeuer readeth these wordes of the Apostle S. Paul and considereth the wordes going afore them with some iudgement and likewise the wordes that folow wil not doubt but this is the true sense of them I know well that some men in expounding these woordes of the Apostle S. Paul say that although hée knew himselfe to be without sinne yet hée knew not whether hee were righteous to Godward or no according as Dauid affirmeth that no man can perfectly know his owne sinnes But these men perceiued not that S. Paul groundeth not righteousnes vppon woorkes but vppon faith and that he vtterly refuseth his owne righteousnes to imbrace onely the righteousnesse which God hath geuen vs through our Lord Iesus Christ. Also they cōsider not y ◠he was most certaine to be accepted for righteous in mainteining the soundnesse purenes of the Christian faith and that hee knewe well how the crowne of that righteousnes was laide vp for him in heauen and also that he was fully assured that no creature in heauen earth nor hel was able to separate him from the loue of God and that he longed to die because he knew for a trueth that after his death he should bée with Iesus Christ. All which things should be false if he had not béen well assured that he was righteous I meane by faith and not by works therefore my dearely beloued brethren let vs ceasse to speake y ◠thing of the Apostle S. Paul w t he neuer once thought of himself but fircely fought against it continually in answering suche as measured righteousnesse by workes and not by faith in our Lorde Iesus Christe But beside◠these two authorities of Solomon and S. Paul a man myght alledge some other places of Holy Scripture which wheras they warne and encourage men to feare GOD séeme too bée contrary too the assurance of this our Predestination And if I would declare them all particularly I shoulde be ouerlong But I say generally that the feare of punishment was proper to the old Testament and childly loue too the newe Testamente according as Saint Paul witnesseth when hée saith to the Romans yée haue not receiued the spirite of bondage too feare but yée haue receiued the spirite of adoption whereby wée crie father father And likewise vnto Timothie he saith that GOD hath not geuen vs the spirite of fearefullnes but rather of power and loue which spirite Iesus Christe hath geuen vs according too the promise made by the mouth of the Holy Prophetes and brought to passe that wèe being deliuered out of our enimies handes may serue him without feare before his holy presence in all holynesse righteousnesse all the dayes of our life By these and many other places of the holy Scripture a man may playnly gather that the paineful and slauish fearefulnesse agréeth not with a Christian and this is already confirmed by this that such manner of fearefulnesse is vtterly contrary to the spirituall chéerefulnesse and ioy which is peculiar to the Christian as the Apostle Saint Paul sheweth openly to the Romanes saying that the kingdome of God is righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost that is to say that euery man which entereth into the kingdome of the grace of the Gospell is become righteous through faith and afterwarde addeth peace of conscience which consequently bréedeth such a spirituall and holy rest and gladnes in respect wherof the same Saint Paul doth oftentimes incourage the Christians to liue meryly And Saint Peter sayth that all they which beléeue in Iesus Christe doe continually reioyce with an unspeakeable and glorious ioy notwithstanding that they be afflicted
had ment to say if a man know not himself to be a sinner nor thirst after righteousnesse hée cannot tast of the swéetnesse of Iesus Christe how swéete it is to talke of him to thinke of him and to follow his most holy life But when we once throughly knowe our owne infirmity by meanes of the law let vs hearken too S. Iohn Baptist who poynteth vs too the soueraigne Phisition with his Finger saying Beholde the Lambe of GOD which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde For hée it is that deliuereth vs from the heauie yoke of the Lawe abrogating and disanulling the curses and sharpe threatninges of the same healing all our infirmities reformyng our free will returning vs too our ancient innocency and repairing in vs the image of our God insomuch that according to S. Paules saying like as by Adam we bée all dead so by Iesus Christ we are al quickened And it is not to beléeued that the sinne of Adam which we haue by inheritance from him shoulde be of more force than the righteousnesse of Christe that which we also inherite by faith It séemeth that man hath great cause to complayne that without any reason why hée is conceaued and borne in sinne and in the wickednes of his parents by meanes of whoÌ„ death reigneth ouer all men But nowe is all our sorow taken away in as muche as by a like meane without any occasion geuen on our behalfe righteousnes and euerlasting life are come by Iesus Christe and by him death is sâ—aine whereof Saint Paul maketh a very godly discourse which I purpose too set downe héere following Wherfore faith he like as by one man sin entred into the world death by sinne euen so death went ouer al men forasmuch as al men haue sinned For vntil the law sinne was in the worlde but sinne was not regarded as long as there was no law Neuer the latter death reigned from Adam vnto Moyses euen ouer them also that sinned not after the like manner of the transgression of Adam who was a figure of him that was to come But yet the gift is not so as is the offence for if through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Iesus Christe hath abounded vnto many Neither is y â— gift so as that which entred in by one that sinned For the fault came of one offence vnto condemnation but y â— gift is of many offences to iustification For if by the offeÌ„ce of one death reigned through one much more shall they which receiue the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousnesse reigne in life through one that is Iesus Christ. Likewise then as by the offence of one that fault came on al men to condeÌ„nation so by the righteousnesse of one the benefite abounded toward all men to the iustification of life For as by one mans disobedieÌ„ce many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shal many also bée made righteous Moreouer the lawe entred thereupon that the offence should abound neuerthelesse where sinne abounded there grace abounded muche more that as sin hath reigned vnto death so might grace also reigne by righteousnesse vntoo eternall life through Iesus Christe our Lord. By these wordes of S. Paul wée manifestly perceiue the thing to be true which we haue said héereto fore that is to wit that the law was geuen too make sinne knowne which sinne wée doe also knowe not to be of greater force than Christes righteousnesse wherethrough we be iustified before God For euen as Iesus Christ is stronger than Adam was so is his righteonsnesse more mightie than the sinne of Adam And if the sinne of Adam was sufficient enough to make al men sinners and children of wrath without any misdéedes of our owne muche more shall Christes righteousnesse be of greater force to make vs all righteous and the children of grace without any of our owne good workes which cannot be good vnlesse that before we doe them we our selues be made good as Augustine also affirmeth Hereby a man may know in what errour they bée who by reason of some great offence despaire of Gods good wil imagining that he is not willing to forgeue couer and pardon al sinne hauing already punished and chastized all our â—â—â—es and iniquities in his owne onely begotten and dearly beloued sonne and consequently graunted a generall pardon to all mankinde which euery body enioyeth that beléeueth the gospel that is to say which beléeueth the happy tidings of the Apostles haue published through the whole world saying We beséeche you for Iesus Christes sake bée yée reconciled vnto GOD for he that neuer knew sinne was made a sacrifice for our sinne that we might become righteous in him The prophet Esay for seeing this great goodnesse of God writeth these heauenly wordes which doe so well paint out the passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ and the cause thereof as it is not to be founde better described eveÌ„ in the writings of the Apostles Who saith he wil beléeue our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed But hée shall growe vpp before him as a branch and as a roote out of a dry grounde hée hath neither forme nor beautie when wée shall sée him there shal be no fourme that wée should desire hym Hée is despised aâ—d reiected of men he is a man full of sorrowes and hath experience of infirmitie wee hidde as it were our faces from him hée was despised and wee estéemed him not Surely hée hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrowes yet we did iudge him as plagued and smitten of God humbled but he was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities The chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed All we like shéepe haue gone astray wee haue turned euery one to his owne way and the Lorde hath laide vpon him the iniquitie of vs all he was oppressed and he was afflicted yet did he not open his mouth He is brought as a shéepe to the slaughter as a shéepe before the shearer is dumme so he openeth not his mouth O great vnkindnesse O thing abhominable that we which professe our selues Christians and heare that the sonne of God hath taken all our sinnes vpon him and washed them out with his precious blood suffering himselfe to bee fastened too the Crosse for our sakes shoulde neuerthelesse make as though we woulde iustifie our selues and purchase forgeuenesse of our sinnes by our owne woorkes as who woulde say that the desertes righteousnesse and bloodshed of Iesus Christe were not enough too doe it vnlesse we came to put too our workes and righteousnesse which are altogether deâ—iled and spotted with selfe loue selfcliking selfprofite and a thousande other vanities for which wee haue neede to craue pardon at Gods hand rather then reward Neither doe we thinke
he take no liberty to sinne for this doctrine belongeth to none suche as honor themselues with the name of Christians confessing Christ with their mouth and yet deny him in theyr déedes But it cōcerneth the true Christians who though they fight manfully against the fleshe the worlde and the Deuil doe notwithstanding fall dayly and are constreyned to say Lorde forgeue vs our offences These are they to whom we speak to comfort them and to holde them vp that they fall not into despayre as though the blood of Christe washed vs not from all sinne and that hée were not our aduocate and the Attonementmaker for his members And therefore when wée bée prouoked too doubt of the forgeuenesse of our sinnes and that our owne cōscience beginneth to trouble vs then must wée furnishe our selues with true faith out of hād haue recourse to the precious blood of Iesus Christe shed for vs vpō the altar of the crosse distributed to his Apostles at his last Supper vnder the veile of a most Holy Sacrament which was ordeined by Christ to the end y ◠wée shoulde celebrate the remembrance of his death and that by the same visible Sacrament our troubled consciences might be assured of our attonement with God The blessed Iesus Christe made his last Will when he said this is my body which is geuen for you and this is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for the forgeuenesse of their sinnes Wée knowe that a Testament saith S. Paul although it be but a mans Testament yet neuer thelesse if it be allowed no man dispiseth it or addeth any thing to it and that no Testament is of force til the testator be dead but hath ful power after y ◠parties decease Then did Iesus Christe make his Testament wherin he promiseth forgiuenesse of sinnes and the grace and good fauor of him selfe and of his father togeather with mercy and euerlasting life And to the intent that the saide Testament shoulde be of ful force he hath confirmed it with his owne precious blood and with his owne death By reason whereof Saint Paul sayeth that Iesus Christe is the Mediator of the newe Testament that by his dying for the the redemption of those transgressions which were in the former testament they that are called might receiue the promise of the eternal inheritance For whersoeuer is a Testament there must also be y ◠death of the Testator for the Testament is confirmed by the death of the partie insomuch as it is of no value so long as the maker of it is aliue Wherefore we be very certaine assured by the death of Iesus Christe that his Testament is auaileable whereby all our misdéedes are pardoned and we made heyres of eternal life And for a token and faithfull pledge héereof in stéed of a Seale he hath left vs this Diuine Sacramente which not onely giueth our soules assured hope of their euerlasting Saluation but also warranteth vnto vs that immortality of our flesh forasmuch as it is euen nowe quickened by that immortall flesh of his in a certaine maner becōmeth partaker of the immortalitie therof he that is partaker of that diuine flesh by faith shal not perish for euer But vnto him that receiueth it without the saide faith it turneth too a dangerous poyson bicause that like as whē bodily sustenance findeth the stomacke incumbred with euill humors it corrupteth likewise and worketh great anoyance euē so if this spirituall foode light into a sinfull soule that is full of malice and misbeliefe it casteth it headlong intoo some greater ruine not through it owne default but because that too the vncleane and vnbeléeuer all thinges are vncleane notwithstanding that the thinges bee sanctified by the Lords blessing For saith S. Paul be that eateth of that bread drinketh of that cup unworthily is is giltie of the body and blood of the Lord and hée eateth drinketh his own damnation bicause he maketh no differēce of the Lordes body For he maketh no difference of the Lords body which presumeth to the Lords supper without faith and charity And forasmuch as he beleueth not that body to be his life and the cleanser of all his sinnes he maketh Iesus Christe a lyar and treadeth the sonne of god vnder foote and estéemeth the blood of the Testamente whereby he was sanctified but as a cōmon worldly thing and doth great wrōg to the spirite of grace he shal be punished very sore at Gods hād for this his vnbelief and wicked hypocriste For whereas he reposeth not that trust of his iustificatiō in the passiō of our Lord Sauior Iesus Christ yet neuerthelesse he receiueth this most holy Sacrament and maketh protestation that he putteth not his trust in any other thing Wherby he accuseth himselfe and is witnesse of his owne iniquitie and condēneth himselfe to euerlasting death by refusing the life which GOD promiseth him in that holy Sacrament And in this point when the Christiā féeleth that his enimies are like to ouercome him that is too wit when he beginneth too doubt whether hee haue receiued forgiuenesse of his sinnes by Iesu Christe and that he shall not be able to withstand the Deuill and his temptations and that the accusation of his owne doubtfull conscience comes too presse him so as he beginneth too feare least Hell fire should swallow him vp death hold him in his euerlasting bands by reason of gods wrath I say when the good Christian féeleth himselfe in suche an agony Let him get him to his holy Sacrament with a good hearte and stout courage and receiue it deuoutly saying in his heart and answering his enemies thus I confesse I haue deserued a thousand hels and euerlasting death by reason of the great sinnes which I haue committed But this heauenly Sacramēt which I receiue at that preset assureth me of the forgiuenesse of all my misdoinges of mine attonement with God For if I haue an eye to my works there is no doubt but I acknowledge my selfe a sinner condemne mine owne self in such wise as my cōscience should neuer be quiet if I should thinke that my sinnes are pardoned mée for my workes sake But when I looke to the promises and couenants of God who promiseth me forgeuenes of my sinnes by the blood of Iesus Christe I am as sure I haue obteined it that I haue his fauour as I am sure y ◠he which hath made y ◠promises couenants cannot lye nor deceiue and through this stedfast faith I become righteous by Christes righteousnes wherthrough I am saued and my conscience quieted Hath he not geuen his most innocent body into the hands of sinners for our sins Hath hee not shed his blood to wash away my iniquities Why then doest thou vexe thy selfe O my soule put thy trust in the Lorde who beareth thée so great loue that to deliuer thée
with diuerse temptations And therefore when the holy Scripture threatneth and frayeth the christians they must vnderstande that it speaketh to such as are so licencious that for somuche as they kéepe not the thankfulnesse honesty that beloÌ„ng to Gods children they must be handled as seruantes and hilde in awe vntill they come to taste and féele how swéete and pleasant the Lord is and untill such time as faith worke his affectes in them and that they haue so much childly loue as may suffice to kéepe and mainteine them in honestie of Christian conuersation and in folowing the example of our Lorde Iesus Christe And when the selfe same scripture exhorteth Christians to the true feare it meaneth not that they should feare the iudgement and wrath of God as though it were presently ready to condeÌ„ne theÌ„ for as I haue saide already by the record which the holy Ghost geueth to theyr spirite they knowe that God hath chosen them and called them of his owne méere mercy and not for their deserts By reason whereof they doubt not at all but y â— by the selfesame goodnesse mercy he will mainteine them in the happy state wherein hee hath placed them And after suche manner scripture exhorteth them not to slauish feare but to childishe that is to wit that like good children they shoulde bee loath too offend against the Christian religion or to commit any thing against the duty and honestie of Gods true children and likewise too gréeue the holy Ghost that dwelleth in them to the ende that knowing the corruptednesse of our nature wée shoulde alwayes be héedefull and diligent and neuer haue any trust in our selues for in our flesh and in our mindes do the appetites and affections continually dwell which as deadly enimies of the soule lay a thousande snares and baytes for vs incessantly labouring too make vs prowde ambicious lecherous and couetous This is the feare wherevnto the whole Scripture exhorteth the Christiaes that haue once tasted howe swèete the Lorde is and which bestowe all their indeuour in following Christes footesteppes who cast not from them this holy feare because they labour to put of the old man And the good Christians must neuer bereaue themselues quite cleane of this childly feare which is the singular friende of Christian charitie like as the slauishe feare is such an enemie vnto it as they can by no meanes dwell togeather And by the the foresaide thinges a man may plainely perceiue that the good Christian ought neuer too doubt of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes nor of Gods fauour Neuerthelesse for the better satisfiyng of the Reader I purpose too set downe héere vnder certayne authorities of the holy Doctours which comfirme this foresaid trueth Saint Hyllary in his fifth Canon vpon Matthew sayth it is Gods wyll that we should hope without any doubting of his vnknowne wil. For if the beliefe bée doubtfull there can bée no righteousnesse obteined by beléeuing And thus wée sée that according to S. Hyllary a man obteineth not forgeuenesse of his sinnes at Gods hande except hèe belèeue vndoubtedly to obteine it And good right it is that it shoulde bée so For he that doubteth is like a waue of the sea which is tossed and turmoyled with the winde And therefore let not such a one thinke to obteine any thing at Gods hand But let vs heare Saint Augustine who in his Manuell counselleth vs too driue away the saide foolish imagination which intendeth to dispossesse vs of the foresaide good and sage assurednesse Let such foolish imagination sayth hee murmure as much as it lifteth saying who art thou How 's great is that glory By what desertes hopest thou too obteine it I answere assuredly I knowe in whome I haue beléeued and I know that hée of his great loue hath made mée his sonne I knowe hée is true of his promise and able too perfourme his worde For hée can doe what hée will And when I thinke vpon the Lords death the multitude of my sinnes cannot dismay mée for in his death doe I put all my trust His death is my whole desert it is my refuge it is my saluation my life and resurrection and the merâ—y of the Lorde is my desert I am not poore of desert so long as the Lord of mercy sayleth me not And sith the mercies of y â— Lord are many many also are my deseruinges The more y â— hée is of power to saue the more am I sure to bée saued The same S. Augustin talking with GOD in another place sayth that hée had despayred by reason of his great sinnes and infinite negligences if the woorde of GOD had not become flesh And aâ—one after hée sayth these wordes All my hops all the assurance of my trust is setled in his precious blood which was shed for vs and for our saluation In him my poore heart taketh breath and putting my whole trust in him I long to come vnto thée O Father not hauing mine owne righteousnesse but that righteousnesse of thy sonne Iusus Christe In these two places Saint Augustine sheweth plainely that the Christian must not be afraide but assure him selfe of righteousnesse by grounding himselfe not vpon his owne workes but vpon the precious blood of Iesus Christe which cleanseth vs from all our sinnes and maketh our peace with GOD. Saint Bernarde in his first Sermon vppon the Annunciation saueth moste euidently that it is enough to beléeue that a man can haue forgiuenesse of our sinnes but by Gods mercy nor any one good desire or abilitie too doe so muche as one good worke except GOD geue it him no nor that a man cannot deserue eternall life by his workes but if GOD geue him the gifte so to beléeue But besides all these things sayth Saint Bernard which ought rather too bée counted a certaine entraunce and foundation of our faith it is néedeful that thou beléeue also that thy sinnes are forgeuen thée for the loue of Iesus Christe Sée howe this holy man confesseth that it is not enough too beléeue generally the forgeuenesse of sinnes but hée must also beléeue particularly that his owne sinnes are forgeuen him by Iesus Christe and the reason is ready at hande namely that forasmuche as GOD hath promised thée to accept thée for righteous through the merites of Iesus Christe if thou beléeue not that thou art become righteous through him thou makest GOD a lyer and consequently thou makest thy selfe vnworthie of thy grace and liberality But thou wilt say to me and I beléeue wel the forgeuenesse of sinnes and I knowe that GOD is true but I am afraide that I am not worthie to haue so great a gift I answere that the forgiuenes of thy sinnes shall not be a gift of free grace but a wages if God woulde geue it thée for the worthinesse of thy workes But I reply vpon thée that God accepteth thée for righteous and laieth not thy sinne to thy