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
of the threatnings which S. Paule vseth to the Galathians who hauing béene deceiued by false Preachers beleeued not that the Iustification by fayth was sufficient of it selfe but went about stil to be made righteous by thelaw Unto whom S. Paule saith Iesus Christ shall nothing profite you that iustifie your selues by the law for you bee falne from grace because that we through the spirit of sayth wayt for the hope of righteousnesse Now if the seeking of righteousnesse forgiuenesse of sinnes by the keeping of the law which GOD gaue vpon mount Sinai with so greate glorie and maiestie bée the denying of Christe and of his Grace what shall wée say to those that will néeds iustifie themselues afore God by theyr owne lawes and obseruances I woulde wishe that suche folkes shoulde a little compare the one with the other and afterwarde geue Iudgement themselues God myndeth not too doe that honour nor to geue that glory to his owne lawe yet they will haue him too geue it too mens lawes and ordinances But that honour is geuen onely to his onely begotten sonne who alone by the sacrifice of his death and passion hath made full amendes for al our sinnes past present and to come as Saint Paule and Saint Iohn declare Wherfore as often as we apply this satisfaction of Iesus Christs vnto our soules by fayth out of all doubt we obteine forgeuenesse of our sinnes and become good and righteous before God through his righteousnesse And therfore after that Saint Paule hath said that as touching the righteousnesse of the law he had liued vnblameable he addeth and yet whatsoeuer I haue gained by it I haue accompted in all respectes too bée but losse for the loue of Christe And specially I esteeme all thinges to bée losse for the excellent knowledge of Iesus Christe my Lord for whom I haue compted all things too bée losse and déeme them but as doung so may I winne Christ and be founde in him not hauing mine owne righteousnes which is of the lawe but the righteousnes which is by the fayth of Iesus Christe w t righteousnes is giuen by God I meane the righteousnes of faith that I may come to the knowledge of Iesus Christ. O most notable words which al Christians ought to haue engrauen in their hearts praying God to make them to fast it perfectly Lâ—e howe Saint Paule sheweth plainely that whosoeuer knoweth Christe aright estéemeth al the woorks of the lawe to be hurtfull for somuch as they make vs too swarue from our trust in Iesus Christ too whom euery man ought to impute his saluation and too trust onely vnto him alone And to inforce this sentence the more he addeth further that he estéemeth all things but as doung so he may gayne Christ he found incorporated in him declaring therby that whosoeuer trusteth in his owne workes pretendeth not iustifie himselfe by them getteth not Iesus Christ nother is engraffed into him And forasmuch as the whole mystery of our faith consisteth in the truth hereof to the end we might the better vnderstand what he meant to say he addeth and repeteth oftentunes that he had nothing to do with all the outward iustification all y â— righteousnes that is grounded vpon the keping of the law but y â— he would cloth himself with the righteousnes which God geueth by sayth to all them that beléeue that all our sinnes are fully chastised and punished in Iesu Christ and that Iesus Christ as Saint Paule saith is made our wisedom righteousnesse holinesse and redemption to the end as it is writteÌ„ that he which wil glory should glory in y â— Lord and not in his owne woorks Uery true it is that in the holy Scriptures there are some textes to be found which beyng misvnderstood séeme to gainesay this holy doctrine of Saint Paules to attribute iustification remission of sinnes vnto works and to charity But those authorities haue already byn well expounded by some who haue shewed plainly that such as haue vnderstood them in the sense aforesaid vnderstood them not aright Wherefore my déere beloued brethren let vs not folow the fond opinions of the bewitched Galathians but rather let vs followe the trueth which S. Paule teacheth vs and let vs geue the whole glory of our iustification vnto Gods mercie and to the merites of his Sonne who by his owne bloodshed hath set vs frée from the soueraintie of the law and from 〈…〉 geue vs life and endlesse felicitie I say yet further that he hath deliuered vs from the dominion of the lawe insomuch as he hath geuen vs his holy spirit who teacheth vs al truth that he hath satisfied the law to the ful giuen the same satisfactioÌ„ vnto al his members that is to wit to al true Christians so as they may safely appeare at Gods throne because they be clothed w t the righteousnes of his Christ by him deliuered from the curse of the lawe Then can not the law any more accuse vs or coÌ„ndenm vs nor moue our affections or appetites nor increase sinne in vs. And therefore S. Paule saith that the obligation which was against vs is cancelled by Iesus Christ discharged vpon the trée of the crosse insomuch as he hath set vs frée froÌ„ the subiectioÌ„ of the law consequently from the tyranny of sinne and death which can no more holde vs oppressed because it is ouercome by Iesus Christ in his resurrection so coÌ„sequently by vs which are his members in such maner that we may say with Saynte Paule and with the Prophet Osée Death is quite vanquished and destroied O death where is thy sting O Hel where is thy 〈…〉 strength of sinne is the law But God bée praised who hath granted vs victory by our Lorde Iesus Christ. He is the blessed séede that hath crushed the head of the venomous Serpent that is to wit of the Diuel insomuche that al those which beleue in Iesus Christe reposing their whole trust in his grace doe ouercome sinne death the diuel hel as Christ hath done He is that blessed séed of Abraham in the which God hath promised blessednesse to al nations It behooueth euery particular person too fighte with the sayd horrible serpent to deliuer himselfe froÌ„ that curse But that enterprise was so great that all the force of the whole world knit together was not able too goe through with it Wherfore our God the father of mercy being moued with compassion of our miseries hath geuen vs his onely begotten sonne who hath deliuered vs froÌ„ the venim of the serpent and is himself become our blessednesse and righteousnesse condicionally that we accept the same renouncing all our owne outwarde iustifications Then my déere brethren let vs imbrace the righteousnesse of our Lord Iesus Christ and let vs make it ours by meanes of fayth let vs assure our selues that we be righteous not for our own workâ— but
insomche that he reioyceth or suffereth in his members Therfore like as Iesus Christe is our clothing by faith so also must we through loue become the clothing of our brethren haue as good care of them as of our owne bodies for they be meÌ„bers of our body wherof Christ is the head And this is the holy godly loue charity which springeth and procéedeth of the true vnfeined faith which GOD hath breathed into his elect which faith as saieth S. Paul worketh by loue Howbeit forasmuche as the life of our Lorde Iesus Christe wherewithal we must be clothed was a continuall crosse ful of troubles reproches persecutions if we wil fashion our selues like vnto his life we must coÌ„tinually beare the crosse as he himself saith If any man wil come after me let him forsake himselfe take vp his crosse and follow me But the chief cause of this crosse is for that our god purposeth to mortifie the affections of our mind and the lustes of our flesh by that exercise to the end we may conceaue in our selues the great perfection wherein we bee comprised by our Lorde Iesus Christe by being grafted into him Also his wil is that our faith being â—ined like gold in a furnace of troubles should shine bright too his glory Moreouer his intent is that we by our infirmities should set out his great power which the world in despite of it beholdeth in vs inasmuch as our frailtie becommeth strong by troubles and persecutions the more that it was beaten downe and oppressed so much the more it is strong stedfast Whereof the Apostle S. Paul saieth wee carry this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellencie of the power might be gods and not ours On all sides we suffer tribulation but wée are not ouercome wée bée poore but not ouercome of pouertie we suffer persecution but yet are we not forsakeÌ„ we be despised but yet we perish not and so we daily beare about vs the dying of our Lord Iesus Christin our body that the life of Iesus Christ may also be openly shewed in vs. And séeing the case is so y â— our Lorde Iesus Christ and all his deare disciples glorified God by tribulations let vs also imbrace them ioyfully and say with the Apostle S. Paul God forbid that I should glory saue in the Crosse of our Lorde Iesus Christe and let vs so deale as the worlde may whether it wil or no perceiue and sée with his eyes the wonderfull effectes that God worketh in such as sincerely imbrace the grace of his Gospell Let vs so deale I say as the worldlinges may sée with how great quietnesse of minde the true Christians indure the losse of theyr goodes w t death of their children slaunders the diseases of the body and the persecutions of false christians and also that they may sée how the only true Christians doe worship God inspirite and truthe taking in good woorth at his hand whatsoeuer hapneth and hoâ—ding all that he doeth to be good righteous and holy praysing him alwayes for the same whether it be inprosperite or aduersitie thanking him as a most gracious and louing father and acknowledging it for a right great gift of Gods goodnesse too suffer any aduersitie and chiefly for the go spell and for following the steps of Christ specially forasmuch as we know that tribularioÌ„ ingendreth pacience and pacience tryall and trial hope and hope maketh vs not ashamed I say y â— patience engendereth triall because that whereas God hath promised helpe in trouble to suche as trust in him we finde it by experience in that wee continue strong and stedfast all the whyle and are vpholden by the haÌ„d of God which thing we could not doe withal the powers that wée haue of our owne So then by patience wée finde that our Lorde geueth vs the helpe that he hath promised vs at our néede whereby our hope is confirmed And it were an ouer great vnthankfulnes not to trust to such an aide fauour for the time to come as wee haue founde by experience to be so certaine stedfast hâ—réfore But what néede wee so many wordes It ought to suffise vs to knowe that the true christians are through tribulation clothed with the image of our Lord Iesus Christe crucified which if wée beare willingly and with a good hearte we shall in the ende bée clothed with the image of Iesus Christe glorified For as the passions of Iesus Christe doe abounde so through him shall the consolations ouerabounde and if wée suffer with him héere below for a tyme we shall also regine with him there aboue for euer The sixth Chapter Certaine remedies against distrust BUt forasmuch as the Deuil and manâ— wisdome labour continually to dispossesse us of this most holy faith wherethrough we beléeue that all our sinnes are chastized punished in Iesus Christe and that through his most precious bloodshed we be reconciled to the maiestie of God it is very néedefull for a ChristiaÌ„ to haue his weapons alwaies in a readinesse to defend himselfe from the saide most mischieuous temptation which séeketh to bereaue the soule of her life Among the saide weapons in my iudgement the mightiest and best are Prayer the often vse of the holy communion the remembring of holie Baptisme and the minding of Predestination In our prayer we may well say with the father of the poore Lunatike person of whoÌ„ mentioÌ„ is made in the Gospel of S. Mark Lorde Iesus helpe mine vnbeliefe Or else we may say with the Apostles Lorde encrease our faith And if there reigne in vs a continuall desire to growe in faith hope loue we wil continually pray as S. Paul instructeth vs. For prayer is nothing else but a feruent minde setled vpon God By the remembring of Baptisme we shall assure our selues that we are at peace with God And forasmuch as S. Peter saith that the Ark of Noe was a figure of Baptisme therefore like as Noe was saued from the flood of the Arke because he beléeued y â— promises of God so also are we by faith saued in Baptisme from Gods wrath Which faith is grounded vppon the worde of our Lord Iesus Christe who saith y â— hee which beléeueth is baptized shal be saued And good right it is for in baptisme we put on Iesus Christ as the Apostle S. Paul affirmeth consequeÌ„tly we be made partakers of his righteousnes and of all his goodes vnder this precious robe the sinnes y â— our â—railtie committeth lie hidden and couered and are not imputed vnto vs. And so according as S. Paul saith the blessednes which the Psalmist speaketh of apperteineth vnto vs namely Blessed are they whose misdoings are forgeuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man to whomâ— the Lorde imputeth not sinne But it standeth a Christian in hand to take good héed that vpon these wordes