and an vnderstanding and light aboue a natural maÌ„ he must also be the sonne and lawful heyre of God And then he may say I sound of mynde and ready of spirit and remembraunce albeit as touching my flesh syck make my testament and â—equeath fyrst of al my being and substaunce to god he gaue it to me and also preserued it and of hym I recognise to haue it and for it I render him thanckes I leaue to him like wise the giftes graces benefites temporal bodely and gostly that I haue had or shall heare after receyue for they â—e his and from hym by grace I acknowledge to haue receyued all as Paule sayeth what hast thou that thou hast not receiued at gods handes Yea for asmuch as al the slaunders misreportes persecucioÌ„s sickenes and misfortunes which I haue already or shal from hence forth suffer and euen death self I confesse by the vnderstanding that the Lord hath geuen me that thei haue beue and shalbe his giftes and graces geuen and graunted of a great loue for my wealth and profit wherfore as his deuyne rewardes I graunt to haue had theÌ„ of god for them I thancke him and as hys owne I leaue and restore them to him And for so much as I caÌ„not but acknowledge that I haue gone alwaies backward from him so often as I wolde rule my selfe by my blynde iudgement folyshe wisdome and deuelishe spirite nether did so much as go one steppe forthe toward God but wheÌ„ I was moued dryuen and thrust forwarde of his holy spirit Wherefore I commit to the highest God my most deare father and to his gouernance al the world and specially my self in him as I may I wil help my selfe with myne owne wytte and fredome namely by makynge it obedyent to hym â–ª Moreouer if euer I haue spoken or shal from hence forth vtter any word if I haue done or shal do anye worcke that is to hym pleasaunte if I haue had or after this tyme shal haue thoughte desyre or wil that good is â–ª I geue it to God and at hys handes I professe that I haue had al my goodnes so that if it were gods wil to take from me al that he hath geuen me there shuld in me remayne nothynge but onely sinnes those are myne own and al other thinges he his Thus be my sinnes if I shuld go before gods presence I were but dampned if I were mynded to make satisfaction I could not no nor yet anye sayncte that euer was ther is none whose loue is so greate to take my sinnes vppon him and satisfy for them and appease gods anger saue Christ alone wherfore to him I bequeath my synnes I leaue to hym my pride vnkindenes vnbeleue mistrust arrogancy enuy wrath ambitioÌ„ and al my vnnumerable wickednes I geue to him my euil thoughtes affectioÌ„s and desires to be short I make one fagot boundel of al my offences present past and to come and geue them to Christ hauynge sure fayth and stedfast hope that he wil accept them for his own and hath euen already taken them and for them hath satisfyed on the crosse hys father layed them on hys necke and he did not ones agayn say it but of great loue allowed them for hys and to consume and burn them in the flame of his deuine loue he bore them on his innocente shoulders vppon the crosse as Peter writeth and so was offered a sacrifice for vs. Now seing I haue left al my sins to Christ and geuen to God my substaunce and being withal other giftes and graces that he bestowed on me I remayn naked wythout eyther good or euyl and truly to say I am rather nothyng In that I haue restored to God my beinge that I hadde by creatyon and byrthe But for because it is impossible that he shuld saue me wythout being and so it is y â— he wil saue me therfore first I carye wyth me Christ him selfe which is my life God hathe so loued me that he hathe geuen hymselfe to me For so hath God loued y â— world that for theyr syns he hath geuen vs his only begutten sonne I cary also with me hys spirit that was of his eternal father geuen me of his most roiâ—l liberaliti as wel declareth Paule wher he sayeth God hath sent the spirit of his sonne into our hartes wherby we cry and cal father father And in that he hathe geuen me hym he hath restored me to myself and former being With a new substance and nature spiritual so that for the possibility of my saluacioÌ„ I haue a being but yet lacke I treasure to discharge my great dets and to appeare rych in goddes syght in consideracioÌ„ wher of I beare with me Christes watching abstinences trauayles praiers persecutions slaunders I take with me hys teares hys swet hys bloud and al that euer he dyd or suffered in thre and thirty yeres is myne euery deale and with liuely faith I embrace it as for mine own I cary beside this with me hys pacyence mekenes loue and al other hys denyne vertues his gifts and graces hys treasures and al that he hath mereted and desâ—rued hys lyfe passion deathe resurreccion and assension be mine ye all y t euer he hath done or shal from henceforthe do is mine and what nedeth more to say if God haue geuen vs his owne sonne howe hathe not he with him geuen vs al thynges wherfore with faithe I embrace my sweete Iesus for mine owne he is my rightwysenes wysdom raunsome and holines he is my strengthe he is my spirite my lyghte lyfe hope and al my goodnes euen Christ him selfe in hyslaste wyl bequethed me all y â— he had of the father Wherfore he sayth I entertayne you at my table as my father hathe vsed me as my father hath made me hys heyre so nowe I ordein you I wil that as you be my brethren so you shalbe my folowers And in another place he sayeth I haue loued you as mi father hath loued me sithen I am nowe through Christe so ryche of treasures vertuouse and graces â–ª I shal be hable not onely to satisfy for my dettes but also to purchase infinite paradise when soeuer they shalbe soulde Who shalbe nowe either to accuse or coÌ„demne me after that Christ hathe thus clothed me with his innocensy rightwisenes holynes loue with all his vertuse graces treasures merites and with his own selfe I may with no lesse boldenes and suretye then Christ appeare before God I am his sonne as he is and heyre of heauen semblably I am innocent as Christ is now that he hathe satisfied for me and payed my raunsome and rewarded me wyth his innocency Christe saied I hallow my self that they also maye be holye euen he is oure holynes and we be his members Wherfore it is as possible for God not to loue me as it is possible that he shuld not loue Christ by reason wherof Paule sayeth who shall
seÌ„ding of y â— holy ghost if we feele it not in our selues and if we do feale it we shalbe forced with Paul to saye the spirite of God rendrethe testymony to oure spirite that we are the sonnes of God therfore heires and saued Neither is it inough that there is a church of God but thou must beleue to be a porcion thereof one of the lyuely stones therfore one of the electe And to beleue the coÌ„munioÌ„ of sayntes thou must feele that as a meÌ„ber of Christ he doth perticipate his grace w t the and y â— thou art therby saued y u must also be leue y e remission of syns y â— is not ouly that he dothe pardon synnes but that he hathe pardoned the thine and so elected the. EueÌ„ so thou must beleue that thou shalt ryse glorious and haue life euerlasting TheÌ„ there is no article of oure fayth y â— can be beleued in suche sorte as it ought to be of those whiche doo not beleue they are elected To the Christian it is then necessary to beleue that God is hys God and father that he worketh all for his benefite â–ª and that Christe is come was borne hath liued dyed and risen agayne for his saluacion so that w t lyuelye faith he eÌ„braceth Christ wholi for his owne with al his treasure grace And lykewyse al his life death resurreccyon assention glorye and perceiueth the charitie of God in Christ as if there hadde bene no mo but only him selfe in the world and that Christe for him onlye wold haue wrought and suffered no les then he hath done The which when thou dost beleue thou shalt perceyue thou art electe Yea he that beleueth not he is electe can not praye as he ought beynge withoute fayth wythout the whiche after Paul we cannot effectuously recommend vs to god bicause y â— we must ask in faith if we wil askin veriti be hard now if y u beleue not to be his soÌ„ne heir how caÌ„st y u as Christ taughte saye our father as a soÌ„ne wyth coÌ„fideÌ„ce aske him grace Praier may wel be made of inside ls and Ipocrits but lyke folishe scoffers and mockers WheÌ„ y u saiest halowed be thy name thy kyngdom come thou must haue in the the spirit of aâ— opcion of the sonne of God And as y e soÌ„ne is moued of vehemente loue pure and sincere to desyre the kyngdome and glori of y e father so must thou seyng the the sonne of God wyth a deuyne spirit by the force of loue aske and desyre that thy heauenly father be honored and reygne in hys electe w t out rebellyon Lykewyse shalt thou neuer thanke God wyth all thy herte if thou beleue not to be one of y e electe yea if y u shalte doubte therin or thincke to be dampned in thy hart and in thy lyfe and paradnenture also with thy words thou wylte dysprayse him that he hath giuen the a beyng that he hath create the world sente Christe and so the rest his benefytes and wilt say If I am not saued what do these thyngs profit me it had ben better for me y â— I had neuer ben as Christ sayd of Iudas If I shalbe damned the death of Christ serueth me not but doth inflame burne w t al y e rest of hys benefyts y u canst not in perfection theÌ„ thaÌ„cke god if y u feare daÌ„pnacioÌ„ But who so beleueth he is one of y e elect therby y â— al thynges serue hym to saluacion euen the verye troubles he holdeth for a specyall grace benefyte in theym perceyuynge the goodâ—es of God he gyueth hym thankes wyth all his herte Who shal he be that committeth hym selfe holy to the gouernaunce of God as euery one ought to do if he beleue not that God is hys father that he pardoneth hym doth take of him most singuler cure Otherwise they shall neuer truste in God but wyth Adam shal feare hym and flye seking to hide hym selfe from the face of God nether is it possyble to loue God in veryty honor hym as he ought to be honored and approue for iust and holy all his workes and so delite wholye in hym if he fele not in Christ so muche the goodnes of God that he se hym selfe hys sonne also heire If he know not him self to be a sonne he shal feare as a seruaunt in al his workes haue respect to him selfe his pains displeasures incommodytyes dyshonoures hel or els to this paradise not to y e glori of God As he y â— seeth hym selfe a soÌ„ne lord of al heire sure therof such a one worketh only by streÌ„gth of spirit vehemeÌ„ci of loue to the glory of god to whoÌ„ he hath turned hys whole intent to that end ordreth his whole life Also it can not be possible to loue thy neighbour as thy self as a brother in Christ meÌ„ber w t the of the same bodye if thou do not beleue to be in the number of the sonnes of God And fynally ther caÌ„not one good worcke be done but of them that are regenerate sonnes of God members of Christe and haue in them the holy spirit which testifieth in their hertes that they â—e the sonnes of God And mai parteli be sene howe false and vngodlye is the doctrine of the antichristians that where as it is cheifelye necessarie to beleue that we are elected also aboue all thinges most commodious thei force theÌ„ selues to withdraw euery one froÌ„ this fayth perswading them to stand in doubte as thoughe they had wherin to mistruste the goodnes of God vppon whome onlie dependeth oure saluacion as our daÌ„pnacion doth of our selues But let vs praye to God to open oure eyes to the ende they maye no longer blaspheme but render to God all honoure lande and glorye by Iesu Christe oure Lorde Amen The .xvii. Sermon If it be good to seeke to know wherefore God hathe some electe and some reprobate THy desyre maye be wycked as it is in manye to whome it appeareth that it should haue bene better if God who beinge of power as he is had elected al meÌ„ â–ª and semeth theym that in thys God hathe lacked of charitye yea in theyr language they saye in theyr heart secretely If we had bene God we woulde haue elected all and would haue had more charitie theÌ„ he Now behold whether this be vngodlye folyshe proude plasphemy or not They Imagyne to haue more loue to the souls then he that for to saue theym gaue hys onlye begotten and dearlye beloued sonne vpon the crosse There are some other to whome it semeth on the one syde that God can not erre and on the other parti hearinge that he hath reproued many they thinke the coÌ„trary Thei are not certeine by fayth that God can not erre and that al that he willeth must nedes be iuste Therfore
deuide me from the loue of God that is in Christe Iesu It must nedes be that he be saued which wyth lyuynge faythe embraceth Christe for hys owne And consideringe that the treasures and merites of Christe are infinite and able to enryche a thousande worldes I entende not to carye with me anye other merites nor spirituall ryches saue those that Christe hathe prouyded for me for they be not onlye sufficient for me but also ouer aboundaunce and vnmesurable Then shoulde I do no small iniurye to Christ if I shuld search to store my selfe by any other meane or shift although I might do it neuer so easely nay rather wyth Paul wyl I recken al other thynges as myre and dyrt so that I haue Christe wyth whome alone I wil appeare before God and of and by hym wyl I glorye and make boaste yea God for byd that I shuld make my auauÌ„te of any thing saue of the crosse of our Lorde Iesu Christ of whome only hangeth al our health And albeit al the saintes be ryche by meane of Christ neuertheles if they had merytes of theyr owne moste plenteouse and wolde geue them to me yet wolde I none my Christ is inoughe for me with him had I rather suffer then take pleasure and ioye without him It would be a thing pleasauÌ„t to me if euerye man shulde make prayer to God for me not because I myght purchase or haue anye other treasures then those that I haue of Christ but that I might by liuely faith euery day acknowledge possesse and embrace those y â— I haue receyued of Christe and counte them for myne and so enforme my selfe I my selfe were it not by Christe shoulde not knowe what to aske for in him is al and without him al other things be but mere vanitie onely this peticion I make to him that he vouchsafe euery dai to geue me light and vnderstandinge that I may haue wyt to accounte and take hys treasures for mine owne Wherfore if any man wil pray for me let hym not tarye tyll I be deade for then I canne no more encrease in lighte and grace Let him pray now that I may grow in faith and more and more instruct my self of Christes riches I am wel assured that in purgatorye I shall not come bothe because there is founde no other purgatorye but Christe in whome at the full be purged and punished al the synnes of the elected and al so because in case there were one yet Christ not by my merites but by hys mere goodnes dothe satisfie for al my synnes trespasses and paynes and for as muche as hope neuer made any man ashamed nor confounded anye persone that hadde it in hys harte as Paul wrote therfore am I sure and secker that he wyll saue me without other purgacion We cannot promesse oure selfes to muche of goddes goodnes no we neuer can be hâ—te vs so much but he wyll recompence muche more I wyl not suffer therefore that after my lyfe anye good be done for me Truth it is that if I haue any goodes them must I leaue to the poore flocke of Christe not because they shoulde praye for me that am al readye saued but for the vse of other that lyue and shalbe borne as Christe dyd and also because the rather they maye lyue godly and knowe that they shal neuer lack that be hys and put theyr trust in hym To whom be alwayes honoure and glory through Iesu Christ our Lord Amen ¶ The .viii. Sermon Howe we shoulde answer the deuel when he tempteth vs name lye in the ende of oure lyfe THe Deuel as Peter wryteth seketh alwaye to deuoure vs but chefelye he is busye at the houre of death by reason then it standeth hym in hand so to do for his owne behooue and our greater endomage and harme Then vseth he al myght power sleyghte deceyte and malice wherefore I thynke good that we shulde search howe to make hym aunsweare and by the assistence and ayde of gods grace to vnderstand him aud get the vpper hande of hym He is constrayned speciallye when wee aproch nere to oure death to throw vs into a bisse and pit of desperacion or els to set vs in pride and presumpcioÌ„ if he shal perceyue that thou either put trust in thy self or confidence in thyne owne worckes he will not â—oo in hande to make the despayre and mistrust gods mercy but rather stablishe the in that erronyouse opinion of pryde of thy dedes on the other syde if he fele that thou hast all thy hope in God then wyl he shew the on the one partie the multitude and wickednes of thy synnes and on the other partie goddes wrathe and seuere iustice he wyl tell the how thou art in a maze and perplexitie not able to be shaken of or wonden out of and by makyng the to fele thyne offences otherwise then euer thou dyddest in thy healthe wyll go aboute to take oute of thy harte the passion of Christ and all the great goodnes mercy and loue of God finally to proue the damued he wyl bryng for hys purpose euen the holy scriptures But I wyll that al hys temtacions serue the to the honour of God and saluacioâ— of thy soule as they do serue the turne of the elected to whom all thynges woorke to gether for theyr wealth fyrste of all I warne the that thou maintein not thy self for good but admit and graunte all the euill that he shall reherse of the and thynke that he hath not saied so muche but that it is much more and thanke God that now at laste he hathe bene so fauorable to make the coÌ„sider thy sinnes wherin he vseth the deuel for an instrument to the entent that by the knowing of them thou shuldest take occasion to humble thy selfe and to cal Christ to thy remembraunce whyche to scoure and clense them hath not onlye reputed them for hys owne but also dyed for them vpoÌ„ the crosse grauÌ„t thou hardely that thou art a greate rybalde and noughtye withoute excusynge thy selfe in any wise and that thy sinnes are innumerable Confesse that thou could neuer satisfye for one alone and that thou were the most damned sinner of the world if Christe had not deliuered the and styl prompte thy selfe with those matters whyche maye further the to come into desperacion of thy self But if the deuel wait to bryng the to despayre of Christ thou may in no wyse coÌ„sent therto but stedfastly put thy trust in hym And my mynd is that thou say to him thus If it were good for me to mistrust Christ y u neuer wouldest haue perswaded me therto but rather haue drawen me from it wherefore in that thou woldest putte me in mynde to mistrust Christ thou makest me stronger in my hope and trust Thou shalt say to him that when he caused iniustly Christ to dye whych was an innocent he lost al his interprise and inrisdiction that euer he had or
in no wyse ought we to despayre because if at the first he do not yet at length he geueth it to hys elected at theyr death as the Prophet Abacucke told a fore hand when he sayed Lord when they shal be neare to the death at the latter ende betwene thys way and the other thou wylt make knowen to them Christ and his great benefits and wilt open to them the bosome of thy graces by Iesu Christ our Lord. Amen The .ix. Sermon ☞ Howe aunsweare is to be made at the iudgment seat of god A Felon or gylty person that canne not flye but of necessity must appeare at the sessions assise or law day afort y t barre pycketh out and câ—oseth him for hys ayed and succoure attourneys protectours and counsellers and goeth deuising how he may be detended namely in a matter touching life and death which thing it standeth vs in hand more to do In so much as that we being ful of sinnes must appeare before the high iudgment seat of gods iustyce and when iudgment by definitiue sentence is geuen against vs we shal lose paradise soule grace God and al goodnes without recouery and be throwen into the depe pit of hel therto remain and abide in fyre euer lastingly â–ª Wherfore me semeth it wer expedient to imagin what way to take what answere to make with what reasoÌ„s to arme vs that we may haue the matter to passe on our syde First of al an vndouted matter is it that we al haue sinned in Adam and beside the originall sinne haue innumerable actuall ne can be saued onles first we be absolued and forgeueÌ„ and that must nedes be whilest we be in thys lyfe for afterward is no more redemcion at al. To the glotten was denyed one droppe of water Wherfore necessary is it to know y e ther be two iudgment seates of God the one is of ryghtwisenes the other of mercy grace pitie goodnes loue swetenes and liberaltty as Paule speakynge of thys laste fayth Let vs go boldly to the troue and bench of gods grace at the first bench sitteth God Christe kepeth residence at the second Now as for the synners if they wil be saued they must go al to the bench of mercy to aske and cal for pity and not iustice for fauour not strayghte reconyng because we haue al ben vniuste and withall oure rightwisnes and good workes be not hable to withstaÌ„d gods rightwisenes wherfore Dauid sayed Lord none can be iustified in thy syght if there thou wilte see a reconinge and in another place Lord if thou wilt punish our iniquyties who shalbe hable to abide Iob saith I knowe that man can not be iustified if he stande face to face a fore God And in another place what thing is man that he shuld be cleane the heauens be not cleane in hys syght And Ieremye wryteth thus If thou washe the wyth Nitrus thou shalt neuertheles be stayned And Esaye sayeth our right wisenes be lyke the clothes of an vncleane woman and Salomon witnesseth the same sayinge who is he that can saye my heart is cleane I am pure and innocent from sinne wherefore sayth God by Ieremy why wyl you striue with me in iudgment As though he shulde saye you are fooles if you thynke your selfe hable to wythstande the iustice of God seinge your ryghtwysenes is vnclene and that so muche vnclener as that not only the woorckes but also the verye inwarde thoughtes affections and desyres shalbe exammed and tryed Therfore sayeth God I wyl searche trye and proue Ierusalemâ— wyth lanternes it is moste profitable to go to the benche of mercy And say with Dauid Lorde I shall come a fore the not wyth the multitude of my workes but of thy mercye and in case thou be somemoned and called to the throne of iustice Appeale to the other benche of mercye for as from the iudgmente of a Lorde subiecte to the Emperour a man maye appeale to Cesars iudgemente seate so may a man appeale from the bench of iustice to the trone of merci as to the higher courte In as muche as Iames wryteth mercye excelleth iustice it is seene that Ezechias after sentence was geuen vpoÌ„ him at the benche of iustice because he appealed to the other trone of mercye had graunted to hym that he shuld lyue fiftene yeres longer And Dauid by appealynge to mercye caused the senteÌ„ce to be reuoked which was geuen that he shulde dye And what tyme that seruaunte of whome the gospell speaketh sayed haue pacience wyth me and geue me respyte he appealed to mercy and was herd In lyke manner is it and hathe be of al sinners that be saued Nowe muste we doo in the same wyse I meane when we be cyted to the court of iustyce to render and yelde an accompte then must we appeale to mercy and saye we be deade throughe Christe to the law and therfore to iustice also which iudge after y â— law are we deade then hathe iustyce no iurisdiction vppon vs at all no thoughe it were the greatest synner of the worlde saye thou to God I am Christes thou gauest me to him as Christe sayeth they were thine and thou haste geuen them to me Moreouer Christe hathe redemed me therefore am I hys for manye causes I wyll therefore stand to his iudgemente thou haste geuen hym all power in heauen and in earthe as hee hym selfe sayeth to me is geuen all power in heauen and in earthe wherefore he maye doo wyth me the thynge that lyketh hym and as to hym semeth good he is my iudge as Christ hym selfe sayeth the father hathe geuen all iudgmente to the sonne it is therfore his duty to iudge me But as in another place he sayeth he came not to iudge but to saue the worlde saye therefore to Christe doo thyne offyce saue me for thou cammeste and thy father dyd sende the for that intente I feele all readye thy voyce and in my hearte thou sayeste to me that because I truste in the thou wylte saue me all readye by thy grace haue I put in the my confidence and hope and he that beleueth in the can not be dampned saue me therfore according as thou art bounden by a couenaunt made And al be it thy conscyence accused the and all the deuels besyde layed to thy charge yea though iudgement wer geuen against the yet so loÌ„g as thou art in thys present lyfe it is alwaye lawful to appeale to the mercy of God And if it wer so that by force thou shuld he drawen to the court of iustice crye oute wyth Esay say to Christ O Lord I suffer violence make answere for me healpe me forsake me not I chose and wil haue the for my attorney and speach manne not because thou shuld defend my iuste accomptes and true reckenynges for I haue none such but to the intente thou shuld take my
synnes for thyne and reward me with thine innocency holynes and ryghtwysenes Thou hast all readye satissfied for me on the crosse and appoynted me by adopcion to be the sonne of God wherfore I caÌ„not be damned no not one shalbe found that dare accuse me being one of goddes elected Moreouer if thou be myneded aud wyllynge to appeare wythoute daunger at the benche of goddes ryghtewysenes dyspoyle fyrste thy selfe of the olde Adam and apparel the with Christe as Paul exhorteth vs thou shalbe safe For in so muche as thou haste embraced him for thine own thou can not be damned although thou haddest committed al the sinnes of the worlde As a woman greate with childe cannot be punished no more can thou if thou haue Christ in thy harte or rather as Christe sayeth he that be leueth in the son is not iudged he is so assured of hys saluacion that there nedeth no examinacion to be hadde of him he is one of Christes meÌ„bers and hath his spirit wherfore he can no more be dampned then Christ because he is knit to him by liuelye faythe If it be so that God woulde make there with the a reckenynge saye to hym howe thou hast made it wyth Christ for as he put on Christ al our iniquities and sinnes as Esaye sayeth and with greate loue accepted them for hys owne and bounde him selfe to make satisfaction for them Wherfore thou shalt say Lorde if thou haste anye reconing or matter agaynste me make it with Christ he knoweth wel how to answere aud can declare that he hathe satisfied for them In case be that any must be dampned for the synnes I haue doone it is Christe that muste be dampned and not I good Lorde for albeit I am he that commytted them neuertheles Christe bounde hym selfe to satisfye for them and that by consente and good wyll of hys father wherefore who so euer beleueth lyuelye in Christe is all to gether safe and sure Besyde thys if God wolde needes make the audite and accompt wyth vs and wold saye I am not contente wyth Christes satisfactyoÌ„ for you I wil that your selues make recompence for that you haue offeÌ„ded whiche is a thynge impossyble all readye from the beginninge he is contented and hath accepted that deuine sacryfyce of the vndefyled lambe Christe Iesus whyche dyed on the crosse to be obedyente to hys father as Paule hathe wrytten al readye is the right wysenes of God satysfyed vp Christe more then suffycyente and made his sonnes and so consequentlye hys hepres he hath alreadye geuen vs paradyse and when God hath once geuen a gyfte it neuer repenteth hym wherfore the gyfte canne not be called agayne vp reason God is not chaungeable I neuertheles althoughe as I sayed he shulde saye I wyll that thou thy selfe satisfye Answere hym on thys wyse Lorde if I were as dere beloued to the as is Christe and had done and suffered lonynglye for thy honoure All that Christ did and suffered in this case woldeste thou not holde thy selfe sufficiently satisfyed for me in case he graunted thereto Thou shulde make hym this answer Then is it all readye done Form that Christ suffered I myself suffered By reason I am chaÌ„ged into Christ Yea the true Christians y t haue Christ in theyr heartes as Paule sayeth let Christe dwel in our harts maye pitiouslye lamente and complayne to of God and saye to him thou hast punished vs more bytterlye then we haue deserued coÌ„sidering that we offended and not Christe reasone wolde thou shulde haue punyshed vs oure wyll and oure lyfe and soule and not that innocent and vndefiled lambe Iesus Christ and thou hast punished Christ which is the lyfe of my soule The harte of my heart the spirite â—f my spirite as Dauid sayth God my fleshe and my hearte God of my hart Thou shuldest if my deathe had not bene inoughe for my synnes tourned me into nothynge and letten a loue that innocent and iust Christ more deare and intier to me then myne owne soule wherefore I feele more that that he suffered for me then I shoulde haue felt if I had suffered al y â— torment possible on mine own body but wel wyst thou that I could not by reason of my fraylty abyde and suffer al that I had deserued for my synnes and therfore thou chose y â— myghty and strong Christ to suffâ—r for them in misteade and moreouer hast set him in my hart to the intent that I shuld not only feele that he suffered also but also that he myght geue me strength to be able to suffer Thou maiest also say Lord albeit I haue synned I am regenerate and boâ—n again by Christ I am no more y t maÌ„ that synned but I am a new creature wherfore thou cannot iustâ—y punish me because that spirit of mine that sinned is dead and Christ liueth in me I lyue no longer my selfe but Christ in me Punysh kyl and turne to nought that spyrite of myne that wyll of myne spoile from me that olde Adam that sensuliality and al that in me hath synned and punysh not me sithen by the newe spirite that I receiued of Christ I am his most innocent creature Moreouer thou Lord hast geuen me Christ withal his diuine treasures and graces and that to be more surelye myne then I am my selfe and in so much as he is myne entyer I am able to satisfy for al my dets What fearest thou then O synful soule Seest thou not that as the blud of Abel cried for vengaunce so this bloud of Christ calleth for mercy and he caÌ„ not but must nedes be heard one depenes calleth on another I meane the bottomeles abisse of my synnes hath neede of the abisse of Christes passyon and the abisse of Christes passyon calleth to the abisse of the mercye of God Saye therfore to Christ O Lorde make thy marcye maruelous and wonderful thou sauest them that truste in the cry saue me for thy mercye sake take and embrace thine y e right wysenes of Christ and then canne I be contented thou say Iudge me Lord accordyng to my rightwisnes Let euery man therfore go to the court of the mercy of God and if we be called to the barre of iustice let vs appeale alwayes to mercy and see that neuer a man appeare before the throne of iustyce except fyrst he be clothed w t Christ through fayth and then he may be presented boldly as he that is armed with innocency truth may be presented a fore any place of iudgement And God shal accept them for ryghtwyse To whome be all honoure and glory through Iesu Christ oure Lorde Amen ¶ The .x. Sermon By what meane to come to heauen Experyence proueth that euerye creature hathe naturallye a desyre and appetite to resort to it own proper place and mansyon and namely man because he is the most souerein creature of al other And for so much as our
againe because God is with theÌ„ and helpeth them in such sort that the more thei are in great perils necessity so muche the more is god beneficial to them For theÌ„ god gaue the law to the world sent Moses and the Prophetes them he calleth inwardly in suche maner that they heare his voice and answere him of them he mollifieth the hert and draweth them to Christ as the adamaÌ„t doeth Iron If they erre he dothe correcte and chasten them as chyldren as it is reade of Dauid to them he doth not impute theyr synne he doth quicken and glorify theÌ„ and finally al that god hath wrought and shall worke for him selfe is for the elect for them he sent Christ and when he came for them he toke vpon hym theyr synnes only for theÌ„ he prayed for them he wepte preached and dyd miracles for them he shed hys bloude dyed rose ascended into heauen sent the holye goste and shal come to iudge the quicke and the deade yea all that he hath suffered wrought and shall worcke is for the electe whom he loueth in so excessiue maner that he doth atribute to hym selfe al that is done to them God then beyng gratified with the elect in Christ doth geue vnto them his spirite the linelye lyghte of hym faythe hope with al the reste of vertues graces essencial necessary to saluacion And moreouer he geueth them grace to vse in the honor of god and be serued in his glorye of all the gyftes and graces which may be commune both to the good to y e euel to be vsed well euel as riches honour dignitye healthe long lyfe chyldreÌ„ frindes scieÌ„ce the gyfts of the tonge to do miracles and suche lyke Of them in parte Paule made mencyon writinge to the Corinthes And also geueth them grace to vse in his glorye pouerty ignommie in fame infirmitie wyth al aduersity and the priuacion of lyke gyftes euen to the death god geueth them such grace y â— wyth euery wind they saile to the port and they know that they are no lesse bounde to thanke god when they are without such giftes and in all aduersitie then when they haue suche things wyth the prosperitye of y â— world sence that by the grace which god geueth them al thynges worke to good Therfore they are euer contented to be in the state whych pleaseth the Lord neyther wolde they chaunge it if they myght with out the wyl of God and only for that they fele the deuine goodnes no lesse in aduersity then in the worldly prosperite In thend when they are fallen to any sinne god openeth their eies maketh theÌ„ se not only the euell y t they haue done but also y â— he hath so permited 〈◊〉 for then benefite to thende they may the better know theyr owne miseryes and the bountye of God But spekyng of y e reprobate I saye that it is inough for vs to knowe that god is not bonde nor necessited to geue them hys grace for theyr good workes because that the grace findeth no good worckes but doth make theym to be done wyth hys creatures The bondes are all oures wyth god and so muche the more as that we beyng all losse in Adam he myghte iustly not only obaÌ„don vs but damne and punyshe vs. He is not also compelled of his perfect goodnes mercy and charyty to not haue created the worlde he myghte nowe brynge it to nothinge and dyspose all creatures after hys owne waye beynge styll moste perfectelye iuste as he is nowe and was from without beginning before he did create the worlde God maye geue of hys grace as much as it pleaseth him wheÌ„ to whome he thincketh good yea and not to geue it without beyng vniust or doyng any iniury God also hath ben of power wythout doing any vnrightuousnes to creat the reprobat fore seynge theyr dampnacyon to serue his owne turne and to vse them for in strumentes or exercise the elect in vertue to the ende that their victories and triumphs likewise Christes myght be the more glorious finally al for his own greter glory And moreouer I saye that Christe hydeth hymselfe and hys grace manye tymes from persons so that althoughe they seeke hym crye after hym and recommend them selues to hym they fynde hym not nor he heareth them not notwythstandynge those such as are not moued to seke hym or coÌ„mit them selues to hym by the spirite nor for the zeale of the honour of God but for their proper interest yea and many times he doth blynde and indurate the people and all is most iustly done And although it be writteÌ„ y â— God hath â—ure of al calleth al wold saue all dyed for all doeth illumynate all dothe rayne and power his grace vpon all lyke sentences I say it is to be vnderstand that he hath cure of al ingeneral but of the elect in special and so he calleth al with a vocacion vniuersall but the elect with an inwarde and singuler When Paule sayd also that he wold saue all he vnderstode that to be of euery sorte of persons Hys death also was sufficient to saue al but it is not effectuous but to the elect and so where it is writteÌ„ y â— he doth illuminat and geue grace to al â–ª it is vnderstand of y e elect of those that are illuminate Therfore sayde Christe to the Apostles to you it is geuen to knowe the misteryes of the kyngdome of heuen Paule said lykewyse that the faith which is the gift of God is not al meÌ„s It is wel true also that God doth illumynate al in asmuch as ther is no person that hath not had some lyght knowledge of God Let vs then geue hym thankes sence that of hys mere goodnesse he hath coÌ„numerat vs among the elect and praye we him that he geue vs so much light of his goodnes that in euerye place tyme we may render him perfect land honoure and glory â–ª by Iesu Christ our Lorde Amen The .xxiiii. Sermon If a man haue lybertye or not and in what maner SOme myght thynke it superfluous for a christian to thynke whether he be fre or not but that it is inoughe to force hym selfe to make al possible resystence agaynst euell and hys beste power to do well geuynge all honoure and glorye to God because that in suche a case they walke to god surely neyther falling into the depth of idlenes But herein coÌ„sisteth the difficulty in geuinge al the glory to god Yea it is not possible that man while arrogaÌ„tly he presumeth of hym selfe thinkyng to do that whych he doth not can geue al the glory to god Therfore haue I iudged it necessarye to shewe what man can do to thend y t beyng hable to knowe and discerne betwene that which in dede is hys and that that is goddes he can and maye render all prayse and laude vnto him to whom of