whan the tyme is come and occasyon gyuen but bringe forthe the frutes therof And as an edder a tode or a snake is hated of man nat for the euyll that it hathe done but for the poyson that is in it and hurte whiche it can nat but do so are we hated of god for that naturall poyson which is conceiued and borne with vs before we do any outward euyll And as the euyll which a venomouse worme dothe maketh it nat a serpente but bycause it is a venomouse worme dothe it euyll and poysoneth and as the frute maketh nat the tree euyll but bycause it is an euyll tree therfore bringeth it forth euyll frute whan the season of frute is Euen so do nat our euyl dedes make vs fyrst euyll throughe ignorance blyndnes thorow euyll workynge hardeâ—eth vs in euyll maketh vs worse and worse but bycause that of nature we ar euyl therfore we both thinke do euyll and ar vnder vengeance vnder the law conuycte to eternall dampnation by the lawe and ar contrary to the wil of god in all our wyll in all thinges consent to the wyl of the fende ¶ By grace that is to saye by fauour we ar plucked out of AdaÌ„ the grounde of all euyll and graffed in Christ the rote of all goodnesse In Christ god loued vs his elect chosen before the worlde beganne and reserued vs vnto the knowlege of his sonne of his holy gospell and whan the gospell is preached to vs openeth oure hertes and gyueth vs grace to beleue and putteth the spiryte of Christ in vs and we know him as our father moste mercyfull and consent to the lawe and loue it inwardly in our hert and desyre to fulfyll it and sorowe bycause we caÌ„nat which wyll syn we of frayltie neuer so moch is suffycient tyll more strengthe be gyuen vs the blode of Christ hath made satisfactioÌ„ for the rest the blode of Christ hath opteyned all thynges for vs of god Christ is our satisfactyon redemer delyuered sauyour froÌ„ vengeance and wrath â–ª Obserue and marke in Paules Peters Jhons pistels in the gospell what christ is vnto vs ¶ By faith ar we saued only iÌ„ beleuynge the promises though faith be neuer without loue good workes yet is our sauinge imputed nether to loue nor vnto good workes but vnto faith only For loue workes ar vnder the lawe which requyreth perfection the grouÌ„de fountayne of the hert damneth all imperfytues â–ª Now is faith vnder the ê“myses which damne nat but giue ê‘don grace mercy fauour whatsoeuer is coÌ„teyned in the promises ¶ Rightwisnes is dyuers for blide reason imagyneth many maners of rightwisnesses There is the rightwisnes of workê as I sayd before whan the hert is away is nat felte how the lawe is spuÌ„all can nat be fulfylled but from the botom of the herte As the iust ministracyon â–ª of al maner of lawes the obseruing of them for a worldly purpose for our owne profyte nat of loue vnto our neyboure without all other respecte morall vertues wherin philosophers put their felicite blessednes which all ar nothynge in the syght of god in respect of the lyfe to come There is in lyke maner the iustifyeâ—g of ceremonies which soÌ„e imagyn their own selues some couÌ„terfeyâ—e other sayeng in their blide reason such holy persons dyd thus and thus and they were holy men therfore if I do so lykewyse I shal please god but they haue none answere of god that yâ— pleaseth The iewes seke rightwisnes in their ceremonies which god gaue vnto theÌ„ nat for to iustifye but to discribe paynt christ vnto theÌ„ of which iues testifyeth Paule sayeng how that they haue affectyon to god but nat after knowlege for they go aboute to stablyssh their owne iustyce ar nat obedyent to the iustyce or rightwysnes that cometh of god which is the forgyuenes of syn in christes blode vnto all that repent beleue The cause is verily that excepte a man cast away his owne imagynacyons reason he can nat perceyue god vnderstande the vertue and power of the blode of Christ Ther is a full rightwisnes whaÌ„ the lawe is fulfylled from the grounde of the hert This had nat Peter nor paul in this lyfe parfytly vnto the vtter most that they coulde nat be parfyter but syghed after it They were so farforth blessed in christ that thei hungred thyrsted after it Paule had this thirst he conseÌ„ted to the law of god that it ought so to be but he fouÌ„de another lust in his membres contrarye to the lust desyre of his mynde that letted him and therfore cryed out sayeng Oh wretched maÌ„ that I am who shal delyuer me froÌ„ this body of deth thaÌ„kes be to god thorowe Jesus Christ The ryghtwysnes that before god is of value is to beleue the promyses of god after the lawe hath confouÌ„ded the conscyence As whan the teÌ„porall lawe ofte tymes condempneth the thefe or morderer bringeth him to execusyon so that he seeth no thynge before him but present deth than cometh good tydynges a charter from the kinge and deliuereth him Lykewyse whan goddes lawe hath brought the synner in a knowlege of him selfe hath confounded his conscyence opened vnto him the wrath and vengeance of god than cometh good tydynges the Euangelyon sheweth vnto him the promyses of god in Christ howe that Christ hath purchased pardon for hiÌ„ hath satisfyed the lawe for him and pesed the wrath of god And the pore sinner beleueth laudeth thanketh god thorowe Christ and breaketh out into excedynge inwarde ioye gladnes for that he hathe escaped so gret wrath so heuy vengeaunce so ferfull and so euerlastyng a deth And he hence forthe is an hungred and a thirst after more rightwisnes that he myght fulfyll the lawe and mourneth contynually coÌ„mendyng his wekenes vnto god in the blode of our sauyoure Christ Jesu ¶ Here shall ye se compeÌ„diously playnly set out the ordre practyse of euery thynge afore rehersed ¶ The fall of Adam hath made vs heyres of the vengeance wrath of god heyres af eternall daÌ„pnation And hath brought vs iÌ„to captiuyte boÌ„dage vnder the deuyll And the deuyll is our lorde our ruler our heed our gouernour our prince ye and our god and our wyl is locked and knyt faster vnto the wyll of the deuyll thaÌ„ coude an huÌ„dreth thousande chaynes bynde a man vnto a post Unto the deuyls wyll consent we with all our hertes with al our myndes with all our might power strength wyl lust so that the law wyll of the deuyl is writteÌ„ as wel in our hertes as in our membres we ronne hedlonge after the deuyll with full seale the hole swynge of al the power we haue as a ston cast vp into the ayre cometh downe naturally of his owne selfe with all the vyolence and swynge of his owne
which euery faythfull ought to haue contynually before him And by this menes is the soule delyuered from the gret quakyng tremblyng that he was in before the gospell was preseÌ„ted vnto him which drede the law brought him vnto shewynge him that he had deserued dampnacyon in the brekynge therof But whan he hereth those same glad tydiÌ„ges he hath an inwarde ioye in himselfe whiche no herte of man can thinke without that he haue proued it For the more harder the condemnation is the more sharpe the dethe is that foloweth it from the more greuousnesse that he is delyuered brought to this blessednes and lyfe which he neuer loked for the more is his ioye gret And therfore the soule consyderinge the excedyng goodnes that the endles mercy that the father of heuen hath done for him in gyuyng his son for him ponderiÌ„ge also the most inestimable swetnesse of the most benige Jesus who hath spent shed his blode for him takiÌ„g vpon him all his siÌ„nes cancellyng and makyng voyde the oblygacion of deth in the which he was bonde wasshynge him pure clene in his blode baptisynge him with the holy spirite the which of an ardent loue wolde vouchesafe to come downe dwell in his conscience for to direct it instructe it or corroborate it in fayth gyuyng him vnderstaÌ„dynge in the worde of god layeng al these great gyftes sondrie benefytes togyther conceyueth thorow the working of the holyghost a maruelous ardent loue toward god by the reason of the whiche he is set on fyre burneth in the meruelouse zele that he hath to the honour of god And whan he seeth that he can nat please god so highlye as he wolde do by the reason of the flesshe with his aduersarye vnto the spirite and that his worke be nothynge parfyte by the reason of his infirmite he mourneth in him selfe desyring to be delyuered froÌ„ his seruytute of corrupcyon of siÌ„ne but than is he brought in quyetnes by the holy spirit which prayeth for him with vnspeakable sighes that this empeshment or let may be taken away to the ende he maye fulfyll the wyll and the lawe of god without any gaynsay or contradycâ—yon And in all suche rekenynges â—he holyghost coÌ„forteth him so that at the laste he taketh all in gree paâ—yently takynge all his pleasure in god that in all temptacyons and trybulacions afflyctions that shal come to him For the holyghost sheweth him the promyses whiche are conteyned in holye scripture and so instructe seynge that it is the wyll of god that he shuld be so vexed he reioyseth in all his teÌ„ptacions all his troubles be lyght swete vnto him Howbeit there is one temptation which is more gret more horryble than all other that is whan we be persecuted on al sydes whaÌ„ the lorde withdraweth his consolation and confort from vs as though he were angrye agaynste vs for to proue tast our fayth and confydence that we haue in the goodnesse of god for whaÌ„ our lorde doth comforte vs we fele him to be present we set lyght of all our trybulacioÌ„s be it losse of goodes of chyldren of wyfe of husbande of lyfe or of all honoure or whatsoeuer it be But whaÌ„ we ê‘â—eyue nat him to be nygh vs whaÌ„ he absenteth himselfe to our semynge to the profe of our fayth than we lackyng him lacke all goodnes full of synne wretchednes se our self abhorred by the reason of our fylthynes se all thinge agaynst vs se hell open to deuour swalow vs vp as the forsaken of god In this maruelous teÌ„ptacion it is but a foly to roÌ„ne for socour to our good workes for the best of theÌ„ do but coÌ„demne vs. For all the good dedes that come of our selfe be but fylthines abhominacion before god and as a cloth defyled contamynate with the floures of a woman In such a teÌ„ptacion there is no remedy but fayth that is to haue full coÌ„fydence trust in the promyses of god as be these He that beleueth iÌ„ me shall nat taste euerlastiÌ„ge deth Nothinge is impossyble to hiÌ„ that beleueth Al they that call on the name of the lorde shal be saued And accordynge to your fayth be it vnto you And many other of which holy scripture is full ¶ Such promyses as promyse vs lyfe delyueraunce from our euyls â—e called euangelique be the veâ—y gospell or glad tydynges whiche saueth that whiche the lawe dampâ—eth which quyteth whan the law condempneth vnto the deth so that â—elefe be gyuen therto And the soule also hath another thiÌ„ge which may assure him that is that our helthe â—s nat in our handes for if it were we shuld haue lost it within a whyle but in the hande of god oute of whose hande no power can take it and also that we be the shepe of christ which can nat be rauysshed oute of his hande for as him selfe saythe No parson shall take theÌ„ away nor bereue me of theÌ„ And this must we beleue surely that he came to saue synners in as moch as we be synners he is com to saue vs the more that the soule perceyueth hiÌ„ selfe opprest with gret horrible synnes so moch the more to haue confydeÌ„ce in the deth of our sauyour whiche satisfyed for al the syn of the world leuynge to haue any truste in hys good workes but only to haue confydence in the greate goodnesse of god which he declared habundantlye in the passyon and dethe of his soÌ„ne For if by workes a maÌ„ might accomplyssh fulfyl the law christ suffred deth in vayne Wherfore on Jesus only must we set all our confydence Now we must nat bicause Christ is come to saue synners to helpe theÌ„ that be diseased We must nat therefore synne styll to the ende that he shulde saue vs styll for we haue done to moche alredye synne euery day synne euery houre sore for there is nat so rightuouse a man but he synneth at the lest seuen tymes a day but those same sinnes of the rightuouse man be nat imputed vnto him bycause that the spirit of god is within him for they be nat in him for as touchyng the inwarde man and in that that he hath the spirit he synneth nat For the fayth contynueth hole and parfeyte in the spiryt which faith hath put awaye the hole body of synne so that synne â—â—ygneth nat in vs bycause we be made newe creatures though now and than by the reason of our wekenesse we do synne yet this synne is nat imputed bycause of the stryfe that we haue agaiÌ„st it And for this cause must we humble our selfe before god knowlege our selfe to be siÌ„ners also haue a sure belefe that our synnes be forgiuen vs euyn as we be assured by the infallyble promyses of god for as moch as we beleue so moch receyue we of god as he sayde Accordyng to your faith so be it to you
to wyll that these holy lawes were nat giueÌ„ to men is to wyll that god were nat such be the blasphemies of the flessh whan she receyueth the lawe which is spuÌ„all in the which she hath no inteÌ„demeÌ„t nor vnderstaÌ„ding for she weneth to coÌ„passe it by workes which thinge onely faythe doth And now whaÌ„ he seeth perceiueth that though he do neuer so moch he caÌ„ nat accomplissh or fulfil the law than is he full of horrour of dispeyre seyng that hell is redy for him bicause of the transgression of the lawe whan he can imagyn â—o wayes to auoyde the indignatioÌ„ of the law than all disolate full of dispayre he begâ—neth to abhorre the lawe without the father of heuen draw him inspyre him the way to fulfyll the lawe he doth all coÌ„trary to it For of hiÌ„ selfe he can nat chuse but synne do euyll And therfore is the lawe gyuen vs bycause we shuld know our sâ—nes the only of fyce of the lawe is nat to iustify vs but she we vs our wekenesse feblenesse in well doyng to shew man that he hath deserued deth damnation which by his own power he caÌ„ nat shon to the ende that a maÌ„ knowyng his owne wekenes vnablenes to do well dispeyre of his own vertue strength settinge asyde all coÌ„fydence in any thâ—ge that he caÌ„ do humble him selfe knowleging that if our mercyfull lorde of his vnspekable mercy delyuer him nat from deth and dampnacyon the whiche he hath deserued thorow transgressyon of the lawe he had perysshed and ben dampned for euer For if oure fearse and proude herte be nat mekened fyrst by the lawe and make vs confesse oure selfe Synners we shulde neuer be saued by Christ for he came for to saue synners and vnrightuous nat them that be rightuouse and iust which iustify them selfe by their workes ¶ But whan a man knoweth his owne fylthynes abhomination seeth that he is condeÌ„ned rightuously to euerlastynge deth thaÌ„ cometh the gospell which is to say glad tydynges in vse is presented vnto hiÌ„ which sayth Thou wretched thefe whiche woldest haue depriued god of his godheed woldest haue ben thyne owne god thorow thy pride Thou wretched desperate caityfe which after the iust iugemeÌ„t of god haddest deserued to be hanged on the galowes of hell which hast the halter about thy necke that is to saye thy wyl thy flesshe thy lustes whiche be lordes ouer the by reasoÌ„ that the spirite of god ruleth nat in the. The most mercy full god hath sente the thy pardone and wyll nat that this iugement be executed but that thou be quyte and haue thy lyfe be delyuered from the handes of the deuyll of hell which was thy haÌ„ge man whom thou dydest serue and worke to And he hath nat alonely rydde the from dethe and made the his seruant but also graunteth the to be his soÌ„ne and inherytour with our swete sauyoure Jesus whiche is become thy brother whom the father of his infynite goodnes and kindnes nat for bicause of thy good dedes which hast done neuer but euyll hath gyueÌ„ for the to make full satis factyon for all thy euyll dedes so that thou beleue that he dyed for thy synne rose agayne to iustifye the which desyreth none other thig but to saue that the which was lost that is to saye synners whiche thorowe their owne deseruynges were in the way of daÌ„pnacion And whaÌ„ the conscience which was before full of great drede hereth this good tydynges if god gyue theÌ„ the grace to gyue credeÌ„ce therto beleue theÌ„ than they be certayne by the reason of this fayth that they be pardoned of all their offeÌ„ces thorow the deth and passyon of Jesu Christ Than coÌ„ceyue they a gret ioye myrth in warde reioysynge in theÌ„ selfe And our mercyfull lorde in gyuynge vs this fayth gyueth vs also his spirit the which maketh vs the very chyldren of god thorow faith the very â—eÌ„bres of the body of Jesu christ we be in all thynges alwayes conduyted directe by this holy spirite of god for otherwyse could we nat be the chyldren of god for they only be the chyldren of god which be led by the spirit of god So we hauiÌ„g this holy spirite in vs to be our gyde directour of our iourney whiche is all charyte loue by the whiche the lawe is accomplysshed the lawe is fulfylled in vs. And by the reason of his holy spirit which gydeth vs we go no more in the waye of the flessh For the flessh hath no leÌ„ger dominion ouer vs but is caste out of his kiÌ„gdome Christ reining in vs by the holy ghost which causeth vs dayly to mortify our flesshe which alwayes is contrary vnto the spirit destroyeng pullyng downe and coÌ„suminge our concupiscences and lustes by the fyre of charyte And albeit that this concupiscens is syn ye mortall synne of his owne nature neuertheles it is nat imputed nor rekened vnto vs which ar membres of Jesu Christ consyderynge that by the reasoÌ„ of the spirit of god we loue god with all our hert desyre nothing so moch as the wyl of god to be done in vs. And so by the reasoÌ„ that we haue this good spirit in vs we neuer siÌ„ne For this newe natiuyte by the which we be made the infantes of god doth coÌ„serue kepe vs that is the holyghost which thorowe fayth is gyuen vs. But in as moch as all our wyttes wyll intendementes be but flessh as loÌ„g as we be â—uironed clogged with this corruptyble bodye which is a gret let vnto the soule we caÌ„ nat be without sinne seing that all thinge that is in vs excepte the gyftes of god which sue come of faith is alwayes contrary vnto the spirit by the reason wherof euermore as touchynge the olde man fyrst Adam the outward man the man of syn flesshe we syn And if we saye that we haue no synne we lye deceyue our selues bycause of this haue we cause euermore to mekeÌ„ our self and to put awaye all confydence in vs or in oure workes gyuynge all glory vnto god which of his only grace delyuered vs from the captyuytie of deth makynge it of no effecte or power to lose or distroy vs. For the lyfe which he hath giuen vs by the spirite of his sonne is farre gretter than is this deth and therfore it can nat harme vs. Whiche is a greate assuraunce to a mannes conscyence for whan he beleueth surely in Jesu Christ he is assured and certifyed that Jesu Christ is in him therfore he can be afrayde of nothynge seynge that Jesu Christ is puysaunt mighty whiche hath vaynquysshed the worlde all power contrary vnto the soule in the which he dwelleth by his holy spyryte so that nothynge can ceperate him from his souerayne welth whiche is Jesu Christ which coÌ„forteth him with his holy promyses