foretold them by Esay of whom he shoulde be borne namely of a virgine by Micheas where hée shoulde be borne namely in Bethléem both by Moyses himselfe and also by Daniel he declared vnto them the tyme when he should be borne the afflictyons whiche he shoulde suffer for their restitution he painted at large in Esay and Zachery the saluation of hys people glory of his resurrection and kingdome both by Esay Ieremy and Zacharye hée foretold them so that from Adams fall he trayned man to take holde of his promise concerning the séede for their delyuerance All which notwithstanding so farre were they from the true sense and féeling thereof that neither themselues were profited nor by their example the heathen prouoked to seeke after god Wherefore God new for hys truthes sake mynding the consummation of hys promise determyned the finall establishment of thys couenant in the handes of the promised sede whereunto both Iew and Gentile shoulde be inuited that he as the sole mediator betweene God and maÌ„ might make the full reconcilement Wherefore the tyme beyng nowe come of hys long promised determination hée sent his sole and onelye begotten some our Lorde and Sauyour Iesus Chryst who of the virgine takyng fleshe was made man lyke vnto vs in all things sinne excepted who after many afflictyons in publishing declaryng Gods full purpose concernyng the consummation of hys couenaunt sealed vp the same with his owne giltlesse death and bloudshed And after hys risyng agayne from death sent his disciples abrode into all the partes of the earth to publishe that glad tidinges of mans reconcilement to God and deliueraunce from death and sinne by the merites and iust desert of Iesus Chryst Thus hauyng shewed how man regarded the Law and how in Christ the promised séede the couenant was consummate it followeth Cap. 7. ¶ How the obedyence and gyltlesse death of Christ was a full satisfaction for the disobedience and deserued death purchased to all mankinde by Adam Forasmuch as Adams rebellious dysobedieÌ„ce had so swalowed vp the whole nature of man into sinne and wyckednes as is shewed before that hys whole nature is nothing els but a full obedyence wylling desire and naturall pronesse of the whole man vnto sinne and rebellion And contrarywise the law of God is the absolute rule of ryghteousnesse which challengeth to the fulfilling thereof the full obedience willing desire and naturall pronesse of the whole man vnto righteousnesse These two being thus direct contrary which notwithstanding the God of all compassion for the triumphant glory of hys victiorious mercy by the mediation of Chryst the appoynted séede had bound himselfe by promise to reconcile In consideration whereof it was expedient that to thys reconcilement suche a medyator in the promysed séede shoulde be sent as participating in some poynt with both the extremes namely God and man myght haue an omnisufficient habilitie in hym selfe to consummate the absolute reconcilement wherefore Christ the eternall sonne and wisedome of the father commyng downe from heauen beyng very righteousnesse it selfe indewing the similitude of sinnefull flesh became perfect man like vnto vs in all thinges except sinne And so of his diuine nature and of naturall man sinne excepted became one perfect Christ namely that perfect and onely meane which in hym selfe had absolute habilitie to consummate the recencilement in asmuch as he was fully possessed of the natures of both the extremes namely perfect god and perfect man sinne excepted who hauing in himselfe full obedience willing desire and naturall pronesse of the whole man vnto the law he being righte ousnes it selfe passing through many troubles afflictions in proclaiming to stubbern man his nature office cause of his comming the nature of the new â—ouenaunt wher of he was the mediator finally offered vp him self vnto the iustice of God hys father the absolute end consummation and sacrifice of thys reconcilement As he vnto whom all the former promyses law and prophetes had respect and relation who now appearing before the sentence of the law and iustice of God presenteth hymselfe the full raunseme and reconcilement of mans transgression by the iust desert of hys innocent and giltles sufferyng that as by the rebellious acte of one gilty man namely Adam sinne and eternall death was engendered euen so by the obedient acte and giltles death of one gilteles man namely Iesus Christ sinne and eternal death is iustly againe destroyed and eternall lyfe the crowne of righteousnesse absolutely and most truely purchased for maÌ„ So that as the first Adam by corrupting nature made man the slaue of sinne so Christ the last â–ª Adam by adoption hath restored hyni agayne to be childe of righteousnesse Thys is he in whose person it is sayde by the Prophet Oseas O death I will be thy death O hell I will be thy sting so that by hym death is swalowed vp into victory hys lyfe hath deuoured our death hys righteousnes hath subdued our sinne hys saluation hath vanquished our damnation he hath put out the hand writing of the ordinaunces which were against vs he hath taken it out of the way and fastned it vpon his crosse Thus all the promisses as Sainct Paule saith being in him accomplished hee nowe remaineth an aduocate at the right hande of his father making intercession for vs beyng our peace our hope and consolation our wisedome iustice sanctification and redemption our light our waye and our life the accomplishement and end of the lawe vnto whom euen from the creation of Adam vntill his comming all the doing of God hadde respecte and relation Thus the sonne of God became man to make men by adoption the sonnes of God the glorious became abiecte to make the abiects glorious The blessed became cursed to make the cursed blessed The rich became poore to make the poore rich The righteous became condemned to make the condemned ryghteous The frée became bonde to make the bonde free greate was the sore of sinne that neded such a salue as neither 〈…〉 riarke nor Prophet power nor Potentate Aungell nor Archangell nor any other but onelye the sonne of God was able to make And hée not otherwise then by hys death and innoceÌ„t bloudshed Great I say was the sore of sinne Thus hauyng shewed that Christ is the ende of the lawe and hys death the omuisufficient redemption of man it followeth Cap. 8. ¶ To enquire the nature of the new couenant and what on the behalfe of man is required to the attaynement of ryghteousnesse in the same ALthough in the first couenantmade betwene God man concernyng mans restitution namely in the lawe God offered vnto man very much vnto whom in dede he ought nothing yet notwithstanding the offer being vnder such conditions as mans corrupte nature coulde no waye neyther by action nor consent satisfie as is shewed before surely the hope of that offer vanquished into iust feare and horror of the sentence
brought in sinne and death 2. That that transgression made man an apt subiect for the two properties of God namely iustice and mercy to worke vpon 3. That for the manifestyng of maÌ„s subiection to both those properties the declaration of the law was nedefull wherein the condition of his estate might appeare 4. That the nature of the lawe is to be knowen and what is requisite to the fulfilling thereof and the contrarietie betwene the same the corrupt nature of man. 5. To what end the lawe should be geueÌ„ vnto man he hauing no power to satisfie any part of the same 6. How man regarded the lawe how in Christ the promised seede the couenaunt concerning mans restitution was consummate 7. How the obedience and death of Christ was a full satisfaction for the disobedience and deserued death purchased to al mankinde by AdaÌ„ 8. To enquire the nature of the new couenaunt what on the behalfe of maÌ„ is required to the atteinment of righteousnes in the same 9. To know the certaine tokens of that faith wherunto iustification is imputed the differeÌ„ce betwen the workes of the faithfull the workes required in the lawe 10. To know what iustificatioÌ„ or righteousnes it is which the scriptures attribute to works also what fayth it is against which S. Iames speaketh why iustificatioÌ„ is imputed to fayth and not to workes THE IMAGE of Nature and Grace ¶ That Adams wilfull transgression made him and his ofspring rebels to God and brought in sinne and death Cap. 1. THe eternal wisdome of God hauyng created Adam our first father after the excelleÌ„cie of his owne Image adorned naturally with iustice holines and all perfection to be vnto hym as it were the beauty and glory of all hys workes so aduaunced him by his creation aboue the rest of all his earthlye creatures that vnto him alone he gaue the rule and preheminence in nature to be their Lord and ruler That is to whome all they should obey and serue for the first taste of the which excellent dignitie and prerogatiue he placed theÌ„ all before him as before their soueraign Lord from his mouth to receiue seuerally their titles and proper names according to the whiche they all were called Then geuing Eua vnto hym for his helper he placed him in the garden of Eden the possession of all earthly delightes appointing vnto him the kéeping therof with frée libertie for hys reliefe and comfort to taste eate of all the excellent fruites therein the onely trée of knowledge of good and euill excepted of the whiche he forbade hym to eate affirmyng that what houre soeuer he tasted therof he shoulde dye the death Now forasmuch as the matters here spoken of namely the Image of God in man and mans originall iustice and perfection do iustly chalenge some explication therof as well that the excellency of Gods first benefites towardes man might after a certayne maner bée séene and the glorious estate of his former dignitie more gréedily thristed for agayne and also the outrage of his ingratitude with greater detestation abhorred and the filthines and foule corruption of his nature and miserye of his presente estate by vewe of his former perfection more perfectly paynted out And finally that the triumphe of Gods vnspeakeable mercy in Christe which notwithstanding so huge transgression hath not onely pardoned him but also adopted hym into the fellowship and libertie of his owne sonne that all these I say might be made the more apparaunt those wordes do iustly chalenge some explicatioÌ„ Wherfore where it is sayd that man was created after the image of God it is to bée vnderstand that he was created the most excellent earthly creature being made partener of the naturall goodnes and vertue of God namely holy wise iust pure good true immortall c. hauyng both power perfectly to know God also power and fréewil constantly to beleue him to serue him to obey him to loue him to feare him and to be shorte to perfourme such workes as aunswered to the image of so excellent a Paterne And therefore doth Tertullian writing agaynst Marcion moste excellently and briefly define the Image of of God thus Haec ergo imago censenda est dei in homine quod eosdem motus sensus habeat humanus animus quos deus heet non tales quâ—les deus pro substantia enim status exitus distant Therefore is this to be accouÌ„ted the image of God in man that the mynde of man must haue the same mouinges felings which god hath although not euen suche as God hath for as touching substance of state and ende they differ That is to say that is the image of God which naturally loueth that which god loueth hateth that which god hateth which of very nature iudgeth of all things according to the iudgemeÌ„t of God All which thinges were necessary to the duety of mans office for seyng God had made and created hym as it were his liuetenaunt or vicegerent ouer all his earthly creatures it was necessary that to their gouernement hys nature should participate of the excellent properties of God that thereby in the whole execution of his office hée might haue power not to swerue from his duty and obedience required in the same And hereby appeareth what originall righteousnes was in maÌ„ namely holines knowledge wisedome iustice purenes goodnes truth immortalitie loue temperance chastitie vnlust fréedome from sinne naturall and willing obedience to God hauing power to do good not to sinne not to dye c. and that he in respect of this excellente and glorious condicion of this original nature is called the image of god It is thus out of the Scriptures of God easily gathered Thus writeth Paul to the Ephesians Lay from you the olde maÌ„ which is corrupt through the deceiuable lustes and be ye renued in the spirit of your mynde and put on the new man which after God is shapen in righteousnes and true holines And again the same Paul to the Colos sayth Lye not one to another seyng ye haue put of the olde man with his workes and haue put on the newe which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that made him Now what the putting on of this new willingly forgetfull of his creator from whome he had not onely receyued hys beyng but also the prerogatiue of so excellent dignity He I say missed by deceitfull perswation neglecting the glorye of his creator rather gaue credite to the light perswasion of his wife then to the reuerend and dreadfull maiesty For his wife being deceiued by the serpent supposed the commaundemeÌ„t to haue bene geuen rather of subteltie to hinder their dignitye and as it were a scarcrowe to fray them from the tast of that fruite whereby their excellency might increase or as though God had rather not vouchsafed them that further good happe which by taste thereof was
incident vnto theÌ„ then otherwise Such was the tickling of ambitious desire such was the horrour of contumelious ingratitude that now in stead of homage and duetifull thankes for so excellent an estate straightway is he trayned into suspition of hys louing creator And now seking in this desire to be the author and builder of his owne soueraigntie willingly he tasteth the fruit But forth with he felt the errour of his stray and iust scourge of hys fall beholdyng his nakednes and shame Now is he which was before the glory of God made through his rebellious contempt so lothsome in hys owne sight that shamyng hys owne filthy nakednes he séeketh to make aprons of figge leaues to hyde that which before was naturally and most secretly couered with the pure robe of innocency Now féeleth he the hyre of hys cruell ingratitude new the bitter tuice of the tasted fruite stingeth hym the excellent dignity of hys first creation lost the sower sappe of deserued destruction fully felt in possession the rigorous reuenge of his ragyng rebellion now wofuâ—ly wringeth hym downe droppeth the glory of hys royall estate A full dispossession of all the excellent ornamentes of grace a swalowyng spoyle of all former glorious gifts Now sinne hauyng him fully in possession displayeth before his eyes the ensign of death Horror and calamity rush in on euery side that which he before in the swellyng of desire forgate to acknowledge Now the ouerwhelming calamitie of painefull practise hath forced hym to féele namely that God was the only stay and glory of hys estate the roote and cause of all hys dignitie Now filthy wretch hence flieth he from the face of his God whose presence before was the beutie of his comfort the dreadfull vew of deserued destruction burrieth him into corners to hide himselfe He that before ioyfully presented him to his maker yea he in whom was writen the glory magnificence of god now for fearful shame shroudeth him from his presence and being called in this corruptioÌ„ shieldeth his misery vnder the trembling shade of silly defence beyng demaunded why he had tasted of the forbiddeÌ„ fruit the womaÌ„ saith he whoÌ„ thou gauest vnto me gaue me of the tree I did eate As though he should haue said although the contempt of thy commaundemeÌ„t displayeth it self in the acte by me coÌ„mitted yetalas so measure my cause by the due circumstance that I be not made faulty aboue my trespas the breach of thy coÌ„maundement I cannot hide seing the vew of my wretched nakednes bewrayeth the same in so great a cause onely this small refuge resieth for my defence Though I be gilty of the acte yet as the author I am not culpable seyng this woman whom thou gauest vnto me being deceiued by the serpent supposing a glorious soueraigntie coupled with so beautiful a bayte sethyng down vnder the hungry desire of higher dignity breakyng out of the liâ—â—es of thy appoynted boâ—nâ—es into the maze of persuaded libertie presented to me a tast ther of as a rare and singuler benefie which alectiue perswasion abusing my affection caried my will into so vnaduised consent that I yelded to the same Wherfore though touching the crime I haue no iust defeÌ„ce yet as the author I am not culpable Thus could graceles error euen in an instant shrowd the giltyship of this chylde of destruction vnder the habite of wrangling defence to holde tremblyng plea against his creator Now beganne he to shyne in the right coloures of confusion so farre was hée failen from acknowledgyng of offence Here with God beholding his glorious Image and likenes vtterly cancelled and defaced the beawtifull grace of all his goodnes despitefully rased the stompe or Printe of his deuine nature most filthily blotted out God I say beholding this accordyng to maÌ„s iust desert began to hate hym refuse hym for his worke and to lothe that which before he liked Now all the former delight which he thoughte to haue reposed in man was turned into iuste anger hys likyng into lothing hys fauour into frownes hys cherefull countenaunce into destroying displeasure So that whole man both thought lyfe and action through the noysome stinke of this hatefull rebellion became so abhorfull a creature vnto hys maker that it not onely repented hym that euer hée made man but for hys farther plague he also cursed the whole earth Here entred our first foyle and haynous infection namely our originall sinne the depriuation and ruine of whole nature the spoyle and corruptioÌ„ of all vertues both of body and mynde the swallowing sea of all confusion the cursed cloud of ignoraunce the déepe darkener of all deuine knowledge the ruinous roote of all outrage the mother of al conteÌ„pt the hed and fountayne of all sinne the banisher of reason and surrenderer of all the raynes and gouernment of lyfe into the hands of licentious lustes and filthy affections And to be shorte the whole fountayne of the tragedy of our confusion triumphe of Sathan But now as from the roote is deriued and sent into euery braunche and sprowte that naturall sappe from whiche they take their substaunce and increase So thys hatefull impe nothyng vnfruitfull in hys cursed kynde begate accordyng to the venemed iuice of his corruption children of hys owne heare lyke vnto hymself namely wicked peruerse corrupt and rebellious swarmyng full of all filthe and wyckednes naked barrayne of any one spot of goodnes Here agayn in this place forasmuch as sinne the effectes therof haue ben touched I thinke it not inconuenient for playne vnderstandyng to bestow some labour about the consideracion therof Wherefore first of all beginning with originall sinne it maye bée thus defined Originall sinne is the losse of originall righteousnesse and corruption of the whole nature of man the truth of this definition is thus proued Thus writeth Paule to the Corinthians The stinge of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the lawe So then the law is the strength of the sting of death but the law to be the strength of the stinge of deathe is nothyng els but this namely that the stynge of death hath no strengthe but ouer suche as the lawe declareth to be vnrighteous but the lawe declareth none to bée vnrighteous but suche as haue lost originall righteousnes Therefore the sting of death hath no strength but ouer such as haue lost original righteousnes but the stinge of death hath strength ouer the whole nature of man therefore the whole nature of man hath loste original righteousnes which was first to be proued Agayne the same Paul to the Ephesians affirmeth That man is by nature the child of wrath And again in an other place he affirmeth That the wrath of God commeth in respect of fornication vncleannes vnnaturall lustes euill concupiscense couetousnes c. And therfore it followeth that man séeing he is by nature the childe of wrathe that
he is naturally defiled with the séede of all these corruptions wherby the truth of the definition is euident And for further confirmation therof God in Genesis sayth thus My spirite shall not alwayes striue with man because he is flesh Now seing Christ the most wise expositor of the scriptures affirmeth that by the fruite the trée shall be discerned therefore by the fruites of fleshe declared by Saint Paule in the 5. chapter to the Galathians it is plainely gathered that fleshe is nothyng els but a masse of iniquitie and corruption but the whole man was before concluded vnder the name of fleshe Therefore the whole man is a masse of iniquitie and corruption Againe in the 8. of Genesis he sayth The imagination of mans harte is euill euen from his youth whereby it appeareth that there is wickednes and corruption cleaning vnto hys nature which Dauid also vttereth in playne wordes Behold sayth he I was begotten in wickednes and in sinne hath my mother conceyued me And Ieremy sayth That the hart of man is wicked and peruerse And of the vncleanes and naturall corruption of mā thus Iob in playne woordes beareth witnes Who sayth he can make him cleane that is conceiued of vncleane seede And Christ himselfe sayth That that which is borne of flesh is fleshly The meaning wherof is plaine by that which is sayd before Agayne Paule witnesseth That thorough the offence of one man sinne hath entred vpon all men Againe the same Paule to shew the filthy corruption of nature sheweth the opposition and contrarietie betwene the lawe and sinne The law sayeth he is spirituall I am carnall solde vnder sinne as though he had sayd The lawe is pure but I am corrupt which he proueth by Christes owne rule namelye by the fruites For sayth he that good which I would that do I not but that euill which I hate that do I If nowe I doe that I would not then is it not I that do it but sinne that dwelleth in mee Where this is to be noted that he affirmeth sinne to dwell in hym that is to haue possession of hym and naturallye to cleaue vnto hym Agayne the same Paule accuseth the whole worlde that there is none righteous that there is none wise or that seeketh after God. Now I trust the truthe of the definition is sufficiently confirmed whereunto I will also adde somewhat of the opynion of the fathers that the agréemente betwene vs in the truthe thereof may appeare Thus writeth Augustine Contra vulnus originalis peccati quo in Adam omnium hominum corrupta mortificata est natura vnde omnium concupiscentiarum morbus moleuit potens remdium est mors filij Dei Domini nostri Iesu Christi The death of our Lorde Iesus Christ the sonne of God is a myghty remedye agaynst the wounde of originall sinne wherewith the nature of al men is in Adam corrupt and slayne and from whence the infection of all concupiscence hath sprong And the same agayne in his booke of nature and grace Natura verò ista hominis qua vnusquisque ex Adam nascitur iam medico indiget quia sana non est For thys nature of man wherein euerye man is borne of Adam hath now néede of a Physition because it is not found Agayne vpon the Gospel of Iohn Non natura quae tota fuerat per liberum arbitrium in ipso radice vitiata not by nature whiche through free will was wholye defiled in the verye roote And agayne he calleth it Perditionem hominis liberi arbitrij The losse of a man and of free wyll And agayne Amissionem imaginis dei The losse of the Image of God. Agayne thus wryteth Origene In lege pro illo qui natus fuerit iubetur offerri hostia par turturum aut duo pulli colūbini ex quibus vnus pro peccato et alius in ho locaustomata pro quo peccato offertur hic pullus vnus nūquid nuper aeditus paruulus peccare potuit et tunc habet peccatum pro quo hostia iubetur offerria quo mundus negatur quis esse etsi vnius diei fuerit vita eius In the lawe it is commaunded that for hym that is borne a payre of turtles or two yong pigeons shoulde bee offered of the whyche the one shoulde be for a sinne offeryng and the other for a burnt offeryng For what synne is thys one pigeon offered coulde the newe borne chylde sinne yea euen then hee hath synne for the which he is commaunded to offer a synne offeryng from the whyche there is no man clere and though hee bee but one daye olde And a lyttle after in the same place Sciebant enim illi quibus mysteriorum secreta commissa sunt diuinorum quia essent in omnibus genuinae sordes peccati For they to whom the secretes of the deuyne mysteries were committed knew that the naturall filthinesses of sinne were in al men And agayne the same Origene vpon Leuit. Quaecunque anima in came nascitur iniquitatis peccati sorde poluitur what soule soeuer is borne in fleshe it is defiled with filthe of wickednesse and sinne And Hierome vpon Ezechiell A pueritia appositum est cor hominis ad malum vt ne vnius quidem diei a natiuitatis suae exordio sine peccato sit humana conditio Mans heart is set vppon euill euen from his childhood that the nature of man is not one daye from his birth without sinne And agayne Ambrose Omnes homines in primo homine sine vitio conditi sumus et omnes naturae nostrae incolumitatem eiusdem hominis praeuaricatione perdidimus inde tracta mortalitas inde multiplex corporis animique corruptio inde ignorantia et difficultas All men were in the first man created wythout synne and all by the transgression of the same man haue lost the freedome of our nature from thence wee toke the manifolde corruption both of body and soule from thence ignoraunce and dulnes c. And Bernard speakyng thereof A primo homine vsque ad nouissimum protenditur in singulis quoque a planta pedis vsque ad verticem diffunditur hoc venenum It is stretched euen from the first man to the last and thys poyson spreade abroade in euerye man eeuen from the soole of the foote to the crowne of the hed Now I suppose it is sufficiently proued what originall sinne is Wherefore I wyll now a little touche the common doctrine of the earnest enemies I meane the Papistes concernyng the same Their common receyued definition therof amongst their schoolemen is thys Peccatum originis est reatus tantūm seu imputatio qua propter lapsum Adae omnes homines secundum naturam propagati rei sunt Originall sinne is onely the giltiship or imputation whereby all men generate according to nature are through the fall of Adam giltye For the
veniall for to bée veniall and remyssible is all one thing and therfore all sinnes which through fayth are forgeuen are veniall wherby the truth of the definition appeareth and hereby it is euident that no sinne can be called veniall in respect of his owne nature for so it is deadly but for that through mercy it is remitted so that one and the selfe same sinne is in diuers respectes both deadely and veniall for in him where sayth is it is veniall and where faith is not it is deadly Whereby it is also euident that vnto the wycked no synne is denyall so then the dyfference betwene veniall sinne and deadlye consisteth not in the nature of the sinne but in the wil of God which to the faythfull remitteth it and to the vnbeleuers reteineth it Now touching the opinion of the scholemen concerning veniall sinne it is a world to sée how they turmoyle them selues about it some of them thinke thē to be called veniall sinnes because they be light and easily remitted or els washt away with holy water as they terme it others thinke it so called because after death it should be remissible by the fire of Purgatorye ▪ others thynke them called remissible or venyall in respect of the sinne agaynst the holy Ghost which is called irremissible or vn forgeueable But the better learned amongst them accompt venyall synnes the dysposition or pronenesse towardes the thoughtes and affectyons whiche leade vnto deadly synne Herein is this one thyng worthy the notyng that howsoeuer they amongest them selues disagrée in diuersitie of opinions about the same yet in this one thyng they all agrée that none of them all taketh either counsell witnes or authoritye out of Gods worde concernyng the same The errour of all whiche can not be hidden from him that considereth what hath bene sayde before And vpon these false groundes thy inferre dyuers opinions of corrupt doctrine whereof I will rehearse one or two First they affirme that some synnes in the wicked be veniall synnes which is proued false Agayne that venyall synnes should be light synnes and not of their owne nature damnable Againe that they should bée washed away wyth holye water or clensed by the fire of Purgatory And yet Iohn Baptist sayd Beholde the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world And againe the Angell sayd to Ioseph He shall saue his people from their sinnes Neither sayd Iohn nor the Angel coniured water or Purgatory shall take away the sinnes of the world or saue the people from their sinne These thinges suffice for a faste of their errors herein Now forasmuch as it doth plainly appeare both what originall and actuall sinne is it is therby gathered that the difference betwene them is onely this That in actuall sinne that which is as it were the matter or substance of the sinne remaineth not after it be committed but onely the giltiship or bonde to the penaltie As when a man committeth whoredome murther theft or any such like soe soone as the acte is done the sinne is ended so that the whoredome murther or theft is past and gone but the giltiship and bonde to the penaltie remaineth but in originall sinne both the substance and matter of the sinne and also the giltiship remaineth still for the corruption remaineth still whereby euery man féeleth in his nature repining against all goodnes and a gréedy lust to the contrary Thus by Adam sinne entred into the world death by the meanes of sinne and all naturally are become the children of wrath and all dead in sinne so that death and damnation raigne ouer euery man Thus hauing shewed the excellencie of mans creation and horror of his transgression whereby all his ofspring are naturally rebells vnto God and slaues vnto sinne and death it followeth Cap. 2. ¶ That that transgression made man an apt subiecte for the two properties of God namely mercy and iustice to worke vpon NOw man hauing thus throwne him selfe headlong into the dolorous dūgeon of deadly dispaire ouerwhelmed with swallowing surges of distroyng distres being now dedicate vnto the iust conceiued wrath of God as the coniured foe to his owne former felicitie Now lyeth his caitife conscience displayed before the offended Maiestie of his late louing Creator but now reuenging Lord so farre hath his rebellious outrage banished all grace and stampe of the diuiue nature that no print or image therof remaineth perfect within him In stede of all those glorious ornamentes he hath endued himselfe with peculiar beauties of his own choice namely ignorance enuie pride crueltie carnalitie and all other sinne and that so naturally that the same now lurketh not in him as an accident which may be remoued from his nature but all his whole corrupt nature is now nothing els but sinne it selfe The whole man body minde thought worde and déede vtterly peruerted into the same so that the whole endeuour and disposition of his nature through rauishing sway of insatiable luste vnto sinne trauelleth with vnquenchable thirst the execution of the fruite therof Whereby it appeareth that man is now become a most apt subiect and conuenient matter wherin the iustice of God hath to display the magnificence of his power For he being now nothing els but wickednes it selfe which the iustice of God vtterly abhorreth and hateth in due punishment of him all the creatures of God haue to testifie and magnifie the pure and vnspotted righteousnesse of God which with holy and iust power punisheth most duely the hatefull and rebellious monster sinne and wickednes But as his iustice hath here an apt subiect wherin to manifest to the whole world the holy fearfull and reuerent Maiestie therof so hath his other most victorious proprietie namely hys triumphant and superaboundaunt mercy such a subiect of the same man wherin to manifest the glorious conquest therof as the whole world by vewe of the same shal be enforced to testifie and confesse the infinite largenes of hys mercy farre to excede and surmount all the residue of his glorious workes Wherefore the diuine Maiestie being not onely louing and merciful but in déede loue and mercy it selfe willing yet of his infinite bountie incomprehensible goodnes to loue that which now by nature was most vnworthy hys loue pittying the vtter dissolution and deserued destruction of mankinde God I say vewing beholding with a blincke of vndeserued grace the miserable calamitie of this cursed and iustlye condemned caitife glaunsed by him with a certain dimme slent of comfort concerning his restitution and adoptiou againe into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God in promising that by the séede of the woman the Serpentes head should be brused Thus being apparant that Adams transgression bringing in sinne and death made him and his ofspring rebells to God and consequently an apte subiecte for the mercy and iustice of God to worke vpon It follweth Cap. 3. ¶
and therby to haue bene stirred by flyght to séeke the immutable and perdurable free promyse of God cōcernyng the womans séede thankfully but yet boldely chalengyng priuilege of the same séeing the matter now hung not vpon his worthynes but vppon the truth of Gods promise That is to say that euen as God is true so hath hée bounde himselfe to performe mans deliueraunce in hys good tyme by the womans séede And vppon this fayth ioyfully to haue reposed hymselfe But alas foolishe man did not so which notwythstanding the lenitie and long sufferyng of God bare with sinfull man to sée if yet in any tyme he would haue regarde of hym selfe and sée from whence he were fallen But nothing it booted for on trotted hée in the high way of wickednesse wherein the farther he trauailed the smother larger and more delicate he found it Wherefore God being not mutable as man but one and the same for euer most myndefull of hys promyse whereof the memory séemed now almost rased out of the heart of careles man God I say vouchsafed to renue the same agayne that in larger wordes vnto Abraham in saying In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth bee blessed And the same he continued in lyke forme of wordes afterwardes to Isaac Here was the matter renued agayne still shooting at one marke namely that by the séede of the woman the Serpentes head shoulde bée brused But now hée offereth a playne explication of his meaning concerning the brusyng of the Serpentes head namely that where man by despisyng the commaundement of God and leanyng to the subtill perswasion of the Serpent was fallen into the cursse of God Now was it promised that in the séede of Abraham all the nations of the earth shoulde bée blessed that is to say deliuered from that cursse againe It is also come to a more particularitie for now the promised séede is limited within one stocke namely of Abraham Thus by degrees the purpose of God goeth forward more and more openyng it selfe labouring styll to prouoke sinfull man to foresée hys great daunger and flye to the promysed séede for refuge whiche notwithstandyng corrupt mā hasteth so fast after wickednes that litle hée regarded the condition of hys owne miserye wherefore in the rypenesse of tyme God seyng the wickednesse of man growen to so monstruous an extremitye that none of all his former workes nor frée promyse coulde wake hys sluggishe hart to consider his owne miserye and so prycked by necessitye to flye to the promysed séede as to the shoote ancker of hys safetye God I say séeyng this neuer vnmyndefull of hys promyse determyneth now finally to set before man such a glasse wherin hée coulde no waye flye nor escape from the most cleare and euident sight of his owne owgely and monstruous nature that lothed with the sight therof he forthwith might bée dryuen to flye to the soueraigne medicine of hys restitution namely to the frée promise of God in the séede of Abraham Wherefore now chusyng out one kynde of people as was sayde before namelye the chyldren of Israell to make of them a patterne to the reste of the worlde that wyth the vewe of their obedyence towardes God all the worlde myght bée prouoked by their example to seeke after hym vnto them I say he deliuered the lawe whiche contayned in it two seuerall offyces the one exterior or outwarde the other spirytuall and inward The outward office of the law leadeth to the maintenaunce of the common societie in thys life for man according to the letter obseruyng the outwarde shewe of the workes thereof although in the doors thereof that bée nothyng but synne yet ciuyll vertue and common order is thereby amongst men conserued and publyke societie mayntayned without whiche the lyfe of man shoulde taste nothing but confusion The inwarde and spirituall offyce thereof is thys that man comparyng hys corrupte nature therewyth and beholdyng the vtter repugnaunce and contrarietye betwéene them myght forthwith haue acknowledged hys great rebellyon against God and perfectly vnderstande that the delyueraunce of man consisteth in the frée promyse of God concernyng the séede namely Chryst and in no righteousnesse that he in the lawe coulde chalenge seyng his nature direct contrary to euery parte of the same so that the law was not by Moyses declared vnto man to iustyfie hym Not that the lawe wanted habilitie thereunto if man coulde haue performed the ryghteousnesse required in the same whereunto hée was in hys first creation made able but by the reason of hys dishabilitie through corruptyon the lawe was opened vnto hym to be as Saint Paule saeth The displaier of the strength of synne a threatner of the cursse a bewrayer of hys wickednes the admynistratyon of death the increase of synne the stirrer vp of the motions of synne the cause of wrath the increaser of offence But vnto what ende was the lawe thys vnto man to hys destruction No but to driue hym by the dreadfull vewe of hys iust condemnation vtterly to abandon hymselfe and all hys owne workes and rightcousnesse and to flye from the sentence of the lawe vnto the sentence of grace conteyned in the frée promyse of God concernyng the séede to come namely Chryst Saint Paul to the Galathians propened thys question hymselfe After hée hath beaten them from the Lawe to the promise in Christe TVherefore then serueth the lawe as thoughe hee had sayde if no man can be iustyfied by the lawe to what ende then serueth it He aunswereth himselfe it was added because of transgressyons till the seede came vnto whiche the promyse was made that is it was added that synne myght appeare and to make sinne out of measure sinfull and to conclude all vnder sinne that al by the fearfull sentence thereof myght flye to the promise and waite the time of the séede to come namely Christ vnto whom the promise was made and by hym receyue their deliuerance Seyng mans restitution stode now only vpon the promise truth of God and not vpon the lawe to the fulfylling of any part wherof he had lost both habilitie and inclination And therefore S. Paule sayeth If there had bene a lawe geuen whiche coulde haue geuen life then no doubt righteousnes shoulde haue come by the lawe that is to say if such a law had bene geuen as corrupt man had bene able to haue performed and kept thē no doubt hee should haue bene iustified by the law But the law being such whereunto he neither had habilitie nor inclination it had onely force to shewe vnto hym what hee ought to be and to pronounce vpon him the sentence of death and his iust condemnation to force him thereby to flye from thence to séeke his frée reléefe in Christ the promised séede to come But hereunto the aduersaries obiect that if God should commaunde vs things vnpossible to vs to performe then should we both be iustly
of the faythful are such workes as proceede from a heart purified through fayth Now into the other Schole or ballaunce let vs lay the workes required in the law whose definition is thus gathered out of the iiij Chapter The workes required in the law are such as proceede from the full obedience willyng desire and naturall pronesse of the whole man vnto righteousnes Thus wayed in the ballaunce it is euident that euen the very good workes of the faythfull compared with the workes of righteousnes required in the law are founde farre to lyght to satisfie the same For asmuch as the law can alow none but such as procede from a full obedience willyng desire and naturall pronesse of the whole man That is to say the lawe can alowe no workes but such as should be wrought by naturall strength desire vnto righteousnes But the good workes of the faythfull bee not so but contrarywise they are wrought through the frée grace of GOD purifiyng the heart by fayth whereupon it foloweth that the good workes of the faythfull examined by the iustice of God are insufficient to satisfie the law and haue no strength but vnder the shilde of mercy So imperfect are the best and most purest workes of the iustified that being examined by the seueritie of the law they are vnable to abide the presence thereof Thus hauyng shewed the certayne tokens of that fayth whereunto righteousnes is imputed and the difference betwene the workes of the faithful and the workes required in the law it foloweth Cap. 10. ¶ To knowe what iustificatiō or righteousnes it is whiche the scripture attributeth to workes and also what fayth it is against whiche S. Iames speaketh and why Iustification is imputed to fayth and not to workes HOw diuerslie the worde righteousnes or iustification is taken in the Scriptures is by the viij chapter declared where it is euidently proued that iustification being taken for the frée imputation of righteousnes vnto mā wherby in the sight of God he is discharged of giltiship cōmeth onely through fayth in Christ without respect of mans worthines or workes by the frée beneuolence of the will of God to the prayse and glory of his grace And that the iustification or righteousnes of woorkes is nothing els but the declaration of the same righteousnes of fayth by the outwarde fruites thereof which aunswereth that which is first in this chapiter required Yet notwithstanding the ambitious pride of the aduersaries is neither ashamed nor afeard to hold plée as it were with God for a part of the glory of mans iustificatiō arrogantly challenging the same as a deserued duetie purchased by theyr workes The contrary wherof as in the viij chapter it is manifestly proued so is the feareful error thereof by the iiij chapter euidently disproued For it is there plaine that al the workes of corrupte nature are as direct contrary to the law as death vnto life darkenes vnto light or colde vnto heat And yet out of that hatefull hourd must they of force take their counterfeit store Séeing they wil néedes haue workes to iustifie for that enferreth that those workes must goe before iustification and so be wrought before the man be righteous which can be nothing but the fruites of a wicked man for vntill he be righteous he is wicked and by their doctrine he can not be righteous vntill the worke haue made him righteous therefore whilest he is wicked it must néedes be that he do the worke which shall make him righteous which is impossible as by the Scriptures doth euidently appeare Thus writeth Paul to the Phillippians That ye may be pure without offence vntill the day of Christ filled with the fruites of righteousnes which fruites are in you by Iesu Christ vnto the glory praise of God. Here in these wordes of Paul we may learne the efficient cause the formall cause the materiall cause and the final cause of good woorks by which causes it doth euidently appeare that before iustification no good workes can be wrought and that the ende of good woorkes is not to iustifie the doers of them but onely to the glory and prayse of god Wherefore let vs consider his woordes first in that he sayth that ye may be pure and without offence he sheweth what is the office of a christen man namely to labour for such pure and vnspotted conuersation as no offence may iustly be gathered by the same He sayth moreouer Vntill the day of Christ to shewe that the endeuour towardes goodnes must haue continuance through the whole course of the life Hauing thus shewed both the office of a christen man and the terme of his continuance in th execution thereof he goeth forward to shew what furniture is necessary in him to the performance of that office in saying Filled with the fruits of righteousnes Here he sheweth wherwith he must be filled that must be pure and without offence namely with the fruit of righteousnes that is with good workes And as he teacheth in these wordes that good workes are the furniture of a christen mā so doth hée also teache in the same woords both the formal cause the material cause of good woorkes for in that he sayeth wyth the fruites of righteousnes he sheweth that righteousnes or iustificatiō is the formal cause of them which as a good trée bryngeth forth her good fruite He also sheweth that the materyall cause of any good worke is that it is a fruite of ryghteousnes whereby it is clearer then the Sunne that there can be no fruite of ryghteousnesse vntill the brynger forth thereof be transformed into a trée of righteousnes neither can the material cause haue her being vntil first the formal cause bée generate for the trée must bée before the fruite And in thys place doth Paule open the wordes of Esay in the. 61. chapter where he sayeth they shall be called trees of ryghteousnesse whyche cause Paule doth insinuate by expressyng the effect in that hée sayeth filled wyth the fruites of ryghteousnesse which imployeth that the bryngers forth of those fruites must néedes bee tréees of ryghteousnesse whereby it is euydent that no woork is good but that which is brought forth by a righteous man seeyng that it is the fruite of righteousnesse but none is a righteous man vntill he be iustified therefore can none bring forth good workes but suche as bee alreadye iustyfied Wherupon it followeth that before iustificatiō no good woork can be wrought Paule goeth forwarde and sayth whiche fruites are in you by Iesus Chryst Here doth he euidentlye declare what is the efficient cause of good woorkes namely Iesus Chryst so that where before hee had taught iustification or righteousnes to bee the formall cause of good woorkes and the fruites thereof to be the materiall cause for that hée woulde leaue no doubt concernyng the effycyent cause therefore he addeth whiche fruites are in you by Iesu Chryst Where thys is also to be noted fully