Paul writing to the Thessalonians is so bolde as to assure them that their election is of God speaking as it were vpon a certaintie of knowledge grounded vpon notable signes and markes of the vertue of the holy Ghost which he sayeth he sawe in them by euident effectes of fayth the carefull and paynefull charitie towardes their neighbours the sure hope and stedfast continuance in wayting for the manifestation of Iesus Christe with pacience which surmounteth all wearines both of the length of time and of all afflictions of the world whatsoeuer The like he doeth particularly in Timothies respect to whome he writeth That he assureth him self that faith and true religion dwelleth in him iudging so of the certeintie of the cause which is hidden to all men by the apparant effects thereof euen as if it were visible And so we in like sorte by a charitable iudgement may iudge or at the least perswade our selues wel of our brethren in whom we perceyue like fruites and actions of the Spirit of God to take accompt them for Christians For as we iudge by the outward motions of the bodie that there is a soule in the bodie so may we perceyue by his workes whether the spirit of God be in man or no seeing that euen as the soule which liueth not idle within mans bodie sheweth it self by that vertue and vigour which it distributeth to the members and to eche part of the bodie euen so the Spirit of God that is in man is not idle but sheweth what power it is of in the man in whome it is and sheweth it selfe effectually by a conformitie with Christ who liueth in him and gyueth life to his members whiche he communicateth with them and powreth out vpō them by the vertue of his Spirit which is as you would say the general soule of al the childrē of God not respecting the substance but the grace so that euen as we thinke that the graffe is well ioyned to the substance of the tree which it is graffed into when we see it bring forth fruite out of the same tree by that strength which it receyueth of the same roote euen so we know that a man is truely ingraffed and made one body with Christ when through one selfe same force of the Spirit he bringeth forth fruit in Christ But as for the knowledge of a reprobate man it is a thing so secret and hidde to men that they can neuer iudge of it certeinly vnlesse they haue some extraordinarie reuelation for be it that we finde neuer so euil signes and tokens in any man what is he that can tell whether God haue reserued mercy for him in store or no vnto the latter ende of his lyfe though he haue spent it wholly in wickednesse Therefore seeing in deede it was not expedient nor mete for vs to haue knowledge to discerne the one from the other lest that thereby we shoulde become to colde in charitie towardes all as we owe to all as though all men were our brethren in Christ it is sufficient that this chaffe shall be separate from the corne at the latter day So then this onely remayneth that we knowe distinctly and particularly what the operations of the holy Ghost in man are because there is no other way to knowe a Christian man outwardly by but by them And seeing it is so as we haue saide that a Christiā man is a man made a new creature as touching his nature by a seconde byrth it is euident that that can not be done vnlesse the first nature dye and this man put of the fleshe that is to say his first nature which is corrupt euen that which we bring with vs from our mothers wombes which is called the old man For he can not in any wyse be capable of the kingdome of heauen vnlesse he be destroyed and brought to naught by the sworde of the Spirit to the ende that death may make a riddance of all the operacions of the fleshe which sinne woorketh in him For as long as we are Adams children and nothing els but men we are suche slaues to sinne that we can do nothing but sinne vntil we be made new men by the death of the first man and haue passed by meanes of the communication of the death of Christ to the participation of his life These two pointes to wit Mortification and Viuification whiche can not be separate the one from the other are out of doubt the chiefest operations of the holy Ghost in a Christian man so that euen as Christe dyed to destroy sinne passing by death to euerlasting lyfe in that fleshe which he toke of vs euē so this man is dead in him selfe and renued to a better life accompanied with meete conuenient workes for it and such as may witnes that he is a trewe member of Christ by casting downe of him selfe of his owne wisedome and reason and al his affections and passions which casting downe of him selfe proceedeth from a liuely tast and feeling of the goodnes of our heauenly Father whereby man is knowen to be Gods chylde and inheritour of al his blessings for this can not be but forthwith his vyle base carnal and earthely affections vanishe away and become dead in him by reason of the great light of fayth which darkeneth putteth out all the false light of our corrupt nature Wherefore a Christian man doeth then in deede shewe him selfe to be a right Christiā when the death of Christ which hath a certayne force in it to expell and cast out the wickednes of our fleshe and his resurrection whereby there is raysed vp in vs the state condition of a better nature shew their fruit in him as by Baptisme we are made partakers of this grace So that al knowledge of Iesus Christe that hath not this vertue to followe it is naked and bare and al baptisme without it vnprofitable and nothing worth for there commeth no man to Christ or is receyued into the grace of Christ but the efficacie of his death appeareth in him beareth about a shew and token of it in him by mortification of the flesh and quickening of the spirit as hauing passed out of this first nature into the nature of Christ by a spirituall renewing which sheweth it selfe by framing the course of our life anew wherein who so is formost sheweth that he hath profited most in the knowledge of God And we may not thinke that the benefit of the death and resurrection of Iesus Christ belongeth to any other saue onely to them which shew forth a new lyfe of a right affection of heart some sooner some later giue them selues to holynes and cleannes wherein standeth the band of the coniunction that is betwene God and vs and the certayne badge and marke of a Christian man wherby the children of God as S. John sayth are knowen from the children of the deuill For which cause Iesus Christ speaking of this sanctificatiō to
all creatures are susteined and haue their mouing by a generall strength and vertue which is common to all liuing creatures neither that spirit whereby we haue diuers and sundrie giftes bestowed seuerally vpon eche of vs but the spirit of adoption and sanctification which the Lorde giueth to none but to the Christian man when he receiueth him into the number of his children and separateth him from all other and sundreth him from the world to bring him to the hope of the euerlasting inheritance This Spirit is for this cause called the Spirit of sanctificatiō whereby the image of God is imprinted in a Christian and serueth him for an earnest pēny of his saluation and in deede putteth him in possession and a certaine enioying of his adoption whiche is giuen him by a speciall grace of God to bring that to passe by a secret working which he determined in his secret counsel to bring to passe in him by his mightie hand shewing him selfe to be a most gracious and louing father by his testimony a greater then which and more certaine we can not desire because the light and knoweledge which he giueth is accompanied with such a persuasion and certaintie of spirit and with so stedfast and assured trust of heart in his goodnes that it maketh our vnderstanding surmount all thinges clenseth lifteth vp our hearts to heauen and causeth vs to feele a spirituall tast of heauenly riches And to be short causeth a new birth in him and transformeth him for this light which is in a Christiā mans soule differeth very much frō all other light of knowledge and from that kinde of faith which procedeth from the persuasion of man For it is impossible for mās wit to giue man such vnderstāding of knowledge and faith as this is which is wrought in him by the mightie working of the spirit of God and is this in summe that the Gospel which hath no appearance of witte nor strēgth is notwithstāding a wisdom so high that it surmounteth the heauens is the mightie power of God to saluation to euery one the beleueth to bring him to the kingdom of heauen for in deede what can there be more strange more foolish more simple or more offensiue to reason then to heare a man say that God is made become a mortall man that life was subiect to death righteousnes couered with a shew of sinne blessing subiect to curse that by this meanes men might be ransomed from death made partakers of blessed immortalitie to the end they might obtein life that iustice might raigne sinne being once abolished and last of al to the end that death it self malediction might be swalowed vp and therfore that we haue to enter into glorie by ignominie into felicitie by myseries and into life by death And moreouer that this light is farre different from all other light of knowledge faith which proceadeth from the persuasion of man it is nedelesse to alleage any other example thē the example of that faith which is in the most part of them that beare the name of Christians yet haue nothing but the bare title and beleue in Iesus Christ because they haue bene so learned taught frō father to sonne are so persuaded because they see other men that liue with them beleue so thē especially whom they take to be the holiest the wisest the most religious persuade them selues that their heades can not erre So that if they had chanced to haue bene borne in any other countrie or religion they would as easely haue bene persuaded to it as to that which now they holde and are persuaded is true seeing their knowledge is gotten by reason and discourse of man not giuen of God and from aboue but cold fleshly weake and very changeable which hath no other end but a peculiar respect of his owne and nothing lesse then to be touched with the glorie of god Neither doe they receiue Iesus Christe for such an one as he is offred of God the father in the Gospel by a liuely faith proper to the elect but while they professe his name they spoile him of his glorie vertue and dignitie to transferre it to creatures and mens inuentions in steade of the Creator And therefore it foloweth that this man which we speake of cā not be discerned from other by any iudgement of mans sense reason but by a spiritual iudgement by comparing spiritual things with spirituall things for the Christian people are but a smal flock contemptible scattred here one there one in the thickest of a number that are falsely called the people of God and Christians separate from the cōmō order of mē set apart as a treasure that God reserueth for himself hiddē withdrawē from the sight knowledge of mē as a few graines of corne vnder a great deale of chaf in a floore so that it is not y reputatiō nobilitie greatnes wisdō deuotiō or other apperance that man estemeth be it neuer so glorious which we haue to respect as S. Paul willeth the Corinth to consider that there are but a few called amongst them a few wise a few noble a fewe mightie of authoritie after the flesh neither haue we to respect the title or outward profession ne yet the outward signe of Baptisme as it is written All they that are of Israel are not Israelites nor all they Abrahams children which are borne of Abraham although they haue all one selfe same marke of Circumcision but it is the marke of the Spirit of God which we must haue regard vnto seeing that all signes and appearances because they are onely without are vnprofitable without the holy working of the inward wherein truely consisteth the witnesse whereby a Christian man may know him self And the first effect of this inward vertue of God is that which the Scripture calleth Adoption which is not common to all the world as Iesus Christ giueth vs to vnderstād saying That he prayeth not the father for the world but for them whom the father hath giuen him as it is said in an other place That the praise of y adoption is not of men but of God according to his good pleasure and grace giuē in Christ before the foundations of the world were layde So that euen as it is said that Christ dwelleth in vs by the spirit of God euen so doth man know and is knowen to be a Christian by the felowship of the same spirit as by that marke wherewith the heauenly father sealeth and marketh the heart of his elect in assurance of their adoptiō wherby he knoweth thē whō he hath quickened frō heauen by his most secret vertue which no sense of man is able to perceiue being in it self very high of great maiestie in outward appearāce vile beggerly wherby euery Christian mā hath such a conformitie with Christ that as the world did not know him so neither is he knowen to
A TREATISE of the Excellencie of a Christian man and how he may be knowen Written in French by Master Peter de La Place one of the Kings Counsel and chiefe President of his Court of Aides in Paris WHEREVNTO IS ADIOYNED A BRIEFE description of the life and death of the said Authour to the end that euerie one may knowe what he was Translated into English by L. TOMSON MATTH V. Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Imprinted at London by Christopher Barkar dwelling in 〈◊〉 Churchyard at the 〈…〉 the Tyg 〈…〉 To the right worshipfull Mistres Vrsula Walsingham grace mercie and peace from God the Father and from the Lord Iesus CHRIST ACcording as your Worships pleasure was I haue perused this booke and as wynde and weather would serue for passage haue brought it out of France into England The cause of your liking can not be misliked of any and the iudgement of the right honourable my Master may stande as most grounded in trueth and iustice whereby he sentenced him not onely to bee of the Religion of Christ but also truely a religious Christian For surely if I be not deceiued in iudgement who so shal reade this booke shal finde there was a Christ in the man such a Christ as made him in deede a Christian not for a daye or two not for fayre and calme weather onely but from the first beginning of his entrance into the knowledge of God to his very last breth in most sharpe and stormie tempestes as witnesseth his happy and blessed martyrdome in that most horrible slaughter of the Sainctes of God on Barthelmewes daye in Paris that wicked murderesse of Gods people against whome their innocent blood crieth to God for vengeance against the daye of wrath As he felt so he wrote and his feeling was with such spirituall vnderstanding as that we may well see hee was one of them of whome hee wrote and by so well knowing himselfe to his euerlasting comfort gaue vs a waye to knowe our selues for the ioyous assurance of our saluation The greatest comfort we haue is to knowe that we are of the citie of God and who so would honour vs the most could not better perfourme it to our liking then to assure vs we are the childrē of that heauēly Father brought into that honour and dignitie by Christ that died for vs and gaue himselfe for vs and in whome we dwell and he in vs if we deceiue not our selues As for the cōfort we might reape by being made mē and not beastes though it be great God is therfore greatly to be magnified yet considering what God did for vs what we haue done against him where he set vs by grace and where we finde our selues through sinne and rebellion we haue cause rather to sorowe then to ioye of heauines then of comfort and in that respect the veriest varlet caitif that goeth vpon the earth hath as muche to triumphe in as hath the best man of God the dearest child of our heauenly Father For they are mē as well as we made to the image of God as well as we haue as great light in them of natural reason vnderstāding as we witnes the Heathē that neuer knewe God no worse sinners in Adam thē we but we as bad as they both of vs for our sinne and rebellion against him in that man Adam iustly blinded iustly condemned This the blind wyse Philosopher did not see and this the obstinate Pelagian Papist at this day will not acknowledge and therfore they bothe lift vp their heeles against God haue wicked thoughtes and speake blasphemous wordes against heauen and against their owne saluation And because this prerogatiue ouer other creatures but equalitie of and in mankinde had not that in it that might in deede comfort the heart of man but rather cast him down his minde and purpose was to lay forth the other to vs which is proper to vs I say proper to vs that are of the houshold of faith of the common wealth of Israel citizens of heauen felow heires with Christ the children of God and I say proper because the Heathen and Barbarians be they neuer so wyse the Pelagians and Papistes be they neuer so superstitiously deuoute haue neither part nor portion in it And this is the preeminence not to be called but to be a Christian which whosoeuer feeleth in himselfe with a right feeling of true vnderstanding which neither of the two before named hath for the one fighteth against the name of Christ the other can not abide to heare of any certaine persuasion assurance of the cōscience that it is beloued of God and that God is without doubt our Father hath the greatest preeminēce that man can haue vpon earth and the greatest ioye and comfort that can be felt by man All of vs at this day in this part of the world do ioye in this name Christian and it is taken for the greatest dishonour that can be done to man to saye he is no Christian And yet sure it is that euery man is not a Christian that is called a Christiā euery man is not a Christian that is Christened not euery one that sayth Lord Lord shal enter into the Kingdom of heauen no more then euery one that was circumcised was a true Iewe or all that descended of the race of Abraham were true children to Abraham There was amongest them Ismael who persecuted his brother and yet was he circumcised there was Esau whom the Lord hated and yet was he circumcised So are there heretikes amongst vs Christened and yet not Christians for neither the cutting of of a piece of skinne in them did make thē true Israelites neither dipping in a litell water maketh these true Christians ▪ both of these standeth in the spirit not in the letter in the inward worke by grace and that of God not in the outwarde worke of man So that he that hath this honorable name to be called a Christiā hath more cause to tremble then to reioyce vnlesse he haue a sure testimonie both within and without that he is in deede a Christiā for the abuse of Gods name can auaile man nothing at all nay it furthereth and increaseth his condemnation as great credite committed to a seruant and abused by that seruāt procureth greater displeasure Howe we shal come to the knowledge of this preeminence and excellencie which is in vs this booke sheweth and because it is so plainely and shortely set forth I will not stande here to make any discourse of it vnto your worship onely I most humbly beseche you to reade the booke it selfe and there shall you finde it so well layd forth as shal be to your contentment and comfort I could very willingly haue bene cōtent to haue entred somewhat into the matter but I feare I should haue ouerslipped my self for I must needes confesse of my selfe and to the
heare of the adoption of God howe God hath adopted and taken vs to be his sonnes in Christ before the foundation of the world was layed And why so Because they go about to set vp their owne righteousnes and therefore will not be subiect to the righteousnes of god If we do wel because we are the childrē of God and if we beleue because we were appointed to saluatiō thē is it not our wel doing that maketh vs to be Gods children then are we not appointed to saluation because we beleeue then are al their merites gone then is al their fat in the fyer A Heathen a Pharise and a Papist is no bodie vnlesse he may merite vnlesse God may be bound to him and not he to God he wil not take the kingdome of heauen of gift he wil haue it of duetie and that is no God a mercie to him This is the very point of the matter iudge nowe which is the presumptuous doctrine either the heathenish pharisaicall papistrie or the trueth of the Gospel But as I sayd I can more easely enter into the matter then get out of it the grossenes of their heresie is so notorious and brutishe the trueth of our doctrine is so plaine and riche that I can not conteine my selfe if I should folow my self I will therefore surcease and leue your worship to the reading of the worke it selfe which shal be sufficient to instruct you in the waye of this trueth and arme you agaynst the assaultes of Satan by these his instrumentes The Lord by his holy Spirit worke those two effectes in you for this present so true and comfortable doctrine and further leade you into al trueth as he is the God of trueth that in the day of the Lord Iesus you may be founde to haue walked without stumbling in whatsoeuer he hath thought necessarie to reueile vnto you for your saluatiō 15. Sept. 1576. Your worships humbly at commandement L. T. A briefe collection of the chiefest points of the lyfe of Master Peter de la Place whyle he liued Counseller to the French King and chief President in his Court of Aydes at Paris set forth by P. de Farnace THough to iudge aright of any worke we haue to consider rather what the thing is in it self then to stande much vpon the authour of it because as truth is the opinions wherwith we are before possessed whether they be with or against the persons stay vs from iudging syncerely of their doings yet notwithstanding it is a cōmendable custome not onely to set mens names before their bookes but also to set downe what men they were to the ende the reader may be the better prepared to taste of the fruict when he shal once vnderstand what tree did beare it for it is to be thought that the fruict wil be like the tree that bare it And therefore seeing this worke came to mine handes I was so bold to put forth this short but yet moste true discours of the lyfe and death of the worthie man that made it being otherwyse thus minded though this occasion had not fallen out that it were an iniurie to posteritie to suffer diuers thinges lye buryed vnder silence which befell him in his lyfe tyme and are woorthie perpetuall memorie Therefore to begime at his byrth Master Peter de la Place an Angoulesmian borne was so well trayned by in learning euen from a chylde that he onely of all his brethren resolued with him selfe to followe the studie of the Lawes wherein he profited so marueylously that before hee was two and twentie yeeres olde he made a commentarie vpon the title of Actions and about the same tyme began to be a common pleader in the Parliament of Paris where he gote himgreat commendation and prayse for excellencie of witte and eloquence in pleading and especiadly for singular vprightnes of conscience For which cause also the deceased King Francis the great did him this honour to chuse him for his Aduocat and Autourney in his Court of Aydes in Paris In which office he behaued him selfe so well that no man is able to bereue him of this commendation that he kept his handes continually cleane from briberie and neuer dyd any thing against his office either for vnbrideled ambition or couetousnes King Henrie the last hauing sufficient testimonie of his good and vpright bearing of himselfe in steade of continuing him in this office chose him amongest a number of other to be his Presidēt in the said Court of Aides And whilest he was in this office it pleased God to call him to knowe him about the yere 1554 after a strange fashion About twentie yeres before whylest hee was a student at Poictiers it pleased God to make him see Master Iohn Caluine passing then that way with the Archbyshop of Tillet whome he was content to heare speaking honourably of the knowledge of God in generall but when hee spake of the pure seruice of God he made astaye there as one very zelous of that religion wherein he had bene carefully brought vp Yet so it was that euen from that daye there remained some scruple in his conscience that it might well be he might be deceiued and that his mynde ran vpon oftentimes as he confessed afterwarde which was as you would saye a preparatiue to nourishe this litle seede vntill it came to budde forth and spring at such time as God had appointed it After this it fell out on a daye that standing at his doore there came a certaine strāger to him by a wonderfull prouidence of God whom he knewe not but seeing him to be a man of some qualitie and one that wanted reliefe in his extreme pouertie turned to hym very humbly and made him a long discourse in excellent Latin vpon the cause of his miserie And finding hym to be a man well qualified caused him to come in euen into his studie to feele hym the better to the bottome at his leasure Then this poore mā as one sent from God began to discyfer out frankely vnto hym all the abuses of the Popishe Church and to shewe hym the true and onely way to serue god And after he had heard him patiently he rewarded him and prayed him notwithstanding very earnestly to come no more to him so afraid he was of the fyers which were prepared against them which were suspected the lest that might be for the doctrine of the Gospel as in deede this poore stranger not long after was tried in the fornace at Paris But after this Peter de la Place left not tourning both the Scriptures and al the old fathers euen to the very scholemen to finde some meanes if it were possible to take away this scruple which troubled his minde day night By this meanes in shortspace God touched his heart and opened his eyes and caused him to behold the light of the Gospel in so much as after the death of King Francis the second he declared him selfe openly to be of
accompanie her husband But with that this Gentleman la Place who neuer shewed any token of an heart cast downe began to take vp his wyfe reproue her shewing her that it is not the arme of man which we must haue recourse vnto but to GOD alone Afterward turning him selfe a side he espied a crosse of paper in his eldest sonnes cappe which he had of weakenes set there thinking to saue him selfe by that meanes whereupon he rebuked him sharpely commaunding him to take that marke of sedition out of his cappe and laying foorth before him that the true crosse whiche we must beare are tribulations and afflictions which GOD sendeth vs as moste certaine pledges and earnest pennyes of that ioye and euerlasting life which he hathe prepared for his children Then seeing him selfe earnestly pressed by the sayde Senescay to go to the King resoluing him felfe to dye the death whiche he sawe prepared for him tooke his cloke embraced his wyfe and desired her aboue all things to haue the honour feare of God before her eyes and so departed with a most cheerefull countenance Nowe when he was almost come to the streete called la Verrerie ouer agaynst the Cocke streete certaine murderers that waited for him with their daggers ready drawē aboue three houres slewe him lyke a silly lambe in the middest of ten or twelue of Senescays archers which guyded him and his house was sacked the space of fiue or sixe dayes togyther The bodie of this Gentleman la Place whose soule was receyued into heauen was carryed into a stable at the towne house where his face was couered with dong and the next day after in the morning was cast into the riuer Thus this great and excellent martyr of the Lord whylest he obeyed the Kings commandement in stede of Iustice whiche he sought found death by the way whiche was to him a beginning of the true lyfe and on the contrarie side both to them from whom so vniust agaynst all Gods lawe and mans lawe and so cruel and barbarous and more then brutishe commandementes proceeded and also to the executers of such iniquities cruelties barbarities and brutishnes a most certaine beginning and entrance to an horrible iudgement that hangeth ouer their heades ouer their posteritie though it seeme long before it come Of the excellencie of a Christian man and the way to knowe him MY intent and purpose being to intreat of the woorthines of a Christian man I meane not in any wyse to stande to discourse vpon the excellencie of mankind wherein we do all communicate and whereby the state of man surmounteth the condition of all other creatures a reason which moued the Philosophers to recommend vnto vs so diligently the knowledge of our selues according to the old prouerbe giuen by Oracle and framed by them to this purpose to cause vs not onely to keepe our selues within the boundes of modestie and humblenes and to teache vs the weakenes of our nature but also to leade vs to the consideration of our noblenes and dignitie beginning by the vewe of the building and workemanship of this world as of Heauen the Sunne the Moone and the Starres and so from them to other creatures and liuing things of diuers sortes setting out Man as the most excellent piece of worke of all and the chiefest wrought thing emongest all the creatures on whome it pleased God to bestow most plentifully and to enriche with that which Heauen and earth and all other his creatures had but small portions of who was therefore called a Little worlde and a miracle amongest all creatures considering the workemanship of his bodie the iointes the proportion the beautie and vse of it with his members his head aboue all his other partes his eyes looking vp to heauen to beholde from whence he came and againe the quickenes of his wit his discourses vpon the heauens and the earth and the secretes of nature his memorie whereby he comprehendeth so many things digesteth them compareth things passed with things to come Moreouer his reason which as they imagine is placed as Queene Mistresse in the wit in the highest seate of vnderstāding to gouerne the wil of man and to frame all his deliberations by the compasse of wisedome I meane not I saye in any wyse to intreate of this kinde of worthines but minding to passe further I purpose with my selfe to speake of an other kinde of excellencie which is propre and peculiar to a Christian man which farre surmounteth without all comparison in all kinde of prerogatiue and preeminence the former be it neuer so highly commended and set out by them which professed themselues wise men and were therefore reputed and taken for the wysest amongest other Which men notwithstanding or wyse Philosophers being carried away with an ouerweening and blynde loue of them selues ouershot them selues so farre as to saye that Man is able by reason of such powers as he hath in him and by his owne strength to discerne betweene good and euill and commaunde his lustes and that he hathe it in him to gouerne him selfe not onely for the framing of this earthly lyfe but also to leade him to Godwarde and to the attaynement of euerlasting blisse and ioye Moreouer that as touching Life he hath it by the gyfte of God but as for Liuing well he hath it of him selfe and the goodnes that is in man man getteth it of him selfe in so much as no wise and discrete man sayeth Cicero euer gaue God any thankes for it because saieth he we are commended for our vertue and we brag boast our selues of it which we could not do if it were the gift of God came not of our selues adding moreouer that the opinion of al the world is this that as for worldly commodities we haue to craue them a◠Gods hāds but as for wisedome euery man hath to seeke it within him selfe Mainteyning and publishing this false opinion that what soeuer we do by the cōduct and guyde of nature it can not be but well done and if man could followe that rightly which he hath in him of nature he could neuer doo amisse And many other suche foolish and vayne sayings which notwithstanding a thing more to be sorowed at they the make profession to be our instructors in holy writte do marueilously embrace who by suffering them selues to be caried away more then reason would they should by this kinde of heathenishe wisedome are fallen into the self same errour and haue ascribed to man I knowe not what kinde of integritie and vprightnes both in his reason and will in so much that euen they amongst them which thought to speake more soberly and modestly then the rest as Chrisostome and certeine other haue made such a parting of stakes betweene God man that while they confesse on the one side that we can do nothing without Gods helpe they mainteine on the other side that vnlesse we bring some thing of
he thought it not enough I say to giue them all these so great and honorable titles but goeth on further and sayeth they are made partakers of the diuine nature which is so excellent a condition that the head of man is not able to imagine or wishe an higher For in dede what can a man desire more then to become like to God surely the spirit of man is not sufficient able to comprehend the greatnes of this grace how it might be that God should vouchsafe to honour man so highly as to make him a God as it were if we may so say by making him partaker of his diuine immortalitie and blessed glorie And therfore S. Paul writing to the Coloss and speaking to them as to Christians saith that they were cōpleat in Christ when he had said a litle before that al that fulnes of the godhead dwelleth bodily in him shewing therby that this perfect essence of the Godhead which is in Iesus Christ did auaile thē in that that they receiued thereby their perfectiō also And in that that God is wholy in him is to the ende that when they once possesse him they might obteine such a perfection in him as none of vs is able to atteine vnto by all the wit vnderstanding we haue Yea so farre forth that this knot bond is such an one that Iesus Christ who worketh all in al vouchsafeth the Christian thus much honour that he coūteth him self after asort imperfect if he be not ioyned with him as S. Paul witnesseth saying that the Church is the filling vp of the bodie of Christ And therefore there is no marueile if the Prophet Dauid rauished with great admiration of this so wonderfull goodnes loue of God towards mankinde and being as it were rauished besides him selfe cried and saide Lorde what is man that thou so regardedst him that is to say that of thy gracious goodnes thou hast made hym so excellent a creature For if he should consider seeke his first beginning from whēce he came where shal he finde it but in the durt dust of the earth if he marke the place of his abode he shall finde him selfe scrauling here vpon the earth below if he looke to his end he shall see that his bodie shal be meate for wormes And yet notwithstanding saith he thou hast so highly honoured this poore creature Man that the Angels serue him as if he were a god for thou hast made him a litle inferior to God hast crowned him with glorie and honour and placed hym ruler ouer the workes of thine handes and hast put all things in subiection vnder his feete As if he would saye what occasion did durt giue thee that of it thou shouldest make a creature to thine image and likenes whom thou wouldest make Lord and Master of all the worlde and put in subiection vnder his feete what so euer is vnder the compasse of heauen speaking of the man that is restored in Iesus Christ For in deede it is he onely and none but he amongest all liuing things that is the only Lord of the world by recouering that interest in Christ which was before lost in Adam who was at the beginning made heire and Lord of all Gods blessings but was afterwardes dispossessed of them through his rebestion and disobedience so that all his posteritie hath no other interest nor title in the blessings of this world then theeues robbers haue whiche take awaye other mens goods the Christian onely except to whome of right belongeth the vse of all things as S. Paul saith whether it be the world or life or death or things present or things to come al things in a word are his because they were made for his profit And there is nothing but God maketh it serue turneth it to his profit in so much that by a speciall dispensation of his prouidence he causeth that the very sinnes them selues which man committeth turne rather to his saluation then to his hurt in that that by them he humbleth them and maketh them better taught and more aduised To be short this mā is a creature that from euerlasting was in Gods heart through Iesus Christ therfore a thing so riche precious that it may well be called Gods treasure But seeing I haue begun to dilate this excellencie of a Christian man by the euerlasting counsell of GOD whiche he determined and appoynted within him selfe before the worlde was according to his gracious goodnes fully set forth in IESUS Christ to al them whom he hath coupled togyther with him It shall be good nowe to come lower and to treat of the matter as it were by descent from heauen to earth and to shew this excellencie more particularly in a Christian beginning at his regeneration and so going on from point to point to shewe howe miraculously he is formed nourished brought vp to rype age what maners he is of what his life is and what his cōuersation to set him out after this sort in his coulours markes as he is For in dede he is a newe creature whom the world knoweth not and an hidden treasure in a vile and contemptible vessell hard to knowe if he be not well marked out set forth with liuely colours And lest in discoursing of it we fal headlong into the same errour which the wise fooles of the world fal into in their discourses vpō his excellencie it shal not be amisse if at the entrie of the matter I warne euery man to beware he presume not so much of him self as to imagine that he hath ought of his owne as though he had in him selfe any piece of a cause meane or ayde to set forwarde this worke Therefore as I sayde before that we haue not to seeke the cause or ground worke or matter of this excellencie any where els but in the mere grace of God according to his euerlasting prouidence so say I againe to shut out all worthines of man that al the goodnes vertue that may possibly be foūd in man proceedeth from the fruict of Gods election and therefore to be a Christian that is to say the best of all creatures procedeth wholy from the gift of our heauēly father in that that whatsoeuer he hath giuen to Christ cōmeth to Christ and in that that no one whit of the worlde belongeth to the Creature were it not that the grace of god plucketh a fewe out of destruction which otherwise should haue perished the world being left in that destruction whereunto it is moste iustly appoynted And for this cause Iesus Christ protesteth that he prayeth the Father for them onely whome the Father hath giuen him For in deede the grace of God findeth no cause in any man why hee should be good vnto him but man receiueth all of his mercy because it is Gods worke onely to saue his and for that ende and
his Apostles as of a true marke wherby his are knowen sayed that it is the wedding garment whereby as by the bridegromes cloth liuerie those that are bidden to the mariage feast are knowē from other And the Apostle sayth to the same purpose that without this cleannes no man can see God nor be ioyned to him to cleaue fast to him And it is impossible for the spirit of adoption to be in one but the spirit of sanctificatiō must also nedes be in him for by it it is that the faithful are called Saincts as sanctified made holy of God consecrated set apart frō prophane common vse separated from al earthly filthines defyling of the flesh as the vessels garments temples swete sinelling sacrifices were which might not be applyed to any other vse but that that was holy and dedicate to the glorie of god For it is meete that they that are lightened with the doctrine of saluation should shewe them selues an other sort of men then they that walke after the vanitie of their owne braines being ouercouered with darknes because they neuer felt any light of trueth so that to finde an holy mā in deede which is the Christian man we neede not seeke him in an heremitage or desert or in some close place that is walled about separate from the conuersation and common life of men eyther in garments meate ceremonies or what other obseruation soeuer of corruptible things and other forme of holynes inuented by men with a kinde of wisedome in superstition and humblenes of spirit and contempt of the body vnder a cloke of fayned obedience pleasant in shew to mans reason but in the onely working of the holy Ghost which transformeth soules into that holynes which he hath him self and frameth them in such wyse to newe thoughts and affections that we may welsay they are other then they were before as wrought in his knowledge and to his image that made them Which thing appeareth not only within through an inward and spirituall feeling of a pure conscience cleansed from wicked affections assisted thereunto with a feare of God and faith and hope and patience and inuocation but also without through a cōtinual exercise of godlynes voyde of all superstition which might lessen or darken the glorie of God by giuing that to other which is propre to him as also by peace and ioy of cōscience meekenes goodnes vpright dealing iustice sobrenes temperancie other fruites of the Spirit contrarie to the fruites of the fleshe whiche are vncleannes filthines idolatrie sectes heresies dissolutenes enimities seditions outrages murders theftes other such like which are cōtrary to brotherly charitie which Iesus Christ telleth vs is an other marke tokē wherby they that are his are marked knowē to be his disciples not only by a cōmon loue towards al men as al men are one fleshe and al created and fashioned to the image of God but also by a special mutuall loue the one towards the other so much the more straight and precise by how much the image of God shineth more clearely in thē whom he hath before regenerate And therfore as by mortifying of him self the Christiā man forgetteth himself whatsoeuer is about him to liue in God referring the partes of his life to him as to their onely end without further searche of things that please him selfe but suche onely as please him and as he well lyketh of for the aduancement of his glorie and so by this way effect of mortification he casteth of al consideration of him self and layeth aside all fleshly affectiō to giue him self wholly to his neighbour and preferreth the profit of his neighbour before any respect of him self So that this loue is an other manner of loue thē that naturall loue which is common to all men which is nothing els to speake truely but a loue of our selues accordingly as euery man is inclined to haue a care of him selfe and so to seeke his owne profyte and gayne neither is there any more agreement betweene them then is betweene fyre and water for the loue of our selues keepeth all our senses so well occupied that this Christian and brotherly loue is wholly banished And therefore S. Iohn sayeth playnely That all they that haue a right feeling of it knowe that they are passed from death to life and they that haue no feeling of it remaine in death that is to say thei that are not regenerat And in deede the bond of perfection consisteth in loue for loue is the marke and end whereat the Lawe shooteth and wherin the end of sanctification standeth as whereby euery one of vs hath to witnes to the world what loue we beare to God whom we loue in our brethren Considering that this loue is so ioyned and coupled with the loue of God that it can in no wyse be separate from it because it procedeth from the loue of god as the effect from the cause and in this it is to be short wherein stādeth the right rule of life whereby the Christian man frameth all his actions and moderateth the right vse of the giftes of god And therefore whatsoeuer is not squared by it is false and all vertues be they neuer so excellent are without it nothing els but a wynde that puffeth men vp with pryde and vanitie and a vaine painting or vnprofitable sound that is to saye a thing of nothing and that more is a stinking and abominable thing before God. And therefore we must not thus thinke of a Christian man that he is a man withdrawen a side from all other men liuing in a solitarie place or so dedicate to a contemplatine life as they call it as that thereby he is distract from such actions of conuersatiō as are behoueable and necessarie for the interteinement of the societie of men Seing that men are borne one for an other to communicate one with an other for the maintenance of the societie of mankinde and not to bereue our neighbours of that duetie we owe them if we wil not be taken for theeues before god Considering that we were not placed here in this world to liue solitarily as wylde and brute beastes but to liue amongst companie and to make other men partakers of that which God hath bestowed vpō eche of vs and there is nothing wherein men are said to followe God so muche in as in employing them selues charitably one for another for the profit of one an other as in deede that vertue is the best of all that is profitable to the most Therefore the Christian is a man that hath dayly conuersatiō with other men that applieth him selfe indifferently to all conditions and trades of life whereunto he findeth him selfe rightly called and therein employeth him selfe faithfully to the profit of the societie of mankinde whether it be in respect of a priuate life and the dealinges thereunto belonging or in regarde of the