where was his sword now wher was his heart when the maid moued him this questioÌ„ art not thou one of this mans disciples what had he then to answer he made then a flat deniall of hys maister he was none of his disciples he knewe no suche man as Christe was and nowe was it tyme for the cocke to crowe for Peter to fall a weeping and a howling there was Christe left alone and giuen ouer on euery side for the shéepe they were all dispersed Now that guiltlesse Lambe with what a sorte of wicked wolues was he beset There was Annas the fyrste Caiphas the high Prieste Pilate the president there was the assembly of Scribes the â—ocke of Pharisies but thankes be to God the heauenly father his Christe had pacience ynough for them all There was in that Lambe bloude ynough for those greedy wolues the rulers and gouernors there were bones ynough for those hungrie dogges the Scribes and fleshe to satisfie that swarme of adders the Pharisies for all those there was pacience ynough with our suffring sauiour being ready to beare what soeuer burthen they might deuise to oppresse him wythall for they bounde him they made a scorne and a mock of him turning him into a strange disguised apparell platting a crowne of thornes vpon his heade adding thereto thorny and gauling wordes beyng haled and tossed to and fro betwixt Pilate the Priestes and the people one crying on this side beholde the man in dispite of his omnipotent godheade on the other syde another company crying hayle Kyng of the Iewes in contempt of this eternall kingdome and yet for further tryall of his pacience some blindfelded hym some buffetted him some moste shamefullye spued theyr spettle on his face then was hée tormented also wyth Pylates bitter scourge yet no resistance made Christ remedie was pacience but that was not thought ynoughe neyther scourging woulde not serue therefore he muste bée committed againe to the handes of Pylate hée muste be examined witnesse is sought and false witnesse is brought in agaynst the truth it selfe yea although Pylate himselfe coulde not but thus depose for his innocencie saying and repeating it often I finde no fault in hym wherefore yet thys friendship was shewed of Pylate that the people contented he shoulde bée let loose according to the custome of the Iewes This was the greatest curtesie that Christe founde he was set agaynste Barrabas an holy God compared wyth a wicked murtherer for so did Pylate put it to the peoples choyse saying Wil ye that I let loose vnto you Barrabas or Iesus whiche is called Christ naye if Christ should haue nowe bene let at libertie then had the Priestes his enimies froÌ„ the beginning lost al their labor wherfore Mathewe reporteth that they counselled the people to quite Barrabas and to aske Christ to be crucified wherefore the sauing and condemnation being referred vnto them when they cried for Barrabas that he might be saued then Pylate speaking somwhat fauourably as he durst on Christes part sayd what shall I do then with Iesus the answere was let him be crucified And Pylate demaunding again what euill hath he done That question might not be heard bycause it coulde not be aunswered but the more they cryed away with him crucifie him This was that rufull crie that Christe was content to heare for all the loue of God that was and shoulde be declared by him towardes the worlde he had this rewarde crucifie him nothing but crucifie him After this hard sentence as a lamb to the slaughter so was our Sauioure led out of the Citie to the place of his executioÌ„ hauing the coÌ„panie of his Crosse and bearing it part of the way himselfe Now must our Sauiour be serued as the Serpent in the wyldernesse he must be lifte vp to the crosse beholde he drinketh the cup of that curse Cursed is he that hangeth on the trée This is the true represented Isaacke that humbleth himselfe to the aultar a sacrifice for sinne and the Lorde suffereth that bloudy knife withdrawn froÌ„ Isaack to fall vpon his onely begotten sonne and to pierce his precious bowelles that the water mought runne out whiche shoulde washe away the sinnes of his people O Christians O men and brethreÌ„ this was ours by right but Christe is contented to beare our burthen he is contented to dye to dye the death the shamefull deathe the cursed death of the bitter crosse Nowe beholde the Lamb of God that taketh away the sinnes of the worlde O thou sonne of man sée what the sonne of God suffereth for thy sake sée how he is tormented let his panges enter a little into thy hart that thou mayste consider the loue of God towardes thee lette that pitifull scricke of our Sauiour alwayes ring in thyne eare as when he cryed my God my God why hast thou forsaken me for so did the sorrowes of death gripe him as thoughe he had indéede bene forsaken of his father wherefore he suffered him to be layde in the graue also that he might tast of al our infirmities as well vnder the earth as aboue howbeit nowe was it time for the Lord God to gloryfie his sonne in the heauens which had glorified him on the earth wherefore he might not leaue the soule of his dearely beloued in the graue nor suffer his holye one to sée corruption but hath raysed him vp to his ryght hande there to reigne with glorie vntil he make his enimies and our enimies if we be true Christians his footestoole and thus with the glorie of Christe doth the loue of God fully appeare towardes vs for in all this hath God and his Chryste sought our saluation for the sonne of man came for no other purpose but to saue that which was loste and by these meanes in summe hathe he atchieued the ende of his message he was deliuered to deathe for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification The tvvelfth Chapter ¶ How only faith wrought in vs by the spirit of God and grounded vpon the word of God maketh vs partakers of the fruit of Christes death THus is that worthy worke finished Nowe may Abraham reioyce with ful ioy for his promised séede is performed and he hath poured out his blessing moste plentifully vpon his faithfull children now is Adam truly made vp a new creature thus far is he in the fauor of God that he hath sent his only begotten son to purchase him his pardon God said in his indignation thou shalt die the death but so hath the sonne pleased him that he nowe cryeth thou shalt not perishe but haue life euerlasting Nowe shalte thou liue for so God loueth thée that Christ hath dyed in thy stead now mayst thou stand vpright for so God loueth thée that his Chryste hath falne for thee Chryste is rysen and beholde he so loueth thée that he offereth his gentle hande to rayse thée togyther with himselfe he hath deceyued the serpent
for his owne glorie then for the benefite of man Of the waters God created the great Whales euery thing liuing and mouing which the waters brought forth in abundāce according to their kinde euery fethered foule according to his kinde God saw al that he had made and lo it was very good and al these things were made as good for the necessitie of man God made these creatures for man yea he made them blissed for man saying bring forth fruite multiplie Now when God had thus prouided all things to mans hand set them in so blissed estate then came the course of our creation then he said let vs make man how after what forme in what moulde was he cast In our Image saith the almightie according to our owne likenesse not as other his creatures therfore that this high point of Gods loue might with the déeper consideration enter our harts Moyses repeateth it double Thus God created man in his image in the image of God created he him neyther did he make him sole and comfortlesse but male and female created he them neither when he had made man straight he cast him of set him as it wer a grasing with other his creatures so taking no further care of him but without long delay he gaue him his heauenly blessing he made him a souereigne and a ruler ouer all other his creatures and streight gaue him possession of them God blessed them and sayd bring forth fruite and multiply and fil the earth and subdue it and rule ouer the fish of the sea and ouer the foule of the heauē and ouer euery beast that moueth on the earth Now beholde the loue of God towardes man in his firste creation God viewed all the glorious workes of his fingers and they were all pleasant in his sight but he did moste glorie in man as the perfection of all his workes wherefore hée coulde not but delight in him while he kepte himselfe in that estate man was nowe a blessed man when God had blessed him and blessed euery thing about him wherefore Dauid rauished in manner with the consideration hereof bursteth out in vehemencie of spirite and sayth what is man O Lorde that thou art mindfull of him or what is the sonne of man that thou visitest him for thou hast made him a little lower than God thou haste crouned him with glorie and worship thou makest him to haue dominion ouer the workes of thy handes thou hast put all thinges vnder his féete all shéepe and Oxen yea and the beastes of the field the foules of the aire and the fish of the Sea and that which passeth through the pathes of the Seas besides all this he made him a Prince of Paradise and placed him in a garden of pleasure where he turned him on no side but euery eye was full of the blessing and loue of God. The fifth Chapter ¶ The fall of Adam and his miserable estate by occasion thereof THus God loued the worlde euen in his first foundatiō wherin he shewed manifolde tokens of a fatherlye fauour towardes man but this was not that speciall loue here meante there was yet no néede of that loue let vs therefore nowe consider the occasion of this our necessitie why God shoulde so shewe his mercie towardes vs as is here mentioned let vs search the sore so shall the salue séeme more precious He that can not in himselfe finde what he is of himselfe let him loke vpon Adam as the childe on the father and the true image of vs all so iustly valewing our selues what we are whom God so loueth we shall haue occasion to set the greater price on that loue and it may be as a spur vnto vs stirring vs vnto a further thankefulnesse Nowe therefore when God had so mercifully dealte with Adam settling him in that place of pleasure giuing him such libertie as these wordes do import Thou shalte eate freely of euery tree of the Garden yet leaste the pot might set vp himselfe against the potter least by presumption man shoulde aduance and equall himselfe with his creator it was the good pleasure of the almightie God to giue him this brydle to byte on and to kepe down that stomacke which he foresawe woulde shortly swell with pride so to restraine his libertie as in those wordes is expressed But as touching the tree of knowledge of good and euill thou shalte not eate of it for whensoeuer thou eatest thereof thou shalte dye the death This was the holy commaundement of our heauenly father whiche it had bene the parte of man willingly to haue obeyed alwayes to haue obserued neuer to haue resisted so might he haue kept his possession in Paradise For all the benefites which God had moste plentifully bestowed vppon man he desired but this one thing that is obedience to his will. This was a sacrifice wherewith he woulde be pleased he hath alwayes cryed for obedience euen from the firste man hither vnto but he could neuer get it at any mans handes excepting Christe the righteous For Adam how did he behaue himselfe what obedience shewed he he stopped his eare at the voice of the liuing God his louing Lorde who dealte so mercifully and liberally with him it was forgotten whiche God sayde thou shalte dye and that voyce of the serpent ye shal not dye howe soone did that enter the eare For the man he gaue eare to the Woman the Woman to the Serpent they brake the commaundement they eat of the excepted trée so the blinde led the blinde and they fel togither into the ditch they became subiecte to the curse of God who called them to accompt for their disobedience and gaue to euery one his seueral curse here is the point here lieth the matter a bleeding this is the olde sore as they say bred in the bone that will neuer be gotten out of the fleshe passing mans cunning to cure without a speciall remedie prouided of god O Adam how wert thou bewitched thou wert once in an highe and heauenly estate but thou arte falne flat to the earthe thou werte sure in Paradise but now thou art endaungered to become a firebrand of hell it was swéete meat perchance thou tastedst but thou shouldest haue remembred the sowre sause that followed Coulde not these blessings and manifolde benefites receyued of thy creator coole thy presumptuous courage coulde not the feare of falling into the contrarie plagues and calamities stay thy wilfull appetite O howe didst thou forget that threatning thou shalt dye the death that double deathe the due rewarde of thy sinne But thou shouldest haue bene obedient obedience had bene the waye to haue kepte thee vpright but nowe thou hast receiued thy wages the wages for sinne is death Whilest thou keptst thy selfe within the bounds which thy louing Lorde hadde appoynted for thée then waste thou an happie Adam O thanke God for that nowe arte thou vnhappie and in miserie thanke thy selfe
of offence that rocke it is that shattereth our shippes that shooteth vs on the sandes but the anchor of fayth fast fixed on the sure ground Christ hauing holde by his worde that neuer deceyueth him that hopeth for helpe that saueth vs sounde from storme and tempest from all winde and weather he maketh sure worke that worketh by the worthie and sure instrument of fayth and he buildeth once for all that hath Christ laid for his foundation directing himselfe alway by the right rule of his worde for they that come to that liuely stone they are a spirituall house as Saint Peter sayth yea they are the sure grounded and glorious temple of the liuing God thus then we being builded vp by faith casting anchor on Christ nowe let the floudes aryse let the windes blowe yet stande we sure for we beléeue in him that will sée we do not perishe those that are in that raging sea of the wilde wicked worlde they séeme to stande in great daunger of shipwracke but if we enter the Arke by fayth with Noe for S. Paule attributeth his fauour vnto fayth then let the Pyrates come let Satan assaulte vs yet are we harmelesse Christ is on oure syde what maye preuaile against vs not sands not Rockes not stormes nor tempestes no windes ne floudes nor fire nor water no not all the power of Satan not the gaping gates of hell shall moue vs a whitte Such commoditie doe those finde that be so happie as to enioy the inestimable iewell of faith but those that haue no experiēce hereof and féele not the force of faith they make light of the matter not séeking Christ by faith nor faith by his word and therfore no marueyl though they be stil ouershadowed with death being in darknesse comprehended not the light howe should they beléeue except they heare fayth commeth by hearing hearing of the word of god They then that haue lost their hearing howe shoulde they finde fayth where the séede of the worde is not sowne how shoulde the fruite of fayth spring howe may they enioy Christ or any part of his loue that receyue not his witnesses The Scriptures sayth Christ they beare witnesse of mée These things sayth S. Iohn meaning the contents of the Gospell are written that ye might beléeue that Iesus is Christ the son of God and that in beléeuing ye myght haue lyfe through his name Wherefore vnderstande ye that vpon this double point standeth the whole course of oure saluation art thou in the right waye therefore then it is bicause thou hast followed the counsell of our sauiour saying searche the scriptures Art thou out of the way The cause learne of Christ ye are deceyued not knowing the Scriptures This is the marke wherewith Christ marketh his shéepe by the voyce we know our shepeheard and by hearing we are knowne of him my shéepe heare my voyce sayth that good shepeherd and I knowe them and they followe mée Thus knowe where we haue to fetche fayth that wée bée not to séeke on this sid◠where we finde also howe God loueth the worlde in prouiding so mercifullye the lyuely foode of his worde that our soules faint not in fayth but let vs treade a little deeper in thys matter and that wée maye value faythe somewhat neere the worthie pryce it shoulde beare with vs let vs consider howe the market goeth with vs let vs consider in what case wée stand then shall we see what seruice faith will doe vs first this we knowe that we haue but borrowed breath and that lying in our nostrelles as the scripture speaketh our life what is it but a plaine warfare wherein we haue either to yéeld or to ouercome we vnderstande with what enimies we are beset as that wily witch the world the prowde swelling fleshe euer rebelling agaynst the spirit the serpent and his seede dayly spetting out his fierie flames and venimous poyson vpon vs Satan I meane that ramping roring Lion continually séeking and searching how to deuour vs Now he that must abide the brunt of such a battell and hath to encounter with so fierce and cruell aduersaries as whome we sée dayly murthering many a soule it is necessarie that such a souldiour shoulde go well appoynted to the fielde Wherefore in this behalfe it shall be good we follow the counsell of Saint Paule who speaketh not without booke but of experience for hée fought a good fight his councell is that we put on the armour of God and this is the furniture that he appointeth for to arme suche a Souldiour as we seeke He wisheth our loynes to be gyrded with veritie hauing on the breastplate of righteousnesse oure féete being shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace But aboue all sayeth he take vnto you the shield of faith wherewith ye may quenche all the fierie dartes of the wicked and Saint Iohn likewise strong in the spirite he giueth vs good instruction and warneth vs whiche waye we may winne the fielde All that is borne of God sayth he ouercommeth the worlde and this is the victorie that ouercommeth the worlde euen our fayth then he addeth this question with his answere who is it that ouercommeth the worlde but he whiche beleeueth that Iesus is the sonne of God And S. Peter also when he had declared what an aduersarie we haue of the deuill as that lyke a roaring Lyon he séeketh to deuour vs then maketh he this exhortation shewing howe we may stande agaynst the assaultes of Satan resist him sayth he stedfast in the fayth Thus is fayth commended vnto vs of all hands as a shielde to defende vs in all assaultes and as a sure tryed weapon to conquere and beate downe to the dust the diuell the worlde and all that stande agaynst vs it is Christ in déede that hath gotten the victorie but suche is his loue he dothe not enioy it alone but he giueth vs part also Thus he comforteth vs lyke a captayne of courage be of good chéere for I haue ouercommed the worlde He fought the fight indéede he hath taken the fort but he giueth vs the spoyle and is content that his victorie be accounted our victorie so speaketh Saint Paule acknowledging the loue of God therein Thankes be to God sayth he which hath giuen vs victorie through our Lorde Iesus Christ and howe hath Christ giuen vs the victory but as he sayeth fayth quencheth the fierie dartes of the wicked and as Saint Iohn sayth our faith in Christ ouercommeth the worlde and as Saint Peter exhorteth by stedfastnesse of fayth to resist the Deuill Suche is the marueylous vertue of true beliefe that by it we enioye all the fruites whiche spring so plenteously oute of that flourishing roote of Ishai for Christ had subdued sinne so haue wée by fayth in Christe Christe by death hath ouercommed death so haue we by faith Christ is proued by suffering a Sauiour and wée by fayth are