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A16834 A sermon, preached at Paules Crosse on the Monday in Whitson weeke Anno Domini. 1571 Entreating on this sentence Sic deus dilexit mundum, vt daret vnigenitum filium suum, vt omnis qui credit in eu[m] non pereat, sed habeat vitam æternam. So God loued the worlde, that he gaue his only begotten sonne, that al that beleue on him shoulde not perysh, but haue eternall life. Iohn. 3. Preached and augmented by Iohn Bridges. Bridges, John, d. 1618. 1571 (1571) STC 3736; ESTC S109682 109,364 184

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also Quae culpa saith Pigghius ꝙ peccatum possit esse animae adhuc innocentis recens nati paruuli c. what fault what sinne can there be of the innocent soule and of the litle child newe borne who for that he hathe not receyued the vse of reason and the facultie of freewil is not yet vnder the law nor can be obliged by any law whereof he may be made a transgressour But as this is a most false errour the cleane distruction of the Christian faith so is this a most true principle that what soeuer they be yong or olde Deus conclusit omnes sub peccato God hath shut vp all vnder synne neyther vnder the sinne of an other only and not of theyr owne synne but of Adams theyr first father imputed vnto them Naytheyr sinne is euen their owne sinne In quo omnes peccauerunt In whom all haue sinned neyther is al sinne to be measured by age of man or wil of man or reson of mā only but Peccatū est iniquitas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Iohn sinne is the swaruing from Gods law whiche sithe it bindethe all mankinde and none not regenerat in Christ are answerable thervnto it followethe they muste nedes be sinners old or yōg bicause without regeneration in Christ not Adam only himselfe of whome we came but all th●… whole subst●…nce externall and internall of mankynd is so infected defiled with sin that no thyng but God c●…n clense it Quis potest facere mūdū de immundo cōceptū semine nisi tu qui solus es Who can make a clean thing of a thing that 〈◊〉 ceyued by foule s●…de but only thou that art alon●… There is none cleane beefore him from sinne Ne infans quidem vnius diei No not the infant that is but one day olde 〈◊〉 that is lesse than a day olde while he is yet in his mothers wombe Ecce saith Dauid that was an holy prophet in iniquitatibus cōceptus sum in peccato cōcepit me mater me●… Beholde sayth he I was begotten in wickednes and my mother conceaued me in sinne Was Dauids father an hoorehunter and his mother an harlot Was Dauid a bastard and misbegotten no suche thyng he was the lawful sonne of I sat Why then is the acte of matrimonie sin and wickednesse no suche thing neyther thou sinnest not if thou takest a wife sayth S. Paule and if a virgin marie she sinneth not yea mariage is honorable among all men and is a bed vndefiled Howe was then Dauid gotten and conceyued in synne For so the he came of sinful seede euen the sede that begat and conceyued Dauid was corrupt staynd with synne And as the seede was so was the chylde Quòd natum est ex carne caro est What that is borne of fleshe is flesh of Adam is Adam of a thorne is a thorn of a brieris brier of a crab is a crabbe and euery thyng yeldethe fruite after his owne kynd qualitie And therfore of a sinful father the chylde is borne a sinner euen the fyrst day and moment the chyld is born yea a sinner before it is borne Well say the Papistes admit all this in old and yong were sinne yet I trust ye wil make a distinction of sinne all sinne is not mortall synne Is no syn●…ne venyall If there be peraduēture then the worlds synnes were not so great as that they deserued to perysh●… for their synnes and so myghte the eas●…yer b●…e forg●…uen bycause theyr sinnes were veniall Nay Papist this helpeth thee not no more than thy other shiftes For although we graunte nor ●…uer denyed that there is distin●…tion to bee made of synnes of the whyche some bee originall some bee actuall some be in thoughte some be in worde some be indede some be of negligence som be of wilfulnesse some be of ignorance some be of malice some be more heynous than other some sinnes be yea and wee admit also this distinction of mortal sinne and veniall synne yet admit wee it not in suche sort as the Papistes do that thys difference is in the nature of synne whereby any is veniall as though it were bycause it is lesse synne therefore it shold bee veniall For be it more or be it lesse or of what sorte of synne so euer it be if it be synne it is mortall in the nature of it and deserueth no forgiuenesse but euen death for recompence For without all distinction sayde GOD to Adam When soeuer thou eatest thereof thou shalte dye And from hym it hathe followed that Vnius delicto omnes mortui fumus By Adams offence we are all deade Per peccatum introijt mors Death e●…tred by syn and therfore Stipendium peccati mors est The rewarde of synne is death For why it came from the dyuell Qui fac●…t peccatum ex dia bolo est and the diuell is a murtherer from the begynnyng and therefore yf yee liue after the fleshe Moriemini yee shall dye Neyther is thys to bee vnderstoode of horrible synnes onely but euen Affectus carnis mors est The affection of the fleshe is Death also Neyther is thys to be eluded as thoughe the Apostle spake onely of a bodyly and temporall death but hee speaketh plat and playne of condemnation Iuditium quidem ex vno in condemnationem The faulte came of one offence vnto condemnation And agayn The faulte came on all menne to condemnation Why then saye the Papistes shall all menne bee damned And where is then youre Uenyall synne Forsooth euen it followeth at the harde heeles Gratia autem ex multis delictis in Iustificationem But the grace is of manye offences to Iustification Heere are manye offences named and all deserue damnation but they become Uenyall yea they hynder not Iustifycation How commeth thys of theyr owne nature nay but by grace by fauour by the gifte of God and not by the nature of the sinne in which respect all stande in the state of damnation But to those that are in Iesu Christe nihil est condemnationis there is no damnation vnto them not that the sin or sinner deserued this but for that they haue receaued the attonement made by Iesus Christe Yea but dydde not God saythe the Papist forsee that they shold receyue Christ and although they were all sinners and subiect to damnation yet did not he foresee that they wold repent them of their sinnes and become faithfull and amende their lyues when hee should call them and peraduenture therfore he wold they should not perishe but haue eternall lyfe euen bicause he foresaw they shoulde become good men although they were euill Nay Papist this is no cause no more thā the other nei ther their workes presente neyther their workes to come For the scripture simply comprehendeth all workes whether they be past or they be present or they be to come Vocauit nos Deus
churche of Christe so often called the spouse the wyfe the welbeloued of Christ but bicause the Lorde of his only loue mercie chose her Wherefore was Dauid chosen king from following the sheepe but bicause hee was a man Secūdum cor meum euē after the hart of God that is to say whom God delighted in and loued Wherfore was Salomon chosen to sitte in the seate of Dauid before all his brethren but bicause Dominus dilexit cum The Lord loued him Wherfore did Christ choose the twelue Disciples before all other in the worlde Non vos me eligistis sed ego elegi vos You chose not me but I chose you But bicause sayth he as my father loued me so haue I loued you Wherefore leaned Iohn on the breast of Iesu and durst aske him more boldly than the other Disciples but bicause he was the disciple Quem diligebat Dominus whom the Lorde loued Wherefore are we chosen to be the people of God in the Iewes place But euen bycause God hath sayd Vocabo non plebem meam plebem meam non dilectam dilectam non misericordiam consecutam misericordiam cōsecutam I will call them my people whiche were not my people and her beloued whiche was not beloued and her to haue obteined mercy which had not obteyned mercy Wherfore now that we are chosen of God are we afflicted Quos diligit Dominus castigat The Lorde correcteth whome he loueth Wherfore can no affliction ouercome vs make vs fall from God as doo the reprobate the chaffe and seede in the stonie grounde but the Electe are purifyed in tribulation as golde in the forneys In his omnibus superamus per eum qui dilexit nos In all these thyngs wee ouercome through hym that loued vs Wherfore haue we in those afflictions sutche a confident truste in God that they shall not hurte vs Quia charitas Dei diffusa est in cordibus nostris per Spiritum Sanctum qui datus est nobis Bycause the loue of GOD is shead abroade in our hartes by the Holy Ghost whyche is gyuen vnto vs Then the fountayne and onely cause of all the grace and fauour that wee receyue of God is the loue of god Propter multam suam dilectionem qua dilexit nos Euen for the greate loue that hee loued vs withall And therefore Christe whyche is the well beloued sonne of God Hic est filius meus dilectus in quo mihi complacui Thys is my well beloued sonne in whom I am wel pleased and in whom wee are made also the beeloued sonnes of God and who hath so loued vs that hee gaue his lyfe for vs than the whiche no man can haue a greater loue hee hath fully declared in the very fyrste woordes of thys Sentence the very fyrst and principall cause of the Worldes saluation saying Sic DEVS dilexit So God loued the worlde there is no cause hereof in manne but onely and all in god I doo not thys for youre sakes O Israell sayeth the Lorde God but for myne owne names sake You shall remember your owne wycked wayes and youre deedes that were not good and shall iudge your selues worthy to haue bene destroyed for your iniquities and for your abhominations Bee it knowne vnto you that I doo not thys for youre sakes sayeth the Lorde God. And as God dothe thys mercyfully vnto his Electe not for any cause in them but for his owne names sake The cause is altogether in him not in vs so the cause that moued hym is his mere goodnesse his infinite mercye his owne good wyll and his very loue vnto vs. What shal we say then to those false prophets that haue so sotted vs in our owne loue that they haue made vs beleue the cause to be in vs of oure saluation our pure naturall qualities our preparatiue workes oure free will oure good deedes and satisfactions to bee the cause why wee escape perdition our merits and our righteousnesse to be the cause why wee receyue eternall lyfe Our election to be the cause of Gods election our loue of God to be the cause of Gods loue to vs Nay soft sayth the Papist ye tell oure tale amisse we say not that these be the only causes neither graūt we that the loue of God is the only cause but ther are causes in both these parties God and the worlde which causes both ioyntly cōcurring together we are therby saued from perdition receiue eternal life We here what they say but what sayeth S. Paul These two saith he cā not in this matter be compartners Reliquiae secundum electionem gratia Dei saluae factae sunt si autem gratia iam non ex operibus alioquin gratia nō est gratia The remnaunt shall bee saued accordyng to the Election of the grace of GOD but yf it bee by grace then is it not by woorkes For otherwise grace were not grace And so on the contrary parte if it be of works then is it not of grace for otherwyse workes were not works And the reason is bicause of the opposition betwene grace and workes that the one hath to the other in the cause of Iustification for although in those that be alredy iustified workes are not seuered from grace nor grace from workes but rather al their workes be graces and gifts of God as S. Hierome sayeth Deus in nobis operatur opera ●…am omnia opera nostra operatus es domine ait propheta de eius dono c. God worketh all our workes in vs of his gyft for as the Prophet sayth Thou Lorde haste wrought all our workes Yet in this poynt of the causes of our saluation whether they be altogether of God or altogether of mā or ioyntly of God and man together that is to saye of Gods grace and mans works concurrent in this poynt grace and workes do so disagree and are become Membra diuidentia haue such a contrary aspect the one to the other that they can not here be ioyned without confounding them yea the one taketh awaye the nature of the other For first grace which signifieth free fauor and gift as S. Augustin saith Gratis datur propter ꝓ gratia nominatur It is giuen freely or gratefully whervppon it hathe his name Grace But admitte there can be founde any cause in the partie to whō it is giuen that by any mean●…s did deserue to haue it giuen him then is it not a mere free gift proceding only of gracious fauour and so is it not grace Likewise on the contrary part for works To him that worketh reward sayth saint Paule is not giuen according to grace or fauour but according to duetie Hee that hathe wrought for any thing be it little or much that he hath wrought so litle so much it debarreth from the nature of grace It is not of mere and free fauour that he hath any
reward giuen for of good conscience by right and iustice he deserueth somwhat euen of dutie Therfore if hee wrought any thing in this matter of the cause of his owne saluation he deserueth then somewhat euen of dutie to the obteyning of his owne saluation Neither let the Scholemen go so gingerly to worke with theyr threefolde distinction of deseruyng Merito digni condigni congrui by the merite of dignitie condignitie congruitie descanting by which of these three they shoulde make their clayme least they shoulde seeme to attribute too muche to manne A good playne fellowe that coulde scarse vnderstand these quaint termes what woulde he thynke hearing of desert but that it is plain debt and dutie ▪ Yea what could he thinke otherwise and why should he not clayme for his due somuch as he deserued for his worke And doth not saint Paul here without any such nicenesse go as plain ly to the matter and saye if it be of worke it is of duetie And againe Dignus est operarius mercede sua The workman is worthy of his rewarde He must be payde it he is worthy of it it is his dutie daly not with him in termes muche lesse tell hym it is free gift it proceedeth of gracious fauour of mere loue curtesy Thou liest it is his own euen of dutie he hath earned it wel and truly and therfore it is not gift nor fauour nor loue ▪ nor curtesy nor free nor grace but euen playn debt and dutie And shal we now say that of dutie we deserue heuen or deserue some part of our saluation of dutie that God is in our debt This were Iacke sauce in dede to claime debt of God to chalenge God of dutie but thou must nedes do thus if thou puttest in workes for any part of the cause of thy saluation Neither canst thou delude god on this wise by ioyning these two together as who shoulde saye thou wilt not ascribe all to thy selfe lyke the priest at Masse but like a good felow let God haue som part with the. Ha sut●…le foole Sim suttle deceued himself Thinkest thou thus to mo●…k God Thou mayst so bleare and deceiue a blinde Papist But Deus non irridetur God is not mocked no nor any that hearken to S. Paule that sayth These two can not be ioyned togither The olde bottell wyll holde no new wine the olde coate will not be pieced with new cloth for so the rent is worse so the bottels are burst and the wine is spilt This is an busit matche of mans workes and Gods grace in the cause of our saluation This is worse than Iugum ducere cum infidelibus To drawe the yoake with infidels This were euen Christe and Belial together For what is man but the child of Belial before God geue him his grace and wylte thou ioyne mans works and the grace of God togither to be cause of thy saluation nay S. Paule hath sued such a diuorce alredy betwene these two that if thou wilte haue grace to be a doer grace must be all the doer farewel works If thou wilt bring in works adiew fauor grace is clean gone These two cānot be ioyned together in the causes of saluation For sayth S. Aug. Si vllis bonis meritis datur iam non gratis datur sed debita redditur ac per hoc non vero nomine gratia nuncupatur vbi mer ces c. If it be geuen for any good merits then is it not geuē free but is of duty rendred and hereby it is not called grace by a true name sith that as the same apostle sayth reward is accompted not after grace or fauor but by debt But if that it may be fauor that is to say free it findeth nothyng in man whereunto it may be rightly indebted whiche is also truely vnderstode that is said Euen for nothing shalte thou make them safe then truly fauor giueth merites fauour is not giuen for merits then fauor goeth before faith it selfe from whom all works haue their beginning To conclude therefore as it commethe not by works alone nor chiefly so not ioyntlye neither with the fauoure and loue of God neither in partnor parcell nor any whyt by works at all for if it shoulde grace is expelled challenge is made of duty debt is claimed reioising is made but not with god but it commeth all of fauor Gratia saluati estis yee are saued by grace challenge dare not be made of dutie Dimitte nobis debita no●…tra Forgiue vs our deseruings Debt is damnation Nobis cō fusio faciei Unto vs belōgeth confusion of our faces Vbi est igitur gloriatio tua ▪ exclusa est Per quam legem factorum non s●…d per legem fidei arbitramur enim iustificari hominem per fidem absque operibus legis Where is then thy reioicing It is excluded By what lawe of workes No But by the law of Faith. Therfore wee deeme that a man is iustified by Faith without the workes of the lawe If then workes are thus by S. Paul in the matter of Iustification thrust clean out of the dores by the heade and shoulders shall wee suffer the Papists to bring them in and shoulder out grace and the fauour of God in the cause of his election and of our saluation But needes wyll the Papistes ioyne these two that can not be ioyned the merits of man and the fauour or loue of god Now syth they will needes ioyne them together whether wer it fitter to haue the better ende of the staffe to be the greater cause of the twain the cause proceding from god or the cause proceeding from man a reasonable man would think say without any studie for the matter surely the greater cause is in god Were he not then vnresonable and too too wicked that durst affirm the greater cause of our saluation to be in man Well what say the Papists to this question Man shal be saued why so Bicause God loues him as ye haue alredy proued yea but answere me precisely to this point wherfore thinkest thou God loues him Forsoth bicause that eyther he is a good man a iust man a vertuous man a man that loueth and feareth God or bicause he foreseeth he shuld so be and therfore he loueth him Why then mās goodnes is the cause of Gods loue But Vnumquodque propter quid illud magis Euery thing loke wherfore it is done and the thing wherfore it is done is greater than the thing that tendeth thereto I eate my meate wherefore To nourishe my bodye then is the nourishement of my bodye a greater cause than my meat as sayth Saint Paule Esca ventri The meate is made for the belly and not the bellie for the meate I take Physicke when I am sicke wherfore to recouer my health the r●…couery then of my health is greater than phisicke I laye mee downe to slepe why so to rest
death hell sinne and sathan cancel the hande writing against vs triumphe ouer all our enemies transforme vs into a new man enter into heauen like a victorious conquerer in our behalfe and purchace for vs the hope of a better inheritance sende vs downe the holy ghost to comfort and strengthen vs in our iorney thether make vs haue bolde accesse vnto God the father and call him our father and clayme sonship of him No man no woman no angell no creature no earthly or heauenly bodely or spiritual thing could haue wrought these mighty works for vs but only the only begotten sonne of God. Nor any thing that we can cōceaue could so haue set forth the fathers loue in these doings as this that he vouchsafed to geue his only begotten sonne to do it What madnesse then hath bewitched the Papists mindes to seeke other mediatours than the sonne of God other satisfactions other gifts other reconciliations other means to saluation and pardon of their sinnes than that which God him selfe of sutche highe loue and fauoure hathe geuen vs as a most excellent and effectuall worker of all these things the only begotten sonne of God Is not this a greate vnthankefulnesse a foule beastlynesse a very follie or by what worthie name maye I cal their vnworthy demeanour to GOD to them selues to the sonne of God to the world to refuse so notable a loue and forsake so fre and riche a gifte to seke trifles and let go the principall to run to puddles of errour and goe from the flowing streame of grace and fountaine of life to cleaue to them selues and to renownce the sonne of god O brutishe Papistes and vnsensible or rather ledde too much by sensualitie O horse and Mule in whome there is no vnderstanding O Image makers howe lyke bee yee vnto your images Of whome sayeth Dauid they are lyke to them that made them hauyng eares to heare and heare not eyes to see and see not noses to smell and smell not For if ye hadde eyther hearyng seeyng smellyng or sauouryng of anye thyng petteynyng to GOD yee coulde not bee thus senselesse But this sheweth ye are but fleshe and blood whiche canne not reueale the sonne of the liuing god Good Lorde what is manne if hee be caste off of God and lefte to him selfe gyuen ouer to his owne lusts and a reprobate sense ▪ But the saying of Esaye is verified on them He hath blynded their eyes and hardened their heartes that they shoulde not see wyth theyr eyes nor vnderstande with their heartes and shoulde bee conuerted and I shoulde heale them For were it not that God had sent them strong delusion that they should beleeue lyes and be damned whiche beleeued not the truthe but hadde pleasure in vnryghteousnesse they wold neuer so like swine haue trod vnderfote this most precious perle the sonne of God and delight to wallowe in the mire of mens traditions and durtie deedes of their owne righteousnesse as they doo and had rather like Grillus that was bewitched of Circes be still a swine and sosse in swil than returne to the forme of a manne and be with wise Vlisses had rather liue in Egypte with sclauish bondage and foode fit for sclaues onions leekes and garlike than liue in libertie trauailyng to the lande of promise and be fedde with angels foode Here is a notable gifte if we value it well all the riches in the worlde is but drosse vnto it How do the Papists value this excellent iewell Lette vs see yf they be good iewels yea or no or if they bee as wyse prysers of the valew hereof as Esops donghyll Cocke who fynding a precions stone hadde rather haue had a sillye barley corne to cramme his croppe than all the precious stones in the worlde And doo not the Papistes as fondly esteeme and worse handle this precious Iewell that GOD the Father hath gyuen vs His onely begotten sonne Howe doo they value Christe That traytour Iudas valued hym but at an easy price when hee solde hym for thirtie pence to the Priestes Thys was too mutche vnder foote in conscience for sutche a Iewell But theeues haue no conscience they wyll make Robyn Hoodes penywoorthes to dispatche and away wyth all that they can come by Well Iudas solde hym for thyrtie pence to the Priestes but the Priestes since that haue esteemed him at a greate deale lesser value than Iudas did They beare vs in hande that that little rounde white cake whyche the Priest at his Masse dothe consecrate as they call it is Christe hym selfe But ye shoulde haue hadde any morrowe Masse priest haue solde ye thyrtie Masses thyrtie consecrations for thirtie groates a whole Trentall for a royall and so the price of Christ was come downe to foure pence mutche vnder Iudas price But there was a reason of the fall of the price For why the makyng of Chryste was so easye and there were sutche a companie of those Christmakers and of those Christes Here is Christe and there is Christe that thys pulled downe the markette But yf that were Christe howe ordered they hym Forsoothe they ordered hym euen as they prysed hym that whiche they might haue of so easie a price a fourepenie matter was ordered euen thereafter Fyrste they turned Chryst out of his owne likenesse and made him looke lyke a reunde cake nothyng lyke to Iesus Christe no more than an apple is lyke an oyster nor so mutche for there appereth neyther armes nor handes feete nor legges backe nor belly heade nor body of Chryst but all is visoured and disguysed vnder the fourme of a wafer as lyghte as a feather as thinne as a paper as whyte as a kerchiefe as round as a trenchour as flat as a pancake as smal as a shilling as tender as the Priestes lemman that made it as muche taste as a stycke and as deade as a dore nayle to looke vppon O blessed GOD dare they thus disfigure our Lord and sauior Iesus Christ or can they make suche a strange Metamorphosis of the sonne of God They saye they doo thys But now what do thei with him hauīg thus trāsformed him Forsoth euen as the cat doth with the mouse play with it dandle it vp downe hoise it euer her head tosse it hither thyther then eate it cleane vp euen so for al the world did they order Christ. Mark a Priest at Masse and marke a Cat with a mouse tel me then what differēce Now if Christ were not eaten vp of the Priest did he so escape the Priests handes Nay euen as a mouse kept in a trap till she pine to death as a birde in a pitfal til she be st●…rued as a caytif in a dungeon til he be famished so was Christ thrust vp into a copper pixe and there hanged vp tyll euen the wormes did eate hym and scraule all ouer hym and the very hoarie moulde dydde rotte him and then was he
my bodye and refresh my spirites then the rest of my body and the refreshing of my spirits is a greater matter than is my lying downe to sleepe I buylde an house what moueth me to doo suche cost to shelter and shrowde me from wynde and weather from heat and colde from danger and enimie and to defend and keepe me and myne then this my defence is a greater cause than my house buylding is And euē so God loueth a man why loueth he him bicause he is a good man then the goodnesse of the man is a greater cause than the loue of god And thus in conclusion not onely the greater cause of mans saluation is in man and the lesser cause in God but also that little cause in God is referred to mannes goodnesse also And so the cause in God is cleane swalowed vp lyke a drop in the sea ▪ a beane in a Monks hoode a mouse in a cheese nay rather a ciphre in Algorisme the loue of God in the cause of mans saluation And yet for fashions sake the name of Gods loue of Gods grace of Gods mercie of Christs merits must be pretended but when all is done the woorke of man is the efficient is the formall is the finall and principall cause of mans saluation As Bonauenture sayeth that although the death and resurrection of Christe take away our sinnes and iustifie vs attamen neutri attribui potest propriè causalitas iustificationis habet tamen aliquam causae proprietatem scilicet per modum meriti interueniētis ꝓ reducitur ad causam materialē formalis enim est gratia hoc est charitas c. Neuerthelesse the causing cause of Iustification can not proprely be attributed eyther to Christes death or to his resurrection although it hath some propretie of a cause that is to wit by the meanes of merite commyng betwene which is reduced to the materiall cause for the formall cause is grace that is to say charitie Heere is a name of grace but when the name is expounded it falleth out he ment not the loue and free fauour of God but charitie that is mans loue the very contrary in this poynt vnto grace and free fauour of god And so mans loue is the formall cause of mannes saluation but it muste bee called forsoothe the grace of God. Heere is agayne the Passion and Resurrection of Iesus Christe sayde to take away synnes and to Iustifie vs What can be a godlyer saying and truer than this Who could find fault with this Who woulde require more yf they meane as they say Why haue thei then another meaning What is that Forsoth the death and Resurrection doth it but not proprely as any cause therof Lo here is the cause cleane takē away nay not so but it is not a cause properly how is it thē it hath yet some propertie of a cause This is a contrarie tale to it selfe at lest it hath som propertie of contrarietie But what kynd of propertie of a cause hath the deth and resurrection of Christ to take away sinnes and to iustifie man Forsoothe in this consideration by the meanes of mans desert and good works cōming betwene and being a stickler in the matter But how commeth it betwene as a small cause Nay as the material cause also of his saluation And so mās charity is the formal cause mans merits are the material cause Grace is named The deathe and resurrection of Christe is named but it is no cause properlie and if it haue anye propretie of a cause it is onely by reason of mannes merites goyng betweene Is not thys a proper doctrine Whether will not this doctrine presume to goe Why maye not the Papist say as well that manne is the cause of God as to say that mannes merites are the cause of Gods loue Is not the loue of God euen GOD hymselfe Quicquid dicitur de Deo Deus est The Wisdome of God is God the power of God is God and the loue of God is god And so Sain●…t Iohn dothe saye Deus est charitas qui maner in charitate in deo m●…net deus in eo God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him Nowe if mannes goodnesse bee the cause of Gods loue is it not then the cause of God also What is pr●…de if this bee not pride Where is Adam and Eue that woulde become like Gods if they be not here Where is that proude kyng of Babylon that sayde with Lucifer I wyll a●…cende aboue the cloudes I wil be like the most high but in this doctrine Where is that man of sin●…e that would exalt himself aboue all that is called God if not in this blasphemous presumption of the Papists Qui quaerentes suā iustitiā stabilire c. That seking to set vp their owne righteousnesse are not subiect to the righteousnesse of god But let this diuelishe doctrine goe wyth the diuell downe the lane from whence it came and let vs humbly receyue the doctrine of Iesus Christe that the cause whiche moued God to saue the worlde was onely in him selfe for his owne sake for his owne goodnesse and most merciful fauour for his tender loue that of his owne accorde good nature be vouchsafed to beare the worlde and not for any cause of goodnesse in the worlde were it neuer so little a cause For how little so euer thou ascribest to thy selfe thou takest from God thou robbest God of his glory and of his glorie God is a iealous god neyther will he part stakes with any other for any part or parcell therof Oh sayth the Papist it is a very little thing a small modicum that wee require and modicum non nocet a litle hurteth nothing an inche breakes no square That is not true modicum nocet modicum A little hurteth a litle yea and that a great deale in this case wherin on the one part God is all in all will haue all the glorie of it as right requireth if he haue not al he wil haue none There is no halting betwene God and Baal no agreement betwene God and the diuell no felowshippe wyth light and darkenesse And what is manne else but darkenesse ▪ but mancipium Sathanae the bōdsclaue of Sathan before God lighten and deliuer him On the other part the diuel will not bee contente with a little graūt him neuer so litle in the beginning as good giue him all for in the ende he will striue to haue all giue him an inche hee will take an elle giue him but his little toe he will thrust his foote his leg his body after and seuen diuels more for company and the ende of that man shal be worse than the beginning Obsta principijs serò medicina paratur Stoppe therfore the beginnings otherwise it will be too late to seeke for healpe Take away the cause else the effect wil neuer be taken away Man will euer