ministracion of lyfe Paule calleth it in the fore rehersed place of the seconde â—â—ap to the CorinthiaÌ„s the ministracion of the spirit â–ª of rightwysnes In the gospell whan we be leue the promyses we receyue the spirite of lyfe and are iustifyed in the blode of Christ from all thinges whereof the lawe condempneth vs. And we receyue loue vnto the lawe and power to fulfyll it grow therin dayly Of Christ it is written in the fore â—â—hersed fyrste chapiter of John this is he of whose abuÌ„dance or fulnes all we haue receyued grace for grace or fauour for fauoure That is to saye for the fauour that god hath to his son christ he giueth vnto vs his fauour good wyl al gyftes of his grace as a fader to his soÌ„nes As affermeth Paule sayeng whiche loued vs in his beloued before the creatyon of the world So that Christ bringeth the loue of god vnto vs and nat oure owne holye workes Christ is made lorde ouer all is called in scripture goddes mercy stole whosoeuer therfore flyeth to christ can neither here nor receyue of god any other thynge saue ¶ In the olde testament mercy ar many ê“mises which ar nothyng els but this euangelyon or gospell to saue those that beleued theÌ„ from the vengeaunce of the lawe And in the new testament is oft made mencion of the lawe to condempne theÌ„ which beleue nat the promyses Moreouer the lawe gospell maye neuer be seperate for the gospel and promyses serue but for troubled couscyences whiche are brought to disperacion and fele the paynes of hell and deth vnder the lawe and are in captiuyte bondage vnder the law In all my dedes I muste haue the lawe before me to condempne myne vnê‘fytnes For all that I do be I neuer so parfyte is yet dampnable synne whan it is compared to the lawe which requyreth the grounde and bottome of myne herte I must therefore haue alwayes the lawe in my syght that I may be meke iÌ„ the spirit gyue god all the laude and prayse ascribiÌ„ge to hiÌ„ all rightwysnes to my selfe all vnright wysenes synne I must also haue the promyses before myne eyes that I dispeyre nat in which promyse I se the mercy fauour and good wyl of god vpoÌ„ me in the blode of his soÌ„ne christ which hath made satisfaction for myne vnparfytenes fulfylled for me that which I coulde nat do ¶ Here maye ye perceyue that two maner of people are sore disceyued Fyrst they which iustifye them selfe with outwarde dedes in that they absteyne outwardly from that whiche the lawe forbyddeth and do outwardly that whiche the lawe commaundeth They compare themselues to open synners and in respecte of them iustify theÌ„ selues condempnynge the open synners They set a vayle on Moses face se nat howe the lawe requyreth loue froÌ„ the botthom of the hert that loue only is the fulfyllynge of the lawe If they dyd they wolde nat condemne their neybours Loue hydeth the multy tude of synnes sayth saynt Peter in his fyrst Pistle For whom I loue from the depe bothom grounde of myne herte him condempne I nat neither reken his synnes but suffre his wekenesse infyrmyte as a mother the wekenesse of her sonne vntyll he grow vp into a parfyte man ¶ Those also are disceyued which without all feare of god gyue them selues vnto all manner vyces with full consent full delectacion hauynge no respect to the lawe of god vnder whose vengeaunce they are locked vp in captiuytie but saye God is mercyfull Christ dyed for vs supposynge that such dremynge and ymaginacion is that fayth whiche is so greatly commended in holy scripture Naye that is nat fayth but rather a folysshe blynde opinyon springynge of their owne corrupt nature and is nat gyuen them of the spirit of god but rather of the spirit of the deuyl whose faith now a dayes the popysshe compare and make equall vnto the best trust confidence and beleue that a repenting soule can haue in the blode of oure sauyour Jesus vnto their owne confusyon shame vttrynge what they are within But trewe fayth is as sayth the apostle Paule the gyft of god is gyuen to synners after the lawe hath passed vpon them hath brought their conseyences vnto the brim of disê‘acion sorowes of hell ¶ They that haue this right fayth consente to the lawe that it is right wyse good and iustifye god whiche made the lawe and haue delectacyon in the lawe natwithstaÌ„ding that they can nat fulfyll it as they wolde for their wekenes they abhorre what so euer the lawe forbyddeth though they can nat alwayes auoyde it And their great sorowe is bycause they can nat fulfyll the wyll of god in the lawe the spirit that is in theÌ„ cryeth to god night day for strength helpe with teres as saith Paul that can nat be expressed with tonge of which thingê the be lefe of our popish or of their father whom they so magnify for his stroÌ„ge faith hath none experience at all ¶ The firstâ— that is to say he whiche iustifyeth himselfe with his outward dedê consenteth nat to the law inward nether hath delectatioÌ„ their in ye he wolde rather that no such lawe wer So iustifieth he nat god but hateth hiÌ„ as a tyraÌ„t neither careth he for the promyses but wyll with his own streÌ„gth be sauyour of himselfe no wise glorifyeth he god though he seme outwarde to do ¶ The secoÌ„d that is to say the sensuall person as a voluptuous swyne neither fereth god in his lawe neither is thankefull to him for his ê“mises mercy which is set forthe in Christ to all them that beleue ¶ The right christeÌ„ man coÌ„senteth to the lawe that it is rightwyse iustifyeth god in the lawe for he affermeth that god is rightwyse and iust which is author of the lawe he beleueth the promyses of god iustifyeth godâ— iugynge him true and beleuing that he wyl fulfyll his promyses With the lawe he condempneth him selfe all his dedes gyueth all the prayse to god He beleueth the promyses and ascrybeth all trauth to god Thus euery where iustifieth he god prayseth god ¶ By nature through the fall of Adam are we the chyldren of wrath heyres of the vengeauÌ„ce of god by byrth ye from our coÌ„ception And we haue our felowship with the dampned deuels vnder the power of derknes rule of Sathan whyle we ar yet in our moders woÌ„bes though we shewe nat forth the frutes of syn as sone as we be borne yet are we full of the naturall poyson wherof all synfull dedes springe can nat but syn outwardes be we neuer so yonge as sone as we be able to worke if occasyon be gyueÌ„ for our nature is to do syn as is the nature of a serpent to stynge And as a serpent yet yonge or yet vnbrought forthe is full of poyson and can nat afterwarde
whan the tyme is come and occasyon gyuen but bringe forthe the frutes therof And as an edder a tode or a snake is hated of man nat for the euyll that it hathe done but for the poyson that is in it and hurte whiche it can nat but do so are we hated of god for that naturall poyson which is conceiued and borne with vs before we do any outward euyll And as the euyll which a venomouse worme dothe maketh it nat a serpente but bycause it is a venomouse worme dothe it euyll and poysoneth and as the frute maketh nat the tree euyll but bycause it is an euyll tree therfore bringeth it forth euyll frute whan the season of frute is Euen so do nat our euyl dedes make vs fyrst euyll throughe ignorance blyndnes thorow euyll workynge hardeâ—eth vs in euyll maketh vs worse and worse but bycause that of nature we ar euyl therfore we both thinke do euyll and ar vnder vengeance vnder the law conuycte to eternall dampnation by the lawe and ar contrary to the wil of god in all our wyll in all thinges consent to the wyl of the fende ¶ By grace that is to saye by fauour we ar plucked out of AdaÌ„ the grounde of all euyll and graffed in Christ the rote of all goodnesse In Christ god loued vs his elect chosen before the worlde beganne and reserued vs vnto the knowlege of his sonne of his holy gospell and whan the gospell is preached to vs openeth oure hertes and gyueth vs grace to beleue and putteth the spiryte of Christ in vs and we know him as our father moste mercyfull and consent to the lawe and loue it inwardly in our hert and desyre to fulfyll it and sorowe bycause we caÌ„nat which wyll syn we of frayltie neuer so moch is suffycient tyll more strengthe be gyuen vs the blode of Christ hath made satisfactioÌ„ for the rest the blode of Christ hath opteyned all thynges for vs of god Christ is our satisfactyon redemer delyuered sauyour froÌ„ vengeance and wrath â–ª Obserue and marke in Paules Peters Jhons pistels in the gospell what christ is vnto vs ¶ By faith ar we saued only iÌ„ beleuynge the promises though faith be neuer without loue good workes yet is our sauinge imputed nether to loue nor vnto good workes but vnto faith only For loue workes ar vnder the lawe which requyreth perfection the grouÌ„de fountayne of the hert damneth all imperfytues â–ª Now is faith vnder the ê“myses which damne nat but giue ê‘don grace mercy fauour whatsoeuer is coÌ„teyned in the promises ¶ Rightwisnes is dyuers for blide reason imagyneth many maners of rightwisnesses There is the rightwisnes of workê as I sayd before whan the hert is away is nat felte how the lawe is spuÌ„all can nat be fulfylled but from the botom of the herte As the iust ministracyon â–ª of al maner of lawes the obseruing of them for a worldly purpose for our owne profyte nat of loue vnto our neyboure without all other respecte morall vertues wherin philosophers put their felicite blessednes which all ar nothynge in the syght of god in respect of the lyfe to come There is in lyke maner the iustifyeâ—g of ceremonies which soÌ„e imagyn their own selues some couÌ„terfeyâ—e other sayeng in their blide reason such holy persons dyd thus and thus and they were holy men therfore if I do so lykewyse I shal please god but they haue none answere of god that yâ— pleaseth The iewes seke rightwisnes in their ceremonies which god gaue vnto theÌ„ nat for to iustifye but to discribe paynt christ vnto theÌ„ of which iues testifyeth Paule sayeng how that they haue affectyon to god but nat after knowlege for they go aboute to stablyssh their owne iustyce ar nat obedyent to the iustyce or rightwysnes that cometh of god which is the forgyuenes of syn in christes blode vnto all that repent beleue The cause is verily that excepte a man cast away his owne imagynacyons reason he can nat perceyue god vnderstande the vertue and power of the blode of Christ Ther is a full rightwisnes whaÌ„ the lawe is fulfylled from the grounde of the hert This had nat Peter nor paul in this lyfe parfytly vnto the vtter most that they coulde nat be parfyter but syghed after it They were so farforth blessed in christ that thei hungred thyrsted after it Paule had this thirst he conseÌ„ted to the law of god that it ought so to be but he fouÌ„de another lust in his membres contrarye to the lust desyre of his mynde that letted him and therfore cryed out sayeng Oh wretched maÌ„ that I am who shal delyuer me froÌ„ this body of deth thaÌ„kes be to god thorowe Jesus Christ The ryghtwysnes that before god is of value is to beleue the promyses of god after the lawe hath confouÌ„ded the conscyence As whan the teÌ„porall lawe ofte tymes condempneth the thefe or morderer bringeth him to execusyon so that he seeth no thynge before him but present deth than cometh good tydynges a charter from the kinge and deliuereth him Lykewyse whan goddes lawe hath brought the synner in a knowlege of him selfe hath confounded his conscyence opened vnto him the wrath and vengeance of god than cometh good tydynges the Euangelyon sheweth vnto him the promyses of god in Christ howe that Christ hath purchased pardon for hiÌ„ hath satisfyed the lawe for him and pesed the wrath of god And the pore sinner beleueth laudeth thanketh god thorowe Christ and breaketh out into excedynge inwarde ioye gladnes for that he hathe escaped so gret wrath so heuy vengeaunce so ferfull and so euerlastyng a deth And he hence forthe is an hungred and a thirst after more rightwisnes that he myght fulfyll the lawe and mourneth contynually coÌ„mendyng his wekenes vnto god in the blode of our sauyoure Christ Jesu ¶ Here shall ye se compeÌ„diously playnly set out the ordre practyse of euery thynge afore rehersed ¶ The fall of Adam hath made vs heyres of the vengeance wrath of god heyres af eternall daÌ„pnation And hath brought vs iÌ„to captiuyte boÌ„dage vnder the deuyll And the deuyll is our lorde our ruler our heed our gouernour our prince ye and our god and our wyl is locked and knyt faster vnto the wyll of the deuyll thaÌ„ coude an huÌ„dreth thousande chaynes bynde a man vnto a post Unto the deuyls wyll consent we with all our hertes with al our myndes with all our might power strength wyl lust so that the law wyll of the deuyl is writteÌ„ as wel in our hertes as in our membres we ronne hedlonge after the deuyll with full seale the hole swynge of al the power we haue as a ston cast vp into the ayre cometh downe naturally of his owne selfe with all the vyolence and swynge of his owne
â—eserued it though he be a turke ¶ And to knowe howe contrarye this law is vnto our nature how it is dampnation â—at to haue this lawe written in our hertes though we neuer coÌ„mytte the dedes how there is none other meanes to be saued from the dampnacion thaÌ„ thorowe repentance toward the law fayth in Christes blode which ar the very inward baptim of our soules and the wasshynge the dippynge of our bodyes in the water is the outwarde sygne The plungyng of the body vnder the water signifieth that we repent professe to fyght agaynst synne lustes to kyll theÌ„ euery daye more more with the helpe of god oure dilygence in folowynge the doctrine of Christ and the ledynge of his spirite that we beleue to be wasshed from oure naturall dampnation in which we are borne and from all the wrath of the lawe from all the infyrmytes and weknesse that remayne in vs after we haue gyuen our consente vnto the law yelded ourselfe to be scolers therof from all the imperfytnesse of all our dedes done with colde loue from all actuall synne whiche shal chauÌ„ce on vs whyle we enforce the contrary and euer fyght there against hope to sine no more And thus repeÌ„tauÌ„ce faith begynne at our baptyme first professynge the lawes of god contynue vnto our lyues ende growe as we growe in the spirite For the perfyter we be the gretter is our repentaunce the stronger our faith And thus as the spirit doctryne on goddes ê‘te and repentaunce and fayth on oure parte beget vs a new in Christ eueÌ„ so they make vs grow waxe parfeyt saue vs vnto the ende neuer leue vs vntyll all syn be put of and we clene purifyed and full fourmed and facyoned after the symilytude and lykenes of the perfytnes of our sauyour Jesus whose gyfte all is And fynally to know that what so euer good thâ—ge is in vs that same is the gyfte of grace therfore nat of deseruyng though many thingê be giuen of god thorow our dilygeÌ„ce in working his lawes chastesige our bodyes in prayenge for theÌ„ and beleuâ—ge his promyses whiche els shulde nat be gyuen vs yet our workinge deserueth nat the giftes no more thaÌ„ the dilygence of a marchaunte in sekynge a good shippe bringeth the goodes safe to lande though suche dilygence doth nowe and than helpe therin But whan we beleue in god than do all that is in our might and nat tempt him than is god trâ—we to abyde by his promise and to helpe vs and performe alone whan our strength is past ¶ These thynges I say to knowe is to haue al the scripture vnlocked opened before the so that if thou wylt go in rede thou cannest nat but vnderstande And in these thinges to be ignoraunt is to haue all the scrypture locked vp so that the more thou redest it the blinder thou arte the more contrary thou fyndest in it and the more tangled art thou therin canst nowher thorow For if thou adde a glose in one place in another it wyll nat serue And therfore bycause we be neuer taught the ê“fessyon of our baptim we remayne alwayes vnlerned as wel the spiritualte for all their gret clergy hye scoles as we saye as the laye people And nowe bycause the laye vnlerned peple ar taught these first princyples of our profession therfore they rede the scripture and vnderstande and delyte therin And our great pyller of holy churche whiche haue nayled a vayle of false gloses on Moses face to corrupte the trewe vnderstandynge of his law can nat come in And therfore barke and saye the scripture maketh heritykes and it is nat possykle for theym to vnderstande it in Englysshe bycause they them selues do nat in latyne And of pure malyce that they can nat haue their wyll they sley their brethrene for their faith they haue in our sauiour and therwith vtter their blody woluysshe tyrannye and what they be within and whose dyscyples Here with reder be commytted vnto the grace of our sauyour Jesus vnto whome and god oure father thorow him be prayse froÌ„ euer and for euer Amen ¶ A letter sent vnto a certayn freÌ„de to enstructe hiÌ„ in the vnderstandynge of the scripture translaÌ„ted out of French into Englysshe MY welbeloued brother in Christ the sauyour the peace and mercy of god be with you and with al them that wyll the honoure of god and theÌ„crease of his gospell Amen I gyue thankes vnto our sauyour that it hath pleased hiÌ„ in this gret wretchednes of infydelyte with the which the pore soules bought with the precious blode of Christ were sore clogged combred to gyue vs knowledge of his worde the which was holye buryed and drowned by the reason of leude lerning fables and dreames of men which haue beÌ„ hytherto preched in the place of the right holy worthy worde of god which the very sauyoure redemer of the worlde the only mediatour betwene god man very god very man Jesus Christ came to shew vs which wordes I mene the wordes of holy scripture a maÌ„ ought to receyue in as gret reuereÌ„ce as though our sauyoure spake vnto vs in his owne person gretly therfore ought we to thanke him that it hath plesed him of his vnspekeable goodnesse to gyue vs this grace that we may rede his holy gospels and blessed be they that shall bere these holy wordes and kepe them ¶ In as moche therfore welbeloued brother that god of his infinit mercy and nat by our deseruyng which can do nothynge but synne hathe gyuen vs this grace to rede these godly wordes to be refresshed with this heuenly breed I desyre you that in all humilyte loulynes of hert knowlegiÌ„ge that you be nothyng but synne abhomiâ—ation as all worldly thiÌ„ges be without any maner of presumyng vpon your owne witte knowlege or wisdome ye come vnto the redynge of the holy worde of god settynge all your hert in our lorde desyring hiÌ„ with lowly praier faithfully that it wolde please him to gyue you his holy spirite as he hath promised to theÌ„ that faithfully requyre it of him and so with a sure confydence and fast hope trust of his infinit goodnesse desyre him that he wyll open vnto you the kyngdome of heuyn with the key which no man can gyue but he and that it wyll please him to lyghten youre herte through pure trewe vnderstandyng of the christen fayth to th ende you may be made a trewe creature lyuyng no â—â—ger in yourself but all togyther in Jesu christ that we loue nothyng but him nothing to loue nother in heuen nor in erth but for the loue of him euen as he coÌ„mauÌ„ded you to loue youre neibour socouryng hiÌ„ in his bodylye nedes so that you socour him nat norisshe him in his dampnable lyfe as they do whiche
to wyll that these holy lawes were nat giueÌ„ to men is to wyll that god were nat such be the blasphemies of the flessh whan she receyueth the lawe which is spuÌ„all in the which she hath no inteÌ„demeÌ„t nor vnderstaÌ„ding for she weneth to coÌ„passe it by workes which thinge onely faythe doth And now whaÌ„ he seeth perceiueth that though he do neuer so moch he caÌ„ nat accomplissh or fulfil the law than is he full of horrour of dispeyre seyng that hell is redy for him bicause of the transgression of the lawe whan he can imagyn â—o wayes to auoyde the indignatioÌ„ of the law than all disolate full of dispayre he begâ—neth to abhorre the lawe without the father of heuen draw him inspyre him the way to fulfyll the lawe he doth all coÌ„trary to it For of hiÌ„ selfe he can nat chuse but synne do euyll And therfore is the lawe gyuen vs bycause we shuld know our sâ—nes the only of fyce of the lawe is nat to iustify vs but she we vs our wekenesse feblenesse in well doyng to shew man that he hath deserued deth damnation which by his own power he caÌ„ nat shon to the ende that a maÌ„ knowyng his owne wekenes vnablenes to do well dispeyre of his own vertue strength settinge asyde all coÌ„fydence in any thâ—ge that he caÌ„ do humble him selfe knowleging that if our mercyfull lorde of his vnspekable mercy delyuer him nat from deth and dampnacyon the whiche he hath deserued thorow transgressyon of the lawe he had perysshed and ben dampned for euer For if oure fearse and proude herte be nat mekened fyrst by the lawe and make vs confesse oure selfe Synners we shulde neuer be saued by Christ for he came for to saue synners and vnrightuous nat them that be rightuouse and iust which iustify them selfe by their workes ¶ But whan a man knoweth his owne fylthynes abhomination seeth that he is condeÌ„ned rightuously to euerlastynge deth thaÌ„ cometh the gospell which is to say glad tydynges in vse is presented vnto hiÌ„ which sayth Thou wretched thefe whiche woldest haue depriued god of his godheed woldest haue ben thyne owne god thorow thy pride Thou wretched desperate caityfe which after the iust iugemeÌ„t of god haddest deserued to be hanged on the galowes of hell which hast the halter about thy necke that is to saye thy wyl thy flesshe thy lustes whiche be lordes ouer the by reasoÌ„ that the spirite of god ruleth nat in the. The most mercy full god hath sente the thy pardone and wyll nat that this iugement be executed but that thou be quyte and haue thy lyfe be delyuered from the handes of the deuyll of hell which was thy haÌ„ge man whom thou dydest serue and worke to And he hath nat alonely rydde the from dethe and made the his seruant but also graunteth the to be his soÌ„ne and inherytour with our swete sauyoure Jesus whiche is become thy brother whom the father of his infynite goodnes and kindnes nat for bicause of thy good dedes which hast done neuer but euyll hath gyueÌ„ for the to make full satis factyon for all thy euyll dedes so that thou beleue that he dyed for thy synne rose agayne to iustifye the which desyreth none other thig but to saue that the which was lost that is to saye synners whiche thorowe their owne deseruynges were in the way of daÌ„pnacion And whaÌ„ the conscience which was before full of great drede hereth this good tydynges if god gyue theÌ„ the grace to gyue credeÌ„ce therto beleue theÌ„ than they be certayne by the reason of this fayth that they be pardoned of all their offeÌ„ces thorow the deth and passyon of Jesu Christ Than coÌ„ceyue they a gret ioye myrth in warde reioysynge in theÌ„ selfe And our mercyfull lorde in gyuynge vs this fayth gyueth vs also his spirit the which maketh vs the very chyldren of god thorow faith the very â—eÌ„bres of the body of Jesu christ we be in all thynges alwayes conduyted directe by this holy spirite of god for otherwyse could we nat be the chyldren of god for they only be the chyldren of god which be led by the spirit of god So we hauiÌ„g this holy spirite in vs to be our gyde directour of our iourney whiche is all charyte loue by the whiche the lawe is accomplysshed the lawe is fulfylled in vs. And by the reason of his holy spirit which gydeth vs we go no more in the waye of the flessh For the flessh hath no leÌ„ger dominion ouer vs but is caste out of his kiÌ„gdome Christ reining in vs by the holy ghost which causeth vs dayly to mortify our flesshe which alwayes is contrary vnto the spirit destroyeng pullyng downe and coÌ„suminge our concupiscences and lustes by the fyre of charyte And albeit that this concupiscens is syn ye mortall synne of his owne nature neuertheles it is nat imputed nor rekened vnto vs which ar membres of Jesu Christ consyderynge that by the reasoÌ„ of the spirit of god we loue god with all our hert desyre nothing so moch as the wyl of god to be done in vs. And so by the reasoÌ„ that we haue this good spirit in vs we neuer siÌ„ne For this newe natiuyte by the which we be made the infantes of god doth coÌ„serue kepe vs that is the holyghost which thorowe fayth is gyuen vs. But in as moch as all our wyttes wyll intendementes be but flessh as loÌ„g as we be â—uironed clogged with this corruptyble bodye which is a gret let vnto the soule we caÌ„ nat be without sinne seing that all thinge that is in vs excepte the gyftes of god which sue come of faith is alwayes contrary vnto the spirit by the reason wherof euermore as touchynge the olde man fyrst Adam the outward man the man of syn flesshe we syn And if we saye that we haue no synne we lye deceyue our selues bycause of this haue we cause euermore to mekeÌ„ our self and to put awaye all confydence in vs or in oure workes gyuynge all glory vnto god which of his only grace delyuered vs from the captyuytie of deth makynge it of no effecte or power to lose or distroy vs. For the lyfe which he hath giuen vs by the spirite of his sonne is farre gretter than is this deth and therfore it can nat harme vs. Whiche is a greate assuraunce to a mannes conscyence for whan he beleueth surely in Jesu Christ he is assured and certifyed that Jesu Christ is in him therfore he can be afrayde of nothynge seynge that Jesu Christ is puysaunt mighty whiche hath vaynquysshed the worlde all power contrary vnto the soule in the which he dwelleth by his holy spyryte so that nothynge can ceperate him from his souerayne welth whiche is Jesu Christ which coÌ„forteth him with his holy promyses