A PARAPHRASE vppon the Epistle of the holie Apostle S. Paule to the Romaanes 〈…〉 to the Church of God 〈…〉 Whe 〈…〉 also added certaine other 〈…〉 IMPRINTED AT LONDON BY Henry Bynneman for William Norton To the right worshipfull and his dearely beloued in Châ—ist the Officers of the Queenes maiesties Robes T. Paulfreyman one of hir highnesse honorable Chapâ—â— wisheth the encrease of Gods mercy and grace bothe to them and all theirs R. H. H. A. C. S. AT vvhat time dearely beloued it pleased the iuste and great of heauen to chaunge by his iustice for many sins his cherefull countenaunce ouer this his Churche of Englande and to buckle hys brovves very heauily vppon it to giue therevppon the fearefull frovvnes of hys vnsufferable and fierce furies to shyâ—â—e the moste Chrystian state thereof to alter therein the moste holy and true Religion to afflicte vvithin it the professoure of his name to holde them in moste cruell and bitter bondage to suffer the burning of his sacred Scriptures as also other vvorkes very notable and infinite the trauels doubtlesse of the â—oste godly famouse and great learned men bothe of thys Countrey and elsevvhere to the edifying mightily of Chrystes holy Churche vvith other lyke horrible plagues svviftely and faste ensuing euen to the very hazarding and putting to confusion the vvhole state of this moste Christian Kingdome highly renoumed and noble Region aforesaid so clerely before lightned vvith the bright lyght of lyfe so highly of God extolled so tenderly of him beloued so diuersly blessed so graciously gouerned so mercifully preserued moste plenteously enriched adorned and beautified vvith the singular good graces gyftes and great benefites of God most bountifully and freely of him bestovved and as vnthankfully of vs receiued and therefore the more sharpe punishments therin by his iustice dyd fal to the piteous amasing terrifying turmoyling vexing and moste greeuous afflicting bothe of the bodies and soules of men of all ages sexes estates and degrees as their raging cruelties then diuersly attempted and moste vvofully felt vvelnigh vniuersally vvitnesseth the same vvhich before vvas truely prophecied by the good men of God through vvhose diuine grace as by his trumpe of eternitie sounded moste shirly foorth hys fatherly admonishments as forerunners vnto vs for the auoyding of daungers if our hearts then had ben vvarely and thankfully prepared vvho also them selues vvith moste constante sayth and pacience felte in that rage the iudgements of God by true tryall to the deathe and confirmed their holy and sounde doctrine euen vvith the effusion of their long desired and greedily thirsted bloude In those dolefull dayes I say it vvas my happe to attayne at a frendes hande certayne vvritten copies of dyuers and sundry matters that vvere among many others in great number fastened in their bandes prepared before to the spoyle and had their iudgemente to burne although by Gods prouidence preuented to the contrary and are novv by hys grace framed in their tyme I trust to good purpose as shall aptely to good menne appeare and that not affectionately laboured I protest or corruptly but as beste beseemed a Christian frende sincerely and truely by good direction according to the analogie and true sense of the holy scriptures or vvoorde of God and to further therevvith as small povver hathe offered his moste vvoorthie praise and glorie Vnto vvhich moste happie ende vvhen I had once passed them throughe vvell vievved them estemed the effecte of their matter and perceiued yet vvith deliberation their apparante rudenesse and great imperfection especially the Paraphrase vpon the Epistle of Saincte Paule to the Romaines hovve vnansvvereably to the good grounde thereof it vvas left by vvhome or by vvhat meanes I knovve not very barely and confusedly handled in no poynte perfected no order obserued voide of good stile euell Englished and vvithoute the true rule or apte fourme of vvryting I therefore finding good occasion and presuming vvith reuerence vppon the vertue and pacience of the learned and Christen reader vnto vvhome I most gladly submit my selfe and vvhose good fauoure heerein I moste humbly craue and desire thought it not amisse at times coÌ„uenient and as God vvould permit for mine ovvne recreation and for the auoiding also of other more vnprofitable exercises to bestovve freely vpon them my diligence and simple trauel and vvith earnest zeale so to pulishe them as by their amiablenesse invvarde beautie and moste pearcing clerenes they might dravv faste vnto them the louely and moste Christian delightes of others And vvhen I had by the grace of God accomplished therein my glad desire and aftervvardes as of duetie commended them to the examination and iudgement of the moste godly learned and so by order to passe from them vnto the Churche of God I then deuised vvith my selfe vvhere or to vvhom among many my friendes I mighte dispose these vvorkes to their vvell lyking and friendely acceptation And as by the good vvyll of God I had you righte dearely beloued firste in memorie vvith vvhom also I thoughte I myghte bee bolde and vvayed therevvith your vnfaygned profession to GOD your constant zeale and good conuersation in Christ and hovv also by your meanes vvorthy estimation and christian good credite it might prosperously and very vvell passe foorth to the imbracement of others and to further thereby the glory of God I refused then to reuoke or to giue you vnkindely the slippe but yeelded to the firste motion vvith moste glad consent and doe novve as gladly vvith humblenesse commend them togither vnto all your louing handes Beseeching you all so to take in good parâ—e this my poore and slender gifte in this vvise ordered and aâ—otâ—eâ— vnto you as you shall occasion me hereafter the more to reioyce in your frendship and to pray most hartely for you that God may still graunt you the good continuance of his grace for your helth vvealth and prosperitie bothe of body and soule in this life and thence forthe in Christe the revvarde of eternall felicitie Youres to commaunde T. Paulfreyman ⧠To the Christian Reader BEfore that you enter beloued Christian into the reading of Sainct Paules Epistle to the Romaines which by the coÌ„mon consent and opinion of the ancient and holy fathers is the very summe and perfection of all the other scriptures thou oughtest diligently call to thy remembrance the firste and originall sin of our olde father Adam in Paradisâ— through which he there felt the iustice of God and was of him accordingly banished from infinite pleasures of that moste séemely and beautifull place of all places and pleasure vpon the earth In which notable case and high mysterie wheÌ„ thou shalt once perceiue the vprightnesse greate goodnesse and the mercie of God on the one side and the slippernesse disobedience and vnfaithfulnesse of Adam on thother side thou shalt then the more easily come to the true meaning and vnderstanding of the said Epistle the effect of which is most principally to declare vnto all men the foresaide
and be at peace with all creatures Superstition of it selfe is contentious and full of debate but the true worshipping of God is full of tranquillitie peace and quyetnesse Neyther can it bée any maruell at all to sée so muche contention amongest men for kéeping of suche superstition of the Lawe considering the same is neuer at one with God him selfe for it is none other thing but to adhere and sticke faste to the carnall and grosse lawe which God rather would to be made adnichilate and of none effecte amongest men and that by his sonne Iesus Chryst to the ende that in the place thereof shoulde succeede the law Spirituall than to be by suche contention at defiance with God. For he that is affectionate to the lawe whiche so muche dissenteth from the mynde and will of God can not be but cleane repugnaunt and contrary to him for so muche as his onely will and pleasure is wée should altogither folow the contrary Wherfore let no chrystian man thinke it a tryfle or small faulte to wedde him selfe or to be besotted to the kéeping of the lawe and to continue in the same It shall bée founde to be but a fryuolous and vnfruitefull thing to please the will of man and to displease the good will of god The obseruation of the carnall and ceremoniall lawe of Moyses may well please the affections of carnall men but truely the God of all holynesse and truthe will take it in euill parte and very displeasauntly onlesse the same shall ouerpasse the letter of the grosse Lawe and become the follower of the Lawe that is spirituall Therefore let the Iewes to the vttermoste of their mighte and power holde vp and mayntayne if they may their Ceremonies as in example the Ceremonies of the Booke of Moyses called Leuiticus their feastes of the new Moone their washings with all suche lyke of whose sort also be now the garments of the Priests and their fleshly Sacrifices expiations or pourgings consecrations their halowings cursings the difference of meats holydays vowes créepings knéelings knocking 's kyssings crossings with all the rest that they doo extremely vse in their temples yet for all that through the obseruation of all these or any of them they shall neuer be made righteouse although they glory neuer so muche among them selues ouer them All which things therefore appertayne nothing vnto you that are now become spirituall and suche maner of men as Chryst dothe vouchsafe to dwell in euen in the temples of your hearts for he that is but externely or onely baptised in the flesh remayneth yet still in the fleshe onlesse the same be inwardly washed moysted and tempered with the swéete taste and moysture of the spirite of god Wée be not made méete tempâ—â—s for Chryst through our ceremonies but by vertue and power of the spirite which whosoeuer hath not within him is yet carnall and very farre from Chryst And if it so be that Chryst dwell in our hearts then inasmuche as Chryst is nothing else but charitie truthe temperaunce and all other vertues how shoulde there then be any place lefte in a Christian man for the receiuing of any vice into him It beste becommeth him to expresse Chryst in his works that hath him inhabiting within his heart Chryst did once dye in his flesh as is before sayd but now he liueth euerlastingly whom we oughte to expresse in our selues in suche maner that our earthly body that is our carnall and outwarde man which always prouoketh vs to disobedience and sinfulnesse be dead in vs and to forsake all vayne pleasure that offendeth God that the spirite that is our spirituall and inwarde man may liue in vs which alwayes stirreth vs to all honestie to iust and godly things Furthermore if the spirite of God be within vs which restored Chryst from death vnto life it is so frendly and frutefull vnto vs that it will not be idle and vnoccupied in vs for the spirite is louely liuely quicke full of efficacie and vertue Wherefore the same spirite according to our godly natures and inclination will worke with mercy that thing in vs which did most mightily worke in the Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ It restored him agayne from death vnto life and will suffer him to dye no more euen so it will call vs backe agayne from our sinnes which be the grounde of our death and giue vs lighte to auoyde all wickednesse and to lyue hencefoorth a deuoute and moste godly life Therefore all wée liuing to this spirite are bounde to this spirite and owe due obedience therevnto and not to our flesh vnto which wée are already deade For after wée became to bée made one with Iesus Chryste wée became to bée no more debtors to the fleshe God forbidde therefore that wée shoulde hencefoorth leade our lyues after the corrupte desire of our flesh which with all duetie should obey and serue it selfe vnto the spirite and become with all constancie bound vnto it Moreouer al you be called vnto the state of life but if you shal frame your conuersation according to your flesh you shall surely dye And contrarywise if through the strength of the spirite you shall quench the desires of your fleshly lustes then without doubt yée shall be blessed and lyue Neither is the commaundement of the spirite hards to be kepte which although it call men vnto mightie highe and heauenly things yet it calleth all suche as be willing and desirous to serue and obey it And it breatheth suche lyuely force of loue into all their heartes that it causeth them to thynke there is nothing harde nor vnpleasaunt to them whyche haue in them selues that heauenly truste and ready wyll to serue GOD and his holy Gospell And as the body lyueth by hys spirite euen so dothe the soule lyue by hir spirite And agayne if the spirite of the body bée weake and faynte then is also all the body weake and sicke But if it bée healthfull liuely and strong then is all the body lyuely strong and lustie Therefore they that frame their lyues after the spirite of GOD be the dearely beloued and true children of god And they that be truely the children of God will represente and moste ioyfully shewe the naturall conditions of their father and will frankely and fréely doo all suche things as they shall thinke will please their father But seruaunts for asmuch as they be not ioyned to their masters by nature but by law do their seruice vnto them for feare or else for the auoyding of displeasure and punishment and not for onely obedience loue and duetie which thing is proper vnto the Iewes who do obey the law kepe externely the coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts therof with al precisenesse lest they shold fal into bodily punishmeÌ„t But al you are made frée froÌ„ the law to the end you should serue it no more in feare of any punishment but should desire like naturall children moste gladly to
to the frée spirit of Christ which inspireth heauenly giftes where he wil. In which libertie also the consideration of vowes is put Those things that were moste fréely vowed in the lawe were not perpetuall but all suche as might be redéemed when they lusted But ye vowe vowes without the woorde of God and not contented therewith yée promisse the same to be perpetuall both without the lawe and without examples of Gods law But if thou be not able to liue chaste studie that thou doe no violence by thy vowes to this woorde of creation sowne in nature It is not good for man to be alone And also to this It is better to marrie than to burne But thou shalt not bring it to passe the imbecillitie and weakenesse of the fleshe declareth that plainely which thou alwayes ouercommest not endeuor thy self thervnto neuer so much by the feare of God which feare we deny not to be in some of them whom this lacke of knowledge detaineth and holdeth captiue to make vowes partly by the obstinate desire of some men which can by no coloure be defended or that I speake not of more greuous things for my mind is before God to couet the winning of many to Christe by wryting this and not to hurt by my wil any man Therfore as in the lawe were vowed mysticall vowes after the rule of Gods lawe and not rashly all things what so euer they were and after euery sort and in euery place according to Deutronomie and Leuiticus euen so in the state of the gospel vowes ought to be enformed after the example and disposition of the heauenly woord frée from al externe habite or shape of things vnder the sunne which vowes the faith of regeneration may inwardly gouerne and not thine owne presumption guided without the woorde of god And let them be suche vowes as may chaunge the affections which may guid consciences and not bring an externe visure well answering before God but not apparel not meat not shauing of heads not oyles halles golde and stones Al which by the very abuse of an euil handled conscience and with this vaine world waxe olde vanishe away and come to naught Therefore as Salomon sayeth a man must vow and pay his vow But in such order that thou bothe vowe and paie after the prescript of Gods woorde heard in the Temple and not after the doctrines of men which doctrines God speaketh not by his Prophets for suche in déede is the condition and state of man that he only depende vppon the worde of the liuing God his maker that he neither adde nor take away from it according to Deutronomie For as in this visible world that heauenly moouing is a constante and firme rule into all times of all mutations which chaunce in these lowe things and as some knowne and certaine quantitie measureth the other quantities of vncertaine greatnesse and as in the very mindes that are made the generall anticipations and principall guides measure like faithfull rules the other cogitations euen so the only woorde of God is farre the most constant measure rule sure knowledge by which thou maist direct thine own conscience in those things which pertaine to eternall life So that as men from rules neither adde nor diminishe least they may deceiue a man like Lesbies rules euen so by Moses ought nothing to be either added or diminished from the inflexible woord of God which thing let them likewise obserue whome mennes decrées holde yet as captiue If therfore thou makest a vow and hast not the word of God to lead thee to the same binding thy conscience where it ought to be frée making a lawe to thy selfe where as is no lawe of God appointing an obseruation of creatures where as the kingdom of Christ admitteth none who is that king of heauen the iudge sitting vpon the throne of God the father before whome men ought to be well ware and do reuerently that vowe of thine which thou thus makest dwelling sinnefully vppon the earth shall be none voide is it therefore and friuolous and ought not in any wise to be fulfilled but to be broken of thée Thus farre of the vowes of religious men and priestes touching their diuersitie of apparell and the shauing of their heades with such other vaine vowes and obseruances Of the Olde man and the Newe which be compared togither by Martinus Cellarius vpon the seuenth of the Preacher otherwise called Ecclesiastes OF THE OLDE MAN. THe Olde man is made of the earth and fashioned into a liuing soule according to this text And man was made to be a liuing soule In animam viuentem 2 This strengthe is it which doth the works of nature as are to engender to nourishe vp to féele and to iudge of things agréeing or repugning to nature as we read in the firste of Genesis Encrease yée and be yée multiplied 3 In this parte the liuing soule which the Gréekes call Psichin of winde or breathe is common to man with other beastes and with all things that liue as it is also wrytten of them Let the earthe bring forthe Animam viuentem liuing soule in his kinde Reading in both places both about the making of man and beastes one selfe same worde in the Hebrue which is Naphshekeijah and signifieth winde or breth 4 So that this soule is the breth of life by which the naturall body and not the spirituall the earthly and not the heauenly is animated and liueth By which the grosse bodie hath life but not that body which is transformed to be glorified according to the Apostle in the firste to the Corinthes the fiftienth Chapter 5 In which conferment it must be diligently séene what it is that the firste man was made of the earthe and what also the seconde which commeth from heauen Further what it is that the first was made into a natural soule or life and the second into a quickening spirite and what the soule of the first Adam is and what the quickening spirite is and what his function is in the seconde 6 But aboue the degrée of liuing soule the vitall strength of man aduaunceth it selfe by the meanes of the minde to thinges inuisible and to principles vniuersal by which part he is farre discrepant from the rest of liuing things both by nature and operation 7 In which parte also the firste Adam was dipped with the feare of God aboue and besides the nature created by which feare he might haue his Creator in reuerence To which feare all other things that were in him obeyed bothe body sense and minde for he was soundly and rightly created In whom rightnesse was put of which rightnesse Salomon speaketh when he sayth Onely this I founde that God made man right c. 8 Therfore when we call the first Adam olde and earthly olde and earthly is not here put to contrary that which is iuste that is innocente but agaynst that which is to be renued into a better condition In which
discerne the good from the bad are not amongste men coumpted sinners as men are sinful neither so corrected for their offences euen so it chanced vnto the Gentiles which did sinne contrary to the lawe of Moses hauing no knowledge thereof Yet sinne was not absent from the Gentile before that the lawe was giuen as dothe witnesse against him the lawe of nature But they did fauor pardon them selues in their sinnes stil offended God as though they had ben priuiledged persons bicause they had not amongst theÌ„ the law of Moses Therfore at the tune he was not come that should take away the sinnes of the worlde and put away the tirannie of deathe and sinne which through Adam entred into the world raigned amongst men vnpunished as in Adam which brake the commaundement of god Notwithstanding the same did long before prefigure the comming of Christ which shuld be after him Not that Adam was like in all things vnto Christe but that in some speciall things he represented the image of him And in this point was Adam like vnto Christ bicause that both of them were the first beginners of the generations But Adam of the earthie generation and Christ of the heauenly Furthermore bicause that from either of them as from a beginning came certaine procéedings vnto all men But from the earthie Adam came the originall and beginning of vnrightuousnesse and deathe And from Christ the heauenly Adam came the beginning of innocencie and euerlasting life Which bothe though in some part they be like yet in equalitie they very much differ For as in this speciall pointe to saue is a thing of more might and puissance than to kill so is Christ much more mightie which saueth than Adam that killeth And the obedience of Christ was of greater efficacie with god his heauenly father to bring vnto men their life than was the traÌ„sgression of Adam to bring vnto them their death Wherfore the goodnesse of Christ doth muche excéede the offence of Adam least a man should fall into despaire of his healthe when he remembreth the sinne of his first father For if it be reason that the sinne of oure firste father Adam shoulde condemne suche an infinite numbre of men by greater reason the benefite of Christe should restore them vnto life againe whome God hath appointed the author of our innocencie and hath graunted vnto him that his death should not only take away the spot and tirannie of oure sinne and deathe but hath giuen to the handes of the same to dispose vnto all men the power of rightuousnesse in steade of theyr sinnes and the heauenly kingdome for the tirannie of their death Therfore as the fall of Adam was no great hurt to the faithfull so the goodnesse of our Lord Christ maketh vs at one with his heaueÌ„ly and mercifull father Also as Adam through his offence was the occasion that all his posteritie doe stande as in the state of damnation so the mightie benefite of Iesus Christe towardes vs hath put away all our offences In witnesse wherof he hathe sealed it with his moste precious bodie vppon the crosse as â— moste â—uâ—e testimonie of the same But to come againe vnto that wherof we haue spoken before If it were so prouided of God from the beginning to take away from man his sinne and to restore againe vnto him his life after this sorte what did it then preuaile to make a lawe which did profit nothing at all to saluation yes verily the lawe did profit muche that by the knowledge thereof the benefite of Christe mighte the more cleerely and euidently appeare vnto vs For the more that our sinnes menaced and cruelly threatned vs so muche the more manifest was the benefit of Christ which alwayes cheareth vs land deliuereth vs from sinne The lawe plainly laide open vnto all men the death of sinne which though some went about with striuing to ouercome it yet the tirannie therof was so sharp so stout and valiant that it was impossible to be vanquished But the goodnesse of Christ was much â—â—nightie than it put all tâ—raâ—â—â—e of death to slight from al such as would beléeue only in him This proâ—â—t therfore we gâ—â— by the law that we perceiue truely therby the magnitude greatnesse of Christes benefit towards all men by which it commeth to passe that like as the diuel through the tirannie of sinne brought death vnto all meniso the goodnesse of almighty God giueth life vnto all men throughe his owne deaâ—e sonne Iesus in which our only â—ord Prince I reioyce being now made frée from the bondage of death vnder which not long héeretofore I haue most wofully liued The sixth Chapter For so muche as vve be deliuered thorovve Christe from sinne vve must fashion our selues to liue as the seruauntes of God and not after oure ovvne lustes The vnlike revvard of rightuousnesse and sinne AND whereas I haue saide before that sinne by the lawe was manifest and made muche more abundant and did greatly profite to the ende that the goodnesse and mercie of God shuld be more euident vnto vs yet let as man héreby take occasion to continue in his sinne and say in this manner within him selfe Séeing that sinne setteth forthe the goodnesse of God towards men it shall be expedient alwayes to sinne to the end the goodnesse of God may be alwayes the more euident and knowne But God defend from the hartes of Christen men all suche wicked thoughtes For I doe héere meane the sinnes of the olde and former life which God by his mercie tourned vnto oure profite and commoditie And God forbid also that after we be once made frée from sinne conuerted into the state of innocencie we shuld forsake our deliuerer from thence and fall headlong againe into our olde noisome trade Deathe and life be so farre at oddes that they can neuer agrée the one with the other Wherfore assone as we begin to liue vnto Christe we be then deade to sinne and to the Diuell But if we liue to sinne and to the Deuill â—e are damnablie deade euen in that we liue And in liuing to Christ we alwayes liue and are dead to sinne which he only put away through his most precious and bitter death And in receiuing the baptisme of Christe we exercise the same misterie continually amongste vs For when we be Baptised in the name of Christe we doe â—is with him to oure olde sinnes which by vertue of his Passion were putte away And we doe not onely die with him but also be buried wyth him and that through the same Baptisme That lyke as he which neuer liued to sinne yet dyed for our offences and was restored agayne to euerlasting lyfe not by the strength of any man but by the poweâ— of God his almightie father euen so wée béeing stirred vp by him from the death of sinne and filth of our olde offences doo now liue a new life in
pietic and godlinesse daylie profiting and encreasing therein not through our owne power but through the euerlasting power of the mightie spirite of god For séeing by Baptisme we be grafted into the body of Chryst and the maner transfourmed in him whatsoeuer we sée done in him which is our head the same by all congruitie we ought to expresse and to auoyde in vs all things to the contrarie which are before him his sanctified members He rose from death to lyfe he ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hande of his almightie father All these are done and fulfilled in Chryst Wherfore wée muste also endeuer our selues to accomplish the same Then béeing dead to our olde sinnes through Baptisme if wée represente thereby the death of Chryst it shall bée necessarie that in auoyding all kinde of sinne and filthy liuing and continually exercising our selues in godly operations to pretende also his resurrection Howbeit we shall represente Chrystes death in suche maner not that wée should destroy our bodies and dye in déede but in that wée shall so muche quake and shrinke at our sinnes and filthy life that wée may bée thought to dye to them Inasmuche therefore as all men haue in them as it were a double originall and beginning of them selues as is declared before wée must also imagine to be in vs as it were two men the one of them to be olde and grosse and to beare the similitude of Adam and the other to be new and amiable and desirous alwayes of heauenly things representing Chryst Our olde man therefore by the mysterie of baptisme muste be slayne and crucified with Chryst vppon the crosse with which also muste be exiled and vtterly banished all concupiscence and worldly delectation which is the very body of sinne and it dyeth truely in all men when they haue their sensuall lustes in detestation and obey no longer vnto them Who soeuer then dyeth with Chryst in this maner is grafted into the number of the righteous and ceaseth any more to be thrall and subiect to sinne from the tyrannie whereof he is deliuered by Chrystes passion Béeing therfore dead in Christ to our olde sinnes by baptisme we trust by his onely benefite and deseruings leading a Christian life to reigne also with him aliue And so we ought to leade our liues that we do not fall agayne into our olde iniquities but alwayes to haue before our eyes the vertue of Chrystes death which he suffered for the sinnes of the worlde geuing vs example to follow and to dye dayly vnto the same For Chryst did not so rise agayne from death to lyfe that he would afterwards geue any place to death or corruption but he rose to be immortall and neuer to giue place agayne to corruption Therefore all men muste thinke that by the mysterie of baptisme they be once dead to their sinnes and from thencefoorth to be made new creatures and to be truely sayde reuiued agayne vnto an immortall lyfe leading it in all innocencie and godly conuersation For he liueth to God that liueth to godlynesse to righteousnesse and to all other vertues And inasmuche as we be incorporate into the body of Iesus Chryst and made one with him It is therfore most conuenient that we do confourme our selues to him in all godly exercise Which we shal easily bring to passe if we shall not consent to our olde lothsome impurities wherwith the diuell by watchfull oportunitie laboreth and searcheth to defile vs. Neither shall we suffer our members beyn◠once consecrate into the body of Chryst serue the diuell any more whose hellie stoutenesse and haught arrogancie Chryst our head hath spurned vnder his féete for our sakes But suche we muste exhibite our selues before his heauenly presence that it may appeare vnto him throughout our whole lyfe and conuersation that we with him haue clerely relinquished and forsaken all the deserts of death and to be transposed as newe menne into newe kynde of lyuing All which wée may easily attayne and compasse if wée gladly intende to directe our members and the thoughtes of our hearts not to vyce to serue the diuell but to righteousnesse to serue the immortall god And wée muste thinke it our bounden duetie and a case of strayght charge wholly and altogither without exception to serue God inasmuche as wée haue bound our selues so to doo by our promise made vnto him at our firste entring to him by baptisme Neither shall wée feare the mightie temptation of sinne that it shall bring vs agayne into the bondage of the diuell which at this time are not bounde to the lawe that alwayes dyd caste sinne in our téeth rather than qualifie his rage agaynst vs but all wée be now vnder the grace of God which as it was able to delyuer vs from the burden of sinne euen so it can defende vs from the falling into it agayne How be it I woulde not so bée taken héere because I say wée be not bounde to the Lawe that therefore wée may fréely sinne without offence or because the grace of God hathe pardoned our olde enormities that therfore it giueth vs licence to sinne agayne vnpunished no veryly but wee ought muche rather to flée from vyce and sinne at this time because wée bée not dryuen to doe it by force of the Lawe but onely by the deseruings moste vehemente loue and gentle prouocations of GOD towards vs in hys Sonne The maner and fashion of our seruyce is chaunged but not vtterly abolyshed and put away Wée haue so forsaken the seruice of the law that we do serue chryst and his gospel whom if we do serue we serue not in bondage but reigne in hys moste glorious libertie and freedome Wherefore it is partly in our arbitremente to serue which we luste but bothe of them we can not serue Neither the law nor yet the Gospell wil enforce vs to yeld our seruice vnto thē but if we promise our seruice either to the one or to the other we ought of al cōgruitie to obey the same with whō we couenant our seruice Wherfore he that couenaunteth with sinne to serue it must receiue the reward of sinne which is death Contrariwise he that serueth Chryst must obey him shal receiue the reward of life saluation For the frute of our obedience purchaseth nothing to the augmentation of Chrysts aduauntage but it redoundeth vnto our owne proper acceptation in him And in this poynt I gratifie you thanke Chryst for you which although heretofore you haue led a moste miserable lyfe in seruing dead Idolles and in filthy concupiscence yet nowe béeing set at libertie from them ye wholly yéelde your selues constante to the fayth of the Gospell willing to liue hereafter not as constrayned by the commaundement of the Law but according to the heauenly fréedome and the new doctrine of the Gospell of Chryst Into the which you be insinuate and engraffed after suche a
accomplyshe your fathers commaundementes euen for the loues sake that ye naturally beare vnto hym bicause ye haue now receiued the spirite of God through which you are adopted and numbred hys louing children and not seruaunts And the same spirite also giueth suche an audacitie and boldenesse vnto vs all that when soeuer we haue any necessitie whether for soule or body we shall not feare to call vpon God himselfe and say vnto him father father At which calling euery louing and naturall parent do glory and reioyce Surely if we haue in consideration the glory and highe maiestie of God his mightinesse and heauenly power we should not once dare nor be so bolde to call him father onlesse we were moste perfectly assured through the goodnesse of his holy spirite that we be his very children and he our louing and mercifull father For to this same onely purpose he sente vnto vs his moste holy spirite that it should be a very sure and earnest gage vnto our spirite that we are the vndoubted children of him that gaue vs that heauenly gage Wherefore séeing we be now made the children of God and fully persuaded that he is our father we are no more to be counted seruaunts but rather his very heires For all men that beléeue in Iesus Chryst are the true heires of God and felow heires with Chryst him selfe into whose body béeing engraffed through our Christian profession we haue one father with him and through his onely deseruings we take participation with him of the heauenly inheritaunce The possession of which inheritaunce shall come vnto vs none other wayes than it came vnto Chryst him selfe For he through the afflictions and sufferings of myserable calamities in this lyfe came duely to the possession of thys highe inheritaunce Through his obedience he came to a kingdome through the ignominie and slaunder of the crosse he came to glorie and through the pacient suffering of his death he came to the state of immortalitie Therefore all we muste suffer with him that we may haue the fruition of the inheritaunce with him we muste obey that we may reigne with him we muste paciently beare the slaunders of this worlde that with him we may haue prayse and glory and we muste also dye with him to our sinnes that we may for euermore liue with him After this maner doo we come to our inheritaunce with Chryst which bicause it is euerlasting and of moste high felicitie I thinke that if one onely man him selfe could possibly suffer all the calamities and miseries of thys wretched worlde yet they all should be estéemed but vnworthy light and of no comparison to the great benefite of the glory to come though through the sayde myseries and painfull afflictions he doo séeme dearely to buy the same glory Yea and though we haue receiued the gage of this felicitie and glory to the ende we shoulde not mistruste any thing at all yet for all that our glory can not be consummate and made perfect in vs although our bodies be subiecte to suche sorte of miseries and wretched calamities as be in this present lyfe without we haue our fayth stayed in the onely merites death and passion of our sauiour Iesus Chryst How be it in the meane time through the helpe and comfort of the spirite they are a certayne inwarde taste of the same glory in vs Which glory at the resurrection of the flesh and after the putting away from vs all our mortalitie shall be fully declared and giuen vnto vs At which tyme wée shall all liue immortall with Chryst that is always immortall and euerlasting for our onely faythes sake in his bloud And that is the tyme the which all the godly vniuersally looke continually for as desirous to beholde the comming of the same At that time also shall the full number of the children of God be made and fulfilled and the glory of all these shall be opened vnto them which in this life haue ben afflicted with persecution and imprisonment with thirste hunger sorowes gréefes and other calamities for Chrystes sake And so greatly in subiection are the creatures of this worlde to myseries that the very circuite and compasse of the worlde it selfe séemeth to continue altogither in miserie as in example the ayre the earth the water with all other celestiall bodies yea the very angels them selues are created to none other ende but to set foorth Gods glory and to shew their seruice for the necessities of men For which cause the very buylding of the worlde it selfe shall not be frée from trouble and disquietnesse vntill suche time as perfecte fréedome shall be giuen to the children of god Howbeit the worlde it selfe though it be insensible neither feeleth disquietnesse yet there is in it a certayne naturall taste and desire to come to perfection And in the meane tyme it obeyeth willingly to him for whose pleasure it was to make it in suche wyse subiecte to disquietousnesse Whiche so muche the more paciently abideth his sorowe bicause his naturall inclination dothe recorde to him him selfe that hys sorowe shall not bée perpetuall but vntill suche tyme as the children of God shall fully and plenarily be deliuered from all their gréefe and carefulnesse At whiche tyme shall the whole Cope therof cease from his great vnrest and disquietousnesse Also forasmuche as we sée that all the elements and planets of this worlde do vary at so many and sundry tymes and doo sée likewise the Sunne and the Moone to haue so many Eclipses and Chaunges as also perceyuing by dayly experience what laboures are taken in vayne for the repaire of things in this life which do not continue but fall agayne to their corruption And beholding also the Starres to alter and striue one with another and in conclusion nothing to be in perpetuall reste It can not be chosen but euen the very Angelles also of heauen looking downe by the power of God from an high vpon our infinite miseries and wretchednesse are greatly dismayed of them moued at them and sorowe for them as muche as their creation can suffer them to do Wherfore al the whole number of creatures and things made by the hands of God do euen grone sigh with vs in our misfortunes All which after the maner of women laboring with child wish and long for the ende of their great trauell and sorowes And herein is no maruell though it chaunce to others considering the same happeneth to vs also that firste before all men haue receiued the spirite of Chryst which he gaue moste abundantly vnto vs Yet that notwithstanding we are entangled with thousands of cares and myseries partely for the sustentation of our lyues and partely by the occasion of wycked persons alwayes troubling and conspiring agaynst vs Yea our cares are so many and variable so gréeuous terrible and vnsufferable that we oftentimes doo sorow and lamente our owne wofull causes moste hartily wishing for that happie day when all the
fulfilling of this their euerlasting glory and ioy in his appoynted time Wherfore considering the matter goeth on this wise with vs what neede haue we then to disquiet our selues about the troubles miseries that dayly happeneth vnto Either why should we not take them with all pacience séeing that suche is the grace and fauour of God that he most mercifully mindeth our speedy deliueraunce from thence Surely God hath in so many things declared already his moste high loue and goodnesse towards vs that we may be well assured he wil stil stand vnto vs and be on our side a most stable piller agaynst al the assaults of our deadly aduersarie Which always béeing most true what cause haue we to care or what can his malice preuayle agaynst vs seeing the moste mightie God hym selfe taketh our parte Either why should we doubt at all of the fauour of God to be with vs which dyd not spare his onely deare sonne and his most high treasure of heauen but did as it were put him forwards to death for vs that were most wretched sinners agaynst him and altogither in his fathers indignation He did embase his owne and onely sonne and made him vile to the ende that thereby he would extoll and aduaunce vs he made him a sacrifice to deliuer vs from our offences he deliuered him to his death that by the meanes of it wee might haue life Wherfore séeing he thus gaue his own deare sonne for vs in whom dwelleth the fulnesse of al things shall it not then folowe that he will also helpe vs with all things as he doth his sonne In as muche as he hath made vs felow heires with him of the kingdome of his heauenly ioy what will God sticke to giue vnto vs what soeuer it bée whiche hath already fréely giuen that thing for vs which is much more preciouse than all the creatures in heauen and in earth And all we may be well assured that God will not chaunge his minde with vs but in the constancie of his mercy will at all times be our buckler our shielde and mightie defence agaynst the outrage and force of all our aduersaries What is he therefore that will or once dare take vppon him to bring any accusation or lay any condemnation agaynst the electe of God whom he hath now by hys moste high wisedome chosen and taken for his owne deare sonnes Thinke you that God will heare the aduersarie of our soule agaynst those whom his onely sonne hath so preciously redeemed and for his sake hath so frely pardoned and forgiuen their offences against him God that is the iudge of all creatures hath deliuered vs from the gyltinesse of our former life now accounteth vs righteous in his sight Therfore who dare be so bolde to condemne those that he pronounceth righteous But yet hereof we muste in any wise carefully take héede that we fal not againe into the lothsomnesse of our old sinnes wickednesse Christ him self hath euer had such an hart burning loue towards vs that for our redemption sake to saue vs frō damnation he willingly suffred gushing out of his side the flowing streames of his bloud which also after his death rose agayne only to foresée all things necessarie both for the reioycing of his louing brethren as also in al things to comfort strengthen them The same christ now being made our only aduocate iudge is ascended into the heuēs there sitteth with maiestie on the right hand of his heauenly father in al things equal with him and there daily with the open apparance of his bloudy wounds pledeth our cause with him craueth the continuāce of his gret mercy towards vs in this life to haue for vs after this life in ful reward of his most precious purchase euen euerlasting ioy felicitie For which consideration sith the father of heauen hath thus pronounced vs for the deathes sake of his dere sonne guiltlesse blessed and iust which procéedeth of the only tendernesse of his vnspeakeable loue what man is he thē that from henceforth wil feare the deuil dread tirants or any one that is his minister or else any slaunderer priuie conspirator curssed speaker or wicked cōdemner of him Therfore for as much as we be al so many wayes bound vnto God and his deare sonne Christe what thing is that what thing is it that is once able to withdraw vs from the loue of them both or else shall not suffer vs to loue them againe for their moste wonderfull great mercies towards vs Shal the tempestuous stormes and troubles of men withdrawe vs from them Shall the slipperie chaunges and chaunces of this wretched world plucke vs backe Shall anguishes shall persecutions shall hunger shall nakednesse shall perill either shall the sword All which the holy Prophet Dauid hathe prophecied to chance vnto the elect of God which speaketh in the spirit of God on this manner we are for thy sake O Lord daily deliuered vnto death and are estéemed as shéepe appointed to the slaughter These same things although they séeme to be importable greeuous to the weak flesh yet they are not able to pluck vs from the loue of God his dear sonne Christ Wel may they diuersly sundry wayes happen vnto vs but surely they cannot ouercome vs yea the more that they fortune vnto vs so muche the more doe they confirme the loue of vs towardes Christe and his loue also towards vs in as much as we alwayes depart from the same afflictions as liuely victorers and ouercommers of them Not throughe oure owne powers but through the protection and defence of him vnto whō we owe all things that we haue Neither will God that loueth vs so hartily suffer vs to be ouerthrowne neither can we hauing in remembrance his wōderful goodnesse towards vs cease to loue him againe for any kinde of miserie that cā happen in this wretched life vnto our earthie fraile bodies How he it al those things of the which I did euen now speake are but light and of small effecte to plucke our harts from the loue of God but I am wel assured that bisides al those neither death neither life neither the Angels of heauen neither might nor power neither things present though they bring al kindes of miserie with them neither things to come whether they shall bring good or bad vnto vs neither highe nor low neither visible nor inuisible neither any other creature shall at any time once be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which he hath shewed vnto all vs in giuing his only deare sonne our Lord Iesus Christ to be our redemption and to pay our ransome to his and our father for al such offences as we moste horribly committed dayly against him The ninth Chapter Paule complaineth vpon the hard hart of the Ievves that vvould not receiue Christ and hovve the heathen are chosen in their steade
vprightly deale in their holy functions woorthy theyr laud and commendation then the honor that is done vnto them is done woorthily vnto God him selfe But contrarywise if they shall abuse the excellencie of their state as men corruptly folowing their owne sinfull lustes and regarde not the vtilitie of the people then the honoure that is done is done only to the magistrate eschuing all vprores breaking no peace but to kéepe an order with humblenesse in all their publike weales To conclude therefore conforme your selues as well to the common tranquilitie of the publike affaires as also to serue the expectation of the magistrates that héerein in any wise there may not be once found in you any offence at all Also among your selues haue this in remembrance that ye make neither chalenge nor paiment of any custome tribute or other earthy taxing one of an other but only of mutuall and brotherly charitie to lead your liues in vnitie Which also that of right by order is to be done amongst you let it be of that perfection and Christen vehemencie that there be no delay towards any person which should lawfully require it and to auoid an extremitie of his condition that after oft demaunds may chaÌ„ce to fal To the magistrates when you haue payed that which they haue taxed vpon you then are you frée for the time and no longer detters in that behalf vnto them But althoughe throughe your godly charitie you haue thus fully satisfied all men to their lawful requests yet it doth neuer satisfie it selfe but alwayes laboreth studieth to heape benefite vpon benefite vnto euery man. Therefore before all other things embrace and kéepe stil amongste you that noble vertue charitie which in it selfe fulfilleth most amplie all the whole law For whatsoeuer he be that in pure christen charitie loueth his neighbor hath in him selfe the very summe of Moses law pleaseth God most singularly But if charitie be awaye the obseruation of many lawes suffiseth not thoughe the number of them be infinite Againe if it beare sway and raigne amongst you there néede none other lawes at all in as much as this only vertue of charitie setteth forthe vnto oure perfect knowledge the ful effecte that the whole commaundements requireth of vs The law of Moses forbiddeth adultry manslaughter theft false witnesse coueting of another mans goods vsurie with many such like but the whole summe of all these is bréefely comprehended in this coÌ„maundement of charitie Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe Charitie to hir power séeketh for the profite of all men whether they be good or euill and not to hurte any man Therefore to what purpose doeth it serue to prohibite that you doe no hurte this waye or that waye sithe the nature of charitie is to hurt no man whatsoeuer he be Can he that loueth kill will he that loueth his neighbour as him selfe séeke to defile his neighbours wife will he robbe and spoyle his neighbour of his goodes that is ready to helpe and succour him with his owne gâ—â—d â—â—e will he beare false witnesse to the hurte of his neighbour that vpon his owne perill will saue and defende hym will he set foorth his riches vnto vsurie which thinketh the whole summe of his goodes to be common for others necessitie will he couet another mans losse or misfortune to whom he wisheth as well as to him selfe Or can he with will vexe any man for whoÌ„ Chryst dyed if he vnfainedly loue Chryst and him It is very true therefore that charitie it selfe is the summe of the whole lawe By charitie we all learne what to folowe and what to eschue and put away from vs To the loue of which euen the very nature and condition of the time enforceth vs that is to say that in taking vpon vs true repentaunce and amendement of our liues we awake euen from the sléepe of darkenesse and death the errour of our olde liues The night season in the darkenesse therof séemeth to giue libertie of offence bicause of his owne condition it is shamelesse and darke for in the darkenesse of the nighte all suche as in the vncleannesse of their hearts are inclined to whordome and wantonnesse giue them selues then to fulfill their filthy luste yet notwithstanding as soone as daylighte appeareth they leaue off their sinfull workes of darkenesse and doo decke or fashion them selues agayne to the open shew and face of the worlde Wherein béeing thus in the brightnesse of the day made agayne as new men they shew them selues abroade and are become of filthy wantons chaste and cleane persons of dronkards sober men of sediciouse felowes quiet men and of slouthfull and lumpish lubbors liuely quicke and cherefull men For which cause according to the time we must holily apply and frame our liues which if we in déede shall rightly vse we shall then the more ioyfully account vppon our saluation and to be now néerer at hand vnto vs than in the dayes of Moyses although we then beléeued it to be very nigh vnto vs The night of our olde life is gone past and the clere day is euen at hande which shall make open and manyfest all the moste déepe and darke secrets that lye moste couertly hidde Let vs now therefore in the bright day of Gods grace shining presently vpon vs moste happily embrace it and conforme our selues to the clerenesse of that heauenly light casting away from vs al our deadly darke nightly maners wherof in the fayre light of the day we may be all ashamed And if it be a godly maner that as soone as the light of the day appeareth we gladly yeld to the time and euery of vs decke our bodies with more comely apparell that in the sight of men we may appeare more decent séemely then much rather at the comming of the clere light of the Gospell we should adourne and garnish our soules with the most séemely beautiful vesture of vertue And he that thus worthily walketh in this true light of life let him not drede at any time the sighte of God who euer and in all places beholdeth our dooings And so let vs altogither in this world dispose our liues that it may euidently appeare before the face of God before all his holy angels and vnto all other his creatures that we haue clerely cast from vs the obscuritie and darkenesse of our liues and to walke honestly in the cléere light it self not abusing the time in eating drinking in chambering wantonnesse neither in strife enuying or vnchristenly contending among your selues with al which vices suche like you haue heretofore ben most filthily spotted and foyled walking in the darknesse of your olde liues But now at this time séeing you be altogither vnited vnto christ by baptime take him vpoÌ„ your backs garnish your selues with him yea let him shine in you throgh your holy coÌ„uersation all your life long whose name
sorte scripture speaketh of the olde creature when it treateth that al things are to be renued In Esai 66. and in the Apostle .2 Corinth 2. 9 But yet this rightnesse in the firste man was not a rightnesse of the reuelations of the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen although these things were put in him to be brought foorth in their time but of innocencie which was ioyned with the ignoraunce of the counsels of God touching his saluation and glory 10 And so the expression ef the deuine Image was set in innocencie and not in the manyfestation of the fathers wisdome that then should be made which béeing hidde from time out of minde in a mysterie the Apostle sayth that he speaketh to the Corinthes in the .1 epist. 2. 11 Which wisedome is reuealed onely in Chryst who hathe the keyes to locke and vnlocke the gates of the kingdome of heauen 12 But this Chryst was neither promised nor beganne to be reueled till Adam had fallen Gene. 3. This very séede shall breake thine head 13 Wherof commeth this notable saying of the Apostle God hath shut vp all things vnder sinne that he might haue mercy vppon all Therefore as the first man lacked experimentes of grace and wrathe of falling and rising agayne of ignomie and glorie whylest he stoode euen so the mysterie also of Christ in whom onely the treasures of gods wisdome were layd vp were then vnknowē sinne opening the crosse and the crosse opening glory Rom. 5.11 1. Cor. 4. 14 So that as the first man of the body made of clay by the maker of all things was by nature a weake and frayle worke although that if he had not sinned he shoulde haue bene immortall by the iustice of God who punisheth no man with death without sinne according to thys For the rewarde of sinne is death euen so there lay open vnto him an occasion soone to catche a fall For béeing vnexperte in things although whyle he was yet innocente he mighte soone be brought to eate of the fruite that should be his bane by the subtill Serpente at the enteraunce of concupiscence into him which by viciating the body should bring death and rayse vp warre to the inner man whom the spirite of feare had put in him whereof the Apostle treateth in the seuenth to the Romanes 15 And that is brought to passe by the engines of Sathan who is a murtherer from the beginning a spirite of dissention and not of peace as the heauenly man Christ witnesseth of him in Iohn 8. Chapter By whom it happened that Adam béeing tempted beganne to haue experience by the infection of sinne what the wrathe of God was what grace was what the power of sinne was and what medicine was for the same Chryst Iesus that blessed séede that should be borne of him béeing shewed vnto him 16 Where it muste bée wayed what it is that Adam had hys eyes opened after hys fall and lykewise what is the Trée of the knowledge of good and euill and why it was so called and what occasion was offered and whence it was taken to promyse Chryst what Gods counsell was about the fall and after it about the crosse and what the mysterie of the crosse is to glorie oute of the vndoubted Scriptures 17 But Sathan meditated this fall by a difference First castyng his bayte by the crafte that was in hym at the woman béeing the weaker kinde to the tasting of that cruell apple 18 Whereof also the curse fell vppon him which was the author of so great destruction whom Chryst Iesus the seconde Adam woulde destroy with hys adherentes and would saue the earthy Adam with his posteritie which were written in heauen and had not fallen as dyd the reprobate serpente 19 And so it chanced that the first man enduced by sathan to transgressiō began to haue a delight in erthly things putting vppon him the euill affections of the corrupted fleshe Where the nature of the earth out of which he was taken vttered first it selfe vnder Sathan the mother of the matter 20 For the earth is an element sluggish slouthfull colde dull and full of darkenesse lacking euery acte and motion excepte it be newe chaunged from aboue with spirite and lighte In this sorte is the olde and earthy man And therefore these termes olde earthy haue no prayse in scriptures 21 And suche fruite also came of him by propagation and encrease of the fleshe corrupted fruite of darknesse not of light of death not of life of wrath not of grace of malediction and not of benediction by his owne nature 22 For the order of right state loste by which the liuely body was obedient to the iudgement of the mynde and the mynde obediente to the spirite what other mighte néedes reigne than iniustice in stéede of life wrath in stéede of grace darknesse in the stede of light 33 Which iustice properly is nothing else than a conformitie of all things in the reasonable creature to the lawe of Gods mind by which it is cōmaunded that God be loued aboue al things a man to loue his neighbour as him selfe 24 Of iniustice the matter is cleane contrarie By which Adams posteritie depraued and corrupted follow the disposition of Sathan the author of iniustice 25 For he proudly boasting him selfe of the giftes of nature created glorifieth not God the true life and lighte as he is worthie and hateth the reasonable creature whom it behoued him to loue as béeing nexte creature vnto god And specially he set vpon the innocent Lambe by guyle and deceyte whom he slew in heauen by purpose and counsell from the beginning and driuen downe from thence into these lower parts when he had no more power in heauenly things he likewise deceitfully set vpon man béeing a weake péece of worke made of earth and brought into this worlde vnder the sunne these euils which we sée 26 In consideration whereof he is called the principate and chéefe ruler of darknesse and the father of lyes according to this of Iohn 8. when he speaketh a lye he speaketh properly of his owne for a lyer he is and the father of lying 27 Contrarywise God is the author of Iustice not of iniustice of that which is righte not of naughtinesse of truth not of lyes as Chryste also is comming from aboue who sayth of him selfe But bicause I say the truthe vnto you you beléeue me not Which of you will reproue me of sinne Except a man would say God to be the author of euill priuately for that he giueth not his spirite which onely maketh rightnesse of Iustice But of that spirite I pray thée to whom is God detter 29 Forasmuche therefore as sinne is the priuation of rightnesse which ought to be in man the same in Scripture is worthily called vanitie that is a friuolous thing and a thing of naught And they which followe sinne are counted to follow and goe about vanitie and a thing of naught The Psalme sayth
Their heart is vayne But how is it vayne bicause they lacke the spirite of god Which spirite if a man haue he hath life and light If he haue him not there is darknesse and death And what is more friuolous or vayne than these things wherfore God is in all poynts the saâ—â—â—â— that hâ— commaundeth For he is the highest god which ought to be loued aboue all things He commaundeth loue which loue he is according to this God is loue He commaundeth truth iustice and clemencie all these things he is Ergo he commaundeth him selfe to all creatures endued with reason as to them who are onely able to receiue him And agayne he onely forbiddeth that which he is not namely the loue of our selfe and of creatures that a man reste not nor put his truste in them and that of the ineuitable order of his wisedome In which order onely the perfecter things haue power to bring another thing to passe And that which is not perfect to doo that which is worse and not that which is perfecter And as the bodies of men liuing hauing life of the soule holde their state righte euen so the reasonable creaturs gouerned by the spirite of Chryst defendeth the degrée of iustice and integritie But béeing destitute of this spirite all things are contrary Rom. 8. Iere. 31. Deut. 30. 30 So that the olde man was called man after his fall by contempt béeing voyde of this spirite of rightnesse that they may know that they be but men that is vanitie Esay lykewise when he would shew Egipt to be of no weight he saith Egypt is a man and no god And Pylate sayde of Chryst Beholde the man hauing respecte to the contented formes of Chryst drawen out of our sinne which formes he bare in his flesh Likewise the Psalme hath What is man And afore Salomon sayth I sayde in mine heart of the children of men why should God chose them 31 All men through vayne desires embracing earth not heauen carnall things not spirituall things the loue of them selues and not the loue of God. 32 And when wée be suche a worthy sentence is giuen vppon the earthly man Of earth thou arte and into earth thou shalte returne Gene. 3. as before in the same Chapter and after in the .13 33 Béeing of equall condition with all men least any man should boast him selfe forasmuche as we be all the dust of the earth all flesh a like all alike in daunger to sinne and to the wrath of God as parteyning to the olde birth 34 Which thyng Chrystes finger writing vppon the ground noted signifieth the earthy stocke of which we come which should infect all men without exception and cleareth no man of sinne 35 Not only the body corrupted with earthy concupiscence béeing counted in the tale for flesh but also the best parte of man namely the mynd which they cal the principal part 36 Not that it is not a good creature a naturall light that séeth the truthe and falsitie good and badde which argueth the consciences of sinne and giueth testimonie of the righteousnesse of God but for that that this light also béeing infected with originall sinne is darkened to many things and not of efficacie to transforme the mindes of them in whom it shineth 37 Whose senses the Scripture adioyneth to the olde man and to the flesh when the minde is not yet borne a new by the spirite of God as parteyning to motions and incitations corrupted 38 Taking for flesh what soeuer is not of the holy ghost and borne a new from aboue that is the whole man with body and minde not yet béeing borne a new by the spirite of God Iohn 3. Rom. 8. 39 Examples are all the wysest of the Gentiles in the light naturall and the Phariseis most righteous in the law whose sinne the Lorde witnesseth to remayne bicause they sayd them selues to sée when in déede they were yet blind 40 But they saw with that parte which was the best part in them namely with the minde yet by which they should héere this who so is without fault among you cast the first stone at hir And this of the Apostle Knowledge maketh a man proude 41 not that the minde of hir substaunce is flesh and of earthly nature for she is a spirite 1. Corinth 1. and to the Rom. 8. approching next to the Deitie no better worke created commyng betwéene Genesis 1. but shee is fleshe for so muche as she is viciated with contagion of the affections of the corrupted body of sinne 42 In the reprobate besides this contagion and infection the minde béeing voyde of the grace of Election addeth of hir owne the neglect of the veritie knowen that is she nourisheth the sinne agaynst the holy ghoste which she carieth with hir into the other world neuer to be forgiuen 43 And so Abel and Cayne Dauid and Iudas that is that they be accursed with the serpent and the blessed electe by the grace of predestination in Chryst before the foundations of the worlde were layde are bothe by nature the olde man aswell the one as the other the children of wrath and of darkenesse The difference is in the election But forasmuche as it pertayneth to the grace of the new man and not to the nature of the olde man it pertaineth not to this place which treateth here of the disposition and nature of the corrupted and earthly man. 44 Now suche is the first Adam with all his posteritie sprong of the séede of the corrupted flesh And suche also is the worlde with his desires made of naughte and gooing to naughte 45 He therefore is damned with his wisedome and foolishnesse with his righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse in his children with their father Sathan which hath inuented al these euils bringing in that which Salomon so often abhorreth in this booke the vanitie of sinne and death Of the new Man. NOw the matter is otherwise of the new man and seconde Adam Chryst Iesus the blessed sonne of God is he not taken out of the earth but sent downe from heauen 47 And so not made into a liuing soule which thing perteineth to conception but made of his father into a quickening spirite as the Apostle witnesseth in the .1 to the Corinth 15. 48 This spirite viuifieth that is to say maketh vs aliue not with life naturall but spirituall And therefore he dothe not the naturall functions which are to engender and to beget children of the flesh c. for suche worke hath no place in heauen as he béeing man declareth in Marke .12 when he sayth But they are lyke the Aungels which be in heauen by their Resurrection 49 It is therefore the breath of lyfe from aboue whiche God firste bloweth into the seconde Adam and by him into his members whereof is this Take yée the holy Ghoste c. and that with a spirituall breath not with an earthly By which the body is transfigured into an heauenly habite
after this earthly according to this saying It is sowe a naturall body it riseth a spirituall body So that the spirite viâ—ifying is not here taken as which shoulde be oppoâ—ed and layde agaynst that which is innocente and right but agaynst that which animateth with earthly life Wherevpon the first Adam although he were iuste with the spirite of innocencie yet lacked he this viuifying spirite as the Apostle taketh him to the Corinth whose body was natural not spiritual earthly not heauenly Neither could it be transformed into a heauenly body without either the death of it or immutation very like vnto deathe as he clerely signifyeth when he proueth by the mutuall conuersion that the resurrection consisteth not without death alleaging a similitude of the séede of which Chryst had mentioned before in Iohn So that Christ receiued the name of the New man then specially when he was raised vp by resurrection from the dead to the right hand of the glory of God and not before when he had put of mortalitie and the ignomie of the crosse of his fleshe to the which he was borne for vs of the virgine he namely then being declared to be truely the sonne of God by the spirite of power according to this which was begotten of the séede of Dauid after the fleshe which was declared to be the sonne of God with power according to the spirite of sanctification of this that Iesus Christ our Lord rose againe from death To which time also this properly pertaineth in the seconde Psalme Thou art my sonne I haue this day begotten thée the Apostle Paule reciting it for that time in the Actes 50 For as much therfore as the newe man is suche he giueth the nature of heauen from whence he came which heauen is agile ful of vertue and light After this sort is the heauenly man and all the children that come of him 51 And for that there was no way for this Adam to fall namely he which was conceiued by the spirite of God not able to be brought to sliding as he witnesseth of himselfe when he sayeth The Prince of this world commeth and in me he hath nothing at all 52 And the same returned to heauen froÌ„ whence he came downe euen as the earthly returneth to the earth of which he was made al things returning to their beginnings by diuine disposition as he sayth of him selfe in the thirde of Iohn And no man ascendeth into heauen but he which came down from heauen euen the sonne of man which is in heauen 53 Séeing then that the olde man and the nowe are so farre distante in beginning and ending in nature and affections the olde shall not become newe except he lay away from him his affections and desires and put on him the newe affections of the newe man. 54 Which can not be done without a new birth death that the olde man die to him selfe that is to the loue of him selfe and to the contempte of God and that the newe man be borne a newe to heauenly desires that is to loue God aboue al things and our neighbors as our selues for this loue is the ende of the lawe and the summe of all the rightnesse of diuine iustice vnto which we are to be reformed which the very order of creation cléerely teacheth in which he ought to be loued with equal loue which hath taken equall degrée of perfection with thée But such is man made to the similitude of God. 55 For as much therfore as we must be borne again it is a question wherof or by what we be regenerated or what set to the helping hand to the renuing of vs Is it the light of nature which containeth the law wrytten in all mennes hartes and mindes No not that for that light being corrupted with originall sinne howe should it wipe away the spot and place innoceÌ„cie in stead therof Further the light of nature is darknesse if it be compared to the light of God which bringeth eternall life as aboue it is shewed Now what coÌ„munion may be betwéene vice and integritie betwéene darkenesse light By regeneration we are begotten the children of lighte But how shall darknesse procéede to so great light 56 Muche lesse shall the woorkes of the lawe performe so great a woorke which if they be done are too weake in cause as done by the lighte of nature by the rightuousnesse of the law so that all naturall things in man and created strengths take a fall 57 What remaineth then vnto regeneration Only the spirite of Iesus Christe purchased for vs by his bloud which may repurge the childe of olde Adam into a newe man Other thing there is none neither in heauen nor in earth as I haue aboue proued in the rule of iustification 58 And that witnesseth the newe man him selfe being the aucthor of this natiuitie when he saith in Iohn Except a man be newe born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God. 59 Where looke what the naturall winde is in this visible worke of the world in this aire next vnto vs through the light of heauen waters from aboue to make the earth bring forth frute the same the spirite of God the father in Christ his sonne to this Tohu and Vehu that is to this vnformed and rule â—arthe of the godly that is to say to their mindes by the light that no man can come at and spirituall waters to renue their stomackes to bring forth frutes worthy of heauen 60 And for that cause in the mention made of regeneration is ioyned water to the spirit In which and by which the new birth may be wrought And in an other place fire is also taken to company to worke so great a worke when we read He shall baptise you with the spirite and fire 61 In which part respecte is had to the figures of the created worke For as in it the spirit or winde was coupled with the waters which he shuld moue preparing the earthe by the light brought vnto it to the encrease of that which come of hir euen so the work of regeneration offreth it self hir earth first emptie voide hir water of the spirit and of light which is the fire that new regenerateth heauen which in Iohn we spake of a litle before hither also are those things to be called which we read of Helias of the spirit commotion and fire .3 Reg. 19. 62 Whereof it is that the olde and newe Testamentes speake so ofte of the spirite of Messiah by which he testifieth all saluation that pertaineth to man Esay 32.44.61 Ezechiell 36.39 Ioel. 2. c. 63 Notwithstanding this spirituall power of God the father is poured in by a certain order by an order of certentie â–ª For first it is fully resident in Christ as in the head and from thence it floweth into the Church of the elect as into the body and is imparted to his members to
euery man according to the measure of the giuing of Christ the head agréeing to this For God giueth not the spirit to him by measure And as pertaining to the donation we read this For he shall receyue of mine and shall declare it vnto you In like sorte to the Ephesians 4. But grace is giuen to euery one of vs according to the measure of the gift of Christe 64 And so only the sainctes are partakers of spiritual perfection of part and from member to member of which Christ is fully in possession whome the kingly annoynting of the fathers power glory and maiestie annoynteth without measure to all perfection of God the father Whereunto also this of the Apostle pertaineth you are Christes and Christe is Gods. You I say are Christes as the membres of the head but Christe is Gods as the heade of the vniuersall diuinitie For that perfection of the body which is poured out throughout all the members the same resteth whole in Christe the head Esay 11. 65 This is it which the Apostle calleth corporally and héereunto also pertaineth that woorde the fulnesse or complement whereupon the Psalme sayth of Christ The Lord sayd vnto my lord And an other Psalme sayth of the Sainctes I haue sayd yée are Gods. And Peter sayth ye are partakers of the diuine nature 66 Which places are truely to be vnderstanded as the new borne are truely called the children of god For as there is a true regeneration euen so there is a true participation and possession of the diuine nature and of the diuine lighte wisedome and rightuousnesse This is our hope and vocation in Christ the head of the participation of the substāce of God and of the nature of the father by that we be borne a newe of the spirite of Christ Iohn 3. 1. Pet. 1. Rom. 8. Gal. 4. 67 But we speake héere of Christe as the treating of him pertaineth to the cause of regeneration which commeth of the spirite For what the scripture speaketh of the eternall word we holily woorship and will speake thereof in an other place 68 Therfore we be not called the sonnes of God newe men after the same sort that Christ is For he is the naturall sonne of God and the newe man bothe within and wythout But we be the sonnes of God by adoption and new men only inwardly in this world He is borne the sonne of God and the newe man We are begotten the children of death and of sinne by the first Adam and we are borne the sonnes of God and a newe creature by the second Adam For of the earth we be earthie and in Christ the heauenly man we are taken to grace and to the enheritance of sonnes by newe birth which shall in the day of resurrection put on newe fleshe vppon vs euen of the fleshe of Christe 69 So that héer being renued while we liue in this world we consist of two men of an outwarde and inwarde man of a body corrupted with concupiscence and of a minde repaired with the spirite of the newe couenaunt 70 The body once corrupted is not restored in this world for it is all earthie tending to the earth of his owne will and waight And therefore he also returneth vnto it bicause of the sentence once giuen vppon it when the temprament of this worldes elements is dissolued of which it is made as Salomon oft teacheth in this sermon And is now and then mortified that it folowe not the desires to which he is inclined that firie spirit of the heauenly new birth quite burning them vp 71 The inner man therefore that is the minde which is put into this body to rule it is only renued in this life to the felowship of the diuine light 72 Wherefore they that be regenerate in this fraile life cary men about with them as cōtrary the one to the other as are light and darkenesse death and life and as farre dissident as heauen and earth The outwarde and olde man is visible the inward and new man is inuisible The outwarde man is earthly and the inwarde man is heauenly The outward man is conceiued of carnal seede and the inward man is strengthened with the spiritual séede of the word of the liuing god The outward man is fed with meats that will perish but the inward man groweth with eternal foode The one is made flesh of the flesh of man the other is made a spirit of the spirit of God. 73 The outwarde man is euer polluted and sinneth but the inward and new man neuer neither cannot it sinne as it cannot die 74 And no maruel for as much as thou shalt finde contrary lawes in them The one of sinne which holdeth vs downe to the ground persuading earthy and carnal desires the other calleth vs vpwarde burning in desires of heauenly things where a man may sée the maruellous coniunction of bothe men set together for experience of so great things not without the maruellous councels of the diuine prouidence 75 Further the olde man is created of God and therefore made of nothing the newe man is borne of God so of something namely of his spirite Wherof he neuer dieth he neuer waxeth olde And these are the things which Christ disputeth of the life eternal which true faith bringeth that is to say the spirit of Gods light Vppon this poynt standeth the hope and consolation of Sainctes 76 By this faith the outwarde man obtaineth pardone if the spirite of the inwarde man remurmur against him while we dwel in this life For faithe staide vp with the rightuousnesse of an other that is with Christe which being innocent died for offenders deliuereth the faithfull from dampnatorie sentence of death and sinne and draweth backe the desires of the olde man that he do them not the bridle of the spirit caste in his téethe For it is not obtained that they haue no being in vs and that they wholely be destroyed in this worlde as long as this flesh liueth the resurrection giueth that in which both the body it selfe shall be also raised vp out of the duste of the earth from deathe vnto life to fulfill the body of Christe which as the head to the body went before being the first begotten sonne of the newe creature and the vnspotted firste frutes of the kingdome of the fathers maiestie 77 For what life shal the head haue without the body or the body without the members 78 And the fall of the first man so repaired and amended we shal be restored to that from whence we fel that is to wit to rightuousnesse and innocencie but in a far better state and condition for in this innocencie the earthy life shal be chāged for an heauenly mortalitie for immortalitie and after sinne fall shall be changed for resurrection and the ignomie of the crosse for glory So great is the goodnesse and wisdom of God which thus farre and this way must be reuealed 79
Not only the olde man but also euery other creature shall be redéemed and deliuered from vanitie vnder the reuelation of so great a kingdom the Apostle witnesseth Rom. 8. 80 But how Shall the plants reuiue againe and florishe a newe And shal the beastes and liuing things put immortalitie vpon them yea verily but not by themselues in theyr subsistences or beings but in the whole that is in the heade Christ and in the sainctes his body whilest in them their bodies life sense and minde be restored to newnesse glory which degrées conclude the vniuersall perfection bothe of the worke created and also of that which is to be renued and the same in the newe and blessed man Christ Iesus the true God and very eternal sonne of god the father Where is diligently to be marked that we distinct these thrée diligētly in Christ namely a true fleshe and very bones a very soule and minde in déede and the very spirite of his father In such sorte that of euery one of these the nature be seperately distinctly kept and reserued to it selfe in the kingdom of glory not one mixed with an other euen as Christ himselfe did distinct them when after the resurrection he proued and verified to be in him the nature of very flesh and bones In which order the holy ghost obtaineth the highest place as the kingly vnction of the Fathers maiestie The second is the minde the thirde are bones and flesh Which thing if it shal be marked we shal ouercome great difficulties and shall escape most gréeuous errors that are now in these dayes of the flesh of Christ Therefore as by this Christ all things were made both visible and inuisible euen so by the same and in the same all things shall be renued to glory the woorke of restauration so farre passing the first woorke of creation as mutable is excelled of immutable and as that which is renuable is excelled and surmounted of that which already is renued to better and into the best state it may haue 82 This is the merite of the pure bloud of Christe Iesus the heauenly man which being sprinkled abrode vppon all things mundifieth that is maketh cleane al things in heauen and in earth the oldnesse of corruption dissolued the newnesse of incorruptibilitie brought in that shall abide for euer when this shal be spoken Stabilitie of stablenesse al things are stable as hitherto hath bene said vanitie of vanities all things are vanitie while the vanitie of the olde creature raigned Thāks therfore and glory be to God the father who hath giuen vs this victorie by our Lord Iesus Christ the new mā VVho repair in vs integritie and nevvnesse of life after this old corrupt disposition of the olde and first Adam Amen Amen An exhortation sent from a straunger a worthy and famous learned man of God to the righte highe and mightie Prince Edvvard Duke of Somerset for the seeking and quiet establishing of peace and rightuousnesse in the Church of England Immediatly vpon the commotions sodainly raised vp in the vvest partes as also in Suffolke and Norfolke In the yeare of our Lord Christ 1549. MY Lorde although God hathe giuen vnto youre grace a singuler prudēce magnanimitie other godly vertues requisite to the place wher he hathe ordained you and for the affaires that he hathe put into your hand neuerthelesse for as muche as ye doe estéeme me for a seruaunte of his sonne Christ whome you aboue all desire to obey I am certaine that for the loues sake of him you will receiue gently that which I nowe wryte vnto you in his name As in déede I pretend none other end but in folowing stil that which you haue already begun you might therein continue and séeke the aduauncement of his glory more and more vntill the time yée haue established his kingdome and raigne in suche perfection as it may rightly be knowne vnto the world And also ye shal know that without aduauncing any thing of mine owne fantasie all that I nowe purpose to wryte shall be drawne oute of his moste pure and holesome doctrine And for as muche as you refuse not to be taughte of the same maister whome I serue but that you rather preferre to all the rest the grace that he hathe giuen vnto you to be one of hys Disciples I thinke that I haue no néede to make vnto you any long excuse or preface bicause I finde you sufficiently disposed to receiue all suche things as shall procéede of him We haue all great cause to render thanks vnto our Lord God and father for that he hath thus willed to be so reuerently obeyed and serued of you in so excellent and high a worke as in setting foorth agayne I meane the pure and true rule of his seruice in Englande and in causing the sincere doctrine of health to haue place and to be there faythfully published to all them that will heare and for that that he hath giuen vnto you such vertue and constancie to continue vnto this time agaynst so many temptations and difficulties and for that he hath also strengthned you in blessing all your counsels and labours for the prospering of them for they be things that stirre all true and faythfull men to magnifie and prayse his name But in the meane time bicause that Sathan ceasseth not to rayse vp by all meanes possible new combates and that it is a thing of it selfe so harde that there can be nothing more harde than to cause that the worde of God may peaceably rule amongest the people which through the corruption of their owne natures be giuen to lyes and fantasies And forasmuche as there are so many circumstances which impecheth in these dayes the strayght course of the same and aboue all that the superstitions of Antichryst hauing taken roote so long time may not easily be taken away from their hartes It séemeth vnto me yée haue great néede to be confirmed and strengthned by some holy exhortations and I doubt not but the experience therof teacheth you to féele the same whiche shall be the cause to make me procéede more frankly considering that my purpose as I beléeue shall be conformable to your desire And albeit that mine exhortations shall be superfluous yet I am sure that you wil beare with that good zeale affection of mine which vndoubtedly stirreth me to doo it Wherfore I thinke according to reason that the necessitie which ye féele shall cause mine exhortations a great deale the sonner and the better to be receiued whatsoeuer they shal be I beséech your Lordship that it may please you to giue me hearing in some aduertisements that I entende shortely to declare vnto you hoping that when yée shall vnderstande them yée shall at the leaste finde some sauour to be recomforted and to take a greate deale the better courage to continue the holy and moste noble enterpryse vnto which God hath appoynted you at
image of the holy vnion that wée haue with the sonne of God is defiled and that the alyaunce 〈…〉 â—dissoluble is moste cor◠〈…〉 â—e take not these thinges to 〈…〉 it is a playne signe that wée 〈…〉 â—o god Touching also whore◠〈…〉 â—s that S. Paule doth compare it to 〈…〉 as by the same the temples of God 〈…〉 â—es be prophaned and defiled Also that 〈…〉 â—eration of whormongers of what estate or 〈…〉 they be in the worlde or how holy soeuer they 〈◊〉 â—o the worlde God who séeth the fylthinesse of their â—s dothe banish them from his eternall region and kingdome as also drunkardes and are playnely forbidden not to vse any coÌ„pany or familiaritie with them God also threatneth to plague among all the reste those cursed vyces of pride and excesse which now so horribly ouerrunneth the earth Wherefore it followeth that suche euils ought not to be suffered in the Churche of God without sharpe punishement for the auoyding of the wrath of god And these things are the cause that so many and great tribulations be at thys day vppon the earth for insomuche as men doo pardon and winke at suche enormities and greate abuses it muste vndoubtedly follow that God by his iustice wil take vengeance vpon vs Wherfore my Lorde to the intente that his great yre and wrath may be preuented I pray you holde short the bridle to cause them the rather that be the hearers and fauorers of the doctrine of Chrystes holy Gospell doo also proue them selues to be Christian men by the holynesse of their lyues For as Chrystes holy doctrine is the soule of the Churche to giue life so the discipline of the Church and correction of vices be as the sinowes to mainteyne the body of the same in his cleane force and strength It is the office of Byshops and Curates diligent and faythfull Pastours to take good héede to so gret a charge to the intent that the Supper of our Lorde be not polluted defiled by folkes of slaunderous dishonest life But considering the authoritie which God hath committed vnto you the high and principal charge returneth vnto you to sée that the Christian fauourers of the Gospell of truthe ma◠〈…〉 ende that euery one 〈…〉 â—cause with godly 〈…〉 order which is moste go◠〈…〉 â—ly reuerenced and obserueâ— Now my Lorde folowing the 〈…〉 héere made before I will not excuse my 〈…〉 â—ther of the prolixitie or largenesse of my Le◠〈…〉 which I haue liberally declared according to m◠〈…〉 I trust that mine affection is knowen vnto your gr◠〈◊〉 I humbly referre to the iudgement of your wisedome 〈◊〉 as you be exercised in the holy scriptures you sée out of whâ— fountayne I haue drawen all that which is herein contayned Wherefore I doo not feare that I haue béene importune and tedious vnto your Lordeshippe in declaring the best of my power through the good desire which I haue that the name of God be daily by you more largely glorified for the which I dayly call vpon him praying that it may please his diuine Maiestie to poure abundauntly his grace vpon you and to confirme you by his holy spirite in a perfecte and inuincible constancie mayntayning you agaynst your enimies alwayes hauing you with your whole houshold in his holy protection and that you may also administer happily the charge which is committed vnto you so that the King that godly yong Prince may hereafter haue occasion to giue thanks to his Lorde God for that he hath had suche a gouernour in his tender and yong age aswell of his person as also of his Realme Thus I make an ende and haue me moste hartily commended vnto your good Grace The .xxij. of October In the yere of our Lord. 1549. Act. 8.9.26 Act. 13. Act. 13. Deut. 18. Act. 3. Math. 1. 2. Timo. 3. Act. 9. 1. Cor. 1. Gala. 1. 2. Tit. 1. The cause whi Paule desireth to be at Rome Paule excuseth himselfe and shewith the cause of his going to Rome The gospell of Christ is offered vnto al meÌ„ without exception Paules boldenesse in preaching the gospell Ignoraunce of the soules sicknesse From whence our sure iustification floweth Abac. 2. Hebr. 10. The iust cause of Gods fury after the knowen light of the Gospell Act. 18. One way how to knowe almighty god The workes of God. The world hath his beginning and ending God without beginning or ending Psalm 106. Iere. 2. Eze. 14. Great abhomination 2. Reg. 11. Ezechi 14. A grosse sinne yet remaining among the professors of Christ Leuit. 18. Prouerb 1. Act. 7. Greate are the abhominations of manne where the grace of God is withdravveÌ„ God terribly plageth after his grace once offered and vnthankfully taken or wilfully neglected Ose 7. Math 7. 2. Reg. 12. An exhortation to auoid rashe condemnation and iudgement Esay 30. Act. 17. The lenitie of God abused Psalm 61. God by his loue and long suffering stirreth man to repentaunce and to flye therby the terror of his veÌ„geaÌ„ce Psalm 61. Thessa. 1. Act. 10. Ephe. 6. Gala 2. Math. 7. Luc. 6. Iac. 1. Gods lavve knovven and practised requireth sharpe punishment Math. 25. Iohn 8. The lawe what it worketh To trust to the lawe is daungerouse Math. 7. Esay 52. Ezechi 36. Iohn 8. Roma 9. Collos 2. Rom. 2. 2. Timo. Iohn 3. Psalm 115. Psalme 50. Psalme 14. Psalme 53. Aspis is a smal serpent and greatly venemouse bredd in Affricke Psalm 35. Gala. 3. Hebr. 7. Esay 53. Exod. 25. Hebr. 5. Our reconciliation vnto god the father coÌ„meth not by ceremonies by figures or by workes of the lawe but only by the innoceÌ„t bloud of christ shed vppon the crosse Gala â— Esay 51. Gene. 15. Gala. 3. Iaco. 2. Whether they be Iewes or Gentiles they be all only the children of Abraham that haue the faith of Abraham Gene. 15. Gala. 3. Iaco. 2. Psalm 32. Gene. 15. Gene. 17. Abraham was couÌ„ted righteouse before the deedes of the lawe through the only dignitie of his faith Circumcision what it meaneth Abraham the father of all the faithfull As Abraham was iustified without the deedes of the lawe so shal al nations that haue the faith of Abraham How to know the true childe of the father from a bastard Gala. 3. The lawe what it worketh The Iewes deceiued Esay 51. Gene. 17. Luc. 13. â—â— Iohn 2. Gala. 17. Gene. 17. The acceptable faith of Abraham and the sure trust in him of the promise of God. Gene. 15. Abraham as strong in fayth as weake in bodye Psalm 114. Roman 15. 1. Tim. 1. Gala. 1. Christ onely is to bee thanked for our iustification and not the lawe of Moyses Esay 26. Iohn 6. Hebr. 3. A man may not think that the troubles which we here suffer wil bring vs to saluatioÌ„ or els be helpers therevnto for the thing beloÌ„geth only vnto Christes death But they secretly witnes vnto euery maÌ„ that he which suffereth any such troubles for Christes sake and the truth