thirst after rightuousenesse he cannot taste of the swéetnesse of Iesus Christ how swéete it is to talke of him to thinke of him and to follow his most holy lyfe But when we once throughlye knowe our owne infirmitie by meane of the Lawe let vs herken to sainct Iohn Baptist who poynteth vs to the souerein Phisicion with his fingar saying Beholde y Lamb of God which taketh away y sinnes of the world For he it is that deliuereth vs from the heauie yoke of the law abrogating and disanulling the curses and sharp threatnings of the same healing all our infirmities reforming our frée will returning vs to our auncient innocencie and repayringe in vs the image of our God insomuch that according to sainct Paules saying lyke as by Adam we be all dead so by Iesus Christ we are all quickened And it is not to be beléeued y the sinne of Adam which we haue by inheritance from him should be of more force then the ryghtuousnes of Christe the which also we inherit by fayth It séemeth that mâ—n hath great cause to complayn that without any reason why he is conceiued borne in sinne and in the wickednesse of his parents by meanes of whom death reigneth ouer all men But now is all our sorow taken awaye inasmuch as by a lyke meane without anye occasioÌ„ giuen on our behalf rightuousenesse euerlasting lyfe are come by Iesus Christ and by him death is sâ—ayne whereof sainct Paule maketh a verie goodly discourse which I purpose to set downe here folowing Wherefore sayth he lyke as by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sin euen so death went ouer al meÌ„ â—orasmuch as all men haue sinned For vntill the Lawe sinne was in the worlde but sin was not regarded as long as ther was no law Neuerthelater death reigned froÌ„ AdaÌ„ vnto Moses euen ouer theÌ„ also y sinned not after y like maner of y traÌ„sgressioÌ„ of Adam who was a figur of him y was to come But yit the gift is not so as is the offence For if through the offence of one manie be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Iesus Christe hath abounded vnto many Neyther is the gift so as that which entred in by one the sinned For the fault came of one offence vnto condemnation but the gifte is of many offeÌ„ces to iustification For if by the offence of one death reigned through one much more shall they which receiue the aboÌ„dance of grace and of the gift of rightuousnes reigne in life through one that is Iesus Christ. Likewise then as by the offence of one the fault came on all men to condemnation so by y ryghtuousenes of one the benefyte abounded toward all men to the iustification of life For as by one mans disobedience many wer made sinners so by the obedieÌ„ce of one shall many also be made righteous Moreouer the law entred ther vppon that the offence shold abouÌ„d neuertheles where sinne abouÌ„ded ther grace abounded much more that as sinne had reigned vnto death so might grace also reigne by rightuousenes vnto eternal lyfe through Iesus Christ our lord By theis words of saint Paule we manifeâ—tlye perceiue the thing to be trew which we haue said heretofore that is to wit that the lawe was giuen to make sinne knoweÌ„ which sinne we do also know no to be of greater force thaÌ„ Chrisâ—es rightuousenes wherthrough we be iustifyed before god For euen as Iesus Christ is stroÌ„ger than Adam was so is his ryghtuousenes more mightie than the sinne of Adam And if the sinne of Adam was sufficient ynough to make al men sinners children of wrath without ani misdéed of our own much more shall Christes ryghtuousnes be of greater force to make vs all rightuouse and the children of grace without any of our owne good workes which cannot be good vnlesse that before we do them we our selues be made good as Awstin also affirmeth Hereby a maÌ„ may know in what an errour they bée who by reason of some great offence despayre of gods good wil imagining that he is not willing to forgiue couer and pardon all sinne hauing alredie punished and chastized al our sinnes and iniquities in his owne onely begotten and déerebeloued sonne and consequently graunted a generall pardon to all mankinde which euery bodye inioyeth that beleueth the Gospell that is to say which beléeueth the happie tydings that the Apostles haue published through the whole worlde saying We beséeche you for Iesus Christes sake be yée reconâ—yled vnto God for he that neuer knew sinne was made a sacrifyze for our sinne that we might become rightuouse in him The Prophet Esay foreséeing this great goodnes of God writeth these heaueÌ„ly words which do so well peynt out the passioÌ„ of our Lord Iesus Christ and the cause ther of as it is not to be found better descrybed euen in the writings of the Apostles Who sayth he will beleue our report to whom is the arme of the Lord reueled But hée shall grow vp before him as a braunche and as a roote out of a drye gdound he hath neyther forme nor beautie when we shall sée him ther shal be no forme that we should desire him He is despized and reiected of men he is a man full of sorowes and hath experience of infirmities wée hidd as it were our faces from him he was despized we estemed him not Surely he hathe borne our infirmities and caried our sorowes yit we did iudge him as plaged and smitten of god and humbled but he was wounded for our traÌ„sgressions he was broken for our iniquities The chasismeÌ„t of our peace was vppoÌ„ him and with his stripes we are healed All we like shéepe haue gone astraie we haue turned euery one to his owne waye and the Lord hath layde vppon him the iniquitie of vs all he was oppressed he was afflicted yit dyd he not open his mouth He is brought as a shéepe to the slaughter and as a shéepe before the shearer is dumme so he openeth not his mouth O great vnkindnes O thing abhominable that we which professe our selues Christians and here that the sonne of God hath taken al our sinnes vppoÌ„ him washed them out with his preciouse blud suffering himselfe to bée fastened to the crosse for our sakes should neuertheles make as though we would iustifie our selues purchace forgiuenes of our sinnes by our our owne workes as who would say that the deserts ryghtuousenes and bludshed of Iesus Christ were not ynough to do it vnlesse we came to put to our workes ryghtuousnes which are altogither defiled and spotted with selfeloue seflyking selfeprofit and a thousande other vanities for which we haue néede to craue pardon at GODS hande rather than reward Neyther do we thinke of the threatnings which saint Paule vseth to the Galathians who hauing bin deceiued by falseprechers beleued not
lyght of our trust which hath great recompence reward But thys so holy and diuine affiance is gendred in our harts by the working of the holie ghost who is coÌ„municated vnto vs by fayth which neuer goeth without the loue of god And hereof it commeth that wée bée prouoked to dooe good works with a certeine liuelines and effectuall cherefulnes wherby we gather such a strength and inclinacion to doo theÌ„ as wée be throughly redie and foreward to doo and suffer all intollerable things for the loue and glorie of our moste graciouse and mercyfull father who hath inryched vs wyth so abundaunt grace through Iesus Christ and of his enemies made vs hys moste déere children This treue fayth is no sooner gyuen a man but he is by and by indewed and imprinted with a certeine violent loue of good works to yéeld right swéet and amiable frutes both vnto God and likewise to his Neybour as a verie good frutefull trée And it is no more possible that he should bée otherwise than it is possible that a fagot should be set on fyre not cast light immediatly This is the holye fayth without the which it is vnpossible that anie man should please God and wherby all the holie men as well of the old TestameÌ„t as of the new haue bin saued according as Sainct Paule witnesseth of Abraham concerning whome the Scripture sayeth that Abraham belâ—â—ued GOD and it was reckened too him for rightuousenesse And therfore hée sayth a little before We beléeue that a man is iustified by fayth without the déedes of the Lawe And in another place he saith Sothen in that time shall the remnant be saued according to the election of grace and if they be saued by grace then is it not by workes for then were grace no grace And to the Galathians he sayeth it is a manifest matter that no man becommeth rightuouse before God by the Lawe bicause the rightuouse liueth by faith And the lawe consisteth not in beleefe but he that performeth the thinges that the Lawe commaundeth shall liue by that performance And further hée sayeth that a man cannot become rightuouse by the déedes of the law but onely by beléeuing in Iesus Christ. Agein a little after he sayeth that if a man can become rightuouse by the Lawe Iesus Christ dyed in vayne Moreouer to the Romaines making comparison betwene the rightuousnesse of the Lawe and the rightuousnesse of the Gospell he sayeth that the one consisâ—eth in the dooing of workes and the other in beleuing For if thou confesse our Lord Iesus Christ with thy mouth and beleue in thy hart that God hath raysed him vp from death thou shalt be saued For the beléef of the hart maketh a man rightuouse and the confession of the mouth maketh him safe Lo how this good teacher Sainct Paule sheweth euidently that faith maketh a man rightuouse without any workes And not only Sainct Paule but also the holy Doctors that came after him haue confirmed and allowed this most holy trueth of Iustification by fayth among whome Sainct Augustin is the chiefe who in his booke of fayth and workes and in his booke of the Spirit and the Letter and in his booke of fourescore and thrée questions and in his booke which he did write to Boniface and in his treatise vpon the xxxj Psalme and in many other places defendeth this article shewing that we become rightuous by faith without any help of good works howbeit that good works are the effects of rightuousnesse and not the cause of it And he sheweth that y wordes of S. â—ames being soundly vnderstood are nothing contrary to this article Whith thing Origen doth also affirme in his fourth booke vpon the Epistle to the Romanes saying y S. Paules meaning is that fayth only is sufficiente to make men rightuouse insomuch that a man becommeth rightuouse only by beléeuing although he haue not doone anye good work at all For so it is that the théefe became rightuouse without the workes of the lawe forasmuch as the Lord sought not what good workes he had done in time past nor wayted vntill he had done any after he had beléeued but hauing accepted him for rightuouse vpon his only confession tooke him for hys companion euen when he should enter into Paradyse Likewise that so renowmed woman in the gospel of Sainct Luke while she was yit at the féete of Iesus Christ herd it sayd vnto hir thy sins are forgiuen thée And a little after he saieth vnto hir thy faith hath saued thée goo thy way in peace Afterward Origen sayth In many places of the Gospel a man may sée how our Lord Iesus Christ hath spoken in such wise as he sheweth that fayth is the cause of the saluation of the beleuers TheÌ„ is a maÌ„ made rightuouse by faith and the workes of the lawe further him nothing at all On the contrarie where faith is not which faith maketh the beléeuer rightuouse although a man doo the workes which the law coÌ„maundeth yit notwithstanding forasmuch as they be not builded vppon the fouÌ„dation of faith albeit y to outward appearance they séeme good yit can they not iustifie him that doeth them bicause he wanteth fayth which is the marke of theÌ„ that are become rightuouse before god And who is he that caÌ„ boast himselfe to be rightuouse wheÌ„ he hereth God say by his Prophet â—say that all our rightuousnesse is as a defiled cloth of a menstruouse woman Then can wée not iustly glorie in our selues but in y only faith of the crosse of Iesus Christ. S. Basill in hys Homilie of humilitie sayeth y the Christian ought to hold himself for rightuouse through beléefe in Iesus Christ and his wordes are theis The Apostle sayeth that he which glorieth should glorie in the Lord in that God hath made Iesus Christ to be our wisedome rightuousenes holinesse and redemption to the end y he which would glorie should glorye in the Lord bicause that the perfect and sound glorying is to glorye in the lord For in so doing a man presumeth not vppon his owne rightuousenes but acknowledgeth his want of the true rightuousenes and that he is made rightuouse only by beléeuyng in Iesus Christ. And Sainct Paule gloryeth of the despyzyng of hys owne rightuousenesse and of his séeking of Christes rightuousnes by fayth which commeth of god Sainct Hilary in his ninth Canon vppon the exposition of Sainct Matthew sayeth these words The Scribes considering Iesus Christe but only as maÌ„ were troubled that a maÌ„ should forgiue sinnes and pardon that thing which the Lawe could not doe bicause that onely fayth iustifieth Sainct Ambrose in expounding these wordes of Sainct Paule vnto him that beleeueth in him vvhich iustifieth the vngodly his fay the is accounted for rightuousnesse according to the purpose of Gods grace like as Dauid also sayeth that the man is blissed whom God accompteth rightuouse
his strength become mortal to make vs immortall come downe vnto the earth to aduaunce vs vp to heauen and become the sonne of man with vs to make vs the children of God with himself Who is he then that shal accuse vs God is he that iustifieth vs who shall condemne vs Iesus Christ is dead for vs yea rizen agein for vs and he sitteth at the right hand of God making intercession for vs Let vs then O my Sowle leaue of these teares and sighes ¶ THE. C. III. PSALME 1 MY soule praise thou the LORD and all that is within me praise his holie Name 2 My soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefites 3 Which forgiueth al thine iniquitie and healeth all thine infirmities 4 Which redemeth thy life from the graue crowneth thée with mercie compassion 5 Which satisfieth thy mouth with good things thy youth is renued like y Egles 6 The Lord executeth righteousenes and iudgement to al that are oppressed 7 He made his waies knowen vnto Moses his workes vnto the children of Israel 8 The Lord is ful of compassion and mercie slow to angre and of great kindnes 9 He will not alwaye chide nether kepe his angre for euer 10 He hath not dealt with vs after our sinz nor rewarded vs accordiÌ„g to our iniquities 11 For as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercie towarde them that feare him 12 As farre as the East is from the West so far hath he remoued our sinnes from vs. 13 As a father hath coÌ„passioÌ„ on his childreÌ„ so hath y Lord compassioÌ„ on theÌ„ y fear him 14 For he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth that we are but dust 15 The dayes of man are as grasse as a floure of the field so florisheth he 16 For the winde goeth ouer it it is gone and the place therof shal know it no more 17 But y louing kindenes of y Lord endureth for euer euer vpon theÌ„ that fear him his righteousenes vpon childrens children 18 Unto theÌ„ that kepe his ceuenaÌ„t think vpon his commandements to do them 19 The Lorde hath prepared his throne in heauen and his kingdome ruleth ouer all 20 Praise the Lord ye his Angels that exrel in strength that do his commandement in obeying the voice of his word 21 Praise the Lord all ye his hostes ye his seruants that do his pleasure 22 Praise the Lord all ye his workes in al places of his dominion my soule praise thou the Lord. So hath he had mercie on vs in giuing vs his only sonne With this faith with theis thanksgiuings with theis or such other like thoughts must we receiue the sacrameÌ„t of the bodie blud of our Lord Iesus christ After this maner is al fearfulnes driuen out of the soule of y christiaÌ„ charitie is incresed faith streÌ„gthened y conscience quieted the tung neuer ceasseth to prayse God and to yéelde him infinite thanks for so great a benefyte This is the vertue efficacie and onely trust of our sowle This is the Rocke wher vppoÌ„ if the conscience be bwilded it feareth nother tempest nor the gates of hell nor gods wrath nor the Lawe nor sinne nor death nor the diuels nor any other thing And forasmuch as the substance of the Lords Supper and table consisteth in this diuine Sacrament When the christian is at it he must hold his eyes fastened continewally vppon the passion of our graciouse Sauiour beholding him on the one syde vppon the crosse loden with all our sinnes and GOD on the othersyde punishing chastizing and whipping his owne only begotteÌ„ and derbeloued sonne in stede of vs O happie is that man that shetteth his eyes from all other syghts and will nother héere nor sée any other thing than Iesus Christ crucifyed in whome are layd vp bestowed all the treasures of Gods wisdome deuine knowledge Blessed say I is he that fedeth his mind with so heauenly a foode maketh himselfe drunken in the loue of God with so swéete and singular a liquor But before I make an end of this matter I will first aduertise the christian that Sainct Austin hath ordinarily bin woont to terme this holy sacrament the bond of charitie and the misterie of vnitie And he saieth that whosoeuer receiueth the misterie of vnitie and regardeth not the bond of peace receiueth not the Sacrament to his owne behoof but as a witnesse ageinst himself Therfore we must vnderstand that the Lord hath ordeyned this holy Sacrament not only to make vs sure of the forgiuenes of our sins but also to inflame vs to peace vnitie brotherly charitie For in this Sacrament the lord doth after such a maner make vs partakers of his body as he becoÌ„meth al one thing with vs and we with him By reason wher of forasmuch as he hath but one bodie wherof he maketh vs partakers it is méete that we also should by such partaking become all one body togither amoÌ„g our selues And this vnion is represented by the bread of the SacrameÌ„t which as it is made of many grayns mingled and kneaded togither in such wyse as one of them cannot be discerned from another So also must we be ioyned togither after such a sorte and so vnited togither into one agrement of mynd as no diuision may créepe in And this dooth sainct Paule shewe vs when he saieth Is not the cup of blissing which we blisse the communion of the blud of Iesus Christ is not the bread y we break the communion of the bodie of Iesus christe whereas we be manie yit are we but one bread and one bodie forsomuch as we be all parttakers of one bread By theis things we vnderstand that when we receiue this most holy communion we must consider that we are all of vs ingreffed into Christe and are all becomme members of one selfesame bodie y is to wit of Iâ—sus Christ in such wyse as we cannot offend defame or dâ—spyse any of our brethren but we must therwithall offend defame and despyse our sayde head Iesus Christ neyther can we be at variance with any of our brethren but in lykewise we must be at odds with him Also we cannot loue him except we loue him in our brethren Looke how much care we haue of our owne bodie so much must we haue of our christen brethren who are the members of our bodie And like as no part of our bodie féeleth anye gréefe which spreddeth not it selfe into all the other parts so ought we to determine with our selues that our brother féeleth not any inconuenience which should not moue vs to compassion With such maner of thoughts must we prepare our selues to this holie Sacrament quickening vp our sprites with a ferueÌ„t loue to our neibour ward For what greater spurre can we haue to prick vs to loue one another thaÌ„ to sée y Iesus christ by giuing himself
of them as of our owne bodies for they be members of our bodie whereof Christe is the heade And this is the godly loue and charitie which springeth and procéedeth of the true vnfeyned faith which god hath breathed into his electe which faith as sayeth Saint Paule worketh by loue Howbeit for asmuch as the lyfe of our Lorde Iesus Christ wherewithall wée must bée clothed was a continuall crosse full of troubles reproches and persecutions if wee will fashion our selues like vnto his life we must continually beare the crosse as hée him selfe sayeth If any man will come after mée let him forsake him selfe and take vp his crosse and followe mée But the chief cause of this crosse is for that our GOD purposeth to mortifie the affections of our minde and the luftes of our fleshe by that exercise to the end wée may conceyue in our selues the great perfection wherein wée bée comprised by our Lord IESUS Christ by being graffed into him Also his will is that our fayth béeing fyned like golde in the fornace of troubles should shine bright to his glorie Moreouer his intent is that we by our infirmities should set out his great power which the worlde in dispite of it beholdeth in vs in asmuch as our frayeltie becommeth strong by troubles and persecutions and the more that it is beaten downe and oppressed so much the more is it strong and stedfast Whereof the Apostle Sainct Paule sayeth we carrie this treasure in earthen vesselles that the excellencie of the power might bée Gods and not ours On all sides wée suffer tribulation but we are not ouercomme wée be poore but not ouercomme of pouertie wée suffer persecution but yit are we not forsaken we be dispised but yit we perish not and so we dayly beare about vs the dying of our Lord Iesus Christ in our bodie that the life of Iesus Christe may also be openly shewed in vs And séeing the case is so that our Lord Iesus christ and all his deare Disciples glorified God by tribulations let vs also imbrace them ioyefully and saye with the Apostle Saincte Paule GOD forbid that I should glory saue in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ and let vs so deale as the world may whither it will or no perceiue see with his eies the woÌ„derful effects that god worketh in such as sincerely imbrace the grace of his gospell Let vs so deale I say as the worldlings may sée with how great quietnes of mynd the trew christians indure the losse of their goods y death of their children flaunders the diseases of y bodie the persecutions of false christians and also that they may sée how the only true christians do worship God in spirit truth taking in good worth at his hand whatsoeuer happeneth holding al that he doth to be good rightfull holie praising him alwaies for the same whither it be in prosperitie or aduersitie thaÌ„king him as a most graciouse and louing father and acknowledging it for a right great gift of gods goodnes to suffer any aduersitie and cheâ—â—y for the gospell for folowing the steps of Christ specially forasmuch as we know that tribulation ingendreth patience and patience triall and trial hope and hope maketh vs not ashamed I say that patience ingendreth triall bicause that wheras God hath promised help in truble to such as trust in him we find it by experieÌ„ce in that we continew strong and stedfast all the while and are vpholden by the hand of God which thing we could not doo with all the powers that we haue of our owne So then by patience we fynd that our Lord gyueth vs the help that he hath promised vs at our néede whereby our hope is confirmed And it were an ouergreat vnthankfulnesse not to trust to such an ayd and fauour for the tyme to come as we haue found by experience to be so certein and stedfast heretofore But what néede we so manie wordes It ought to suffyze vs to knowe that the trew christians are through tribulation clothed with the image of our lord Iesus christ crucifyed which if we beare willingly with a good hart we shall in the ende be clothed with the image of Iesus Christ glorifyed For as the passions of Iesus Christe doe abound so through him shal the consolations ouerabound if we suffer with him here bylowe for a tyme we shal also reigne with him there aboue for euer The sixt Chapter ¶ Certein remedies against distrust BUt forasmuch as the diuell mans wisedome labour continually to dispossesse vs of this most holy fayth wherthrough we beleue that all our sinnes are chastized punished in Iesus christ that 〈…〉 preciouse bludshed we be reconcyled to the maiestie of god it is verie néedful for a christiaÌ„ to haue his weapons alwaies in a redines to defend himself from y sayd most mischeuouse temptation which séeketh to beréeue the sowle of hir lyfe Among the sayd weapons in my iudgment y mightiest and best are Prayer the often vse of the holie Communion the rememberinge of holie Baptim and the minding of predestination In our Prayer wée may well say with the father of the poore Lunatik person of whom mencion is made in the Gospell of Saynct Mark Lord Iesus help myne vnbeléef Or else we may say with the Apostles Lorde increace our fayth And if there reigne in vs a continewall desyre to grow in fayth hope and Loue we will continewally pray as sainct Paule instructeth vs. For Prayer is nothing else but a feruent mynd settled vpoÌ„ god By the remembering of Baptim we shall assure our selues that we are at peace with God. And forsomuch as â— Peter sayeth that y Ark of Noe was a figure of Baptim therefore like as Noe was saued from the flud by the Arke bycause hée beléeued the promises of GOD so also are we by fayth saued in baptym from Gods wrath Which faith is greunded vppon the woord of our Lord Iesus Christ who saieth that he which beléeueth and is baptized shal be saued And good right it is for in baptisme wée put on Iesus Christ as the Apostle Sainct Paule affirmeth and consequently we bée made partakers of his rightuousenesse and of all hys goods and vnder this preciouse robe the sinnes that our frayelty committeth lye hieden and couered and are not imputed vnto vs And so according as Saint Paule sayeth the blissednesse which the Psalmist speaketh of apperteineth to vs namely Blissed are they whose misdooinges are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blissed is the maÌ„ to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne But it standeth a christian in hande to take good héede that vpon these wordes he take not libertie to sinne for this doctrine belongeth to none such as honor them selues with the name of Christians confessing Christe with their mouth and yit denie him in their déedes
vnto vs not only allureth vs to giue our selues one to another but also by making himself common to vs all maketh vs also to be all one selfsame thing in him In respect wherof wée ought to couet and procure that in all of vs there may be but one mind one harte one tung accorded and vnited togither in thoughtes words and déeds And we must mark well that as oft as we receyue this holy and worthy Sacrament we bind our selues to al the deuties of charitie as not to offende any of our brethren nor to leaue anything vndon that may be profitable and helpfull in their necessitie But if there come any to this heauenly table of the Lord that are diuided at variance with their brethreÌ„ the same must assure themselues that they eate vnworthely and are gilty of the bodie and bloud of the Lorde and that they eate and drinke their own damnation for that there wanted nothing on their behalf but that the body of Iesus christ was rent and plucked in péeces again whilest they by hatred are deuided froÌ„ their brethren that is to wit from the members of Iesus Christ and haue not any parte with him and yit neuertheles in receiuing this holy communion pretended to beléeue that their whole saluation consisteth in the participation and vnion with Iesus Christ. Then let vs go my brethreÌ„ to the receiuing of this heauenly bread to celebrate the remembrance of our Lordes passion and to strengthen and fortifie the beléefe and assurance of the forgiuenes of our sinnes with the remembrance thereof and to quicken vp our myndes and tungs to prayse and exalt the infinite goodnes of our God and finally to cherish brotherly loue and to witnes the same one to another by the streyght vnion which all of vs haue in the bodie of our lord Iesus christ Besydes prayer thé remembring of Baptim and the often resorting to the most holy communion ther is one other verie good remedy against distrust and fearfulnes which is no lesse fréende to christian charitie namely the remembrance of our predestination and election to eternall lyfe grounded vppon the word of God which is the sword of the holie Ghoste wherwith we may beate backe our enemies Reioyce yée in this sayeth the Lorde that your names are written in heauen There is no greater ioy in this life nor any thing that more comforteth the christian that is afficted tempted or falne into anie sinne than the rememberance of predestination and the assuring of our selues that we be of y nomber whose names are written in the booke of lyfe and which are chosen to be fashioned like vnto the image of Iesus Christ. O how vnspeakable is the comfort of him that hath this fayth museth coÌ„tinually in his hart vppon this exceding swéete predestination whereby he knoweth that although he fall often yit notwithstanding god his father who hath foreordeined him to euerlasting life holdeth him vp and reacheth out his hand vnto him continually And he sayeth continually in himselfe if god haue chozen me and predestinated me to the glorie of his children who can hinder me If God be with vs sayeth sainct Paule who can be ageinst vs Nay rather to the ende that the predestination may be accomplished in vs he hath sent his déere beloued sonne who is a most sure earnest penny and pledge vnto vs that we which haue receyued the grace of the Gospell are gods Children chozen to eternall lyfe This holie predestination maynteyneth the trew Christian in a continuall spirituall ioye increaceth in him the indeuer of good works inflameth him with the loue of god maketh him enemie to the world to sinne Who is so fearce hardharted which knowing y god of his mercy hath made him his child froÌ„ euerlasting will not by and by bée inflamed to loue GOD Who is of so vyle and baâ—e courage that hée will not estéeme all the pleasures all the honours and all the riches of the world as filthy myre wheÌ„ he knowes y god hath made him a citizen of heaueÌ„ yea theis are thei y worship god rightly in spirit truth receyuing all things as wel in prosperitie as in aduersitie at the hand of God their Father and euermore praysing and thaÌ„king him for all as their good father who is rightuouse and holy in all his workes These being inflamed with the loue of God and armed with the knowledge of their predestination feare neither death nor sin nor the Diuill nor hell neyther knowe they what the wrath of god is for they sée none other thing in god but loue fatherly kindnesse towards them And if they fall into any troubles they accept them as tokens of gods fauour trying out with S. Paule who is it that shall separate vs from Gods loue shall tribulations shall anguish shall persecution or hunger or nakednesse or perill or sword as it is written for thy sake are we killed all the day long and counted as shéepe appointed to the slaughter But in all these things we get the vpper hand thorough him that hath loued vs Wherefore it is not for nought that sainct Iohn sayeth how the true christians know right well that they must be saued and glorified and that by reason of the same affiance they make themselues holy as Iesus Christ is holy And when Saint Paule exhorteth his Disciples to a good and holy life he is wont to put them in remembrance of their election and predestination as of a thing of very great force to stirre vp the mynds of the true Christians to the louing of God and to the performance of good works And for the same cause our good lord Iesus christ speaketh openly of this holy predestination as one that knew of howe great importance the knowledge thereof is to the edifying of his elect But perchaunce thou wilt say to me I know wel that they whose names are written in heauen haue cause to liue in continuall ioy and to glorifie GOD but in word and deed but I know not whither I am of that number or no and therefore I liue in continuall feare specially bycause I knowe my selfe to bée an excéedinge weake and frayle sinner from the violence wherof I am not able to defend my self but that I am ouercome of it daily And furthermore for asmuch as I se my self coÌ„tineually afflicted and troubled with dyuerse temptations methinks I do as it were behold with myne eyes the wrath of God squorging me Too answere to theis dowtes of thyne I say my ryght dere brother that thou must assure thy selfe that al theis are but temptations of the deuill who by all meanes séeketh to rob vs of that faith and confidence that springeth of faythe and assurethe vs of Gods good will towardes vs He laboreth to strip our sowle out of this preciouse garmeÌ„t for he knoweth that none is a trew Christian except he beleue Gods
bâ—e handled as seruaâ—â—â—â—â— and hild in awe vntill they come to taste and feele how sweete and pleasant the Lord is and vntill such time as fayth worke his effectes in them that they haue so much childly loue as may suffize to keepe maintaine theÌ„ in honestie of christeÌ„ conuersation and in folowing the example of our lord Iesus Christ. And wheÌ„ the selfsame scripture exhorteth y christiaÌ„s to y true fear it meaneth not that they should feare the iudgement and wrath of god as though it were presently ready to condemne them for as I haue said already by the record which the holy ghost giueth to thier spirit they knowe that God hath chosen them and called them of his owne mere mercy and not for their desertes By reason whereof they doubt not at al but that by the selfsame goodnes mercie he will mainteine theÌ„ in the happy state wherin he hath placed them And after suche maner the scripture exhorteth them not too flauish feare but to childly feare that is too wit that like good children they should bée loth to offend against the christen Religion or to commit any thing against the deutie honestie of Gods true children and likewise to gréeue the holy ghost that dwelleth in theÌ„ to the ende that knowing the corruptednesse of our nature we shouâ—â— always be héedfull and diligent and neuer haue any tâ—ust in our selues for in our flesh and in our mynds do the appetites and affections continually dwell which as deadly enemies of y soule lay a thousand snares and baytes for vs incessantly labouring to make vs proud ambitiouse lecherous and couetouse This is the feare whereunto the whole scripture exhorteth the Christians that haue once fasted howe swéet the Lord is and which bestowe all their indeuer in followinge Christes footesteps who cast not froÌ„ theÌ„ this holy fear bycause they labour to put off the old man And the good christians must neuer beréeâ—â— themselues quyte and cleane of this childlie feare which is the singular friend of christeÌ„ charitie like as the slauish feare is suche an enemie vnto it as they can by no meanes dwell togither And by the foresayd things a man may plainely perceiue that the good Christian ought neuer to doubt of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes nor of Gods fauour Neuerthelesse for the better satisfying of the Reader I purpose to set downe here vnder certaine authorities of y holy Doctors which confirme this foresayd truth Sainct Hilary in his fifth Canon vppon Matthewe sayth it is Gods will that wée should hope without any douting of his vnknowen will. For if the beléefe be doubtfull there can bée no rightuousenesse obteyned by beléeuinge And thus wée sée that according to Sainct Hilarie a man obteyneth not forgiuenesse of his sinnes at Gods hand except he beléeue vndoubtedly to obteyne it And good right it is that it should be so For he that douteth is like a waue of the Sea which is tossed turmoyled with the wynd And therfore let not such a one think to obteyne any thing at gods hande But let vs here sainct Austin who in his Manuel counseleâ—h vs to driue away the sayd foolish imagination which intendeth to dispossesse vs of the foresayd good and sage assurednes Let such foolish imagination sayeth he murmur as much as it listeth saying who art thou how great is that glorie by what desertes hopest thou to obteyne it I answer assuredly I know in whome I haue beléeued and I know that he of his great loue hath made me his sonne I know he is trew of his promis and able to performe his word for he can do what he will. And when I thinke vppon the Lords death the multitude of my sinnes cannot dismay mee for in his death doe I put all my trust His death is my whole desert it is my refuge it is my saluation my life and resurrection the mercie of the Lord is my desert I am not poore of desert so long as the lord of mercie fayleth me not And sith the mercies of the Lord are manie manie also are my deseruings The more y he is of power to saue the more am I sure to be saued The same sainct Austin talking with GOD in another place sayeth that he had despayred by reason of his greate sinnes and infinite negligences if the woord of god had not becommne flesh And anon after he sayth theis words All my hope all the assurance of my trust is settled in his preciouse blud which was shed for vs and for our saluatioÌ„ In him my poore hart taketh breth and putting my whole trust in him I longe to come vnto thée O father not hauing myne owne ryghtuousenes but y ryghtuousenes of thy sonne Iesus christ In theis two places sainct Austin sheweth playnly that the christiaÌ„ must not be afrayd but assure himselfe of ryghtuousenes by grownding himselfe not vppon his own works but vppoÌ„ the preciouse blud of Iesus Christ which clenzeth vs from all our sinnes and maketh our peace with god Sainct Barnard in his first sermoÌ„ vppon the Annunciation sayeth most euidently that it is not ynough to beleue that a man can haue forgiuenes of his sinnes but by gods mercie nor any one good desyre or abilitie to doe so much as one good worke except God giue it him no nor that a man cannot deserue eternall lyfe by his workes but if GOD giue him the gift so to beleeue But besydes all theis thinges sayeth Sainct Bernard which ought rather to be counted a certayne entrance and foundation of our faith it is néedfull that thou beléeue also that thy sins are forgiuen thée for the loue of Iesus christ Sée how this holy man confesseth that it is not ynough to beléeue generally the forgiuenesse of sinnes but he must also beléeue particularly that his owne sinnes are forgiuen him by Iesus Christ and the reason is ready at hand namely that forasmuch as God hath promised thée to accept thée for rightuouse through the merites of Iesus Christ if thou beléeue not that thou art become rightuouse through him thou makest GOD a lyer and consequently thou makest thy selfe vnworthie of his grace and liberalitie But thou wilt say to me I beléeue well the forgiuenesse of sinnes and I know that god is true but I am afrayd that I am not worshie to haue so great a gift I aunswer that the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes shall not bée a gift or frée grace but a wages if God should giue it thée for the worthines of thy works But I replie vppon thée that God accepteth thée for rightuouse and layeth not thy sin too thy charge bicause of Christs merits which are giuen vnto thée and become thyne by fayth Therefore following the councell of Sainct Bernard beleue thou not only the forgiuenesse of sinnes in generall but also apply the same beléefe to thine own particular person by beleuing without any dout y all