third is when any man forgiueth his brother which offendeth hym as Christ saieth If you doe forgiue vnto men your father shall forgiue you yours And saincte Paule saieth Forgiue one and other if any man haue a quarel to an other euen as Christe forgaue you euen so dooe ye But as concernyng that forgiuenesse of synnes whiche is necessarie to our saluation doeth depende onely vppon the grace mercie and loue of God without any our merites or worthinesse And that our synnes are clearely taken awaie by Christes death and passion and that he will cast them into the bottome of the Sea or els remoue them as farre from hym as the Easte is from the Weste and the Northe parte of the worlde from the Southe part of the same We must beleeue this without any doubtyng or waueryng tremblyng or fearyng mostâ— constantly and assuredly ¶ The .xlij. Chapiter ¶ It is no presumption to bee sure and certaine of our Saluation HEre the Papistes raue and saie wee are presumteous so to affirme the certaintie of grace and saluation for saie they Paule biddeth and counsaileth vs with feare and tremblyng to worke our saluation I aunswere This feare riseth in consideration of our owne weakenesse and vnworthinesse not of any distruste or doubte of Goddes mercie But rather the lesse cause we finde to trust in our selues the more cause we haue to truste in God. Now concernyng the assuraunce or certaintie of our saluation the scriptures are full Sainct Paule saieth There is no dampnation to them that be in Christe Iesu the spirite of God beareth witnesse to our spirite that we are the children of God I knowe that neither death nor life nor Angelles nor powers nor principalities nor thynges present nor thynges to come nor height nor deapth nor any creature els shall be able to remoue me from that loue that God beareth towardes me in Christ Iesu our Lorde Iob also saieth Although he kill me yet will I put my truste in him Notwithstandyng I will reproue my waies before his sight Againe he shall bee my saluation Againe I am sure that my redeemer liueth and he shall stande the last on the earth whom I my selfe shal sée and my eyes shall beholde and see God in my fleshe Dauid also saith In thée O Lorde haue I trusted I will neuer be confounded Tertulian saith Vt câ—rtum esset nos esse filiâ—s dei misit spiritum suum in corda nostra clamantem Abba pater That we might bee certified that we be the children of God he hath sent the holy ghoste into our hartes criyng Abba father Saincte Cyprian hath these wordes Et tu dubitas fluctuas Hoc est deum omnino non nâ—sse Hoc est Christum credentium magistrum peccato incredulitatis offendere â–ª Hoc est in ecclesia constitutum fidem in domo fidei non habere And doest thou stagger and stande in doubte of thy Saluation that were as muche as not to knowe God That were as much as with the sinne of vnbeliefe to offend Christ the maister of beleuers That were as muche as beyng in the Churche in the house of faithe to haue no faith Prosper saith Securi diem iudicij expectant quibus in cruce domini gloriantibus muÌ„dus crucifixus est ipsi muâ—do Thei vnto whom the worlde is crucified and are crucified vnto the worlde waite for the daie of iudgemente without feare Saincte Augustine also saieth Praesume non de operatione tua sed de Christi gratia gratia enim saluati estis inquit Apostolus Non hic arrogantiae est sed fides Praedicare quod acceperis non est superbia sed deuotîo Presume thou not of thy owne workyng but of the grace of Christ for the Apostle saieth Ye are saued by grace Here therefore is not presumption but faithe To proclaime that thou hast receiued it is no pride it is deuotion Againe he saieth Non mea praesumtione sed ipsius promissione in iudicium non venio It is not of my presumption but of his promise that I shal not come into iudgemente Sainct Basile also saieth Paule boasteth and presumeth of the contempte of his owne righteousnesse Saincte Ambrose plainly saieth I will not glorie for that I am a iust man but for that I am redeemed therfore will I glorie Not for that I am voide of synne But for that my synnes bee forgiuen me I will not glorie for that I haue dooen good to any man nor for that any man hath dooen good vnto me but for that Christ is my aduocate with the father and for that Christes blood was shedde for me To ende sainct Barnarde saieth What safe reste or suretie can the weake soule finde but in the woundes of our sauiour As he is mightier to saue so dwel I there with safetie c. I haue committed a greate synne my conscience is troubled yet shall it not bee shaken downe because I will remember my Lordes woundes For he was wounded for our synnes This is our presumpteous doctrine that we teache agreyng to the scriptures and with the holie and auncient fathers of the catholike Churche But their whole Papisticall doctrine of truste in mens workes and merites leadeth directly to the goulfe of desperation and dampnation and therefore saincte Cyprian saied of them verie well and truely Asserunt noctem pro die interitum pro salute desperationem sub obtentu spei porfidiem sub praetextu fidei Antichristum sub vocabulo Christi That is thei teache vs night in steede of daie destruction in stéede of health desperation vnder the colour of hope Infidelitie vnder the pretence of faith Antichriste vnder the name of Christe The .xliij. Chapiter ¶ Of free will. AS touchyng frée will whiche is so much extolled of the Pelagian Papistes that wyll make vs to beleue that we are able to deserue and that we are of power and streÌ„gth as of our selues to fulfill kéepe the lawes of God to beleue and repent and so consequently to obtaine life and saluation I saie it is a most detestable heresie and robbyng of Christes power â–ª to whom all power is geuen and also abolishyng of his precious death merites and goodnes towardes vs and a robbing of God to geue to mans will that is onely the giftes of god As sainct Iames saith Euery good and pefecte gifte is from aboue and coÌ„meth downe from the father of light as it is manifest in all the whole Scriptures to be proued For if there were suche abilitie power and strength in vs and suche a libertie of wil as the papistes affirme Why doeth not all men beleue the ghospell call vpon God repent praie confesse their synnes doe good workes kéepe the lawe enter into life receiue Christ keepe them selues from euill thoughtes wordes workes synnes sickenesse troubles aduersities famine thirste pouertie and such like But the Scripture telleth vs another
Spiritus est Vicarius Christi in terra A breefe and pithie summe of the christian faith made in fourme of a confession vvith a confutation of the papistes obiections and argumentes in sundry pointes of religion repugnaunt to the christian faith made by Iohn Northbrooke Minister and Preacher of the worde of God. Rom. x. ¶ Corde enim creditur ad iustitiam ore autem confessio fit in salutem For with the heart man beleueth vnto righteousnesse And with the mouth man confesseth to saluation ¶ Seene and allowed according to the order appointed in the Queenes Iniunctions ¶ At London Printed by Iohn Kingston for W. Williamson dwelling in Powles Churchyarde at the signe of the whyte Horse Anno. 1571. ¶ To the right reuerende Father in God and his singuler good Lorde Gylbert by the mercifull prouidence of God Bishop of Bathe and Welles Iohn Northbrooke wisheth all health and peace in Christe Iesu our only Sauiour IF my power and abilitie were aunswereable to my good will right reuerende father this token of myne humble dutie which I doe now offer vnto your honour shoulde be as greate and precious as by reason of the contrarie it is base and slender VVherfore I most humblie beseche your honour in no worse parte to accepte this litle offer then as the present of hym that is bound of duetie to loue you whiche would haue brought better if his power had beene thereafter But followyng the example of the poore widowe whiche is so highly of our Sauiour commended in the Gospell I offer vnto your honour parte of suche fruictes as haue growen in a poore studentes Garden I haue alwaies been assured of your L. that you will accepte that that a man hath and not that he hath not and this Sainct Paul geueth for doctrine whereby to encourage the godly forwardes in the Lordes busines For all are bydden to the buildyng of Gods house for when the Tabernacle of the lorde was made by Moyses euery one brought suche as he had some brought golde and siluer other some brought precious stones others brought clothe others skinnes and heere of Goates and weathers others brought woodde And the poore and meanest sorte brought somewhat also for they brought stones and all this was put to the worke Euen so I iudge for the buildyng of this house of the Lorde whiche is his Churche euery one shoulde and ought to bryng suche as they haue some more some lesse accordyng to the talentes whiche the Lorde of the house hath geuen them to profite withall I wil content my selfe to bring the litle stones of the common sorte for this buildyng and I hope that the maister of the worke will not refuse my seruice nor my litle stones although they be not hewen of the finest sorte yet I truste they be all hewen out by the Square and rule of Gods worde forasmuch as they may be a furtheraunce to the buildyng as I hope they wil be with gods helpe For as many as are christians haue geuen their faith vnto Christe in their baptisme to forsake the deuill the worlde and the fleshe and to continewe Christes faithfull souldiers and seruauntes to fight vnder his Banner all the dayes of their life to the healping and mainteynyng of the warring and striuing faith All this well considered three causes hath moued mee to set foorth this litle treatise of my faith at this tyme The first is for that the Lorde hath in his handes to fanne examine and make cleane againe his Churche To whom also it were verie good in my iudgement that the faith of euery one shoulde bee knowen and especially of those whiche make profession of the Gospell to instructe others as the Doctours Pastours and Ministers of the worde and Sacramentes to the ende that the false Prophetes and Papistes whiche nowe bowe downe their shoulders and stretche out their eares to the false papisticall doctrine of that Antichriste of Rome were knowen driuen awaie and caste out from among the godly and faithfull For as Barnarde saieth Plus longè nocet falsus catholicus quà m si verus apparcat haereticus Therefore Christe gaue vs warnyng to be ware of them that come in Sheepes clothyng but inwardly are rauening woolues comming and liuyng amonges vs as the Angels of light but all is to beguile the innocent and simple people to make them twise the children of hell worse then them selues are How Iosua was deceiued by the dissemblyng Gibeonites through their fained and cloked holines saiyng VVe become from farre for the name of the Lorde thy God the historie declareth So right reuerende father in these our daies wee haue many and specially of the Cleargie that can saie nowe to our godly Bishops how thei are come from Rome for the name of the Lorde our God with their moulded and wafer cake bread olde ragged garmentes and shoes when in deede it is but meere dissimulation that they doe to enter into the Churche for liâ—yng to mainteine ignoraunce there and to keepe out Godly preachers And these men haue learned Arius practise to conuey all their beleefe of the Romishe faith into their secrete bosomes and yet wil with hande and penne declare by subscribing and swearyng as though they were throughly perswaded and conuerted They drawe nye with tongue and penne vnto vs but their heartes are to Rome a number of them haue gospell talke but yet a Romishe faith an Englishe face but Spanishe hearts VVe reade in Eusebius Caesariensis that writeth how that Constantius the father of Constantine fained vppon a tyme that he woulde put out all the christians whiche woulde abide in their faith and religion from their honours and offices but in deede the Godly woulde in no wise denie but rather choosed the losse of promotions and honour but the others denied the true faith bicause they would not loose their dignities Vpon which triall he excluded these dissemblers and double faced neuters out of his realme saiyng They woulde not be faithfull to hym which had broken their faithe vnto god So no doubt if these men in our daies were tried we should finde of them the lyke Therfore if they were called not onely to confesse their faith with worde and penne but also to geue a reason of their faith to proue and openly to shewe by textes of the holy Scriptures and manifest reasons builded thereon in whom thei beleue what thei beleue wherfore they beleue and how they beleue in open pulpit and also in writyng shoulde do a thousande tymes more good then that they now doe For they thinke nowe that if they subscribe obserue the order of seruice and weare a side gowne a square Cap a Cope and a Surples none can saie blacke is their eyes but that they are good protestantes yet all this while they run into hugger mugger a whispering in corners saiyng to the simple people beleue not this newe doctrine it is
and hauyng taken vpon him a mortall body in the virgins wombe As then he did speake vnto vs by his sonne beyng made man and hauyng taken our frayle nature vppon him so his sonne I meane our sauiour Christe beyng man that is to say touchyng his manhoode and not touchyng his Godheade is the image or figure of his substaunce For the image or figure of a thing must be visible and apparaunt to the eye else it can not be called an image or a figure But the godhead or diuine substaunce of Christ coulde not be séen no more than the diuine substaunce of the father therefore he coulde not touching his Godhead or diuine substaunce be the image or figure of his fathers substaunce but onely touching his humanitie and manhoode As he him selfe doth testifie saying He that séeth me séeth the father And it ought to séeme no straungenesse that we say that Christe touching his humanitie or manhoode is the image or figure of the father For if the first Adam whiche notwithstanding that he was created in the estate of innocencie could fall and breake the commaundement that was geuen vnto him was called the image of God how much more ought the second Adam in whose mouth no guile was founde and which coulde not sinne to be called the image of the fathers substaunce yea the holy scriptures doe testifie of vs that when we be regenerated or borne a newe we are the image of God And shal not he by whose spirite and worde we are begotten a newe and regenerated be most liuely and most effectuously the image of the fathers substaunce Thus then may we conclude that as God did in these last daies speake vnto vs by his sonne beyng made man or hauyng taken vpon hym a mortall body so his sonne beyng man or touching his manhoode is the image of his diuine substaunce But no man will saie that Christe touchyng his humanitie or manhoode is one with the father in substaunce for that were to affirme that the father is a creature Therefore the argument that they make vppon this teâ—te of Paule affirmyng that Christe is the figure of a thing that he is hym selfe is not worth a blewe button And though thei would maintaine still that this place must be vnderstanded of his diuitie and Godhead yet shoulde they winne nothyng by it For the Greeke hath not the figure or image of his substaunce if they would goe to the rigour of the letter but the image or figure of his persone â–ª And takyng it so â–ª I should agree with the Councell of Nice wherein it was decreed that in the blessed Trinitie there is but one substaunce whiche the Greekes call Vsia and three persons whiche thei call Hypostases We doe graunt then after this interpretation that Christ touchyng his diuinitie or Godhead is the image of the persone of the father But we will in no wise graunt that the person of the father and the person of the sonne be all one For that were a plaine heresie whiche ought in no wise to bee suffered in the churche of christ Let them turne themselues whiche way soeuer they will yet this place will helpe them nothyng no more then the places aboue rehearsed But that they shal be faine to confesse Mawgrie their shauen crownes that the auncient fathers haue expounded these wordes This is my body and this is my blood as we do now expounde them But how many places out of the Doctours were I able to bryng for to proue that the Sacramentes are called by the names of the thynges whereof they be Sacramentes Thus doeth the blessed Martir S. Ciprian wryte Dedit itaque Dominus noster in mensa in qua vltimum cum Apostolis participauit conniuium proprijs manibus panem vinum in cruce verò manibus militum corpus tradidit vulnerandum vt in Apostolis saecretius impressa sincera veritas vera sincaeritas exponeret gentibus quomodo vinum panis caro esset sanguis Et quibus rationibus causae effectibus conuenirent diuersa nomina vel species ad vnam reducerentur essentiaÌ„ significantia significata eisdem vocabulis censerentur That is to saie in englishe The Lorde at his last supper whiche hee kept with his Apostles did with his owne handes geue bread and wine and vpon the Crosse he did with the handes of the souldiours deliuer his body to be wouÌ„ded that the sincere veritie and the true sinceritie beyng secretely printed in the Apostles should declare or expounde vnto the gentiles how the bread and wine is blood and fleshe and by what meanes the causes doe agrée with the effectes And how diuers kindes and names shoulde bee reduced or brought to one essence And the thynges that signifie and the thynges that be signified called by one name Sainct Augustine besides that place that I haue already alledged out of his Epistle that he did write to Bonifacius doth in his booke of Questions vppon Leuiticus saie these wordes Solet autem res quae significat eiuâ— rei nomine quam significat nuncupari sicut scriptum est septem spicae septem anni sunt Non enim dixit septem annos significaÌ„t Et septem boues septem anni sunt multa huiusmodi Huic est quod dictum est Petra erat Christus non enim dixit petra significat Christum sed tanquaem hoc esset quod vtique per substantiam non hoc erat sed per significationem Sic sanguis quoniam propter vitalem quandam corpulentiam animam significat in sacramentis anima dictus est In englishe it is to saie The thyng that doth signifie is wont to be called by the name of the thing that it doeth signifie Therefore it is written And the seuen eares of corne are seuen yeres and not the seuen eares of corne doe signifie or betoken seuen yeres And the seuen kyne are seuen yeres And many suche like places And thereof it commeth that it was saide And the Rocke was Christ he saide not the Rocke did betoken or signifie Christe as though it had been that thyng in substaunce whiche was onely in signification And bicause that the blood by reason of a certaine liuely substaunce doeth signifie and betoken the soule therefore in the Sacramentes the blood is called the soule But the wordes that haue been alledged before out of his epistle to Bonifacius make the matter most plaine Therfore I will thinke it no labour lost to repeate them againe as they lye in Latine first Si enim Sacramenta quandam similitudinem â–ª earum rerum quarum Sacramenta sunt non haberent omnino sacramenta non essent Ex hac autem similitudine plaerunque etiam ipsarum rerum nomina accipiunt Sicut ergo secundum quendam modum Sacramentum corporis Christi corpus Christi est Sacramentum sanguinis Christi sanguis Christi est ita Sacramentum fidei fides est If the Sacramentes
vnder the lawe and twoo thousande yere after the Lawe the worlde shall endure and no longer let vs not thinke that any mortall and synfull man is able to tell precisely the daie or tyme that he shall come or at howe many yeres ende he shall come to iudgement The Apostles themselues beyng tickeled with vaine curiositie would faine haue knowen it But saieth our Sauiour Christ vnto them it is not for you to knowe the times or the seasons which the father hath put in his own power If it had béen necessarie that we should haue knowen it our heauenly teacher maister would not haue hidden it from vs But sith that he hath hidden it nor woulde in any wise reueale it vnto vs it is a plaine token that it is not necessarie for vs to know it Leauyng then suche vaine and curious enquiryng of things that pertaine nothyng vnto vs let vs endeuour our selues to knowe those thynges that God will haue vs to knowe that we maie in all thynges frame our liuyng and conuersation accordyng to the blessed will of our heauenly father and so bee founde acceptable nor be ashamed when he shall render vnto euerie man accordyng to his workes Uerely there is no time of sluggardenesse left vnto vs. We see that the same departyng that the blessed Apostle Sainct Paule doeth speake of is come to passe alreadie For howe many nations and people be fallen away from the Empire of Rome or rather is there any Empire of Rome at all Againe howe many kingdomes Landes and Countries haue vtterly forsaken the highest Emperour of all I meane Iesus Christe our onely sauiour with his Gospell The .xxxij. Chapiter ¶ The Pope is Antichriste and that man of synne whiche shal be 〈…〉 before Christes commyng to iudgement MOreouer is not the man of sinne the sonne of perdition opened alreadie and exalted aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped sittyng as GOD in the temple of God and shewyng hymselfe as God For 〈◊〉 the doynges of the fleshely Idoll of Rome and ye shall finde that he is the same man of synne the same sonne of perdition and aduersarie For why In his decrees and lawes in his beggerly statutes and traditions he doeth exalte hymselfe aboue all the holy Lawes and ordinaunces of almightie god and aboue the Testament of the holy one of Israell whiche is confirmed and sealed vp with the moste precious blood of the onely begotten Sonne of God our Sauiour Iesu Christe but hym shall the Lorde consume with the breath of his Nosethrilles that is the spirite of his mouth and also destroye with the appearyng of his commyng For a taste you shall sée out of their owne bookes whether the Pope of Rome be that sonne of perdition that doeth exalte hymselfe aboue God or no. Franciscus Zarabella saieth the Pope doeth what hym listeth yea though it be vnlawfull and is more then a god Pope Nicolas saieth It is well knowen that the Pope of the godly prince Constantine was called God to beléeue that our Lorde God the Pope might not decrée as he decreed it were a mattter of heresie Againe their late Chapiter at Trident one Cornelius Bishop of Bitonto in an oration openly pronounced these wordes Papa lux venit in mundum The Pope is the light that is come into the worlde but men haue loued darkenesse more then light Againe Panormitane saieth these wordes Christe and the Pope make one Consistorie and kéepe one Courte and synne onely excepted the Pope can doe whatsoeuer God hymselfe can doe Againe in their Councell holden at Laterane in Rome one Symon Begnius the Bishop of Modrusia saieth thus vnto Pope Leo Ecce venit Leo de Tribu Iuda radix Dauid c. Te Leobeatissime Saluatorem expectauimus c. Beholde the Lion is come of the Tribe of Iuda the roote of Dauid c. O most blessed Leo we haue looked for thee to be our Sauiour Againe the Pope suffered the Embassadours of Sicilia to lye prostrate on the grounde thus to crie vnto him as if it had been vnto christ Qui tollis peccata mundi misereri nostri Qui tâ—llis peecata mundi dona nobis pacem O thou holy Pope that takest awaie the sinnes of the worlde haue mercie vpon vs Thou that takest awaie the sinnes of the worlde geue vs peace Wherefore we maie saie of hym as Sainct Gregorie writeth of antichriste Cum sit damnatus homo nequaquam spiritus Deum se esse mentitur Where as he is a damned man and not a spirite by liyng he faineth himselfe to be God Anselmus also saieth Simulabit se religiosum vt sub specie decipiat pietatis I mò se deum esse dicet se adorari faciet atque regna caelorum promitet That is Antichriste shall faine hymselfe to be holy that he maie deceiue men vnder the colour of holinesse Yea and hee shall call hym selfe God and shall cause hymselfe to be worshipped shall promise the kingdome of heauen Therfore to ende Eusebius saieth Hoc est argumentum eos odisse Deum quod velint seipsos appellari deos This is a token that they hate God For that thei will haue themselues called by the name of god In the meane season lest we doe perishe among them that receiue not the loue of the trueth vnto whom God of his righteous iudgement sendeth strong delusion that they shoulde beléeue lyes and so be damned bicause they beléeue not the trueth but haue pleasure in vnrighteousnes Let vs sticke fast vnto the Gospel of our sauiour Christ and vnto the wholsome doctrine of the holy Ghost whiche is the power of God to saluation to all them that beléeue The .xxxiij. Chapiter ¶ The strength and operation of the holy Ghoste workyng in vs. WHom I do also beléeue to be the Lorde and geuer of life to procéede from the Father and the Sonne and to be of one substaunce with them both beyng true and naturall God without beginnyng and without endyng by whom the Father woorketh all thynges in the Sonne by whom he doeth create moue mainteine viuifie and quicken all creatures by whom he doeth call and drawe vnto hym his elect and chosen renueth them into a newe life iustifieth and sanctifieth them enricheth them with many and sundrie giftes also strengthneth them til thei come to their perfect saluatioÌ„ who dwelling in vs doth with his light illuminate our mindes that we may learne and knowe perfectly what treasour of gods bounteous mercifulnesse we doe possesse and enioye in Christe So that we maie by good right call hym the keye wherewith all the riches of the heauenly kyngdome is opened vnto vs and the eye wherwith we doe see and beholde them And for this cause he is called now the earnest penye and Scale bicause that he doeth seale vp in our mindes and consciences the certitude or certaintie of
also tréene vessels and earthen vessels and some to honour and some to dishonour Let vs geue diligence and labour as muche as it lieth in vs that we maie be a vessell of Golde or of syluer And truely this doctrine is moste necessarie to be marked and also to be folowed For as all the benefites that God doth of his méere mercie and goodnesse graunt vnto his Churche doe parteine vnto all bicause the Communion and felowship that is betwixt the members of Christes bodye So without this Communion and felowship of the sainctes there is no remission or forgeuenesse of sinnes but eternall and euerlasting condemnation For how coulde it be that they shoulde enioy the priuiledge of the true members of Christ that doe by a self willl deuide themselues from his body as the Papistes dooe now in these dayes Shoulde not that braunche deserue to be dried vp and to be caste into the fire that woulde wilfully deuide it selfe from the true vine The .xl. Chapiter ¶ Our offences and synnes are forgeuen vs by faith through Christe and not by our workes and merites ALso my beléefe is that in this church sinnes are freely forgeuen through faithe in the mercie of God obteined and purchased vnto vs by the merites of the death passion bloodsheddyng of our sauiour Iesu Christ wihout any of our owne deseruynges or merites or without any matter of satisfaction that we be able to make though wee were able to liue as long as euer any man did liue vpoÌ„ the earth For if any amendes coulde haue beene made for synnes or if any iustification could haue been gotten by the workes of the lawe Christ needed not to haue dyed And therefore the lorde saide right well I am he I am he that taketh awaie thy wickednesse and that for mine owne sake and thy sinnes wil I remember no more Here haue we a promise that God will put awaie our wickednesse and synnes not for our deseruinges or merites but for his owne sake that is to say of his frée mercie and goodnes as saieth sainct Paule Iustificamur gratis ex gratia ipsius Wee be iustified fréely of his grace Againe we iudge that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe And for this cause his only begotten sonne our sauiour was by the angell called Iesus bicause that he should saue his people from their synnes If our good workes merites and deseruinges could saue vs from our synnes why should they not be called by that name For there is none other name vnder heauen geuen vnto vs whereby we must or can be saued Therefore I doe thinke it moste conuenient and méete that we saie with Barnarde Mèritum meum miserationes domini Non sum ego inops meriti quam diuille non est inops miserationum Si miserationes eius multe multis ego sum in meritis Hoc totum est hominis meritum si totam spem suam ponat in domino That is to saie My merite is the mercie of god So long as god is not poore of mercy so long cannot I be poore of merites If his mercies be great then am I greate in merites This is the whole merite of man if he put his whole affiaunce and trust in the Lorde I marueile much of the papistes and meritmongers that are so bold to set vp their owne righteousnes and merites But before we seeme to speake any thyng to their obiections I thinke it best to declare in what signification this word to iustifie ought to be taken This worde iustificare to iustifie hath been of S. Paul borowed of the common vse of the lawe for in iudgement to iustifie a man it is to assoyle or quite him of the crime that is laide to his charge or that he is accused of and to pronounce him righteous iust innocent and guiltlesse After the same maner when we saie that God doeth iustifie vs our meanyng is that God doeth assoyle and quite vs of all crimes offences and trespasses that can bee layde to our charge or that we can be accused of that he doth pronounce vs iuste and righteous in his sight that is to saie that firste he doeth pardone and forgeue vs our synnes he couereth them and doeth in no wise impute them vnto vs but imputeth vnto vs righteousnes not our owne whiche is none at all but the righteousnes of his Sonne our Sauiour and so through his righteousnes doeth both saue vs and make vs blessed so doth the Apostle expounde this our iustification saiyng As Dauid doth set foorth the blessedfulnes of the man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without woorkes where he saieth Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgeuen and whose sinnes are couâ—red Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lorde imputeth no synne As for the places of sainct Iames where he saith Was not our father Abraham iustified through workes when he offered Isaac his sonne vpon the aulter And a little after ye see then how that of workes a man is iustified and not of faithe onely It maketh little for their purpose if it be well considered We reade that Abraham beleeued the Lorde it was accompted vnto hym for righteousnesse whiche text is of Paule alledged after this sorte If Abraham were iustified by woorkes he hath wherein to reioyce or glorie but not with God for what saieth the Scripture Abraham beleued God and it was imputed vnto hym for righteousnesse Whereby the Apostle proueth strongly that Abraham was iustified by faith But this that saincte Iames doeth speake of whiche is the offeryng of Isaac was doen thirtie yeres after that the scriptures did pronounce Abraham iustified or that his faithe was compted vnto hym for rigteousnesse Uerely sithe that fifteene yeres afore that Isaac was borne Abrahams faith was imputed vnto hym for righteousnesse it was impossible that he should be iustified by the offryng of his sonne Isaac whiche was as I sayd before thirtie yeres after That that the Apostle goeth aboute here is onely to shewe that the faith which Abraham was iustified by was no idle or deade faithe but suche a faithe as made hym obedient vnto God as it is plainely set foorth to the Hebrewes Therefore if the circumstaunces bee considered there is no repugnaunce or coÌ„trarietie in the doctrine of the Apostles at all For what contrarietie or repugnaunce could there bee in their doctrine sithe that they were bothe led by one spirite Therefore we shall marke that the holie Apostle saincte Paule in his Epistle to the Romaines and to the Galathians did dispute and reason against them which did attribute iustification to workes But saincte Iames did write againste them which did vtterly contempne and despise good workes And therefore Paule sheweth the causes of our iustification Iames sheweth theffectes and fruites of the same Paul declareth how we are iustified Iames declareth how wee are knowen to bee iustified Paule excludeth
at all Hesichius also saieth The grace of God is giuen onely of mercie and fauour Et fide comprehenditur sola And is embraced and receiued by onely faith Saint Chrisostome saieth Illi dicebant qui sola â—ide nititur execrabilis est hic contrà demonstrat eum qui sola fide nititur benedictum esse They saide who so staied himselfe by only faith is accursed Contrariwise Saint Paul proueth that who so staieth hymselfe by onely faithe he is blessed Hierome also hath these wordes ignorantes speakyng of the Pharisies quod sola fide iustificat deus se ex operibus legis quam nunquam custodierunt iustos esse putantes They not knowing that God iustifieth onely by faith and supposyng themselues to be iuste by the workes of the lawe whiche they neuer obserued they would not submit themselues vnto the remission of synnes least thei should seeme to haue been synners Saint Hilarie hath these wordes in Mathewe and vppon this text Râ—mittuntur tibi peccata tua thy synnes are forgeuen thee and writeth on this maner Moâ—et scribas remissum ab homine peccatum hominem enim tantum in christo Iesu coÌ„tuebantur remissum ab eo quod lex laxare non poterat Fides enim sola iustificat That is to saie It moueth the Scribes that synne was forgiuen by man For they did onely beholde man in Christe Iesu and that to be forgeuen of hym whiche the lawe could not release For faith onely doth iustifie This is the herisie that we teache according to the holy scriptures and learned fathers of the catholique Churche But they obiect againe that good workes deserue bicause it shal be rewarded for saie they S. Iohn saith their workes folowe after them And Christe saieth to his disciples he that geueth a Cup of colde water to any of these little ones for my â—ake shall not loose his rewarde And sainct Paule saieth your worke shall not be in vaine in the Lorde Christ saieth againe Reioyce and be glad for your rewarde is greate in heauen and â—â— the Hebrewes it is saide God is not vnrighteous that hee shoulde forget our labour Wee graunt good woorkes haue their rewarde But the same rewarde standeth in mercie fauour and not in duetie Therefore we saie consideryng the weakenesse and synfull corruption of our nature there can be no works in vs so pure and perfect that we may therby of right and of duetie deserue euerlastyng life For God hath a kyngdome an inheritaunce for children and not a rewarde for bounde seruauntes and slaues Therfore Gregorie Nanzianzene saith if thou he a bound seruaunt or a â—laue then feare the whip If thou be a hirelyng then looke onely for thy rewarde but ouer and besides this if thou be a childe then reuerence God as thy father Doe well bicause it is good to obeie thy Father Yea and although thou shalt haue nothing els yet euen this shall be thy rewarde that thou hast been obedient to thy father Therfore we must saie saieth christ when we haue doen whatsoeuer I commaunde you saie ye we are vnprofitable seruauntes Hilarie to this purpose hath these wordes If we fast once saieth he we thinke we haue satisfied If out of the barnes of our householde store wée giue somewhat to the poore wee beleue we haue fulfilled the measure of righteousnesse But the Prophete hopeth all of God and trusteth of his mercie Sainct Basile also saieth He that trusteth not to his owne good deedes nor hopeth to bee iustified by his woorkes hath the onely hope of his saluation the mercies of god Augustine therefore saied verie well Qui diligit aliud preter te Minus diligit te O God he the lesse loueth thee that loueth any other thyng besides thee But before we declare how good déedes are rewarded Let vs see what good woorkes these are that the Papistes doe so muche talke of shall bee rewarded or that deserueth euerlastyng life Firste thei teache vnto the pleople that are ignoraunte to heare Masse euery daie deuoutely to lye prostratâ— before deade Images to mumble out a nomber of prayers vnto Sainctes to goe on Pilgrimages to builde vp Chaunteries and Churches and to cause Trentalles of Masses and Diriges and other trumperie to bee saied for the deade Item to giue largely of their substaunce and gooddes to idell Priestes Monkes Friers and Nonnes to giue money gold siluer and silke to make crosses chalices coapes vestementes and other like plaierly garmentes to furnishe out the stinckyng Masses to saie our Ladies Psalter to praie vpon Beades to vse obserue and kepe Pharisaicall fastynges with the Popishe idle holie daies and solempne feastes and to receiue holie breade holie water holie palme holie asshes and holie fire holie creame holie candelles and holie oile c. These are the good woorkes and beste woorkes that they haue set forth to bee doen of all people and who soeuer speaketh againste those woorkes they are taken for enemies to GOD and as rancke heretiques but all those good woorkes of the papistes are not required nor yet commaunded of God to bee dooen therefore thei dooe rather deserue the name of synne and of detestable abhomination before God then of good workes The true good woorkes are voide of all superstition thei are alligated or bounde neither to place nor to the persones nor to tyme for thei are as certaine fruites of our whole life testifiyng of the goodnesse of our harte and expressyng the nature of our heauenly father which not onely of the faithfull but of the very infidelles are rekened and taken for good workes and minister occasion vnto them to glorifie our father whiche is in heauen The workes of faithe workyng through Charitie and loue are good woorkes For GOD doeth worke them in vs and by vs them doeth our sauiour Christe set out saiyng I was an hungred and ye gaue me meate I was thirstie and ye gaue me drincke I was naked and ye clothed me I was harbourlesse and ye harboured me I was sicke and in prison and ye visited me The Apostle also doeth sufficiently teache vs what be the good woorkes that God doeth require of vs but what should I alledge one or twoo textes sithe all the whole Scriptures do euerywhere exhort vs still vnto good workes what those good workes are S. Paul doeth declare when he saith We are the workmanship of god created in christ Iesu vnto those good workes that God hath prepared for vs to walke in If any man should aske me nowe what bee those good woorkes that he hath prepared for vs to walke in I would aunswere that all those woorkes that God doeth bidde and commaunde vs in his holie and sacred worde are those good workes that he hath prepared for vs for to walke in And those I saie and beleue ought onely to be called good workes and none other And therefore
these good workes and deedes shall bee rewarded or crowned because that GOD of his méere mercie hath bounde hym selfe thereto by his promises wherevnto doeth sainct Augustine agree saiyng Fidelis dominus qui se nobis debitorem fecit non aliquid a nobis accipiendo sed omnia nobis promittendo That is to saie The Lorde is faithfull who hath made hym self a debter vnto vs not by receauyng any thyng of vs but by promisyng vnto vs all thynges Againe he saith Non dicimus deo Domine redde quod accepisti sed redde quod promisisti We doe not saie to God saieth he O Lorde giue thou that thou hast receaued of me but geue thou me that thou hast promised Here wee learne how God is become debter vnto vs and hath bounde hymself to crowne or rewarde our good workes not by receiuyng any thyng of vs for what haue we that we haue not receiued and if we haue receiued why doe we boast and glorie as though wee had not receiued Againe who gaue hym firste and he shal bee recompensed But by his faithfull promises whiche he hath made vnto his electe and chosen people And againe saincte Augustine saieth Da veniam Apostole propria tua non noui nisi mala Da veniam Apostole dicimus quia tu docuisti cum ergo deus coronat merita tua nihil coronat nisi dona sua That is pardon vs oh Apostle saith he I knowe nothing of thyne owne but euill Pardone vs oh Apostle wee saie so because thou haste taught vs Therefore when he crowneth thy merites he crowneth nothing but his owne giftes And in another place he hath these wordes Coronaturus est in nobis non merita nostra sed dona sua God doeth crowne in vs not our merites but his giftes Againe he saieth Hoo solùm dico hoc rogâ— â–ª hoc cupio opera manuum â—uarum nâ— daspicias Opus 〈…〉 vide â–ª non meum Nam si meum videris damnas Si tâ—â—m videri◠〈◊〉 Nam quecunque mihi sunt opera bona abs te sunt This onely I saie this I praie this I couet despise not the workes of thine handes Sée thyne owne woorke in me and not myne For if thou seeste myne thou doest condempne If thou seeste thyne owne thou crowneste For all the good workes that I haue thei are of thee And therefore it was not without a cause that Barnarde saied that his merite is the mercie of the Lorde which place we haue before alledged Here wee maie see that God doeth onely rewarde or crowne in vs that which is his owne so he doth condemne all that he findeth to be our owne Therefore I would that men puttyng a side all wilfulnes would once consider with them selues that the maiestie of GOD hath neede of none of vs nor of any thyng we haue but rather doeth giue vs all thynges aboundauntly to enioye them What good worke then can we doe whereby wee maie profite hym in any thyng or doe hym any good Bonorum meorum non eges Thou haste no neede of my gooddes saieth Dauid what merite I praie you can bee in that woorke whereof no profite commeth to God Or rather whereof the whole profite if there bee any doeth redounde vpon our selues He that is righteous and doeth good woorkes he doeth it not for any commoditie that God shall haue thereby for what commoditie can God haue by any thing that we can doe But for his owne commoditie as he whiche is wicked and doeth wickedly hurteth hymself and not god He that hath the health of his body and doeth by good diet kepe and preserue it doeth he therefore deserue any rewarde at the Phisitions handes I thinke not For he dooeth it not for the Phisitions profite but for his owne After the same sorte he that by the gifte of God hath obteined the health of his soule and by his grace doeth the thynges that belong to the preseruation of the same shall we saie that he doeth deserue any rewarde at Goddes handes because that he is made suche by his gifte and doeth now through his helpe aide and assistaunce keepe the same grace for his onely profite and commoditie either by earnest beliefe or by vnfeined loue or by assured hope or by well doyng and patience in aduersitie and trouble Who needeth with a rewarde to bee stirred vp to drinke when he is thirstie or to eate when he is hungerie Neither neede men if they hungred and thristed for righteousnesse as thei ought to doe a rewarde to stirre them vp to it A mother vseth not to bee entised with rewardes to giue sucke to feede and care for her owne childe that it perishe not Wherefore Goddes promises are necessarie to men because by reason of synne they haue waxen colde from a vehement affection and zeale towarde godly and holie woorkes Therefore God doeth crowne his giftes in vs so all thinges remaine safe and sounde to the glorie God. Now where all thynges ought to bee attributed vnto the grace of God what is left for the merites of men For where grace is there is no place lefte for merite if we doe consider a right the nature and propertie of merite for the name of merite ought to be abolished the nature of merite is that thereby a iuste proportion and equall consideration ought to be betweene that which is giuen and that which is taken But betweene the good thynges which wée looke for and those thynges whiche we either suffer or dooe there is no proportion or equalitie For so saith S. Paul the passions and afflictions of this life are not worthie of the glorie to come c. Merite hath ioyned vnto it debt as Paul saith Unto him that worketh rewarde is rendered accordyng to debte and is not imputed accordyng to grace whiche he saieth is eternall life Unto the nature of merite there is required that that which is geuen perteine vnto the giuer and be not due vnto hym whiche receiueth it but workes are not of our selues for they are the gifte of God whiche worketh in vs Augustine affirmyng this saieth Ab illo habemus quicquid illi offerimus ex illo fit quicquid boni sumus Whatsoeuer we offer to God weâ— haue it from hym and whensoeuer we be good it is made and doen of hym But let our good workes be examined after the straightnes of Gods iudgement Who is so ignoraunt of mans imperfection that wyll not acknowledge that we ought rather to feare punishement for the defaultes that be in them then looke for any rewarde or boast I can not tell of what merites Is it for naught thinke ye that the holy prophete doeth liken our righteousnes to so filthy a thing that any man wil abhorre to looke on it Therefore sainct Augustine saieth Ve vniuersae iustitie nostre si remota misericordia indicetur That is wo bee to all our righteousnes
the inner man that Christ maie dwell in your hartes by faithe Againe he saieth Greeue not the holie spirite of God by whom ye are sealed vnto redemption But that thyng that he requireth there he desireth God to graunte it to the Thessalonians saiyng Wherefore we praie alwaies for you that our GOD make you worthie of your callyng and fulfill all good purposes of his goodnesse and the worke of faithe with power that the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe maie bee glorified in you and ye in him through the grace of our lorde Iesu Christ. Again I planted and Apollo hath watered but it is the lorde that giueth the increase For in the Lorde we liue and moue and haue our beyng As we maie easily see in that Christe did saie vnto the man that was sicke of the palsie Arise take vp thy bedde and go home It did not folowe that he had strength to arise excepte Christe our Sauiour had giuen it hym but when Christe did saie vnto hym arise he did straight with it giue hym strength to arise Euen so when God dooeth by his Preachers speake vnto them whom he hath chosen alreadie and doeth bidde and exhorte theim to arise out of the bedde of synne straight therewith he giueth them strength to doe it Saincte Augustine agreyng herewith saieth Iubet ergo deus continentiam daâ—continentiam Iubet per legem dat per gratiam Iubet per literam dat per spiritum God doeth commaunde continencie and he doeth giue continencie he commaundeth it by the law he doth giue it by grace he commaundeth it by the letter he doeth giue it by the spirite And therefore he saieth moste excellently in his booke of confessioÌ„s Continentiam iubes da quod iubes iube quod vis Thou commaundest continencie giue that thou commauÌ„dest and commaunde what thou wilte Againe Lex data est vt gratia quaereretur gratia data est vt lex impleretur The lawe is giuen that grace should be sought grace is giuen that the law should bee fulfilled Againe Quod bene viâ—imus quod raecte intelligimus deo debemus nostrum nihil est nisi pâ—ccatum quod habemus That we liue well that we vnderstande a right wee haue it of God of our selues wee haue nothyng but onely synne that is within vs. Againe sainct Hierome saith Non dixit dedi â—is liberi arbitrij potestatem vt ipsi se suo labore saluarent sed ego custodiui eos ego seruaui Christe saied not I haue giuen to them the power of free will that thei by their owne labour should bee saued but I haue kepte them I haue reserued them These testimonies both of Scriptures and Fathers doe sufficiently declare that whatsoeuer God doeth requre of vs the same he must worke in vs by his holy spirite For of our selues we are able to doe no maner of thyng that good is Therfore saieth Sainct Augustine Homo sibi sufficit ad peccandum vt iustificetur non sibi sufficit nisi ab illo iustificetur qui solus est iustus Man is able or sufficient of hym selfe to synne that hee shoulde be iustified he is not able or sufficient of hymselfe excepte he shoulde be iustified by hym whiche onely is iuste Againe in the same place hee saieth I doneus est homo ad vulnerandum sed nunquam idoneus est ad sanandum se quando vult egrotat noÌ„ quando vult surgit Man is apte and meete to wounde hymselfe but he is not apte and meete to heale hym self when he will he is sicke not when he will he doeth rise And where as they saie God will saue none againste his will it is true in déede For thei are made willyng by hym before whom he will and dooeth saue and whom he made willyng them doth he also helpe aide and assist that they may do the thyng that he hath made them willyng to doe wherefore Christe said No man commeth vnto mee excepte my father doeth drawe hym And againe it is God that worketh in vs both the will and also the deede according to his good pleasure Sainct Augustine saieth agréeyng herewith No man saith he can beléeue hope or loue vnlesse he will but euen the selfe same will to beléeue hope and loue coÌ„meth not but from god Againe Nos volumus sed deus in nobis operatur velle Nos operamur sed deus in nobis operatur operari pro bona sua voluntate Hoc nobis expedit credere dicere Hoc est pium hoc est verum vt fit humilis submissa confessio detur totum deo Tutiores viuimus si totuÌ„ deo damus noÌ„ auÌ„t nos illi ex parte nobis ex parte coÌ„mittimus We will but it is God that worketh in vs to will. We woorke â–ª but is God that worketh in vs to worke accordyng to his good pleasure This is behouefull for vs both to beleue to speake This is a godly this is a true doctrine that our coÌ„fession maie be humble and lowly and that God may haue the whole We liue in more safetie if we giue all vnto God rather then if we commit ourselues partely to our selues and partely to hym Sainct Gregorie saieth Ipse aspirando nos preuenit vt velimus qui adiuuando subsequitur ne inaniter velimus He doeth preuente vs with his grace that we may be willing and with his healpyng hande he doeth followe vs leste we should will in vaine Sainct Barnarde saieth Neque enim aut inchoare bonum donec à misericordia preueniamur aut agere bonum donec adiunemur à gratia aut coÌ„summare in bono possumus donec gloria repleamur Neither can we beginne saieth he any good vntill we be preuented by mercie or els to doe any good vntill we be holpen by grace or els that we can ende in goodnesse vntill we bee fulfilled or replenished by glorie Therefore doeth Sainct Augustine call it Gratia praeueniens preuentyng grace Thus we maie sée that God saueth no man that is vnwillyng to be saued or that doeth withstande and resiste alwaies his blessed wyll and pleasure But before thae he saueth anye man he maketh that same man by his grace to consent and agree vnto his blessed will and pleasure yea he doeth reache forthe his hande vnto hym for to plucke hym vp Wherefore saieth Fulgentius Ye see of whom wee haue this good will that we must bryng vnto God euen of hymself and not of vs For it is he and none other that doeth woorke it in vs by his holy spirite Euerie good worke then which we doe worke in God the same doeth God woorke in vs For all thinges are of hym through hym and in hym bothe our good worke and our good will then be both of hym Hec Fulgentius Note here that wee saie not that man was bereft of his vnderstandyng
holde his peace go out of the house or tarie within the doores to eate this or that meate to put on this or that garment c. Yea to synne or to abstaine from the grosse actes of synne as murther adulterie fornication false witnes bearing and such like c. Whiche notwithstandyng we muste confesse and acknowledge to be the giftes of god And here also the power of God is alwaie to bee marked whiche brought to passe that Balaam could not go thither whither he would neither Zacharie returnyng out of the Temple coulde speake as hee had a good will to doe Here are condemned in this behalfe the Manichies who denied that free will was to a good man the beginnyng of euill and also the Pelagians who affirme that an euill man hath fréewyll enough to keepe a good commaundement both these are reproued by the holy scriptures whiche saie against the Maniches God made man righteous and good againste the Pelagians If the sonne of God shall make you free you shall be frée in deede and againe without mee ye can do nothyng For â–ª man had lost those excellent benefites that the Lorde had geuen vnto hym at the first So that after his fall of a wise man he became a foole of a iuste man an vniuste of a righteous man a sinner of a true man a lyer of a perfect man in all thynges he became vnperfect of a free man he became a bondslaue of a liuyng man he became a dead man of a blessed and good man he became a cursed and a wicked hauing after that a will altogether wicked which neither coulde nor would agree vnto the will of God But wholy vnto the wyll of the deuill the world the fleshe and synne whiche of hymselfe can doe nothyng but wickednesse bicause it is altogether fleshly bounde and captiue solde vnder synne Beholde nowe gentle reader the free will or that I maie better saie the bounde will of man in the state of this present life All these doctrines considered well I will nowe drawe to an ende of this my simple iudgement with the saiyng of sainâ—â— Augustine the golden candle in gods catholique church where he saieth these wordes Quid tantum de naturae possibilitate praesumitur vulnerata saucia vexata perdita est Vera confessione non falsa defensione opus habet What doe men so muche presume of the possibilitie of nature It is wounded it is mangled it is troubled it is loste It behoueth vs rather truely to confesse it then falsely to defende it And in a nother place he saieth Tutiores viuimus si totum deo damus non autem nos illi ex parte nobis ex parte committimus We liue in more safetie if we geue all vnto God rather then if we commit our selues partely to our selues and partely to hym In the Counsaile holden at Miluente it was godly decreed touchyng this controuersie and matter If any man doth say saie they that the grace of God can bee geuen by humaine inuocation or mans calling vpon God And not that the grace of God it self doeth woorke or bryng to passe that God is called vpon of vs he doeth gainesaie Esai the Prophete or the Apostle speakyng the same I am founde of them that soughâ— me not and did appeare plainly vnto them that did not aske for me or after me What can bee more plainly spoken of the vnablenesse of man before he be regenerated or borne a new by the spirite of god And beyng renewed by the spirite of God he wyll giue them faith to beleeue hope to trust repentaunce of synnes amendement of life and a hatred to all iniquities and synnes that it shall not raigne in them nor haue dominion in theim so that their wickednesse shall neuer be imputed vnto them And all this will he dooe for his sonne Iesu Christes sake our onely mediatour and aduocate who came into this worlde to fulfill the whole Lawe for vs for he did fulfill it in deede we by imputation He by merite we by mercie he by workes we by grace Therefore wicked are they and voide of the spirite of God what soeuer they be that will seeme to extoll integra naturalia of man so farre as though it were in mans posse and esse to satisfie the whole law and suche are our lubberly Louanistes and rebellious Papistes whom God conuert or soone confounde for Iesus Christes sake ¶ The .xliiij. Chapiter ¶ Of the generall resurrection bothe of the godlie and wicked at the laste daie WHO at his laste commyng shall by his almightie power raise vp againe our vile and mortall bodies and make them conforme and like vnto his glorious bodie that is now in heauen on the right hande of the father Which after the meanyng of the scriptures and of the Articles of our faithe ought to bee vnderstanded after this maner That as the bodie of Christe whiche he tooke in the virgines wombe was by his almightie power raised vp againe immortall and glorious all infirmities that it was subiect vnto being cleane putte awaie and taken of So these mortall bodies of ours euen the same that wee tooke of the substaunce of our synfull and mortall mothers shall at the daie of the generall resurrection of all fleshe bee raised vp againe accordyng to the mightie working of the Lorde whereby he is of power to subdue all thynges vnto him selfe So that we maie boldely saie with Iob. We are sure that our redéemer liueth And that we shall rise out of the earth in the latter daie that we shal be clothed again with this skinne and see God in our fleshe yea that we our selues shal beholde hym not with other but with the self same eyes not with an other but with the same verie bodies whiche we caried from our mothers wombe with the self same bones whiche nowe wee haue yet neuerthelesse that transformed and â—haunged made of mortall immortall or incorruptible of vile and lothsome glorious as ye maie reade and proue by those Scriptures noted in the margine and many other places besides where these thynges are sette foorth so plainely that it were shame for any man to doubte of the matter And there doe wee learne also that as the righteous and faithfull shall rise againe vnto immortalitie glorie and honour So the vnrighteous and reprobate shall rise againe with their verie bodies vnto euerlastyng shame and bodie and soule shall goe into hell with the deuill and his Aungelles there to abide euerlastyngly and to bee tormented with hym in hell with fire whiche neuer shall be quenched where shall bee bitter weepyng and gnasshyng of teethe and shall be liuely touched with the worme whiche neuer dieth which is the seconde death As the glorious risyng againe of the righteous and faithfull is called life euerlastyng thereby to signifie vnto vs that we shall not bee raised
doctrine as some places thereof I will recite first the Lorde saieth in Genesis I will henceforth curse the earth no more for mans sake For the imagination of mans heart is euill euen from the verie youth of hym Againe in Deuteronomie the L. saieth Ye haue séen all that the Lorde did before your eyes in the lande of Egypte vnto Pharao and vnto all his seruauntes Thine eyes haue seen these greate tokens and wonders And yet vnto this daie hath not the Lorde geuen you a hearte that vnderstandeth eyes that see and eares that heare What coulde Moyses saie more vnlesse he shoulde call vs blockes and stones And in Ezechiell the Lorde saieth A newe hearte will I geue you and a newe spirite will I put in you as for that stonie hearte I will take it out of your bodie and geue you a fleshely hearte I will geue you my spirite among you and cause you to walke in my commaundementes to kéepe my lawes and to fulfill them This place doeth teache vs sufficiently that excepte our stonie heartes be taken awaie from vs and fleshely that is to saie obedient heartes geuen vs in stéede of them and a newe spirite put into vs whiche should worke obedience towardes the Lordes commaundementes we are able to do nothyng we can in no wise kéepe the lawes of God nor yet fulfil them Ieremie also saieth by the spirite of God I wil geue them one heart and one waie that they maie feare mée for euer for the wealth of them and of their children I will put my feare in their heartes that they shall not depart from mée In another place he saieth Conuert thou mée and I shall be conuerted for thou art the Lorde my god And againe he saith O Lorde I knowe that the waie of man is not in his owne power neither is it in man to walke and to direct his steppes Salomon also saieth The kynges hearte is in the hande of the Lorde as the riuers of waters he turneth it whither soeuer it pleaseth him ▪ Dauid saith Turne awaie my eyes from regarding vanitie and quicken mée in thy waie Incline mine heaate vnto thy testimonies and not to couetousnes Sainct Iohn saith A man can receaue nothing excepte it be geuen from aboue he speaketh not there doubtlesse of the common giftes of nature but of the speciall giftes of the holy ghoste Unto this the wordes of Christe agrée when he saieth No man can come vnto mée excepte it be geuen him of my father For this cause when Peter had saide Thou art Christe the sonne of the liuyng God Christe made this aunswere vnto hym againe Blessed art thou Symon the sonne of Ionas for fleshe and blood hath not opened that vnto thee but my father that is in heauen And againe whosoeuer saieth he doth heare and learne of the father commeth to mée and they shall all be taught of God This is the worke of God that ye beleue in hym whom he hath sent Sainct Paule strongly beateth downe the vaine pryde of our fréewill men where he writeth on this maner The naturall man perceiueth nothyng of the spirite of god Whereby he doeth vnderstande that the naturall man whiche is not renewed in Christe can not perceiue the thynges that be of the spirite of god For why thei are but foolishnes vnto him And againe he saieth Suche truste haue we through Christe to Godwarde not that we are sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as it were of our selues but our ablenesse commeth of God. Now if we be not able to thinke a good thought except◠God doeth put it in vs how much more vnable be we either to will or to doe anye thyng that good is or acceptable in the sight of God And in his Epistle to the Philippians he saieth It is god that worketh in you both the will and the déede euen of his good pleasure And to the Romaines he hath these wordes So then it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie Therefore we wyll omit many other textes And beléeue verily the words of christ alowyng and ratifiyng all these places of Scriptures before recited when he saith Sine me nihil potestis facere Without me ye can doe nothyng All these Scriptures doe shewe our vnablenesse weakenes and imbecilitie and that we bee the seruauntes of synne vntill and before we be regenerated and renewed by the holy ghoste and made newe creatures What fréedome then can we iustly boast or bragge of Vbi spiritus domini saieth sainct Paule Ibi libertas Where the spirite of the Lorde is there is libertie and fréedome Againe Si vos filius liberauerit vere liberi eritis That is to say If the sonne therefore doe make you frée ye shal be frée in déede These sayinges doe sufficiently declare that as long as we are voyde of the spirite of God and are not set at libertie by the sonne wee are naught else but the bondslaues of Sathan the deuyll of synne and of death All this doeth teache vs that of our selues ▪ we be not able to thynke a good thought as of our selues Therefore Sainct Augustine doeth define fréewyll after this sort Liberum arbitrium est facultas rationis voluntatis qua bonum eligitur gratia adsistente malum verò ea desistente That is to saie frée will is a vertue or power of the reason will whereby the good is chosen when the grace of God doeth assiste and the euill when it is awaie or is withdrawen The meaning is that by frée will if wee haue the assistaunce and helpe of the grace of God wee are able to choose that whiche is good but if the grace of God be awaie or be withdrawen wee can doe no more but embrace that whiche is euill and hurtefull to our owne soules Therefore saide Paule verie well to the Corinthians By the grace of God I am that I am his grace which is in mée was not in vaine but I laboured more aboundantly then thei al yet not I but the grace of God which is with me And in another place he saieth thus I liue yet not I now but Christe liueth in mee Alwaies we sée that all our ablenes power strength fréedome and wyll commeth by the onely grace of God by wis workyng spirite through Iesus Christe our sauiour and not of our owne selues Where as they cauaile and saie man hath free will to doe good and a power to receiue the grace of God alledgyng the place of Ecclesiasticus for their purpose where he saieth God made man from the beginnyng and lefte hym in the hande of his counsell and gaue hym his commauddementes and preceptes if thou wilt thou shalt obserue the commaundements and testifie thy good will. Before man is life and death good and euill what him liketh shall be geuen