doo good if we put of the olde man and put on the newe if wee caste away the woorkes of darknesse and put on the arm our of lyghte yf wee dye to synne to lyue to god To conclude Christus mortuus est pro omnibus vt qui viuunt iam nō sibi viuant sed ei qui pro ipsis mortuus est refurrexit Christe dyed for all that those whych liue shoulde not hencefoorthe liue to them selues but lyue to him that dyed and rose for them And yf these thyngs be among you and abounde sayth Saint Peter they wyll make yee neyther shall be ydle nor vnfrutefull in the knowledge of our Lorde Iesus Christe For he that hathe not these things is blynded and can not see a farre off and hath forgotten that hee was purged from his olde sinnes shal haue no benefit of the death of Christ shal not enter into the kingdom of God shal heape wrath on them selues in the day of wrath For the wrath of God abideth on the chyldren of disobedience To whome the wages of vnryghteousnesse ande mist of darknesse is reserued that speakyng in swellyng woordes of vanitie beguyle with wantonnesse through the lustes of the flesh them that were cleane escaped from those that are wrapped in errour promising vnto them libertie and are themselues the seruantes of corruption For of whome soeuer a man is ouercome euen to the same hee is in bondage For if they after they haue escaped from the fylthinesse of the worlde through the knowledge of the Lord and of the sauiour Iesus Christ are yet againe entangled therein and ouercome the later ende i◅ worse with them than the beginning For better had it ben for them not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse than after they haue knowne it to turne from the holy commaundement giuen vnto them But it is comme vnto them according to the prouerbe The dogge is returned vnto his vomite and the sow that was washed to the wallowyng in the myre And the vayn iangling coūterfeit protestant to make as litle accompt of this precious iewel the son of God and bring to as small effect by his licencious liuing the kingdom the priesthode the office the death passion resurrection all the merites and benefits of Iesus Christ as the false wicked papist by his diuelish doctrin did Let vs therfor dred gods wrath feare his iustice harkē to his voice ob serue Gods cōmandements be enflamed with his loue maruel at his wisdom and aboue al things Custodi depositum kepe make moste of this inestimable iewel of euerlasting lyfe the only begotten sonne of God ▪ our lord and sauior Iesus Christ. Thus wee see what a iewell God hathe bestowed vppon vs let vs now see how he bestowed it Did he sell it vs no God can not be bought nor solde Simon Magus thought to bie and sel god and so the Papistes made a sale of him and of all his graces all went by money They had learned this lesson of Iudas Quid vultis mihi dare ego vobis eum tradam What will ye giue me and I will deliuer him to you This lesson was so well conde without booke that there was nothing but money would fetch it For money Pope Boniface the thirde bought of the tyrant Phocas the title of supremacie to his sea of Rome For syluer pope Syluester solde himselfe to the dyuel For fifteene hundred pounde Pope Benet the nynth solde hys popedome to Gregorye the sixte This was somewhat aboue the price of Christe For a thousande ounces of golde Pope Gregorie the nynthe assoyled the Emperor Frederik For money the Popes gaue pardons for quick dead for many mo thousande yeares than euer the world shal stand In so much that by one pardoner were brought to Leo the tenth to buy the papacie a hundreth and twentie thousand Ducates And Iohn the thre twentieth had gotten before two hundreth fiue thousande ducates And the Popes ordinarie Annates only were estemed yerely to exceede sixe millions nine hundred three score and seuentene thousand fiue hundred florens But what speak I of twenties of hundreds of thousands or of millions of ducates of floreints of crownes of nobles of angelles of poundes that they gate by setting vp stewes by reuenues of hoores by licences of concubines and a thousand knacks besydes by voyages and warres of Hierusalem by dispensations for euery kinde of mischief by setting Princes by the eares by poysoning of Cardinals by Bulles palles graces prouisions pensions and the diuell and all This made the Abbot of Vrspurge cry out on Rome Gaude mater nostra Roma c. Reioyce our mother Rome for the water gates of the tresures in the earth are opened that riuers and heapes of money may flowe into thee reioyce on the wickednesse of men for thou gottest thy money to make a recompence of all those great mischieues Reioyce thou at thy helper discorde which is broken out of the bottomlesse pit of hell that many money bribes may come rolling into thee c. This is all the reioycing at Rome Whereon came the comon prouerbe Omnia venalia Romae al things are sale at Rome And their owne Frier Mantuan doth complain ◅empla sacerdotes altaria sacra coronae ignes thura preces coelum est venale Deusque Temples Priests aultars orders crowns fiers frankinsence prayers heauen yea God and all is saleable Si quid Roma dabit nugas dabit accipit au rum verba dat Heu Romae nunc sola pecunia regnat If Rome giue oughte it giueth noughte but toyes at taketh golde and giueth woordes Alas nowe a dayes onely money beareth all the rule at Rome Of the whiche the Romanists are so insatiable that no meruaile at the aunswere of Benet the twelfthe who beeing desired to encrease the number of hys Cardinalles for the greater magnificence of hys Courte at Rome I woulde glady quod he make their number bygger but I would firste haue the worlde made somewhat bigger for the worlde as it is will scarce suffise these that be already These are Priestes of Balaams marke hired wyth the rewarde of wyckednesse they haue exercised their hartes with couetousnesse cursed children and false prophetes of whom Pe◅er prophecied long ago that suche false teachers shold com amongst vs which priuily shal bring in damnable heresies euen denying the Lorde that hath bought them and bring vppon themselues swi◅te damnation and many shall folow their damnable ways by whom the way of truthe shall be euel spoken of and throughe couetousnesse shall they with fained words make marchandise of you whose iudgements long agone is not far off and their damnation slepeth not Hauing thus robbed the people for tri◅les and making them beleue they could sell this i◅well the sonne of God vnto them No it can not be bought neither for money nor mony worth nor for any thing that manne can
looke on pleasures backe loke not on plesure comming towards thee for she hath an whorishe painted smiling beautifull face to enamout thee but looke vpon pleasure going from thee and thou shalt se a most vgglie and filthie taile and end of had I wiste shame and wretchednesse O that doting age would consider this order not to looke backe lyke Lots wyfe to the follies of their youth and the world passed not neyghing lyke olde stallions and prouokyng other by delyghte in fylthie talke to sutche bestiall wickednesse as they haue liued in and can now do no more them seiues but be stales for the diuell to catche other not considering the wretched ende that them selues are euen ready to fall into Let vs therfore make our Omega our Alpha our end our beginning our last euen our firste As the Philosophers discribed wisdom by a serpente winding about in a rounde circle til she put her taile into her mouthe let vs be wise as serpentes dryuing all the actions of the circle of oure lyfe euen to the tayle and ende thereof If then in all worldly things this be the speciall difference of Folie and Wisedome to begin with the ende how mutche more with the last end the chiefe and euerlasting end to make our first beginning Memorare nouissima tua in aeternū nō peccab◅s These endes are here set out in these wordes Vt non pereat sed habeat vitam aeternam that it should not perishe but haue eternall lyfe By perishing he meaneth death the contrarie to life but not this transitorie death wherby the soule for a time is dissolued from the body for this is via vniuersae terrae out eternall death of body and soule in hell fire prepared for the diuels and the reprobate As appereth by the contrary end that here he maketh relation vnto that is eternal life By eternal life he meaneth not only the coniunction again of the substaunce of body soule to unmortalitie but also he comprehendeth al the vnspeakeable glory ioye and felicitie that is prepared for the electe of god And here first of al thou hast to set before thee that there are but two endes not three endes after this present lyfe as the Papists do beare vs in hande of Purgatorie but the Scripture here and in all other places maketh mention of two only Secondlye for these two endes beholde the order that our sauiour Christ obserueth firste he placeth perdition and then Eternall life Thou muste first behold the danger thou standest in of condemnation else wilt thou neuer perfectly seeke for saluation He that perceiueth not him selfe to stand in peril wil neuer search the means to be deliuered The firste thing therefore is to set before vs thys ende of perdition whiche as it is a moste dreadfull sight the horror of eternall death so must we consider howe it came Perditio tua ex te ◅ Israel c. Thy perdition O Israel came euen of thy selfe of thyne owne wickednesse Stipendia peccati mors the reward of sinis death And here we see that in his nature no sinne is venial as the Papists saie but leadeth euen to perdition how◅eit not so but that by the meanes in this sentence set foorth not only the same is made veniall but also cleane taken away and no hindrance to the other end euen of eternal life Here is the law here is the Gospell in these two wordes comprehended Here is both sinne and grace wrath and fauoure euen life and death set before vs here is a wretched ende of perdition to be considered on the one part an ende without ende of all vnspeakable paine torment Compare me now this endlesse ende of perdition to the vayne pleasures that ende so soone of this transitorie life and put them altogither What hast thou gotten if thou hadst gayned al the world sayth Christ lost thine owne soule all the pleasures of this worlde are nothyng comparable to the to◅mēts woes of hell On the other part behold the end of eternal life those glories and ioys that tong can not expresse nor pen can write nor hart cōceiue that are layd vp for the sons of God whiche if thou viewest-well will so enflame thee that the ioyes glories of this life shall seme but grefes vile vnto thee the agonies afflictiōs of this life shall seeme nothing worthy of the glorie that shal be reuealed to thee Thou wouldest euer feare to sinne to behold perdition thou wouldest neuer feare to dye to beholde Eternall lyfe Here is not Pythagoras Y to looke vpon but a far more excellent matter than euer Pythagoras was able to discerne Pythagoras described the lyfe of Man by this letter Y that as the Y endeth in two strakes so the lyfe of man hath two ways leading to two endes But the true ends of mans lyfe Pythagoras neuer knewe as his foolishe opinions of the passage of mans soule out of one thing into an other dothe declare These endes Aristotle neuer knewe nor all the Peripatetici that dreamed the worlde to haue bene for euer without beginning and so to continue without endyng These endes Epicure neuer knewe considering the end of man no further than the bodily death These endes the Platonistes neuer knew whether the soule wente after the bodies deathe althoughe they imagined the soule was immortall These endes the Athenians neuer knewe that scorned S. Paule when he preached to them of the bodies resurectiō And wolde to god concerning these endes that Pythagoras Aristotle and Epicure that the Academikes and other Heathen had no disciples euen among vs Christians or rather wee were not worse than they that knowinge there are these two endes to ensue are nothing moued by them But is there any that knowing these two endes to followe are at least not so farrefoorth moued therby that they woulde not gladlie auoyd damnation and be partakers of eternall life surely none except he bee worse than madde Euery man woulde wish hym self wel the most wicked wil say on his alebench God sende vs to come to heauen none by their good will would be in hell although ye may here some ruffians iest therat Howe then commeth it to passe that so fewe obteyn eternal lyfe but this question is most easily assoyled Al runne in a race sayth S. Paule but all get not the garlande All would haue it but they refuse the meanes wherby they shoulde obteyne it Wishers and woulders were neuer good housholders theyr wishyng is but a vaine woulding either they know not what they would or they would not what they should The Turke the Iewe the Heretike they know there is an heauen they knowe there is an hell they would come to Heauen and not to hell But alacke they know not what they woulde Nescitis quid petitis but are carried awaye with theyr owne dreames of heauen and hell bicause they reiecte the worde of God that should
enstruete them in it The Papists doe knowe these two endes of heauen and hell but they are not cōtent with these two endes but will make for lucre a thirde ende of Purgatorie betweene them bothe If they replie they make this no ende as it is apparaunt to the contrarye they make it a state after thys lyfe betweene Hell fyre and Eternall lyfe and saye it differeth nothing from Hell fire but onely in continuaunce so in this poynt of continuance they imagine Hell fyre to bee sutche an ende also as they with their Masses can deliuer from it not only those that are aliue an are not yet f◅lne into this ende but also the soules that already are damned the rin As they write how Gregory with a Trentall deliuered his mother that came whisking crying in the aire whē she was alredy dāned hauing bin in her life time a priuie whore and murderer of her bastards And likewise how T◅aiā that was an hethē Emperor an enimie of Christ and damned in hell fire that their Masses deliuered him But the Scripture is manyfest to proue thē liers the fire of hell is vnquencheable Discedite a me maledicti in ignem aeternū the worme that gnaweth there shalneuer die In inferno nalla est redemptio in hell there is no gaole deliuerie Est magnus hiatus There is a greatspace saith Abrahā to the cōdemned glutton betwene you and vs in so muche that they which would go hence to you can not neither can they come from thence to vs. These therfore are but Popishe lyes as they shall fynd by experience when they come thyther excepte they repent betimes For it is impossible for them to taste of eternall lyfe if that they walke in darknesse and ignorance as they do the blinde leading the blynd both fall in the ditche together If that they go otherways than Christ that sayth of him self Ego sum via if that they enter not by the doore of Christ that sayth of himself Ego sum ostiū they must nedes perish and shall neuer enter into eternall lyfe Neyther is hell the place prepared for pagans Turkes Iewes Heretikes and Papists only but also for false Gospellers It shall not auayle the Papistes to saye Templum Domini Templum Domini The Churche of the Lorde the Churche of the Lorde Our holy mother the Churche Neyther shall it profite the faise Protestantes to saye Verbum Domini Verbum Domini The worde of the Lorde the worde of the Lorde the Gospell of Iesus Christe wherein we lerne the true knowledge of these endes for what are wee the better or not rather mutche worse by the knowledge of these endes if oure lyuing bee suche as eyther knoweth them not or carethe not for them To what securitie Lorde bee mercyfull to vs are wee growne euen on whom the endes of the worlde are almoste comme and feare not the case nor prepare oure selues therto hell syre is euen at hande both for body and soule and we fare as though there were no suche thing towardes Wee buylde as though it were at the Cowre of Babel wee purchasse as thoughe the worlde shoulde laste for euer wee ruff◅e in apparell as though oure carryons shoulde neuer turne to dust we gather and whoorde as though we should neuer die we liue in pleasure as though oure heauen were here To conclude in what poynte doe wee shewe that wee knowe these endes or wee consyder these endes or regard these endes or prepare our selues agaynst these endes but euen in a retchelesse securitie rather saye eyther there are no sutche endes at all as the meckers that Saincte Peter prophecyed to comme in the last days shall say Where is the promyse of his comming for since the Fathers died all things continue alvke since the begynning of the creation or else wee saye with the wicked seruaunt Tushe the ◅ndes are fa◅re of the Lorde differreth his comming and so eate and drink and strike our felows but thou naughtie seruaunt in an houre thou lookest not for him thy Lord shall come to giue thee thy wretched ende with hypocrites Take him and binde him hande and foote and cast him into vtter darknesse Thou shalt perishe and be beaten with many stripes Behold the ende is euen at hande eyther of perdition or eternall lyfe The Lorde is comming and hee will not slacke his comming hee standethe euen at the doore and knocketh and biddeth thee watche and looke for the ende Happie is hee that looketh for the ende with the wise virgins Woe woe worth him on whom the ende commeth vnlooked for Blessed is he that abideth to the ende that prepareth hym selfe to the end that setteth euer before him the horrour of eternal death that hath euer in his eies the hope of eternall lyfe that directeth to that lyfe that is eternall all the actions of this lyfe that is so transitorie Thus in this fyrst parte as fyrst of all we muste cōsider these two ends the scape of eternal death the obtayning eternall lyfe so must wee consyder these two parties God and the world God that deliuereth from eternall death and giueth eternall lyfe The worlde that is deliuered from eternall death and receaueth eternall lyfe For in the nature of these two is as much difference of them selues God and the world as is euen betwene eternall death and eternall life For first where as God is al holinesse puritie righteousues goodnesse the worlde is all wickednesse vncleanuesse vnrightuousnesse euen a sinke of sin Totus mundus in maligno positus Al the world is set on mischiefe Omne Quam est in mundo aut est concupiscentia carnis c. Al that is in the world is either the lust of the fleshe the luste of eyes or the pride of lyfe Where as God is eternitie perfection the fountaine of all lyfe yea lyfe it selfe both of grace and glorie the world is ouerrunne with death what is in it but vanitie instabilitie miserie and wretchednesse and what in the ende deserueth it but perdition and condemnation To conclude the kingdome of God is not of this worlde the wisedome of this worlde is follie to god Laste of all God the Father hath drowned the worlde God the Holy Ghost shall reproue the worlde of sinne of Iustice and of Iudgement And the Sonne of God that the worlde refused shall come in the end to iudge the world So that betwene these twain God and the worlde is a great contrarietie Now then proue ye this your fyrst part will ye say that God would the world should not perish but haue eternall lyfe Here welbeloued we must consider what this worde the Worlde in this place dothe signifie for by mistakyng thereof great erroures haue growne The worlde hath diuers significations but foure in principall First the worlde betokeneth vniuersally all Creatures that God the Creator hath created visible and inuisible what soeuer Heauen and earth and
also Quae culpa saith Pigghius ê™ peccatum possit esse animae adhuc innocentis recens nati paruuli c. what fault what sinne can there be of the innocent soule and of the litle child newe borne who for that he hathe not receyued the vse of reason and the facultie of freewil is not yet vnder the law nor can be obliged by any law whereof he may be made a transgressour But as this is a most false errour the cleane distruction of the Christian faith so is this a most true principle that what soeuer they be yong or olde Deus conclusit omnes sub peccato God hath shut vp all vnder synne neyther vnder the sinne of an other only and not of theyr owne synne but of Adams theyr first father imputed vnto them Naytheyr sinne is euen their owne sinne In quo omnes peccauerunt In whom all haue sinned neyther is al sinne to be measured by age of man or wil of man or reson of maÌ„ only but PeccatuÌ„ est iniquitas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Iohn sinne is the swaruing from Gods law whiche sithe it bindethe all mankinde and none not regenerat in Christ are answerable thervnto it followethe they muste nedes be sinners old or yoÌ„g bicause without regeneration in Christ not Adam only himselfe of whome we came but all thâ—… whole substâ—…nce externall and internall of mankynd is so infected defiled with sin that no thyng but God câ—…n clense it Quis potest facere muÌ„duÌ„ de immundo coÌ„ceptuÌ„ semine nisi tu qui solus es Who can make a clean thing of a thing that 〈◊〉 ceyued by foule sâ—…de but only thou that art alonâ—… There is none cleane beefore him from sinne Ne infans quidem vnius diei No not the infant that is but one day olde 〈◊〉 that is lesse than a day olde while he is yet in his mothers wombe Ecce saith Dauid that was an holy prophet in iniquitatibus coÌ„ceptus sum in peccato coÌ„cepit me mater meâ—… Beholde sayth he I was begotten in wickednes and my mother conceaued me in sinne Was Dauids father an hoorehunter and his mother an harlot Was Dauid a bastard and misbegotten no suche thyng he was the lawful sonne of I sat Why then is the acte of matrimonie sin and wickednesse no suche thing neyther thou sinnest not if thou takest a wife sayth S. Paule and if a virgin marie she sinneth not yea mariage is honorable among all men and is a bed vndefiled Howe was then Dauid gotten and conceyued in synne For so the he came of sinful seede euen the sede that begat and conceyued Dauid was corrupt staynd with synne And as the seede was so was the chylde Quòd natum est ex carne caro est What that is borne of fleshe is flesh of Adam is Adam of a thorne is a thorn of a brieris brier of a crab is a crabbe and euery thyng yeldethe fruite after his owne kynd qualitie And therfore of a sinful father the chylde is borne a sinner euen the fyrst day and moment the chyld is born yea a sinner before it is borne Well say the Papistes admit all this in old and yong were sinne yet I trust ye wil make a distinction of sinne all sinne is not mortall synne Is no synâ—…ne venyall If there be peradueÌ„ture then the worlds synnes were not so great as that they deserued to peryshâ—… for their synnes and so myghte the easâ—…yer bâ—…e forgâ—…uen bycause theyr sinnes were veniall Nay Papist this helpeth thee not no more than thy other shiftes For although we graunte nor â—…uer denyed that there is distinâ—…tion to bee made of synnes of the whyche some bee originall some bee actuall some be in thoughte some be in worde some be indede some be of negligence som be of wilfulnesse some be of ignorance some be of malice some be more heynous than other some sinnes be yea and wee admit also this distinction of mortal sinne and veniall synne yet admit wee it not in suche sort as the Papistes do that thys difference is in the nature of synne whereby any is veniall as though it were bycause it is lesse synne therefore it shold bee veniall For be it more or be it lesse or of what sorte of synne so euer it be if it be synne it is mortall in the nature of it and deserueth no forgiuenesse but euen death for recompence For without all distinction sayde GOD to Adam When soeuer thou eatest thereof thou shalte dye And from hym it hathe followed that Vnius delicto omnes mortui fumus By Adams offence we are all deade Per peccatum introijt mors Death eâ—…tred by syn and therfore Stipendium peccati mors est The rewarde of synne is death For why it came from the dyuell Qui facâ—…t peccatum ex dia bolo est and the diuell is a murtherer from the begynnyng and therefore yf yee liue after the fleshe Moriemini yee shall dye Neyther is thys to bee vnderstoode of horrible synnes onely but euen Affectus carnis mors est The affection of the fleshe is Death also Neyther is thys to be eluded as thoughe the Apostle spake onely of a bodyly and temporall death but hee speaketh plat and playne of condemnation Iuditium quidem ex vno in condemnationem The faulte came of one offence vnto condemnation And agayn The faulte came on all menne to condemnation Why then saye the Papistes shall all menne bee damned And where is then youre Uenyall synne Forsooth euen it followeth at the harde heeles Gratia autem ex multis delictis in Iustificationem But the grace is of manye offences to Iustification Heere are manye offences named and all deserue damnation but they become Uenyall yea they hynder not Iustifycation How commeth thys of theyr owne nature nay but by grace by fauour by the gifte of God and not by the nature of the sinne in which respect all stande in the state of damnation But to those that are in Iesu Christe nihil est condemnationis there is no damnation vnto them not that the sin or sinner deserued this but for that they haue receaued the attonement made by Iesus Christe Yea but dydde not God saythe the Papist forsee that they shold receyue Christ and although they were all sinners and subiect to damnation yet did not he foresee that they wold repent them of their sinnes and become faithfull and amende their lyues when hee should call them and peraduenture therfore he wold they should not perishe but haue eternall lyfe euen bicause he foresaw they shoulde become good men although they were euill Nay Papist this is no cause no more thaÌ„ the other nei ther their workes presente neyther their workes to come For the scripture simply comprehendeth all workes whether they be past or they be present or they be to come Vocauit nos Deus
my bodye and refresh my spirites then the rest of my body and the refreshing of my spirits is a greater matter than is my lying downe to sleepe I buylde an house what moueth me to doo suche cost to shelter and shrowde me from wynde and weather from heat and colde from danger and enimie and to defend and keepe me and myne then this my defence is a greater cause than my house buylding is And eueÌ„ so God loueth a man why loueth he him bicause he is a good man then the goodnesse of the man is a greater cause than the loue of god And thus in conclusion not onely the greater cause of mans saluation is in man and the lesser cause in God but also that little cause in God is referred to mannes goodnesse also And so the cause in God is cleane swalowed vp lyke a drop in the sea â–ª a beane in a Monks hoode a mouse in a cheese nay rather a ciphre in Algorisme the loue of God in the cause of mans saluation And yet for fashions sake the name of Gods loue of Gods grace of Gods mercie of Christs merits must be pretended but when all is done the woorke of man is the efficient is the formall is the finall and principall cause of mans saluation As Bonauenture sayeth that although the death and resurrection of Christe take away our sinnes and iustifie vs attamen neutri attribui potest propriè causalitas iustificationis habet tamen aliquam causae proprietatem scilicet per modum meriti interuenieÌ„tis ê“ reducitur ad causam materialeÌ„ formalis enim est gratia hoc est charitas c. Neuerthelesse the causing cause of Iustification can not proprely be attributed eyther to Christes death or to his resurrection although it hath some propretie of a cause that is to wit by the meanes of merite commyng betwene which is reduced to the materiall cause for the formall cause is grace that is to say charitie Heere is a name of grace but when the name is expounded it falleth out he ment not the loue and free fauour of God but charitie that is mans loue the very contrary in this poynt vnto grace and free fauour of god And so mans loue is the formall cause of mannes saluation but it muste bee called forsoothe the grace of God. Heere is agayne the Passion and Resurrection of Iesus Christe sayde to take away synnes and to Iustifie vs What can be a godlyer saying and truer than this Who could find fault with this Who woulde require more yf they meane as they say Why haue thei then another meaning What is that Forsoth the death and Resurrection doth it but not proprely as any cause therof Lo here is the cause cleane takeÌ„ away nay not so but it is not a cause properly how is it theÌ„ it hath yet some propertie of a cause This is a contrarie tale to it selfe at lest it hath som propertie of contrarietie But what kynd of propertie of a cause hath the deth and resurrection of Christ to take away sinnes and to iustifie man Forsoothe in this consideration by the meanes of mans desert and good works coÌ„ming betwene and being a stickler in the matter But how commeth it betwene as a small cause Nay as the material cause also of his saluation And so maÌ„s charity is the formal cause mans merits are the material cause Grace is named The deathe and resurrection of Christe is named but it is no cause properlie and if it haue anye propretie of a cause it is onely by reason of mannes merites goyng betweene Is not thys a proper doctrine Whether will not this doctrine presume to goe Why maye not the Papist say as well that manne is the cause of God as to say that mannes merites are the cause of Gods loue Is not the loue of God euen GOD hymselfe Quicquid dicitur de Deo Deus est The Wisdome of God is God the power of God is God and the loue of God is god And so Sainâ—…t Iohn dothe saye Deus est charitas qui maner in charitate in deo mâ—…net deus in eo God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him Nowe if mannes goodnesse bee the cause of Gods loue is it not then the cause of God also What is prâ—…de if this bee not pride Where is Adam and Eue that woulde become like Gods if they be not here Where is that proude kyng of Babylon that sayde with Lucifer I wyll aâ—…cende aboue the cloudes I wil be like the most high but in this doctrine Where is that man of sinâ—…e that would exalt himself aboue all that is called God if not in this blasphemous presumption of the Papists Qui quaerentes suaÌ„ iustitiaÌ„ stabilire c. That seking to set vp their owne righteousnesse are not subiect to the righteousnesse of god But let this diuelishe doctrine goe wyth the diuell downe the lane from whence it came and let vs humbly receyue the doctrine of Iesus Christe that the cause whiche moued God to saue the worlde was onely in him selfe for his owne sake for his owne goodnesse and most merciful fauour for his tender loue that of his owne accorde good nature be vouchsafed to beare the worlde and not for any cause of goodnesse in the worlde were it neuer so little a cause For how little so euer thou ascribest to thy selfe thou takest from God thou robbest God of his glory and of his glorie God is a iealous god neyther will he part stakes with any other for any part or parcell therof Oh sayth the Papist it is a very little thing a small modicum that wee require and modicum non nocet a litle hurteth nothing an inche breakes no square That is not true modicum nocet modicum A little hurteth a litle yea and that a great deale in this case wherin on the one part God is all in all will haue all the glorie of it as right requireth if he haue not al he wil haue none There is no halting betwene God and Baal no agreement betwene God and the diuell no felowshippe wyth light and darkenesse And what is manne else but darkenesse â–ª but mancipium Sathanae the boÌ„dsclaue of Sathan before God lighten and deliuer him On the other part the diuel will not bee contente with a little grauÌ„t him neuer so litle in the beginning as good giue him all for in the ende he will striue to haue all giue him an inche hee will take an elle giue him but his little toe he will thrust his foote his leg his body after and seuen diuels more for company and the ende of that man shal be worse than the beginning Obsta principijs serò medicina paratur Stoppe therfore the beginnings otherwise it will be too late to seeke for healpe Take away the cause else the effect wil neuer be taken away Man will euer
be proude and glorie in himselfe if there be any cause of his own saluation in himself be it neuer so small a worke or neuer so smal a preparatiue or inclination therevnto he will take to much hart of grasse and not of grace theron Nay sayth the Papist wee will neuer by Gods grace denie the grace of god God hath a negatiue voice he may dash all we can not be saued without god But hath not man an affirmatiue voyce What will ye leaue him then It is but a little that we require God wot a very small sparke and that so ouercouered with the ashes of synne and corruption that it can neuer giue of it self any light or heat of a fier except the ashes be blowne away some stickes layd to to kindle the fyre And further then this say the Papists we willnot asâ—…e sith ye are so importune vpon vs we demaund at the least but this that ye graunt man to haue no more goodnes of himselfe than sutche small sparkes of election â–ª free will disposition and preparation as God seing them peepe out and giue but a glimpse vnder the ashes of synne with his worde he bloweth the ashes away and putteth too matter for vs to worke our owne saluation vpon What shall we sticke with them well beloued in this small request This seemeth to be but a triste What power is here giuen to man When woulde these sparkes make a fire to warme one by if the ashes were not blown away and sticks layd too which inferreth we can do nothing of our selues without the grace of god In whiche poyne they say true but they say not all the truth For not onely without Christ we can not become this good fyre but also without Christ we haâ—…e no such sparks in vs to begin this fyre withall for the word of God to blow vpoÌ„ But as the wood is his y he must put to his gracious gifts as the winde is his wher with he must blowe on vs his blessed worde and holy spirite so must the sparkes be his and all for else we are nothing but euen dead coales ashes Except ye speake of suche sparkes of the lustes of concupiscence as by the diuels blowing and oure owne laying of sticks togyther wil of themselues make suche a blase as wyll burne bodye and soule for euer For the fyre whereby wee be enflamed wyth the loue of GOD came of hym that sayd I came to bryng fyre into the worlde and what woulde I but it should burne The fyre that declared God to be the lorde and not Baal cam downe from heauen there was none in the wood but rather water The fiery tongs that sate on the disciples heds and warmed theire hartes came not of anye sparks of their owne but only from the ho ly ghost Then is not this that they count so small a request in any case to be graunted them both for the falsenesse of the begynnyng and the inconuemeÌ„ce of the sequele of it For first in the begynning they grounde on a wrong principle that there is at the least sutche sparkes in man where as there is no sutch at all in man whiche as it is therfore alye affirming that to be in manne that is not in him so it maketh hym proude of that he hath not That there is no sutche sparkes of goodnesse in manne is euidente Cum mortuâ—… esseâ—…is in delictis when as ye were dead in sinnes sayth S. Paule speaking of the tyme before God called them But dead coales are not quicke coales nor haue any sparke of fyre in them if they be deade for otherwise they be not fully dead But we were dead in sinne therfore there were no sparkes of goodnesse in vs If ye thinke the worde dead be to straightly vrged and that wee were not fully deade in synne but halfe dead as the Papistes wrest that parable of the man that fell into the theues handes then would I aske the question whether we were quickened by Christe or no but Saint Paule saveth Viuâ—…ficauit nos in Christo Hee quickened vs in Christe thorough loue Propter nimiam charitatem qua dilexit nos Therfore it muste needes folow wee were euen deade before neither was there any sparke of the life of grace in vs before that of his mere loue in Iesu Christ hee quickned vs For loke how mutch ye denie the deadnesse so mutche also yee denie the quickenyng But the quickenyng is onely of Loue and in Chryste therefore besydes thys cause of loue and besydes Christ there is nought in vs but death of synne there is no sparke alyue And in lyke case for free will there is no freedom but in Christe Si filius vos liberauerit verè liberi eritis If the sonne make you free sayth Christ then are ye free in dede But till then they are held captiue in the snares of the diuell to do his will they are seruauntes of sinne nor can do ought or will doe oughte or encline to ought but sinne And so mutche as yee denie this bondage so muche ye denie that freedom whiche Christ hath set them in Likewise for the filthe of that our naturall vncleannesse wherein we walowed and were so berayed that euen the cleanest place of vs was lyke a foule cloute in so mutche that God sayeth Thoughe thou washe thee with Nitre and rubbe thee neuer so much with soape yet art thou spotted in thine iniquitie before mee Untill wee bee washed with the bloude of Iesus Christe and then we be cleane through oute then were our synnes as redde as scarlet they shall be made as whyte as snow yea Et supra niuem dealbabor wee shal be made whyter than the snowe or fullers white sine ruga macula without any spot or wrinkle Looke then how much cleannesse thou attributest to thy selfe so muche thou deniest the washing of the bloud of Iesus christ For it is a good coÌ„sequeÌ„ce whatsoeuer was washed clean before it was washed it was foule Whatsoeuer was redemed and made free before it was redeemed was captiue What soeuer was found before it was founde was loste Whatsoeuer was rered vp was falne And whatsoeuer was quickned the same was dead before Then followeth it sithe all these benefites are wroughte on vs that we were bondsclaues we were falne we were defyled we were lost we were euen dead we had no freedome no staye no cleannesse no knowledge where we were no life in vs before This then is a false assumption that they would so sayne haue graunted vnto them and therfore in no case to bee assented vnto Neyther is the sequele hereof so small and tryfâ—…ing a thing as here to haue it granted they woulde seeme to make it It is a paltrie matter say they a very little thing and in a manner nothing that wee require If it bee so small a matter why do they so earnestly desire it why
sonne than vs but only he did it for the loue of vs yet his loue of vs is onely in and for his sonne The Prince might seeke glorie and renowne by this strange fact as the Philosophers did in al their sufferings but Christ sought ignominie due to vs to bring vs to raigne in glorie with him In the ende the Prince must nedes die and his sonne also and how soone either of them God knowes And whether by not so famouse a deathe or no God knowes And how they shold haue liued with what troubles feares and changes God knows These things might moue them to be the willinger to suffer death that once they must nedes suffer and this they know But the sonne of God was not subiecte vnto deathe he neded neuer to haue died for death had no power ouer him as he truly sayd Habeo potestatē ponēdi animam meam iterum sumendi eam I haue power to geue ouer my life and to take it againe It lay in his owne power to die or not to die but that of his mere loue he vouchesaued for to die Moreouer the Princes death could worke but a small and trifling benefit the sauing of theyr bodily life for a whyle that perchaunce myght die body and and soule within a minute of an houre after But the death of oure vnspotted Lambe the sonne of God is become suche a sweete and acceptable sacrifice to GOD the Father and so effectuall vnto vs that if any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for oure sinnes onely but for the sinnes of the whole worlde To conclude there is as mutche difference betweene this or any other case that can be put of any creature husbande wife parentes children frend enemie neighbour stranger maister seruant prince subiect or whose loue soeuer it be as is betwene the creature creator as is betwene the person of a wretched mortal man the person of the liuing and immortall god The loue of God therefore whereby he so loued the worlde that he gaue his sonne for it doth excell all comparison doth excede all speache doothe passe all vnderstanding Wee speake but in a darke speeche theron we vnderstand it but as chyldren we see it but thorough a gl◅sle we know it but in part yea the angels meruaile at it and cannot fully conceaue the breadth the length the depthe the heigthe of this incomprehensible loue of God to manne and to knowe this loue of Christe whiche go◅th beyonde all knowledge But that we may haue some taste of this sweete loue of God some ioy of this his excellent gifte let vs deare beloued as we maye a little beholde the same He gaue his only begotten son Here are two things to be considered The one is the thing it self that for this loue he bestowed vpon vs The other is the maner of his bestowing it The thing that he bestowed was euen his sonne not his seruant but his sonne not his frende but his sonne euen his true begotten sonne and that his only begoten son Such as the father is suche is the sonne the Father is God the sonne is God God of the substance of his father very God and equall to his father in substance eternitie grace glorie power and euery thing For all that the Father hathe hee hathe giuen to him and he and the father are one Hee is the expresse image of the inuisible God the first begotten of all creatures the wisdome of his father by whome the world was made the light of the worlde the way the truth and the life the authour and fynisher of our faithe the prince of pastours and great shepeherd of our soules the true vine the bread of lyfe the rock and fountayn of the liuing waters the corner stone of the building and foundation therof the king of glorie the prince of peace the anoynted of God the high priest the mediator of the new Testament the lamb of god that taketh away the sinnes of the world the reconciler of God and man the Emanuel the Messias the blessed seede the hope and redemption of Israell The lord sauior Iesus Christ in whome is the fulnesse of the diuinitie in whom only is layde vp the vnsearchable treasorie of all the riches of the glorie grace fauor of this infinit loue of God euen the only begotten son of god So muche more excellent than the angels in as much as he hath obteined a more excellēt name thā they For vnto which of the angels sayde he at any tyme Thou art my son this day haue I begotten thee And agayne I will be his father and he shall be my sonne and againe when he bringeth in his firste begotten sonne into the world be saith And let al the angels of God worship hym c. to the Son he saith O god thy throne is for euer euer the scepter of thy kingdom is a scepter of righteousnes thou hast loued righteousnesse and hated iniquitie wherfore God euen thy God hath anoynted thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellows And thou Lord in the beginning hast established the earth and the heauens are the workes of thine handes they shal perish but thou dost remayn and they al shall waxe old as doth a garmēt and as a vesture shalt thou fold them vp they shal be changed but thou art the same and thy yeares shal not fayle Vnto whiche of the angels sayde hee at any tyme Sitte thou at my right hād til I make thy enemies thy foote stoole And hath he then poured foorth on vs poore and wretched synfull misers sutche treasures of hys blessings that he hath giuen vs euen this his son in quem desiderant angeli prospicere on whom the angels desire to looke yea saithe the same sonne him self Dedit vnigenitum filium suum He gaue his only begotten sonne O infinite and vnspeakable loue O most preciouse gifte O most orient pearle O most happie marchant that can get this iewel The price of this gifte can not be tolde the value of this iewel is inestimable siluer and gold pearle and stone is nothing comparable to this wonderfull gifte of god No we are not bought with corruptible things as siluer and golde but with the precious bloud of Christ the sonne of God The sonne of God why could no lesser gift haue serued vs might not he haue geuen vs an angell But euen his sonne And that his only begotten son Might not he haue gyuen vs one of his adopted sonnes some notable man or womā some patriarche some Prophet some apostle or some holy sainte of god No God spared not to giue his his onely begotten son for man Yea nothing coulde sufficiently pacifie the wrath of God satisfie his iustice make due recompence for our vndue offence reconcile vs to the fauour of GOD againe vanquishe
death hell sinne and sathan cancel the hande writing against vs triumphe ouer all our enemies transforme vs into a new man enter into heauen like a victorious conquerer in our behalfe and purchace for vs the hope of a better inheritance sende vs downe the holy ghost to comfort and strengthen vs in our iorney thether make vs haue bolde accesse vnto God the father and call him our father and clayme sonship of him No man no woman no angell no creature no earthly or heauenly bodely or spiritual thing could haue wrought these mighty works for vs but only the only begotten sonne of God. Nor any thing that we can cōceaue could so haue set forth the fathers loue in these doings as this that he vouchsafed to geue his only begotten sonne to do it What madnesse then hath bewitched the Papists mindes to seeke other mediatours than the sonne of God other satisfactions other gifts other reconciliations other means to saluation and pardon of their sinnes than that which God him selfe of sutche highe loue and fauoure hathe geuen vs as a most excellent and effectuall worker of all these things the only begotten sonne of God Is not this a greate vnthankefulnesse a foule beastlynesse a very follie or by what worthie name maye I cal their vnworthy demeanour to GOD to them selues to the sonne of God to the world to refuse so notable a loue and forsake so fre and riche a gifte to seke trifles and let go the principall to run to puddles of errour and goe from the flowing streame of grace and fountaine of life to cleaue to them selues and to renownce the sonne of god O brutishe Papistes and vnsensible or rather ledde too much by sensualitie O horse and Mule in whome there is no vnderstanding O Image makers howe lyke bee yee vnto your images Of whome sayeth Dauid they are lyke to them that made them hauyng eares to heare and heare not eyes to see and see not noses to smell and smell not For if ye hadde eyther hearyng seeyng smellyng or sauouryng of anye thyng petteynyng to GOD yee coulde not bee thus senselesse But this sheweth ye are but fleshe and blood whiche canne not reueale the sonne of the liuing god Good Lorde what is manne if hee be caste off of God and lefte to him selfe gyuen ouer to his owne lusts and a reprobate sense ▪ But the saying of Esaye is verified on them He hath blynded their eyes and hardened their heartes that they shoulde not see wyth theyr eyes nor vnderstande with their heartes and shoulde bee conuerted and I shoulde heale them For were it not that God had sent them strong delusion that they should beleeue lyes and be damned whiche beleeued not the truthe but hadde pleasure in vnryghteousnesse they wold neuer so like swine haue trod vnderfote this most precious perle the sonne of God and delight to wallowe in the mire of mens traditions and durtie deedes of their owne righteousnesse as they doo and had rather like Grillus that was bewitched of Circes be still a swine and sosse in swil than returne to the forme of a manne and be with wise Vlisses had rather liue in Egypte with sclauish bondage and foode fit for sclaues onions leekes and garlike than liue in libertie trauailyng to the lande of promise and be fedde with angels foode Here is a notable gifte if we value it well all the riches in the worlde is but drosse vnto it How do the Papists value this excellent iewell Lette vs see yf they be good iewels yea or no or if they bee as wyse prysers of the valew hereof as Esops donghyll Cocke who fynding a precions stone hadde rather haue had a sillye barley corne to cramme his croppe than all the precious stones in the worlde And doo not the Papistes as fondly esteeme and worse handle this precious Iewell that GOD the Father hath gyuen vs His onely begotten sonne Howe doo they value Christe That traytour Iudas valued hym but at an easy price when hee solde hym for thirtie pence to the Priestes Thys was too mutche vnder foote in conscience for sutche a Iewell But theeues haue no conscience they wyll make Robyn Hoodes penywoorthes to dispatche and away wyth all that they can come by Well Iudas solde hym for thyrtie pence to the Priestes but the Priestes since that haue esteemed him at a greate deale lesser value than Iudas did They beare vs in hande that that little rounde white cake whyche the Priest at his Masse dothe consecrate as they call it is Christe hym selfe But ye shoulde haue hadde any morrowe Masse priest haue solde ye thyrtie Masses thyrtie consecrations for thirtie groates a whole Trentall for a royall and so the price of Christ was come downe to foure pence mutche vnder Iudas price But there was a reason of the fall of the price For why the makyng of Chryste was so easye and there were sutche a companie of those Christmakers and of those Christes Here is Christe and there is Christe that thys pulled downe the markette But yf that were Christe howe ordered they hym Forsoothe they ordered hym euen as they prysed hym that whiche they might haue of so easie a price a fourepenie matter was ordered euen thereafter Fyrste they turned Chryst out of his owne likenesse and made him looke lyke a reunde cake nothyng lyke to Iesus Christe no more than an apple is lyke an oyster nor so mutche for there appereth neyther armes nor handes feete nor legges backe nor belly heade nor body of Chryst but all is visoured and disguysed vnder the fourme of a wafer as lyghte as a feather as thinne as a paper as whyte as a kerchiefe as round as a trenchour as flat as a pancake as smal as a shilling as tender as the Priestes lemman that made it as muche taste as a stycke and as deade as a dore nayle to looke vppon O blessed GOD dare they thus disfigure our Lord and sauior Iesus Christ or can they make suche a strange Metamorphosis of the sonne of God They saye they doo thys But now what do thei with him hauīg thus trāsformed him Forsoth euen as the cat doth with the mouse play with it dandle it vp downe hoise it euer her head tosse it hither thyther then eate it cleane vp euen so for al the world did they order Christ. Mark a Priest at Masse and marke a Cat with a mouse tel me then what differēce Now if Christ were not eaten vp of the Priest did he so escape the Priests handes Nay euen as a mouse kept in a trap till she pine to death as a birde in a pitfal til she be st◅rued as a caytif in a dungeon til he be famished so was Christ thrust vp into a copper pixe and there hanged vp tyll euen the wormes did eate hym and scraule all ouer hym and the very hoarie moulde dydde rotte him and then was he
taken down and burned bycause he could keepe himselfe no better O cruell Canibali O barbarous Priests worse than Iudas that betrayed him worse than Cayphas Annas and Pylate that arraigned and iudged him worse than the very tarmagant Iewes that so despitefully put him to death Coulde they fynde in theyr heartes thus agayne with more despite to handle and execute for euen so and that ryghtly they called it theyr Lorde and mayster Iesus Christe Alas poore Christe what an hard handlyng was thys But thankes be to God this was not Christe as they thinke neuerthelesse if it had bene hee they shew theyr good willes vnto him and howe they wold order him amongst them What is this but euen to say Hic est haeres venite occidamus eū This is the heire come let vs kil him then the inheritāce shal be ours And euen thus as they order the person of Christ so order they al his dignities prerogatiues and titles that his father gaue hym and all the offices wherto God the Father sente him Diuiserunt sibi vestimentamea They haue deuided my garmēts amōgst them saith Christ they haue made hauocke and spoyle of all and haue left him nothyng What one poynte is there of his royall kingdome of his high priesthode of his perfect sacrifice of his precious purchase of his continual mediation or any other office that they haue not taken the same to themselues or giuen the same to other Do not they take vpon them the forgiuenesse of sins Do they not take vpon them to be sacrificing Priests Do they not giue to their Pope the kingdom al the titles of Christ Do they not send vs to other mediators beside Christ haue thei left any thyng to Iesus Christe but a bare name of Iesus Christ Yea of what value do they esteme the death of Iesus Christe but to take awaye the bare name of a thing For first all the Papists doo affirme that the death of Christ is fully effectuall onely for originall sinne that is to say for infants that can make no satisfaction wanting wil reason knowledge and al abilitie therevnto But all other actuall sinnes wee must our selues make satisfaction for them besides the death of Christe And hereon aryseth theyr doctrine of satisfaction wherein if a manne haue doone an offence he must cōfesse it to them and they enioyne him penance which if he do he satisfieth for his sin If it be to hard a penāce O good mayster gostly father saith the penitēt this penance is too sore for gods sake an easier penance Then buie it out saithe he ye may turne it to mony And I warant ye he payeth full sweetely for it For euery sinne be it neuer so horrible is rated at his price and that is mutch higher than they make the price of Christ and this is their satisfaction for all their actuall sinnes but wherto thē serueth the death of Iesus Christ For originall sinne saye they And is this al◅well yet this is somwhat and that indede a great matter Original sinne is a horrible cōtagion and corruption of the whole nature and substāce of man and therfore a greuous sinne No no saithe Pigghius what man ye are more afraide then nedes Original sinne is in dede no sinne at all No is why is it then of al men called sin Ha thou foole why callest thou thy writing thy hande is thy writing thy hand in dede No but bicause it was written by my hand it hath the name of my hand And euen so saithe Pigghius is originall sinne a name of sinne but not in dede any sinne Sed tantū qua diximus analogia peccatum dici quomodo dici mus scripturam manum aut frigus pigrum It is no sinne neither before nor after baptisme c. But only may be called sinne by the proportion aforesayde euen as we cal our writing our hande or colde slow bicause it makes vs slow Is not this a proper doctrine of the Papists Who wolde haue thought they had held sutche horrible erroures of the very principles of our faithe But wherto tendeth this How is it against the death of Christe Laye these two doctrines together in forme of argument and see what conclusion will ryse theron Original sin is no sinne in dede but onely a bare name of sinne The death of Christe is fully effectuall to take away only originall sinne for al other actual sinnes require besydes satisfaction for them Ergo the death of Christ is fully effectuall to take away no sinne in dede but only a bare name of sinne Here is a very lowe price that this iewell is now come to yet was it better before whē it was at a grote and now it is come to nothing no not so muche as three halfe pence the price of an olde dogge Thus trode they downe and brought to no purpose the moste high raunsome of oure soules the precious death and passion the holy perfect and propiciatorie sacrifice on the altar of the crosse made once for euer by our high priest Iesus Christe Thus caste these foolishe builders asyde that stone that God hath made the head corner stone whereon all the building riseth This haue they estemed and prised this iewell and in the balance of their owne selfe loue haue made them selues to waygh a greater paise than christ Thus haue they ordered the only begotten sonn̄e of God whome of hys infinite loue God gaue to the worlde that it shoulde not perish but haue eternall lyfe They pretend otherwise as Herode did to worship Christe and doucke and curtesie downe to the ground at the verie name of Christ for thei had left him nothing but his name But to what purpose was al that honour to his name misusing thus his person and spoiling him of his office Is not this Iudas trayterouse kisse openly to saye Aue rabbi all haile maister and to saye priuily Ipse est tenete eum Lay hand on him it is euen he and his very bodie eate him vp or hang him vp They saye they did this to honour him wold they be content with sutche honoure This is an honour with all my harte and God geue them sutche honour as they geue god In name they geue hym honoure but the more hypocrites they Simulata sanctitas duplex iniquitas Their fained holines is double wickednes what do they lesse than did the Iews to clothe him in purple like a king crowne him with thorne like a diademe geue him a reede like a scepter and to geue him a bare name like a bable and spoile him of all his merites like a theef◅ is not this also to crie Crucifige crucifige like a Iewe and euen to crucifie the sonne of God againe so mutche as in them doth lie that thus doe order him surelie surelie the very Turks think better of Iesus Christ that are our open and professed enemies then the Papists what soeuer they thought of him did order
him that pretende and vaunte to be his chiefest seruitors and most holy catholike childreÌ„ But they lie the more that haue the more to answeare for I meane the cancred Papist and mayntener of these wicked doings against God his anointed Christe and with the bare name of Christ abused the credulous and simple people But let vs dere Christians now that the mistery of iniquitie wrought by them is opened them aÌ„ of sin disclosed euen the child of perditioÌ„ which is an aduersary and exalteth him selfe against al that is called god or that is worshipped sitting as God in the temple of God and bosting him selfe as god Let vs now be no loÌ„ger be deceued by him but be rather ashamed y we haue bin so fowly so long missed And sith God hath lightned vs sitting in darknesse the shadow of death with the light of his truth yea with his owne son the true light of the worlde Let vs goe forth of their tents let vs be bold to enter into the holy place by the bloud of Iesus let vs draw neere with a true hearte in the assurance of faith since wee haue an high priest which is ouer the house of God let vs acknowledge to be our only lorde and sauiour this most excellent gift of God that all the world is not able to counteruaile to be that king that only is able doth rule defend and preserue his Churche throwout the world to be that priest that hath made of his owne body a ful perfect sacrifice once for al sufficient for all the sinnes of the worlde To be that only mediator that only intercessor that is able to stande betwixte God and vs Vnus est deus vn ' mediator homo Iesus Christus There is one God and one mediator the man Iesus Christ. He only trode the wine presse he onely iusteyned Gods wrathe he onely fulfylled Gods iustice he only reconciled Gods loue and fauoure he is the only meanes that God hath vsed to work our saluation by And here welbeloued see and dreade the iustice of God againste sinne nothyng could pacifie it but his son It is not suche an easie matter to put away sin as the papists pretende if any such thing could haue don it to what purpose neded God haue geuen his only begotten son To what purpose neded his son haue suffred the sharp stoures of sutche a bitter and reprochefull deathe if sinne our deliuery from sinne had bin so smale a matter But sinne is most horrible in the sight of God seuereth vs from god Iniquitates vestrae diuiseruÌ„t inter vos Deum vestrum Your sins haue made a diuision betwen you and your God saithe Esaie In how infinite places doth God threatten his wrath against sinne and sinners that prouoke him to anger that styrre vp his indignation that kindle his furie that heape wrath on them selues But how sore a matter this is to susteine Gods wrath reade the eight twenty and nine twenty chapters of the Deuteronomie how the wrath of the Lorde shall smoke against the sinner How his wrath is a consuming fyer Who knoweth the power of thy wrath saieth Dauid Horrendum est incidere in manus dei It is a dreadful thing to fall in the hands of god No saynt no angell no creature can abide his displeasure The heauens shall flee the elementes melt and the earth shall burne before him Only Iesus Christ sustained the brunt of his wrath and that with a most hard bicker It made him sweate euen dropps of bloode with water it made him cry out on the crosse My God my God why haste thou forsaken mee Thys greate wrathe susteyned hee because he tooke on him our sinnes that were the sonnes of wrathe to 〈◊〉 vs children of grace To make vs righteousnesse 〈◊〉 was accounted sinne that knew no sinne To make vs blessed he became accursed He is our peace and hath reconciled vs to god by the crosse in his blood Euen because hee loued vs he gaue him selfe for vs to bee a sacrifice of sweete smell to God that was appeased with his obedieÌ„ce Ecce veniâ—… who moste redily offred himselfe to his father for vs Behold I come and am ready to doe and suffer thy will with which oblation the Father is so wel pleased that he hath not appointed vs to wrathe but to obtein saluation by the means of our lord Iesus Christ whiche died for vs. Let vs not therfore wallow in this securitie if God spared not his sonne for vs will he spare vs that neither feare his wrath nor yet are moued by his loue if the greene tree were thus ordred shal the rotten tree stand nay the axe is euen at the roote therof to hewe it downe to be cast into the fire that brings not forth good frute For although Christ be made vnto vs of God our wisedome our righteousnesse oure holynesse and our redemption yet must we be wise as serpentes not be children in wit but walke wisely redeming the time he is our righteousnesse but we must bee righteous also for sayeth S. Iohn If yee know that he is righteous knowe ye that he whiche do the righteously is borne of him and therefore giue not youre membres weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto synne but of ryghteousnesse vnto GOD. Wee must put on the brestplate of righteousnesse and suffer for righteousnesse sake and then shall we be blessed Chryste is oure holynesse yet followeth it not we must therfore be vnholy but on the coÌ„trary Sancti critis quoniam ego sanctus sum You shall be holye bycause I am holy Non enim vocauit nos Deus ad immundiâ—…iem sed ad sanctificationem For God hath not called vs to vnholynesse but to holynesse Thys is the will of God euen your holynesse Hee is our redemption and hath redemed vs not from all kynde of seruice but from the seruice of sinne vt vltra non seruiamus peccato From the cnrse of the lawe Christus redemit nos à maledictione legis He tooke away the force from dearh and broughte lyfe to lyght He destroyed throughe death him that hadde the power of deathe that is the diuell and that he myght delyuer them whiche all their lyfe tyme were subiecte to bondage Hee gaue hymselfe for vs to delyuer vs from all vnrighteousnesse What shall wee saye then shall we continue styll in sinne that grace maye abounde God forbidde How shall we that are deade to sinne lyue yet therin c. Shall wee sinne by cause wee are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace God forbidde Naye wee are not so redeemed but styll remayne in bondage and debte to GOD hys chyldren and seruants hauing our frute in holinesse and the end euerlastyng lyfe Whiche lyfe wee shall haue by Christe yf we dye with Christe if wee forsake euyl and
labyrinthe that he is neuer able to winde him selfe out to sit downe and rest him in a quiet conscience and persuade him self that he is alredy iustified For how can he thus quiet himselfe seeking iustification by woorkes when hee heareth Chryste saye When yee haue doone all that yee can do ye are vnprofitable seruantes and he feelethe styll in hym selfe manye doubtes and mutche imperfection And therefore hee maketh a generall resolution that wee can neuer attayne to any certaintie whether wee bee iustified or no and so ought continually to hang in a doubt therof and that it suffyseth vs in the meane space to recomforte oure selues wyth a generall beleefe that some shall bee saued but whether wee shall be saued or no that we still stande in doubt of say the Papistes Thus blyndely myserablye and infinitely they runne from one errour to an other for Ex quolibet se quitur quodlibet Grannte one falshoode and a number will followe and all commeth of this that boasting of faith theyknow not what faith meanes And so contending with vs about faith they bewray them selues that they haue no faith but in stede of faith mayntein plain infidelitie That whiche Christe flatly reproueth O ye of litle faith in respect that they douted that do they allowe for good necessarie That which made Peter to sinke and crie for helpe they crake they swimme safely and holde vp themselues by the chinne therin This argueth sayeth Saincte Iames whom they allege for their diuels faith that they them selues haue no true faith in God nor shall obteine any thing at his hands For sayeth he Postulet in fide nihil haesitans qui enim haesitat similis est fluctui maris non enim existimet homo ille Quam accipiat aliquid à domino Let him aske of the lorde in faithe doubting nothing at all for he that doubteth is tossed of the winde and caried away like a waue of the sea Neither let that man thinke that he shall receaue any thing of the lorde For a wauering minded maÌ„ is vnstable in al his ways By this popish doctrine then we shall obteyn nothing at the handes of God least of all saluation which aboue all ther things we ought to pray for if we doubte of Gods promises therin wee shall neuer be partakers of it But the Papists defend we must continually doubt thereof let not those Papistes therefore thynke that they shall receyue any goodnes no not faith or any grace of god or wisdom wher of S. Iames did speake left of all that euer they shal be saued but euer be faithlesse gracelesse godlesse frutelesse hopelesse and all euen bicause they euer doubt in God and call in question the veritie of his promises whiche is playne to deface them and to make him a lier like them selues as saithe S. Iohn Qui non credit deo mendacem facit eum He that beleeueth not GOD maketh him a lier and so muche the greater lier do they make him as God hath bound him selfe by an othe and therfore saithe S. Paule VVhen God made promise to Abraham bicause he had no greter to svvere by he sware by him selfe c. So God vvilling more abundantly to shevv vnto the heyres of promise the stablensse of his councell bownd him self by an othe by two immutable things wherin it is impossible that God shold lye that we might haue strong consolation which haue our refuge to hold faste the hope that is set before vs which vve haue as an anker of the soule bothe sure and stedfast Ideo ex fide saithe S. Paule Therfore it is of faithe that it mighte come by grace and the promise might be sure to all the seede not to that only vvhich is of the lawe but also to that seede whiche is of the faithe of Abraham vvho is the father of all as it is written I haue made thee a father of many nations before God whome hee beleued who quickeneth the dead and calleth those things whiche be not as though they were whiche Abraham aboue hope beleeued in hope that he should be the father of many nations according to that which was spokeÌ„ euen so shal thy seed be as the starres of heauen and the sands of the sea and he fainted not in faith nor yet considered his owne body which was nowe dead being almoste an hundred yeares olde neyther yet that Sara was past chylde bearyng he staggered not at the promise of God thorough vnbeleefe but was strengthened in faith and gaue glorie to God being full assured that he whyche had promysed was able to do it and therfore it was imputed to him for righteousnes neuerthelesse it is not written for him onely that it was reckned to him for righteousnesse but also for vs to whom it shall be imputed for righteousnesse so that wee beleeue on him that raysed vp Iesus our Lorde from the dead who was deliuered to death for our sinnes and rose agayne for our iustification Thus S. Paule most pithyly expresseth the nature of true faith most contrary to the Papistes wauering doubt and their generall houeryng in the aire of an opinion knowing acknowledging suche a thing to be but true faith is a stedfast and confident application therof to our selues wherby we may be able to say vnto Christ with Thomas Dominus meus Deus meus My Lorde and my my God To say with Dauid Dominus salus mea quem timebo The Lorde is my saluation whome shall I bee afrayde of In te Domine speraui non confundar in aeternum In thee Lord haue I trusted I shall neuer bee confounded The Papistes call this a bolde presumption but God graunt vs to presume on this fashion as sayth S. Bernard Ego fidenter quòd ex me mihi deest vsurpo ex visceribus Domini quoniaÌ„ misericordia affluunt nec desunt foramina ê‘ quae effluaÌ„t That that I haue not of my selfe I will boldly vsurpe of the bowels of the Lord for bycause they flow in mercie neyther want they holes whereout they flow This boldnesse vsurpation is a good presumption It is a firme faith that shal stand like mount Sion and nor be moued It is buylt on the rock that no tempest 〈◊〉 ouerturâ—…e and not on the sands of mens workes that euery doubtefull waue shall tosse and shatter it no the gates of hell shall not preuayle against this faith Si ambulauero in medio vmbrae mortis If I walke in the middle of the shadowe of death I will not feare for thou art with mee sayth Dauid And therfore sayth S. Paule Iustificati ex fide pacem habeamus erga Deum Being iustified by faith let vs haue peace not doubt to Godwarde lette vs assure our selues of the loue and fauour of god Qui credit in filium habet testimoniuÌ„ in seipso He that beleueth in the sonne hath the witnesse in himselfe For when you beleued sayth