23 By this inbred corruption our vnderstanding is so darkened that naturally we cannot perceiue the things which are of God no we count them foolishnesse our will is in such thraldome and slauerie vnto sinne that it cannot like of any thing spirituall and heauenly but is wholly caried vnto fleshly desires 24 If therefore we perceiue the things that are of God and doe like of them if our hearts be enclined to doe his will because this cannot come of our selues our nature bending a cleane contrarie way we acknowledge most willingly and vnfeinedly The good we doe is his it is not ours our beginning to doe and our continuance in dooing well proceedeth onely and wholly from him If any man receiue the grace of God offered it is because God hath framed his heart thereto If any man come when God calleth it is because his grace which calleth draweth If being brought vnto Christ we continue in him we haue no other reason to yeeld of our dooing but onely this he hath linked vs and fastened vs vnto himselfe We neither rise when we are fallen nor stand when we are risen by our owne strength When we are in distresse we are of our selues so far from abilitie to helpe our selues that we are not able to craue helpe of him vnlesse his spirite wrest out Abba Father from vs. We cannot mone our owne case vnlesse he doe grone and sigh for vs we are not able to name Iesus vnlesse by the speciall grace of his spirite our mouthes be opened no we cannot of our selues so much as think of naming him if to thinke of naming him be a good thought 25 When against our naturall inclination to euill his spirite which worketh all in all hath so preuailed that wee now beginne to hate the workes of the flesh hauing an earnest desire to abounde in loue ioie peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meekenesse temperaunce and all other fruites of the spirite yet by reason of the strength of that bodie of sinne which euer fighteth against the spirite our inward man is so weakened that we cannot do the things which we would and the things which we do euen the best of them are so farre beneath that perfection which the Lawe of God requireth that if he should rigorously examine them in iustice no fleshe could euer be accounted righteous in his sight The loathsomest things that can be imagined the cloathes that be most vncleane are not so foule as our very righteousnes is vnrighteous Wherupon we conclude that whatsoeuer wee receiue by way of reward at Gods hand either in this life or in the life to come wee receiue it as a thing freely giuen by him without any merite or desert of ours we doe not say in our hearts The Lord hath giuen vs these good things to possesse for our righteousnesse For seeing it is he which giueth both to will and to doe he crowneth in deede his owne worke when he rewardeth ours and he neuer rewardeth any worke of his owne wherein there is not somwhat of ours which he pardoneth 26 Thus being naked and vtterly destitute in our selues we seeke all things in Christ Iesus Him onely we acknowledge to be our wisedome our iustification our sanctification our redemption our priest our sacrifice our king our head our mediator our phisition our waie our trueth our life In our selues we finde nothing but pouertie and weakenesse praise and honour and glorie wee giue to him The onely marke we ayme at is to set vp his throne to aduaunce his kingdome to make it knowne that in him the Father hath layde vp all the treasures of heauen to the ende that vnto him the thirstie may repaire for water the hungrie for bread the naked for cloathes and wee all for all things needeful to the safetie of our soules and bodies 27 This is not the scope which the Church of Rome proposeth They direct all things to an other end How can ye beleeue saith Christ to the Iewes which receiue honour one of an other and seeke not that honour which commeth of God alone And howe can the faith of the Church of Rome be sound sith they hold such doctrines as tend wholly to their owne glorie their owne gaine and not to the praise and honour of God 28 That they seeke not his glorie but their owne it may appeare vnto any man which throughly considereth of their doctrine First they will not acknowledge that pouertie and nakednesse those filthie garments of corruption and sinne wherein Adam hath wrapped his posteritie But in the pride of their hearts they dissemble it diminish it and make light of it For although they denie not but that mans nature is corrupted yet marke how they paire and lessen this corruption The Prophet Dauid doeth terme it wickednesse and sinne but they make it onely an inclination vnto sinning The Lorde himselfe doeth witnesse that by it all the imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart are only euill they restraine it to the inferior part of the soule and make it onely a mother of some grosser desires The blessed Apostle prayed groned and wept against it as a thing which made him altogeher wearie of his life But after Baptisme they make no more account of those inward rebellious motions against the spirite than they doe of the beating of a mans pulse 29 And as they hide that weakenesse which indeede they haue so they boast of that strength which is not in them For being subiect vnto miserable bondage vnder sinne by reason of that corruption which hath spred it selfe ouer all flesh they bragge notwithstanding of the freedome of their wil as if sinne had not vtterly bereaued vs thereof but stil it were in vs to frame and fashion our owne hearts vnto good things For proofe whereof their maner is to make long discourses teaching that Gods foreknowledge doth not take away free will that men are not violently drawen to good or euill Which things we easily and willingly graunt neither doe we teache or euer did that the freedome of our wil is taken away by the eternall decree of his vnsearchable purpose but this we say and all that haue the trueth doe say the same that the will of man being free vnto naturall and ciuill actions hath of it selfe no freedome to desire things heauenly and spirituall not because the eternall purpose of God but because the corruption of our nature hath addicted vs only vnto euill We doe not teache or euer did that any man is the seruaunt either of sinne or of righteousnesie by constraint For whether we obey the one vnto death and condemnation or vnto life and saluation the other our obedience is alwayes voluntarie it is not wrested from vs against our wils But the question being how we are made willing vnto that which is good this is the difference betweene our aunswere and theirs We say onely by the grace of God
they say partly by grace but principally by the power and strength of their owne nature For being ashamed to affirme with Pelagius that a man may doe the workes of righteousnesse by nature without the grace of God they hold his grace to be a thing indeede necessarie But howe As a birde that is tyed or a man that is in fetters needeth onely to haue those incumberances remooued hauing then a naturall abilitie to flie and walke without any further helpe so man as they say hath in himselfe abilitie to doe good if the grace of God doe but remooue lets Is not this to make nature the principal cause of our well dooing whereas in trueth without the speciall motion of Gods spirite and that in euerie particular action wee are no more able to walke in the waies which GOD hath commaunded than a drunken man to goe without leading who staggereth euen in the plainest ground though all stumbling blockes be remooued though his waie lie neuer so smooth before him such is our weakenesse In consideration whereof the blessed Apostle sayth plainely It is not in him that willeth or in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie We dragge and are not able of our selues to set one foote before an other Drawe me saith the spouse in the Canticles and then we will runne after thee But these men litle considering of what fraile metall they are made perceiuing not how sinne hath weakened the faculties of the soule vaunt of freedome of strength of inward power and make their owne will the chiefest cause of their wel dooing 30 And when they haue doone any thing which to their seeming is wel doone they prise it so high and esteeme so much of it that God as they thinke should doe them iniurie if in iudgement he did not pronounce them iust and righteous for their workes sake If it were possible that God entering into iudgement should finde any so vpright and perfect that by their workes they might be iustified in his sight doubtlesse he should finde his owne seruaunts to be such or else none if any of his seruaunts surely his Prophets if any Prophet rather Dauid than any other But Dauid crieth out Enter not into iudgement no not with thy Seruaunt O Lord. For in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified For whether we consider workes forbidden or commaunded by the Lawe what man is there liuing which can say in the one My heart is pure in the other I haue doone all that is enioyned me For if it were so that we knewe nothing wherein we had transgressed the lawes and statutes of the almightie yet herein could we in no wise be iustified because of secret sinnes hidden euen from our owne selues For which if God shal call vs to our reckoning and marke straitely what is doone amisse O Lord saith the Prophet who shall stand Againe if we had doone whatsoeuer wee could yet because we cannot doe so much as we should we ought to acknowledge our selues vnprofitable whereas we euen the best of vs are farre from dooing that which if we would we might doe 31 Nowe if God notwithstanding for his sonnes sake doe so allowe and accept the worke of our hands that he bountifully rewardeth our weake seruice with an excellent and an eternall waight of glorie how much are wee bound both to praise his mercie and to hate the insolencie of those men who besides al this swelling in the proude conceit of their workes will haue eternall life which is his gift to be their merite nor onely that but the worthinesse of their deserts to be so great that many of them dooing God more seruice than can bee sufficiently rewarded in their owne persons deserue heauen not onely for themselues but for others too These shipwracks of faith they haue made by reason of their inward pride 32 The excessiue desire of outward pompe hath furthermore caused them to disdaine the basenesse of Christ Iesus and of his Apostles to bee ashamed of the meane and lowe estate wherein they liued to make of their Deacons and Priests Cardinals exceeding the kings of the earth in glorie of their Bishop a Monarke vnder whose foote the Emperour himselfe hath beene a footestoole whose stirrop the greatest Soueraignes haue scarse beene deemed worthie to holde at whose bridle kings haue attended as seruaunts that the wordes of the Preacher might bee iustified Follie is set in great excellencie and the riche set in the lowe place I haue seene seruaunts on horses and Princes walking as seruants on the ground 33 This pompe cannot bee maintained with nothing it must haue strong sinnewes And therefore whatsoeuer mans wit might possibly deuise for gaine they haue both founde it out and put it in vre setting Offices Masses Prayers Pardons Sacramentes Heauen and Earth all the treasures of the house of GOD to sale if wee may terme it the house of God which they haue made a shoppe of so vile merchaundise It were infinite to recite what huge summes of money they haue heretofore by religious pretenses euerie yeere gathered within the compasse of this one Ilande What heapes then haue they raked out of other partes of Christendome Which offals and profites if once men beginne as here so in other kingdomes also to withholde from them if men leaue off buying their wares any more if things which are fatte and excellent depart doubtlesse that citie which nowe is cloathed in fine linnen and purple and skarlet which nowe is guilded with golde and decked with pretious stones and pearles shall in one houre be made desolate This they know and it maketh them carefull to maintaine whatsoeuer is commodious and gainefull to them As for the glorie of GOD it is the least part of their care nay they care not howe heynous sacrilege they commit in spoyling and robbing him of his honour 34 It is an honour vnto God when all men by faith point their fingers as it were at Christ Iesus naming him the onelie Lambe which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde when he is acknowledged the onely mediatour betweene God and vs when wee confesse that hee is that Priest according to the order of Melchisedech which hauing offered one sacrifice for sinnes hath therewith because it was a perfect sacrifice consecrated for euer them that are sanctified when our faith is so ascertained and grounded vppon his promises that we can bee bolde as Lyons assuring our selues that the eye of the Lorde is on them which trust in his mercie to deliuer their soules from death as the Prophet witnesseth But how doe they giue vnto him this honour who haue deuised so many waies to take away sinne besides the bloud of the Lambe of GOD who as though wee might not be bolde to enter into the holie place by the newe and liuely way which hee hath prepared for vs through the vaile which is his fleshe or as
it will one day appeare Our conuersion will be called vnto an hard account In that day wee must stande before the tribunall seate of God and render a reckoning yea and receiue as we haue wrought in our bodies good or badde The iudge is euen at hande Veniens veniet He will come surely without fayle and without staie He standeth before the doore This is the last houre the trumpe is in a readinesse to bee blowne to iudgement 2 For sayeth Peter the ende of all thinges hangeth ouer vs. In which wordes the Apostle doth both comfort vs and exhort vs. Such as are afflicted oppressed with wrong burdened with pouertie vexed with sickenesse slaundered persecuted or hated of the worlde heere they may receiue comfort Your miserie shall be but momentanie and short your ioy shall be great and endlesse Lift vp your heades for your redemption draweth neare The ende of your affliction together with the end of all thinges is at hande Againe vpon these wordes a most necessarie exhortation is inferred Christ is comming in the cloudes all fleshe shall rise and recken he onely that hath his lampe burning shall enter in with the bridegrome as wee are founde so shall wee be taken and iudged The ende is at hande bee sober therefore and watch vnto prayer 3 Whereas the holy scriptures doe make often mention of a double ende the one wherein wee are to yeelde vp our mortall liues the other wherein Christ at his seconde comming shall finish the course of all this sinnefull worlde the Apostle treating in this place of the later I shall at this present followe his foote-steppes and speake of Christ his seconde comming to put an ende to all thinges For they which say Where is the promise of his comming deceaue themselues Hee hath set a day wherein he will iudge the worlde in iustice hee is appointed iudge of quicke and dead The Angell of God beareth witnesse of his comming This Iesus which is taken vp into heauen shall so come as ye haue seene him goe And S. Iohn as if he beheld and sawe him comming sayth Beholde he comâ—eth with cloudes and euerie eye shall see him 4 But as his comming is most certaine so the houre day moneth yeare or time is most vncertaine It is not for you to knowe the seasons and precise pointes of times which the father hath appointed in his owne power Of that day and houre no man knoweth No not the verie Angels of heauen but my father onely The day of the Lorde will come stealing vpon vs as a theefe in the night 5 Nowe as we knowe not the day and time so let vs be assured that this comming of the Lorde is neere He is not slacke as we doe count slackenesse That it is at hande it may be probably gathered out of the Scriptures in diuerse places The signes mentioned by Christ in the Gospel which should be the foreshewers of this terrible day are almost alreadie all fulfilled The prophecies of Daniell of the foure Monarchies of the little horne and of the times weekes and dayes are manifestlie come to passe The defections or fallinges away which are spoken of in holie scriptures are also in great part accomplished The prouinces the tenne kingdomes are fallen from the Romaine Empire and that wicked one hath wrought the misterie of iniquitie Againe there hath beene in a manner a generall falling from the Catholike faith as the Apostle long before foretolde vs some vnto Mahomet some vnto Antichrist his brother Euen about one time Mahomet appeared and the Pope swarued from the true faith of Christ the one renouncing him in name the other in deede the one quite blotting out the mention of Christ and denying at all to professe him in woorde The other keeping his name but robbing him of his office and shutting him out of his right place both falling from the faith That defection also is come vpon vs which Saint Paul did prophecie of In the latter times men shall fall from the faith giuing eare to deceiuing spirites and doctrines of diuelles And Saint Peter There shall come in the last dayes mockers that walke after their owne lustes and say where is the promise of his comming Thus heretiques and Atheistes haue fallen from Christ and Christian faith We that professe Christ and his Gospell are also charged with a defection a schisme and a falling away But in euerie Apostasie two thinges must be considered from whom and to whome this sliding is We gladly graunt that we are fallen away from the Bishoppe of Rome who long agoe fell from Christ wee doe vtterly abandon his vsurped and proude authoritie we haue happely forsaken that Synagogue of Satan that den of theeues that polluted Church that simoniacall temple and we ioyfully confesse that we haue no societie or fellowship with his darknes In our sermons we preach Christ and none els but him we knowe nothing we teach nothing we beleeue nothing but Christ and him crucified In our Sacraments we shewe foorth the Lordes death in no other sort then he himselfe hath done and commaunded vs to doe In our liues we woorship the Lord alone and in yeelding vp our soules we flie for mercie onely to the merites of Christ Iesus our mercifull sauiour This is our Apostasie We haue forsaken him that hath forsaken God and whom God hath forsaken we haue left that man of sinne that rosecolored harlot with whom the kinges of the earth haue committed fornication that triple crowned beast that doublesworded Tyrant that theefe and murderer who hath robbed so many soules of saluation and sucked so much innocent bloud of Christian martyrs that aduersarie vnto Christ that pretensed vicar who hath displaced the person not onely taking vpon him Christes roome and office but also boasting himselfe as if he were a God being content of his parasites so to be called This wicked man of sinne is at length reuealed by the sincere preaching of the Gospell Daniell in his prophesies Paule in his Epistles and Iohn in his Reuelations haue most liuely described pointed him foorth euen as it were with the finger Yea through his pride and ambition his vsurping authoritie and worldly rule his tyrannie and persecuting of Christ in his members hee hath sufficiently reuealed and detected him selfe if none had doone it for him 6 This wicked man the Lorde shall destroye with the breath of his mouth and then shall be the ende The blast of Gods trumpe hath made him alreadie stagger he hath caught such a crampe that hee beginneth nowe to halt his long and farre reaching arme is marueilously shortned his cofers are waxen leaner his falshoode is espied many princes refuse to tast any more of his poysoned cuppe he is fallen from beeing the head and come almost to be the taile he was too cruell and too violent to continue There is no counsell nor power