possest there also the possessour may be assured that with him he possesseth all those things also And yet these men no not their Bellarmine can abide any of these but it shall be inough with them him also to beleeue there is remission of sins accompanying baptisme to be had by him in him in the Church that there is such a mercy of God that is able to saue and that the righteousnesse of Christ may be as he is our head ours in such a sort that it may be the efficient cause of an inherent righteousnes in our selves able to earne heauen by but particularlie especially for vs to beleeue that we shall without all doubt haue all our sinnes forgiuen vs that we are sure of this mercie and haue this righteousnesse of his imputed vnto vs as our owne whereby we shall and may be righteous before God at no hand they can abide As though he that sticketh not to giue vs his sonne God and man to be our verie owne so that we are his and he ours would not or could not together with him giue vs these things also Yea how can he withold them giuing vs his sonne seeing these and he goe alway togither But to proceede This vniō is not carnall but spirituall this vnion of ours and cōmunion with Christ though it must be certain reall true in refpect of the things to be vnited yet in regard of the manner of vniting them we must not imagine it to be any grosse or earthly commixtion or cōiunction with him such as is with vs the mingling or ioyning togither of any creatures that in themselues are diuerse but that it is altogither in respect of the manner spirituall and supernaturall and yet neuerthelesse true and certaine though it be both vnsearchable and vnutterable For let a man fearch all the scriptures thorow and an other communion and fellowship with Christ whereupon saluation commeth then that which is spirituall he shall nether finde eyther promised expected or performed In deede it was both promised and thereupon expected and performed that Godhead and manhood shoulde be vnited togither in one person that so man who by sinne had lost his vnion communion and fellowship with God might recouer the same againe in and by that person and by that which he should accomplish in those two natures for him But as the personall vnion of these two natures in one Christ as by our Catholicke faith we are perswaded is reall certaine and sure so we finde it yet by humaine sense and reason incomprehensible and yet by the power of the eternall spirite by the same faith we are taught vndoubtedly to beleeue it was so verily effected for our euerlasting good A communicating of the merits of this Christ God and man vnto those that belezue in him by imputation there is we knowe For the righteousnes of God is on all and vpon all that beleene in him Rom. 3.22 which is a righteousnes that such attaine vnto by faith in him not made manifest by the lawe as the inherent righteousnesse of our owne merits if there were any such as men knowe is as both in that verse and that which goeth before is shewed But without the inhabitation of the spirit of God proceeding both from the Father and the Sonne the worke whereof faith is Iohn 6.29 Gal. 5.22 we cannot attaine heereunto Howbeit heere we talke not eyther of the vnion of the two natures in the person of one Christ nor yet of his communicating of his merits vnto vs by imputation nor of his dwelling in vs by his spirit but of his owne vniting and communicating of himselfe both God and man vnto vs. For consisting of those two natures heere in my text he biddeth vs to come vnto him and as I haue shewed to drinke of him which if once we duelie performe then we withal euen thereby are sure of all the benefits necessary to our saluation that by any of these we may looke for Now Paule when he spoke most plainely of this saying We are members of his body of his flesh of his bones Ephes 5.30 to assure vs that it is reall and essentiall yea and most certaine in respect of the thinges to be vnited Christ his members yet within two verses after he confesseth and saith that it is a great mystery that he speaketh of thereby also shewing that in respect of the manner of vniting of them it is supernaturall and vnsearchable by humaine sen̄se and reason howbeit this is our comfort that though we cannot conceiue it whiles we are heere and our knowledge is vnperfect that yet Christ our sauiour to our vnspeakeable consolation hath tolde vs that the day shall come when his shall knowe By the spirit it is obtained That he is to the father they in him and he in them Io. 14.20 In the meane time thus much it hath pleased him to reueale vnto vs by the worde that it is the holie Ghost the vertie spirit of God without which this cannot be and by the means whereof this vnion and communion is made betwixt Christ and vs. For it is written as vttered by Christ himselfe Io. 3.5 Except a man be borne againe of water and the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God And Paule most plainelie saieth Rom. 8.9 If any man haue not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his And likewise Saint Iohn 1. Epist cap. 4. vers 13. writeth that by this we knowe that Christ is in vs by his spirit that he hath giuen vs. Paule also to this purpose verie notablie saith by one spirite we are all baptized into one bodie and haue beene all made to drinke into one spirite 1. Cor. 12.13 And therefore vpon verie good ground hath the ancient father Irenaeus who liued in the next age to the Apostles in his third booke and 19. chapter against the heresies of the Valentinians and others written most sweetely and profoundlie Sicut de arido tritico massa vna fierinon potest neque vnus panis ita nec nos multi vnum fieri in Christo Iesu poteramus sine aqua qnae de coelo est sicut arida terra si non percipiat humorem non fruclificat sic nos lignum aridum existentes primùm nunquam fructificaremus vitam sine superna voluntaria pluuia that is As of drie wheate neyther one lumpe of dowe nor one loafe can be made so neyther we beeing many could euer haue beene made one in Christ Iesu without water from heauen and as the drie earth fructifieth not without moysture so we being first but dry wood could neuer haue had our fruit to be eternall life without voluntarie raine from aboue Which in the same place he interpreteth to be the spirit of God which God bestoweth vpon his Which Chrisosiom in his Homilie at Pentecost of the holy spirit calleth the coupling or band of the vnion betwixt Christ and his Further to
will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Iohn 1.12 13. And Christ hath most plainely said Iohn 3.5.6 Verely verely I say vnto thee except a man be borne of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God that which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit And yet more plainely to assure vs of the trueth of this point Paule in expresse words hath taught vs that faith is the fruite of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 Ordinarily the worde preached But yet we must not thinke though the Spirit can extraordinarily worke this faith without meanes immediately where when and in whom it listeth that yet notwithstanding ordinarily it doth it by the ministrie of the word and that preached For so Paule concludeth saying Rom. 10.17 Then faith is by hearing and hearing by the worde of God And therefore accordingly 1. Cor. 1.17 he writeth That seeing the world by wisedome knew not God in the wisedome of God it please him by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue those that beleeue And therefore also he notes it is an especial fruit and effect of Christes ascension Ephes 4.10.11 c. that he gaue and bestowed sundrie ministries there mentioned vpon his Church for the repairing of the Saintes for the worke of the ministrie and for the edification of the bodie of Christ Till we all meete togither in the vnitie of faith and the acknowledging of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ that we henceforth be no more children wauering and caried away with euerie winde of doctrine by the deceit of men and craftinesse whereby they lay in waite to deceiue Saint Peter also agreable heereunto in his first Epistle Cap. 1.22.23 c. noteth that our souls are purified in obeying the truth thorow the spirit being borre again not of mortall seed but of immortal by the word of God which after there he saith endureth for euer and is that which is preached amongst them Whereupon therefore in the next chapter he exhorteth them to lay aside all malitiousnes all guile dissunulation enuie and euill speaking and as new borne babes to desire the sincere milke of the worde that they may grow vp thereby if it be so they had tasted how bountifull the Lord was Vers 1.2.3 Whereunto we had as much neede to listâ—n as euer they had For these are the daies wherein we liue wherin that prophecie of Christ is fulfilled Mat. 34. touching the danger that should be by false prophets and teachers able if it were possible to seduce the verie elect Verse 24. and wherein he may behold multitudes for lacke of foode and faithfull preachers and teachers as sheepe hauing no sheepheard dispersed and scattered and therefor in respect wherof he may also say Surely the haruest is great but the labourers are few And by the administration of Sacraments I woulde to God therefore we coulde and woulde euerie one of vs according to his counsell there Praie the Lord of the haruest to thrust out labourers into his haruest Matth. 9.3.6 c. Besides the bare preaching of the worde as it is well knowne and confessed of all for the better both breading and nourishing of this our faith as an outward good meanes for the spirite to worke that effect in vs by our most gratious and louing GOD knowing howe slowe to beleeue we woulde bee hath left and giuen vnto vs visible and palpable Sacramentes thereby as it were to seale and more particularly to apply vnto vs all the good promises of saluation in Christ Iesus as namelie nowe baptisme and the supper of the Lorde to vs of the newe Testament The first whereof offereth vnto vs and sealeth the deliuerie to the right receiuer thereof of his regeneration teaching him to looke for it at the handes of God the Father through God the Sonne by the mightie working of the holie Ghost onelie in that onelie he is baptized in water in their names And the other is a Sacrament of his continuall nourishment to eternall life in and by the broken bodie and bloodeshed of Christ Iesus And therefore as to be a man it is necessarie but once to be borne but yet after often to bee sedde so is it most necessarie for those that woulde euer growe to bee perfect men in Christ Iesus but once to bee baptized but often to receiue the other Sacrament And it must be remembred alwaies that both these offer and set before vs one and selfe same Christ the one that he may by his blood wash vs cleane from our sinnes and regenerate vs that we may beginne to lead a newe and a holy life the other that by his body broken and his bloode shed for vs he may be both meate and drinke and sufficient spirituall foode and nourishment vnto our hungrie and thirstie soules but then withall we may vnderstand that the same Christe to the same endes is offered still vnto vs when his Gospell is preached vnto vs onely this is the difference as I said before that the worde offers and sets him before vs in generall and these in particuler and speciall manner leade vs vnto him And whereas the word to breede or nourish faith in vs stricketh onely the sense of our hearing these duely ministred doe not onely the better to prouoke and strengthen the same mooue and strike that but also our sight smelling tast and feeling And therefore as it was noted by Paule Heâ—â—â— 2. that the cause why the worde which the Iewes heard in the wildernesse profited them not because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it so is it most certaine that these shall not profit vs though outwardly we be partakers thereof neuâ—r so much if we haue not faith to pearse further than to the outward elementes and if it be a fault so to harden our heartes when the worde is but preached that we take not occasion thereby to beleeue it must needes be a farre greater fault if these added therunto we be still vnfaithfull And therefore as in respect of hearing of the word the Apostle said Heb. 3.5 So long as it is said to day harden not your heartes as in the prouocation for some when they heard prouoked him to anger so say I vnto you in respect of both much more To this ende neuer forget the examples of Simon Magus and of Iudas whereof though the one was baptized as we read he was Act. 8.18 and the other was with Christ at the institution of the other Sacrament as it appeareth Luke 22.21 yet as it appeares in both those chapters for that they neither of them had any sound or true faith they were neuer the better but the worse for that to their other sinnes they added in the receiuing of these the prophaning as much as lay in them of both thes If when the word is preached
desert or merit of man but onely the deserts and merits of his said sonne by faith through imputation made to the beleeuers therein the Apostle saith as he doth not onely that we are iustified by grace but also addeth freely not of our selues it is the gift of God not of workes least any man should boast himselfe How it is possible if God should haue studied of purpose to crosse and to preuent for euer all these popish gloses and trickes that he shoulde haue spoken more plainely or pregnantly to aduouch iustification freely and only by faith in Christ Iesus and not for the worthinesse or merit of any thing in our selues first or last And who be so simple that hath any thing had his spirit exercised in the word of God and knowledge of Christ Iesus as by any means to be brought to thinke that Christ comming to be the meritorious and satisfactorie cause of mans saluation as he did that yet so farre off is it that he hath gone quite thorowe with this worke in and by himselfe that in verie deede by the things accomplished in his owne person he hath enabled and dignified thinges to be founde in man and to be done and suffered him at the least to finish vp and perfect by the meritorious and satisfactorie cause of mans saluation For this were not onely to leaue the worke of mans iustification and saluation to be vnperfect for all that hath beene done by him in his owne person but also most vncertaine whether euer it shoulde be finished or no because if the matter be thus to be deuided betwixt Christ and mans owne selfe howsoeuer man might be sure that Christ hath done his part he coulde neuer be sure that he hath or shall hit in iust manner and measure of all that is left for him to doe to perfect the same Yea if this were thus that amongst otherendes that Christ had in his merits and sufferinges he had this thereby so to die our doings and sufferings therewith that they nowe shall be meritorious of and satisfactorie for our owne saluation though by thus saying they would seeme to attribute vnto Christs merits more then we doe in that we denie them this effect in deede and trueth in thus dealing they with Iudas giue him faire wordes saying vnto him haile maister when in secret cunninglie they most vnkindlie and wickedlie seeke to betraye him Heeretofore when they taught this doctrine of mans merits bluntly and flatly without this new colour of their so doing we iustly charged themselues to be the sacrilegious robbers of Christ of that chiefe and speciall honour that appertaines vnto him but now whiles they haue sought to auoyd to put frō themselues the grieuousnes of this charge by this their new deuise in steed of making Christ some restitution and amendes for the wrong they did him they nowe are flatly come to this obstinately to continue in the doing of him the same old wrong still but nowe they will no longer be the onely doers thereof them selues but he himselfe must bee if not the plaine and full principall yet at the least an open and notorious accessary and helper forward of them in this their robbing of him But whatsoeuer they say or doe herein let vs with the apostle beleeue that he is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them and hath an euerlasting priesthoode Heb. 7.24.25 For as we haue often heard before an other of them writeth his owne selfe bare our finnes in his body vpon the tree and so that thereby we are both deliuered from sinne and so healed thereof that thenceforth we shoulde liue in righteousnesse 1. Pet 1.2.4 And with all our heartes let vs shunne and detest all these their popish demses tending as we see all more or lesse to the robbing of Christ of this speciall honour to be a full and a perfect sauiour in That he is King Friest Prophet of and by him selfe To proceed therefore as thus in these two pointes particularly you haue heard howe the gospell sheweth you this to be his office so for the rest before mentioned if we looke into it it will teach vs that in this his office he is our Christ that is our annointed and appointed kinge priest and prophet in and for his Church King to rule gouerne and to protect it from all the enimies and dangers there of priest to redeeme it and to make full and perfect atonement and reconsiliation thorowe his eternall intercession betwixt God and it and prophet to teach and instruct it by his worde from time to time So that he hath of his Church a priestly kingdome which he hath purchased not with gold or siluer but with his owne preticus blood as Peter speaketh 1. epist 1.19 which he gouerneth and ordereth by the scepter of his worde and perfecteth by the powre of his spirit Of the title and right of his kingrick Paule Heb. 4.8 vnderstandeth that Psal 45.6 and 7. as spoken of Dauid thorow the spirit thy throne is for euer and euer the scepter of thy kingdome is a scepter of righteousnesse thou hast loued righteousnesse and hated iniquitie wherfore cuen God thy God hath annointed thee with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy fellowes And touching his priesthoode to proue him to be a farre more excellent priest then euer was any of the tribe of Leui. Cap. 7.12 he saith that he was made priest with an oath by him that said vnto him as it is written Psal 110.4 The Lord hath sworne and will not repente thou art a priest for euer according to the order of Melchizedech And lastly concerning his office of a prophet and teacher of his Church Mathew sheweth vs that when he was transfigured in the mount this voyce was heard from heauen vttered of him doubtlesse by his heauenlie father to establish him heerein This is my welbeloued sonne in whome I am well pleased heare him Cap. 17.5 And to teach vs that all doctors teachers must alwaies stoupe to him and learne that first of him which they teach others he saith be not called doctors for one is your doctor euen Christ Math. 23.10 thereby not forbidding the title but the abuse thereof which is when any dare take vpon them as doctors and teachers onely of trueth to vrge that for trueth vpon the Church or to Gods people which they cannot warrant so to be by the vndoubted voyce and word of Christ His kingdom is not of this world for so he himselfe told Pilate Iohn 18.36 and yet he is such a king as that he is king of kings and Lord of Lords Reue. 19.16 And as king he is lawgiuer vnto his people in whose power it is to saue and destroy Iam. 4.12 As king he gouerneth and guideth his Church both heere and in heauen as the head thereof Ephe. 1.22 As king he liberally bestoweth thereupon from time to time those rich
fruite in hir age as the tree planted in the house of God whereunto such are compared Psal 92.13.14 vseth to doe For to the vnspeakable comfort of all such the giftes and graces of the holy spirit vndoubtedly accompanying their right comming vnto Christ and beleeuing in him are heere resembled vnto riuers of waters of life not onely for that they come from the true fountaine of life and will leade and guide the owner therof therunto but also for that in such in whom they are once founde they will neuer eyther wholly or finally faile or drie vp As therefore such may be sure that the foundation of God remaineth sure The Lorde knoweth who are his 2. Tim. 2.19 so they may be by these fruites of the Spirit without hypocrifie founde in them most certaine that according to Saint Peters counsell they haue ioyned vertue to their faith and so consequently haue made their own election so sure vnto themselues which alwaies before was sure with God as that they shall neuer fall For this is the indissoluble chaine of God whereof one linke can neuer at all be seuered or sundred from an other after that but once the first two be coupled whom he knewe before and predestinated to be like to the image of his Sonne and so elected in him before the foundations of the world those he first calleth then iustifieth then sanctifieth and lastly glorifieth Rom. 8.29.30 Ephe. 1.4 Whom therfore indeed we finde once by these riuers of waters of life sanctified we may be out of doubt that thē God hath elected called and iustified and that also them he wil glorifie For this sanctifying spirit beareth witnes with their spirits that they are the children of God and so imboldneth them to cal vpon him saying Abba Father Rom. 8.15.16 and it is the holy Spirite of promise that sealeth them and is the earnest of their inheritance and redemption in Christ Iesus Ephe. 1.13.14 Though therefore such to their own sence and feeling and perhaps also in the conceit of others may haue not onely these graces of the Spirite more eclipsed at one time than at another yea may thinke that they are quite dried vp and vanished yet forasmuch as whom God once loues as doubtlesse he doth all them whom once truely he doth thus qualifie he loues to the end Iohn 13.1 let all such be most firmelie resolued that this is but the better to humble them and to prouoke them when they finde these graces reuiued in them againe to worke out their owne saluation with the more trembling and feare because he that hath begunne this good work in them will neuer giue it ouer vntill he haue brought it to perfection and he it is that will worke in them both the will and the deede of his good pleasure Phil. 1.6 2.12.13 For such haue the infallible markes of Christes elect and chosen sheepe whereof he himselfe most plainelie teacheth that it is impossible that any shoulde eyther take them out of his handes or that any of them should finallie perish Matth. 24.24 and Iohn 10.28 The reason is that they are kept by the power of God through faith to saluation 1. Peter 1.5 Indeede meete it is and verie needefull that such that once haue attained to the graces giftes of the Spirit to be as riuers of waters of life in them that they should doe what they may possiblie to nourish and increase the same and they are to knowe that if they doe fayle in doing of their duetie in this behalfe that they are worthilie caused to see and feele to the greate griefe of their soules the decaye thereof yea that they haue done as much as lies in them vtterly to lease them and to prouoke GOD to be their enemie and therefore they are most earnestlie to repente their negligence and carelesnesse in this pointe But yet the force of this Metaphore these places and a number moe in the Scriptures that are as pregnant to this purpose most plainely showe that when thus it falles out with such that yet in the goodnesse of GOD towardes them this their sence feeling and the iudgement of others prooue no stronglier that these giftes of the Spirite are quite gone in them indeede than the eclipsing or hiding away of the sunne from our eies by foggie mistes or cloudes at noone daies the raking vp of the fire when there is store thereof in the ashes the not stirring of a liue and strong childe in the mothers wombe at all times a like or the not appearing of leaues and fruite vpon quicke trees in an orcharde in the deepe of winter proue that there is no Sunne in the firmament no fyre on the harth no childe in the wombe or that then there is no sappe in the roote of the trees As therefore when neyther the moone fogges nor cloudes are betwixt vs and the Sunne it will appeare and shine againe as when the ashes are remoued and the coles hid thereunder are blowne againe therof may growe as greate a fire as euer before as when the childe stirreth againe though it haue life without motion a greate while before the mother conceiueth as certaine hope that she is with childe as euer before and as when the spring time commeth there will be both leaues and fruite vpon the trees in the orchard that seemed deade before in the winter so is it in this case when GOD shall remooue the lettes and causes as most certainelie he will aswell in this as in these other we see naturallie and commonlie they are then the brightnesse heat motion and liuelinesse of his Spirite shall and will in his appeare againe But then the better and the more easilie that they may finde this to be thus lastly I woulde haue all such to remember that it is not inough that to their owne sence and in their owne conceites they haue these giftes of the Spirit as riuers of waters of life but that if they be such indeede as heere are promised and therfore are performed to all that come vnto Christ and beleeue in him that they must flowe out of their bellies Where by their bellies we are to vnderstand as Augustine hath well noted in his 32. tract vpon Iohn the bellie of the inner man which as he there telles vs is the cōscience of the heart And as there also he saith this flowing of riuers of water out of the bellie of the inner man Beneuolentia eius est qua vult consulere proximo si enim putet quia quod bibit soli ipsi debet sufficere non fluit aqua viua de ventre eius si autem proximo festinet consulere ideo non siccat quia manat that is Is his bountifulnesse wherewith he will prouide for the good of his neighbour for if he thinke that that which hee hath drunke must but serue himselfe the water of life flowes not out of his bellie but if he make hast to doe good to his neighbour it drieth
that the same scriptures put a manifest difference betwixt this righteousnesse of the law that lies in doing and that which we haue to make vs righteous by by saith in Christ Iesus Rom. 10.5 c. and Gal. 3.12 And yet euen their great Doctor Bellarmine neither is nor will be ashamed of any of this their doctrine of faith and in this last point though he be enforced to graunt that we are first iustified freely without workes in Christ Iesus and that heauen also is Gods childrens by adoption and inheritance yet the formall cause of our iustification must be with him the infused habite of charitie and good workes after done must make vs to haue a second right vnto the kingdome of heauen and so to further degrees of glory there by the way of wages and iust debt Though for all this when he hath done his best for the maintenance of this second title and right thereunto he dare not teach any with any special assurance confidence that cannot deceiue them to trust thereunto Nay these things thus being most certainly held and taught by thē touching the nature of faith quite contrary to the scriptures I can neuer maruaile that by their faith there is bred no certainner hope or confidence in them of Gods mercie or of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes or of anie thing else that appertaines to saluation then as when they are at the best may finally deceiue them and in the meane time with much feare and doubting of their estate trouble them yea I rather wonder that in the iust iudgement of God they are not in continuall horrour and terrour of conscience and as it were compassed about euery houre with the verie tormentes of hell for that they will not be brought to seeke to come to the father onely by him but by whom as he himselfe hath taught vs none can euer come vnto him Io. 14.6 For whiles thus they pleade and stand vpon a wrong title and would also beare men in hand that a speciall ende and vse of Christes comming was not to procure them sufficient title and right to the kingdome of heauen in and by himselfe and thinges done and suffered by and in his owne person but to inable them by these meanes to make themselues to haue a second a better further title thereunto they are most worthy to loose al the comfort that they might haue if they would stand to the right and onely good title by and for Iesus Christes sake alone And doubtlesse as I haue shewed before if they repent not they will one day all the packe of them finde though too late that Paule hath pronounced sentence of them in the like case of the Galathians Cap. 5.4 saying Yee are abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the lawe yee are falne from grace God of his mercie therefore if it be his holy will open their eies in time that they may repent of all these their most dangerous errours and come with vs once to be content to beleeue in Christ Iesus as the Scriptures indeede teach vs. In the meane time let this that I haue said be a sufficient warning to vs as the adopted sonnes of God thorow faith in Christ Ioh. 1.12 to looke for heauen as an inheritance prepared for vs by our heauenly father before the foundations of the world were made Matt. 25.34 and now reserued for vs which are kept by the power of God thorow faith vnto saluation Pet. 1.4 5. that so heauen may be to vs as it is said to be indeed the free gift of God Rom. 6.23 through Iesus Christ our Lord. And let vs let thes hireling and mercenarie minded men alone that disdaine to haue heauen of Gods free almes and therefore will haue it eyther by their owne earninge and deseruing of it or else they will goe without it which they are most like to doe bicause they will haue it otherwise then God himselfe the owner therof hath couenanted and appointed that euer anie shall come by it I know they haue their colours and sophistical deuises to giue yet such a glosse and faire shewe to this their dealing as though for all this all were very well of their sides but all they can gaine therby is this that so much the more they proue their religion to be aptlie and worthily tearmed by the Apostle the mistrie of iniquitie 2. Thess 2.7 and that the proud and pompeous whore of Babylon shoulde haue that worde Mysterie set for her very brand and marke in her forehead and that she should yet carie al her abhominations and fornications wherewith she shoulde make the inhabitantes of the world drunken in a golden cup the sooner to entise them to drinke deepely thereof For indeede and trueth as I haue shewed before and elsewhere they can stand them in no better steede eyther before God or before any that are wise than Adam and Eues fig leaues did them to hide their nakednes from the eies of God For how can they be so sillie and simple as to imagine indeede that in this great light any can wil be so foolish as hearing what they doe so plainelie and plentifully set downe euerie where in the doctrine of the gospell that Christ went thorow effectually in his owne person with the worke of our redemption and saluation as once to be drawne by their sophisticall perswasions that yet what he hath done serueth especially but to merit that chantie first should be bestowed vpon vs and then that thereunto to our good workes proceeding therefrom should be conuaied from his merits a dignitie and power first formally to iustifie vs by the one which we could not bee by the application of him and his merites vnto vs thorow faith and then after to earne and merite more surelie for vs by the other the kingdom of heauen then he had done For they may prate and brag that whiles they thus say and teach they attribute more to the merits of Christ than we doe that both for our iustification and saluation trust onelie thereunto but euerie man for all that vnder these fayre wordes may plainely see that in verie deede they heereby most grosselie woulde make him as I saide before the verie principall in the robbing of himselfe of that speciall honor that is his to be a full and a perfect Sauiour in and by himselfe This faith is wrought by the spirite But inoug his said of this point Howbeit this further touching this faith whereby we eate and drinke Christ and make him our owne welbeloued I would haue you to vnderstand that it is not to be attained vnto by any power or strength of flesh and blood but it is the speciall worke and fruite of the Spirit of God For immediately after Iohn had tolde vs that they that beleeue in Christ at they that receiue him whereby they are made the sonnes of God he saith that such are borne not of bloode nor of the