But it concerneth the true Christians who though they fight manfully agaynst the fleshe the worlde and the diuill doe notwithstanding fall darly and are constreyned to say Lord forgiue vs our offeÌ„ces Theis are they to whom we speake to comfort them and to hold them vp that they fall not into despayre as though the blud of christ washed vs not from all sin and that he were not our aduocate and the attonementmaker for his members And therfore when we be prouoked to dowt of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes that our own conscience beginneth to trubble vs Then must we furnish our selues with trew fayth and out of hand haue recourse to y preciowse blud of Iesus Christ shed for vs vppon the alter of the Crosse and distributed to his Apostles at his last supper vnder the veyle of a most holie Sacrament which was ordeyned by Christ to the end y we should celebrate the remembrance of his death that by the same visible Sacrament our trubbled consciences myght be assured of our attonement with god The blissed Iesus christ made his last wil when he said This is my bodie which is giuen for yow and this is my blud of the new Testament which is shed for manie to the forgiuenes of their sinnes We knowe that a Testament sayeth Sainct Paule although it be but a mans Testament yet neuertheles if it be allowed no man despyzeth it or addeth anie thing to it and that no testament is of force till the testator be dead but hathe full poure after the parties decease Then did Iesus Christ make his Testament wherin he promisethe forgiuenesse of sinnes and the grace and good fauour of himselfe and his father togither with mercie and euerlasting lyfe And to the intent that the sayd Testamente should be of full force he hathe confirmed it with his owne preciowse blud and with his owne death By reason wherof sainct Paule sayeth that Iesus Christe is the mediator of the new TestameÌ„t that by his dying for the redemption of those transgressions which were in the former testament they that are called might receyue the promis of the eternall inheritance For whersoeuer is a Testament there must also be the death of the Testator for the Testament is confirmed by the deathe of the partie insomuch as it is of no valu so long as the maker of it is aliue Wherfore we be verye certein and assured by the death of Iesus Christ that his Testament is auaylable wherby all our misdéeds are pardoned and we made heyres of eternall life And for a token and faythful pledge hereof in sted of a Seale he hathe left vs this diuine Sacrament which not onely giueth our sowles assured hope of their euerlasting Saluation but also warrantâ—th vnto vs the immortalitie of our flesh forasmuch as it is euen now quickned by that immortall flesh of his and in a certein maner becoÌ„meth parttaker of the immortalitie therof and he that is parttaker of that diuine flesh by faith shall not perish for euer But vnto him that receyueth it withowt the sayd fayth it turneth to a daungerouse poyson becawse that like as when bodily sustenance fyndeth the stomacke incumbred with euill humors it corrupteth likewyse and woorketh greate anoyance euen so if this spirituall féede lyght into a sinfull sowle that is full of malice and misbelef it casteth it headlong into some greater ruine not through it owne default but bycause that to the vncleane and vnbeleuer al things are vncleane notwithstanding that the things be sanctified by the Lordes blissing For as sayeth Sainct Paule he that eateth of that bread and drinketh of that cup vnworthely is giltie of the bodie and blud of the Lord and he eateth and drinketh his owne damnation bycause he maketh no difference of the Lordes bodie For he maketh no difference of the Lords bodie which presumeth to the Lords supper without fayth charitie And forasmuch as he beleueth not that bodie to be his lyfe and the clenzer of al his sinnes he maketh Iesus Christe a lyer and treadeth the sonne of God vnder foote estemeth the blud of the Testament wherby he was faÌ„ctified but as a comon or worldly thing doeth greate wrong to the spirit of grace and he shal be punished verye sore at Gods hand for this his vnbéelef and wicked hipocrisie For wheras he reposeth not y trust of his iustificatioÌ„ in the passioÌ„ of our lord sauiour Iesus christ yit neuerthelesse he receyueth this moste holie Sacrament maketh protestation that he putteth not his trust in anie other thing Wherby he accuseth himself and is a witnesse of his owne iniquitie and condemneth himself to euerlasting death by refuzing the lyfe which god promiseth him in that holie SacrameÌ„t And in this poynt when the Christian féeleth that his enemies are lyke to ouercome him the is to wit when he beginneth to dout whether he haue receiued forgiuenes of his sinns by Iesus Christ that he shal not be able to withstand the diuel and his teÌ„ptatioÌ„s that the accusation of his owne dowtfull conscience comes to presse him so as he beginneth to feare least helfyre shold swallow him vp and death hold him in his euerlasting bands by reason of Gods wrath I saye when the good christian féeleth himself in such agonie Let him get him to this holie Sacrament with a good hart and stowt courage and receiue it deuoutly saying in his hart and answering his enemies thus I coÌ„fesse I haue deserued a thousand hells euerlasting death by reason of the great sinnes which I haue committed But this heauenly sacrament which I receyue at this present assureth me of the forguiuenes of all my misdoings of myne attonement with god For if I haue an eye to my works ther is no dowt but I acknowledge my self a sinner and condemne myne owne selfe in suche wise as my conscience should neuer be quiet if I should think that my sinnes are pardoned me for my workes sake But when I looke to the promises and couenantes of God who promiseth me forgiuenes of my sinnes by the blud of Iesus Christ I am as sure that I haue obteyned it and that I haue his fauour as I am sure that he which hath made the promises and couenants cannot lye nor deceiue and through this stedfast fayth I become ryghtuouse by Christes rightuousenes wher through I am saued and my conscience quieted Hath he not giuen his most innocent bodie into the handes of sinners for our sinnes Hath he not shed his blud to wash away my iniquities Why theÌ„ doost thou vex thy self O my soule put thy trust in the Lord who beareth thée so great loue that to deliuer thée from eternal death it hath pleased him that his only sonne should suffer death and passion who hath taken vppon himselfe our pouertie to giue vs his riches layd our weakenesse vppon himself to stablish vs in
that the iustification by fayth was sufficient of it selfe but went about stil to be made rightuous by the law Unto whom S. Paule saieth Iesus Christe shall nothing profyt you that iustifie your selues by the Lawe for you be falne from grace bicause that we thorough the spirit of fayth wayte for the hope of rightuousnesse Now if the séeking of rightuousnesse forgiuenes of sinnes by the kéeping of the lawe which God gaue vppon mount Sinai with so great glorie and maiestie be the denying of Christ and of his grace what shal we say to those that will néedes iustifie themselues afore God by their owne lawes and obseruaÌ„ces I would wish that such folkes should a little compare the one with the other and afterward giue iudgment themselues God myndeth not to doe that honour nor to giue that glorie to his owne lawe and yit they will haue him to giue it to mennes lawes ordinances But that honour is giuen onely to his onely begotten sonne who alone by y sacrifice of his death and passion hath made full amends for all our sinnes past present and to come as sainct Paule and sainct Iohn declare Wherfore as ofteÌ„ as we apply this satisfactioÌ„ of Iesus Christs vnto our soules by fayth out of all dout we obteyne forgiuenes of our sinnes and become good rightuouse before God through his ryghtuousnes And therefore after that sainct Paule hathe said that as touching the ryghtuousenes of y lawe he had liued vnblameable he addeth yit whatsoeuer I haue gayned by it I haue accounted it in al respects to be but losse for the loue of christ And specially I esteme al things to be losse for the excelleÌ„t knowledge of Iesus Christ my Lord for whome I haue counted all thinges to be losse déeme them but as dung so I may win Christ bée fouÌ„d in him not hauing myne owne rightuousenesse which is of the lawe but the righteousnesse which is by the fayth of Iesus Christ which rightuousnes is giuen of god I mene the rightuousnes of faith that I may come to the knowledge of Iesus Christ. O most notable wordes which all Christians ought to haue ingrauen in their hartes praying God to make them to tast it perfectly Lo how S. Paule sheweth plainly that whosoeuer knoweth Christ aright estéemeth all the works of the law to bée hurtful for so much as they make vs to swarue from our trust in Iesus Christ to whom euery man ought to impute his saluation to trust only vnto him alone And to inforce this sentence the more he addeth further that he estéemeth all things but as dung so he may gayne Christ and be fouÌ„d incorporated in him declaring thereby that whosoeuer trusteth in his own workes and pretendeth to iustifie him selfe by them getteth not Iesus Christ nother is ingreffed into him â–ª And forasmuch as the whole mistery of our faith consisteth in the truth hereof â—o the end we might the better vnderstand what he ment to say he addeth and repeteth oftentimes y he had nothing to doo with al the outward iustification al the rightuousnes that is grouÌ„ded vppon the keping of the law but that he wold cloth him selfe with y rightuousnes which God giueth by faith to al theÌ„ y beleue that all our sinnes are fully chastized punished in Iesus Christ that Iesus Christ as S. Paule saieth is made our wisdome rightuousnes holines redemption to the end as it is written y he which will glorie should glorie in the lord not in his own workes Uery true it is that in the holy scriptures ther are some texts to be found which being misvnderstode séeme to gaynsay this holy doctrine of S. Paules to attribute iustification remission of sinnes vnto works to charitie But those authorities haue alredy bin wel expounded by somme who haue shewed playnly y such as haue vnderstode theÌ„ in the sence aforesaid vnderstode them not aright Wherfore my déerebeloued brethren let vs not folow the fond opinion of y bewitched GalathiaÌ„s but rather let vs folow y truth which s. Paul teacheth vs let vs giue the whol glorie of our iustification vnto Gods mercy to y merits of his sonne who by his own bludshed hath set vs frée froÌ„ y souereintie of the law from y tyrannie of sin death hath brought vs into y kingdom of god to giue vs life and endlesse felicitie I say yet further y he hath deliuered vs from y dominion of the lawe insomuch as he hath giuen vs his holy spirit who teacheth vs all truth and that he hath satisfied the lawe to the full giuen the same satisfaction vnto al his members that is to wit to all true Christians so as they may safely appéere at Gods throne bicause they be clothed with the rightuousnesse of hys Christ and by him deliuered from the curse of the lawe Then cannot y lawe any more accuse vs or condemne vs nor moue our affections or appetites nor increase sin in vs And therefore Sainct Paule saieth that the Obligacion which was against vs is cancelled by Iesus Christ discharged vppon the trée of the crosse insomuch as he hath set vs frâ—e from the subiection of the lawe and coÌ„sequently from the tyrannie of sin death which can no more hereafter hold vs oppressed bicause it is ouercome by Iesus christ in his resurrectioÌ„ so coÌ„sequently by vs which are his members in such maner y wée may say with Saincte Paule and with the Prophet Osee Death is quytâ— vanquished destroyed O Death wher is thy 〈◊〉 O Hel wher is thy victorie The sting of Death is â—in and the strength of sin is the lawe But God bée praysed who hath graunted vs vicâ—orie by our Lord Iesus Christ. He is the blesâ—ed séede that hathe crusshed the head of y veâ—emous Serpent that is to wit of the Diuell insomuch that all those which beléeue in Ieâ—us Christ reposing their whole trust in his grace doo ouercome sin death the Diuel and Hell as Christ hath done Hée is that blessed séede of Abraham in the which god hath promised blissednesse to all NacioÌ„s It behoued euery particuler person to fight with the sayd horrible Serpent and too deliuer hym selfe from that curse But that enterprise was so great that all the force of the whole world knitte together was not able too go through with it Wherfore our God y father of mercie being moued with compassion of our miseries hath giueÌ„ vs his only begotteÌ„ sonne who hath deliuered vs from y veniâ— of the Serpent is him selfe become our blissednesse rightuousnes condicionally y we accept the same renouÌ„cing al our own otward iustifications Then my déere bréethren let vs imbrace the rightuousnesse of our Lorde Iesus Christ and lette vs make it ours by means of fayth let vs assure our selues that we bée rightuouse not for our
word which promiseth forgiuenesse of all sinnes peace to all them which accept the grace of the Gospel Uerely I say that he which vppon theis promises of God perswadeth not himselfe assuredly that god is a mercifull and louing father vnto him nor with stedfast cōfidence loketh to receyue the inheritance of the heauenly kyngdome at his hand is not faythful in dede maketh himself vtterly vnworthie of gods grace In respect whereof sainct Paule sayeth that we be the temple of God so farforthe as we firmely mainteine the confidence and glory of our hope vnto the ende And in another place he exhorteth vs that we shuld not giue ouer our trust which hath great rewarde of recompence And therfore my brethren let vs giue our whole indeuer to do the will of God as it becommeth good children and beware that we sinne not as néere as we can And although we fall oftentimes into sinne through our own frayeltie yet let vs not by and by surmise that we be vessels of wrath or that wée bee vtterly forsaken of the holy Ghoste for wee haue our Aduocate Iesus Christ before God the father and he is the attonement maker for our sinnes Let vs bethinke vs of the opinion of Saint Austin who fayeth that none of the Saincts is rightuouse and without sinne and yit notwithstanding that he ceasseth not to be rightuous and holy so farforth as he retaine his holynesse with affection And therefore if wee haue afflictions and tribulations let vs not think that God sends them bicause he is our enemie but bicause he is our most louing father The Lord sayeth Salomon chastiseth him whom hee loueth and scourgeth euery child of his whom he receyueth Wherfore if we haue receiued the grace of the Gospel whereby man is receiued of GOD for his childe wee muste not doubt of Gods grace and good will towards vs. And when wee perceyue our selues to delight in GODS woord and to haue a desire to followe the life of Iesus Christe wee must stedfastly beleeue that wee bee the children of GOD and the temple of the holy Ghost For those things cannot be done by the power of mans wisedome but are the gifts of the holy Ghost who dwelleth in vs by faith and is as it were a seale of authoritie which sealeth vp Gods promises in our hartes the certeinty wherof is printed aforehand in our mindes and is giuen vs as a pledge to stablish and confirme the same As soone as you beleeue sayth the Apostle Sainct Paule yee be sealed by the holy Spirit of promise who is the earnestpenny of our inheritance Behold howe he sheweth vs heereby that the hartes of the faithfull are marked with the holy Ghost as it were with a seal◠in respect wherof he calleth the holy ghost the spirit of promis for so much as he confirmeth the promis of the Gospell the which as I haue oftentimes told you is a happy tydings that promiseth forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting life to all suche as beleeue that all their misdooinges are blotted out in Iesus Christ. All we that beléeue in IESUS Christ sayeth Sainct Paule are becomme the children of GOD and bicause we bée his children hée hathe sent the Spirit of his Sonne into our hart which cryeth Father father And to the Romanes those sayeth he that are guided by the spirit of GOD are the children of God for ye haue not receyued again the spirit of bondage in feare but the Spirite of adoption whereby wee crie father father For certeinly the sam◠spirit beareth our spirit record that wée bée the children of god Now then if we be children wée bée also heires And we must marke well that in these twoo places the Apostle Saint Paule speaketh plainly not of any speciall reuelation but of a certeine recorde which the holy Ghost doth commonly yéelde to all such as receyue the grace of the Gospell Then if the holy Ghoste assure vs that we be Gods children and heires why should we doubt of our predestination The same man sayeth in the same Epistle whom hée hath predestinated them hathe hee also called and whō he hath called them hath he also made rightuouse whom he hath made rightuouse thē also hath he glorified What shal we thē say to al these things if god be on our side who can be against vs And therefore if I plainly perceiue that God hath called me by giuing me fayth and the fruiets of faith that is to wit Peace of conscience mortification of the flesh and quickening of the spirit whether it be in whole or in parte why should I doubt that I am not predestinated And moreouer we saye with Sainct Paule that all true christians that is to wit all such as beléeue the Gospell receyue not the spirit of this world but the spirit that commeth from god by the inspiration wher of they discerne the things that God hath giuen them What maruell then is it if wée know that god hath certeinly giuen vs euerlasting life But there are some which saye that no man ought to presume so farre as to boast himselfe to haue the spirit of god They speake in such wyse as if the christiā should glory of the hauing of it for his owne desertes not by the onely mere mercie of God and as though it were a presumptuousnesse to professe him selfe a christian or as though a man could be a Christian without the hauing of Christes spirit or as though we could without flat hipocrisie say that Iesus Christ is our Lord or call God our Father if the holy ghost moued not our hartes tungs to vtter so swéete wordes And yit notwithstanding euen they that count vs presumptuouse for saying that God hath giuen vs his holy spirit with faith forbid vs not to say euery day Our Father but rather commaund vs But I would haue them too tell me how it is possible to separate faith the holy gost asunder séeing that faith is the peculiar work of the holy ghost If it be presumption to beléeue that the holy ghost is in vs why doth sainct Paule bid the Corinthians try them selues whither they haue faith or no affirming them to be reprobats if they know not that Iesus Christ is in them But in very déede it is a great blindnesse to accuse the christians of presumptuousnesse for taking vppon them to glorie of the presence of the holy ghost without which glorying there cannot be any Christianitie at all But Iesus Christe who cannot lye sayeth that his spirit is vnknowen to the worlde that they only do know him within whome he dwelleth Then let them begin to become good christians and put away their Iewish minds imbrace the grace of the holy gospell in good earnest and then shall they know that the good and true christians both haue the holy Ghost and also acknowledge themselues to haue him But
wherin a man may behold the souerein wisedom of the workmaister if thy soule wherin shineth the inuisible image of of the euerlasting God if thyne owne lyfe if the consideration of so great abundance of good things whereof he giueth thee the vse euery day are not sufficiēt ynough to moue the affections of thy hart at leastwise yit oughtest thou of reason to be inflamed and prouoked by the benefyte of all benefyts and by that most precious gift which he hath made vnto thee of his owne propre and only Sonne who is the very image of his substāce in whom dwelleth the whole fulnesse of the Godhead togither with all the treasures of wisedom al knowledge Yea so much ought it to moue thee the more bicause that without hauing regard that thou wart his great enemie he hath layd all thyne infirmities vpon his backe and made him to dye vpō the crosse for thy sake punishing thy sinnes in him for the which thou thy selfe haddest deserued eternall damnatiō Go now thou vnthankful persone and deuise all the excuses that thou wilt and they shall serue thee to no purpose but to accuse thee and to giue sentence againste thy selfe The wonderfull creation order and gouernmēt of this howge world can giue thee knowledge of his fatherly loue wisedome and infinite power although not in all poynts to the full But in Iesus Christ crucifyed all the bowells of gods mercie are opened vnto thee at large and perfectly There is no more any veyle that can hinder thee from the knowing of so great loue Seest thou not how that at his deathe the veyle vvas rent asunder in the myddes And when he cryed that all was finished bowed down his holy head he gaue a tokē that peace was made betwene God and man Let vs therfore henceforth learne O my brethren to acknowledge the souerein benefyte which we haue receiued by Iesus Christe crucifyed Let vs behold the perfectnesse of his lyfe and his most holy Doctrine Let vs open our eyes at the vnmeasurable bryghtnesse of his euerlasting truth and let vs withall our force folow the way wherein he hath gone afore vs Let vs with a cheerful and glad hart imbrace the crosse which he hath set afore vs and discharging our shoulders from all burthens and al sinne wherin we are wrapped let vs ronne with pacience to the combat that is appointed for vs hauing an eye to the beginner accōplisher of faith Iesus Christ vvho in stede of worldly glory susteyned the crosse and despyzed all the shame therof Let vs put of the old man with all his vvretched and combersom dooinges and greuous burthens and cloth our selues with the new man vvhose yoke is sweete and burthen lyght Let vs by trewe fayth runne betweene the armes of his mercy and pray him too voutsafe too lyghten vs and too make vs capable of al his graces and specially of the great benefite that vve haue receiued of him by his crosse Concerning the which forasmuch as ther is lighted into my handes a little treatyze compiled in the Italian toung wherin he is maruelously vvell and liuely drawen vvith another maner of pensil than peinters vse I thought it good to put it into French to the end that my coūtrymen also might take profite by it and receyue lyke comfort as I haue receyued by it And specially the simple people and such as haue no great depth of knowledge For it feemeth that the Author vvhosoeuer he vvas vvas vvholy mynded to apply all things vntoo them without seeking or affecting anye finenesse of speech or great darknesse of sentences But euen as in Sōmertyme we see the Riuer Saon go gently to ioyne himself vvith the Riuer of Rhone without doing anye domage to any bodye euen so goeth this man slyding so smothely into the bosome of hys deere spouse Iesus Chryst without staying at any other thing that ouermaliciouse should he bee which would looke awrye on him or by any meanes let him of his course And thus my brethren fareye well in God who inriche you with his graciouse giftes from day to day Amen Of the benefyt that christians receyue by Iesus Christ crucifyed The fyrst Chapter ¶ Of Originall sinne and of mans vvretchednesse THe holy Scripture saith that GOD created man after his owne Image likenesse making him as in respect of his bodie impossible and as touching his Soule rightuouse true good mercifull and holie But after that he being ouercome with desyre of knowledge had eaten of the Apple that God had forbidden him he lost the sayd image likenesse of God and became like the brute beasts like the diuel who had abused him For as touching his Soule he became vnrightuous vntrew cruell pitilesse and the enemie of God and as touching his bodie he became passible and subiect to a thousand inconueniences and diseases and not onely like but also inferiour to brute beasts And euen as if our forefathers had obeyed God they should haue left vs their rightuousenes and holines as an heritage euen so by being disobedient vnto God they haue left vs the inheritance of vnrightuousenesse wickednes and gods displeasure in such sort as it is vnpossible for vs through our own strength to loue God or to frame our selues vnto his holy will. Nay we be enemies vnto him as to one that must punish our sinnes bycause he is a iust iudge and therfore can we not any more trust wholly to his holy mercie To be short our whole nature was corrupted bi Adams sin And like as erst it had superioritie aboue all creatures so became it an vnderling to all y bōdslaue of satā sin death condemned to the miseries of hell Also he lost his iudgment altogither began to saye that good was euil and euil good estéeming falfe things to be trew trew things to bée false Which thing the prophet considering saith that all men are lyers and that ther is not one that doth good bicause the diuel like a stout man of armes ruleth his own palace that is to wit the world wherof he became the prince and lord There is no tunge that can expresse the thousandth part of our miserie in that we being created by gods owne hand haue lost the said image of god and are become like the deuil and too like to him in nature and condicion willing whatsoeuer he willeth likewise refuzing whatsoeuer he mislyketh By reason wherof being giuē vp for a prey to that wicked spirit ther is no sinne so gréeuouse which euery one of vs would not be redie to doe if the grace of god stay vs not And this our depriuaciō of rightuousenes and this foreward inclination to all vnrightuousnes and naughtines is called origiall sinne the which we bring with vs from out of our mother◠womb so as we be borne the children of wrath and it hath had his first spring from our first fathers is the cause and
his Spowse How can I assuredly glorie that I am Quéene and Mistresse of his greate riches as a wyfe maye I can easly beléeue that otherfolkes shall receyue this honour and glorie but I cannot perswade my selfe that I am one of thâ—se same to whome GOD hathe gyuen so greate grace For I knowe myne owne wretchednesse and imperfection My derâ—beloued brother I answer thee that thyne assurance coÌ„sisteth in trew and liuely fayth wherwith as Sainct Peter sayeth God clenzeth mens harts And this fayeth is grownded in the be leuing of the Gospell that is to saye in the beleuing of the gladde tydings which hathe bin published on GODS behalf throwgh the whole world which tydings conteyneth in effect that god hath vsed the rigorousenes of his iustis against Iesus Christ chastizing punishing all our sinnes in him And whosoeuer receiueth this good tydings beléeues it stedfastly hath the true fayth and doth inioye the forgiuenes of his sinnes and is also reconciled vnto GOD and of the chylde of wrath is become the chyld of grace and recouering the image of God entereth into the kingdome of God and is made the temple of God who maryeth mans soule to his onely Sonne by the meane of this fayth which fayth is a worke of God and the gift of god as sainct Paule saieth oftentymes And God giueth it vnto those whom he calleth to him of purpose to iustifie them to glorifie theÌ„ to giue them euerlasting lyfe according as our Lorde Iesus Christ witnesseth saying This is the will of him that sent mée euen that euery one which séeth the sonne and beleueth in him should haue euerlasting lyfe and I wyll rayse him vp agein at the latter day And lyke as Moses lifted vp the Serpent in the Wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lifted vp to the ende that euery one which beleueth in him might not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting Also he sayeth to Martha He that beleueth in me shall liue although he wer dead and euery one that liueth beleueth in me shall not dye for euer And to a companie of the Iewes he sayeth I am come a lyght into the world to the ende that euery man which beleueth in me shold not abide in darknes And sainct Iohn in his Epistle saieth Herein appéered the loue of god towards vs for that god is loue and sent his only begotten sonne into this world that we might liue through him And héere in is loue knowen not in that we loued God but in that he loued vs sent his sonne to make attonement for our sinnes And moreouer he sent him to destroy our enemies For the bringing wherof to passe he made him parttaker of our fleshe and of our blud as sayeth sainct Paule to the ende that by his death he myght destroy him that had the dominion of death that is to wit the diuel and set al such at libertie as were subiect to boÌ„dage al their lyfe long for feare of death Seing then that we haue records of the holy Scripture concerning the promises whereof we haue spoken heretofore and concerning many other promyses that are dispersed in diuers places of the same we cannot dout of it And forsomuch as the Scripture speaketh to all ingenerall none of vs oughte to distrust in himselfe that the selfsame thing which the Scripture sayeth should not belong perticularly to him selfe And to the ende that this point wherin lyeth and consisteth the whole misterie of our holie faith may be vnderstod the better Let vs put the cace that some good holie King cause proclamation to be made through his whole Realme by the sound of a Trumpet that all Rebels and banished men shall safely returne home to their howses bicause that at the sewt desert of some dere fréend of theirs it hath pleased hym to pardon them certeinly none of those Rebels ought to dout of the obteyning of trew pardon of his rebellion but rather ought assuredly to returne home to his howse to lyue vnder the shadowe of that holie king And if he will not returne he shall beare the penaltie of it bicause that through his own vnbelefe he dyeth in exyll and in the displeasure of his prince But this good king is the Lorde of Heauen and Earth who for the obedience and desert of our good brother Iesus Christe hath pardoned vs all our siunes and as we haue sayd afore hathe made open proclamaction through the whole world that all of vs may safely returne into his kingdome Wherfore he that beléeueth this proclamacioÌ„ dooth streytwayes return into Gods kingdome whereoutof we were driuen by the offence of our first parentes and is blissedly gouerned by gods holy Spirit And he that giueth no credit to the sayde proclamacion shall neuer inioy the sayd geuerall pardon but for his vnbelefes sake shall abyde in banishment vnder the tyrannie of the diuel and liue and dye in extreme miserie liuing and dying in the diâ—pleasure of the king of heauen and earthe and that iustly For we cannot commit a greater offence against this good God that to account him as a lyer and deceiuer which verely we doo in not giuing credit to his promises O how passing heauie is this deadly sinne of vnbelefe which so farre foorth as is possible beréeueth God of his glorie and perfection besydes the greate harme that it doeth to a mans selfe which is his owne damnation and the endlesse tormeÌ„t of his soule which the miserable conscience féeleth euen in this lyfe But on the contrarie he that commeth vnto GOD with assurednesse of this fayth beléeuing him without anye mistruste or dowt of his promises and warranting himselfe for a certeyntie that God will performe al that euer he hath promised him giueth all the glorie vnto God and liueth coÌ„tinually in rest and endles ioy euermore praysing and thanking the Lorde God for choozing him to the glorie of the eternall lyfe And hereof they haue an assured earnestpeny and gage that is to wit the sonne of god whom they take for their most louing Brydegrome the blud of whom hath made theyr hartes so drunken that through this passing holie belefe there is in the christen hart ingendred so lyuely a hope and so certeine a trust of gods â—ercie towards vs and such an operation is wrought in vs as we rest our selues wholly vppon God leauing the whole care of vs vnto him in suche wyse that being throughly assured of Gods good wil we are not afraid nother of the diuel uor of his ministers nor of death Which holie and stedfast trust of Gods mercie inlargeth our hart chéereth it vp and with certeine marualouse swéete affections dyrecteth it vnto GOD filling it and setting it on Fyre with an exceding feruent loue And therefore Paule incourageth vs to goe with all boldnesse to the throne of grace he counselleth vs that wée should not shake it of nor make
thirst after rightuousenesse he cannot taste of the swéetnesse of Iesus Christ how swéete it is to talke of him to thinke of him and to follow his most holy lyfe But when we once throughlye knowe our owne infirmitie by meane of the Lawe let vs herken to sainct Iohn Baptist who poynteth vs to the souerein Phisicion with his fingar saying Beholde y Lamb of God which taketh away y sinnes of the world For he it is that deliuereth vs from the heauie yoke of the law abrogating and disanulling the curses and sharp threatnings of the same healing all our infirmities reforming our frée will returning vs to our auncient innocencie and repayringe in vs the image of our God insomuch that according to sainct Paules saying lyke as by Adam we be all dead so by Iesus Christ we are all quickened And it is not to be beléeued y the sinne of Adam which we haue by inheritance from him should be of more force then the ryghtuousnes of Christe the which also we inherit by fayth It séemeth that mâ—n hath great cause to complayn that without any reason why he is conceiued borne in sinne and in the wickednesse of his parents by meanes of whom death reigneth ouer all men But now is all our sorow taken awaye inasmuch as by a lyke meane without anye occasioÌ„ giuen on our behalf rightuousenesse euerlasting lyfe are come by Iesus Christ and by him death is sâ—ayne whereof sainct Paule maketh a verie goodly discourse which I purpose to set downe here folowing Wherefore sayth he lyke as by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sin euen so death went ouer al meÌ„ â—orasmuch as all men haue sinned For vntill the Lawe sinne was in the worlde but sin was not regarded as long as ther was no law Neuerthelater death reigned froÌ„ AdaÌ„ vnto Moses euen ouer theÌ„ also y sinned not after y like maner of y traÌ„sgressioÌ„ of Adam who was a figur of him y was to come But yit the gift is not so as is the offence For if through the offence of one manie be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Iesus Christe hath abounded vnto many Neyther is the gift so as that which entred in by one the sinned For the fault came of one offence vnto condemnation but the gifte is of many offeÌ„ces to iustification For if by the offence of one death reigned through one much more shall they which receiue the aboÌ„dance of grace and of the gift of rightuousnes reigne in life through one that is Iesus Christ. Likewise then as by the offence of one the fault came on all men to condemnation so by y ryghtuousenes of one the benefyte abounded toward all men to the iustification of life For as by one mans disobedience many wer made sinners so by the obedieÌ„ce of one shall many also be made righteous Moreouer the law entred ther vppon that the offence shold abouÌ„d neuertheles where sinne abouÌ„ded ther grace abounded much more that as sinne had reigned vnto death so might grace also reigne by rightuousenes vnto eternal lyfe through Iesus Christ our lord By theis words of saint Paule we manifeâ—tlye perceiue the thing to be trew which we haue said heretofore that is to wit that the lawe was giuen to make sinne knoweÌ„ which sinne we do also know no to be of greater force thaÌ„ Chrisâ—es rightuousenes wherthrough we be iustifyed before god For euen as Iesus Christ is stroÌ„ger than Adam was so is his ryghtuousenes more mightie than the sinne of Adam And if the sinne of Adam was sufficient ynough to make al men sinners children of wrath without ani misdéed of our own much more shall Christes ryghtuousnes be of greater force to make vs all rightuouse and the children of grace without any of our owne good workes which cannot be good vnlesse that before we do them we our selues be made good as Awstin also affirmeth Hereby a maÌ„ may know in what an errour they bée who by reason of some great offence despayre of gods good wil imagining that he is not willing to forgiue couer and pardon all sinne hauing alredie punished and chastized al our sinnes and iniquities in his owne onely begotten and déerebeloued sonne and consequently graunted a generall pardon to all mankinde which euery bodye inioyeth that beleueth the Gospell that is to say which beléeueth the happie tydings that the Apostles haue published through the whole worlde saying We beséeche you for Iesus Christes sake be yée reconâ—yled vnto God for he that neuer knew sinne was made a sacrifyze for our sinne that we might become rightuouse in him The Prophet Esay foreséeing this great goodnes of God writeth these heaueÌ„ly words which do so well peynt out the passioÌ„ of our Lord Iesus Christ and the cause ther of as it is not to be found better descrybed euen in the writings of the Apostles Who sayth he will beleue our report to whom is the arme of the Lord reueled But hée shall grow vp before him as a braunche and as a roote out of a drye gdound he hath neyther forme nor beautie when we shall sée him ther shal be no forme that we should desire him He is despized and reiected of men he is a man full of sorowes and hath experience of infirmities wée hidd as it were our faces from him he was despized we estemed him not Surely he hathe borne our infirmities and caried our sorowes yit we did iudge him as plaged and smitten of god and humbled but he was wounded for our traÌ„sgressions he was broken for our iniquities The chasismeÌ„t of our peace was vppoÌ„ him and with his stripes we are healed All we like shéepe haue gone astraie we haue turned euery one to his owne waye and the Lord hath layde vppon him the iniquitie of vs all he was oppressed he was afflicted yit dyd he not open his mouth He is brought as a shéepe to the slaughter and as a shéepe before the shearer is dumme so he openeth not his mouth O great vnkindnes O thing abhominable that we which professe our selues Christians and here that the sonne of God hath taken al our sinnes vppoÌ„ him washed them out with his preciouse blud suffering himselfe to bée fastened to the crosse for our sakes should neuertheles make as though we would iustifie our selues purchace forgiuenes of our sinnes by our our owne workes as who would say that the deserts ryghtuousenes and bludshed of Iesus Christ were not ynough to do it vnlesse we came to put to our workes ryghtuousnes which are altogither defiled and spotted with selfeloue seflyking selfeprofit and a thousande other vanities for which we haue néede to craue pardon at GODS hande rather than reward Neyther do we thinke of the threatnings which saint Paule vseth to the Galathians who hauing bin deceiued by falseprechers beleued not