the body therefore the soule of Christ was neuer in the graue in those three dayes the which he continued dead wherefore by this word Inferno cannot be vnderstoode the graue Others saye that Christ vppon the Crosse did not onely suffer the paines of death the which consist in seperation of the soule from the body but also that he suffered in his minde the tormenting of the dampned bicause that for to satisfie for our sins it was néedeful that he should suffer all punishment that was due vnto vs being in these torments he felt that horrible anguish and sorrow which he should haue felt if being vpon the crosse in all those torments of the dampned he had bene vtterly abandoned from his father Mat. 16. Act. 2 And therefore he sayd My God my God why hast thou forsaken me not bicause he despayred but he ouercame desperation with all the sins and lykewise death with all sorrowes but hée felte the payne of the desperate with-out hauing in him anye fault They doe thus expound it He descended into Hell that is into the bottomelesse pit of the torments of Hell And although this was before that he was buryed and dead and therefore should be sayd by order thus He suffered vnder Pontius Pilate he was crucified descended into Hell dyed and was buryed yet there is oftentimes vsed in the holy Scriptures to speake first of that which was done afterward It cannot be sayd that the soule of Christ seperated from the body descended into hell that is suffered torments there those thrée dayes for that Christ sayd contrarywise vnto the good Théefe Luc. 25. To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Other saye that he descended into Hell inasmuch as he shewed his Soule vnto the Spirites of his Electe alredy departed out of this present life vnto whom as Saint Peter saith he preached the Gospel 1. Pet. 4. inasmuch as he made them sée in a most cleare sort that which he had wrought suffered for their saluation He preached also vnto the dampned the Gospell with rebuking their incredulytie and that they were altogether inexcusable and so their condempnation shoulde appeare vnto the worlde to be iust It is néedefull also to beléeue lyuely that he rose againe the third day which when with thy spirit thou shalt féele Rom. 4. 6. thou shalt not feare death séeing that in Christ and thorough Christ death is ouercome yea if thou be grafted in Christ thorough Faith Col. 3. thou shalt in the spirite be raysed againe from sinne and being righteous shalt walke in newnesse of lyfe seeking and tasting onely the things which are aboue We must also beléeue that he ascended into Heauen hauing on earth wrought and suffered all that his father appointed him and that was expedient for our saluation it was conuenient that he should ascende into heauen for our profit to giue vs hope of our heauenly countrey seeing that he is entred in possession for vs Heb. 9. 1. Ioan. 2. for to stande also before the father for his Elect and to be their Aduocate and Intercessour remayning therefore with them in spirite vppon earth Mat. 28 But vnderstand it is needefull that thou lyuely beléeue that he is ascended into heauen for thy benefite which when thou féelest with the spirit lifting thée vp to things on high Philip. 3 thou wilt say with Paul My conuersation is in Heauen Moreouer thou must beléeue that hée sitteth on the right hand of his father Mat. 28. in-asmuch as he hath giuen him all dominion and lordship ouer all and hath ordeined him to be aboue all princedome power vertue and domination and hath giuen him a name aboue all other names hath made him the head of the Church and hath subdued all things vnder him Thou must also beléeue lyuely Ephes 1. that as he was séene ascende into heauen so he shal come visibly from heauen to iudge the quicke and the dead And if it be sayd according to Saint Paul it is decréed that men must dye Act 2. 1. The. 4 Heb. 9. 1. Cor. 15. how then shall he come to iudge the quicke Paul himselfe doth aunswere that those which then shall be alyue shal sodeinely be chaunged being made of corruptible incorruptible and that chaunge shal be vnto them as a death If then thou shalt lyuely beléeue that Christ which loued thée so much that he dyed for thée on the Crosse and hath all power which must also be thy Iudge thou shalt be sure and safe thorough Faith that his Iudgement shall be fauourable vnto thée Chiefly learne that Christ shall be our Iudge he is not onelye our Aduocate but hath taken vppon him our cause We must more-ouer beléeue in the Holy Ghost and this bicause albeit Christ dyed for vs rose againe ascended into Heauen was our Aduocate and prayed for vs yet we could not be saued if God with his holye Spirite did not open our hearts made vs to vnderstand and be partakers of these so great benefits thorough Christ done to vs. So that as thorough Christ all giftes and graces bée offered vs from GOD so the Holye Ghost béeing our guyde we doe receceiue them It is therefore néedefull that thou féele lyuely in thée this spirite of God which renueth thée lighteneth moueth inspireth imprinteth and maketh thée féele God in Christ and that thou art safe It is not possible that thou shouldest be a true Christian if thou hast not the Holy Ghost in thée And therefore he which beléeueth that Christ dyed and that not vainly beléeueth also that there be fruites of his passion and death which is the saluation of the Elect Wherefore we must also beléeue that there is a holy Catholicke Church that is the vniuersall Congregation of the faithfull and Elect of God It is not inough to beléeue that there is founde a Church which is holye and sanctified thorough Christ that Ephes 5. is a mysticall bodye of the Elect but it is néedefull that thou dost liuely beléeue and féele that thou art a portion and member of the same and that thou art one of the Elect. Thou must also beléeue the Communion of Saincts that is thou must liuely féele that thou art pertaker together with thy bretheren of all the giftes and graces of Christ the head of the Church Ephes 1. therfore more or lesse according to the measure of Faith reioyce thy selfe in their prosperitie and be sory in their mishappe as members and good brothers doe together and forasmuch as the benefites which Christ doth to his Church is not that they should be proper to one man alone but for the commoditie of them all therefore thou oughtest not to séeke for to possesse or vse anye thing for thine owne lucre but for the honour of God and safegarde of thy neighbour and so thou oughtest to this same ende or purpose procure the safetie of thy bretheren and with Faith to embrace
we muste beléeue some other thing then myracles if we woulde be tryed to be of a true Faith There be also some which beléeue as their Churche beléeueth and thinke that so they are tryed to be in a true Faith and this bicause they beléeue that their Church that is their Prelates be the successours of Christ and of the Apostles and that they haue in them the holy Ghost therefore that they cannot erre And I say that the true successors of Christe and of the Apostles and the true Pastors be those whiche with the spirite of God in preaching the Gospel doe féede the hungry soules with the sincere and pure worde of God and with good examples and lyuing and the church of Christ be not they alone but also all those which haue a liuely Faith in Christe Nowe these cannot erre in thinges appertaining to saluation among whiche are the liuely members of Christ and those which haue the spirite of God But héere standeth the matter howe wée shoulde knowe which Church this is and who be the true successours of the Apostles All the heretykes euen the very Antichristians haue their Churche and euery of them doe thinke that their Church is the Church of Christ they all haue their Prelates and them they account in stéede of the Apostles yea their Pope or Patriarch they holde to be in the roome of Christ If then it were sufficient to beléeue as their Church beléeueth it might of necessitie be saide that the Faith of Heretikes and of Antichristians were true It is néedefull therefore first to vnderstande that our Church is the Church of Christ and that our Prelates be no Mummers or Masking Apostles but their true successours Which are knowne not by the Coapes and Myters by their solemne Titles by Ritches by Power Dignitie Ceremonies Hypocrysies humaine deuises nor other outward glystering showe of the worlde but we must sée if they haue the spirite a lyuelye Faith Hope and Charitie Math. 7. and this may be knowne by their fruites and by their workes and by séeing that amongst them the Gospell is preached and if the sacraments bée admynistred according to the institution of Christ I knowe not how it is possible that any one of those which are practised in the kingdome of Antichrist can perswade themselues that theirs is the Church of Christ and their Prelates the successours of the Apostles séeing with them are such great wickednesse publike Idolatries superstitions heresies and abhominations and that there is in them no sparkle of the spirite nor any signe of true Christian Religion that they cannot preach the Gospell and that the true Christians be by them more greuously persecuted and put to death then euer the Martyrs were by any tyrantes I cannot tel how their Prelates dare say that they be the Pastors and successours of the Apostles being rauening Wolues and the Ministers of Sathan If we were bounde to order our selues according to them and to beléeue as they beléeue we should of necessitie be without Faith as they are It is true which Christ saide that he will be with the Apostles Mat. 28. and with their true successours yea with his electe and this in not suffering them to perish and moreouer in hauing such a care ouer them that all things shal serue for their safety Ioan. 10. Rom. 8. Ioan. 1.8 But it is not so ment now that God doth not sometimes suffer for their benefite them to fall and to erre the which we reade euen of sainct Peter Thou canst not therefore be tryed that thine is the true Faith Gal. 2. which beléeuing that which thy Church beléeueth except thou first know that thy Church is the Church of Christ and that in it dwelleth the holy Ghost Which thing thou canst not vnderstande with-out the spirite and light supernatural Thou wilt say wil it not be sufficient that I haue a purpose to be willing for to beléeue that which the true Church of God beléeueth I answere no for as much as it is néedefull for thée to beléeue all that which is necessarie to saluation and the purpose of being willing to beléeue the trueth sufficeth not for if it did euery one would be saued Some others there be which thinke themselues tryed to be in a true Faith for that they beléeue according as they finde it written in the holy scriptures But first if they haue not the spirite and light supernaturall they shall neuer be sure and certain that that which is written in the olde and newe Testament is of God but shal euer go on doubting wauering and suspecting whether they be all humaine inuentions or whether they haue bene corrupted by heretykes They shall not also vnderstande what is their true interpretation and meaning For if that the tryall of our Faith depended vppon the holy scriptures the simple which doe not vnderstande them could not be tryed of their Faith Those also which were before Moyses time and therefore before the holy Scriptures were written coulde not haue bene tryed of their Faith If also the bookes were lost it muste of necessitie bée that all true and perfecte Faith shoulde decay I deny not nowe but that the Holy scriptures doe serue for Faith being studyed in such sort as they ought but they are not sufficient yea a man may studye them by force of humaine witte and as the Saincts haue expounded them and yet be without the Spirite Wherefore many thincke that they are pure in Faith if they doe not beléeue but holding a pledge of humaine reason and onely such thinges as bée conformable there-to as though humaine reason were the rule of Faith and the iudge of thinges that be diuine and supernaturall These woulde not say so if they vnderstoode that thorough the sinne of our first Parentes our humaine reason if by Faith it be not healed is weake blynde franticke and foolish and so stiffenecked that it alloweth nothing but that which liketh the blind iudgement therof yea it maketh a mocke at 〈◊〉 supernaturall thinges bicause it is not capable of those things that bée diuine where-vnto no man can ascende but onely by the Ladder of Faith If the triall of Faith depended vppon humaine reasons the Philosophers shoulde haue bene the best Christians of all men There haue bene also whiche haue thought and saide that when a man by his industry doth all that he can to haue Faith that is that he studyeth the holy Scriptures and disposeth himselfe to heare the worde of God and frameth him-selfe by all the meanes he can to the trueth with praying to God that he would lighten him that in such a case hauing done that is possible for him to do he may be sure certaine that he is in the trueth for that it cannot be thought that God forsaketh those which doe as much as they know and as is possible for their saluation If in such a case they cōtinue in darkenes their ignorance should be inuincyble therefore
is true is most euident First that the light of a true and vnfained Faith is aboue all the lights of worldly opinions for that whereas they haue the authoritie of humane Historyes this hath authoritie of diuine Scriptures whereas humane Faith hath the testimony of men of their vniuersities of learning diuine Faith hath the Prophets the Apostles Ioan. 4. 8. the Euangelistes the Martirs the Saincts the Angells the holy Church Christ the holy Ghost and God himselfe for their testimony the witnes of which is greater then of all others and therefore whereas that Faith alwayes doubteth this is stedfast cleare and certeine The light of a true Faith also is so cleare that it ouercoÌ„meth all natural light of vnderstanding so that the wise of this world do not sée with so great clearenesse the truth declared in the chiefe principles of their Sciences as the illuminate Christians doe the truth therefore reuealed and the articles of faith which humane reason can haue thorough the sinne of their first parents is weake féeble and blinde and the spirite in the regenerated is sounde strong full of light and cleare Seing then that whereas the light of humane reason is but naturall and purchased and therefore it is obscure blinde and grosse insomuch that it tosseth about like a wallet about ones neck But the light of Faith as that which is supernaturall inspired heauenly most pure cleare perfect and diuine lighteneth and pearceth thorough the whole soule They are therefore blinde and in a very darke night to whom the clearenesse of the Gospell doth not shine 2. Pet. 1. Rom. 13. 2. Cor. 4 1. Pet. 2. Math. 1. and we are 〈◊〉 to yéeld God most high thankes for that of his mâ—â—re grace we be called vnto so wonderful light which excéedeth all that any man is able to expresse As we sée in Ioseph in whom naturall reson perswaded that Mary was great with childe by the force and power of man and yet Faith preuailed in him so with a greater light that he beléeued that she had conceiued by the holy Ghost And further I saye that the light of Faith is so much greater then the light naturall that as the Sunne with the greatnesse of his light when it is in our Hemispherye darkeneth the light of the Starres so doth Faith darken all the light of humane wisedome The light of Faith is so high and so supreme that it is comprehended with it selfe And the same is so cléere and mightie that wicked reason and humane wisdome cannot conteine it but euen as in the morning when thou openest the windowes of thine house thou puttest out all the candells bicause that the Sunne being then risen aboue our Horizon pearceth with his bright beames and shineth euerye where so when Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse with the beames of a cleare Faith shall enter into our soules he shall quench in vs and diminish the light of humane wisedome and then we shall sée 1. Cor. 3. that our knowledge is ignoraunce and our wisedome foolishnesse And that we must néedes say more humane reason as a thing that is blinde lyke vnto a Bat or Flinder-mouse lyeth hidden in the darke crauyes of the creatures whereas a cléere Faith is lifted vp pearceth thorough and flyeth aboue all the heauens Humane reason séeth but a very few things Faith séeth all things that be necessarye and profitable to saluation Humane reason séeth not Ioan. 15. 14. but as it were thorough a thicke glasse windowe and therefore vnperfectlye and Faith lifteth vp it selfe aboue all vayne shaddowes of sensible things and séeth the sincere pure and euerlasting truth most perfectly Humane reason séeth the out-warde accidentâ—â— of things created and storye of the holy Scriptures albeit imperfectly and if it enter into the bowells thereof it is with a verye obscure knowledge that it maye bée easelye iudged howe weake féeble darke and imperfecte the opinion which it hath conceyued of the materiall sincere and eternall truth is whereas Faith with his cléere light doth not onely pearce in to the very marrow of the holy Scriptures Luc. 24. but séeth God and his secretes Humane reason séeth not but onely the things that be of this present lyfe where-as Faith hauing a farre greater light séeth those things which be of the other life and a great waye further off Humane reason hath not the light of things passed nor of things to come but by waye of a féeble coniecture where-as vnto a diuine Faith the things passed and the things to come be as certaine as the things that be present And finally where Faith sheweth vs God with so cleare a lyght then for his honour we leaue gladlye all riches plesures dignitie glory our own life our selues with yéelding our selues to all vexations and torments for the loue of him as we sée in the Martirs Humane reason as a thing that hath but a litle light of God maketh thée not to leaue the worlde for the loue of him well may it cause thée to leaue one part of the world for another but not to forsake it wholly for God The Sainctes would not so had forsaken all things if they had not had a greater light and feeling of God then of themselues and all creatures All the knowledge which worldly wise men haue depende vppon their thoughts and for that loue followeth knowledge therefore it doth necessarily follow also that all their loue dependeth on sensible things Being then that the foundation of humane creatures of all their loue and knowledge is of necessitie such that forsaking the world they forsake in themselues al light loue iudgement reason vertue and strength whereas inuincible Faith forasmuch as it is grounded onely in God in condempnations and in torments sheweth it selfe most cleare most constant and strong Likewise the things which we haue obiected before our eyes we do not see with such clearenesse as with the eyes of faith we do sée things which are in the other life Also how much more the spirite that beléeueth is noble and more perfite of the bodily eye which séeth and how much the more God to whom faith hath regarde is obiected more perfect mightie stedfast a present and déere friende to the soule which are thinges that can-not be séene with corporall eyes And further howe much the light of faith Ioan. 8. and of Christ the light of the worlde and the sonne of righteousnesse is more cleare then the light of the sunne so much with more clearenesse and certeintie is séene the trueth reuealed to them that haue perfect faith not according as we sée those thinges whiche are before our eyes for the corporall eye may be deceyued but so cannot the spiritual in the faith be deceiued for by the death of Christ all shadowes and figures are taken away with all vailes and couerings so that in Christ crucifyed we may plainely beholde God albeit not with such a great clearenesse as
himselfe but that he is thy God Whiche will cause that with the spirite thou shalt at all times féele him and that he doth thee so great a goodnesse with his continuall benefites as cannot be done but of God whereof it groweth that thou trust in him loue him and giue him thanks committest thy selfe to his gouernement and order al thy life to his honour and glorie as of him thou feelest al the good things thou hast to come so to him alone thou dost render all thankes thou accountest him to be the first beginning and the last end and therefore to be God Thou must also liuely beléeue not onely that he is the father of Christ and of the elect whiche thorough Iesus Christ are adopted for to be the sonnes of God but that he is thy father Ephes 1 Rom. 8 Gal. 4. and that thou art one of the elect and sonnes of God and an heire a brother of Christ and coheire with him Thou must féele with the spirit that God is thy best father and that as a most déere father he loueth thee most perfectly and hath a great care of thée Consider now a little howe much thou louest him with what safety thou goest vnto him for fauour with Hope to obtaine it and with how great quietnesse peace and reast of minde soule and conscience thou liuest vnder his protection if with a liuely Faith thou beléeue that in truth he is thy father and that all the creatures together that be cannot pluck of one haire from thy head without his will It is necessary also to beléeue that he is almightie so that not onely the world dependeth vpon him but that he hath all creatures in his power and can dispose of them according to his pleasure that he can bring the worlde to nothing and prolong it into euerlasting if he will neither is there any that can withstand his will we must also beléeue that this omnipotencie of God is not idle but that he vseth it and that euery day so that it neuer sléepeth but alwayes worketh as Christ saide Ioan. ◠We must beléeue that it is euer watching strong and laborious It worketh in al creatures and without it nothing is done And further it is néedefull that liuely and with thy spirite thou beléeue that this almightines belongeth to thée and that thou féelest that God doth vse the same euery day with thee in giuing thée all the good thinges that thou hast Wherefore they be greatly deceyued which doe not acknowledge al to be of God but to come by chaunce Fortune Nature of the Heauens of Men Angels or Diuels Moreouer we ought to beléeue that he is the creatour of heauen and of earth that is of all creatures both celestiall and terrestriall those that he hath created them hée preserueth gouerneth ordereth and guydeth to the end and all with his high and infinite wisedome It is not sufficient that of necessitie thou liuely beléeuest how that God not onely hath giuen thée thy being and so to all other creatures but that he preserueth guydeth gouerneth and ordereth all to thy benefite with great wisedome Thou must also liuely beléeue not onely that GOD is God in himselfe and therefore most perfect but that he is thy God and such a father that he will doe to thée all good thinges which be possible and conuenient to bée done Mat. 1. that he is thy best father bicause he is omnipotent and that he knoweth how bicause he is infinitely wise as we see in his creation and gouernaunce of the world Thou must also beléeue in Iesus Iesus is the proper name of Christ Rom. 14 giuen vnto him thorough the will of God by the Angel and doth signifie a Sauiour Therfore thou shalt then beléeue truely in Iesus when with thy spirite thou shalt féele that he hath saued thée 1. Tim. 2 Heb. 9. It is also necessary not onely to beléeue in Iesus but in Iesus Christ Christ is to say annoynted And for because in olde time they annoynted high Priestes Kinges and Prophets therefore Christ being sent into the world from the father to do the office of a high Prophet Priest and King hath also béene ordayned and annoynted with a spirituall vnction filling a tunne full of his gyftes and graces for as much as he was the chiefest Prophete Priest and King and hath done the office of euery of them moste perfectlye there-fore hée is called Christ We must then beléeue in Christ Heb. 9. that is in Iesus Christ that he is the high Priest vndefyled and holye and that he hath done the office of the chiefe and most perfect Priest Moreouer that as an onely mediatour betwixt God and vs hath offered vp himselfe vppon the crosse to the father for the elect 1. Tim. 2. Heb. 9. and that he is accepted of GOD for such a diuine sacrifice that he pacifyeth his anger and reconcyleth him vnto them That he standeth also for their sakes before the father and hauing compassion prayeth for them and obtaineth them all grace and fauour Hier. 47 Rom. 8. Ioan. 11. and that he offereth them vnto GOD vnspotted and holy by being washed with his pretious bloude and that he enrycheth thée with his giftes and graces Thou must also beléeue that in as much as he is Christ the chiefe Prophete Therefore he came into the worlde sent from the father to make manyfest vnto his elect all the will of God for to teach Isaiae 45 Ioan. 15. Heb. 8. and to imprint in their heartes all thinges profitable and necessarie to their saluation Wherefore as the onely maister and light of the worlde which making all thinges manifest he hath fulfilled the Prophetes Thou must also beléeue that he is a King Mat. 23. Ioan. 8. Mat. 11. bicause that with his spirite he moueth raigneth ouer and gouerneth the electe whiche be giuen him of God there-fore he is a King in the spirituall kingdome of GOD whiche is righteousnesse peace and ioye in the holy Ghost It is not sufficyent that thou beléeue that Iesus is Christe the chiefe Prophet Priest and king of the elect Rom. 14 but also thou must liuely beléeue that he is thy Christ that is the chiefest Prophet Priest and king ouer thée And so if with thy spirite thou shalt féele that hée hath lightened thy minde with diuine things he shall be thy Prophet Also if thou shalt féele that for thy sake he hath offered him-selfe vppon the Crosse that he hath pacyfied the father that he prayeth for thée that hée is heard that he presenteth thée vnto God and that thorough him God doth accept thée for his sonne then he shall be thy high Priest And likewise if with a liuely Faith thou shalt beleeue that he hath taken charge of thée and that he inspireth thée moueth and gouerneth thee thou shalt haue him for thy king Thou shalt there-fore truely beléeue in Christ when with thy spirite thou
not onely them and all that they possesse but also Christ with all his diuine treasures bicause Loue maketh all things common Now if with thy spirite thou shalt féele this thou shalt then beléeue the communion of Saincts Thou must beléeue the remission of sinnes that is not onely that God of his mere lyberalytie and gratious goodnesse thorough Christ crucified which hath made satisfaction for vs pardoneth the sinnes of his Elect but it is needefull for thée to beléeue and with the spirite lyuely to féele that he hath pardoned thée Then will the Gospel laugh vppon thée and shew it selfe amiable and thou shalt féele in Christ the great goodnesse of God It is néedefull also to beléeue liuelye the resurrection of the flesh which if it were so we would not accompt this world for our countrey we would not set our loue vppon it we woulde not feare death and with hope of the other lyfe with-out grounding our selues in prosperitie and with-out retyring or tourning back in aduersitie we would ioyfully runne to our heauenly countrey And lastlye it is néedefull for vs to beléeue euerlasting lyfe that is that the Elect shal be happy and shal lyue for euer and it is néedefull for thee with the spirite to féele that thou art one of them and if thou wilt say vnto me why is it not sayd that we should also beléeue the euerlasting death of the dampned I aunswere that héere is not spoken but onely of those things which must with a lyuely Faith be beléeued and felt with the spirit and this lyuely Faith and féeling is not but in the Elect and the Elect can-not lyuely beléeue nor féele in themselues any thing but those benefites which God hath promised them whereof the holy Ghost speaketh vnto them and witnesseth in their heartes Therefore in the Crede is nothing declared but onely those things which apperteine to the comforting of the consciences of the Elect and that moue them to loue Now these be the Articles which we are bounde to beleeue and they be so knit and lynked together that a man cannot beléeue one of them lyuely with-out the other and he that beléeueth the one with a lyuely Faith beléeueth all As for example no body can beléeue lyuely in God no nor yet know him sufficiently with-out the lyght of Christ which is supernaturall as Paul saith and lykewise Christ and he that beléeueth lyuely in Christ thorough Faith and the holy Ghost féeleth and accepteth his great benefite Gal. 4. Ephes 2. Mat. 11. beléeueth that God is the Father almightie Creator of all things beléeueth also the resurrection of Christ his ascention his sending of the holye Ghost and that he shall come to iudge vs and the effects of his death that there is a holye Churche the remission of sinnes the resurrection and euerlasting lyfe There be many which of their owne fantasie haue added other Articles and such as bée no other but their owne doctrines the which it is but lost time to consider off They woulde prophecie and vnderstande more then the Apostles excéeding the lymits of Faith and all is bicause they haue not a liuely Faith in the light supernaturall whiche if they had they shoulde sée wonderfull things reuealed by God which would content them and cause them to séeke not to vnderstand newe thinges but to growe in greater light of thinges reuealed that they might be able to render thankes more largely vnto God to whom be alwayes all praise honour and glory thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen If it be possible to be confirmed and stablished in Faith Sermon 5. THose which doe neuer sée the trueth supernaturall and reuealed with a light inspired and cleare of Faith but onely haue had in them a certaine opinion and a humaine and purchased Faith for their light being very obscure and imperfect they neuer haue béene cleare sure and certaine of those thinges which they beléeue And therefore they thinke that there is no other manner of Faith but of that sort which they haue wherefore they suppose that of diuine thinges there can no Faith be had which is cleare certaine sure stedfast yea they doe imagine that doubting is inwarde and a thing substancial to Faith in such sort that they thincke there can be no beliefe without doubting And to maintaine this their opinion with all they bring this reason The thinges which they beléeue Heb. 11. they doe not sée with corporall eyes no not if it hath also a cleare and euident vnderstanding as there is of the first naturall princyples of thinges this they may proue by reasons demonstratiue which doe binde fast and stablish the vnderstanding but in such a case it shoulde not bée Faith but a scyence The trueth which such men beleeue is onely perswaded theÌ„ by probable reasons the which bicause they make not any necessary conclusion bée very weake so that only they moue vs to thinck that it is so but they doe not force vs forasmuch as they shewe not clearely plainly the truth this therfore their Faith being bleareyed it must of necessitie be always suspecting in doubt for the nothing in them is cleare euident but euer totering wauering like those which haue the Palsy But they wold not say so if they had experienced to haue a true Faith for that the light therof is so great that euery one which hath Faith if it be perfect is safe sure clearly certified of the truth in it is stedfast firme So that as the light of a true Faith dymmeth in clearenes all other lights of this present â—â—fe so spiritual men those which by Faith be regenerated if they be perfect in the same Faith are more firme sure cleare certeine of the truth supernaturall reuealed then the carnal be of things which they haue before their eyes The light of a true Faith is so cleare that as loue cannot hate so caÌ„not a perfect Faith distrust stutter or doubt That therfore is not a true Faith which douteth but those are carnal men which being wtout Faith do wauer And although spirituall men also doe sometimes doubt this is bicause of their little Faith for that they giuing eare to carnall wisdome do locke the eyes of Faith against the trueth reuealed whiche resisting against the holy ghost and do follow the instigation of the Diuell wherefore if we doubt it is not so much for the little light which we haue of Faith as for that we doe not alwayes and continually behold the trueth supernaturall with the cleare light of a true Faith yea we would oftentimes sée discerne it with our blinde natural light and vnderstand that it doth not by and by appeare true which we sée alredy with the light of Faith And if those which haue but once séene with a cleare light of Faith the truth do proue afterwards of infidelity if they by chance do rise againe Gen. 15. Rom. 4. they
trust and confidence in him ascribe to him all goodnesse commendeth him giue him thanks humblâ—th himselfe vnt him is ready to suffer for his honour glory and lastly doth not praise honour him by all meanes that he possibly can yea it is néedfull that according as he hath of God more or lesse light he be in all vertues more or lesse perfect Seing then that to honor God highly we must haue of his supreme light with huÌ„bling our selues vnto God let vs beséech him that he wold graunt it vs so that we may render to him al praise honour and glory thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen What thing we ought to do for to haue Faith to grow assure our selues stablish our selues continue therin euen to the ende Sermon 12. THere haue bene some which being deceiued haue thought that beléeuing was an acte vertuous meritorious therfore voluntary that Faith in vs depeÌ„ded in a good part vpoÌ„ our wils So that according to their fantasie for to haue Faith to grow and be stablished therein the determination of a man the resoluing of himself to be willing to beleeue auaileth much which according to theÌ„ is in our power those which with greater vyoleÌ„ce force of their own wils do endeauour them-selues to beleeue the truth which God hath reuealed vnto vs haue the greater Faith as they say are the more stedfast and firme therin But such as these be do deceiue theÌ„selues inasmuch as Faith is the gift of god Ephes 2. depeÌ„deth not in any sort vpon our own wil neither can it be gotfeÌ„ with humane streÌ„gth or force It is very true that the vnderstaÌ„ding is subiect obedient to the will in consideration of this or that thing but it is not so in agréeing disagréeing or doubting yea for natural power if a matter be shewed it for true it is driuen of necessitie to agrée therevnto that more or lesse after as it is made manifest vnto it but if the matter shew it selfe to be false it cannot but disagrée vnto it And 〈◊〉 yâ— wil coÌ„maundeth the contrary it caÌ„not obey it likewise if a matter be shewed not perfectly for true or false it must néedes doubt The vnderstaÌ„ding therfore agréeth disagréeth doubteth according as is the euidence of the matter not after the gouernaunce of the will forasmuch as by gouernance it hath no greater light of matters then it had before in the beginning neither doth it appeare in any other manner Yea there be many which liuing wickedly and desiring to be eased from their heart of the torments they féele for the feare which they haue of Hell they are forced to beléeue verilye that there is none other lyfe but this and they haue no power to the contrary If the vnderstanding agreed according to the gouernaunce of the will we might beléeue that which we would and say without lying that which pleased vs beléeuing to will that which we spake and yet we proue the contrarye in our selues Seing that either the wil should be moued without reson in commaunding the vnderstanding when it beléeued and agreed vnto a matter and in such case the gouernaunce or Empire should be tyrannicall therefore not vertuous likewise should be the agréement or els if it should bée mooued with reason and then the vnderstanding shoulde beléeue it in such case the gouernaunce is not of wil but by meanes of those reasons which moued it to beléeue so And if the agreement or following of things naturall of this present life dependeth not on the will much lesse doth the allowing of things supernaturall and of the other life as is the allowing of Faith Any person might at his owne will resolue or dispose with himselfe to confesse his faith moreouer to dye for it which a very Turke might doe but man hath not power to beléeue at his owne wil. It might also be possible that a man wer baptised and not hauing a true and liuely faith in Christ yea not beléeuing in him might dispose himselfe for the honour of the worlde and confession of Christ euen to dye rather then to deny him yet in such a case he should be damned Rom. 10 Heb. 11. for that it is not sufficient to confesse Christ with the mouth but it is néedefull that we be righteous that we beléeue liuely with our heart neither can wée without Faith please God Man of himselfe may easely be stubborne of his wil but not redily haue a true Faith The hauing then of Faith is not in our willes Wherefore there were certeine which séeing that Faith depended not immediately vppon the will sayd that it was in our power onely inasmuch as it might commaunde the vnderstanding which went on pondering all those reasons which serue to declare the true Faith of Christ the which they beléeue groweth of humane reasons and that no man beléeueth but it is with some pledge as if our reson were the rule of Faith and therefore the Quéene and Iudge of the secrets of God It might be that a man wer one of the chiefest wise men in the world his wisedome likened vnto God yet is foolishnesse yea the most learned in the holye Scriptures 1. Cor. 3. being without spirite and a liuely Faith which doth not grow or depend vppon humane reasons but commeth downe from heauen Ephes 2. for that it is a frée gifte of God We be of our selues so prowd ready to distrust in God and to put confidence in our selues so blinde concerning diuine matters so féeble of strength that we can not by any meanes be lifted vp of our selues to so great a light as the light of a true and liuely Faith is which should not be a light inspired supernatural if we could purchase it by our owne strength All our strength then sufficeth not to haue Faith The naturall light nor the light purchased is not sufficient It is not sufficient to be borne among the faithfull nor to be baptised nor yet to be instructed of Christian things The Law the Prophets nor the hauing of the holy scriptures be not sufficient It is not sufficient to be learned in them to haue heard the Gospell preached neither miracles for if that all those things were sufficient the Philosophers the Scribes and Phariseyes theÌ„ had more faith then all others Yea the testimonie of Saints is not sufficient as appeareth in Iohn Baptist Ioan. 1. Ioan. 3. Mat. 11. who albeit for the most part testified vnto his disciples that Iesus and not he was Christ yet they beléeued him not wherefore he was constrained to send them to Christ Yea the outward testimonie of Christ is not sufficient as it appeareth in the Scribes and Phariseyes which did not beléeue although Christ himselfe bare witnesse We muste therefore haue the testimony of the holy Ghost he must open our mindes touch our hearts lighten vs inwardly and stablish
hath pleased God of his grace to reueale it to mee I haue determined to giue lyght thereoff to his honour and glorye vnto those who be ignoraunt and blinde There is found in the fiue bookes of Moyses a name of such and so great vertue that who so knoweth it and beareth it vpon his backe may know how and doth obstaine whatsoeuer he desireth And this is that name to which euery knée must bow and doe reuerence Philip. 2 Mar. 16. Act. 3 Iohn 16. Rom. 10 Act. 2.4 1. Iohn 2 bicause it is aboue all other names and contayneth in it Princedome that is to saye IESVS Of this name had Moses knowledge likewise the Patriarches the Prophets the Apostles all the Saints both of the olde and new Testament By vertue of this name they had their so greate light wrought all their myracles and obtayned all that they desired and craued as afterward Christ promised to his Apostles Act. 10 4 He that calleth vpon the name of Iesus is safe we haue no other name vnder heauen in which we can be saued or haue any good thing but onely Iesus By which name alone our sinnes be forgiuen vs and we receiue of God all giftes benefites and graces But note that in the holy Scriptures by the name is signified the person named So that whereas it is written that by the name of Iesus we haue remission of sinnes and saluation power to become the sonnes of God to work miracles Ion. 1 Mat. 6 Ion. 14 and to obtayne all things by that name of Iesus it is vnderstoode of Iesus himselfe For the vertue consisteth not in the letter nor in the name as the superstitious Antechristians doe saye and beléeue it consisteth not in voice in writing no nor in conceite but in Christ himselfe If thou shalt reade the holy Scriptures thou canst not finde any obseruations of words in the Apostles whē they wrought myracles and lykewise in Moses and the other Saintes They therefore did not receiue grace by vertue of words but by vertue of Christ Wherefore we had néede to doe otherwise then to pronounce or carye the name of Iesus about our neckes We must carye Iesus thorough faith and spirite in our heartes And they that doe so possesse him be great Caballistes Rom. 16. Ion. 14. and so much the greater as with a greater Faith they imbrace him as their owne as were the Apostles Moses the Prophets other great Saints In Christ himself consisteth al vertue of the true Caball hidden from vs before time and thorough Christ cléerely and manifestly reuealed and there is founde no other true Caball besides this for if there were any other Christ who made knowen to his Apostles all that hée had heard from the Father would haue reuealed it and so woulde the Holy Ghost seeing that it doth teach all truth as Christ hath promised and the Apostles haue preached vnto others but we see manifestly that they neuer taught any other Caball then Christ The true Cabal therefore consisteth not in charecters in Images or letters wherefore Moses could not write it nor yet Christ but it consisteth in possessinge thorough fayth and in spirite Iesus Whereof bicause the Hebrewes are ignoraunt therefore they be without the true Caball And onely those which haue Iesus in their hearts be the true Cabalistes for that they first by knowing Christ doe know all shinges inasmuch as in him bée hidden al the treasures of the wisdome knowledge of God Christ reueleath vnto his friēds al the which he heard from the Father Col. 2 Ion. 15. that is all thinges néedefull and profitable for their saluation Those thinges which doe not appertaine vnto them to know as for the day when the sonne of god shal come to iudge the world Christ himselfe confesseth that the Father hath not reuealed to him Luc. 13. The holy ghost instructeth the elect of God them that haue Christ in their hearts of all the which is expedient for their saluation 1. Cor. 2. we ought to desire no more The spirit of Christ goeth séeking thorough all euen to the profound things of God as Paul did write 1. Cor. 1. therefore they which by faith do possesse him do know all the diuine secrets of God profitable therefore néedfull to serue to the glory of God for the health of the soule This is the true Cabal reuealed to Moses to the Prophets to the Apostles Saints 1. Cor. 2. This wisdome did Paul preach amōg those which were perfect that is Christ wisdome righteousnesse our sanctification redemption so did all the Apostles as they that were great Cabalistes Likewise Christ forasmuch as albeit he was crucified thorough infirmitie yet he is risen againe most mightie in vertue 2. Cor. 13 Mat. 28. yea all power hath bene giuen him both in heauen in earth therefore those which by fayth haue Christ in their hearts haue an high abundance of vertue power so that not only in the name of Christ they worke myracles Ephes 1. Mar. 16. such as be fit equal with the miracles of Christ but greater as he himself promised Other vertues haue their limits but vnto faith all things are possible Ion. 14. to him that beleeueth hath Christ in his heart all enterprises are small and this bicause he doth not take them in hande but to the glory of GOD and being moued by force of the spirite Ion. 18. wherevnto euery thing giueth place as the whole multitude fell downe before Christ He is safe that hath Christ in his heart there is none that can hurt him yea Rom. 8. euery thing serueth to his saluation He also which hath Christ in his heart obtayneth whatsoeuer he desireth being thereto moued by the spirite of Christ which is alwayes hearde He himselfe who is most faythfull hath promised vs Ion. 10. that if we aske anye thing in his name we shall be alwayes hearde and further haue whatsoeuer we desire Iohn 16. for that Christ the sonne of God and his heyre hath promised vs so vnto whome the father hath put all thinges in power and he that hath Christ hath all and that for bicause hée is ordered according to the good will of God and is contented with that which he hath Iohn 13. and which it pleaseth God to bestow vpon him without desiring anye more and for as much as God giueth not his owne sonne to any but that with him he giueth all good thinges therefore he which hath Christ by fayth in his heart as his brother the sonne of GOD heire and Lorde of all it is profitable inough for him in all thinges both in his saluation and to the glory of God Faith setteth vs in possession of all satisfieth our wil and maketh vs most happie Let vs praye therefore God that he would giue vs fayth so that we may yéeld vnto him all prayse
honour glorie thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ Of the triumph of Faith Sermon xiiii THere is not founde in the world a more weak creature then man wheÌ„ he is without fayth for that not onely a séely womaÌ„ wil make him hir prisoner so that he cannot be master of himselfe but being a slaue also of his immoderate affectitions passsions shall euer be turmoyled offended disquieted and tumnbled on the waueringe whéele of vayne shaddowes of the worlde So that as a féeble and vnarmed straunger who trauayleth alone thorough a thick darke woode full of most cruell wilde beastes and theeues if he doth but perceiue a bough wagge he trembleth for feare Euen so a man whilest that he maketh his course in this preseÌ„t life if he be wtout faith he is afraid of euery thing he cannot be safe by any meanes he hath all the diuells for his enemyes the world the flesh and himselfe Hée is ready to distrust in God in men he ought not trust yea he is afraide euen of himselfe and this bicause not hauing God by him he hath the contrarye and hée to whom God is an enemie Luc. 11. to him euery thing is hurtfull like as euery creature is profitable to them who haue God for their friend I would not now thou shouldest thinke that God had in the beginning created man so feeble and imperfect as hée is nowe Rom. 8. Forasmuch as like as in all other perfections he made him superiour to euerye creature lykewise also in power so that bearing rule ouer all other nothing could hurt him he was full of God and of his vertue Gen. 1 But after that by sinne man was seperated from God he lost that perfect vertue And albeit that God assisteth euery creature yet he leaueth him the bridle vpon his necke after that distrusting him he presumeth of himselfe wherfore he remaineth feeble and impotent and so much the more as that falling from that high diuine libertie hée remayneth bounde with the yron cheynes of humaine affections and is plunged in the myrie puddle of this worlde in which hée shoulde still euer haue bene if the sonne of God putting vppon him our frayle flesh had not vnited himselfe to vs with communicating that his diuine vertue It is néedefull therefore for to bée strong Luc. 24. that wée bée lifted vp thorough fayth and béeing vnited to God by the meanes of Christ we doe embrace him as our owne and further with receiuing his spirit to bée clothed with his vertue And then béeing exalted aboue the vaine shadowes of this worlde hauing GOD for our God wée néede not feare saying with Paul if God be with vs who shall be against vs The faithfull haue God in them and therefore they be feared of all the vnfaithfull although they were armed with all the force of the world Ioan. 8. Gen. 21. Gen. 26. 1. Reg. 19 Mar. 6. Act. 5 1. Reg. 17 Luc. 4. Ioan. 18. Luc. 10. as is manifest in Abraham Isaac of whom Abimelech was afraide although concerning humane streÌ„gth he was far mightier And likewise Saul feared Dauid Herode Iohn Baptist At the presence also of the Apostles the Princes and chiefe men of the Iewes were amased He that is strong thorough Faith in God with Dauid careth not for worldly weapons and with Christ passing safely thorough the midst of his enimies euery thing giueth him place as the multitude of Iewes fell downe before Christ Faith is so mightie that he which is armed therewith throweth to ground the great Diuel and bringeth his kingdome to nothing 1. Pet. 1. wherefore Peter exhorteth vs to be strong in Faith Those which haue a liuely Faith in God if they were in the middest of all the aduersities of the world yet they should be altogether happye this bicause Act. 7. as Stephen did the Heauens being open and séeing Christ in their fauour they know that God is their father who hath so singular a care of them Rom. 8. that euery thing shal serue to their saluation Wherefore they liue without any seruile feare without suspition anguish vexation and worldly misery frée from all disdaine troubles aduersities and euills with Christ walking safe Ioan. 6. Dan. 5. vppon the raging waues of the sea of this present life can not be hurt But we be like vnto Peter bicause that when we be in a smal ship of worldly prosperitie we séeke sometimes to go vnto him vppon the waues of aduersities and afterwards when we be there for that we faint in Faith and distrust in our selues of diuine grace fearing not to denye him in persecutions we begin to be drowned therin 1. Ioan. 5. There is nothing that can ouercome the world but onely Faith God doth communicate his strength to those which beléeue yea he giueth them Christ with all his vertues graces victories triumphs and felicities he which beléeueth is found alwayes and in euery estate happy so that in pouertie hée is founde rich in persecution quyet in daungers safe in necessitie liberall in sicknesse hayle in infamie and dishonour of the world glorious and in miseries happy He â—â—â—weth that God is euer mercifull vnto him so much the â—â—re merciful as he hath the more neede When a man hath Faith he feareth not death yea seeing that to dye is none other but to passe into a more happy estate accounting death for life he séeketh and desireth for it with Paul Vnto him that beleeueth euery thing is possible Philip. 1 Mar. 11. inasmuch as he that walketh by Faith is moued with the spirite of God which bringeth to good successe euery enterprise that he taketh in hande yea to him that beléeueth euery thing is easie forasmuch as Faith easeth all labour and payne maketh lyght euery heauie thing and maketh swéete all things that be sowre as appeareth in the Martyrs vnto whom euen death was pleasaunt With the shielde of Faith we may defende our selues from the poysoned arrowes of the Diuells and make vs able to disdaine all theyr power and this bicause that such as haue Faith know that the Diuells can-not doe anye thing but what God will and so much the more as they sée that God kéepeth them and vseth them for instruments to his glorye and the felicitie of the elect Mat. 16. Rom. 5 Sinnes do not raigne in them doe not preuayle against them which by Faith be ingrafted in Christ there is none that can remaine with-out pricks of conscience but he that hath a liuely Faith whose sinnes be pardoned thorough Christ Faith then resisteth and vanquisheth all Ioan. 19. where an ignorant body although he vsed all his strength and were armed with all morall vertues he could not resist against the assaults and force of the world of the flesh and of the Diuell which appeareth in Pilate to whom being sayd that if he let goe Christ he should not be Caesars friend he being
shalt féele that he illuminateth thée as a prophet gouerneth thée as a King and as an high Priest pacyfieth the wrath of God for thée and reconcyleth him offereth thée to the father acceptable holy and vnspotted Thou must also beleeue that Iesus Christ is the onely sonne of God we also be other sonnes of God but it is by adoption for that God by the meanes of Christ of straungers yea of his enimies hath thorough grace adopted and taken vs for his sonnes But Christ was neuer any enimie to God nor straunger but was alwayes full of light Ioan. 1. Coll. 1. Coll. 2. Ioan. 1. of perfection vertue treasures giftes and graces full of the spirite and of diuinitie he is a spring that euer floweth and all the graces whiche the electe haue they receiue of his fulnesse therefore in the holy Scriptures he is not onelye called the first begotten sonne Rom. 8. Ioan. 13. 1. Ioan. 4. but also the onely begotten sonne of God for bicause that GOD hath communicated vnto him all graces all vertues giftes and treasures as though he had no other sonnes but him he hath also communicated with him all his diuinitie with his deuine prefection Therfore thou must not onely beléeue that he is the onely sonne of God but that he is God Coll. 2. Thou shalt then euen lyuely beléeue that he is the onely sonne of God when thou shalt féele that thou by his meanes and not by any other hast receiued all those graces good things that thou hast It is also néedefull to beléeue that he is our Lord for that as it is written Ioan. 17. God hath giuen vs vnto Christ all the electe are his flocke hee maye order them as him listeth Mat. 28. The Father hath giuen him all power in heauen and in earth Then he which truly beleeueth that Christ is his Lord and head which féeling with his spirite his most full and totall dominion which renouncing to leane to his owne carnall wisedome to his owne strength and all other vertues that be in anye creature is wholly committed to the gouernaunce of Christ as of his lawfull and best Lorde And moreouer we must beléeue that he was conceiued in the Virgin Mary by a wonderfull operation of the holy Ghost First that hée was conceiued of the substaunce of the Virgin Mary therefore that he was very man of the séede of Dauid of Abraham as had bene prophecied before time Psal 131. Gen. 22. Heb. 2. also according to Saint Paul it was conuenient that taking in hande to sanctifie his bretheren he should become man lyke vnto them and of the same first father discended so might suffer and for obedience of his father might bée offered vppon the Crosse for their sinnes to the intent that as by the disobedience of one man we be made sinners Philip. 2 so by the obedience of one man we should be made righteous But forasmuch as he which sanctifieth others must of necessitie be without spot therefore to the intent hée might not be subiect to the vniuersall corruption of humane generation but full of puritie and holynesse it must néedes be that he was conceiued not naturally and by humane meanes but meruaylously and by the operation of the holy Ghost Thou must also beleeue that he was borne of the Virgin Mary for except thou beléeue this thou canst not beléeue the miracles which he did in this lyfe nor that he dyed vpon the crosse Thou must furthermore necessarily beléeue that he suffered vnder Pontius Pilate If thou héere demaund why ther is no mention made of the lyfe of Christ and wherefore it is not sayd in the Crede that we must beléeue that the wise men came to worship him that he was circumcised that he fled into Aegypt that he was lost and found againe in the Temple that he was baptised of Saint Ihon that he fasted fortie dayes and fortie nights that he called the Apostles that he preached wrought miracles and lykewise of all his other wonderfull workes I will aunswere that in the Crede there is no mention made but onely of those principall things which belong properly to the substance of our saluation the faith of the which is substantial and sufficient to a true Christian It also thou wouldest know wherefore Pontius Pilate is so named I will say that this was not onely to confirme the history of the passion of Christ but much more that we should beleeue lyuely that albeit he was innocent yet he with our sinnes thorough the wil of his father being attributed vnto him appeared before the iudgement seate of man whereas lyke a wicked doer he was willyng to be condempned that we thorough Christ as innocent might appeare safe before the Tribunall seate of God in whose sight we wer blame worthy It is also necessary to beléeue that he was crucified dead It is not inough to say dead but néede-full to declare the manner of his death bicause we might beléeue that he dyed vppon the Crosse and this as Saint Paul iudgeth was for that he was accursed which hanged on the Crosse and Christ for to delyuer vs from curses wherein we were thorough sinne incorporated chose that cursed death and for our sakes ouercame it and so delyuereth vs from his curse yea and from death it selfe inasmuch as to the Elect thorough Christ there is no more death but lyfe There be manye wicked or false Christians which haue a certeine dead opinion of all these things yea and the Diuells beléeue that he suffered that he was crucified and dead But that sufficeth not for thou must beléeue lyuely and féele with thy spirite that he suffered for thée that he was crucified and dyed for thée to thy benifite and for thy saluation Thou must féele with the spirite his passion and death his great loue and the fruite of his death that is that thou art saued there-by and then his death hath effect in thée It is néedefull also that as thou beléeue truly that hée dyed so that thou beléeue that he was buried It followeth immediately that he descended into Hell and for bicause these words be not found in the Crede written by the olde Doctors therefore some haue thought that they were afterward added to declare and make more manifest the words that goe before And bicause in the holy Scriptures Gen. 43. Num. 16 this name Inferno is taken for a Pit or Sepulcher and this name Geenna for the place of the dampned they haue expounded thus Descese a gl' inferi that is he was layd in in the graue but the matter it selfe doth make replye héere against Seing that both Paul and also Peter willing to proue the resurrection of Christ brought a saying out of the Psalme Thou shalt not leaue my soule in Hell Act. 2. 13. Psal 15. neither shalt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Where Dauid maketh mention of the soule and of
in the questions of your schoole Doctors ther is but a lytle Diuinitie and that most intricate full of erroures and Heresies and you will néedes haue them for your Masters Who doth not sée the obscure thicke palpable darkenesse in which we were and the great lyght which God hath giuen vs of himselfe within these few yeares Not with any new doctrine but with the verye same which Christ preached the Apostles the Prophetes and those which were true Saincts therefore olde although newe to those which had bene blinde for that it was a long while buried Know you not that the light of the Gospel is so great that it discouereth all deceipts errours and falshood And that all the false perswasions of the worlde can doe no hurt to such as be lyghtened with the truth that is to them which be illuminated Whereof are you then afraide if you with your people be in the truth together with the Gospell If you were in the lyght you would not flye it as ye doe but would desire and seeke for it not fainedly but in truth to come vnto the toppe But you as those which know that your doctrine consisteth in deceipts and falshoode fearing least you should be discouered with making your selues suspected doe not onely flye as hastely as you can all counsell but doe persecute those which preach Christ and his Gospel And it is manifest that in persecuting so grieuouslye the true Christians they are not moued by zeale of the honour of God séeing that in other things they shew no such sparkle of zeale They are moued for that they doubt their kingdome will be brought to nothing as a most vaine shadowe thorough the lyght of the Gospell And forasmuch as they saye that they cannot erre I say that they should say true if they were God himselfe or that they had his spirite but it is séene by their lyfe that they be carnall men whose propertie is to be lyers And suppose it could be that they did not fal into so great errors as not being defiled any more they could not erre Read with the spirite their decretalls and ordinaunces say they thou shalt be pure inough And withall this they would that the people leauing Christ should ground their faith vppon them hauing for their rule not the holy scriptures but their words They would also that men should haue in stéede of Christ of the Apostles albeit they haue not their spirit their zeale their doctrine their vertues their lyfe yea and their ceremonyes as sufficient But séeing that God doth let them alone being in such great blindenesse we haue to wonder of his so excessiue diuine goodnesse and bountie to force our selues with humble and feruent prayer with hearing the word of God with study of the holy scriptures to grow euery day more more in a greater light of God so that being lightened with the truth we may render to our heauenly and diuine Father all praise honour and glory thorough Iesus Christ our Lord Amen How euery one may be tryed whether he be in a true Faith or no. Sermon 7. THere be some which for to try themselues to be in a true Faith do say to themselues We beléeue in such sort as our forefathers haue taught vs and therefore it is not lykely that being their children they should haue deceiued vs wherefore we maye bée sure to be in a true Faith But tell me might it not be possible that your fathers and mothers would willingly deceiue you And much the rather vnwillingly they béeing deceiued in errour themselues might deceiue you Such manner of Faithes be all humane Faithes grounded vpon the loue and wisdome of parents therfore vpon probable reasons but they be not firme stedfast they haue so feeble a foundation that they do not only alwayes wauer but will faile in the children at all times when the parents doe denie Christ After that if when they would be tried to be in a true Faith it shuld suffice them to know those things which were taught them of their parents they should follow that which the heritikes the Turks the Idolaters and all those which beléeue according as their parents haue taught theÌ„ whether their faith be true or false thinking not onely to be excused before God but to be pure in the true Faith forasmuch as there-in they haue bene instructed of their fathers and mothâ—rs which opinion is most false Therefore some others going another way to worke to be tryed that they be in true Faith doe alwayes call to minde that they wer borne nourished and by their parents instructed in that Faith and moreouer that they sée a great multitude of people that beléeue as they doe especially those with whome they be conuersant Now this Faith also is altogether humane blinde full of darknesse weake grounded so féebly that if the multitude faile the Faith also will faile And if such as these be had bene in that time when the Apostles were when there were but a fewe that beléeued in Christ they would not had beléeued they will not beléeue that which they sée gain-said of others if also they had ben borne amongst the Turkes or had bene conuersant amongst them they would beléeue as they doe and so the Turkes should bée excused séeing they are such and lyke-wise all other Heretickes and Infidells which be a great multitude they also shoulde be proued to be in a true Faith And so it should of necessitie be sayd that euery Faith where ther is a multitude were true Now see if this be not a great errour Many other there be which for tryall of Faith do regard miracles and they thinke that bicause their Religion hath bene confirmed by many miracles therefore they suppose that it is manifest that their Faith is true But this their Faith is very weak féeble and vnperfect inasmuch as there be but a very fewe Christians which haue séene miracles the true Christians haue perceiued that it is but mens talke the which doe easelye beguyle them and bée lyes Psal 15. and for that theyr Faith is grounded vppon mens wordes it hath a féeble foundation But let vs graunt that they had séene such myracles they had not knowledge to discerne whether they were effects natural diuellish illusions or things wrought supernaturally by God Seing that Christ and also Sainct Paul haue shewed afore that in the kingdome of Antichrist false Christians and preachers shall arise and shall deceiue the worlde shewing signes and wonders Mat. 24. 2. Thess 2. Euen to the Romaines when they worshipped idols haue bene myracles shewed therefore they shoulde then be excused before God likewise with the Antichristians if these myracles were the foundation of Faith and that it sufficed to haue a certain humaine opinioÌ„ that in their religion haue ben wrought myracles For that it is manifest that the Scribes and Pharisées saw the myracles of Christ and yet beléeued not therefore
maketh easie euery difficultie maketh euery sharpnes bitternes pleasant therfore it must néedes be said that the way of heauen is most easie happy Al they therfore which work suffer either worke suffer by force of the spirit of Charitie so without difficultie or els they work suffer thorough humaine respects so they are not in the way of God séeing they are not moued vnto him but vnto the world It is a matter most difficult vnto carnal mē yea impossible although possible with God most easie it is to be regenerated to become spirituall to haue a liuely light spirituall féeling of the goodnesse of God to haue a liuely faith hope fixed in God to be in loue with God thus also after that they be regenerated to grow in Faith Hope Charitie but after that we be spirituall that hauing a liuely light of God be in loue with him to worke suffer according to the force mesure of the spirit of faith of loue that we haue to God it is a thing most easie most pleasant happy And if with humane prudence cunning we be forced to worke or suffer beside this motion in such a case although we had difficultie in working suffering it shold be no meruail this bicause we being moued by the loue of God should not be turned therby for then we should go backward not by the right way Al they therefore who are entred into the spirituall kingdome of Christ by the gate of Faith which is called strait forasmuch as it is graunted but to a few as vnto those which haue ben thorough grace drawn eleuated aboue al difficultie they do tast with the spirit in Christ the great goodnes of God they do walke easely with suffering for works done thorough loue to the glory of God Neither is it necessary for that ther is none the loueth God with al his heart his neighbor as himself to the intēt that we might be turned vnto God that we might walk by the perfect obseruation of Gods cōmaundemēts forasmuch as if it shold be so seing ther is none in this present life that perfectly obserueth thē none shold walk vnto God but in truth it is not so for like as if one walked by a narrow way on his side wer many briers thorns if they plucked him by the garmēt in any wise such a one whē he wer a lusty felow might preuaile go away although he were some-what staid hindered by the said thorns Euen so a Christian if he be regenerated that sin raineth no more in him but the spirit loue of God although he doth perfectly obserue Gods commaundemēts but not turning himselfe vnto God with a most zealous force vehemencie swiftnes as he is boūd to do shold be moued if a most perfect charitie being in him his cōcupiscēces wer wholly mortified so that in him were nothing which when he turned to God could draw him back yet notwithstanding for that in him be cōcupisences wherby is he holdē back on the other side the spirit is in him so might that it preuaileth so that in any wise he is tourned vnto God wherefore to haue a motion to séeke the glory of God the perfect obseruation of Gods commaundements is not necessary but it is néedefull that we féele throughly with the spirite Gods diuine goodnesse that God may draw vs vnto him more then the world Let vs pray therfore vnto the Lord that he would giue vs such light and that he woulde increase it in vs euery day more and more to the intent that with great zeale we walking by his pathes may render vnto him all praise honour and glory thorough Iesus Christ our Lord Amen What thing it is wherein God hath shewed vs greater loue then in all the other Sermon 8. FOrasmuch as to kindle in vs diuine loue it is very profitable to know what thing it is wherein God hath shewed vnto vs greater loue then in all other things I haue iudged that it woulde bée requisite to consider amongst all the signes of loue which God hath shewed which is the greatest Some say that the greatest signe of loue which God hath shewed vnto man was when he created him after his own similitude and likenesse capable of him and to beatitude And moreouer hauing giuen to him a being so noble enricheth him with many giftes and graces with making him Lord ouer all creatures So that when Adam opened his eyes and saw that God had created this worlde for him that he conserued and gouerned it for the seruice of him and that euery creature was obedient vnto him to the intent that he confessing all his beatitude to come of him might seeke to set foorth his glory seeing his excellencie he felt towards him a singular loue of God Other say that the greatest signe of his loue was in forbearing sinne And this inasmuch as man not knowing the great charitie and goodnesse of God perfectly by his so great benefites God suffereth him to fall and to iniury and dishonour him that he might haue occasion to shew him vnto him as to an enimy with greater superaboundance of loue to the intent that he might the better féele how greatly God loued him There haue bene also some which haue sayd that as when the father sheweth greater loue vnto the sonne when he chastiseth him then when he dandleth with him Euen so when God chastiseth vs for our benefit sheweth vnto vs greater loue then whē he giueth vs worldly prosperitie But those which be more néere vnto the truth haue sayd that the most high signe of loue which GOD hath shewed vnto vs hath bene that GOD béeing more high then he could come vnto vs which be vnworthy most vile lewde persons and his enimies more loue then he could descend vnto hath I saye not solde but thorough méere grace giuen a gift most high and worthy that could bee not a seruaunt or one of his friendes but his owne déere and onely begotten sonne a thing to him more déere and entirely beloued he could not giue vs not poore but the richest of all diuine treasures vertues and graces yea in Christ he hath giuen vs al things euen himselfe And moreouer he hath giuen him to vs to the intent that he might serue to wash vs from all our filthy and stinking sinnes with his owne bloud and to dye for vs vpon the crosse He hath also giuen him vnto vs for an example direction and rule for a pleasant friende spowse and brother for a Capitaine for a Shephearde Priest Alter Sacrifice foode rayment and for a reward But in giuing vs him vpon the Crosse he had shewed vs a most singuler loue chiefly for that he hath giuen him to vs with a most high and infinite charitie And lykewise the sonne with great loue offered vp himselfe vpon the crosse and altogether for our benefit
with his wisedome moueth vs wyth his truth and bindeth vs with his benefites draweth vs with his Charitie vnto him with forcinge vs violently Neyther ought any bodye to wonder héereat forasmuch as GOD béeing not onely the first beginning of all things but also the last ende and this bicause that lyke as all thinges depende on him so also they wayte vppon him it must néede bée sayde that hée vpholdeth them all moueth and gouerneth them not onely as theyr first efficient cause but also as their last ende And forasmuch as the finall mocion béeinge voluntary and louing is more swift and forcible then the motion of the efficient cause agaynst the whiche whilest that it pricketh vs we repugne and resist Therefore GOD béeing willing to cause man that he shoulde come vnto him he chose not onely to moue vs with our first beginning with impulsion of his spirite but also wyth our last ende hée woulde drawe vs vnto him by the meane of Christ crucified Wherefore if the celestyall bodyes bée moued with so great force by the Angells by what force and violence maye wée thinke that the noble spirites of the elect of GOD hée moued when as béeing regenerated loosed from the affections of creatures béeinge actiue and liuely are not onelye driuen by the holy Ghost but drawen with great violence by CHRIT crucified And if thou wouldest sée how great the force of the loue shewed to vs in Christ vppon the Crosse is consider that if in the earth there were a man most sensuall with all his affections moste stricktly bounde vnto treasures pleasures honours and benefites of the worlde if in any wise it should bée graunted vnto him to open his eyes but for very short time to Christ vpon the Crosse to sée him with a lyuely light and to féele him with the spirite that he was so crucified for him he should be by his loue in suche sorte rauished in the inwarde partes of his heart and with such violence and force drawen that shaking in péeces all the fetters wherewith he was bounde vnto worldly thinges he should immediatly be found with all his heart soule minde and spirite eleuated rauished and transformed in God And héereoff we haue example in Paul who whilest that hée had tourned his shoulders against Christ whilest that with great force he ran to séeke the dishonour of God béeinge called and illuminated by Christ was drawen with suche violence to the glory of God that he was rauished vp euen to the third heauen And albeit that afore time euen vntill his conuersion he had bene most vehement agaynst Christ yet béeing conuerted he was drawen to honour him with a greater vehemencie inasmuch as CHRIST was to hym more effectuall then all other obiects which had before time moued him to the contrary When that sinfull woman came to bewayle hir sinnes at the féete of CHRIST shée was drawen with so greate a vehemencie and force that if there had bene offered hir a thousande worldes with all the possible treasures pleasures honours and felicyties of the worlde she could in no wise haue bene hindered nor stayed Christ himselfe sayde vnto the Apostles you haue not chosen mée but I haue chosen you as if he woulde saye you are not come vnto mée by your owne accord but bicause I haue drawen you As concerninge you yée bée none such that yée haue hadde power once to thinke of comminge to mée yea as those whiche bée carnall yea haue alwayes resisted and fought against mée Lyke as Christ expressed an other place when talkinge wyth the Citie of Hierusalem he sayde Howe often woulde I haue gathered thy children together as the Henne gathereth hir chickens vnder hir winges and thou wouldest not vnto the whiche wordes Augustine adioyneth speakinge of the elect and sayeth and hath gathered them together agaynst thy will forasmuch as lyke as Augustine himselfe sayde in his Enchiridion there is none so wicked which dare saye that GOD can at any time when hée will conuerte the wicked and drawe them vnto him Although hée were vngratious and obstinate GOD can when he wyll mollyfie his heart and make him of wicked godly There neuer was any holy man who in any wise by his owne accorde went vnto CHRIST They all haue bene by him drawen with the violence of loue Thou thinkest peraduenture that CHRIST for to sée him so vppon the Crosse as a weake and féeble person and I say vnto thée that as Paul did write hée is the vertue and power of GOD which draweth vnto him and saueth euery one that beholdeth him vppon the Crosse with the eye of a lyuely fayth wherefore he sayd If I shall bée exalted vp I wyll drawe all thinges vnto mée that is if béeinge fastened and lyfted vp on the Crosse I shall bée exalted in the heartes of menne so that they shall sée mée wyth a liuely fayth for the sonne of GOD crucified and deade wyth greate Charitye for the loue of them I shall drawe euery thinge vnto mée inasmuch as I shall drawe vnto mée not onely the spirite of suche as they bée the minde the vnderstandinge wyth all the thoughtes the will with al the affections the soule with all the powers vertues and operations but also all other creatures inasmuch as seruinge vnto man and he béeing by Christ drawen to the glorye of GOD they also shall bée thorough Christ drawen in man to serue vnto the glory of GOD. Man in Adam was fallen a straunger from GOD and in suche sorte drowned in the worlde and bound with yron cheines of humaine affections vnto creatures that by himselfe not onelye he coulde not come vnto GOD yea his forces were all vnto worldly thinges It is not sufficient that God sent the Patriarches the Prophets and the other Saynts with bidding vs to his diuine wedding wherfore béeing willing to drawe vs vnto him he at the last sent his owne sonne in the forme of a seruaunt and appoynted that he dying vpon the crosse should giue vs such and so greate light of his goodnesse and should so make manifest vnto vs his loue that we should be constrayned and forced to come vnto him Neither is it profitable that man should bée suche a straunger from God so drowned in the worlde vngratious and obstinate that he myght not bée immediatlye drawen by Christ if hée sée him to bée the sonne of GOD and dead for hym yea as calamytie draweth vnto it especially hardnesse lykewise Christ draweth vnto him the great sinners so that they acknowledge them to be such All they therfore which be gone vnto Christ and climed vp into heauen are gone and climed thether by the force of loue and likewise by force they doe abide and shal abide there for euer Christ then would chiefly suffer for to declare vnto vs his most high loue and therewith as with a most mightie thing and most déere vnto the heart to enforce and draw vs vnto him Forasmuch as loue is a spirituall fire
mouth when wée worke or suffer that it is to the the glory of God Also it is not sufficient to haue a certeine feeble desire theroff the which is found euen in the wicked inasmuch as they would also loue God worke and suffer for his honour yea it is not sufficient to doe anye thing to the glory of God if we be wicked that with all our might and force we purpose and determine to worke for his honor forasmuch as whilest we be wicked we cannot worship God truely nor lyft vp our head to his glory with accoūting him for our last ende And more ouer it sufficeth not that we imagine thinke that we worke for his glory for that the Iewes also in crucifiyng Christ and in persecuting his saints thought that they did God seruice as Christ foretolde vnto the Apostles They supposed that they were moued by zeale of the honour God but they deceiued themselues as Paule did write forasmuch as in truth if they had bene moued and drawen by the honour of God they would not haue done things which shoulde be to his dishonour as they did and this bicause séeing that the honour of God is in truth our last ende it doth not drawe vs to doe any thing but that which serueth to honour God To make therefore in truth our purposes right it must néedes be that we féele with the spirite a liuely Faith and light supernaturall the goodnesse of God in Christ in such sort that it can worke more in vs then all the benefits of the world so that louing it aboue all other things we be drawn to doe things for his glory so much the more as that man with a liuely faith séeing that Christ hath not onely delyuered him from al euill of this present life and of the lyfe to come but also hath merited all he could no more be moued to worke or suffer as a seruaunt for his owne gaine wherefore it shall of necessitie be that as a regenerate heyre and Lord ouer all and sure of saluation he should be onelye moued to worke by the Sonne for the glorye of the Father Now these doe onely worship God in spirite and truth forasmuch as they account him for their last ende they alone doe truly loue him not bicause he is good vnto them and bestoweth benefits vpon them but bicause he is good in himselfe and this is properly to loue God They onely doe also acknowledge God and his name in truth for that whereas others doe not feele nor knowe God but in that he hath created them preserueth them gouerneth and bestoweth benefites on them wherefore they doe for his owne gaine in himselfe acknowledge him in his owne being to be absolutely and with-out respect vnto creatures Vnto these also the Heauen béeing open as vnto Stephen they see the glorye of God wherefore they be moued to worke thereby And albeit such as these doe not actually thinke at all times to doe things vnto the glory of God yet notwithstanding lyke as all that which the Mariners doe is that they might be conducted vnto the hauen they séeke for albeit they doe not alwayes actually thinke thereon euen so the elect of God and those which haue with the spirite tasted the goodnesse of God be drawen to worke for his glorye although they doe not alwayes actually thinke there on Wherefore lyke as when thou castest on thée a cloake that not finding any let is moued by some part although thou doest not continually touche and dash it with thy hande and this by that first force which thou didst vse in casting it on Euen so when thou beginnest to doe a good worke to the glory of God although thou dost not alwayes actually thinke to do it to the glory of God neuerthelesse in vertue of the first force it is wholly to the glory of God so that there is found no let that is so that afterward thou dost not chaunge for to doe it with any wicked intent repugning against the glory of God It is very true that as to shake this cloake oftentimes will cause it sway with much the greater force and swiftnes so lykewise when we doe a good worke the refreshing of it oftentimes the thinking by force of a liuely spirite to doe it to the glory of God profiteth much to make vs do it with greater vehemencie Lyke as therefore the Hounde if he feeleth not the smell of the Hare runneth one while this way another while that but if he seeth it or féeleth the smel theroff is moued and runneth to it with great spéede the right way without turning either to the right hande or to the left euen so he which féeleth not in Christ the great goodnesse of God is moued to worke now by this worldly thing and then by that but he which féeleth it is drawen to worke with-out straying with a right purpose for the glory of God the which as our supreme beatitude and last ende we ought to haue alwaies before the eyes of our minde Neither ought we account it a hard matter to holde our minde alwayes lyfted vp vnto God séeing that not onely the loue which he beareth vs and that he alwayes thinketh on vs but moreouer ouer how he béeing infinitelye good hath made himselfe knowen vnto vs in bestowing benefites vppon vs with great excesse of his loue To this ende he hath created vs and done all that which he hath done to the intent that knowing him for our first beginning last ende chiefe happines with making his glory shine we labour to set foorth his glory which to doe is a thing in it selfe so honest that in the world can nothing be done in it selfe so vile which if it be done for the glory of God is not glorious in the sight of God like as also there can nothing be done in the world so gloryous in it selfe that béeing done for humaine respects is not most abiected in the sight of God If thou shouldest giue all that thou hast to the poore thy body to the fire if thou dost it not for the loue of God euery thing is lost as Paule did write Although thou canst not serue God vnrewarded thou oughtst notwithstanding serue him without hauing respect vnto the reward but only to serue for his glory And when the eye of our purpose is so simple sincere pure all the body of our workes is lyght and acceptable vnto God There is nothing that hurteth so much the arte of liuing well as a peruerse intent the which disordering the whole and taking the honor from God maketh men idolaters and vaine inasmuch as all the which they worke and suffer and not for the glory of God is lost cast away yea and sinne in the sight of God for that they are not done for the glory of God as they ought to be O how happy wer we if all that wée haue suffered and wroughte euen vntill now we had suffered and
wrought for the glory of God but we ought at least to do so héereafter and then euery thing that we shal do shal be acceptable vnto God so that our purpose be right vnto him Euery man therfore ought to haue God for his last ende before his eyes to order al his life vnto him with chusing those things that serue most to his glory with forsaking those things which do hinder or stay vs wtout regarding things which appertaine not to vs which we shall be constrained to doe at any time when being in loue with God we féele with the spirit in Christ his great goodnesse Let vs pray to God therfore that he would giue vs a liuely light of him to the intent that hauing alwayes our eyes open to his honour we maye render vnto him all prayse thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen How that the Law of the Gospell is more perfect then all other Lawes Sermon 11. AS there is but one onely God one onely Christ one onely holy Ghost one onely Faith one onely Church and one onely Gospell so lykewise vnto the world is but one onely diuine Lawe imprinted alreadye by God in the minde of man darkened by sinne expressed somewhat by morall Philosophy but much better by Moses and most perfectlye by Christ and a new by Christ the spirit of God being the guyde powred in imprinted and written in the bowels and in the hearts of the regenerate as God afore time promised by his Prophet They call notwithstanding the naturall Law those canons rules and truth practised of that which is right and of that which is not right imprinted in the booke of the minde in the which euery one reading when he commeth to yeares of discretion without any other master and booke he discerneth by himselfe good from euil And the truth it self inasmuch as by Moses it was expressed in tables is called the Law writtē wheras afterward by Christ the holy Ghost being the guide it was in a more perfect manner imprinted in the harts of the regenerate that is called the Euangelical law of grace of the spirit Wher is to be noted that although a philosopher hath for example imprinted in minde this truth that God ought not to be dishonoured but honored knew that this thing is most right yet notwithstandinge hée obserued not this most iust lawe Yea the Iewes albeit they had this same truth not only imprinted in the minds but also expressed in the tables of Moses discerned the righteous from the vnrighteous that with greater light then the Philosophers they could in no wise obserue that iust honest law bicause they were letted by their concupisences But in a Christian already by faith regenerated the goodnesse of God thorough Christ is in such sort imprinted in his heart that by the liuely spirituall tast feeling which he hath in Christ of God he cannot dishonour him yea by the spirit which he hath the which preuayleth agaynst his carnall concupisences he is constrayned to honour him And this according to the measure of fayth which he hath The Philosopher then albeit he knew in part his bounden duetie he did not therfore fulfill it bicause the flesh resisted him And in lyke case also the Iew albeit he knew that better then all the Philosophers what the wil of God is neuerthelesse béeing without Christ without grace he obeied it not Wherefore he shall be punished the more grieuously as hée had greater knowledge of the lawe of God The naturall lawe therefore much more the written law is the Minister of death and damnation whereas the euangelicall law of spirite of grace is the minister of lyfe saluation Wherefore Paul speaking of it sayd the lawe of the spirit of lyfe in Christ Iesu hath deliuered mée from the law of death of sinne The written law therefore is vnperfect although the naturall lawe be much more vnperfect séeing that albeit they shew those thinges which ought to be done they doe not therefore giue the grace to be able to obserue them The law naturall then was as it were in darknesse the lawe of Moses in shadowes the euangelicall law in light The law natural came at midnight Moses lawe at the morning and the euangelicall law at noone day The naturall lawe came with a little candle burning Moses lawe with a great torch but couered the euangelical law with the cléere light of the Sun The natural law saw god in his creatures Moses law in the Scriptures the euangelical law in Christ The natural law séeth not Christ Moses law saw him and shewed him a farre off the euangelicall law hath seene him openly imbraced him for his owne The natural law hath imbraced no man Moses law hath painted him out with giuing him coulours the euangelical law hath giuen him spirit The naturall lawe made him serue by reasons Moses lawe for feare the euangelicall lawe for loue The natural lawe deliuereth vs from worldly infamy Moses law from the tyranny of Pharao and the euangelicall law from the tyranny of the world of the flesh of sinne and of the diuell The naturall law hath for the guide vnderstandinge Moses lawe a piller of fire and the euangelicall lawe the holy Ghost The natural lawe is the lawe of the Philosophers Moses law hath him for the author the euangelicall law is of Christ The naturall lawe féedeth men with worldly thinges Moses law with Manna and the euangelical law with God The natural law buildeth vp a worldly common wealth Moses law the holy citie of Hierusalem and the euangelicall lawe the heauenly countrey By the naturall law we were straungers by Moses law seruants and by the euangelicall frée and the sonnes of God The naturall law guided vs to a certeine humaine felicity Moses lawe into the land of promise and the euangelicall law vnto heauen The natural law is a burthen fit for humaine strength Moses lawe is a burthen sharp grieuous and the euangelicall lawe is pleasant delectable The naturall law hath a respect to the comelines of vertues Moses law vnto felicitie and the euangelical law vnto the glory of God The naturall conducteth thee into Aegipt there leaueth thee Moses law deliuereth thée frō thence maketh thée walk thorough the desert the euangelical law bringeth thée into the land of promise The natural law begetteth thee vnto the world Moses law killeth thée vnto God the euangelical law raiseth thée againe The natural law accuseth thée Moses law condemneth thée and the euangelicall law saueth thée The naturall law awaketh man when he sléepeth Moses law maketh him to tremble and the euangelical law setteth him at rest The naturall lawe maketh men righteous in their owne sight Moses law in the sight of the world and the euangelicall law maketh them righteous in the sight of God The naturall lawe promiseth not any thing that is supernaturall Moses law maketh promises of most rich diuine thinges and the euangelicall lawe obserueth them The naturall lawe maketh vs men Moses law maketh vs Angells and the euangelicall law euen as Gods Wherfore the natural law is good Moses law better the euangelicall law best and most perfect Let vs pray therefore vnto the Lorde that hée would imprint it in our heartes to the intent that we may render to him all prayse honour and glory thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen FINIS ⧠IMPRINTED AT London by Thomas East dwelling betwéene Paules Wharfe and Baynards Castle 1580. MIEVLX VAVLT MOVRIR EN VERTV QVE VIVRE EN HONCTE
his blessed Angels doe And what néede I speake any more although the light of the Church triumphant is more cleare then the light of the Church Militant 2. Cor. 3. Ephes 3. yet as Paul affirmeth the Angels haue had in some parte light from the Church Militant There is nothing therefore seene in this present lyfe of so great certaintie and clearenesse as the trueth which God hath reuealed vnto vs by the which we haue a lyuely true and perfect faith Thou wilt say as Paul saith faith is of thinges not appearing things that are séene are not beléeued and so also not hoped for therefore it cannot be seene with such clearenesse and certaintie as the thinges which be present before our eyes I aunswere and say that it is true whiche is written that is to say that Faith and likewise Hope are of thinges not appearing and of thinges whiche are not séene with corporall eyes nor with humaine reason nor yet in such sort as they are séene of the blessed neuerthelesse Faith and also Hope are of thinges appearing to the spirituall eyes of Faith whereby the trueth reuealed is seene with greater light and with a greater certaintie is hoped for then the thinges of this worlde Therefore Paul albeit he was in fruition of this present life yet as being certaine of his saluation and of the saluation of all the elect alreadie thorough Hope in possession of heauen sayed not we shal be saued but we are made safe thorough Hope Rom. 8. The light there-fore of Faith dimmeth all other lights of this present life Faith doubteth not if it be perfect yea it is firme stedfast safe and sure Thou wilt say but we sée in some respectes the contrary by experience that where as spirituall men doe often doubt of thinges supernatural the carnal doubt not but are cleare sure and certaine of thinges naturall as to know the Eclipse of the Moone and likewise the Sunne and howe the Rubarbe doth purge his choller and the trueth of other such like thinges also they are sure without doubting of those thinges which they haue before their eyes It might therefore be sayed that the light of Faith is lesser and therefore wauering or that it is true that in this worlde we haue no true Faith I aunswere and say that as the light of the Sunne dimmeth the light of a little canndle when it burneth so the light of Faith doth by other lights of this present life and yet notwithstanding as if one were in a darke prison where as the Sunne doth not enter with his light but onely by one little loope hoole he shoulde better sée with a candle being lightened the thinges that were in the prison then they coulde sée those thinges that bée abroade with so little a light of the Sunne euen so the soule which is inclosed in the bodie and in this worlde is as in a prison although it often times séeth better with the light of the Sunne and of carnal reason the thinges of this present life then those thinges of the other life with the light of Faith it is not for bicause that the light of Faith is not farre greater then other lightes but it is bicause we haue but a little light of Faith and great stoare of worldly lyght but if wee had as much light of Faith as wée haue of the light of the Sunne and of humane wisdome wée woulde not doubt Therefore when we doe make iudgement of naturall thinges and of those things whiche wee haue before our eyes we doubt not bicause we haue nothing to gainsay vs but when we be lifted vp to secreat things supernaturall by and by humaine wisedome exalteth it selfe in vs where vnto for as much as it is connaturall together with vs we doe giue great credite and then it beginneth with reasons to gainesay Faith wherefore it is no great maruell if we oftentimes doubt But to conclude as Charitie is in it selfe more perfect then all worldly loues so the light of Faith is more cleare then all the lightes of this present life It is also true that as to that blinde man Mark 8. to whom Christ gaue sight at the first men séemed to him lyke trées and that not for defecte of light but thorough the ill disposition of the member So when GOD doth beginne to giue vs of his light and to open the treasures of his diuine secreates vnto vs yet oftentimes we doe not sée plainlye the trueth not for defecte of the light of Faith but bicause the eye of the minde being turmoyled also with worldly thinges is not in order to sée the sincere and pure trueth of God The light then of Faith is greater then all other lights of this present life yea with-out it we be in darkenes and when we begin to beléeue then God openeth vnto vs the Heauens with reuealing to vs his diuine secreates as it appeareth by Christ when he was baptised and sheweth vs the truth with this so cleare light Matth. 3 that they that haue a true perfect faith do not care for any other humaine reason nor miracles Gal. 1. Also with Paul they séeke not to be better clarified to compare their Faith with the Saintes and all is thorough the great inward light which they haue Seing then that the light of Faith is so cleare and great let vs pray vnto the Lorde that he woulde giue it vs so that seeing his goodnesse we may giue him al praise honour and glory thorough Christ Iesus our Lorde Amen What thinges a Christian is bounde to beleeue Sermon 4. THe first and chiefest summe of things necessarie for a Christian man to beleue consisteth first in that he beleeueth in God It is not needefull for thy saluation that thou comprehend God as he comprehendeth himselfe Neither needest thou so to sée him in thy selfe in this present life as the Angels doe Mat. 13. But it is néedefull that thou beleeue in God Therefore it is not sufficient for thee to say the Créede as if it were an Oration nor yet doth it suffice for thy iustification that without Faith thou make confession of all that is contained in the said Créede but thou must beléeue Neither sufficeth it to haue a certaine humaine barren Rom. 10. idle colde deade and purchased opinion of those thinges which be of God but we must haue a Faith inspired and a supernaturall light and therefore we must first beleue in God Here we may sée howe that Faith is most full of light for where as humaine reason beginneth belowe at sensible thinges and thereby is forced to lift vp it selfe vnto those thinges that may be vnderstoode Faith contrariwise beginneth on highe at God and then descendeth to thinges belowe But vnderstand that it is not ynough to haue a certaine deade opinion of God that he is and that he is God as euery bodie hath but thou must beléeue liuely not onely that he is God in