of the Gospell is one of the beloued children of God which saith he chastiseth euery childe that he receiueth and euen for the same cause suffering our troubles patiently heere in this world the same ministreth vnto vs a certain inward tast of our acceptatioÌ„ to God and further to declare vnto vs all as it were the way to come vnto the folowing of the Gospell Gene. â— Iohn 4. Iohn 1. What commoditie we do receyue by the lawe Galat. 5. Gene. 17. Gala. 3. Collos 2. 1. Pet 5. Ephe. 4. Collos 2. 1. Pet 3. 1. Pet. 4. 2 Timo. 2. Reuels 6. A man must imagin to be in him selfe two sorts of men the one olde and earthy the other new and heauenly Our olde man must be slayne and crucified with christ according to the mysterie of holy baptisme The true trust of the mortified christian The example of Christ What it is to liue vnto God. Iohn 8.2 Pet. 2. The due consideration of a godly christiaÌ„ The power of gods grace vnder which only all godly christians are stayed The lawe forsakeÌ„ and why Both Christ and the lawe together cannot be serued The frute of our obedience what coÌ„meth therof Of sinne and innocencie The great shame of a christian what it is Gene. 2. Roma 5. Two masters The rewardes of them boâ—â— 2. Corin. 7. Math. 5. By the comming of christ the lawe touching the ceremonies therof was of no effect The duty of the Churche towardes Christ What the discommodity is to be in bondage to the lawe The lawe is not sinnefull but it is the heraulde and messenger of him Exod. 20. Deut. 5. The law openeth sinne but it geeueth no power to resist sinne Through the lawe sinne and the true record of conscience man feeleth in him selfe no life but death Esay 48. 1. Tim. 2. Esay 5 21. The power of sinne in our earthly bodies Two men are possessed of euery man and how they are called according to the scripture Gene. 6. Sinne alwayes resident in the outward man. The conflicte betwixt reason and concupiscence The coÌ„plaint of the holy apostle why The cause of the apostles reioicing Iohn 8. Gala. 4. Hebr. 7. Two lawes The great mercy of God. 2. Corin. 5. Esay 55. Superstition contentious against God. What it is to be affectionate by the lawe Ceremonies carieth with theÌ„ no righteousenesse We are not made the temples of Christ by ceremones but by Gods spirit He that possesseth Christ expresseth him in his works The spirit of God what it worketh in the godly that possesseth it If we liue to Gods spirit we are in all things bound to obey it The will of the spirit is easie to be obeied The grace of Gods spirit and what it worketh in the elect The godly propertie of the true childe towardes his father Gala. 4. 2. Timo. 1. 2. Cor. 1.5 Ephe. 1. By what meanes we come to the inheritance o God. Math. 5. 2 Cor. 4. 1. Iohn 3. 2. Cor. 5. Iohn 16. Hebr 1. Esay 26. Iere. 17. In what maner the spirit prayeth for vs vnto God. The feite miseries of this life are not to be feared not to withdrawe our harts from prayer We beare our troubles the more paciently in this life because we see before hande the fauour of God for our deliueraunce Nume 14. Esay 50. Gene. 22. Esay 53. Our hope in the constancie of Gods mercy for our sheelde and buckler A godly admonition The people that are blessed of God feare neither the deuell nor any of his ministers Psalm 43. Wel may afflictioÌ„s diuersly happen to the godly that they shall sooner confirme them in the loue of God the ouercome them from the same Exod. 32. Exod. 19. Deut. 7. Roma 2. Gala 4. Gene. 22. Who be the children of Abraham Gene. 18. Gene. 25. Mala. 1. The election of God maketh the children of Abraham but not the neerenesse of birth Exod. 33. Gods great mercy towards the stubborne Iewes Osee 2. 1. Pet. 2. Esay 10. Osee 1. Zacha. 13. Amos. 9. Esay 1. The mercy of God towardes the Gentiles The cause of the Ievves fall The hatred of God against proud men The cause of the Gentiles submission vnto God and to the faith in Christ Esay 28. Esay 28. Roma 9. Two kinds of righteousnesse Christ the end of the lavve Gala. 3. Leuit. 18. Deutero 30. Hovv the vvord of God is in our mouth in our hart Esay 28. Miche 2. Act. 2.22 Esay 52. Esay 53. Iohn 12. Psalm 18. Deutero 3 2. Esay 52.65 Esay 65. Iere. 31. 3 Reg 19. 3. Reg. 19. Deutere 9. What they be that atteine vnto the saluatioÌ„ of God. Esay 9. Act. 7. Psalm 68. The contempt of the Iewes ageinst the Goâ—pell of God and Christ The cause whi Paule discourseth ageinst the Iewes The Gentiles commodity bi the fall of the Iewes Roma 1. 1. Timo. 2. 2. Timo. 1. Paule exhorteth the Gentiles to godliâ—nesse of life exod to be an ample to the Iewes Esay 65. To reioice at anothers fall it is not good but it is greate godlinesse to beware by the punishment of another to fear and amend that which is amisse godlinesse to beware by the punishment of another to fear and amend that which is amiste The Iewes iustly cut of froÌ„ their stock and the Gentiles planted therin without desert 2. Cor. 3. An exhortatioÌ„ to the Gentiles to beware of pride Pride the fall of the Iewes The time of the Iewes conuersion vnto Christ Luk. 21. Psalm 13. Esay 59. The Iewes dearely beloued of God for their parents sake Gods rememberaunce towards the Iewes Gods mercy towards the GeÌ„tiles The Iewes and the Gentiles ioined in one faith to Christ God not being the author of sinne why he suffereth men to fal into sin God beeing cleere of mans fall turneth the same to good Sapi. 17. Sapi. 6. Esay 4 9. 1. Cor. 2. God wold we shold acknowlege his goodnesse depende onely vppon his prouidence and not put any confidence in our owne merites Esay 44. Roma 16. Philip. 4. Philip. 4. What sacrifices the true christians offer to God. The Saboth day Sapi. 6. Esay 4 9. 1. Cor. 2. Ephe. 5. 1. Thessa. 4. Ecclesi 3. Roma 14. 1. Corin. 8. True charity 1. Cor. 15. Ephe. 4. The visible body of maÌ„ with the whole meÌ„bers therof A similitude Howe to vse the giftes of God. 1. Cor. 14 Actes 2. Eccle. 32. Deut. 15. Amos. 5. 2. Pet. 2. Eccle 31 The flesh The Spirit Hebr. 13. Philip. 2. Prouerb 3. Esay 5. Prouerb 20. 1. Pet. 3. 2. Cor 8. To reuenge is the propertie of Iewes The way to true peace as best becoÌ„meth a christian Deut. 32. Prouerb 25. Charitie temperaunce and modesty noble vertues in a christian for the conuersion of others vnto Christ Christian contention Vaine coÌ„tentioÌ„ The christian in the excelleÌ„cie of calling ought to excel all others in vertue The christians warned to beware least thei be compassed and trained from the truth by the
and mightie Prince Edvvarde Duke of Somerset for the seeking and quiet establishing of peace and rightuousnesse in the Churche of Englande immediatly vpon the commotions sodainly raised vp in the VVest partes as also in Suffolke and Nâ—â—â—olke in the yeare of our Lord Christe 1549. 86 ¶ A Paraphrase vpon the Epistle of the holy Apostle S. Paule to the Romanes The first Chapter I Paul whom men heretofore haue called Saule that is to say one which is now become of a busie and troublesome felow or of a very tyrant and persecuter a well stayed peaceable and quiet man and was bound many yeres agone vnder the law of Moyses strayghtly to serue and obey him but now at this tyme â—n made frée from him set at libertie and prefâ—rred to the highe fréedome seruice and dignitie of the great God our Lorde Iesus Chryst yet notwithstanding I am not thereby falne into the corrupte state of Apostacie or a cleane forsaker of Moyses institutions but am called to be Chrystes true messanger and therefore now more highly aduaunced than when I was one of the stoute and mightie dâ—â—â—â—ders of the Pharisies secte against Moyses For the cause thereof was that béeing then not truely godly nor ledde by the spirite of truthe and although learned yet not rightly learned but a wanderer in darkenesse and error I missed very farre from the veritie and from the true vnderstanding of the holy law of god But now I may rightly be called a true Pharisie that is one which by grace am chosen separated and put aparte by the Lorde Iesus Chryst him selfe who hath endued me with the spirite of truth to preach and teache the Gospell of his eternall father which is not any new Gospell of lately inuented but the same that was promised long before by the holy Prophets vppon the sonne of man which at hys tyme appoynted was borne of the stocke of Dauid as touching the fleshe and was also declared of the holy Ghoste to bée the eternall Sonne of the euerlasting God as moste truely appeareth bycause after hys bodily death and buriall in the Sepulchre he triumphantly rose agayne euen with the same very flesh In which mightie and notable mysterie he dyd not only teache vs the resurrection also to come of our fleshe but also him selfe to be the beginner and onely author of the same By whom I am appoynted to the function and high office of an Apostle that like as the Gospell of God hath ben promulgate and taught among the nation of the Iewes so it might also by me be declared vnto the Gentiles Not to any suche intente that they should be burdened with the mightinesse and charges of the law but rather that they shoulde submitte them selues to the onely true fayth in Iesus Chryste and to be brought herevnto not by the vayne gloses of Philosophers of the which sort all you be that are Gentiles but by receiuing the name of Chryst in holy baptisme and so made the children of God by adoption to refrayne your selues from al vayne and fantasticall persuasions paynted and damnable opinions as be now and long hath ben amongst you inasmuche as the adoption it selfe is through grace in Chryst Iesus generally offered to all men Therfore I say to al you that be at Rome the faythfull louers of God and forsakers of your olde iniquities I wish the grace mercy and peace of God not such peace verily as the world giueth but the very true perfect and new peace which onely procéedeth from the father almightie God of heauen And first of all things I thanke the same father of heauen for you that it hath pleased him by his sonne Iesus Chryst to giue this inestimable benefite vnto you Which although you haue ben heretofore al infidels miscreants and idolaters deserued by Gods iustice to be eternally damned yet now he wil that your fayth and profession shuld in such sort be changed made 〈…〉 strong in him that it may most happily redounde to your â—â—â—noume and speciall commendation throughout all the whole world The which thing considering my deare tender loue towards you can not be but most ioyfull and comfortable to me for God the father is my recorde whom I now serue not in vayne and dead Ceremonies but in the powre of his spirite preaching the glad tidings of his deare sonne that always from time to time I haue you in my thought remembraunce praying continually to God that if it be possible I might once come vnto you and sée you at Rome for I thinke very long there to sée you and to be made ioyfull of your godly companies Not séeking therby mine owne profite or singuler aduauntage but most hartily desirous to bestow vpon you some healthsome frute of my Apostleship and to exhibite vnto you not the grosse seruice or dead Ceremonies of Moses but the very delectable yea most swete and spiritual good taste of the sauiour Iesus Christ and to speake vnto you after mine affection familiaritie togither to the ende that one of vs may comfort another in the onely true fayth which wée now haue in our Lord Iesus and to the confirmation establishing one another in the same heauenly gifte All whiche though they be not yet hitherto done as moste rightly behoueth surely for my parte I am in no faulte thereof for I haue most earnestly wished to haue ben among you but alas I haue had many impediments and lets to the contrary And for this cause specially I haue desired to sée you that it might bée my lotte and good happe aswell to profite you and to doo you good as I haue doone vnto other Nations For as God him selfe is an vniuersall God and Lorde of mercy to all men euen so by his mercy is the Gospell vniuersall and in time to be vttered to all nations Wherefore in déede I confesse it my duetie not onely to declare the holy Gospell to the Iew but also to the Gentile not onely to the wise and learned but also to the most barbarous rude vnlearned yea to euery man whatsoeuer he be without exception onlesse he most wickedly and with fixed will withstande and resist the same For which consideration in the zeale of my Lorde Chryst to do you good mine hart melteth within me vntil I preache the Gospell also vnto you that be at Rome And you shall vnderstande that as I feare not at all the state of your great mighty famouse and pompouse Empire so am I not ashamed of the humble and base state or appearaunce of Chrysts kingdome nor of the preaching of his holy Gospell in the simplicitie and plainenesse therof which although it bée to the vnfaythfull but a scoffe a mocke or scorne yet is the same to all the faythfull the moste high mightie and puissaunt vertue of GOD through which onely they bée brought to the hauen of felicitie and to eternall saluation The
accomplyshe your fathers commaundementes euen for the loues sake that ye naturally beare vnto hym bicause ye haue now receiued the spirite of God through which you are adopted and numbred hys louing children and not seruaunts And the same spirite also giueth suche an audacitie and boldenesse vnto vs all that when soeuer we haue any necessitie whether for soule or body we shall not feare to call vpon God himselfe and say vnto him father father At which calling euery louing and naturall parent do glory and reioyce Surely if we haue in consideration the glory and highe maiestie of God his mightinesse and heauenly power we should not once dare nor be so bolde to call him father onlesse we were moste perfectly assured through the goodnesse of his holy spirite that we be his very children and he our louing and mercifull father For to this same onely purpose he sente vnto vs his moste holy spirite that it should be a very sure and earnest gage vnto our spirite that we are the vndoubted children of him that gaue vs that heauenly gage Wherefore séeing we be now made the children of God and fully persuaded that he is our father we are no more to be counted seruaunts but rather his very heires For all men that beléeue in Iesus Chryst are the true heires of God and felow heires with Chryst him selfe into whose body béeing engraffed through our Christian profession we haue one father with him and through his onely deseruings we take participation with him of the heauenly inheritaunce The possession of which inheritaunce shall come vnto vs none other wayes than it came vnto Chryst him selfe For he through the afflictions and sufferings of myserable calamities in this lyfe came duely to the possession of thys highe inheritaunce Through his obedience he came to a kingdome through the ignominie and slaunder of the crosse he came to glorie and through the pacient suffering of his death he came to the state of immortalitie Therefore all we muste suffer with him that we may haue the fruition of the inheritaunce with him we muste obey that we may reigne with him we muste paciently beare the slaunders of this worlde that with him we may haue prayse and glory and we muste also dye with him to our sinnes that we may for euermore liue with him After this maner doo we come to our inheritaunce with Chryst which bicause it is euerlasting and of moste high felicitie I thinke that if one onely man him selfe could possibly suffer all the calamities and miseries of thys wretched worlde yet they all should be estéemed but vnworthy light and of no comparison to the great benefite of the glory to come though through the sayde myseries and painfull afflictions he doo séeme dearely to buy the same glory Yea and though we haue receiued the gage of this felicitie and glory to the ende we shoulde not mistruste any thing at all yet for all that our glory can not be consummate and made perfect in vs although our bodies be subiecte to suche sorte of miseries and wretched calamities as be in this present lyfe without we haue our fayth stayed in the onely merites death and passion of our sauiour Iesus Chryst How be it in the meane time through the helpe and comfort of the spirite they are a certayne inwarde taste of the same glory in vs Which glory at the resurrection of the flesh and after the putting away from vs all our mortalitie shall be fully declared and giuen vnto vs At which tyme wée shall all liue immortall with Chryst that is always immortall and euerlasting for our onely faythes sake in his bloud And that is the tyme the which all the godly vniuersally looke continually for as desirous to beholde the comming of the same At that time also shall the full number of the children of God be made and fulfilled and the glory of all these shall be opened vnto them which in this life haue ben afflicted with persecution and imprisonment with thirste hunger sorowes gréefes and other calamities for Chrystes sake And so greatly in subiection are the creatures of this worlde to myseries that the very circuite and compasse of the worlde it selfe séemeth to continue altogither in miserie as in example the ayre the earth the water with all other celestiall bodies yea the very angels them selues are created to none other ende but to set foorth Gods glory and to shew their seruice for the necessities of men For which cause the very buylding of the worlde it selfe shall not be frée from trouble and disquietnesse vntill suche time as perfecte fréedome shall be giuen to the children of god Howbeit the worlde it selfe though it be insensible neither feeleth disquietnesse yet there is in it a certayne naturall taste and desire to come to perfection And in the meane tyme it obeyeth willingly to him for whose pleasure it was to make it in suche wyse subiecte to disquietousnesse Whiche so muche the more paciently abideth his sorowe bicause his naturall inclination dothe recorde to him him selfe that hys sorowe shall not bée perpetuall but vntill suche tyme as the children of God shall fully and plenarily be deliuered from all their gréefe and carefulnesse At whiche tyme shall the whole Cope therof cease from his great vnrest and disquietousnesse Also forasmuche as we sée that all the elements and planets of this worlde do vary at so many and sundry tymes and doo sée likewise the Sunne and the Moone to haue so many Eclipses and Chaunges as also perceyuing by dayly experience what laboures are taken in vayne for the repaire of things in this life which do not continue but fall agayne to their corruption And beholding also the Starres to alter and striue one with another and in conclusion nothing to be in perpetuall reste It can not be chosen but euen the very Angelles also of heauen looking downe by the power of God from an high vpon our infinite miseries and wretchednesse are greatly dismayed of them moued at them and sorowe for them as muche as their creation can suffer them to do Wherfore al the whole number of creatures and things made by the hands of God do euen grone sigh with vs in our misfortunes All which after the maner of women laboring with child wish and long for the ende of their great trauell and sorowes And herein is no maruell though it chaunce to others considering the same happeneth to vs also that firste before all men haue receiued the spirite of Chryst which he gaue moste abundantly vnto vs Yet that notwithstanding we are entangled with thousands of cares and myseries partely for the sustentation of our lyues and partely by the occasion of wycked persons alwayes troubling and conspiring agaynst vs Yea our cares are so many and variable so gréeuous terrible and vnsufferable that we oftentimes doo sorow and lamente our owne wofull causes moste hartily wishing for that happie day when all the
god But euery suche promisse is not properly called a vowe for there be certaine promisses in the lawe which although they were made at will yet coulde they not be omitted as was the promisse by which Israell tooke vppon him to doe of his owne will all the things that the lawe commaunded according to the saying of Exodus All things which the Lord hath spoken will we do heare This promisse did the manner of the couenant expresse to Israell as in whose conditions it was expresly put that God woulde be the God of his people if he woulde heare the words of the couenant and obey vnto the law Le. 26. Deu. 28. Nowe a vow is a voluntarie promisse which is in a mannes choise to promisse or not to promisse withoute offence according to this of Deutronomie when thou vowest a vow to the Lord thy God thou shalt not be slacke to pay it for the Lord thy God wil require it And if thou deferre it or slack the time to pay it it shall be reckened to thée for sinne But if thou lust not to promisse thou shalt be without sinne But the matter was otherwise touching solempne oblations or only commaunded for a time according as euery mannes estimation was Exod. 30. Such oblations were voluntarie yet they were no vowes Therefore we must séeke a difference by which a vow may be sundred ▪ from other oblations And that differēce shall be made with a diffinition A vowe is a voluntarie promise made after the example and forme of the lawe which is put in the power to vowe it or not to vowe it as was the law of the Nazarites and also the vowe of the soule of which we reade in Leuit. 27. But in this vowe were two things regarded One principall which was chéefely acceptable to God namely an harte prone and inclined by feare to the glory of God which hart the law required before al things The other not principall which is the externe oblation being but mysticall and figuratiue which was destinate to a certaine ende that is to wit to the kingdome of Christ in which it should be finished that is fulfilled spiritually according to this saying of the Apostle These things are the shadow of things to come but the body is in Christ Therfore as pertaining to this part of vowes a distinction héere offereth it selfe againe that thou put one vowe of the law and an other of the gospell ▪ This to be true the other mystical the first Moses teacheth the latter Christ And that the apostle closely toucheth to the Romanes when he sayeth Therefore are we buried togither with him by Baptisme vnto death that as Christe was raysed vp from the deade by the glory of the Father euen so we also walke in newenesse of life Thys is the true Vowe thys is the true Consecration of the godly by the whiche the Sainctes bynde them selues to God that they will walke in a newe life laying a side the olde by the light of the spirite of Christe being forebrought vnto them not by their owne power but by the power of God by which they are newe borne to the hauing of these desires in them selues and by which they are thus brought to offer them selues vnto god In which power of regeneration who so be therein it is as frée to them bothe to thinke well and to doe well as it is to beastes to goe by the vitall breath of naturall life or as it is to birdes to flie abrode vnder the skie Which vowe of the newe lawe the godly did prefigure in the olde couenaunt by externe oblations as did the Nazarites by the regal bushe of their heades by the auoiding of deade corpses and by abstaining from wine And this performed they according to the measure of the spirit of childhoode So that there is one and an especiall vowe euen as there is one kingdome of God one and principall couenante one Priesthoode which is annoynted with the spirit that oile of heauen one sacrifice one heauenly inheritāce but according to the time Besides all these true and principall things the people that were vnder the lawe prefigured mysticall vowes and sacrifices a mystical couenaunt also shewed in the fleshe and deputed to an earthly inheritaunce and a mysticall kingdome likewise Priesthoode vntil the fulnesse of times Of which things the Apostle sayeth to the Hebrues The law obtaining the shadowe of good things to come but not the image it selfe of things Nowe this image is veritie the fulfiller of the olde lawe by the spirite giuen of the newe lawe In which euen as other things so vowes also only spiritual haue place being attempered to the nature and disposition of the lawe Further this lawe is written by the spirit in the harts of the Sainctes being frée from externe obseruation of time of sacrifice of place of ceremonies and of nation according to this saying of Christ The kingdome of heauen commeth not with obseruation Therfore let cease suche prophane vowe◠of superstitious religions which are taken in apparell in meates in liuing vnmaried in place and to places and to obserue times for they haue neither the lawe nor the gospell to stande on their side As for the lawe pertaining to mysticall things that is externe things 〈◊〉 is abrogated The others kingdome trauaileth not in the externe choise and respecte of things but contrarywise it standeth in peace and ioy of the holy ghost as the Apostle sayth to the Romanes Thou vowest a prescript manner of apparell the gospel prescribeth thée none but maketh it frée Thou segregatest a certaine kinds of meate and drinke to thy selfe but the Gospell segregateth none Thou iudgest thy selfe in meat and drinke contrary to that which the Apostle biddeth which saith Let no man therfore iudge you in meat and drinke Thou maist say If there be none obligation of vowe iudgement hathe no place But thou naughtily vowest and by thy vowe separatest the vse of meate which Christ maketh frée to thée to whose féete and to the feete of his members all things are subiecte by the ordinance of God according to Genesis and to the Psalme The Apostle sharply inueying against you calleth you false Prophets which commaundeth to abstaine from meates which God hathe created to be receiued with thankes giuing of the faithfull Thou furthermore vowest to liue vnmarried being vncertaine with thy selfe of the gifte of chastitie or what successe it will haue with thée which is not mannes gifte nor at our owne arbitrement but the méere gift of God namely to be obtained by prayer at the will of the giuer of none other mannes power according to this saying All are not able to cōprehend this saying but they to whome it is giuen Therefore if thou canste be continent or chaste thou art continent by the benefite of God and not by thine owne Therefore be thou chaste fréely according
Their heart is vayne But how is it vayne bicause they lacke the spirite of god Which spirite if a man haue he hath life and light If he haue him not there is darknesse and death And what is more friuolous or vayne than these things wherfore God is in all poynts the saâ—â—â—â— that hâ— commaundeth For he is the highest god which ought to be loued aboue all things He commaundeth loue which loue he is according to this God is loue He commaundeth truth iustice and clemencie all these things he is Ergo he commaundeth him selfe to all creatures endued with reason as to them who are onely able to receiue him And agayne he onely forbiddeth that which he is not namely the loue of our selfe and of creatures that a man reste not nor put his truste in them and that of the ineuitable order of his wisedome In which order onely the perfecter things haue power to bring another thing to passe And that which is not perfect to doo that which is worse and not that which is perfecter And as the bodies of men liuing hauing life of the soule holde their state righte euen so the reasonable creaturs gouerned by the spirite of Chryst defendeth the degrée of iustice and integritie But béeing destitute of this spirite all things are contrary Rom. 8. Iere. 31. Deut. 30. 30 So that the olde man was called man after his fall by contempt béeing voyde of this spirite of rightnesse that they may know that they be but men that is vanitie Esay lykewise when he would shew Egipt to be of no weight he saith Egypt is a man and no god And Pylate sayde of Chryst Beholde the man hauing respecte to the contented formes of Chryst drawen out of our sinne which formes he bare in his flesh Likewise the Psalme hath What is man And afore Salomon sayth I sayde in mine heart of the children of men why should God chose them 31 All men through vayne desires embracing earth not heauen carnall things not spirituall things the loue of them selues and not the loue of God. 32 And when wée be suche a worthy sentence is giuen vppon the earthly man Of earth thou arte and into earth thou shalte returne Gene. 3. as before in the same Chapter and after in the .13 33 Béeing of equall condition with all men least any man should boast him selfe forasmuche as we be all the dust of the earth all flesh a like all alike in daunger to sinne and to the wrath of God as parteyning to the olde birth 34 Which thyng Chrystes finger writing vppon the ground noted signifieth the earthy stocke of which we come which should infect all men without exception and cleareth no man of sinne 35 Not only the body corrupted with earthy concupiscence béeing counted in the tale for flesh but also the best parte of man namely the mynd which they cal the principal part 36 Not that it is not a good creature a naturall light that séeth the truthe and falsitie good and badde which argueth the consciences of sinne and giueth testimonie of the righteousnesse of God but for that that this light also béeing infected with originall sinne is darkened to many things and not of efficacie to transforme the mindes of them in whom it shineth 37 Whose senses the Scripture adioyneth to the olde man and to the flesh when the minde is not yet borne a new by the spirite of God as parteyning to motions and incitations corrupted 38 Taking for flesh what soeuer is not of the holy ghost and borne a new from aboue that is the whole man with body and minde not yet béeing borne a new by the spirite of God Iohn 3. Rom. 8. 39 Examples are all the wysest of the Gentiles in the light naturall and the Phariseis most righteous in the law whose sinne the Lorde witnesseth to remayne bicause they sayd them selues to sée when in déede they were yet blind 40 But they saw with that parte which was the best part in them namely with the minde yet by which they should héere this who so is without fault among you cast the first stone at hir And this of the Apostle Knowledge maketh a man proude 41 not that the minde of hir substaunce is flesh and of earthly nature for she is a spirite 1. Corinth 1. and to the Rom. 8. approching next to the Deitie no better worke created commyng betwéene Genesis 1. but shee is fleshe for so muche as she is viciated with contagion of the affections of the corrupted body of sinne 42 In the reprobate besides this contagion and infection the minde béeing voyde of the grace of Election addeth of hir owne the neglect of the veritie knowen that is she nourisheth the sinne agaynst the holy ghoste which she carieth with hir into the other world neuer to be forgiuen 43 And so Abel and Cayne Dauid and Iudas that is that they be accursed with the serpent and the blessed electe by the grace of predestination in Chryst before the foundations of the worlde were layde are bothe by nature the olde man aswell the one as the other the children of wrath and of darkenesse The difference is in the election But forasmuche as it pertayneth to the grace of the new man and not to the nature of the olde man it pertaineth not to this place which treateth here of the disposition and nature of the corrupted and earthly man. 44 Now suche is the first Adam with all his posteritie sprong of the séede of the corrupted flesh And suche also is the worlde with his desires made of naughte and gooing to naughte 45 He therefore is damned with his wisedome and foolishnesse with his righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse in his children with their father Sathan which hath inuented al these euils bringing in that which Salomon so often abhorreth in this booke the vanitie of sinne and death Of the new Man. NOw the matter is otherwise of the new man and seconde Adam Chryst Iesus the blessed sonne of God is he not taken out of the earth but sent downe from heauen 47 And so not made into a liuing soule which thing perteineth to conception but made of his father into a quickening spirite as the Apostle witnesseth in the .1 to the Corinth 15. 48 This spirite viuifieth that is to say maketh vs aliue not with life naturall but spirituall And therefore he dothe not the naturall functions which are to engender and to beget children of the flesh c. for suche worke hath no place in heauen as he béeing man declareth in Marke .12 when he sayth But they are lyke the Aungels which be in heauen by their Resurrection 49 It is therefore the breath of lyfe from aboue whiche God firste bloweth into the seconde Adam and by him into his members whereof is this Take yée the holy Ghoste c. and that with a spirituall breath not with an earthly By which the body is transfigured into an heauenly habite
euery man according to the measure of the giuing of Christ the head agréeing to this For God giueth not the spirit to him by measure And as pertaining to the donation we read this For he shall receyue of mine and shall declare it vnto you In like sorte to the Ephesians 4. But grace is giuen to euery one of vs according to the measure of the gift of Christe 64 And so only the sainctes are partakers of spiritual perfection of part and from member to member of which Christ is fully in possession whome the kingly annoynting of the fathers power glory and maiestie annoynteth without measure to all perfection of God the father Whereunto also this of the Apostle pertaineth you are Christes and Christe is Gods. You I say are Christes as the membres of the head but Christe is Gods as the heade of the vniuersall diuinitie For that perfection of the body which is poured out throughout all the members the same resteth whole in Christe the head Esay 11. 65 This is it which the Apostle calleth corporally and héereunto also pertaineth that woorde the fulnesse or complement whereupon the Psalme sayth of Christ The Lord sayd vnto my lord And an other Psalme sayth of the Sainctes I haue sayd yée are Gods. And Peter sayth ye are partakers of the diuine nature 66 Which places are truely to be vnderstanded as the new borne are truely called the children of god For as there is a true regeneration euen so there is a true participation and possession of the diuine nature and of the diuine lighte wisedome and rightuousnesse This is our hope and vocation in Christ the head of the participation of the substāce of God and of the nature of the father by that we be borne a newe of the spirite of Christ Iohn 3. 1. Pet. 1. Rom. 8. Gal. 4. 67 But we speake héere of Christe as the treating of him pertaineth to the cause of regeneration which commeth of the spirite For what the scripture speaketh of the eternall word we holily woorship and will speake thereof in an other place 68 Therfore we be not called the sonnes of God newe men after the same sort that Christ is For he is the naturall sonne of God and the newe man bothe within and wythout But we be the sonnes of God by adoption and new men only inwardly in this world He is borne the sonne of God and the newe man We are begotten the children of death and of sinne by the first Adam and we are borne the sonnes of God and a newe creature by the second Adam For of the earth we be earthie and in Christ the heauenly man we are taken to grace and to the enheritance of sonnes by newe birth which shall in the day of resurrection put on newe fleshe vppon vs euen of the fleshe of Christe 69 So that héer being renued while we liue in this world we consist of two men of an outwarde and inwarde man of a body corrupted with concupiscence and of a minde repaired with the spirite of the newe couenaunt 70 The body once corrupted is not restored in this world for it is all earthie tending to the earth of his owne will and waight And therefore he also returneth vnto it bicause of the sentence once giuen vppon it when the temprament of this worldes elements is dissolued of which it is made as Salomon oft teacheth in this sermon And is now and then mortified that it folowe not the desires to which he is inclined that firie spirit of the heauenly new birth quite burning them vp 71 The inner man therefore that is the minde which is put into this body to rule it is only renued in this life to the felowship of the diuine light 72 Wherefore they that be regenerate in this fraile life cary men about with them as cōtrary the one to the other as are light and darkenesse death and life and as farre dissident as heauen and earth The outwarde and olde man is visible the inward and new man is inuisible The outwarde man is earthly and the inwarde man is heauenly The outward man is conceiued of carnal seede and the inward man is strengthened with the spiritual séede of the word of the liuing god The outward man is fed with meats that will perish but the inward man groweth with eternal foode The one is made flesh of the flesh of man the other is made a spirit of the spirit of God. 73 The outwarde man is euer polluted and sinneth but the inward and new man neuer neither cannot it sinne as it cannot die 74 And no maruel for as much as thou shalt finde contrary lawes in them The one of sinne which holdeth vs downe to the ground persuading earthy and carnal desires the other calleth vs vpwarde burning in desires of heauenly things where a man may sée the maruellous coniunction of bothe men set together for experience of so great things not without the maruellous councels of the diuine prouidence 75 Further the olde man is created of God and therefore made of nothing the newe man is borne of God so of something namely of his spirite Wherof he neuer dieth he neuer waxeth olde And these are the things which Christ disputeth of the life eternal which true faith bringeth that is to say the spirit of Gods light Vppon this poynt standeth the hope and consolation of Sainctes 76 By this faith the outwarde man obtaineth pardone if the spirite of the inwarde man remurmur against him while we dwel in this life For faithe staide vp with the rightuousnesse of an other that is with Christe which being innocent died for offenders deliuereth the faithfull from dampnatorie sentence of death and sinne and draweth backe the desires of the olde man that he do them not the bridle of the spirit caste in his téethe For it is not obtained that they haue no being in vs and that they wholely be destroyed in this worlde as long as this flesh liueth the resurrection giueth that in which both the body it selfe shall be also raised vp out of the duste of the earth from deathe vnto life to fulfill the body of Christe which as the head to the body went before being the first begotten sonne of the newe creature and the vnspotted firste frutes of the kingdome of the fathers maiestie 77 For what life shal the head haue without the body or the body without the members 78 And the fall of the first man so repaired and amended we shal be restored to that from whence we fel that is to wit to rightuousnesse and innocencie but in a far better state and condition for in this innocencie the earthy life shal be chāged for an heauenly mortalitie for immortalitie and after sinne fall shall be changed for resurrection and the ignomie of the crosse for glory So great is the goodnesse and wisdom of God which thus farre and this way must be reuealed 79
Not only the olde man but also euery other creature shall be redéemed and deliuered from vanitie vnder the reuelation of so great a kingdom the Apostle witnesseth Rom. 8. 80 But how Shall the plants reuiue againe and florishe a newe And shal the beastes and liuing things put immortalitie vpon them yea verily but not by themselues in theyr subsistences or beings but in the whole that is in the heade Christ and in the sainctes his body whilest in them their bodies life sense and minde be restored to newnesse glory which degrées conclude the vniuersall perfection bothe of the worke created and also of that which is to be renued and the same in the newe and blessed man Christ Iesus the true God and very eternal sonne of god the father Where is diligently to be marked that we distinct these thrée diligētly in Christ namely a true fleshe and very bones a very soule and minde in déede and the very spirite of his father In such sorte that of euery one of these the nature be seperately distinctly kept and reserued to it selfe in the kingdom of glory not one mixed with an other euen as Christ himselfe did distinct them when after the resurrection he proued and verified to be in him the nature of very flesh and bones In which order the holy ghost obtaineth the highest place as the kingly vnction of the Fathers maiestie The second is the minde the thirde are bones and flesh Which thing if it shal be marked we shal ouercome great difficulties and shall escape most gréeuous errors that are now in these dayes of the flesh of Christ Therefore as by this Christ all things were made both visible and inuisible euen so by the same and in the same all things shall be renued to glory the woorke of restauration so farre passing the first woorke of creation as mutable is excelled of immutable and as that which is renuable is excelled and surmounted of that which already is renued to better and into the best state it may haue 82 This is the merite of the pure bloud of Christe Iesus the heauenly man which being sprinkled abrode vppon all things mundifieth that is maketh cleane al things in heauen and in earth the oldnesse of corruption dissolued the newnesse of incorruptibilitie brought in that shall abide for euer when this shal be spoken Stabilitie of stablenesse al things are stable as hitherto hath bene said vanitie of vanities all things are vanitie while the vanitie of the olde creature raigned Thāks therfore and glory be to God the father who hath giuen vs this victorie by our Lord Iesus Christ the new mā VVho repair in vs integritie and nevvnesse of life after this old corrupt disposition of the olde and first Adam Amen Amen An exhortation sent from a straunger a worthy and famous learned man of God to the righte highe and mightie Prince Edvvard Duke of Somerset for the seeking and quiet establishing of peace and rightuousnesse in the Church of England Immediatly vpon the commotions sodainly raised vp in the vvest partes as also in Suffolke and Norfolke In the yeare of our Lord Christ 1549. MY Lorde although God hathe giuen vnto youre grace a singuler prudēce magnanimitie other godly vertues requisite to the place wher he hathe ordained you and for the affaires that he hathe put into your hand neuerthelesse for as muche as ye doe estéeme me for a seruaunte of his sonne Christ whome you aboue all desire to obey I am certaine that for the loues sake of him you will receiue gently that which I nowe wryte vnto you in his name As in déede I pretend none other end but in folowing stil that which you haue already begun you might therein continue and séeke the aduauncement of his glory more and more vntill the time yée haue established his kingdome and raigne in suche perfection as it may rightly be knowne vnto the world And also ye shal know that without aduauncing any thing of mine owne fantasie all that I nowe purpose to wryte shall be drawne oute of his moste pure and holesome doctrine And for as muche as you refuse not to be taughte of the same maister whome I serue but that you rather preferre to all the rest the grace that he hathe giuen vnto you to be one of hys Disciples I thinke that I haue no néede to make vnto you any long excuse or preface bicause I finde you sufficiently disposed to receiue all suche things as shall procéede of him We haue all great cause to render thanks vnto our Lord God and father for that he hath thus willed to be so reuerently obeyed and serued of you in so excellent and high a worke as in setting foorth agayne I meane the pure and true rule of his seruice in Englande and in causing the sincere doctrine of health to haue place and to be there faythfully published to all them that will heare and for that that he hath giuen vnto you such vertue and constancie to continue vnto this time agaynst so many temptations and difficulties and for that he hath also strengthned you in blessing all your counsels and labours for the prospering of them for they be things that stirre all true and faythfull men to magnifie and prayse his name But in the meane time bicause that Sathan ceasseth not to rayse vp by all meanes possible new combates and that it is a thing of it selfe so harde that there can be nothing more harde than to cause that the worde of God may peaceably rule amongest the people which through the corruption of their owne natures be giuen to lyes and fantasies And forasmuche as there are so many circumstances which impecheth in these dayes the strayght course of the same and aboue all that the superstitions of Antichryst hauing taken roote so long time may not easily be taken away from their hartes It séemeth vnto me yée haue great néede to be confirmed and strengthned by some holy exhortations and I doubt not but the experience therof teacheth you to féele the same whiche shall be the cause to make me procéede more frankly considering that my purpose as I beléeue shall be conformable to your desire And albeit that mine exhortations shall be superfluous yet I am sure that you wil beare with that good zeale affection of mine which vndoubtedly stirreth me to doo it Wherfore I thinke according to reason that the necessitie which ye féele shall cause mine exhortations a great deale the sonner and the better to be receiued whatsoeuer they shal be I beséech your Lordship that it may please you to giue me hearing in some aduertisements that I entende shortely to declare vnto you hoping that when yée shall vnderstande them yée shall at the leaste finde some sauour to be recomforted and to take a greate deale the better courage to continue the holy and moste noble enterpryse vnto which God hath appoynted you at
discerne the good from the bad are not amongste men coumpted sinners as men are sinful neither so corrected for their offences euen so it chanced vnto the Gentiles which did sinne contrary to the lawe of Moses hauing no knowledge thereof Yet sinne was not absent from the Gentile before that the lawe was giuen as dothe witnesse against him the lawe of nature But they did fauor pardon them selues in their sinnes stil offended God as though they had ben priuiledged persons bicause they had not amongst theÌ„ the law of Moses Therfore at the tune he was not come that should take away the sinnes of the worlde and put away the tirannie of deathe and sinne which through Adam entred into the world raigned amongst men vnpunished as in Adam which brake the commaundement of god Notwithstanding the same did long before prefigure the comming of Christ which shuld be after him Not that Adam was like in all things vnto Christe but that in some speciall things he represented the image of him And in this point was Adam like vnto Christ bicause that both of them were the first beginners of the generations But Adam of the earthie generation and Christ of the heauenly Furthermore bicause that from either of them as from a beginning came certaine procéedings vnto all men But from the earthie Adam came the originall and beginning of vnrightuousnesse and deathe And from Christ the heauenly Adam came the beginning of innocencie and euerlasting life Which bothe though in some part they be like yet in equalitie they very much differ For as in this speciall pointe to saue is a thing of more might and puissance than to kill so is Christ much more mightie which saueth than Adam that killeth And the obedience of Christ was of greater efficacie with god his heauenly father to bring vnto men their life than was the traÌ„sgression of Adam to bring vnto them their death Wherfore the goodnesse of Christ doth muche excéede the offence of Adam least a man should fall into despaire of his healthe when he remembreth the sinne of his first father For if it be reason that the sinne of oure firste father Adam shoulde condemne suche an infinite numbre of men by greater reason the benefite of Christe should restore them vnto life againe whome God hath appointed the author of our innocencie and hath graunted vnto him that his death should not only take away the spot and tirannie of oure sinne and deathe but hath giuen to the handes of the same to dispose vnto all men the power of rightuousnesse in steade of theyr sinnes and the heauenly kingdome for the tirannie of their death Therfore as the fall of Adam was no great hurt to the faithfull so the goodnesse of our Lord Christ maketh vs at one with his heaueÌ„ly and mercifull father Also as Adam through his offence was the occasion that all his posteritie doe stande as in the state of damnation so the mightie benefite of Iesus Christe towardes vs hath put away all our offences In witnesse wherof he hathe sealed it with his moste precious bodie vppon the crosse as â— moste â—uâ—e testimonie of the same But to come againe vnto that wherof we haue spoken before If it were so prouided of God from the beginning to take away from man his sinne and to restore againe vnto him his life after this sorte what did it then preuaile to make a lawe which did profit nothing at all to saluation yes verily the lawe did profit muche that by the knowledge thereof the benefite of Christe mighte the more cleerely and euidently appeare vnto vs For the more that our sinnes menaced and cruelly threatned vs so muche the more manifest was the benefit of Christ which alwayes cheareth vs land deliuereth vs from sinne The lawe plainly laide open vnto all men the death of sinne which though some went about with striuing to ouercome it yet the tirannie therof was so sharp so stout and valiant that it was impossible to be vanquished But the goodnesse of Christ was much â—â—nightie than it put all tâ—raâ—â—â—e of death to slight from al such as would beléeue only in him This proâ—â—t therfore we gâ—â— by the law that we perceiue truely therby the magnitude greatnesse of Christes benefit towards all men by which it commeth to passe that like as the diuel through the tirannie of sinne brought death vnto all meniso the goodnesse of almighty God giueth life vnto all men throughe his owne deaâ—e sonne Iesus in which our only â—ord Prince I reioyce being now made frée from the bondage of death vnder which not long héeretofore I haue most wofully liued The sixth Chapter For so muche as vve be deliuered thorovve Christe from sinne vve must fashion our selues to liue as the seruauntes of God and not after oure ovvne lustes The vnlike revvard of rightuousnesse and sinne AND whereas I haue saide before that sinne by the lawe was manifest and made muche more abundant and did greatly profite to the ende that the goodnesse and mercie of God shuld be more euident vnto vs yet let as man héreby take occasion to continue in his sinne and say in this manner within him selfe Séeing that sinne setteth forthe the goodnesse of God towards men it shall be expedient alwayes to sinne to the end the goodnesse of God may be alwayes the more euident and knowne But God defend from the hartes of Christen men all suche wicked thoughtes For I doe héere meane the sinnes of the olde and former life which God by his mercie tourned vnto oure profite and commoditie And God forbid also that after we be once made frée from sinne conuerted into the state of innocencie we shuld forsake our deliuerer from thence and fall headlong againe into our olde noisome trade Deathe and life be so farre at oddes that they can neuer agrée the one with the other Wherfore assone as we begin to liue vnto Christe we be then deade to sinne and to the Diuell But if we liue to sinne and to the Deuill â—e are damnablie deade euen in that we liue And in liuing to Christ we alwayes liue and are dead to sinne which he only put away through his most precious and bitter death And in receiuing the baptisme of Christe we exercise the same misterie continually amongste vs For when we be Baptised in the name of Christe we doe â—is with him to oure olde sinnes which by vertue of his Passion were putte away And we doe not onely die with him but also be buried wyth him and that through the same Baptisme That lyke as he which neuer liued to sinne yet dyed for our offences and was restored agayne to euerlasting lyfe not by the strength of any man but by the poweâ— of God his almightie father euen so wée béeing stirred vp by him from the death of sinne and filth of our olde offences doo now liue a new life in
pietic and godlinesse daylie profiting and encreasing therein not through our owne power but through the euerlasting power of the mightie spirite of god For séeing by Baptisme we be grafted into the body of Chryst and the maner transfourmed in him whatsoeuer we sée done in him which is our head the same by all congruitie we ought to expresse and to auoyde in vs all things to the contrarie which are before him his sanctified members He rose from death to lyfe he ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hande of his almightie father All these are done and fulfilled in Chryst Wherfore wée muste also endeuer our selues to accomplish the same Then béeing dead to our olde sinnes through Baptisme if wée represente thereby the death of Chryst it shall bée necessarie that in auoyding all kinde of sinne and filthy liuing and continually exercising our selues in godly operations to pretende also his resurrection Howbeit we shall represente Chrystes death in suche maner not that wée should destroy our bodies and dye in déede but in that wée shall so muche quake and shrinke at our sinnes and filthy life that wée may bée thought to dye to them Inasmuche therefore as all men haue in them as it were a double originall and beginning of them selues as is declared before wée must also imagine to be in vs as it were two men the one of them to be olde and grosse and to beare the similitude of Adam and the other to be new and amiable and desirous alwayes of heauenly things representing Chryst Our olde man therefore by the mysterie of baptisme muste be slayne and crucified with Chryst vppon the crosse with which also muste be exiled and vtterly banished all concupiscence and worldly delectation which is the very body of sinne and it dyeth truely in all men when they haue their sensuall lustes in detestation and obey no longer vnto them Who soeuer then dyeth with Chryst in this maner is grafted into the number of the righteous and ceaseth any more to be thrall and subiect to sinne from the tyrannie whereof he is deliuered by Chrystes passion Béeing therfore dead in Christ to our olde sinnes by baptisme we trust by his onely benefite and deseruings leading a Christian life to reigne also with him aliue And so we ought to leade our liues that we do not fall agayne into our olde iniquities but alwayes to haue before our eyes the vertue of Chrystes death which he suffered for the sinnes of the worlde geuing vs example to follow and to dye dayly vnto the same For Chryst did not so rise agayne from death to lyfe that he would afterwards geue any place to death or corruption but he rose to be immortall and neuer to giue place agayne to corruption Therefore all men muste thinke that by the mysterie of baptisme they be once dead to their sinnes and from thencefoorth to be made new creatures and to be truely sayde reuiued agayne vnto an immortall lyfe leading it in all innocencie and godly conuersation For he liueth to God that liueth to godlynesse to righteousnesse and to all other vertues And inasmuche as we be incorporate into the body of Iesus Chryst and made one with him It is therfore most conuenient that we do confourme our selues to him in all godly exercise Which we shal easily bring to passe if we shall not consent to our olde lothsome impurities wherwith the diuell by watchfull oportunitie laboreth and searcheth to defile vs. Neither shall we suffer our members beyn◠once consecrate into the body of Chryst serue the diuell any more whose hellie stoutenesse and haught arrogancie Chryst our head hath spurned vnder his féete for our sakes But suche we muste exhibite our selues before his heauenly presence that it may appeare vnto him throughout our whole lyfe and conuersation that we with him haue clerely relinquished and forsaken all the deserts of death and to be transposed as newe menne into newe kynde of lyuing All which wée may easily attayne and compasse if wée gladly intende to directe our members and the thoughtes of our hearts not to vyce to serue the diuell but to righteousnesse to serue the immortall god And wée muste thinke it our bounden duetie and a case of strayght charge wholly and altogither without exception to serue God inasmuche as wée haue bound our selues so to doo by our promise made vnto him at our firste entring to him by baptisme Neither shall wée feare the mightie temptation of sinne that it shall bring vs agayne into the bondage of the diuell which at this time are not bounde to the lawe that alwayes dyd caste sinne in our téeth rather than qualifie his rage agaynst vs but all wée be now vnder the grace of God which as it was able to delyuer vs from the burden of sinne euen so it can defende vs from the falling into it agayne How be it I woulde not so bée taken héere because I say wée be not bounde to the Lawe that therefore wée may fréely sinne without offence or because the grace of God hathe pardoned our olde enormities that therfore it giueth vs licence to sinne agayne vnpunished no veryly but wee ought muche rather to flée from vyce and sinne at this time because wée bée not dryuen to doe it by force of the Lawe but onely by the deseruings moste vehemente loue and gentle prouocations of GOD towards vs in hys Sonne The maner and fashion of our seruyce is chaunged but not vtterly abolyshed and put away Wée haue so forsaken the seruice of the law that we do serue chryst and his gospel whom if we do serue we serue not in bondage but reigne in hys moste glorious libertie and freedome Wherefore it is partly in our arbitremente to serue which we luste but bothe of them we can not serue Neither the law nor yet the Gospell wil enforce vs to yeld our seruice vnto thē but if we promise our seruice either to the one or to the other we ought of al cōgruitie to obey the same with whō we couenant our seruice Wherfore he that couenaunteth with sinne to serue it must receiue the reward of sinne which is death Contrariwise he that serueth Chryst must obey him shal receiue the reward of life saluation For the frute of our obedience purchaseth nothing to the augmentation of Chrysts aduauntage but it redoundeth vnto our owne proper acceptation in him And in this poynt I gratifie you thanke Chryst for you which although heretofore you haue led a moste miserable lyfe in seruing dead Idolles and in filthy concupiscence yet nowe béeing set at libertie from them ye wholly yéelde your selues constante to the fayth of the Gospell willing to liue hereafter not as constrayned by the commaundement of the Law but according to the heauenly fréedome and the new doctrine of the Gospell of Chryst Into the which you be insinuate and engraffed after suche a