congregate togither Of this we read that the people spake to Moyses saying Why haue you brought the Church of the Lord vnto this wildernesse that both wee and our cattell should die in it And Church betokeneth the elect people of God onely whereof the wise man sayth The children of wisedome are the Church of the righteous and their exercise is obedience and loue Holy Paul speaking of this Church saith Ye husbandes loue your wiues euen as Christ also loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it to sanctifie it and clensed it in the fountaine of water thorow the word to make it vnto himself a glorious congregation without spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blame Also there is a congregation of the wicked called by the name of Churche which for that they outwardly professe the same religion pretend to haue the same gospel and to vse the same sacramentes with the Church be called in Scripture Church whome God permitteth sometimes to rule ouer the people for their sinnes For the vngodlinesse of the people doth God make an hypocrite to raigne ouer them Wherefore they that crie so much the Churche the Church and affirme stiffely that the Church cannot erre and doe not declare what Church they doe meane doe but cast a mist before the simple vnlearned peoples eyes to blind them withall to the end themselues might the cleaner conuey their iugling castes Let them therefore in Gods holy name shew vnto vs plainly in simple wordes what Church they doe speake of whether of the Churche of Christ or else of the Churche of Antichrist So doing men will be out of doubt the sooner trueth will come to light and brawling will cease for verie Christians loue not contention The Church of Antichrist which is worthily called the Church malignant or the congregation of the wicked and may be called the man of sinne childe of perdition hypocrite c. cannot but erre what fayre shewe soeuer they make The Church of Iesus Christ which is his onely doue and spowse sticking vnto the word of trueth vnseparable and gouerned by his holy spirite cannot erre damnably although she be trode downe vnder feete of the world and seeme to be out of countenance These two be contrarie the one to the other betweene whome there is as much difference as is betweene sower and sweete darkenesse and light euill and good Notwithstanding the world not able to perceaue the difference nor make distinction betweene them but blinded with euil custome and the multitude taketh them for the other because here in this life they be mingled togither as the good fishes are mixt with the bad the goates with the sherpe and the chaffe with the corne so that they be not openly known vnto men at the first sight No maruaile for Sathan himselfe is changed into the Angel of light and his ministers fashion themselues as though they were the ministers of righteousnesse Also woolues clothe themselues in Sheepes clothing Yet is Sathan a deuill still and hys ministers are deceiptfull workers and a woolfe a deuourer of sheepe which at length bewrateth himselfe by his taile and bloudshedding Whereas the bloud of Iesus Christ is knowne by the spirite of trueth and by paciently suffering for his word Which spirit word be the sure anchors guids and rule of the same and not Rome nor Peter though Sathan pretendeth neuer so antient a title If Christ had appoynted his Churche to anie place or creature for the establishing of matters of Religion should Paul that elect vessell of God which was rapt vp into the third heauen and into paradise and heart secret wordes which no man can vtter haue bene ignorant thereof Paul knewe well that Christ had left his Church vnto his holy spirite and word his word to be an infallible rule both of their life and doctrine and his spirite to be a readie interpreter of the same Therefore when hee should depart from them he said Nowe brethren I commend you to God and vnto the word of his grace which is able to build further and to giue you an inheritance amongest all them that are sanctified These wordes are without guile and sophisticall craft they are simple and playne and Gods Scriptures We must therefore beleue them They send vs vnto the port of safegard and touchstone that cannot deceiue vs we must needes therefore stick vnto theÌ„ otherwise we cannot know the trueth be saued Wherein first let vs consider why Paul did send vs vnto God the holy Ghost For he saith Nowe brethren I commend you to God Hee commendeth vs not vnto Iohn Peter Andrew or any other of the Apostles much lesse vnto Rome the Pope or Antichristian Bishops but vnto God the holy Ghost Why Because hee knew well that Christ himselfe had so appointed before For when Christ should depart from the church he promised to send them the same holy Ghost saying The comforter which is the holy Ghost whome my father will send in my name hee shall teache you all thinges and bring all thinges vnto your remembrance whatsoeuer I haue said vnto you He comforted them also vvith the same spirite Commaunded them to tarrie in the citie of Hierusalem vntill he had performed the same his promise which indeede he saythfully kept and fulfilled for they were all filled with the holy Ghost euen the spirite of trueth whiche could not but teach them all trueth whatsoeuer he had said vnto them that was all one and the same trueth Secondly let vs note that Paul commended the Church vnto the word of grace what is this word of grace Forsooth the same trueth which the holy Ghost taught is the word of grace euen that word which God the father commanded to be heard at the mâ—uth of his son Iesus Christ saying This is my welbeloued sonne in whome I am well pleased heare him And whosoeuer will not harken vnto the wordes which hee shall speake in my name I will require it of him I will be reuenged of him saith God Of this witnesseth Peter also laying The time will come Paul saith Behold nowe is the time that euerie soule which vvill not heare him shalbe destroyed from amongest the people It standeth vs then in hand to searche diligently and knowe that thing that God requireth so straightly of vs which is to heare his sonne Iesus Christ The neglecting whereof is no lesse then damnation But what shall we heare verily his holy Gospel confirmed for vs by his holy spirite for the same purpose which Gospell is the worde of grace vndefiled conuerting soules giuing wisedome vnto babes making glad harts giuing light vnto the eies a lantorn vnto the feet and a light vnto the pathes proued by the fire tryed more pure then siluer vii times purged more to be desired
Heere you see manifestly faith entereth into the strait gate which is Christ This faith is not idle for it maketh vs to stand that is to say to perseuere and walke in the narrow way by loue which is the third thing that faith worketh in vs and therfore it followeth Not that onely but also we reioyce in tribulations knowing that tribulation bringeth patience patience bringeth experience experience bringeth hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shedde abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. No thanke then vnto our faith no thanke vnto our loue but all thanke and praise and glory be giuen vnto God whose holy spirit worketh fayth loue hope patience and altogether in vs. Fayth that worketh by loue is much worth before God which loue is the second note of the holy Catholike church fayth fetcheth this loue of the great loue of God which first so loued vs that hee gaue his onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ to the end that all that beleeue in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Of this loue speaketh Paule saying Walke in loue euen as Christ loued vs and gaue himselfe for vs an offering and sacrifice of a sweete sauour to God This loue Paule learned of his master our sauiour Iesus Christ commanding and saying A newe commandement I do giue vnto you that ye loue together as I haue loued you Iesus Christ so loued vs that he gaue himselfe for vs for he was obedient vnto God the father for vs vnto death yea vnto death vpon the crosse This loue so warmeth the heart with hope and assurance of euerlasting life for we are saued by hope that it putteth away all seruile feare I say not all feare for there remaineth and abideth in the heart an holy reuerend feare or dread of displeasing God or lothnesse to loose God and his holy spirit which if a man taste is rather a reuerend ioy and a glad loue than feare therefore is it truely said Perfect loue casteth out feare that is to say Iesus Christ by his holy spirit possessing the heart of man through fayth pntteth cleane away the feare of shame losse of goodes or friends the feare of torments enemies and prisonment yea the feare of sinne death the deuill and hell So that the office of true faith setteth not onely before our eyes the vilenesse of sinne that caused Christ to die but it also bringeth vs Iesus Christ the attonement maker betweene God and vs for our sinne whereof commeth loue In the which loue is manifest the third note of the holy Catholike church for now we feare God no more as a terrible iudge but thorow his holy spirit we loue him as a most gentle louing father whereof speaketh Paule saying thus Ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare any more but you haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we crie Abba Father Abba is as much in English as Dad or Deare father it is the Syrian speech left vntranslated both by the Latine men also English men to the intent I suppose that it should also be English for this I know that the first word that an English Christian childe beginneth to speake is Abba commonly long before he can speake any thing else which Christian babe in his innocencie is a witnesse with Paule that God is a deare father vnto Christians through his holy spirit by his sonne Iesus Christ Thus you may easily perceiue by those scriptures that faith loue and the spirit of God doe go together and be together in euery true Christian as sure notes and seales of his saluation Faith entring the gate of saluation sticketh to the word of God and taketh it onely to be the rule of life and doctrine Loue cleaueth vnto Christ and maketh faith knowen as the fruits do the tree and putteth away feare The spirit of God quieteth the conscience and bringeth with a reuerend dread ioy and gladnesse ineffable If you know this you be a very true member of the holy Catholike church and in the strait gate and narrow way vnto eternall life If you know not this I say no more but God haue mercy vppon you For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in thereat Heere me thinketh I do heare an idle braine say that these signes and notes be of mine owne inuention which do rather confoūd dim the church than make it knowen Vnto whom I doe answere If it be dim and hid it is hid vnto them that perish but vnto the children of light it is manifest enough Also these notes be not mine but rather Gods books there I do finde them Of the first Christ saith Euery tree is knowen by his fruites Which words be made plaine by these sayings of Paule To beleeue with the heart iustifieth to knowledge vvith the mouth maketh a man safe Faith then is not dead in the heart if it be dead it is not faith faith is knowen by the mouth as the tree is knowen by the fruits for of the treasure of the heart the mouth speaketh A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that vvhich is good Of the second Iohn saith God is loue and hee that dvvelleth in loue dvvelleth in God and God in him He then cannot be hid in whome God dwelleth And Hee that loueth his brother abideth in the light and there is no occasion of euill in him The light therefore must needs be seene Heere is to be noted that as faith without godly works is a dead faith and therefore no faith so loue without the same good weeks also is not loue but naturall affection For vvho so hath these vvorlds goods seeth his brother hath need and shutteth vp his compassion from him hovve dvvelleth the loue of God in him Thus is loue manifestly knowen by the good worke Our fauiour Iesu Christ appointing this to be the notable signe of the church faith vnto them By this shall all men knovv that ye are my disciples if ye haue loue one to another Of the third note which is the spirit of God Paule writing to the Romanes hath these wordes If any man haue not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his And a little after he speaking of himselfe and other of the church of Christ saith The same spirit certifieth our spirit that we are the children of God If the spirit of God certifieth a mans conscience that he is the childe of God then hee may be sure that hee is of the church of Christ Heereby you perceiue that these notes are appoynted by Gods booke not of mine inuention to be vnfallible signes of the holy Catholike church and of euery member of the same which be all of one faith
Trulie Trulie as the shadowe followeth the bodie so Christes crosse followeth the holy Catslolique church And as the greater the height of the sunne is the more is the shadow seene so the greater the height of the gospel shinneth by preaching the more manifest is the crosie of Christ who sayth He that loueth father or mother more then me is not worthie of me and hee that loueth sonne or or daughter more then me is not vvorthie of me And he that taketh not his crosse and follovveth me is not vvorthie of me Also if anie man vvill come after me let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse dayly and follovv mee For vvhosoeuer vvill saue his lyfe shall lose it But vvhosoeuer doth lose his life sot my sake the same shall saue it For vvhosoeuer is ashamed of me and my vvords of him shall the sonne of man be ashamed vvhen he commeth in his maiestie and the maiestie of his father It is vnpossible to sticke vnto the Gospel without the cross without trouble or persecution Paul being witnesse saying All they that vvill liue godly in Christ Iesu shall suffer persecution Of the which crosse and persecution Christ prophecied saying ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake But vnto this in another place he giueth a better coÌ„fort saying If the vvorld hate you you knovve it hated me before it hated you If ye vvere of the vvorld the vvorlde vvould loue hys ovvne Hovvbeit because yee are not of the vvorlde but I haue chose you out of the vvorlde therefore the vvorlde hateth you Remember the vvord that I saide vnto you The seruaunt is not greater them his Lorde if they haue persecuted me they vvill persecute you Seeing the trueth hath spoken these thinges they must needes come to passe Wherefore it now remaineth that all louers of the Gospel and trueth doe patiently sticke vnto the trueth in all their tribulations and call to memorie their maisters first promise and blessing which is written Where he saith Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen To suffer for righteousnesse and truthes sake me thinketh must be a signe of the elect of God For they verily y t do liue immofluely in the world and charitably with their neighbours and notwithstanding be hated euill spoken of standered and persecuted of the wicked onely for speaking against sinne and iniquitie and for the Gospels sake haue great cause to ioy in their trouble and persecution as it solloweth Blessed are yee vvhen men shal speake euil of you and persecute you and shal speake all euil against you lying for my sake Reioyce yee and be glad for plenteous is your revvarde in heauen Loe this is the Churche that cannot erre Thus I haue described before your eies both the church of Antichrist which cannot but erre and also the Church of Iesus Christ that cannot erre plainly with their signes and notes Note them therefore circumspectly The church of Antichrist is not stablished vppon the veritie of Gods worde and spirite which is the sure foundation of the holy catholicke Church but vpon a sinful man quia omnis homo mendax because euerieman is a lyer Christes Churche hath one iustifiyng faith which worketh by loue for the which Antichristes Church hath manie faithes as a little faith a smale faith an vnperfect faith a deceiuing fayth a sick faith and a dead faith Dominikes faith Basils fayth Austens faith Bennets faith Bernardes faith Frances faith and Deuils faith All which may enter the wide gates and be admitted into the popes Church and pertaker of his mony sacrifices Where note they be the greater number which thing maketh them bolde to persecute the few and small flocke that entreth the straite gate of fayth and walketh the narrow way of the Gospel which small flock neuer persecuteth For it is against the nature of a lambe to sucke the bloud of a Woolfe It is the propertie of the Woolfe to sucke bloud deuour and persecute The church of Iesus Christ euer suffereth loueth and prayeth for enemies and persecutours Antichriste brood do murmure hate persecute with a filthy conscience Vnto the church of Iesus Christ onely Gods booke is a perfect rule of beliefe life and doctrine in stead whereof Antichrists generation hath many books and rules as holy decrees and decretals fathers coumels holy doctours Festiuale Legenda aurea Austens rule Benets rule Basils rule Bernards rule Dominiks rule Francis rule and now last of all Canterbury tales with a dung-cart sul also of vnwritten verites These haue beene brought in and taught by the spirits of errour the very guides stayes of Antichrists church therfore they could not but erre But the church of Iesus Chrâ—st euery member of the same is gouerned with one spirit of trueth that cannot lie therefore cannot they erre euen with the spirit of Christ the holy ghost vnto whom with the father and the some be all thanks laud praise and glorie Amen Written the eleuenth day of the moneth of Iulie Anno Domini 1550. Esay 28. Church hath diuers significations Church signifieth the place of praier Iudith 6. Church signifiyng the companie of good and bad Numb 20. Church signifiyng the elect of God onely Eccles 3. Ephes 5. Ecclesia signifiyng the mulitiude of the wicked Psalm 26. Esay 3. Math. 21. Iohn 5. Iob. 34. 2. Thess 2. Churche of Antichrist Church of Iesus Christ 2. Cor. 11. Math. 7. 2. Cor. 12. Act. 20. Iohn 14. Iohn 15 16. Luke 24. Act. 2. Iohn 15. Math. 3 17. Deut. 18. Acts. 3. 2. Cor. 6. Gospel Act. 20. Psal 18. Psal 119. Psal 11. Psal 18. Psal 119. Luke 2. Rom. 10. Rom. 1. 1. Cor. 1. Iames. 1. Psal 119. Psal 17. 1. 2. The Church that cannot Futeâ—re Psal 1. Psal 58. Psal 140. Psal 59. Psal 140. salm 81. Psal 4 Psal 6. Psal 14. Psal 26. Luke 6. Leuit. 18. Exod. 20. 2. Thess 2. The man of sinne 1. Tim. 4. The cause why God suffered error to raigne and the wicked to rule The greatest plague of God By lyes the wicked haue entered into the Church By false miracles lying powers the wicked haue increased By force the wicked haue withstood the trueth and set forth their owne doctrine 1. Tim. 4. 2. Tim. 3. 2. Pet. 2. Hipocrisie Hindeth the sillie multitude Math. 24. Sure notes of Antichristes generation Iude 1. The first note of Antichrist The second note of antichrist The third note of antichrist Antichristes badges The finall end of Antichrists iuglinges The fourth note of Antichrist 2. Pet. 2. The thing that blinded the people most The cause why Antichristes prelates will not permit the mariages of priestes If marriage be not a cleane life God is the author of vncleannesse and Christ a bawd Gen. 2. Math. 19. Iohn 2. Vnto God matrimonie is sweete But vnto Antichrist whoredome is holy 1. Cor. 7. Antichristes prelates
contrarie both to the kinges maiesties statutes and iniunctions and also contrary vnto his maiesties proclaimation made the xxvii day of December in the first yeare of his moste gratious raigne Wherein the name of masse is plainly forbidden if y e same proclaimation be truly constured notwithstanding in y e booke of cōmon praier his maiestie somewhat yet beareth with the weake learning of the multitude which commonly calleth the Lords supper by the name of masse after their olde woont which thing me thinketh should giue no man occasion to sticke stiffely to euill custome In a statute made the fourth day of Nouember of the same first yeare of his maiesties raigne and in the xiiii Chapter the offering of the sacrament for the dead which is there called masses satisfactory to be done for them is plainly condemned as a vaine thing tending to the derogation of Christes death Also by his maiesties iniunctions chap. 28. the altar of the same sacrifice for the dead is taken away for so much as it is a monument of the superstition of the popish masse So that for anie thing I can perceaue they that so fayne would holde vp their altars against them that goe about to put them downe both by law and order meane none other thing but to maintain a monument of superstition and idolatrie in spight both of the kinges lawes and iniunctions To the ende I meane to allure the people the more to their monie sacrifice and to make them beleeue the better in the God that they doe make vppon their altar or altar-stone Without the which they I wote can make no God Ah where was this their God before the altar and altar-stone was made This may well be that God vnto whome they thinke to doe good seruice in breaking of wedlock and rayling against marriage but sure I am that this is not that God that made both heauen and earth and all thinges in them because the altar and the altar-stone be some thinges Albeit least perhappes they should thinke that I would onely answere them with scoffes though theyr shamelesse obstinacie deserueth none other I will rehearse a few wordes out of Gods booke to stoppe their mouthes withall And when they haue answered and truely confuted them I will forsake Gods booke and the christian faith as truely as I haue forsaken them and all their iugling castes In the 7. Chapter to the Hebrues it is written The Lord sware and will not repent Thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech And for that cause was Iesus a stablisher of a better testament These words doe proue that Iesus Christ our euerlasting Priest and mediatour hath stablished a better testament then the testament of the olde law The priestes in the olde law offered vp sacrifice first for their owne sinnes and then for the sinnes of the people But whereon did they offer their sacrifice verily Vpon an altar Iesus Christ vnto whome God the father sware Thou art a priest for euer c. Offered vp himselfe once by hys own bloud suffering death for our sinnes and with that his owne oblation hee hath made perfect for euer them that are sanctified This is the better testament that Iesus Christ hath stablished for vs not by often offering of himself by the hands of sinners for then must hee haue often suffered since the world began But as it is appoynted vnto all men that they should once die and then commeth the iudgement euen so was Christ once offered For as touching that he died he died once saith Paul to take away the sinnes of manie By these Scriptures wee may conclude that Iesus Christ offering himselfe by death vppon the crosse once for our redemption made a full perfite and sufficient sacrifice oblation and satisfaction for the sinnes of all them that beleue in him And that this oblation was done vppon the crosse and not vpon anie altar witnesse Math. 27. Marke 15 Luke 23. Iohn 19. and Peter in the second of his first Epistle saying Christ suffered for vs leauing vs an example that we should follow his steppes which did no sinne neither was there guile foūd in his mouth which when he was reuiled reuiled not againe when he suffered he threatned not but committeth the vengeance to him that iudgeth righteously Which his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that wee being deliuered from sinne should liue vnto righteousnesse Howbeit he onely saith Esay chap. 53. Hath taken on him our infirmities and borne our paines hee was wounded for our offences and smitten for our wickednesse for the chastisement of our peace was layd vpon him with his stripes wee are healed What is it to be healed with his stripes but that by his death and resurrection he hath obtained for vs righteousnesse euen forgiuenesse of our sinnes euen forgiuenesse of our sinnes according to the sayinges of the Apostle Peter that by him all that beleeue are iustified from all thinges And vnto him giue all the prophetes witnesse that thorow his name whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall receaue remission of sinnes This is the couenant that is betweene God vs now euen that we beleeue in his sonne Iesus Christ to haue remission of sinnes in his name thorowe hys death and resurrection This article hath the holy ghost so surely graued in our heartes and written in our minds that wee cannot but say We beleue the remission of sinnes Which also is surely grounded vppon Gods holy word that sayth This is the testament that I will make vnto them after those daies saith the Lord I will put my lawes in their hearts and in their mindes will I write them and their sinnes and iniquities will I remember no more And where remission of these things is there is no more offering for sin So long as the sacrifice and offering for sinnes tooke not away sinnes neither brought perfect remission of sins there remained in the Church of God altars and continuall sacrifice or oblation for sinnes But when Christ had once offered himselfe vppon the crosse by death and by that his one oblation once offered had obtained remissiō of sinnes and finished all things that was due for man to pay saying It is finished giuing vp the Ghost thorough the which eternall spirite hee gaue himselfe to God without spot in a sweet sauour Then was finished according to his owne saying a perfect sacrifice for sinne and all things due for the same And also all sacrifice and oblations for sinnes totally ended as it is aforesaid Where remission of sinnes and iniquities is there is no more offering for sinne if no offering for sinnes then no altar to offer vpon Therefore either let them prooue Gods word to be false that saith Where remission of c. the Holy ghost a liar that promised to write the same in
the vvay vvhich leadeth into life and fevv there be that finde it Note diligently these wordes of the trueth He sheweth heere two gates two wayes and the end of either of them The Strait gate Narrow way and life The Wide gate Broad way and destruction The wide gate openeth into the broad way and leadeth into destruction that is death desperation and hell The strait gate openeth into the narrow way which leadeth into life ioy and eternall felicity Many do enter in at the wide gate walke the vroad way whose end is damnation remedilesse for it is written of Antichrist He openeth his desire wide open as the hel and is as vnsatiable as death all heathen gathereth he vnto him and heapeth vnto him all people But few doe enter the strait gate because few do finde it for who so findeth the gate he is in the way In this gate whosoeuer standeth in a wauering looking backeward is neither in the way nor in the gate No man that putteth his hands to the plough looketh backe is apt to the kingdome of God To stagger therefore in this matter and to looke backe is to be therewith both out of the gate and the way He that is in the gate is in the way and sure of life for the gate way and life be so vnite in one that it cannot be but he that is in them is in possession of the other and he that is out of them looseth the other The gate is nothing else but an opening or dore into the way of life Christ is the dore Christ is the way and Christ is the life which sayth I am the dore by me if any man enter in he shalbe sare And againe I am the vvay the trueth and the life no man commeth to the father but by me Also S. Iohn saith God hath giuen vnto vs eternall life and this life is in his sonne he that hath the sonne hath life and he that hath not the sonne of God hath not life Thus its Christ the gate way and life But who be they that do enter this gate Forsooth the prophet sheweth saying This is the gate of the Lord the righteous shall enter into it The righteous O Lorde who be righteous Christ onely is righteous wee all are sinners For If wee say wee haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and there is no trueth in vs If wee acknowledge our sinnes hee is faythfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnesse These thinges I doe write sayth Iohn vnto you that you sinne not And if anie man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and he it is that obtaineth grace for our sinnes Loe here is our righteousnesse by this aduocate and for this aduocates sake so manie as pertaine vnto fayth be reckoned and called righteous Of the which righteousnes it is written The righteous shall liue by his owne faith and if he withdraw himselfe my soule shall haue no pleasure in him It is not we saith Paul that withdrawe our selues vnto damnation but we pertain vnto faith to the winning of the soule For by fayth the soule winneth the righteousnes that is in Christ Iesu our Lord if he withdraw not himselfe that is if he neither for loue of the worlde nor feare of tormentes forsake not the trueth receiued nor denie it before men Which trueth saith He that denieth me before men shal be denied before the Angels of God Also He that endureth to the end shal be saued Therefore so manie as pertaine vnto faith must holde faith slicke vnto Christ stand fast and walke in the trueth and then they shalbe happie and their sinnes shall not be imputed vnto them as witnesseth the prophet saying Blessed is hee vvhose vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen and vvhose sinne is couered Blessed is the man vnto vvhome the Lord imputeth no sinne and in vvhose spirite there is no guile But who is the cause that sume is not imputed to the faithfull Not our righteousnesse but the righteousnes of Iesus Christ Which of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctifiyng and redemption Who hath indeede for vs fulfilled all righteousnesse wherewith wee be indewed through faith according to the word of God that saith The righteousnesse of God commeth by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all them that beleue on him And therefore we hold that a man is iustified by faith To be iustified by faith is to be made by faith sure of Christes righteousnesse our iustification For he y t beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly is his faith counted for righteousnes For this cause is Iesus Christ called Emauel which by interpretation is as much to say as God vvith vs or whole ours This is the gate this is the way this is life The holy Ghost openeth the gate for he is the porter and sayth is the gifte of God Faith findeth the gate fayth entreth and faith setteth hold on life By faith Noah found and entred this gate which saued him from drowning Into this gate entred Abraham when hee forsooke his countrie nanation and fathers house and obeyed Gods worde This gate found Lot whereby hee escaped burning Moyses Aaron Iosue and diuers of the faithful Iewes found this gate therby were sure of their saluation Philip had found this gate when he said vnto Nathaniel We haue found him of vvhome Moyses in the lavv and the prophetes did vvrite Iesus of Nazareth Whereby it appeareth y t the fathers in the olde law before the incarnatioÌ„ of Christ found Christ this gate way and life For Nathaniel sound this gate by faith before he sawe Christ with his corporall eyes els had not hee bene a verie Israelite without guile Of whome Christ said Behold a right Israelite in vvhom is no guile Nathaniel knowledged this gate when he said vnto Christ Maister thou art the sonne of God Thou art the king of Israel Peter also and the other of the Apostles confessed the same when they said Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God All euen so manie as our sauiour prayed for found and shall finde this gate which be but a verie fewe in comparison of them that finde it not They be as wee might say but an handfull to the world By the which name they be also called that enter the wide gate and walke the broad way Christ the sonne of God saying and praying vnto the father Father I pray not for the vvorld but for them vvhich thou hast giuen me for they are thine and all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorifâ—ed in them And Neuerthelesse I pray not for them alone but for them also vvhich shall beleeue on me thorovv their preaching that they all may be one as thou father art in me and I
in thee and that they also may be one in vs that the vvorld may beleeue that thou hast sent me Iesus Christ knewe right well that the greater number would not enter this gate by faith and therefore he said I pray not for the world He would haue all saued and come to the knowledge of his trueth but they will not beleeue the trueth but hate and persecute the trueth And therefore he knowing the great danger that his smal slock were in and should be in amongest the wicked and their small strength also in sauing themselues from their tyrannie prayed for them that they might be one in faith and loue hauing the spirit of trueth dwelling in them Whereby they euer haue in possession that pretious pearle and hidden treasure that the worlde can neyther taste nor finde because hee that will haue and taste it must in finding it therewith renounce and giue for it all that hee hath or else hee looseth it Whiche thing onely the electe that haue the Spirite of trueth whome the worlde cannot haue doe and none else And thereby they haue yea and feele in theyr great afflictions that peace of conscience that Christ gaue vnto them saying Peace I leaue vvith you my peace I giue vnto you not as the world giueth giue I vnto you Let not your hearts be grieued neither feare From the which neither losse of friends and goods neither losse of good name and fame nor shame of the world neither threatnings nor prisonment nor scourginges and tormentes nor yet death it selfe could separate them that had once entred felt and tasted how sweete the Lord is This made Peter Andrew Iohn Iames and the other apostles to forsake all things esteeming it to be more woorth then goodes friendes or life in this world Paul being in this gate and tasting the sweetnesse thereof with a vehement spirit sayth Who shal separate vs frō the loue of God Shal tribulation or anguish or persecution either hunger either nakednes either peril either sword Who saith I am sure that neither death nor life neither angels nor rule nor povver neither thinges present nor things to come neither high nor lovv nor any other creature shalbe able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesu our Lord For this the holy Catholike Church suffereth and euer shall suffer all kindes of torments vntill Christ commeth againe to deliuer her as euer hitherto they haue suffered whereof some were mocked some scourged some prisoned some hamshed some drowned some sawen some hewen in pieces some burned some racked and some stened to death Which holy Catholike Church may well say according to the scriptures Thou O God makest vs to be rebuked of our neighbours to be laughed to scorne and had in derision of them that be round about vs. And For thy sake are vve killed all day long and are counted as sheepe appointed to be slaine These be the few that do finde the narrow gate these be the righteous that doe finde and enter the same these be they that Christ so louingly prayed for whose prayer without faile because of his reuerence was heard these be they that be one in faith and loue euen of one heart and one minde in one house the holy catholike church vnite and knit together with one spirit the spirit of trueth that cannot erre Moreouer euery one that is of this holy Catholike church may say with the Prophet Thy vvord O Lord is a lanthorne vnto my feet and a light vnto my paths For they stablish theyr faith by the word of God and study to forme theyr life to fashion theyr maners by the same who he knowen by three notable signes by faith by loue and by the spirit of God He that lacketh any one of these is not in the strait gate but wide gate he walketh not in the narrow way but broad way he is not of the church of Iesus Christ but of the church of Antichrist Faith is a sure confidence of things vvhich are hoped for and a certaintie of thinges vvhich are not seene This faith bringeth vs the knowledge of God and maketh vs to vnderstand our owne sinfull nature and weakenesse for Paule sath Through faith we vnderstand that the world was ordained by the word of God and that thinges which are seene are made of thinges which are not seene c. Of our owne infirmitie by sinne we haue example in him that brought his sonne vnto Iesus to be healed which with teares sayd Lord I beleue helpe thou my vnbeliefe This man vndoubtedly saw by faith great imperfections in himselfe euen his sinne as it were ouerwhelming his faith and therefore he wept and sayd Lord helpe thou my vnbeliefe Likewise the Apostles considering theyr great burden of sinne and frailenesse said vnto the Lord Increase our faith This is the first thing that faith worketh in vs it bringeth vs the knowledge of our sinne and vilenesse of the same and maketh vs to crie to God for helpe and seeke remedie for our sinne which is Iesus Christ that gaue himselfe to death vpon the crosse for our sinne as is aforesaid Thus wrought faith in the penitent publican that thought himselfe vnworthy to lift vp his eyes vnto heauen but smote himselfe vpon the brest saying God be mercifull to me a sinner Thus fayth wrought in the Centurien or petie captaine which iudged himselfe vnworthy of Christes presence saying Lord I am not worthie that thou shouldest enter vnder my roufe wherefore I thought not my selfe vvorthy to come vnto thee but say thou the word and my seruant shal be whole c. Such a lowe estimation did faith worke in Peter when he said Lord goe from me for I am a sinfull man And least anie man should contend herein y t this faith which thus bringeth vs knowledge of God of our owne sinful nature weaknesse should be a fayned faith a dead faith or a deuils faith heare y e praise therof by him y t cannot flatter nor lie y e truth who saith of the same I say vnto you haue not found so great a faith no not in Israel Note Christ calleth this a great faith Verily it so great that it bringeth vs our iustification and peace with God which is the second thing that faith worketh in vs. That faith bringeth vs the righteousnesse of Christ our iustification is already plainely prooued by the scriptures and writings of Paule who goeth further and saith Because therfore that we are iustified by faith wee are at peace with God And to declare the very gate dore and way wherby we enter into this peace and fauour of God hee addeth saying Through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom also it chanced vnto vs to be brought in through faith vnto this grace wherein we stand and reioyce in the hope of the glory of the children of God