Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
spirit_n ghost_n holy_a jesus_n 15,155 5 6.0417 4 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A08830 The benefite that Christians receiue by Iesus Christ crucifyed. Translated out of French into English, by A.G. 1573; Dal beneficio di Christo. English Benedetto, da Mantova, fl. 1534-1541.; Flaminio, Marco Antonio, 1498-1550.; Golding, Arthur, 1536-1606, attributed name.; Paleario, Aonio, 1503-1570, attributed name. 1573 (1573) STC 19114; ESTC S120980 53,945 119

There are 8 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

word which promiseth forgiuenesse of all sinnes peace to all them which accept the grace of the Gospel Uerely I say that he which vppon theis promises of God perswadeth not himselfe assuredly that god is a mercifull and louing father vnto him nor with stedfast cōfidence loketh to receyue the inheritance of the heauenly kyngdome at his hand is not faythful in dede maketh himself vtterly vnworthie of gods grace In respect whereof sainct Paule sayeth that we be the temple of God so farforthe as we firmely mainteine the confidence and glory of our hope vnto the ende And in another place he exhorteth vs that we shuld not giue ouer our trust which hath great rewarde of recompence And therfore my brethren let vs giue our whole indeuer to do the will of God as it becommeth good children and beware that we sinne not as néere as we can And although we fall oftentimes into sinne through our own frayeltie yet let vs not by and by surmise that we be vessels of wrath or that wée bee vtterly forsaken of the holy Ghoste for wee haue our Aduocate Iesus Christ before God the father and he is the attonement maker for our sinnes Let vs bethinke vs of the opinion of Saint Austin who fayeth that none of the Saincts is rightuouse and without sinne and yit notwithstanding that he ceasseth not to be rightuous and holy so farforth as he retaine his holynesse with affection And therefore if wee haue afflictions and tribulations let vs not think that God sends them bicause he is our enemie but bicause he is our most louing father The Lord sayeth Salomon chastiseth him whom hee loueth and scourgeth euery child of his whom he receyueth Wherfore if we haue receiued the grace of the Gospel whereby man is receiued of GOD for his childe wee muste not doubt of Gods grace and good will towards vs. And when wee perceyue our selues to delight in GODS woord and to haue a desire to followe the life of Iesus Christe wee must stedfastly beleeue that wee bee the children of GOD and the temple of the holy Ghost For those things cannot be done by the power of mans wisedome but are the gifts of the holy Ghost who dwelleth in vs by faith and is as it were a seale of authoritie which sealeth vp Gods promises in our hartes the certeinty wherof is printed aforehand in our mindes and is giuen vs as a pledge to stablish and confirme the same As soone as you beleeue sayth the Apostle Sainct Paule yee be sealed by the holy Spirit of promise who is the earnestpenny of our inheritance Behold howe he sheweth vs heereby that the hartes of the faithfull are marked with the holy Ghost as it were with a seal● in respect wherof he calleth the holy ghost the spirit of promis for so much as he confirmeth the promis of the Gospell the which as I haue oftentimes told you is a happy tydings that promiseth forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting life to all suche as beleeue that all their misdooinges are blotted out in Iesus Christ. All we that beléeue in IESUS Christ sayeth Sainct Paule are becomme the children of GOD and bicause we bée his children hée hathe sent the Spirit of his Sonne into our hart which cryeth Father father And to the Romanes those sayeth he that are guided by the spirit of GOD are the children of God for ye haue not receyued again the spirit of bondage in feare but the Spirite of adoption whereby wee crie father father For certeinly the sam● spirit beareth our spirit record that wée bée the children of god Now then if we be children wée bée also heires And we must marke well that in these twoo places the Apostle Saint Paule speaketh plainly not of any speciall reuelation but of a certeine recorde which the holy Ghost doth commonly yéelde to all such as receyue the grace of the Gospell Then if the holy Ghoste assure vs that we be Gods children and heires why should we doubt of our predestination The same man sayeth in the same Epistle whom hée hath predestinated them hathe hee also called and whō he hath called them hath he also made rightuouse whom he hath made rightuouse thē also hath he glorified What shal we thē say to al these things if god be on our side who can be against vs And therefore if I plainly perceiue that God hath called me by giuing me fayth and the fruiets of faith that is to wit Peace of conscience mortification of the flesh and quickening of the spirit whether it be in whole or in parte why should I doubt that I am not predestinated And moreouer we saye with Sainct Paule that all true christians that is to wit all such as beléeue the Gospell receyue not the spirit of this world but the spirit that commeth from god by the inspiration wher of they discerne the things that God hath giuen them What maruell then is it if wée know that god hath certeinly giuen vs euerlasting life But there are some which saye that no man ought to presume so farre as to boast himselfe to haue the spirit of god They speake in such wyse as if the christiā should glory of the hauing of it for his owne desertes not by the onely mere mercie of God and as though it were a presumptuousnesse to professe him selfe a christian or as though a man could be a Christian without the hauing of Christes spirit or as though we could without flat hipocrisie say that Iesus Christ is our Lord or call God our Father if the holy ghost moued not our hartes tungs to vtter so swéete wordes And yit notwithstanding euen they that count vs presumptuouse for saying that God hath giuen vs his holy spirit with faith forbid vs not to say euery day Our Father but rather commaund vs But I would haue them too tell me how it is possible to separate faith the holy gost asunder séeing that faith is the peculiar work of the holy ghost If it be presumption to beléeue that the holy ghost is in vs why doth sainct Paule bid the Corinthians try them selues whither they haue faith or no affirming them to be reprobats if they know not that Iesus Christ is in them But in very déede it is a great blindnesse to accuse the christians of presumptuousnesse for taking vppon them to glorie of the presence of the holy ghost without which glorying there cannot be any Christianitie at all But Iesus Christe who cannot lye sayeth that his spirit is vnknowen to the worlde that they only do know him within whome he dwelleth Then let them begin to become good christians and put away their Iewish minds imbrace the grace of the holy gospell in good earnest and then shall they know that the good and true christians both haue the holy Ghost and also acknowledge themselues to haue him But
God by the meane of Iesus Christ. O wonderfull glorie of the christian to whom it is graunted through fayth to possesse the vnspeakable benefites which the Angels long to beholde By this present discourse a man may playnly perceiue the difference that is betwixt vs and them that defend y iustification by fayth and work●s togither Herein we agrée with them that we stablish works affirming that the fayth which iustifieth cannot be without good works and that those which are become rightuouse are they that doo the good workes that may rightly be called good workes But we differ from thē in this that we say that faith maketh men rightuouse withoute the helpe of workes And the reason is redy namely bycawse that by fayth wée putte on Christ and make hys holyness and rightuousenesse to bée ours And seyng the cace so standeth that Christes rightuousenesse is gyuen vs by faith Wée cannot be so thanklesse blynde and vnhappye as not to beleue that he is of suffycient abilitie to make vs acceptable and ryghtuouse before god Lette vs saye with the Apostle if the blud of Oxen and Gotes and the asshes of a Cow sprincled clenzeth the vncleane as touching y clenzing of y flesh how much more shal the blud of Iesus Christ who by the euerlasting spirit offered himselfe vndefiled vnto God clenze our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God I prey thée now thou good deuout christian consider well which of theis two opinions is the trewest holyest and worthiest to be preached Ours which aduaunceth the benefyte of Iesus Christ pulleth down the pride of man which would exalt his owne works ageinst Christes glorie or the other which by affirming that fayth of it self iusti●ieth not defaceth the glorie and benefyte of Iesus Christ and puffeth vp the pryde of man who cannot abyde to be iustified fréely by our Lorde Iesus Christ without some merit of his owne But saye they it is a gret quickning vp to good works to say that a mā maketh himself rightuouse before good by means of them I answer that we also confesse that good workes are acceptable to god that he of his mere grace and frée liberalitie recompenseth them in Paradise But we say moreouer that no workes are good sauing those y as S. Austin saieth are done by thē that are become rightuouse through fayth bicause that if the trée be not good it cannot yeld good frute And furthermore we saye that such as are become ryghtuouse through faythe forasmuch as they knowe themselues to be ryghtuouse through Gods rightuousnesse purchased by Christe make no bargayning with GOD for their workes as though they would bwy their maner of iustification suche as it is with them but being inflamed with the loue 〈◊〉 GOD and desirouse to glorifie Iesus christ who hath made them rightuouse by giuing them his merites and riches they bestow 〈◊〉 their whole study and labor to doe gods wil fighting manfully against the loue of thēselues and against the world and the Diuell And when they fall throughe frayltie of the flesh thei recouer themselues by and by and are so much the more desirous to doe good so much the more in loue with their God considering that he layeth not their sinn●● to their charge bicause they be ingraffed 〈◊〉 Iesus Christe who hath made full 〈◊〉 for all his members vppon the tree of his crosse and maketh continuall interce●●● for them to the eternal Father who for the loue of his onely begotten sonne beholdeth them alwayes with a gentle countenance gouerning and defending them as his most deare children and in the end giuing them the h●ritage of the world making them like fashioned to the glorious Image of christ These louing motions are the spurs that prick forward y true christiās to do good works who considering y they are become the childrē of god through faith made partakers of his diuine nature are sturred vp by the holy ghost dwelling in thē to liue as it becōmeth y children of so great a lord and are greatly ashamed y they maintein not the beauty of their heauēli noblesse therfore they imploy their whole indeuer to the folowing of their first-born brother Iesus christ liuing in gret low lines méeknesse in al things séeking y glory of God giuing their liues for their brethren dooing good to their enemies glorying in y sufferance of reproches in the crosse of our Lord Iesus christ saying with Zacharie We be deliuered out of the hand of our enimies to serue god without feare in holines and rightuousenesse all the dayes of our life They say with Sainct Paule The grace of the Lord is appeared to abolishe all wickednesse and all worldly desires in vs to the end we should liue a sobre holy and honest lyfe in this world wayting for the blissed hope and for the gloriouse appearing of the great God and Sauiour There such other like thoughtes desires and affections are wrought by inspired fayth in the soules of them that are become right●●use And as for him that either wholly or partly féeleth not these godly affections and operations in his hart but is gyuen ouer to the fleshe and the world let him assure himselfe that hée hath not yit the iustifying faith nor is the member of Christ bicause hée hath not Christes spirit and consequently is none of his and he that is none of Christs is no christian Then let mans wisdome cease henceforth to fight agaynst the rightuousenesse of the most holy faith and let vs giue all the glorie of our iustification to the merits of IESUS Christ with whom we bée clothed thorough faith The fyfth Chapter In what wyse the Christian is clothed with Iesus Christ. ALthough that by the things aforesayd a man may easely and plainly inough perceiue howe a Christian maye cloth himselfe with Iesus Christe yit neuerthelesse I mynde to speake a little of it assuring myselfe that vntoo the good and faythefull Christian it can séeme nether grenouse nor troublesome to speake thereof although the thing were repeted a thousand times Therfore I say that the Christian knoweth that Iesus Christ togither with al his righteousnesse holinesse and innocencie is his owne through faith And like as when a man purposeth to present himselfe before some great Lord or Prince he laboreth to aray himself in some fayre and costly apparell euen so when the christian is decked and arayed with the innocencie of Christ with all his perfection he presenteth himself boldely before God the Lord of all assuring him selfe that through christes merits he is in as good cace as if he had purchaced all that which Iesus Christ hath purchaced and deserued And truely faith maketh euery of vs to possesse Christ and all that is his as we possesse our own garment And therefore to be clothed with Iesus christ is nothing else but to beleue for a certaintie that Christe is wholly
But it concerneth the true Christians who though they fight manfully agaynst the fleshe the worlde and the diuill doe notwithstanding fall darly and are constreyned to say Lord forgiue vs our offēces Theis are they to whom we speake to comfort them and to hold them vp that they fall not into despayre as though the blud of christ washed vs not from all sin and that he were not our aduocate and the attonementmaker for his members And therfore when we be prouoked to dowt of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes that our own conscience beginneth to trubble vs Then must we furnish our selues with trew fayth and out of hand haue recourse to y preciowse blud of Iesus Christ shed for vs vppon the alter of the Crosse and distributed to his Apostles at his last supper vnder the veyle of a most holie Sacrament which was ordeyned by Christ to the end y we should celebrate the remembrance of his death that by the same visible Sacrament our trubbled consciences myght be assured of our attonement with god The blissed Iesus christ made his last wil when he said This is my bodie which is giuen for yow and this is my blud of the new Testament which is shed for manie to the forgiuenes of their sinnes We knowe that a Testament sayeth Sainct Paule although it be but a mans Testament yet neuertheles if it be allowed no man despyzeth it or addeth anie thing to it and that no testament is of force till the testator be dead but hathe full poure after the parties decease Then did Iesus Christ make his Testament wherin he promisethe forgiuenesse of sinnes and the grace and good fauour of himselfe and his father togither with mercie and euerlasting lyfe And to the intent that the sayd Testamente should be of full force he hathe confirmed it with his owne preciowse blud and with his owne death By reason wherof sainct Paule sayeth that Iesus Christe is the mediator of the new Testamēt that by his dying for the redemption of those transgressions which were in the former testament they that are called might receyue the promis of the eternall inheritance For whersoeuer is a Testament there must also be the death of the Testator for the Testament is confirmed by the deathe of the partie insomuch as it is of no valu so long as the maker of it is aliue Wherfore we be verye certein and assured by the death of Iesus Christ that his Testament is auaylable wherby all our misdéeds are pardoned and we made heyres of eternall life And for a token and faythful pledge hereof in sted of a Seale he hathe left vs this diuine Sacrament which not onely giueth our sowles assured hope of their euerlasting Saluation but also warrant●th vnto vs the immortalitie of our flesh forasmuch as it is euen now quickned by that immortall flesh of his and in a certein maner becōmeth parttaker of the immortalitie therof and he that is parttaker of that diuine flesh by faith shall not perish for euer But vnto him that receyueth it withowt the sayd fayth it turneth to a daungerouse poyson becawse that like as when bodily sustenance fyndeth the stomacke incumbred with euill humors it corrupteth likewyse and woorketh greate anoyance euen so if this spirituall féede lyght into a sinfull sowle that is full of malice and misbelef it casteth it headlong into some greater ruine not through it owne default but bycause that to the vncleane and vnbeleuer al things are vncleane notwithstanding that the things be sanctified by the Lordes blissing For as sayeth Sainct Paule he that eateth of that bread and drinketh of that cup vnworthely is giltie of the bodie and blud of the Lord and he eateth and drinketh his owne damnation bycause he maketh no difference of the Lordes bodie For he maketh no difference of the Lords bodie which presumeth to the Lords supper without fayth charitie And forasmuch as he beleueth not that bodie to be his lyfe and the clenzer of al his sinnes he maketh Iesus Christe a lyer and treadeth the sonne of God vnder foote estemeth the blud of the Testament wherby he was fāctified but as a comon or worldly thing doeth greate wrong to the spirit of grace and he shal be punished verye sore at Gods hand for this his vnbéelef and wicked hipocrisie For wheras he reposeth not y trust of his iustificatiō in the passiō of our lord sauiour Iesus christ yit neuerthelesse he receyueth this moste holie Sacrament maketh protestation that he putteth not his trust in anie other thing Wherby he accuseth himself and is a witnesse of his owne iniquitie and condemneth himself to euerlasting death by refuzing the lyfe which god promiseth him in that holie Sacramēt And in this poynt when the Christian féeleth that his enemies are lyke to ouercome him the is to wit when he beginneth to dout whether he haue receiued forgiuenes of his sinns by Iesus Christ that he shal not be able to withstand the diuel and his tēptatiōs that the accusation of his owne dowtfull conscience comes to presse him so as he beginneth to feare least helfyre shold swallow him vp and death hold him in his euerlasting bands by reason of Gods wrath I saye when the good christian féeleth himself in such agonie Let him get him to this holie Sacrament with a good hart and stowt courage and receiue it deuoutly saying in his hart and answering his enemies thus I cōfesse I haue deserued a thousand hells euerlasting death by reason of the great sinnes which I haue committed But this heauenly sacrament which I receyue at this present assureth me of the forguiuenes of all my misdoings of myne attonement with god For if I haue an eye to my works ther is no dowt but I acknowledge my self a sinner and condemne myne owne selfe in suche wise as my conscience should neuer be quiet if I should think that my sinnes are pardoned me for my workes sake But when I looke to the promises and couenantes of God who promiseth me forgiuenes of my sinnes by the blud of Iesus Christ I am as sure that I haue obteyned it and that I haue his fauour as I am sure that he which hath made the promises and couenants cannot lye nor deceiue and through this stedfast fayth I become ryghtuouse by Christes rightuousenes wher through I am saued and my conscience quieted Hath he not giuen his most innocent bodie into the handes of sinners for our sinnes Hath he not shed his blud to wash away my iniquities Why thē doost thou vex thy self O my soule put thy trust in the Lord who beareth thée so great loue that to deliuer thée from eternal death it hath pleased him that his only sonne should suffer death and passion who hath taken vppon himselfe our pouertie to giue vs his riches layd our weakenesse vppon himself to stablish vs in
some one may say to mée that the christian can not by any means know that he is in gods fauour without some speciall reuelation and so consequently that he cannot knowe whither he be predestinated or no. And hée may specially alledge these woordes of Salomon A man knoweth not whither he be worthy of hatred or of loue and also these wordes of the Apostle Sainct Paule to the Corinthians I féele not my selfe gilty of any thing and yit féele I not my selfe iustifyed for all that It séemeth to be sufficiently declared by the textes of holy Scripture that the saide opinion is false and now remaineth onely to be shewed briefely that these two textes whereuppon the same opinion is chiefly grounded ought not to be taken in that sence As touchinge Salomons sentence although it bée scarse well and faythefully translated in the common translation yit is there not any man so dul who in reading Salomons whole discourse may not playnely perceyue by saying so he ment that if any man will take vppon him to iudge by the casualties ▪ that happen in this lyfe who is loued or hated of GOD he laboreth in vayne considering that the selfesame chaunces which light vppon the rightuouse light also vppon the vnrightuouse vppon him that Sacri●●zeth as wel as vpon him that sacrifizeth not as soone vpō the good mā as vpō y sinner Wher of it may be gathered y god doth not always shew his loue towards those whō he indueth with outward prosperities contrariewyse that he sheweth not his displeasure towards those whom hee punisheth Then my right deere brethren in Christ Iesus our Lorde doe you thinke it reason to conclude that a man cannot be sure of Gods fauour bycause the same surenesse cannot bee perceyued by the sundrie chaunces that happen euery day in theis transitory temporal things A litle afore Salomō saith y a man can not discerne any difference betwene y soule of a mā the life of a beast for it is seene that both mā beast die after one maner Shal we then conclude by this outward accident y the persua●iō which we haue conceiued of the immortality of the soule is groūded but only vppon coniecture No surely and it were a great follye to stande vppon a thing so notablye knowen And as for Saincte Paules words I say that for asmuch as he was sp●aking of the administration of the gospell hée ment that his hart misgiues him not of any misdealing therin and yit for all that that he is not sure he hath done his whole duetie to the full and therein obteyned the prayse of rightuousenes to Godward as if hée had done all that pertained and was conuenient to be done by a faithfull Steward and therfore in speaking of his office like a iust and discrete persone he durst not iustifie himself nor auow that he had discharged his deutie to the vttermost and satisfyed his lords wil but ●eferred all things to the only iudgemēt of his lord And verely who soeuer readeth these words of the Apostle Sainct Paule and considereth the wordes going afore them with some iudgement and likewise the woordes that folowe will not doubt but this is the true sence of them I know well that some men in expounding these words of the Apostle sainct Paule say that although he knewe himself to be without sin yit he knewe not whether he were rightuouse to Godward or no accordinge as Dauid affirmeth that no man can perfectly knowe his owne sinnes But these mē perceiue not that Saint Paule groundeth not rightuousenes vppon woorks but vpon faith and that hée vtterly refuseth his own rightuousenesse to imbrace only the rightuousnes which God hath giuen vs thorough our Lord Iesus Christ. Also they consider not that he was most certein to bée accepted for rightuous in maynteining the soundnesse and purenesse of the christē faith and that he knewe well howe the crowne of that righteousnes was layd vp for him in heauen and also that hee was fully assured that no creature in heauen earth nor hell was able to separate him from the loue of God and that he longed to dye bicause hée knew for a truth y after his death he should be with Iesus Christe All which thinges should be false if he had not bin well assured that he was rightuouse I meane by faith not by works Therfore my déerbeloued brethren let vs cease to speake that thing of the Apostle Sainct Paule which he neuer once thought of himself but féersly fought agaynst it continually in answering such as measured rightuousenes by woorks not by faith in our Lord Iesus Christ. But besides these two auctorities of Salomon and sainct Paul a man might alledge some other places of holy scripture which wheras they warne and incorage men to feare God séeme to be contrarie to the assurance of this our predestination And if I would declare them all particularly I should be ouer long But I say generally that y feare of punishment was proper to the old Testamēt and childly loue to the new Testament according as S. Paule witnesseth when he sayeth to the Romanes ye haue not receyued the spirit of bondage to feare but ye haue receiued y spirit of adoptiō wherby we ●rye father father And likewise vnto Timothie he sayeth y god hath not giuē vs y spirit of fearfulnes but rather of power and loue which spirit Iesus Christ hath giuen vs according to the promis made by the mouth of the holy Prophets and brought to passe that we being deliuered out of our enemyes handes may serue him without feare before his holy presence in all holinesse and rightuousenesse all the dayes of our life By theis many other places of the holy Scripture a man may plainly gather that y peynfull and slauish fearfulnesse agreeth not with a Christian and this is alredie confirmed by this that such maner of fearfulnesse is vtterly contrarie to the spirituall cherefulnes and ioy which is peculiar to the christian as the Apostle Sainct Paule sheweth openly to the Romanes saying that the kingdome of God is rightuousenesse peace ioy in the holy ghost that is to say y euery man which entereth into the kingdome of the grace of the gospel is become rightuouse through fayth and afterward addeth peace of conscience which consequently bréedeth such a spiritual and holy rest gladnesse in respect wherof the same Sainct Paule doth oftentimes incorage the christians to liue merily And sainct Peter sayeth that all they which beleeue in Iesus Christ do continually reioyce with an vnspeakable and gloriouse ioy notwithstanding that they be afflicted with diuerse temptations And therfore whē the holy scripture threateneth and frayeth the christians they must vnderstand that it speaketh to such as are so licenciouse that forsomuche as they kepe not the thankfulnesse and honestie that belong to GODS children they must
b●e handled as serua●●●●● and hild in awe vntill they come to taste and feele how sweete and pleasant the Lord is and vntill such time as fayth worke his effectes in them that they haue so much childly loue as may suffize to keepe maintaine thē in honestie of christē conuersation and in folowing the example of our lord Iesus Christ. And whē the selfsame scripture exhorteth y christiās to y true fear it meaneth not that they should feare the iudgement and wrath of god as though it were presently ready to condemne them for as I haue said already by the record which the holy ghost giueth to thier spirit they knowe that God hath chosen them and called them of his owne mere mercy and not for their desertes By reason whereof they doubt not at al but that by the selfsame goodnes mercie he will mainteine thē in the happy state wherin he hath placed them And after suche maner the scripture exhorteth them not too flauish feare but to childly feare that is too wit that like good children they should bée loth to offend against the christen Religion or to commit any thing against the deutie honestie of Gods true children and likewise to gréeue the holy ghost that dwelleth in thē to the ende that knowing the corruptednesse of our nature we shou●● always be héedfull and diligent and neuer haue any t●ust in our selues for in our flesh and in our mynds do the appetites and affections continually dwell which as deadly enemies of y soule lay a thousand snares and baytes for vs incessantly labouring to make vs proud ambitiouse lecherous and couetouse This is the feare whereunto the whole scripture exhorteth the Christians that haue once fasted howe swéet the Lord is and which bestowe all their indeuer in followinge Christes footesteps who cast not frō thē this holy fear bycause they labour to put off the old man And the good christians must neuer berée●● themselues quyte and cleane of this childlie feare which is the singular friend of christē charitie like as the slauish feare is suche an enemie vnto it as they can by no meanes dwell togither And by the foresayd things a man may plainely perceiue that the good Christian ought neuer to doubt of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes nor of Gods fauour Neuerthelesse for the better satisfying of the Reader I purpose to set downe here vnder certaine authorities of y holy Doctors which confirme this foresayd truth Sainct Hilary in his fifth Canon vppon Matthewe sayth it is Gods will that wée should hope without any douting of his vnknowen will. For if the beléefe be doubtfull there can bée no rightuousenesse obteyned by beléeuinge And thus wée sée that according to Sainct Hilarie a man obteyneth not forgiuenesse of his sinnes at Gods hand except he beléeue vndoubtedly to obteyne it And good right it is that it should be so For he that douteth is like a waue of the Sea which is tossed turmoyled with the wynd And therfore let not such a one think to obteyne any thing at gods hande But let vs here sainct Austin who in his Manuel counsele●h vs to driue away the sayd foolish imagination which intendeth to dispossesse vs of the foresayd good and sage assurednes Let such foolish imagination sayeth he murmur as much as it listeth saying who art thou how great is that glorie by what desertes hopest thou to obteyne it I answer assuredly I know in whome I haue beléeued and I know that he of his great loue hath made me his sonne I know he is trew of his promis and able to performe his word for he can do what he will. And when I thinke vppon the Lords death the multitude of my sinnes cannot dismay mee for in his death doe I put all my trust His death is my whole desert it is my refuge it is my saluation my life and resurrection the mercie of the Lord is my desert I am not poore of desert so long as the lord of mercie fayleth me not And sith the mercies of the Lord are manie manie also are my deseruings The more y he is of power to saue the more am I sure to be saued The same sainct Austin talking with GOD in another place sayeth that he had despayred by reason of his greate sinnes and infinite negligences if the woord of god had not becommne flesh And anon after he sayth theis words All my hope all the assurance of my trust is settled in his preciouse blud which was shed for vs and for our saluatiō In him my poore hart taketh breth and putting my whole trust in him I longe to come vnto thée O father not hauing myne owne ryghtuousenes but y ryghtuousenes of thy sonne Iesus christ In theis two places sainct Austin sheweth playnly that the christiā must not be afrayd but assure himselfe of ryghtuousenes by grownding himselfe not vppon his own works but vppō the preciouse blud of Iesus Christ which clenzeth vs from all our sinnes and maketh our peace with god Sainct Barnard in his first sermō vppon the Annunciation sayeth most euidently that it is not ynough to beleue that a man can haue forgiuenes of his sinnes but by gods mercie nor any one good desyre or abilitie to doe so much as one good worke except God giue it him no nor that a man cannot deserue eternall lyfe by his workes but if GOD giue him the gift so to beleeue But besydes all theis thinges sayeth Sainct Bernard which ought rather to be counted a certayne entrance and foundation of our faith it is néedfull that thou beléeue also that thy sins are forgiuen thée for the loue of Iesus christ Sée how this holy man confesseth that it is not ynough to beléeue generally the forgiuenesse of sinnes but he must also beléeue particularly that his owne sinnes are forgiuen him by Iesus Christ and the reason is ready at hand namely that forasmuch as God hath promised thée to accept thée for rightuouse through the merites of Iesus Christ if thou beléeue not that thou art become rightuouse through him thou makest GOD a lyer and consequently thou makest thy selfe vnworthie of his grace and liberalitie But thou wilt say to me I beléeue well the forgiuenesse of sinnes and I know that god is true but I am afrayd that I am not worshie to haue so great a gift I aunswer that the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes shall not bée a gift or frée grace but a wages if God should giue it thée for the worthines of thy works But I replie vppon thée that God accepteth thée for rightuouse and layeth not thy sin too thy charge bicause of Christs merits which are giuen vnto thée and become thyne by fayth Therefore following the councell of Sainct Bernard beleue thou not only the forgiuenesse of sinnes in generall but also apply the same beléefe to thine own particular person by beleuing without any dout y all
thy misdoinges are pardoned thée through Iesus christ And in so doing thou shalt giue y glorie vnto God by confessing him to be mercifull and trew shalt become rightuouse and holy before God forsomuch as by the same confessiō y holines righteousnesse of Iesus Christ shal be communicated vnto thée But to returne to our purpose of predestinatiō I say that by the thinges aboue mencioned a man may euidently perceyue that the assuraunce of predestination doth not hurt but rather greately profit the trew Christians And I thinke not that it can hurte the false Christians and reprobates For albeit that such maner of folk would beare them selues in hand and pretend to the worldward to be of the nomber of the predestinate yit can they neuer perswade their owne consciences which wil euer bée gnawing and crying out to the contrarie But yit it séemeth greatly that the doctrine of predestination may hurt them For they be wont to say If I bée of the nomber of y reprobates what shall it auaile mée to do good works And if I be of y nomber of the predestinate I shal be saued without any laboring of myne to do good works I answer thée at fewe wordes that by suche diuelish argumēts they increace gods wrath ageinst themselues who hath disclozed the knowledge of predestination to the Christians to make them whot and not c●ld in the loue of God and to set them foreward and not backward vnto good workes And therfore the trew Christian on the one side holdeth himself assuredly predestinated vnto euerlasting lyfe and to be saued not at all by his owne merites but by Gods electiō who hath predestinated vs not for our own workes lakes but to shewe the greatnesse of hys mercie And on y other side indeuereth himselfe to do good workes after the example of Iesus Christ as much as if his saluation depended vppon his own policie and paynestaking As for hym that ceasseth to do good bycause of the Doctrine of predestination saying if I be predestinated I shalbée saued without streyning of my self to do good workes he sheweth euidently that his traueling is not for the loue of God but for the loue of himself By reason whereof the workes that he doth may perhaps be good and holy to the sight of men but they be wicked and abhominable before the Lorde God who hath an eye to the intent And hereuppon it may be gathered that the doctrine of predestination worketh rather good than harme to the false christians For it discouereth their hipocrisie which can not cure it selfe so long as it lyeth hidden vnder the mantel of outward works But I would haue them that saye I will not streyne my self to do well for if I be predestinated I shal be saued without tyring of my self so much I say I would haue them tell mée how it happeneth that when they be diseased they say not also I wil haue neyther Phisicion nor phisick for looke what God had determined vppon mée cannot but come to passe why eate they why drincke they why till they the ground why plant they Uines and why bée they so diligent in dooing all thinges conuenient for too susteyne the body why saye they not also that all theis turmoylynges pollices and trauels of ours are superfluouse forasmuch as it is not possible but that what soeuer God hath foreséene and determined concerning our lyfe and death muste néedes come to passe And therefore if Gods prouidence make them not negligent and idle in things perteining to the body Why should it make them more slothfull and negligent in that which concerneth the Christen perfection which without all comparison is farre nobler than the bodie But for asmuch as wée sée that neither Iesus Christe nor Sainct Paule for any doubt of offending the reprobates haue forborne to preache the trueth which is necessarie to the edifying of the chosen for the loue of whom the euerlasting Sonne of GOD became man and was put to death vppon the crosse wee also in like wise ought not to forbeare the preaching of predestination to the true Christians for asmuch as wee haue seene that it importeth great edification Now are we come to the end of our purpose wherein our chief intent hath bin according to our small power to magnifie the wonderfull benefite which the Christen man hath receyued by IESUS Christ crucified and to shewe that faith of hir self alone iustifieth that is to witt that God receyueth and holdeth them for rightuouse which beleeue stedfastly that Chryste hath made full amends for their sinnes how beit that as light cannot be separated from Fyre which of it selfe burneth and deuoureth all things euen so good woorks can not bee separated from fayth which alone by i●selfe iustifieth And this holy doctrine which exalteth Iesus Christ and represseth and abateth the pryde of man hath and alwayes shal be reiected and fought against by such Christians as haue Iewish mindes But happy is hee who folowing the example of Sainct Paule spoileth himselfe of his owne rightuousenesse and would haue none other rightuousenesse than that which is of Iesus Christ wherwith if he be clothed and apparelled he may most assuredly appeere before God and shall receiue his blissing and the heritage of heauen earth with his only Sonne Iesus Christ our lord to whom be all honor praise glory from this time forth for euermore Amen Christ is the ende of Law. ● Cor. 8. Iob. 12. The stat● of man before and after that he had 〈◊〉 Psal. 114. Psal. 14. Originall s●n A verye good compa●ison Who is our neybour The 〈◊〉 office or dewtie of the lawe Rom. 3. and 7. The second office of the lawe The third office of the lawe Deu. 27. 2. Cor. 3. The forth office of the Lowe Rom. 4 The fifth office of the lawe Exod. 20 Coloss. 3 Act. 4. Mat. 11. Iohn 7. Iohn ● Gal. 3. Iohn 8. 1. Cor. 15. Psal. 50 Rom. 5 The greatne●●e of sin 〈◊〉 not to cause despayre ● Cor. 5. Gala ● An excellent comparison of the ●●●bilitie of our owne woorks Hebr. 7. Iohn 12. Phil. 3 ● Cor. 1. How man is deliuered and set free from the curse of the lawe Gal. 3. Rom. 8. Colost 2 1. Cor. 15 Gen. 3 How we 〈◊〉 the likenesse of God. A very good s●militude expressing the maner how our 〈◊〉 are taken away by Christ. Math. 28 Phil. 2 Ephe. 5. Iohn 3. How the faithfull mans sowle is assu●ed of his being maried vnto Christ. Act. 5 Mat. 2 2. Cor. 3. Iohn 6 Iohn 3 Iohn 11. Iohn 12. 1. Iohn 4 Hebr. ● A very goodly s●●ilitude ●it for the expressing of the free for giuensse of si●●es for Iesus Christes sake ● Cor. 1. Heb. 4 Heb. 10. Heb. 8 Rom. 4. Gen. 1● Rom 2. Gala. 3. Abac. 2. Gal. 3. Rom. 10. S. Augustin Origen * Marie magdalen Luke 6. Fayth is the mark of those that are iustified Esai 64. S. Basil. S. Hilary S. Ambrose Rom. 4 Psal. 31 S. Bernard Gen. 17. A very good comparisō how we be clothed with the rightuousenesse of Iesus Christ. No man 〈◊〉 boast of the performāce of gods lawe Psal. 102. Pro. 20. Iob. 1● ●●ohn 2. Math. 6. Luke 17 Acts. 1● How the workes of y faithfull though thei be vnperfect please GOD. Math. 2● In wha● maner faith iustify●th Ephe. 3. Mat. 12. Rom. 6. Sainct Paule calleth them Sainctes whom we call Christians He that beleueth cannot be with out good workes Mark● 9. Iames. 2. Apoc. 3. A liuely cōparison Wh●t S. Iames ment concerning workes Iames. 2. ● heauenly 〈◊〉 Iohn 17. Rom. 4. 2. Cor. 6. 1. Peter 2 Gala. 3. Hebr. 9. Gala. 6. Luke 2. Tit. 2. Rom. 8. Gala. 3. Rom. 8. Iesus Christ y trew exāple of chri●●●ans 1. Peter 2 Ephe. 4. Rom. 15. Phil. 2. Math. 1● 2. Tim. 2 Rom. 12. 1. Tim 1 Gala. 5 Luke 9. Iohn 15. Phil. 3. 2. Cor. 12 2. Cor. 4. Gala. 6. Rom. 5. After what sort patience ingendereth triall Rom. ● 2. Cor. 2. Mark. 9. Foure remedies against the tēptaciōs of distrust Prayer Math. 9. 1. Thes. 5 Tru prayer Baptisme 1. Pet. 3. Mark. 16 Gala. 3. Rom. 4. Psal. 36. The supper of the Lord. Luke 22 Mark. 16 Gala. 3. Hebr. 9. Ireneus Lib. 1. Iohn 6. 1 Cor. 11. What is ment by not making a difference of the lords bodie He y receiueth this Sacrament protesteth himself to trust in none other thing than the blud of Christ. Uery cōfortable counsel Rom. 4. Rom. 8. Why the holy Sacramēt of thankesgiu●ng was ordey●ed Christen peace and vnyo● are betokened by the bread and Wyne ●e that offendeth one of his Christen brethren offendeth Christ himself A preparatiō to y receyuing of y holy Sacrament He that receyueth y Sacramēt byndeth himself to al y dewlies of charitie The trew and for which the holy Sacrament is ordeined The fourth remedie against distrust Ephe. 5. Luke 10 Psal. 36. Rom. 8. He y re●eyueth y Gospel is sure y he is predestinated ● he effect y precede of y knowleg for predestination Rom. 8. 1. Iohn 3. ●phe 1. Hebr. 3. Hebr. 10 Afflictiōs at no signes of reprobation Pro 5. 〈◊〉 trew 〈◊〉 to know ●●ods children by ●phe 2. Wherefore y Apostle calleth y holy Gost y s●irit of 〈◊〉 Gala. 3. Rom. 8. Rom. 8. A true mark of predestis nation 1. Cor. 2. Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 12 He that glorieth not y he hath y holy ghost is no true Christiā Iohn 14. Eccle. 6. 1. Cor. 4. A Man may knowe y he is in Gods fa●or By the chaunces Of this life no mā cā iudge whther a mā be in Gods fauor or displeasure Rom. 3. 5 Phil. 3. 2. Tim. 4 Rom. 8. Phil. 1. The two ●ort●s of feare child y 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 2. Tim. ● Rom. 14 Ephe. 6. Phil. 4. 1. Peter 1 The sla●ish feare threateneth the wicked and the childly feare 〈◊〉 y chozen The effects of childly fear Eph 4. The christian may warrant him self y forgiuenes of his slunes S Hilary Iames. 1. S. Augustin S. Bernard Eche one must beleue particularly that hie sinnes are released forgiuē him freely Eche one must beleue particularly that his sinnes are released forgiuē him freely ¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas East for Lucas Harison and George Bisshop
rightuousenes doth supply all our vnclennes imperfection which are not laied to our charge forsomuch as thei be couered vnder the pur●nes and innocēcie of Iesus Christ and come not to iudgement before god And hereuppon it commeth to passe that all our workes which procede of trew faith notwithstanding that they be wholly sinfull and corrupt of themselues shall neuertheles be praysed allowed by Iesus Christ in the generall iudgement bicause they be the fruites and testimonies of our fayth wherby we be saued For insomuch as we haue loued y brethren of Iesus Christ we shal shewe euidently y we haue also bin faithful and brethrē of Christ and therefore by fayth we shal be put in full possession of the euerlasting kingdome which our souerein Lord god hath prepared for vs before the creating of the world not for our merits sakes but through his mercie wherby he hath chozen vs called vs to the grace of his gospel and made vs ryghtuouse to the intent to glorifie vs euerlastingly with his only begottē sonne Iesus Christ who is the holines and rightuousenes of vs but not of them which wyll not confesse that faith is sufficiēt of it selfe to make a man rightuouse and acceptable to y Lord God who through his fatherly goodnes and louingkindnes offereth giueth vs Iesus Christ with his rightuousenes without any desert of our owne workes What thing can worke or cause a man to deserne so great a gift treasure as Iesus Christ is This treasure is giuen only through the grace fauour mercifulnes of god and only faith is the thing that receiueth such a gift as to make vs inioy the forgiuenes of our sinnes And therfore when S. Paule other doctors say that on●ly ●ayth maketh men ryghtuouse without workes they mene that it maketh vs to inioy the generall forgiuenes of our sinnes to● receiue Iesus Christe who as saieth sainct Paule dwelleth in our hartes by fayth ouercomming and pacifying the trubbles of our consci●̄ces satisfieth gods iustice for our sinnes Furthermor it appeaseth gods wrath iustlimoued ageinst vs quencheth the fyre of hell wherin our natural corruption did throw vs headlong chéerfully destroieth ouerthroweth y Diuel togither with al his power and tiranny Which thinges all the works that all the men in y world can lay togither are not able to deserue nor to bring to passe That glory and that prerogatiue is reserued alonly to the sonne of God that is to wit to the blissed Iesus Christ who hath power aboue all the powers that are in Heauen in Earth and in Hell and giueth himself his merits to al such as distrusting in thēselues do set their whole hope of being saued in him and in his merits And therefore let no mā begwyle himselfe when hée hereth it sayd that only faith iustifieth without works and think as fal●e christians doe who drawe al thinges to liue fleshly that the trew faith cōsisteth in beleuing the bare storie of Iesus Christ after the same maner as men beleue y storie of Caesar or of Alexander Such maner of beléef is but an historicall beléef groūded merely vppon the report of men and vppon their writinges lighly imprinted in our conceyt by a certeint custome is like to the faith of the Turkes who for the lyke reasons beleue y fables of their Alcorane And suche a fayth is but an imagination of man which neuer reneweth the hart of mānor warmeth it with the loue of God neyther do any good works insew or any chaūge of life which faith should bring forth And therfore they fal●●y hold opinion ageinst the holy scripture and ageinst the holy Doctors of the church that only faith maketh not mē rightuouse but y they must also haue works Unto whom I answer that this historicall and fond beleef and all the works that insew thereof are not only vnable to make a man rightuouse but also do cast the parties headlong to the bottom of hel like vnto those that haue none oile in their Lampes y is to say no liuely faith in their harts The fayth that maketh men rightuouse is a work of God in vs wherby our old man is crucified and wée being transformed in Iesus Christ become new creatures and the derebeloued childrē of god This heauenly fayth is it that graffeth vs into the death and resurrection of Iesus Christ and consequently mortifieth our flesh with the effectes and lustes therof For when we by the operation of fayth do know our selues to be dead with Iesus Christ we are at a full point with our selues and with the world and are throughly resolued how it is méet that they which are dead with Iesus Christe should mortifie their earthly● members that is to wit the sinfull affectiōs of their mynd and the lustes of the flesh and forasmuch as we know we be raysed again which Christ we bend our selues to the leading of a spirituall and holie lyfe like vnto that which we shall liue in heauen after the last resurrection This holie faith making vs to inoy the generall pardon that is published by the gospel bringeth vs into the kingdome of our good god and pacifyeth our consciences mainteyning vs in continewal ioy and holie and spiritual swéetnes This selfe same faith knitteth vs vnto god and maketh him to dwell in our harts and clotheth our sowle with himself so as thenseforth the holie Ghost moueth vs to doo the same thinges wherunto he moued Iesus Christ whyle he was in this world was conuersant among men that is to wit vnto lowlines mekenes obedientnes vnto God louingnes and other perfections wherthrough we recouer the image of god For this selfesame causes Iesus Christ did rightly attribute blissednes vnto this inspyred fayth which blissednes cannot be without good works holines of lyfe And how can it be that a christian shold not become holie seing y Iesus Christ is become his holines through fayth Therfore by fayth we be iustified and saued and therfore S. Paule doth in a maner alwaies call those Saincts whom we call now christians who if they haue not Christes spirit are none of Christes and consequently no christians at all But if they haue the spirit of Iesus Christ to rule and gouerne them we must not dowt but that although they know well y they be made rightuouse thorough fayth onely yit for all that they will become neuer the more slouthfull to do good workes For Christes spirit is the spirit of loue and loue cannot be ydle nor cease from the dooing of good workes But if we will say the truth a man can do no good workes except he first know himselfe to be become ryghtuouse by fayth for before he knoweth that his doing of good workes is rather to make himselfe ryghtuouse than for the loue and glorie of God and so he defyleth al his works with selfeloue for the loue of himself for his
his strength become mortal to make vs immortall come downe vnto the earth to aduaunce vs vp to heauen and become the sonne of man with vs to make vs the children of God with himself Who is he then that shal accuse vs God is he that iustifieth vs who shall condemne vs Iesus Christ is dead for vs yea rizen agein for vs and he sitteth at the right hand of God making intercession for vs Let vs then O my Sowle leaue of these teares and sighes ¶ THE. C. III. PSALME 1 MY soule praise thou the LORD and all that is within me praise his holie Name 2 My soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefites 3 Which forgiueth al thine iniquitie and healeth all thine infirmities 4 Which redemeth thy life from the graue crowneth thée with mercie compassion 5 Which satisfieth thy mouth with good things thy youth is renued like y Egles 6 The Lord executeth righteousenes and iudgement to al that are oppressed 7 He made his waies knowen vnto Moses his workes vnto the children of Israel 8 The Lord is ful of compassion and mercie slow to angre and of great kindnes 9 He will not alwaye chide nether kepe his angre for euer 10 He hath not dealt with vs after our sinz nor rewarded vs accordīg to our iniquities 11 For as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercie towarde them that feare him 12 As farre as the East is from the West so far hath he remoued our sinnes from vs. 13 As a father hath cōpassiō on his childrē so hath y Lord compassiō on thē y fear him 14 For he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth that we are but dust 15 The dayes of man are as grasse as a floure of the field so florisheth he 16 For the winde goeth ouer it it is gone and the place therof shal know it no more 17 But y louing kindenes of y Lord endureth for euer euer vpon thē that fear him his righteousenes vpon childrens children 18 Unto thē that kepe his ceuenāt think vpon his commandements to do them 19 The Lorde hath prepared his throne in heauen and his kingdome ruleth ouer all 20 Praise the Lord ye his Angels that exrel in strength that do his commandement in obeying the voice of his word 21 Praise the Lord all ye his hostes ye his seruants that do his pleasure 22 Praise the Lord all ye his workes in al places of his dominion my soule praise thou the Lord. So hath he had mercie on vs in giuing vs his only sonne With this faith with theis thanksgiuings with theis or such other like thoughts must we receiue the sacramēt of the bodie blud of our Lord Iesus christ After this maner is al fearfulnes driuen out of the soule of y christiā charitie is incresed faith strēgthened y conscience quieted the tung neuer ceasseth to prayse God and to yéelde him infinite thanks for so great a benefyte This is the vertue efficacie and onely trust of our sowle This is the Rocke wher vppō if the conscience be bwilded it feareth nother tempest nor the gates of hell nor gods wrath nor the Lawe nor sinne nor death nor the diuels nor any other thing And forasmuch as the substance of the Lords Supper and table consisteth in this diuine Sacrament When the christian is at it he must hold his eyes fastened continewally vppon the passion of our graciouse Sauiour beholding him on the one syde vppon the crosse loden with all our sinnes and GOD on the othersyde punishing chastizing and whipping his owne only begottē and derbeloued sonne in stede of vs O happie is that man that shetteth his eyes from all other syghts and will nother héere nor sée any other thing than Iesus Christ crucifyed in whome are layd vp bestowed all the treasures of Gods wisdome deuine knowledge Blessed say I is he that fedeth his mind with so heauenly a foode maketh himselfe drunken in the loue of God with so swéete and singular a liquor But before I make an end of this matter I will first aduertise the christian that Sainct Austin hath ordinarily bin woont to terme this holy sacrament the bond of charitie and the misterie of vnitie And he saieth that whosoeuer receiueth the misterie of vnitie and regardeth not the bond of peace receiueth not the Sacrament to his owne behoof but as a witnesse ageinst himself Therfore we must vnderstand that the Lord hath ordeyned this holy Sacrament not only to make vs sure of the forgiuenes of our sins but also to inflame vs to peace vnitie brotherly charitie For in this Sacrament the lord doth after such a maner make vs partakers of his body as he becōmeth al one thing with vs and we with him By reason wher of forasmuch as he hath but one bodie wherof he maketh vs partakers it is méete that we also should by such partaking become all one body togither amōg our selues And this vnion is represented by the bread of the Sacramēt which as it is made of many grayns mingled and kneaded togither in such wyse as one of them cannot be discerned from another So also must we be ioyned togither after such a sorte and so vnited togither into one agrement of mynd as no diuision may créepe in And this dooth sainct Paule shewe vs when he saieth Is not the cup of blissing which we blisse the communion of the blud of Iesus Christ is not the bread y we break the communion of the bodie of Iesus christe whereas we be manie yit are we but one bread and one bodie forsomuch as we be all parttakers of one bread By theis things we vnderstand that when we receiue this most holy communion we must consider that we are all of vs ingreffed into Christe and are all becomme members of one selfesame bodie y is to wit of I●sus Christ in such wyse as we cannot offend defame or d●spyse any of our brethren but we must therwithall offend defame and despyse our sayde head Iesus Christ neyther can we be at variance with any of our brethren but in lykewise we must be at odds with him Also we cannot loue him except we loue him in our brethren Looke how much care we haue of our owne bodie so much must we haue of our christen brethren who are the members of our bodie And like as no part of our bodie féeleth anye gréefe which spreddeth not it selfe into all the other parts so ought we to determine with our selues that our brother féeleth not any inconuenience which should not moue vs to compassion With such maner of thoughts must we prepare our selues to this holie Sacrament quickening vp our sprites with a feruēt loue to our neibour ward For what greater spurre can we haue to prick vs to loue one another thā to sée y Iesus christ by giuing himself