1. Iohn 4. 〈◊〉 2. A very goodly similitude and fitte for the expressing of the free forgiuenes of 〈◊〉 for Iesus Christes â—ake 〈…〉 â—eb 4. â—eb I0 Heb. 8. Rom. 4. Gen. 15. Rom. 2. Galat. 3. Abac. 2. Galat 3. Rom. 10. S. Augustin Origen * Mary Magdalâ— Luke 6. Faith is the marke of those that are iustified Esay 64. S. Basil. S. â—iâ—â—â—lary S. Ambrose Rom. 4. Psalm 31. S. Bernard Gâ—n 17. A very good comparison how we bee clothedwith the righteousnes of Iesus Christe No man can boast of the perfourmance of Gods lawe Psalm 102 Prou. 20. Iob. 15. â— Ihon. 2. Matth 6. Luke 17. Acts. 15. How the woorkes of the faithful though they be vnperfit please God Matth. 25. In what maner faith iustifiet â—phe 3. Mat. 12. Rom. 6. S. Paule calleth theÌ„ saints whoÌ„ we call Christians He that beleeueth cannot be with out good workes Mark 2. Iames 2. Apoc. 3. A liuely coÌ„parison Ihat S. Iames meant concerning works Iames. 2. A heanenly comparison Iohn 17. Rom. 4. 2. Cor. 6. 1. Pet-2 â— Galat. 3. 〈◊〉 9. Galat. 6. â—â—ke 2. 〈◊〉 2. Rom. 8. Gala. 3. Rom. S. Iesus thrist the 〈◊〉 example of Christians 2. â—et 2. Ephe 4. Rom. 15. 〈◊〉 2. Marke 12. 2. â—im 2. Rom. 12. 1. Tim. 1. Galat 5. Luke 9. Iohn 15 Phillip 3. 2. Cor. 12. 2. Cor. 4. Galat. 6. Rom. 5. After what sort pacieÌ„ce ingendreth tryall Rom. 8. â— Cor. 2. Marke 9. Fourereme dies against the temptations of Distrust Prayer Math. 9. 1. Ches 5. True praiâ— Baptisme 1. Pet. 3. Marke 10. Galat. 3. Rom. 4. Psâ—lâ—â— 3. The supper of the Lord. Luke 22. Marke 16. Gaâ—at 3. Heb. ◠〈◊〉 lib. 1 Iohn 6. 1. Cor. 11. What is ment by not making a diâ—fereÌ„ce of thâ— Lords body Hee that receiueth this Sacramenâ— protesteth himselfe too trust in none other thing than the blood of Christe Rom. 4. Rom. 8. Why the holy sacrament of thankesgiuing was ordainâ—d Christen peace and vnion are betokened by the bread and wine â—e that offeÌ„eth one of his ChristeÌ„ brethren offendeth Christ 〈◊〉 A preparation to the receiuing of the holy Sacramenâ— He that receiueth the Sacrament bindeth himâ—selfe to all the dueties of charity The true end for which the holy sacrament is ordained The foâ—rth remedy against 〈◊〉 Ephe. 5. Luke 10. Psal. 36. Rom. â— Be that receiueth the Gospel is sure that he is predesinateâ— The effect proceeding of the knowledge of predestination Rom. 8. Heb. 3. Heb. 10. Afflictions are no signes of reprobation Pro. 5. A true mark to knowe God children by Ephe. 2. Wherefore the Apostle calleth the holy Ghost she spirit of promise Galaâ— â— Rom. â— Rom 8. A true mark of Predestiâ—n 1. Eor 2. Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 1â— He that glorieth not that he hath the holy Ghost is no true Christian Iohn 14. Eccle. 6. 1. Cor. 4. A man may know that he is in Gods fauoure By the chaâ—ces of this life no maâ— can iudge whether a man bee in Gods fauor or displeasure Rom. 3. 5. Phillip 3. 2. Tim. 4. Rom. 8. Phâ— 1. The two sortes of feare childly â—â—uish â— Tim. 1 Rom. 14 Ephe. 6. Phillip 4. 1. Pet. 1. The slauish feare threateneth the wicked and thâ— childly feare encourageth the chosen The effects of childly feare Ephe. 4. The Christian may warrant himself the forgeuenesse of his sinnes S. Hillary Iames. 1. S. Auguâ—t S. Bernard Eche one must beleue particularly his sinnes are released forgeuen him freely
who by al meanes seeketh to rob vs of that faith and confidence that springeth of faith assureth vs of Gods good will towardes vs. He laboureth to strip our soule out of this precious garmēt for he knoweth y ◠none is a true Christian except he beléeue Gods woorde which promiseth forgeuenesse of all sinnes and peace too all them which accept the grace of the Gospel Uerily I say that he which vpon these promises of God perswadeth not himselfe assuredly that God is a mercifull and louing father vnto him nor with stedfast confidence looketh to receiue the inheritance of the heauēly kingdome at his hand is not faithful in déed maketh himselfe vtterly vnwoorthy of Gods grace In respect whereof S. Paule saith that we be the temple of God so farfoorth as we firmely mainteine the confidence and glory of our hope vnto the ende And in another place he exhorteth vs that we shoulde not geue ouer our trust which hath great reward of recompence And therfore my brethren let vs geue our whole indeuour to doe the will of God as it becommeth good children and beware that wee sinne not as neere as wee can And although wee fall oftentimes intoo sinne through our owne frailtie yet let vs not by by surmise that we be vessels of wrath or that we be vtterly forsaken of the holy Ghost for we 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 S. Augustine who saith that none of the Saints is righteous and without sinne and yet notwithstanding that he ceaseth not to be righteous and holy so farfoorth as he retaine his holinesse with affection And therfore if we haue afflictions and tribulations let vs not think that God sends thē because he is our enimy but bicause he is our most louing father The Lord saith Salomon chastiseth him whome hee loueth and scourgeth euery childe of his whō he receiueth Wherfore if we haue receiued the grace of the gospel wherby man is receiued of God for his childe me must not doubte of Gods grace and good will towardes vs. And when wée perceiue our selues too delight in Gods word and to haue a desire to folow the life of Iesus Christ we must stedfastly beleue that we be the children of God the temple of the holy Ghost For those thinges cānot bee done by the power of mans wisedome but are the giftes of the holie Ghost who dwelleth in vs by fayth and is as it were a seale of authoritie which sealeth vp Gods promises in our heartes the certainly wherof is printed aforehād in our minds and is geuen vs as a pleadge to stablishe confirme the same Assoone as you beléeue saith the Apostle S. Paule ye be sealed by the holy spirit of promise who is the earnest peny of our inheritance Beholde how he sheweth vs hereby that the heartes of the faythfull are marked with the holie Ghost as it were with a seale in respect◠whereof he calleth the holy Ghost the spirit of promise forasmuch as he cōfirmeth the promise of the Gospel the which as I haue oftentimes tolde you is a happy tidinges that promiseth forgeuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting life to all such as beléeue that all their misdoings are blotted out in Iesus Christ. All we that beléeue in Iesus Christ saith Saint Paule are become the children of God and because we bee his children he hath sent the spirit of his sonne into our heart which crieth Father Father And to the Romaines those saith he that are guided by the spirit of God are the children of God for ye haue not receiued again the spirite of bondage in feare but the spirit of adoption whereby me cry father father For certeinly the same spirite beareth our spirite recorde that we be the children of God Now then if we be children we be also heires And we must mark wel that in these two places the Apostle Saint Paule speaketh plainly not of any speciall reuelation but of a certayne record which the holy Ghost doeth commonly yéelde too all such as receiue the grace of the Gospel Then if the holy Ghost assure vs that wee bée Gods children and heires why shoulde we doubt of our Predestinatiō The same man saith in the same Epistle Whome hée hath predestinated them hath hee also called and whom he hath called them hath he also made righteous and whom he hath made righteous them also hath he glorified What shall wee then say too all these things if God be on our side who can bee against vs And therefore if plainly perceiue that God hath called mee by geuing me faith and the fruites of fayth 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 shoulde I doubt that I am not predestinated And moreouer we say with Sainte Paule that all true Christians that is to wit all such as beleeue the Gospel receiue not the spirite of this worlde but the spirit that commeth from God by the inspiration whereof they discerne the thinges that God hath geuen them What maruel then is it if we know that God hath certeinly geuen vs euerlasting life But there are some which say that no man ought to presume so farre as to boast humselfe to haue the spirit of God They speake in such wise as if the Christian should glory of y ◠hauing of it for his owne desertes and not by the onely and méere mercy of God and as though it were a presumptuousnes to professe himselfe a Christian or as though a man coulde be a Christian without the hauing of Christes spirite or as though wee coulde without flat hipocrisie say that Iesus Christ is our Lord or call God our father if the holy Ghost moued not our harts and toungs to vtter to sweete wordes And yet notwithstanding euen they that count us presūptuous for saying that God hath geuen vs his holy spirite with faith forbid vs not to say euery day Our Father but rather commaunde vs. But I would haue them to tell me how it is possible to separate fayth and the holy Ghost asunder séeing that faith is the peculiar worke of the holy Ghost If it be presumption to beléeue that the holy Ghost is in vs why doeth S. Paul bid y ◠Corinthiās try thēselues whether they haue faith or no affirming them to be reprobates if they know not y ◠Iesus Christ is in thē But in very déed it is a great blindnes to accuse the Christiās of presumptuousnes for taking vpon them to glory of the presence of the holy Ghoste without w t glorying there cannot be any Christianity at al. But Iesus Cherist who cānot ly saith y ◠his spirit is vnknowē to y ◠world and that they onely doe know him within whom
with diuerse temptations And therefore when the holy Scripture threatneth and frayeth the christians they must vnderstande that it speaketh to such as are so licencious that for somuche as they kéepe not the thankfulnesse honesty that beloÌ„ng to Gods children they must be handled as seruantes and hilde in awe vntill they come to taste and féele how swéete and pleasant the Lord is and untill such time as faith worke his affectes in them and that they haue so much childly loue as may suffice to kéepe and mainteine them in honestie of Christian conuersation and in folowing the example of our Lorde Iesus Christe And when the selfe same scripture exhorteth Christians to the true feare it meaneth not that they should feare the iudgement and wrath of God as though it were presently ready to condeÌ„ne theÌ„ for as I haue saide already by the record which the holy Ghost geueth to theyr spirite they knowe that God hath chosen them and called them of his owne méere mercy and not for their deserts By reason whereof they doubt not at all but y â— by the selfesame goodnesse mercy he will mainteine them in the happy state wherein hee hath placed them And after suche manner scripture exhorteth them not to slauish feare but to childishe that is to wit that like good children they shoulde bee loath too offend against the Christian religion or to commit any thing against the duty and honestie of Gods true children and likewise too gréeue the holy Ghost that dwelleth in them to the ende that knowing the corruptednesse of our nature wée shoulde alwayes be héedefull and diligent and neuer haue any trust in our selues for in our flesh and in our mindes do the appetites and affections continually dwell which as deadly enimies of the soule lay a thousande snares and baytes for vs incessantly labouring too make vs prowde ambicious lecherous and couetous This is the feare wherevnto the whole Scripture exhorteth the Christiaes that haue once tasted howe swèete the Lorde is and which bestowe all their indeuour in following Christes footesteppes who cast not from them this holy feare because they labour to put of the old man And the good Christians must neuer bereaue themselues quite cleane of this childly feare which is the singular friende of Christian charitie like as the slauishe feare is such an enemie vnto it as they can by no meanes dwell togeather And by the the foresaide thinges a man may plainely perceiue that the good Christian ought neuer too doubt of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes nor of Gods fauour Neuerthelesse for the better satisfiyng of the Reader I purpose too set downe héere vnder certayne authorities of the holy Doctours which comfirme this foresaid trueth Saint Hyllary in his fifth Canon vpon Matthew sayth it is Gods wyll that we should hope without any doubting of his vnknowne wil. For if the beliefe bée doubtfull there can bée no righteousnesse obteined by beléeuing And thus wée sée that according to S. Hyllary a man obteineth not forgeuenesse of his sinnes at Gods hande except hèe belèeue vndoubtedly to obteine it And good right it is that it shoulde bée so For he that doubteth is like a waue of the sea which is tossed and turmoyled with the winde And therefore let not such a one thinke to obteine any thing at Gods hand But let vs heare Saint Augustine who in his Manuell counselleth vs too driue away the saide foolish imagination which intendeth to dispossesse vs of the foresaide good and sage assurednesse Let such foolish imagination sayth hee murmure as much as it lifteth saying who art thou How 's great is that glory By what desertes hopest thou too obteine it I answere assuredly I knowe in whome I haue beléeued and I know that hée of his great loue hath made mée his sonne I knowe hée is true of his promise and able too perfourme his worde For hée can doe what hée will And when I thinke vpon the Lords death the multitude of my sinnes cannot dismay mée 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 and the merâ—y of the Lorde is my desert I am not poore of desert so long as the Lord of mercy sayleth me not And sith the mercies of y â— Lord are many many also are my deseruinges The more y â— hée is of power to saue the more am I sure to bée saued The same S. Augustin talking with GOD in another place sayth that hée had despayred by reason of his great sinnes and infinite negligences if the woorde of GOD had not become flesh And aâ—one after hée sayth these wordes All my hops all the assurance of my trust is setled in his precious blood which was shed for vs and for our saluation In him my poore heart taketh breath and putting my whole trust in him I long to come vnto thée O Father not hauing mine owne righteousnesse but that righteousnesse of thy sonne Iusus Christe In these two places Saint Augustine sheweth plainely that the Christian must not be afraide but assure him selfe of righteousnesse by grounding himselfe not vpon his owne workes but vpon the precious blood of Iesus Christe which cleanseth vs from all our sinnes and maketh our peace with GOD. Saint Bernarde in his first Sermon vppon the Annunciation saueth moste euidently that it is enough to beléeue that a man can haue forgiuenesse of our sinnes but by Gods mercy nor any one good desire or abilitie too doe so muche as one good worke except GOD geue it him no nor that a man cannot deserue eternall life by his workes but if GOD geue him the gifte so to beléeue But besides all these things sayth Saint Bernard which ought rather too bée counted a certaine entraunce and foundation of our faith it is néedeful that thou beléeue also that thy sinnes are forgeuen thée for the loue of Iesus Christe Sée howe this holy man confesseth that it is not enough too beléeue generally the forgeuenesse of sinnes but hée must also beléeue particularly that his owne sinnes are forgeuen him by Iesus Christe and the reason is ready at hande namely that forasmuche as GOD hath promised thée to accept thée for righteous through the merites of Iesus Christe if thou beléeue not that thou art become righteous through him thou makest GOD a lyer and consequently thou makest thy selfe vnworthie of thy grace and liberality But thou wilt say to me and I beléeue wel the forgeuenesse of sinnes and I knowe that GOD is true but I am afraide that I am not worthie to haue so great a gift I answere that the forgiuenes of thy sinnes shall not be a gift of free grace but a wages if God woulde geue it thée for the worthinesse of thy workes But I reply vpon thée that God accepteth thée for righteous and laieth not thy sinne to thy