the begynnynge of the worlde Thys is the ryght saluation whiche shal begynne euen after the temporal lyfe to them that lyue in Christ In Iohn sayth Christ Ioh. iij God so loued the worlde that he hath geuē hys onely sonne that none that beleue in hym shoulde perysshe but should haue euerlasting life The scripture speaketh of the lyfe euerlastynge euerye 〈…〉 Christe that men might knowe christ a ryght the sonne of God mat xvi Therfore asked he hys disciples what thy helde of hym Then answered Peter for hym selfe and for the other Thou art Christ the sonne of the lyuyng God Vpon suche knowledge which is necessary for vs all in the Catholyke churche buylded i. Cor i. i i Cor. iij Thus sayth Paule Vve preache Christe the power and wysedome of God He wyll also suffer none other foundation but onely Iesus Christe euen as he hath preached hym That he is come from the father in the nature of mankynd and hath redemed the worlde dyed for vs vppon the crosse and is rysen agayne oure heade and Lorde Eph. ij And is sett on the ryght hande of God vnto whome we come and are saued not by oure owne workes but of grace through fayth Ioh. x Throughout the hole Gospel of s Iohn declareth he for the moost parte that he hym selfe is the sonne of God and preacheth for the moost parte that God is hys father In so muche that the yewes did reiecte hym and would stone him for the same i. Ioh. v. For Christ is come to teache fayth whereby men beleue euen in hym as in the sonne of God And fayth is the fulfyllinge of al lawes He is the righteousnes for euer he is the worke of Goddes glorie he is the mortification of the flesshe the raysinge of the spirit the subduinge of the world the subduinge of the flesshe the subduynge of hell the gates of hell cannot preuayle agaynst hym Briefely Matth. xvi Ioh. viij Ioh. xiij he is all in all thinges as he sayeth in Iohn Excepte ye beleue that I am he ye shall dye in your sinnes Itē he that beleueth in me shall neuer dye The writynges of the Apostles be full of doctryne as concernyng fayth for thereon lyeth all the matter mar xvi He that beleueth not shal be damned he that beleueth in the sonne hath euerlastynge lyfe Ioha iij. Therfore shoulde we praye continually for the ryght faith for he bryngeth with hym loue hope and all goodnes Fayth Fayth is not a slyght meanynge 〈…〉 whiche the natural witte or wyll can make to hym selfe Act. xv but it is a liuely thynge in the herte which renueth mā and purifyeth the herte It is suche a lyuely confidence and trust to God that man is sure and certayn aboue al wysedome that he pleaseth God and that he hath a mercyfull God whiche is towardes hym kynd gracious and mercyfull and forgeueth hym in all thynges that he doeth Thys fayth is the chiefest worke of the fyrste commaundement lyke as the fyrste commaundement is a measure example rule and vertu of all other commaundementes in the which as in the heade all membres lyue and haue power thereof Goode workes Euen so is fayth the heade lyfe and power of al good workes No work is good except faith hath wrought it ye except it be thorowely mixte with fayth Ro. xiiij euen as wyth newe leuyn whatsoeuer is not of faith that same is synne Ioh. vi Thys fayth is the dearest worke of god wherof Christ speaketh in Iohn This is the worke of God that ye beleue in hym whome God hath sent Therfore doth the scripture moost requyre fayth as in the Gospell often standeth Vvhen Christe would worke any myracle asked he before yf thei beleued that he coulde and woulde do suche thynges Item in marke and Mathewe Mar. ix Matth. xiij mat vij it is written that Christe hath not done many myracles in hys owne countree because of theyr vnbeleue In Mathewe sayth Christe that hys disciples could not heale the lunatike for theyr vnbeleues sake Vvheras a ryght Catholike fayth is Ephe. ij there is a creation of a newe harte The olde harte of Adā hath not thys faith of it selfe For it is a gyfte of god Many say the Crede dayly Fayth boaste there of very sore But they knowe not what it is O it maketh a meke hūble obediēt godly peple whiche trusteth in god onely hopeth loueth him aboue al things feareth him serueth his euen christen willingly with body goodes hindereth nomā suffereth gladly dāmage persecutiō Al his workes be ordered to the vtylyte and profyte of hys neyghboure be he frende or foo euen as Christe hath done vnto vs also Therfore be not all they Chrysten manne that be called Euangelical and be inclined to hurte or endamage their neyghbours in body soule honoure or goodes They be heathen vnder the name of Christe theyr frutes shewe what they be yf they were ryght christians or Euangelicall they would be obedient seruable vnto al men intendyng to hurte no man God vouchesaue to illumine them with true fayth that they maye be suche in dede as they wil be called Amen Marci ix Lorde I beleue helpe myne vnbeleue Marci xvi He that beleueth not shal be damned Marci ix All thinges are possible to hym that beleueth ¶ Here begynneth the ryght foundation and pryncypall common places of the hole godly scripture a goodly shorte declaration to all Christians profitable and necessarye for to come to the right vnderstondyng of the holy Scripture compyled for the commoditie of all Christen people By Doctor Vrbanus Regius ⧠The contentes of the common places i. Holy Scripture ij God iij. The ryght honour of God iiij Goddes greatest dishonour v The lawe vi The gospell vij Fayth viij Good workes ix Sacramente x The death of Christ xi Flesshe xij Spirite xiij Vertue xiiij The greatest vertue xv The greatest synne xvi The soule xvij Lyfe xviij Euerlastyng lyfe xix Death xx The resurrection xxi The later daye xxij Masse xxiij Righteousnes xxiiij Honour of sainctes xxv Difference of meates xxvi Holy dayes xxvij Prayer xxviij Vowe xxix Obedience xxx The wyll of God xxxi Mannes wyl xxxij Offence xxxiij Almoses xxxiiij Othe or swearyng xxxv Christian lyberty xxxvi Churche xxxvij Ryches xxxviij Synne xxxix Infirmitie xl Health xli Persecution xlij Ioye and heuynes xliij Peace xliiij Free wyl xlv Counsayll xlvi Confessyon xlvij Merytes xlviij Shepeherde Ende of the Tabell ¶ To the most reuerende father in God Thomas by the permission of God Archebysshope of Canturburye Metrapolitane prymate of all Englande Hys dayly oratoure Gwalter Lynne wyssheth lyfe euerlastynge ME thynketh most reuerēde father that this sayenge of our Sauyoure Christ be occupied til I come is an admonicyon of all other moste necessarye and profytable Luc. xix and xij Matth. xxiiij xxv mar xiij aswell for the parentes or maysters
Prophetes Esay Ieremye Ezechiel Danyel Twelue small Prophetes i Hosea ij Ioel iii Amos iiij Abdia v Iona vi Micha vij Nahum viij Habacuck ix Sophonia x Haggi xi Sacharia xij Malachia Thobie Iudith Baruch Esra Esra iij. and iiij The boke of wysedome Sapientia The wyseman Ecclesiasticus Machabeus The bokes of the newe Testament i The Gospell S. Mathewe ii The Gospell S. Marke iij The Gospell S. Luke iiij The Gospell S. Iohn v The Actes of the Apostles descrybed of Saynct Luke vi The Epistle of S. Paule to the Romaynes vij The fyrst Epistle of S. Paule to the Corinthians viij The second Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians ix The Epistle of S. Paul to the Galathians x The Epistle of S. Paule to the Ephesians xi The Epistle of S. Paule to the Philippians xij The Epistle of S. Paule to the Colossians xiij The fyrst Epistle of S. Paul to the Thessaloniens xiiij The seconde Epistle of S. Paul to the Thessaloniens xv The fyrste Epistle of S. Paule to Timothe xvi The second Epistle of S. Paul vnto Timothe xvij The Epistle of S. Paule vnto Titus xviij The Epistle of S. Paule vnto Philemon xix The first Epistle of S. Peter xx The second Epistle of s Peter xxi The fyrste Epistle of S. Iohn xxij The second Epistle of S. Iohn xxiij The thyrde Epistle of S. Iohn The Epistle of S. Paule to the Hebrues The Epistle of S. Iames. The Epistle of S. Iudas The Reuelations of S. Iohn Holy Scripture The worde of God THese are the laudable ryght bokes of Holy Scripture whiche came from the holy gooste they can not lye or faylthe wherein is also sufficiently comprehended whatsoeuer is necessary for the saluation of the soule so that for the rulynge of the conscience in the kyngdome of faythe in the spirite none other worde doctryne or commaundemente is necessary vnto man but onely the Byble How be it there is a great battayl in the same whosoeuer truely vnderstandeth the Scripture for asmuche as euery man vndertaketh to vse the Scripture whether he be apte or vnapte Thys battel shall sone be slighted yf the Scripture indifferently be loked vppon and concordantly expounded not onely here there peces taken oute but before and behynde and in the middes duely loked vppon and scanded It is al one spirite of the olde and newe Testament Euen the same holy goost that through the holy Prophetes hath shewed the commynge of Christ the same hath also ruled the hertes and pennes of the Apostles Euangelistes Peter sayeth ij Pet. i. Da. ix b Zac. vij ij tim iij There came neuer any Prophecye by the wille of man but holy menne of God spake as thei were moued by the holy Goost It is also no mans doctryne or worde but Goddes owne worde of menne descrybed Euen so doth Christe asscrybe hys doctryne to God the father in Iohn Ioh. vij My doctryne is not myne but hys that hath sent me Item it is the foode of the soule as Christe sayth in Mathewe mat iiij Item blessed are they that heare the worde do it S. Austen sayeth that onely the Scripture afore named without any doubte or fayll oughte maye be beleued and that there is the verite of God But the other which he maketh or Hierome or other doctours and fathers shal be iudged after the Scripture God God is onely euerlastyng al other thynges haue a beginnyng his nature is kyndenes and beneficence Rom. i. God is knowen here in thys lyfe by the goodly orderyng of hys creatures To knowe christ But the ryght knoweledge of God which is necessary vnto vs for oure saluacyon is the knowlege of Christe Ro. viij And to knowe Christe that is to knowe wherfore god hath sent his Sonne vnto vs what great immeasurable and excellēt benefites he hath geuen vs by hym The righte honour of God The ryght honour of god is to knoweledge him as a creatoure of heauē Ioh. iiij and earth and of all creatures to sette oure hope trust and confidence in him onely as in hym that can helpe vs for he is almighty and will do it with all hys harte for he is oure father in heauen Item to loue hym aboue all thynges as the mooste hyest and greatest good for hys owne sake and to feare hym as chyldren not with the feare of bondage Goddes greatest dishonour The greatest dishonour of God is to put hys hope trust confidence and hyest loue in a creature and not to beleue God in his wordes where in he offereth hym selfe vnto vs as an onely willynge ryche sauyour The lawe The lawe is a sentence deu v. vi Ro. vij whereby the good is commaunded and the euil prohibited as loue god and thy neighbour Steale not do no murther The lawe is spiritual that is Ro. viij It requyreth the desyre and the herte It may onely be fulfylled by the spirite and not by the flesshe The flesshe is enemye to the lawe Mē come no further by the lawe then into fearfulnesse and knoweledge of theyr synnes and damnation Gala. v Faythe whiche by loue is mighty in operation doth onely fulfyl the lawe and faythe is a gyfte of God The Gospell The Gospel is a Ioyfull message gone furth from God vnto mankynde that he through Christe hys onelye Sonne hath delyuered man Rom. iij from sinne death and hell The lawe maketh man to feare and shewed hym hys faultes The Gospel conforteth man and sheweth hym the Phisicyon The lawe sayth Thou arte a synner and damned The Gospell sayth Be of good chiere and free herted Rom. iij Esa liij Christe hath taken vpon hym thy synnes ouercome and satisfyed for them Beleue in Christe as thy redemer that same fayth maketh thy ryghteous before God and killeth in thy the olde man with hys carnal lustes whosoeuer through fayth is made one with Christe our Lorde vpon the same hath synne death and hell no more complaynte nor power Rom. iij iiij viij as Paule wytnesseth in the Epistle to the Romeyns Faythe Fayth is no slight dreamynge imagination or meanyng of God but faythe is a liuely confidence in the mercyfulnes of God promysed and plenteously declared in Christe oure Lorde Also promysed in other sygnes as the Sacramentes are He that beleueth ryght hangeth vpon the scripture whiche speaketh of iudgement wrathe and also of the mercyfulnes of God and hangeth there on so earnestlye that he there in trusteth in all necessities and also dyeth thereon Suche a fayth Fayth bryngeth loue with her is the ryghte Christen fayth whiche bryngeth with her the Christen loue For through faythe vnderstandeth man the aboundante and inestimable loue of God towardes vs whereby hys herte is fyrste moued and getteth peace and is kindled with the fyre of Godly loue that he for suche mercyfulnes doth ioyfully geue thankes and becometh wyllinge to please God agayne also so to serue hys neyghboure and the
in Saynte Paule .i. Cor. i. Gal. i. ij Ephe. i. Col. i. Roma ij Ebre ix and to Titus ij Iohn iij In so muche that he that beleueth in Christe shal not perysshe but haue euerlastynge lyfe For thus sayth S. Paule Ro. viij There is then no damnation to them whiche are in Christe Iesu whiche walke not after the flesshe but after the spirite Therfore is there no meryer thynge vppon earthe than a ryght Christen man for he dothe not muche esteme the temporall lyfe he is sure of a better lyfe He is a Lorde ouer synne death and helle Vvhy so Answer Rom. vi Christe dyed once and dyeth no more Death shal haue no more power ouer hym Iohn Nowe bei he hath ouercome it and taken awaye synne Now he that beleueth in Christe hath Christ before hys eyes becometh one spirite wyth hym ouercometh in him and by hym synne death helle Deuyll and the worlde Ro. viij For thus sayth Saynte Paule Yf God be on oure syde who can be agaynste vs. Vvhiche also spared not hys owne sonne but gaue hym for vs all Howe shall he not with him geue vs all thynges Psalm xxx viij Vve are well delyuered into death but we ouercome all those thynges through Christe whiche hath loued vs. Vvhat hath Christe Answer He hath the righteousnes peace lyfe and saluation Euē that same hath the christen soule also which is knytte in vnite vnto Christe her lorde and head thoroughe a ryght faith Ro. viij Hose xiij She defyeth death sayth neyther death nor any creature is able to separate her from the loue of god whiche is in Christ Iesu She speaketh ioyfully i. Co. xv Death is consumed in the victory Death where is thy styng Hell where is thy victory But thankes be vnto god which hath geuē vs victory thorough our Lord Iesu Christ Deathe is not fearfull to a christen mā The tēporall deathe is vnto such a christen man no more so fearful Yea he doth desyre it for it is to hym onely a delyueraunce frō thys sinful wretched blasphemous lyfe an intraunce into the ryght lyfe vnto Christe our onely saluation A Christian knoweth that the euer lastynge death can do nothing to him yea as littel as to Christe hym selfe and the temporall death is onely a departing of the soule from the body to thiutent that they bothe beynge puryfyed pure and cleare in all perfection in the Later daye maye be agayne coupled to gether glorifyed and clarifyed And knoweth that the soule stondeth in the hande of Christ and is well preserued in the bosome of Abraham Luc. viij Therfore doth the scripture calle the Christen death a slepe because that then a Christian doth firste amende hys estate and cometh from disquietenesse to reste The ryghte Christians also should not behaue thē selues euyl or sorrowe ouer muche whan any thynge dyeth from them Paule sayth i. the. iiij Vve woulde not bretheren haue you ignorant concernynge them whiche are fallen a slepe that ye sorrowe not as the other whiche haue no hope For yf we beleue that Iesus dyed and rose agayne euen so them also whiche slepe by Iesus wyll God brynge agayne with hym The Resurrection esa xxix Ezeche xxxvij and viij In the latter daye shall the bodyes of menne by the infinite power and myght of god be raysed agayne and be coupled agayne with the soules But in the blessed shall they wonderfully be chaunged and endued with foure gyftes honour and glorye with impassiblenes with brightenes with swyftenes and with subtilenes For thus sayth Saynt Paule i. Co. xv The flesshe is sowen in corruption and ryseth in incorruption It is sowen in dishonour ryseth in honour It is sowē in weakenes ryseth in power It is sowen a naturall body ryseth a spiritual body For a lyttell before sayth he For as in Adam all dye euen so by Christe shall all be made a lyue and euery mā in hys owne ordre The fyrste is Christe then they that are Christes at his commynge Then commeth the ende when he hath delyuered vp the kyngdome to God the father when he hath put downe all rule authorite and power Christ is rysen from death therfor shall we ryse also Thys artycle of oure fayth is al the hole somme and contayned all the hole matter Yf Christe were not rysen then had synne and death ben to stronge for him But for as moche as he is rysen from death so is synne and death ouercome and we shall ryse also in glorye purchaced prepared for vs by Christe Ro. viij But then when the spirite of God that raysed vp Iesus from death quickeneth your mortall bodyes because of his spirite whiche dwelleth in you Ioh. xi Christe sayth I am the resurrectiō and the lyfe He that beleueth on me yea though he were deade yet shall he lyue And whosoeuer lyueth and beleueth on me shall neuer dye Item this is the wyl of hym that sent me Ioh. vi that euery man which seyth the sonne and beleueth on hym haue euerlastinge lyfe And I wyll rayse hym vp at the last daye hiob xix Item I am sure that me redemer lyueth and that I shall ryse oute of the earthe in the later daye that I shall be clothed agayne with thys skynne and see God in my flesshe yea I my selfe shal beholde hym not with other but with these same eyes Itē the houre shall come in the whiche al that are in the graues shall heare hys voyce and shall come forthe they that haue done good vnto the resurrection of lyfe and they that haue done euyll vnto the resurrection of damnation One Christian shoulde conforte another with suche wordes of Scripture agaynst the feare of death as Saynte Paule teacheth in the Epistle to the Thessalonians i. Th. iiij The Latter daye Of the last daye hath the Scripture two poyntes The fyrst Christe hath geuen sure sygnes which be the messagers of the last iudgement Reade the Gospelles of Mathewe Marke Matth. xxiiij mar xiij Luc. xxi and Luke All maner of persecutions of the faythfull shall aryse Item warre insurrection offence euyl maners quenchynge of charite Item the abhomination in the holy place in the tempel of God Dan. ix whiche exalteht hym selfe and sheweth hym selfe as God Item an abhominable departynge ij Th. ij and fallyng from the faythe vnto mānes institutions and traditions For thus sayth Christe when the trees shute forth theyr buddes it is a sure signe that Sōmer is then nygh at hāde So lykewyse ye when ye see those thynges come to passe vnderstonde that the later daye is at hande The other Euen thesame poynte of thys laste tyme the daye or houre can no man knowe Christe geueth signes Matth. xxiiij but he sayth in Mathewe Of that daye and houre knoweth noman no not the Angels of heauen but my father onely and recyteth euen in the same place
lyueth soberly me asurably and purely By prayer doth a man ouercome the pryde of thys lyfe and lyueth Godly By almose dedes dothe a man ouercome the lustes of the eyes and lyueth ryghtfully in thys lyfe Othe or swearynge Thereof speaketh Christe in Mathew Mat v. on thys wyse Sweare not at al. But your communicatiō shal be yea yea naye naye for whatsoeuer is more then that cometh of euyl Here doth Christ inhibite the desyre of swearing euen as the lawe dothe euery where forbidde the desyre Christe wyll Iohn v that a Christian shal be so slyght ryghte not full of euyll thoughtes or mysdemynges that he shal beleue his neyghboure gladly and dryue or compel no man to make an other and that he also neuer wyl sweare hymselfe to the honour of the godly maiesty before the which we be alwaies lyers Therfore saith the texte whatsoeuer is more thē that cometh of euyl as though he wolde saye whē a mā is desyrous to take an othe of his neyghbour or lyghtely requyreth an othe of hym or when he sweareth hym selfe lightely then is it a sygne that he is vntrewe wicked lyght mynded and possesseth not the godly verite No mā ought to sweare of hym selfe Howe be it whan it toucheth or concerneth the loue necessite and the profyte of our neyghbours or the honour and glory of God then is it laufull Christian lyberte The christē liberte is not that we nede not to do no more good but it is such a lyberte wherein not the lawe but man is chaunged Act ix Vvhen Paul was conuerted and illumined then continued yet the tenne commaundementes with hym inmutable that he shoulde obserue them but he became another man for euen the same lawe of God whiche before his conuersion was bitter and hole contrary to the wyll of Paule as soone as throughe fayth he was purifyed and loue was through the holy goost infounded into hys herte then became the lawe vnto hym amiable he was before vnwillynge but afterwarde willynge The lawe can not condemne a christen man albeit he hath yet synne in case he beleueth that the malediction of the lawe is taken awaye by Christ and that the ryghteousnes of Christe is hys and the satisfaction of Christ hys purifyenge as the spirite of God sayth i. Cor. i. Christ of God is made vnto vs wysedome ryghteousnes sanctifyenge and redemption Thys lyberte hathe Christe deserued for vs and we must be ware Gala. v that the liberte be not an occasion vnto the flesshe to synne but in loue serue one another Thou mayest not say yf I am free through fayth and yf fayth doth it all alone then wyll we do no goode it is all done allready Thys is not ryghte men may not make a cloke for the rayne thereby It is not suche a libertye i. Pet. ij that thou nedest to do no more goode workes but the christen lyberte causeth that we nowe from hencefurthe withoute compulsyon free withoute respecte of the rewarde fyrste begynne to do some good i. Tim. i Thus sayth S. Paule vnto the ryghteous is no lawe geuen the lawe hath no auctorite nor action vpon hym he doth by the spirite of God of hym selfe whatsoeuer he ought and whatsoeuer the lawe requyreth The Churche In the scripture standeth Ecclesia Ecclesia Thys is a Greke worde and as moch as a congregation of the faythful people And the hole vniuersall Church hath the holy goost by her by whome she is gouerned and cannot erre The brydegrome doth not forsake the bryde But a parte of thys churche maye well erre The pope and hys Cardinals are not the Christen churche or congregatiō but onely a part or membre therein when they be christen mēbres or els not Isa xlvi De. viij mat iiij The churche is congregated by the worde of God The worde of God is a body wherein the churche is receyued fourmed susteyned borne nouryshed clothed strengthened and preserued The hole lyfe and conuersation of the churche is in the word of God Therfore doth the Christen church institute make and teache nothyng cōtrary to the word of god she abydeth by the cleare pure and syncere worde of God there hath she whatsoeuer is necessary for her for the spiritual lyfe Whensoeuer any institution is layed before vs and commaunded to be obserued then muste we iudge yf it come oute of the scripture or not Yf it be not oute of the Scripture then doth it not bynde our consciences neyther is it the commaundement of the Christen churche Yf it be agaynst the scripture then hath not the Churche of God commaunded it but the congregation of Behemot the deuyll Therfore let not thys worde Catholyke churche The Catholike churche drawe the to euerye vngodly assembel as hathe ben done hitherto They haue also taught that a counsayll whiche sitteth in the stede of the churche can not erre I say thus Cleaue take holde by goddes worde yf thou wylt not stomble It is manifest and euydent Counceyls that the counsaylles haue erred shamefully As the Counsayll of Arimin of Ephesus the secōde of Constantinoble Item the Counsayls be contrary the one to the other in theyr institutions then must nedes the one alwayes erre Ryches Ryches is a good creature of god and an instrument of vertue Luc. viij Matth. xix Wherfore doth then the holy Scripture call them thornes Item Christe sayth It is harde for a ryche man to enter into the kyngdome of heauen it is easier for a camell to go throughe the eye of a nedle then for a ryche man to enter into the kyngdome of God Answer Al be it that ryches in it selfe is a creature of God and good yet are we of nature enclyned to al euill Therfore when we haue occasyon to synne Ge. viij we be very swyfte and can not withholde and tame our selues A man maye haue muche goodes well ynoughe and yet for all that come to heauē as Abrahā Iob Namaā of Syria were also in great possessyons but yet ryghteous reasonable and godfearyng menne Therfore is ryches not prohibited but the misvsyng there of is prohibited the couetousnes that is the inordinate and vncomely desyres towardes the goodes Ephe. v for it is an Idolatry He is properly called ryche in the scripture that putteth hys truste and confidence in hys goodes and hath hys pleasure ioye and pastyme therein As the ryche man sayed Luc. xij My soule thou haste muche goodes layed vp in store for many yeres take thyne ease eate drynke and be mery Thereof is it written in the Psalme Lo Psa lij thys is the man that toke not God for hys strengthe but trusted vnto the multitude of hys ryches Psalm xxxix And in another Psalme he heapeth vp rychesse and can not tell who shall gather them Euen suche persons trust not god they thynke that yf they shoulde not mistruste and be carefull the
commaundementes to fulfyll Ro. xiiij Vvhatsoeuer is not done in faythe the same is wicked and synne where as the mercye of God is not founde in suche wyse there is surely despysynge of GOD that he is not regarded nor sette by or there is hatred Good workes Fayth bringeth alwayes her frutes with her that is good workes and wheras no workes of charitie are shewed there is nothynge elles but a dead Iaco. ij fayth A christen man shall before all thynges praye for fayth whereby he may do ryght good workes Much to bable of good workes or vndertake to do the same before that fayth be there is as moche as to bynde the horse behynde the plough Lu. xviij Much the worke or do withoute fayth is to take great paynes and laboures for noughte and with the sicke woman to spend all hys substaunce amonge the Phisiciās and yet for all that remayne sicke styl Lu. viij Power of faith Vvhat power fayth hath is descrybed in these places here after followynge Genesis xv Roma iij. iiij xiiij Galacas iij. Ephes ij Math. vi viij ix xvij xxi Marci v. ix xi Luce. viij xi xviij xix Iohannis iij. iiij vi vij viij And i. Iohannis iij. iiij v. Act iiii xvi and in many places more besydes Good workes The Iewes asked Christe in Iohn what they shoulde do Ioha vi that they might the workes of god he answered This is the worke of God that ye beleue on hym whome he hath sent First loke aboute for faythe Lu. xvij and say with the discyples of Christe Lord increace my fayth And after that loke what God wyl haue in hys commaundementes and do it these are good Christen workes for they flowe oute of fayth and are done by the commaundemente of god Vvhatsoeuer is not done by the commaundement of god whiche ordinately and sufficyently is expressed in the Scripture the same be of thy despised Isa xxix mat xv Deu. xij For God wil not be serued wyth mennes tradicyons lawes or inuentions Vvhosoeuer steppeth out of the cōmune strete of the Christen lyfe and seketh a peculyar waye to saluacion through hys owne imagyned workes the same standeth daungerousely For he that followeth not Christe in hys doctryn must nedes walke in darkenes in erronyous by pathes Ioh. viij and .xiiij Christ is the lyght of our lyfe and the waye as it is written in Iohn Vvhosoeuer maketh or instituted a perpetual lighte for the deade or sainctes and besydes that forgetteth the lyuynge saynctes the poore bretheren and systers in Christe he feleth gropeth in the darkenes and goeth a bypathe vnderstond by the example somewhat more Sacrament Sacrament is a holy token in oure faythe which putteth vs in remembraunce the promyse of God and stablyssheth oure hertes in a confidence towardes God as Baptisme and the Sacrament of the aulter Thou hearest that God promyseth vnto the pardon and forgeuenesse of synnes He suffered therfore hys sonne Christe to dye vpon the crosse that thou by the death of Christe myghtest be reconcyled agayne to God Rom. v beleue this so hast thou it And therfore hath he ordeyned and left vnto the hys body and bloude in the Sacramente as a sure holye token and bonde of suche promyse Euen as sure as Gedeon was Iudi. vi that he shoulde ouercome his enemye whē God hath promysed it vnto hym and by the fyre and flese hath assured it vnto hym So sure arte thou that thou haste obtayned mercy when thou hearest in fayth Goddes promyse of remissyon of synnes and besydes that receyuest Baptisme or the Sacrament of the aulter for an assurance of suche promyse Learne the Sacramentes a ryght with theyr vertue for the Conscience hath skant a greater comforte in earth then the Sacramētes Thys is taught Genesis in the xvij Chapter and to the Romaynes in the iiij The death of Christe The death of Christe is oure satisfaction for synne Esa liij i. Co. i Christe hath onelye satisfyed for he onelye hathe redemed Oure sufferynge vpon earth is no satisfaction for synne properlye but a mortifyenge of the olde carnall man to thintent that accordynge to the workynge and to the vertue of baptisme Ro viij a Christian myght be conformable to Christe hys heade dye and ryse agayne a newe creature in Christe Ioh. iij. A man must be borne agayne of water and of the spirite yf he shal come to heauen he must beare the crosse he must crucifye hys flesshe mat xvi Gala. v ij tim iij with the euyl concupiscences and lustes yf he wyl be Christes owne Item al that wyl lyue godly must suffre persecution Flesshe Flesshe is called in the Scripture commonly not onely the body Ephe. ij but the hole olde carnall man The sonne of Adam with body and soule Gen. vi for he is from the fyrste generation a synner and a chyld of wrath Iohn iij For whatsoeuer is borne of flesshe is flesshe A man before he is borne agayne through the spirite of fayth is he all flesshe that is concernyng hys body soule can he of hys owne power vnderstande thynke and desyre nothyng but earthy and carnal thinges heauēly thynges are to hygh for hym and to subtyl he can not attayne to them he knoweth nothynge ryght of God and godly thynges The originall synne A deadly hurte is happened vnto man in body soule of that poysoned origynall synne The origynal synne oughte not to be counted for a smal hurte Gen. vi and viij The wittes are blynded man vnderstandeth nothynge of hym selfe withoute grace The wyl is croked and tourned away from that whiche is good and so weake and wounded that he delyreth euill for good and al that is pernicious Lyke as the ague taketh away a mans taste that nothyng sauoureth vnto hym but that whiche is deadly and hurtful vnto hym that which is swete semeth vnto hym to be soure Euen so hath the stinckynge and filthy origynal sinne corrupted al the powers of man that to theyr ryght workes they can not attayne withoute a great renewyng A man muste be renewed and made hole or elles must he be damned That cometh to passe The death of Christ when the death of Christe hath and vseth hys workyng in man that the spirite of fayth doth stryue and fyghte agaynst the flesshe and at the laste the flesshe with death is destroyed and the carnall man Eph. iiij accordynge to the signifycation of Baptisme is hole drowned the fylthynes of the synfull byrthe of Adam is hool wassheth awaye and becometh a newe man whiche is shapen after God in true ryghteousnes and holynes Spirite The spirite is the holy Goost and hys motion or workynge in vs. It is one thynge The outward mā the olde Adam the flesshe the body of synne It is one thyng The newe man the inwarde man Ro. vij Gala. v Betwene the spirite and the flesshe is a contynuall
battell as S. Paul testifyeth Here vpon earth as longe as bodye and soul be knitte together Ro. viij Hathe the vpryght ryghteous man onelye the fyrste frutes of the spirite In such maner are here yet al workes of mā spotted and polluted of the flesshe synne before the iudgement of God Therfore lette noman buylde and trust vpō hys workes Rom. iij iiij The fayth in Christe is onely oure ryghteousnes before God Vertue The thre hyest vertues Fayth Charite Hope Out of a ryghte fayth flowe the other two Charite and hope Knoweledge of the kindnesse of God For the knowledge of the godly mercyfulnes maketh that God is loued agayne maketh also that we be willinge and subdue oure selues to serue euery creature and that is called the loue of our neyghboure Hope floweth also oute of faythe for fayth is that Hope wherewith thou beleuest the worde and with hope thou lokest for that whiche is promysed vnto the through the worde What maketh me to haue hope Answer The fayth in the worde of God Therfore hange these thre vertues together The greatest vertue ¶ The greatest vertue is Gal v where of Saynt Paule speaketh Faythe whiche through loue is myghtye in operation without fayth is no vertue The greatest synne The greatest synne is vnbeleue He that beleueth not in Christe is damned Ioh. iij He shal not see lyfe but the wrath of God abydeth on hym Ro. xiiij For whatsoeuer procedeth not of fayth that same is synne The soule The soule of man is highly honoured or made honourable Gene. i. namely created after the image of the moost hyghly blessed trinite and hath thre vertues or qualities vnderstandyng wille and remembraunce and is yet but one thynge Notwithstondynge thou learnest to knowe thys creation in that that the soule hath a respecte towardes God Likenes of God and hys holy worde thys testifyeth that in vs is a lykenes and Image of God No man can satisfye the large and greate desyres of the wise and prudent menne but God the creatoure hym selfe onely Then shall I be satisfyed Ps xvij sayth the Psalme when thyne Image awaketh vp The soule hath a beginnyng for she is created of god but she hath none end for she died not For thus sayth Christ Mat. x. Feare ye not thē which kyl the body be not able to kyl the soul but rather fear him whiche is able to destroye bothe soule and body into hell The soule is suche a precyous godly worke and creature that no corporall thynge may be compared vnto her what shoulde it profite a man mat xvi though he shoulde wynne al the hole worlde yf he lose hys owne soule Lyfe There is two maner of lyfes the one temporall the other perpetuall The lyfe temporall hath a beginnyng and endynge and is full of sorrowe as Iob complayneth Hiob iij and it is onely a shadowe of the ryghte euerlastynge lyfe which the creatures haue in theyr begynnynge A ryght Christen man counteth the temporal lyfe very littell and small for he knoweth through his fayth that he is not created for thys shorte temporal life He seeth with the eyes of hys fayth aboue in the ryghte true euerlastynge lyfe whiche withoute death and departynge withoute trouble and misery in certayntye in Ioye and withoute sorrowe endureth for euer Phil. i Thus sayth Paul to the Philippians Christ is to me lyfe deathe is to me aduauntage I desyre to be lowsed and to be with Christe Willyngly to dye Whosoeuer is not wyllynge and glad to dye to departe oute of thys miserable corruptible tyme the same is yet full of the olde Adam and hath yet but a small fayth The right faith kyndleth in vs and maketh vs to hate thys vngodly lyfe and to become enemye vnto it Fayth maketh a man to dye from thys lyfe and all hys lustes whylest he is yet liuynge and vnto the beleuynge is no greater reioysynge vpon earth He hath tourned away and plucked awaye hys herte from all creatures and lyueth onely in Christ Thus sayth Paul Gal. vi God forbydde that I shoulde reioyce but onely in the crosse of oure Lorde Iesu Christ wherby the worlde is crucifyeth vnto me and I vnto the world Gala. ij And in another place sayth he I lyue yet now not I but christ lyueth in me For the lyfe which I lyue now in the flesshe I lyue by the fayth of the sonne of god which loued me and gaue hym selfe for me The tēporal life is delectable vnto the heathē that knowe no better But a Christiā doth littel regarde it because he knoweth a better Therfore departed the welbeloued elect sainctes of god with myrthy and ioye from hence as out of wretchednes into the ryghte countree of theyr father Cicero in Tuscques The heathen feare the tēporall death very sore for they thinke that hereafter it is cleane done with man Al theyr wisedome conuyng and Philosophie was not able to conforte them in the feare of death albe it that they dyd enterpretyse the same He that knoweth not CHRISTE and beleueth not in hym feareth deathe and not withoute a cause for it is horryble vnto hym and an intraunce into death euerlastynge But he that knoweth Christ hath hym doth not feare deathe muche 〈…〉 hath ouercome death And hys holy woorde doth onely conforte vs effectually agaynste the horryble tempeste of death Eternal lyfe The lyfe euerlastynge is that we knowe the very god Ioh xvij and Iesus Christ whome he hath sent Nowe we see in a glasse euē in a darke speakyng i. cor xiij But then shal we see face to face Nowe I knowe it vnparfectely That is We knowe here vpon earth by fayth all what God is and what God geueth vnto vs but it is not yet the right knoweledge nothyng nygh she is also darke and vnperfecte But the knowledge to come in our fathers mansion is the ryght bryghtnes and perfecte knoweledge i. Ioh. iij For we shall see hym as he is Death There is two maners of death the one temporall the one euerlastynge The temporal whan body and soule parte the one from the other Ebre ix It is so appoynted that euery man must ones dye The euerlastynge death whan the euerlastyng soule must nedes departe from the face of God that is from her ryght onely lyfe euer more and euerlastyng with out endynge The eternall death that is ij tim i. the damnacyon infernall is vnto the elect christen menne ouercome al ready by chrste Christ hath spoyled death of hys power and brought to lyght lyfe and incorruptyble conuersacyon by the Gospell The wayght and burthen of oure synnes hath suppressed drowned vs into the botomeles pitte of hel Esa liij But God hath layed thys burthen vpon hys dearly beloued sonne Christ the same hath satisfyed for vs and delyuered vs from synne death hell There of shalt thou fynde
Phil. iiij whiche passeth all vnderstondynge kepe youre hertes and myndes in Christe Iesu And to the Ephesians Ephe. ij Rom. v He is oure peace Item to the Romaynes Because therfore through Christe when God is a mercyfull father and so continueth then desyreth she no further Therfore dyd the Prophetes name the kyngdome of Christe a kyngdome of saluation Esaye xxxij For thus sayth Esaias And the rewarde of ryghteousnes shal be peace and her frute reste and quietnes for euer And my people shall dwell in the innes of peace and in sure dwellynges in safe places of conforte The worde of God bryngeth thys spirituall peace and destroyeth the body of Behemoth but the carnal peace it bryngeth not for it is a word of the crosse and not of the wicked voluptuous lyfe vpon earth Therfore shall no man merueyll that through the preachynge of the cleare pure syncere worde of God ryseth contencion discorde for it is hys nature and propertye to separate the good from the euyll lyke as the fyre doth separate the copper from the golde Therfore knowe not the enemyes of GODDES worde what they speake whan thei say yea what good cometh by the preachynge that is vsed nowe a dayes it causeth nothyng but discorde and sedition I saye deare frēde thou vnderstandest not the matter a ryght It ought to be so It is a blessed discorde when the electe embrace the worde of God and wyll not haue theyr porcyon with the vngodly It can be none other wyse i. Cor. xi For thys waye muste the ryghte Christians be knowen and tryed It was euen so lykewyse in the primityue Church The Christians which dyd receyue the gospell separated themselues from the Gentyls and woulde not erre wyth the greate multitude It stode neuer better with the churche then when euery daye some shedde theyr bloude for the knoweledgyng of the holy name of Christe as Cyprian sayth and thys do we learne oute of the wordes of Christ wheras he speaketh Luc. xij I am come to kindle fyre vpō earth notwithstōding I must be baptised with a baptisme how am I payned till it be ended what is my desyre but that it were all ready kyndled Suppose ye that I am come to send peace on earthe I tel you nay but rather debate For frō hence forthe there shall be fyue in one house deuyded thre agaynst two and two agaynst thre The father shal be deuided against the sonne and the sonne against the father The mother against the doughter and the doughter agaynst the mother The mother in lawe against her doughter in lawe and the doughter in lawe against her mother in lawe Ebr. iiij The two edged swearde of the holy goost whiche entreth through euen vnto the diuidinge a sonder of the soule and the spirite and of the ioyntes and the Mary iudgeth the thoughtes the intentes of the herte is now abroade Therfore let noman merueill at the dissention whiche nowe is euery where The inwarde peace can not be well withoute suche an owtewarde battail Free will Man had in Paradise in the state of innocencye a free wyll There vpō soundeth the sayenge in the wyse mā But after the tyme that Adam had synned Eccl. xv dyd also the spirite of god forsake man In so much that he became hole blynde ignoraunt and erronious and the Scripture doth call hym after the first byrth flesshe Gen. vi Not because onely the comprehensyble power is prone to euyll and is carnall but because the body and soule through the poyson of synne is hole infected and made vncleane In so much that man from hys fyrste byrthe through al his naturall power can do nothynge but synne The Scripture calleth the hert impure The herte is vncleane Heb. xij Ge viij mar vij what goodnes and purenes can then be in man He must be borne a newe elles is he hole vnprofitable and nothynge but flesshe that is proue to thynges terrestriall and al euyll he seketh not after God he regardeth hym not neyther holdeth he of hym Euen thus doth the Scripture conterfayte hym Ro. viij Saynt Paule speaketh to the Romaynes They that are carnall are carnally mynded but they that are spirituall are goostely mynded they that are geuen to the flesshe can not please God For the flesshely mynde is enemitie against God for it is not obedient to the lawe of God nether can be Augustyne Therfore called Augustine in the secōde booke agaynst Iulian the heretike the will of man a bonde will Ioh. viij accordinge to the wordes of Christe in Iohn who so euer committeth synne is the seruaunt of synne Libertie of the wyll Howe be it this will maye be made free agayne through the grace of God For thus is it conteyned euen in the same place of Iohn If the sonne shall make you free Ioh. viij then are ye free in dede The sonne of God Christe hath purchased agayne for vs the spirite and grace of God If we beleue than maye we and can do good agayne Notwithstondynge it must all be asscribed vnto the grace of God whiche worketh in vs and nothinge appropriated to oure owne naturall power or workinge whereof the will is also partely named to be an occasion of the good worke as the miserable Sophistes seduce the worlde In Paule is it written on this wyse ij Co. iij We are not sufficient of oure selues to thinke any thinge as it were of oure selues but oure ablenes cometh of God Yf then we can thynke no good of oure selues why presume the Sophistes by the power of the free wille to do any good Thus saith Paule It is God Phili. ij whiche worketh in you bothe the will and also the dede i. Co. xv Euen so doth he speake also in another place I laboured more aboundantly then all the other not I but the grace of God whiche is with me Euen so do all saynctes asscribe all goodnes onely to God knoweledge them selues as an instrumēt of the Godly grace sayēge with Dauid Not vnto vs O lorde Psa cxv Not vnto vs but vnto thy name geue the prayse Item Iohn iij A man can receyue nothinge at all excepte it be geuen hym from heauen Item Iohn vi No man can come to me excepte the father which hath sent me drawe hym And of suche lyke is the Scripture full Therfore is it euen as muche whē any man boasteth of hys free wyll that he of hym selfe maye begynne to do any good before grace and to obtayne the grace by workes As yf a man should boaste moche of a Castell that were brent and al destroyed with shutyng of ordinaunce whereas onely were left the place with brokē walles where as the towres were fallen downe and no defence left at all and yet woulde presume to kepe it perforce A broken Castell hath yet the olde name that men saye There standeth suche a Castell