haue shutte vp this worde frome the pore and handye craftê men as though they had no souls permitting it to ryche and great landed men wherin is a great point and pece of theyr leger demayne and craftye iuggeling to be noted They do shut and locke it vp frome the pore bicause they be alway most redy to receiue it they do giue and grant it to the rych nat that it shuld be set forth the more fruitfully by them but for .ii. other causes whiche they do kepe close within theyr owne bosomes to them selfe that one is knowing that the most part of the ryche sort ar so choked vppe with this worlde and the care therof that they passe nat for it which maketh well for theyr purpose that other cause is if any of the ryche do receyue the word thankfully knowleging the benefites of God yet they wyl be afrayed to professe it openly for daunger they shulde be entrapped with the losse both of theyr bodies and goodes ¶ These be the practices of the prelates of Antechrist hê church to suppresse and put downe the worde of God that Sathan his kingdome myght florishe God therfore declaringe his manifolde benefytes and vnspeakable loue toward this realme in the stede place of that noble kyng deceased nowe restynge in the bosom of Abraham hath sent downe to vs a lytle Dauyd to breake greate Golyath his heade with the stone of the worde of God to ouerthrow on the heades of the inhabyters hygh and proude Babilon nat leauing one stone or stycke standing but to burne it al to pouder with brymstone and wyld fyer And in the stede therof to buylde vp a newe the temple of God to sette forthe the righte honor and glory of God that we appere nat vnthaÌ„kfull to him for the preseruation of thys our yonge vyrgyn kyng from the handes of his mortall enemyes which lokinge and gaping for a day which shulde haue ben to vs blacker then any pytche more bytter then any gall were most luckely we may say deceyued made frustrate of theyr hope ¶ We nede make none other rekenynge but that his grace was deliuered plucked out by the myghty and strong hand of God forthe from betwene the iawes and sharpe tethe of the Lyon at the houre when his cruel enemies were taken and dystroyed beinge as greate a myracle wrought by God in his grace as was the deliuerance of the chyldren of Israel in the reade Sea from the tyranny of Pharao The lorde requyreth againe for his manifolde kyndnes no golde nor siluer nor any other kynde of wordly treasure but a thankful hert a knowledge of hys godly wyl open confessinge of his benefytes before al the worlde ☞ The lorde rebuked the chyldren of Israel for theyr vnkiÌ„dnes in forgetting and nat hauinge in mynde theyr deliuerance from the captiuitie in Egypt and from the tyranny of Pharao ¶ Your good lordship can do no better seruice to the lorde than to se his moste blessed worde Truste nat â—â—togyther â—o the Byshoppes most purely with al sinceritie sette forthe in his owne nature and kynde It is youre grace his offyce and duety to se that it be done in dede for as muche as it hath pleased God to cal you to so hyghe administration and gouernance This is one of the tytles perteyninge to the crowne of England the defence of our fayth whiche consysteth in seynge the worde of God ryghtly ministred and truly broken vnto al the kyng his grace his highnes most louing subiectes as your grace alway hathe declared your selfe most earnestly affectioned thereunto and so to procede to the honor and glory of God Then shal SathaÌ„ be banyshed with his adherentes and coÌ„missioners forth of this realme ¶ Then shal the worde of God florishe and bryng forth goodly fruyt that is to say the ryghte knowledge of god and of his benefytes a perfect loue and feare to offende his heuenly maiestie with godly liuing accordyng to his wyl and pleasure Then wyll he lette his worde be amonge vs to the comfort of our soules and honeste conuersation of oure lyfe This worde is the way the truthe and the lyfe who that doth nat go this way goeth forth of the way and is deceyued Who that teacheth any other doctryne teacheth nat the truth but false doctrin and lies who that seketh any other life can nat mysse but fynde most terryble death Let vs therfore kepe this truthe and we shall nat erre in opinions lette vs kepe this waye and we shall nat be deceyued of oure iurney Let vs seke after this lyfe and we shall nat fayle but fynde it to the only honor and glory of the lorde who be praysed for euer worlde without ende AMEN Domine saluum fac Regem ⧠Imprinted at London in Flete strete at the Signe of the George next to Saynt Dunstones church by VVilliam Powell In the yere of of our Lorde God M. CCCCC XLVIII the XI daye of October ¶ Cum priuilegio ad imprimen dum solum
of God conteynyng no maner of folyshe questions but settyng forth the glory of Christ and makynge open the great infyrmitie and weaknes of man being in al pointes agreable to the scripture both of the olde and newe Testament and for as muche I say as in all ages in the churche all godly disposed people do find by experience this consolation and comfort to be trewe most necessary and expedient I meruayle greatly that our aduersaries be so blynd that they can nat fynd in theyr hert to alowe it and muche more that they be full of furye and madnes that with toothe and nayle they do openly resist it But the Deuyll is in the cause whiche diuers wayes doth poure in errors into maÌ„nes mynde to the entent that the glory of Christ myght be obscured made darke ⧠LET godly men therefore praye that it wold please the Lord to preserue his owne worde and Gospel that he do nat suffer it to be forsaken and put oute of the waye that it wolde please hym to gouerne vs with his lyght and that in settynge and shewynge forth his truthe and veritie vnto al men the foule darke cloudes which the Deuyl hath brought in maye by the bryghte clearenes of his worde be vtterly expulsed Finally that the contagious and stinkynge myste of his traditions full of rotte and all infection with this brennynge heate may be dryed vp frome the face of the earth ⧠LET our industry and diligence prouoke and styrre vp Christ towarde vs. Let lerned men endeuor them selfes to set forth this great cause and matter plainly openly and diligently that our posteritie maye haue at oure handes without knottes or knorres withoute Sophisticall and deuelysshe elusions let them nat refuse neyther payne nor labour in lerning therof nor yet no kinde of punishment in professing and confessing therof For without lerninge thys matter can not be made playne And to beare the hatred and displesure of great heades and wordly wyse men which do resist the word some for one cause some for an other cause improuing and condempning this matter it is requisite to haue a manly herte and a good stomake Good and godly men must contende and fyght spiritually vnder the banner and standerd of the Gospel as Christ witnesseth In this my father heuenly is glorified if ye be my disciples bringing forth fruite bounteously Wherfore lette vs set forthe this doctryne faythfullye and truly with al simplicitie and plainnesse making our inuocation to the Lord that it wold please him to gyue to vs his holy spirite and graunt vs increase therof ¶ TO this matter we wyll adde and ioyne certayne argumentes and obiections wherwith the aduersaries of God doth impunge this our iudgemente and mynde ¶ THE fyrst principal of theyr obiections is borowed forth of the epistle of Iames nat takinge him as he mente but to make him for theyr dogged stubborne proude stomakes purposes and intentes ⧠NAT by Faith only but by workes c. Wherto it is very easy and lyght to make answere being no great difficultie to him which doeth vnderstande Iames aright The fyrst obiection of the papistes wheroâ— thei dâ—â—onâ—de theyr iustificaâ—â—â—n by workes Iames in thê place doth cal faith the hystorycal knowledge of Christ for he sayeth The Deuyl doth beleue But Paul speaketh of fayth in his other signification which is the certayne confydence and trust of mercy promised to vs for Christ sake Wherfore Iames doeth reprehend and rebuke the error of those which do suppose them selfes to be iust in that they do professe the knowlege of the hystory and lyfe of Christ which is a thinge very necessary in dede as all other good workes be but that is nat the truste and confidence whiche we haue wherby we do receyue remissioÌ„ of sinne as it is manifest And where he sayeth that Abraham was iustified by his workes you muste marke and obserue the maner of speakynge ⧠HE meaneth nat that Abraham for his workes is reconciled but that the workê of Abraham being by Fayth recoÌ„ciled to God ar after his reconciliation pleasant and acceptable to God For the workes are a certayne outwarde iustice of the Lawe and are acceptable in them which be reconcyled but they deserue nat remission of sinne or acceptation to eternal life Therfore he sayd that Abraham by his workes is iustified that is as much to say as the workes of Abraham are pronounced iuste the which is true in Abraham being iust and reconcyled and beleuing And truly it is necessary that workes do folowe in the whiche our Fayth may be lyuely and put in practyce Let vs go vpright in this matter and handle it in his owne kind with out Sophistical bablinge Iames doeth nat treat and medle with that argument that Paul speaketh of but of that fayth whiche is the belefe of the hystory of Christ whiche the Deuyll as wel as the faythful had Wherefore the wordes of Iames are nat contrary to the wordes of Paul nor yet to be alledged agaynste him or agaynste any other parte of the Scripture ¶ An other obiection â—he second â—biection ☞ IF thou wylt enter into lyfe kepe the commaundementes Ergo then for our workes is gyuen lyfe euerlastinge and nat frely to him which beleueth you must marke distinction betwene the wordes of the Lawe and the wordes of the Gospell ☞ THESE be wordes of the Lawe which must nedes be expounded by the Gospel for no man shulde be saued yf he shuld be iudged by the Lawe as by thys reason folowing appeareth The keper of the commaundemente shall enter into lyfe but no man kepeth the commaundement and Law being therfore nat with out sinne and so no man which is without sinne shal be saued bicause he caÌ„ nat kepe the commaundement as he oughte to do Solutyon ⧠Therfore you muste adde to those wordes yf you wyll enter into lyfe c. that is to say after the Gospell whiche promiseth forgiuenes of sinne and iustification or imputation of Iustice for Christe sake and so begynneth in vs a newe obedience which the Lorde doeth approue and allowe ye though it be vnperfect nat that it shulde be the pryce of lyfe euerlastinge And so it is necessary that the commaundement be kept and the Lawe taught that repentaunce and fayth may growe in vs. But the Lawe alone is nat to be taught without the promise which promise being taken away the Lawe is nothinge els but a minister of wrath bringinge death euerlastinge without ende It is playne that Christe is the ende of the Lawe Wherefore we may nat consyst and byde styl in the law But when we do heare the Lawe preached to vs trymblyng and quakyng therat we maye nat thynke that we be accused bicause we shuld perishe but bicause we shulde thereby haue occasion to seke our mediator the sonne of God whome let vs take to be gyueÌ„ to vs that by him we may be deliuered frome sinne frome the
iustice Men of â—ower agaynst coÌ„science and right care nat a beane what wrong and iniury they do to the meane sorte if that eyther house or lande pastures or woddes doth lie commodiously for theyr purpose and specially when it ioyneth to any part of theyrs Such as doth thus haue nat red the blessing in the olde Testament conteyned with the reward prepared for them which do ioyne house to house felde to felde farme vpon farme some one maÌ„ .xx. some .xxx. some .xl. scant xx good meÌ„ which shuld be able to serue theyr prince at nede maynteyned where in tymes past hath nat ben so fewe as .v. hundred as by experience in places nat long dayes paste was almoste founde to true As for fynes and incoms with reysinge of theyr rentes they be so importable so tedious and so heuy that the pore tenantes or theyr yeres be halfe expyred shall be glad to lay the keye vnder the dore and runne theyr wayes ¶ Such is the pitie we haue of our christian bretherne so lytle is the feare and loue of God among vs ye which professeth the Gospell which thinge makethe wel for the Papistes to the sclaunder of the worde of God As for the office of a iudge Iudges what man can saye but it is moste iustly executed vpright without parcialitie nat fauouringe of one man more than an other nat prolonging of sutes in the fauor of the ryche to the vtter vndoing of the pore nat takyng of gyftes worthy to be compared to the courte of the Ariopagittes which to auoyde percialitie iudged al causes by night darkling If it be any otherwise thaÌ„ I haue declared it is to be ascribed and imputed to none other thing more nay to nothiÌ„g so much as to that they be nat in feare of the iudgement of the lorde which doth commaunde with these wordes Iudge and ministre right iudgement you sons of men There is no man that can fynde fault with those kind of men which are occupiers Occupyerâ— liuing by theyr laborius venter and trauayle so vpeight is theyr dealinge so iust so indifferent that almoste no faith no truth no trust no confidence is to be giuen to theyr othe muche lesse to theyr worde and bare promise Theues What Thefe wolde steale and robbe to be hanged on a gallow if he were toched with the feare and loue of the lorde Murtherâ— Who wold be so stony harted to quel and sley his brother for whom Christ did suffer and shedde his bloude Aduouter persons What man wold be an aduouterer a fornicatour a committer of rapt if he had but one sperkil of the feare and loue of God knowinge that they which do so shall nat inherite the kingdome of heauen iudged by sentence diffinitiue without helpe of appellation to euerlastinge sorowes excepte there be in this lyfe or they departe a true and perfect repentance with truste in the mercy promised for Christe sake Traytors What causeth so many ranke traytours and rebelions againste theyr moste lawfull kinges and gouerners constituted immediatly vnder God and by God ouer them to kepe them in a good rule quietnes peace and tranquillitie but that they do want and lacke the fear and loue of the lorde the hygh king and gouernour ¶ The want wherof the more and greater it is the more ranke and poysonous are the treasons which are wrought Adam ¶ Howe great an euyll this is howe huge and foule a monster of howe innumerable calamities and sorowes which we haue and do susteyne this is a moste wicked mother what thinge can better set forth or paynt as it were in a table or in a glasse before your eyes more euidently more lyuely than the great fall of Adam beinge for lacke of the feare and of the loue of the lorde which broughte vs into thraldome bondage and captiuitie of the Deuyl For if he had loued him for his benefites bicause he was created by him a heauenly creature like vnto his owne image or if he had feared him for feare to displease him whom he found so good a lord or for feare of breaking of his commaundement as of hys heade and mayster for he that is commaunded is vnder him that doeth commaunde he wold nat haue transgressed whose transgression is our transgression whose fall is our fall Oure sinfull lyfe and corrupt maners beinge the relyques dregges and remenaunte of hys olde sore Cayn ☞ What caused cursed Cayn to slee so cruelly Pharao and vnnaturally his owne brother What caused Pharao to persecute the children of Israel Dauyd What made kynge Dauyd to commyt abhominable aduoutry nat contented with one mischeuous dede but also to ioyne and adde bloudy murdre to stynkynge aduoutry in sleying the husbande of the woman with the most lamentable distruction of many mo Iudas What caused Iudas to be a traytor to his most louing mayster To be truely certayned and assured there was nothinge elles in the cause but the want of the feare and of the loue of the lorde O cruel and dampnable mischiefe comminge from the bottomlesse pytte of Hell What remedy and salue is to be founde for this foule sore what is the cause that it reygneth so much among vs christiaÌ„s euery where that almost no feare nor loue of the lord is found in any place nay rather open contempt and blasphemy and dishonor to his most blessed and holy name what man can expresse the cause therof that this plage more to be feared than any pestelence hath so infected the ayre thorowe al the worlde that no man hygh nor lowe what state degree or dignitie so euer he be hath escaped it Iob. The foule botches and sores of Iob did neuer stinke so sore to the nose of man as thê maketh vs to be abhorred of god stopping his heuenly nose and turninge his merciful visage frome vs. Among our earthly phisicions which do take cure of bodyly deseases only which bodies being neuer so wel healed shall at the last go to corruption the cause of the disease and sicknesse knowen being the chefe point of theyr scieÌ„ce the parth which is sicke is halfe cured and holpen alredy For lykewyse as in ministration of medecines the cause of the bodily infyrmitie nat knowen perfectly they do kyl sley and murdre nat with knife but with poyson the party which seketh after helpe and remedy So the cause and rote of the sicknes perceyued the medycation is made therafter to the helpe and comfort of him that complayned and lamented his grefe and infyrmitie Euen so agayne of our spirituall infyrmities and sicknes which kylleth nat the body ye oftentymes doth sende both body and soule to the whorlpole of hell paste remedy and helpe if he commeth ones into that place speaking our Heuenly mayster and doctor and spirituall phisicion Christ whiche knoweth all our waters a litle better than we do our selfes to whom al our diseases and maladies are thorowly knowen which
Phylosophye of dubitation and mystrust ¶ Nowe foloweth the thyrde question which the olde writers haue nat spoken of so largely and playnly as they haue of that other twayne beynge no lesse nay more necessary ¶ Howe our workes may please God FOR as muche as in them which he regenerated remayneth yet greate imbecillitie and weaknes nat hauynge the feare which they oughte to haue of God nat brennynge in Faythe and loue seketh the helpe of man more than the worde of God permitteth beynge seducted with errors and neglygent in doynge theyr duetye and offyce beynge proude and puffed vp with immoderat affections of loue and hatred courtynge vnhonest and vnlawful pleasures and in theyr afflictioÌ„s troubles bendyng theyr browes agaynst the lord doubtynge or rather dispayryng of his mercy are inflamed with vniust desyre of vengeaunce doeth nat with herte declare them selfe to God gentyll and louyng nat thankyng him hertely for his great benefytes passyng nat much whether the Gospel doth go backewarde or forward nat bewaylyng the calamities and miserable state of the churche and of the common welth nat prayenge for the churche and for princes but beynge set a fyer with vniust desyre of gatheriÌ„g togither of richesse honours and of power hatynge them which do shyne in godly vertues and godlye gyftes or rather caysyng vp sclaunders on them as the contention of superioritie betwene the sister of Moyses and Aaron did cause stubburnesse ¶ FOR as much I say as these greate â—yces do yet reygne in them ye whiche are borne againe in a newe byrth vices I say much contrary and repugnante to the lawe of God worthy deathe euerlastinge spryngynge from the most pestyâ—ent well and fountayne of al mischefe I say Originall sinne that is the ignorance and want of the knowlege of god and frowarde turnynge thy selfe awaye from the wyl of God of the whiche vyces Paul speakinge discribeth no small deformite but a great and monstruouse euyll saying the sence felyng and pricking of the fleshe is mortall enemye to God it is manifest therfore that no maÌ„ can performe and satisfie the Lawe but only Christ and that in the newe borne by Fayth there doth remaine sinne contrary to the Lawe of god and worthy euerlastynge death without they be forgyuen Syth that this is true nat onely in the scholes but also in mens mindes thê questioÌ„ being resoned causeth no smaâ— perylles and contention within man resonyng with other yea and with theyr owne selfes whether they please God ye or nay secondly howe this impure and imperfect newe lyfe can please God beynge so full of vnclennesse ☞ IT is necessary therfore that men be taughte to vnderstande and perceyue both of these doubtes For the hypocritê so feble and weake is theyr nature dâ— stande muche in theyr owne conceyt regardynge and settynge muche by theyâ— owne vertues thynkyng that they bâ— strong ynough of them selfe makynge the naturall vicious inclination of the flesshe no sinne or very small do thynke them selfes without sinne that they be able of theyr owne strength to perform the lawe of God and worthy to obteine the lyfe euerlastyng for theyr owne desertes and merites This is the mynde nat only of Hipocrites but also of those which in theyr iudgementes do folowe theyr owne blynde reasons and phantasies Such was the reasonyng of Plato and of Tullye of the immortalitie of soules sayinge that those soules which departed forth of the bodies most purist hauing least part of the dregges and filthynesse of the bodies did flye vp to the ayre Contrary wise those soules whiche departynge were full of all fylthye lustes and foule desyres of the fleshly bodies did continue styll on the earth beynge about the sepulchres and graues where theyr bodies were layde and buryed Is nat al one matter that our religious fathers bosting and setting vn of theyr merites semeth for to do Do they any thynge els than Plato or Tully Although that the reason of man by his owne lyght and knowledge of him self can none otherwise iudge yet the word of God doth testify that no man can satisfy the lawe accusyng al men and settyng before vs our mediatur the only son of God It is necessary therfore that those proud arrogant and carkles stomakê of Hipocrites be rebuked as much as it is requisite that the fearful consciences and weake myndes are to be comforted with the true comfort nat to mystrust the mercy of God for that he hateth but to haue a stedfast Fayth and to learne howe the lyfe maners workes may please God Peter when he was in the bote beyng affrayde sayde go from me Lorde for I am a sinner Thoughe that Peter beyng in great feare did nat marke what he sayde his selfe yet as it doeth happen often tymes vnwares to a man being sodenly moued he did simpelly declare with his mouth what his hert thought For he fledde from God beholdyng and considering his owne vnworthynesse Lykewise all men beholdinge theyr owne vnworthynes do flye from God thynkyng that in so doing they do well to go from him bicause they do seme to theyr selfes vnworthy The whiche erroure beinge fyxed in mennes myndes the gospel doth reprehend commaundinge all men though they be vnworthy to come boldlye vnto hym trustyng stedfastly on the mediator which is the sonne of God ¶ AND although as I haue declared a new obedience which is the iustice in declaration of a good conscieÌ„ce is very necessary yet for al that they whiche be regenerated and newe borne agayne in Christ in a newe lyfe by Faythe and inspiration of the holy Ghost neyther do nor can fulfyll al that the lawe doth requyre For in them for al theyr newe byrth remayneth our fyrst and original disease nat to be set lyght by bredinge and causyng innumerable ill affections in vs. Considering then that these vices are worthye and deserue euerlastinge death ye those whiche be newe borne agayne are nat iust that is to say accepted or pleasaunt to god for theyr owne propre vertues but thorowe mercy and that frely by a ful trust in the mediator Christ Also they do nat merite eternall felicitie by theyr owne workes and vertues but they muste be of thys opinion that they be heyres of euerlastinge lyfe by Christ frely by Fayth although they haue the newe obedience or the good workes which consequeÌ„tly must folow this Fayth ¶ TO proue that none of al the godly and most vertuous men that euer were can nat perfourme the request of the lawe and that there doeth remayne in them sinne ye after theyr regeneratyon thys sentence folowinge doeth proue ¶ Psalme 143. Thou shalt nat enter in to iudgement with thy seruauntes for no liuing creature shall be iustified in thy syght The fyrst epistle of Iohn and fyrst cap. If we shulde say that we haue no sinne we do begyle our felfes and the truth is nat in vs. ¶ ALSO Romaynes 7. cap. I do se and fele another Lawe in my members striuing agaynst the
Lawe of my mynde makynge me bonde vnder the Lawe of sinne And often times Paul doth repete the worde of sinne signifieng to vs that it striueth in vs alway against the Lawe of God Synne deseruing eternal death except by Fayth our pardon be obteyned meaning by that worde sinne nat onely the smal motions styrringes and prickingê of the flesshe but also the sharpe motioÌ„s of the minde that is to say the mistruste of the wyl of God abhorring the crosse nat beyng lift vp and erected with trust and gladnes in the Lord as we be when we do fynd ease and helpe of our bodely diseases and sicknes From the whiche diffidence and mistrust riseth many euil and noughty myndes Therfore the Apostle vseth .ii. vocables in the same text to the Romaynes very propre and mete for this purpose The fyrst is this worde striuing or fighting against signifieng therby that like a most cruell enemy in an open feelde it doeth fyght against vs and seketh al meanes craftes to wouÌ„de our mynd with mistrust in the mercy of God with terrors and great feare with pride with trust vnto our owne wytte and rightwisnes of our self putting vs out of al care of God and kindelingin vs the flame of all noughty lustes and fylthy desyres The seconde vocable is this going about to make me captiue the which is so sayde bicause thou shuldest take the better hede of him whose study is to haue vs in bondage oppressyng the weake mindes and at the laste takinge vs prisoners thoughe we be agayn deliuered by Christ As when Moyses was snared and taken at the rocke he douted and mistrusted Dauyd also was taken when he commaunded to nombre his people eyther deceyued by error or els by vainglory that he had augmented and increased his kingdom so mightely or for some such like cause We shal nat nede to bring forth many exaÌ„ples euery vertuous man hath ynough of suche examples within his owne dores by their owne experience feling and seing howe diligent and busy our enmy is to seduce and oppresse our minde with oure owne opinions and phantasies For the deuyl doth neuer cease to besege the vertuous and faythful men in specially ⧠PAVL to the Corinthes the fyrst Epystle 4. i. Corin. i cap. I knowe nothing in my selfe wherof I am gyltye but I am nat for that iustified which is as muche to say though I haue good workes whiche is the outward iustice and witnesse of a good conscience yet for all that I am nat therfore made iust that is acceptable and pleasaunt to God to eternall blysse But onelye by Faythe in Iesu Chryste ⧠CHRIST also biddeth his holye ones to cal for remission of sinne with these wordes and forgiue vs our dettes c. commaunding them also to say We be vnprofitable seruantes Also the 129 psalmÌ„ If thou woldest marke obserue our iniquities good Lord Lord what man shulde be able to withstande them he knowledged that he was burdened with sinne yet for all that he persuaded him self that he was pleasant and acceptable to God by mercy and so did truste and loke after helpe and helth sayinge these wordes My soule hath stande fast and continued in his worde that is to say by the heuenly promise I do susteyn and hold vp my selfe I do go to no creature but to him I loke for helth of none but of him I do rest altogither in hym trustinge in his goodnes that he wyll saue me Also Psalme 18. Who doethe knowe mine offences and faultes from my secret and priuie hid filthines make me cleane It doeth appeare nat only by this place of the Scripture but also by many other places of the said prophete that he spake nat these woordes in hys owne person only but in the name of al sayntes faythful and Godly men Naye those meÌ„ theyr own selfê whoÌ„ he calleth the seruauntes of God sanctified by the holy Ghost replenished with excellent giftes continuyng in exercise of Fayth hauing gouernance and rule ouer great matters As Abraham Ioseph Moyses Samuel Dauid Esay al togyther with one voyce they do crye I saye these wordes What man doth knowe all our offences from our secrete and priuie vices make vs pure and cleane good lord Wherfore the arrogant and proud boldnesse of the hipocrites is much to be detested whiche do boste and cracke that they do deserue eternal felicitie by their owne merites and workes and as they do say both worthyly and of duety ¶ Psalme 31. I haue sayde I wyl confesse and knowledge againste my selfe Lorde mine iniquitie and vnrightwisnes and thou shalt remitte and forgiue my sin For this shal all men make theyr inuocation and praier they shal cal and crye for remission of theyr sinne vnto the in tyme conuenient Which wordes witnesseth that al men of what perfectnes soeuer they be must call for pardon of theyr vices and offences Iob. 4. cap. sayeth I mistrusted and feared all my workes Exodê° 33. The innocent before the is nat innocente that is to say Although by mannes reason he hath nat deserued to be accused yet thou mayste accuse him ¶ TO the Lorde be al rightwisnes to vs perteyneth coÌ„fusioÌ„ and vtter shame that we are nat able to shewe abrode our faces which is as much to say I knowledge that we haue sinned and that we are iustly punished of the it folowethe Confusion to vs is proper to the truely beloÌ„geth mercy and pitie that is to say I knowledge that we are sinners but thou for thy mercy sake whiche is promised here ones agayne to our praier and deliuer vs. The which sentence the Prophete afterwarde repeting sayeth We pray the nat for oure rightwisnesse sake but for thy great mercy These maner of teachynges and preachinges are repeted to vs with one consent of al the olde fathers in the scriptures Our wekenes is alway accused we are commaunded by Fayth to flye to mercy thorowe the sonne of God promised whiche is our mediator Likewise Paul doeth nat accuse one certayne kinde and sorte of men but without any exception he affyrmeth al men to be gylty of sinne only Christ excepted before god sayinge these wordes that all mennes mouthes may be stopt and al the whole world giltie before God He concluded al men to be vnder sinne to the entent that al men shulde knowe them selfe nedy of mercy Also Paul sayeth He that is proud and reioyseth let him be proud in the lorde These and such other lyke sentences set good men set before them that they may learne to knowe theyr infyrmyties to be sinne without doubte and that they may feare the wrath of God whiche is against sinne and so let repeÌ„tance grow in vs. It is sayde in the Genesis concerning the latter iudgement Sinne shal be at rest tyll it be reueled and made open Wherin the carklesnes of mankinde is described which doth neither feare nor regard the iudgement of god He saieth sinne shal be at rest that