vs to loue and charitie to vnity and agreement to peace and concorde one with an other And on the other side let vs beholde our owne defects herein the manifold strifes the vaine and friuolous contentions and suites the dispightfull practises the extreame and rigorous dealing the implacable malice enuie hatred and hartburning that raineth among men sometimes smothering inwardly in rancour of hart sometimes foming out into intemperate heate both of raging wordes and vncharitable deedes euerie man in selfe loue and priuate regarde of his owne wealth and welfare liuing looking to himselfe alone no man almost considering another to his benefite and good And wee shall not choose but confesse that howsoeuer we beate our braines and spende our time and trauell about strifes and questions about intricate and hidden misteries about controuersies and complaints yet that there is no point of Christian doctrine more needefull or more profitable to bee vrged and enforced to bee againe and againe reiterated that it might take effect then this That we shoulde be knit together in vnitie of minde and so consider one another to prouoke vnto loue and to all good workes I beseeche you brethren saith S. Paule by the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ That yee all speake one thing that there be no dissention among you but be ye knit so together in one minde and in one iudgement We see howe Turkes howe Iewes howe theeues will conspire and hold together how beastes will agree and euerie one loue his like how Papistes can vaunt of vnitie to our reproche and Diuels settle themselues together seuen Diuels in a man naye a whole legion together in a man and keepe themselues at concorde for preseruing of their kingdome and shall not we that professe one Lorde one faith one baptisme one doctrine and name of Christ the authour and God of peace be ioined together in one and so consider one another to the prouoking winning one another vnto loue and vnto good workes We see againe the great hurt and ruine that discord hath procured to manie flourishing countries and kingdomes and to the Church of God from time to time wee see the carping aduersaries still readie to take occasion to reproche and vpbraide the truth wee see the daies of this our lyfe and pilgrimage to bee shorte and euill the worlde it selfe declining and euen at the vaine the Diuell fearcely raging because his tyme is shorte the ende of all thinges approching the sentence of the Iudge ineuitable and hell fire harde at hande prepared for euill doers and can wee yet sleepe secure and carelesse in our sinnes shall wee not watche and make vs readie for the comming of the Bridegrome with our loynes girt and our Lampes burning that wee maye enter in with him to the wedding shall not the due remembrance of these and such like motiues rouse vs vp from this securitie and sencelesnes of sinne wherein wee seeme to be drownâ—d shall it not represse and quenche in vs all vnnaturall and vnkinde affections which are bent to the hurte of hinderance of our neighbour and stirre vs vp in the bowels of Christian compassion to bee curteous pitifull and louing to be mercifull and good one towardes another so as wee maie consider and exhort and prouoke one another vnto loue the band of perfection and vnto good workes the fruites of our Christian fayth Esse Christianum grande est saith Saint Ierome non videri non vocari To be a Christian and to performe those deedes dueties those good works and actions which Christianity requireth is a waightie matter but not so to seeme not so to be called When the seruantes of King Ahazia beeing sent to enquire at Belsabub for the recouery of his health Returned with message from Elias whom they mette in the waie assuring him that hee shoulde dye and not escape the King demaunded what manner of man he was that tolde them these thinges they aunswered an heyrie man and girte aboute with leather then saide hee straight it is Elias the Thesbit In like sort such should also be our manners and proceedings our wordes our workes and all our actions of life In loue in ioy in peace long suffering gentlenes goodnesse meekenes temperance and all other good works and fruites of the holie Ghost that when reporte of vs or any of vs is made vnto the worlde it may be straight auouched that wee are Christians hauing our fruite in hâ—lines and the ende eternall life For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Iustine Martire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The matter and businesse of our seruing of God Religion standeth not in wordes but in workes It is a rueled case of Christ. A good tree cannot bring foorth badde fruite and the faith of a Christian is most aptlye resembled vnto a tree which beeing rooted in the passion of Christ and watered with his blood spreadeth out on each side his braunches A true harte and a good conscience waxeth strong against all stormes groweth vp and flourisheth in hope and so through the inwarde sappe and norishing iuice of loue sendeth foorth most sweete and seasonable fruites good workes which are though not precedent causes yet necessary effectes and signes of the goodnesse of the tree But as Catterpillers sometimes and blasting doe frette and annoye the braunches that the sappe cannot haue his course and so the fruite faileth which seemed faire to the eye so rancour and displeasure diuision scisme and seperation amonge men beeing no lesse then noysome windes and Catterpillers to our Christian faith eate vp and drye awaye many times the sappe or iuice of loue and charitie whereby the expected fruite of good woorkes is withered in the braunches And therefore it is required that wee consider not euery one himselfe alone but euery one another also to prouoke vnto loue and vnto good woorkes that so wee maye bring foorth fruite in Christ and walke worthie of the Lorde who gaue himselfe to redeeme vs from all inniquitie and to purge vs a pecuculier people vnto himselfe zealous of all good workes For if yee knowe saith S. Iohn that God is righteous knowe yee also that hee that doth righteouslie is borne of him wee are the workemanshippe of God created and ordeined to good woorkes which hee hath prepared for vs to walke in If then we walke on in the stubbornesse of our owne hartes in the lust and concupisence of the flesh howe farre doe wee degenerate from this perfection and ende of our creation Wee are called the Lordes haruest if then wee bring not foorth good corne but tares of sinne and wickednesse what other can bee looked for but to bee gathered by the reapers into bundles and cast into the fire Wee are resembled to the grounde If drinking in the raine and blessinges of GOD that come so ofte vppon vs wee bring not foorth good hearbes but thornes and bryers wee are neare vnto cursing whose ende is to
therefore to bee reiected Their illation is false and their premesses eyther erroniously collected or maliciouslie peruerted or both as doth plainely appeare euen by this place For first the entraunce and passage into the holy place by the blood of Iesus which we onely hold and professe is here called a new way but this way or doctrine is not to be reiected And therefore y e new way euen our way is not to be reiected TheÌ„ our doctrine religioÌ„ we grauÌ„t is new not after their scoffing blasphemous meaning But according to sence of this presente Scripture Because it is the clensing of our soules by the vnwasted bloode of Iesus which neuer waxeth old but is alwaies fresh and flourishing because thereby wee are renewed into a new man and doe become new creatures in Christ Iesus And as a man in traueling calleth it a newe waye which he neuer went before though the way it selfe be of long continuaunce and knowne of olde Euen so maye this our waie and doctrine be well called newe not as though it were not before theirs which they count so olde and is not But because that men through the mistie cloudes of their errours and abuses neither so generallie nor so perfectly did know or traced it before And so it is new not by institution as latelie deuised and found out but by restauration by publishing and promulgation Quo ad nos as nowe more fullye preached better knowne and more commonlye vsed and frequented then before So that all then is not to bee beleeued which commeth in the name of olde nor all to bee refused which is called and accounted newe And neither is their antiquity or rather intrusion of error such as can prescribe against the right though intermitted title of truth neither our obiected nouelty such as iustly ought to hinder or preiudice the same For it is knowne and it is true that is â—aide by Tertull. Quodcunque aduersus â—eritatem sapit haeresis est etiam vetus conâ—uetudo Whatsoeuer fauoureth against â—ruthe is heresie though it bee an olde cuâ—tome And as Ciprian saith Consuetudo sine veritate vetustas erroris est Ideoque reâ—icto errore sequamur veritatem Custome without trueth is but auncientnes of error and therefore leauing error let vs followe the truth That so and by a newe liuing way we may enter with boldenesse into y e holye place Manie are the abuses they couer with this cloake of age to beguile vnstable soules euen in flatte and expresse tearmes defacing the bloode of Christe They say in their ceremonial describing the properties of their Agnus Dei Peccatum quodque malignum diluit vt sanguis Christi It washeth awaie al euill sinne as the blood of Christ. Of their dayly and vnbloody sacrifice as they tearme it Peccatum frangit vt Christi sauguis et angit It breaketh and greeueth sinne as the blood of Christ In their inuocations and prayers they say Tu per Thomae sanguineÌ„ queÌ„ pro te impeÌ„dit Fac nos Christe scaÌ„dere quo Thomas asceÌ„dit And againe Tu per Thomae merita nostra nobis dimitte debita By the blood of Thomas by the merites of Thomas forgiue vs our debtes make vs to ascend wher Thomas is Nicholae pontifex salutis nostrae opifex O Bishop Nicolas the worker of our saluation Ablue cuncta rea mentis mala sanste Matheae O S. Mathew wash away the euils of a guiltie mind If here and in such like too many too odious to be repeated the blood of Iesus be not vtterly cast aside and other meanes brought in as the new and liuing way to the holy place If this bee not to build an Alter to an vnknowne God to bestowe their Corne and their wine their siluer and Golde vpon Baalim to carrye oyle into Ashur and to truste in the shadowe of Egypt If this bee not to leaue the Fountaine of the waters of lyfe and to seeke them puddles and broken Cesternes of their owne inuentions If this bee not lyke Muâ— Ponticus in deede to knibble and gnawe at Christe his peculier glorye to extenuate the fruictes of his blessed passion To drie vp and euacuate the streames of his sacred bloode and to set vp Dagon with the Arke of God I refer mee to al indifferent censure and to their own bookes and Missals which affirme these thinges And as for that waye or by path they so labour to establishe by their owne desertes and meritorious deeds they stiflye and with suche boldnesse mainetaine vntill this day that in their late Rhem. notes they blushe not to vse these words Good workes done in grace after the first iustification be properly and truely meritorious fully worthie of euerlasting life Heauen is the due stipende which GOD oweth to the persons so working and this they call elsewhere merite of condignity Then haue they agayne an other waye to get and purchase this grace from God by their Opera disponencia their preparatiue and disposing workes which they cal merite of congruitie wherby first in reason and congruitie God must giue them grace for their so working and then their workes wrought in grace deserue eternal life and doe enter into the holy place of worthinesse or coÌ„dignitie For as saith M. Stapleton the coÌ„trouersy reader of Doway Adoptati semeliÌ„filios tuÌ„c de nostro maeramur Beeing once adopted into sonnes we merite and deserue of our owne And so perhaps the blood of our Sauiour Iesus shall be admitted to helpe or enter vs at the first or scarcely that if you found the bottome of this their doctrine But the whole processe and perfection of this most waightie matter of oure saluation is reserued for our selues and resteth in our owne running in our owne well doing contrary to all sence and meaning of this perticuler place and infallible doctrine of the scripture in generall Such trappes and snares haue they laide in our waye and spread abroade their nets with coardes whereby they would destroy y e paths of our feete and are vtterly purposed to ouerthrow our goinges But the worde of the Lorde is true and standeth fast for euer we may be bold to enter into the holy place not by any worthinesse in our selues not by mediation meanes or merits of any other but only by this newe and liuing way the blood of Jesus There is no name giuen vs vnder Heauen wherein we may be saued but only in the name of Iesus Christ Iesus yesterdaye and to daye and the same continueth for euer And therefore let them call this our way and profession new which leadeth vs vnto life eternall and vaunt of theirs as olde in a seâ—t orepugnant and contrarie hereunto that so both our glory may appeaâ—e in the sounde of their reproche and their madnesse bee made manifest in the crowne of their owne pride Here to looke backe a little vnto our selues among many other our abuses wherin we are iustly to be reprooued our great
meete for the vse of the Lord. For without faith it is vnpossible to please God And Whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne by faith our hartes are purified By faith the iust man liueth by faith in Iesus Christ we are all the sonnes of GOD. By fayth with the hart we beleeue vnto righteousnesse By faith were all those benefits obtained reckoned vp in the 16 chapter of this Epistle This is the strength whereby we stand euen our faith and the feete as it were whereby we walke and are brought in into the holy place This is the eye where with Abraham sawe the daye of Christe and reioyced this is the hande wherewithall we lay hold on eternall life This is that indissoluble bonde that ioyneth vs vnto Christ as the Prophet sayth Desponsabo te mihi fide I will marrie thee vnto me by faith This is the medicine that healeth all the diseased euen faith in his name and this is the victorie that ouercommeth the worlde euē our faith if you beleeue not saith Esai you shall not be established if thou couldest beleeue saith Christ all thinges are possible to him that beleeueth Hee that beleeueth in the sonne hath euerlasting life be it vnto thee according to thy faith goe thy waies thy faith hath made thee safe briefly if we will enter into the holy place prepared by the blood of Iesus wee must hasten and drawe nere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In assurance of faith Uerye copious and fruitfull is the doctrine that riseth from this place and manie also are the practises of the aduersary to impugne and beate downe the same the controuersie of faith is the matter of all hee misliketh moste But that a man should perswade himselfe of saluation and drawe nere in assurance of faith according to the doctrine of this present place The carnall man perceauing not the things that are of God accounteth of all other extreame presumption the reason may appeare for that being vtterly voide of true faith himselfe with al the fruite and comfort therof and making his dore and entrance into life by the merite of his own workes which he seeth in his guiltie conscience to be spotted and vnperfect and such as cannot stande vpright in iudgement to deliuer him from wrath hee gathereth a certaine conclusion of this his owne vncertaintie that no man can bee certaine whether he be iustified freely by the mercie of God in Christ or no onely wee may comfort our selues with this colde and generall beleefe that some shal be saued but whether wee our selues be of that number or no we can haue no assurance And so that which our Sauiour Christ reprooueth O ye of little faith in respect that they doubted that they wavered that they were not assured that same doe they allow for good and wholesome doctrine and that which made Peter to sinke and crye for helpe because he did not come vnto Christ in assurance of faith but doubted by the worlde they swimme safely and beare them selues vp from drowning But the spirite of GOD in contrary sorte hath taught vs that whosoeuer will enter into the holye place must drawe neare in assurance of faith Nowe hee that doubteth and is vncertaine of his saluation hath no assuraunce of faith and therefore hee that doubteth and is vncertaine cannot enter into the holy place So then the true and iustifying fayth whereby we draw neare to the Kingdome of Heauen is not tossed as S. Iames sayeth with the winde and carried like a waue of the Sea is not a watrishe or slipperie matter as sayeth Gregorie Nazianzene is not a wauering graunt or general opinion acknowledging the new and liuing way to life to be prepared for some through the blood of Iesus which we see to haue bene in the Diuels beleeuing trembling and confessing the same but a stedfast assuraunce and confidence application thereof vnto our selues that it is prepared euen for vs and that we are of those that are here exorted to drawe neare in assuraunce of faith whereby we may boldly saye euery one of vs with the Apostle Thomas vnto Christ My Lorde and my God and with Dauid The Lorde is my sheapheard therefore shall I lacke nothing The Lorde is my light and saluation whom then should I feare And with Iob Though he should kill me yet woulde I put my trust in him This is no presumption or pride as maister Stapleton calleth it but a right godly boldnesse to assure our selues of that which was purchased with so great a raunsome for vs Praesumere de gracia Christi sayth S. Augustine non est Arrogantia sed Fides To presume of the mercie and grace of Christ is not pride but faith Ego quod ex me mihi deest sayth Barnard fidenter vsurpo ex visceribus domini quoniā misericordia affluunt nec desunt foramina per quae ef fluunt That whiche is wanting in my selfe I doe boldly vsurpe of the bowels of the Lorde because they abound in mercie neyther wante they issues whereby they distill and flowe oute vnto me This is our sure foundation that is layde vpon a Rocke that standing like Mounte Sion shall neuer bee remooued and the Gates of Hell shall not preuayle agaynst it GOD is one and the same with him is no variablenesse neither shadowe of chaunge he is faithfull that hath promised his giftes are without repentance whom he loueth he loueth to y e end touching our selues He that beleueth in the sonne saith S. Iohn hath the witnesse in himselfe when you beleeued saith S. Paule you were sealed with the holy spirite of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance being iustified by faith wee haue peace saith he with God and therefore hauing boldnes and entraunce with confidence which is by faith in him let vs not doubt but drawe nere in assurance of faith What then doe we therfore giue men libertie to sinne because of this assurance of faith doe we therby open a windowe to securitie and losenesse of life Doe we destroy the doctrine of godly conuersation and good works as they falsly accuse vs No in no case but wee much more establish and confirme the same not indeede to merit therby saluatiō or to enter into the holy place of worthinesse as doe they from which they are farthest off when they so thinke to approche and draw nere but to shewe by our obedience the vertues of him that called vs out of darknesse into his meruelous light and to testifie vnto men the soundnesse of this our faith which like a tree that is planted by the water side will bring foorth fruite in due season The sure foundation of God saith S. Paule standeth fast hauing this seale the Lord knoweth who are his and for a testimony vnto vs that wee may also knowe and be assured thereof he addeth Lette euerye one that calleth on the name of Christ depart from iniquity In which
sence hee here spreadeth out on eche side two armes or braunches of this fruitefull tree of faith which if it bee quicke and florishing doe necessarilie spring out and shadowe againe the roote from whence they proceede and growe euen a true harte and a good Conscience whose effectes are so to sanctifie and season both our soules and bodies in all exercises and duties answerable to our profession that if they abide in vs they shal make vs neither ydle nor vnfruitefull in the worde of the Lorde But if these doe not direct vs if our hartes be not sound in his light if our hartes be not setled and inwardly affected to walke in his lawes if our hearts be not sprinckled from an euill conscience howsoeuer wee pretende Religion and holines in the sight of men yet are we but sounding brasse and tinckling simbals but cloudes without raine but trees without fruite twise dead and plucked vp by y e rootes we caÌ„not so drawe nere vnto God who searcheth the hartes raines who lighteneth things that are hid in darkenesse who is a spirite and will be worshipped in spirite and truth for the birth is aunswerable to firste conception if the roote be corrupt how canne the fruite be wholesome If the Spring be defiled how can the waters be cleane If the hart whiche is as it were the seate of the soule the fountaine and first instrument of life from whome all our actions and affections doe proceede bee stayned with sinne and wickednesse how can wee thinke our bare pretence of naked idle faith is pleasing vnto God And therfore sayth S. Iames Clense your harts you sinners and purge your hands you wauering minded men O Hierusalem washe thine hart from wickednesse sayth Ieremie that thou mayst be saued My sonne sayth Salomon giue me thy hart let thine eyes delight in my wayes and keepe thine hearte with all safetie for from it proceedeth thy life A good man sayth Christ out of the good treasure of his hart bringeth foorth good thinges but an euill man of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth foorth euill thinges Their hart sayth Ose is deuided therefore shall they be founde faultie I will walke sayeth Dauid in my house not with an outward shew but with a true and perfect hart which is necessarilye required here in him that will draw nere to the holy place Many are the sortes and differences of harts from whence agayne proceedeth that greate diuersitie of manners amongst men there is a wise harte that considereth all thinges soberly with iudgement and there is a foolishe harte whiche knoweth nothing but to commit iniquitie there is a stonie stubborn harte not mooued to repentaunce there is also a softe and fleshly harte soone pearsed and wounded with euery checke for sin there is a lose and faint hart vnstable in all his wayes and there is a firme and constant a true an vpright a faithfull hart commended here vnto vs whose praise is not of men but of God But among all other differences wherof I cannot now particulerlye increate to come neare vnto our selues what shal we say of the contrary hereof of falshood and flatterie of fained double hollowe and dissembling harts both toward God and men whiche doe so swarme amongste vs and haue so possessed and inlarged the inner partes of Christians at these daies that nothing is more common then to dissemble and deceaue and nothing more rare and daintie than a true and faithfull harte whereby both Epicure Atheus and Machiauill as it seemeth haue founde them secrete harbour to worke by fraude and policie where Christ should be interteyned in sinceritie and truth although Dissimulation be nowe spunne of so cunning and fine a threade that it is harde to discerne men asunder yet let vs vse the tried and infallible meane sette downe by our sauiour Christ Looke into mens actions which as a mirroure represent the image of their harts Esteeme the tree by his fruite confer their workes with their speeches and their liues with their profession and it is easilye espied For how doe wee bring foorth thistles in steade of figges and thorns in steed of grapes and the workes of darknesse and yet would be called the children of light and the fruits of lies of falshoode deceit yet will be counted the louers of religion and professors of truth And though we can saye the Lorde liueth yet will wee sweare to deceaue and though we bende our faces and profession to wardes the new and liuing waye of Christ yet will wee looke backe againe with Lots wife to Sodome followe the steps euen the lustes and imaginations of olde Adam and though as the Ephesians boasted of Diana and the Iewes of their Temple crying out the Temple of the Lorde the Temple of the Lorde this is the Temple of the Lord so we likewise can triumphe the Gospell of Christ the preaching of the worde the glad tidings of saluation and wee haue now the light and preaching of the worde of God yet all this notwithstanding so dissonant are the liues and the proceedings in a great many of vs so repugnant to our outwarde wordes and profession that it seemeth we are nothing lesse then those we should be and would so faine be counted and are so farre from drawing nere in a true and vpright hart That we doe but flatter with our lips and dissemble in our double hartes For was there euer more priuie canckred and malitious hatred in harte and yet more cloaking flatterie in tongue then nowe a daies was there euer more close and craftie shifting and shuffling and preueÌ„ting and circumuenting and vndermining one of another was there euer more deceite or fraude in bargaining contracts wherein as euery one exceedeth in subtiltie so he is counted the wise and most sufficient man was there euer more lying swearing forswearing for aduaÌ„tage for gain and lucre or hath there bene at any time more truth and holinesse professed lesse honestie and truth performed wherat the very aduersaries not a litle reioice take occasion of blaspheming the truth or shal we finde among men more hipocrisie and double dealing with two faces vnder one hood such as can blow hote and cold with one breath whiche haue Iacobs slender voice but Esaus rough handes which can hide a woluish hart vnder a simple sheeps clothing as graue and as sage as Cato in their countinaunce but as tirannous as Nero in their deeds and actions as neatly pullished cleansed on the outside as the Pharises pot platter but inwardly most ougly and loathsome to beholde then nowe a dayes It is not euerye where now put in practise which was sometime sayde by one Frâ—ns occuli vultus per sepe mentiuntur oratio vero sepissime The lookes the face and countinaunce of men do often dissemble and deceaue but their wordes and speeches more often Is it not playnlye come to passe that Lactantius citeth out of Seneca