THE BENEFIT that Christians receive by jesus Christ crucified.  
Translated out of French into English, by A. G.  
1573. IMPRINTED AT London for Lucas Harison and George Bishop.   

¶ To the English Reader.  
THou hast here delivered to thee good Reader, a little tretise first written in the Italian tongue & printed at Venise, after that translated into the French language and printed at Lions, and now translated & printed for thee to read in the English tongue. Inquire not of the Author, he is unknown, and to know him would do thee but little good. Read the book devowtly, regard the matter of it attentively, it may do the much good in these evil days. This may be counted among the greatest evils with which this age is infected, that they which are called christians are miserably divided about Christ. And yet in truth as the apostle says unto us, 
● Cor. 8.  there is but one God, which is the father of whom are all things, and we in him, and our lord jesus Christ by whom are all things, & we by him. To discourse on this division and the cause thereof would be to some pleasing, to some it would be displeasing. For what one truth can please minds so diversly divided? would God it could please all to become one in that one Christ whose name we all do carry. In this little book is that benefit which commith by Christ crucified to the Christians, truly & comfortably handled: which benefit if all christians did truly understand and faithfully embrace, this division would vanish away, and in Christ the christians should become one. To this end read this book and much good in Christ may it do to all them which do read it. Amen.   

¶ The translator sendeth greeting to all Christians that are under Heaven.  
I Cannot marvel enough whereof it cometh that all of us are more moved by injuries than by benefits: and that we take the one so much to heart, imprinting them in our remembrance, and forget the other so suddenly. Truly we cannot deny, but that among so many other imperfections wherewith we are unhappily defiled, we have also taken this, of the great corruption and maymednesse of our earthly & transitory human nature, wherein there cannot be imagined any thing more unconvenient nor more hurtful, than reproachful unthankfulness, which a man might rightly term the wellspring of all vices. For by it our minds are so drawn away & perverted, that the more we be beset round about and laden with the benefits of GOD our soverein Father, so much the more become we blookish and as it were distraught and out of our wits, ronning after our own lusts and vanities, where through (as though we had drunk of the river Lethe,) we fouget ourselves and misspend our whole time, bwisying our heads like little children that go seeking of pings in the sand, whereabout they are so wholly occupied, that although a man call them, they hear him not, or at leastwise make as though they herd him not: from whence if we did now and then lift up our eyes unto heaven, & enforce ourselves to remember the great benefits that we daily receive of his right fatherly goodness and mercy: it were not to be dowted but we should be more inclined to love him & to obei his holy will, than we be: whereas (which worse is) we be not only careless to yield due thanks unto him, but also at all times cease not to offend him: so deeply is the vice of unthankfulness rooted in us. rightly may he be blamed for unthankfulness, which acknowledgeth not the good that hath been done to him, at leastwyse by saying gramercy: Unthankful is he that forgetteth it: but toto unthankful is he that rendereth evil for good: Wherefore we can found no lawful excuse, because that which way soever we turn ourselves, the bountifulness of this great GOD shineth throughot upon us. Let us a little stir up our wits, and let us look about us as far and wide as this howge frame of the world may extend, so divinely set together, and garnished with so great diversity of goodly creatures, so well compassed, and in such an order so wisely compacted, that there is nothing superfluous, nothing unprofitable, nothing whereof there may not be rendered a rason. This howge Son the fountain of all light and heat, and the cause of all earthly generation: the Moon which marketh us out the years the months and the seasons: the Sky so trimly azured and richly set with glistering stars: this howge Sea which beateth upon all sides of the earth, the weight whereof is born upon his own round counterpeis: the great number of living creatures that are upon it, whereof some fly in the air, everywhere dispersed and othersome devil in the hollow caves of it, which nature hath fashioned of set purpose for them: what shall I say more? So many high mountains within whose veins are found innumerable treasures: And others, from whence issew many a fair spring spouting out their thin and clear water. And othersome wheroutof do gush violent streams and pleasant rivers, nourishing infinite numbers and kinds of fish: So many trees and plants yielding most delicate fruits and sweet savours: Such store of medicinable herbs and roots: So many plains and valleys, most fruitful: Such store of meadows beawtifyed with their lovely flowers: And to be short, the full howgenesse of the whole, the power of the Elements, and the natural beauty of the creatures: what are they else but the utterance and open showing of gods love & great liberality towards us: of which each one in his kind giveth glory to the Lord? yea, ask even the beasts, and they will inform thee: demand of the fowls of the air, and they will tell thee: or else speak to the earth, and she will report unto thee: and to the fishes of the Sea, and they will answer thee: The Lord spoke the word, 
job. 12.  and we were made: he commanded, and we were created. For in his hand is the life of every living thing. And by him have all of us our being, moving, & continewance. Such is the speech of all creatures. Only man, who is made after the image and likeness of god, endued with understanding, memory, and reason, (showing himself in that beehalfe more unhappy than the brute beasts,) passeth over the abundance of so great benefyes with his eyes shut, betrampling and beraying them with his feet, as a swine doth precious stones: In somuch that after he hath once wholly buried remembrance, there ensueth ignorance & utter blindness. O lamentable state of reasonable man, who can hope for any change in thee, except it be from evil to worse, sing thou hast no knowledge at all of God, and that, all his benefits are despised through thine extreme unthankfulness in this behalf? If so many creatures wherewith this whole howge world is garnished to thy use: and (to touch thee yet more nearly) if the cunning compacting together of thine own body, which may well be called a little world, as wherein a man may behold the soverein wisdom of the workmaister: if thy soul wherein shines the invisible image of of the everlasting God: if thine own life: if the consideration of so great abundance of good things whereof he giveth thee the use every day, are not sufficient enough to move the affections of thy heart: at leastwise yet oughtest thou of reason to be inflamed and provoked by the benefit of all benefits, and by that most precious gift which he hath made unto thee of his own proper and only Son, who is the very image of his substance, & in whom dwelleth the whole fullness of the Godhead, together with all the treasures of wisdom, & all knowledge: Yea & so much aught it to move thee the more, because that without having regard that thou wart his great enemy, he hath laid all thine infirmities upon his back and made him to dye upon the cross for thy sake, punishing thy sins in him, for the which thou thyself hadst deserved eternal damnation. Go now thou unthankful person, and devise all the excuses that thou will't: and they shall serve thee to no purpose, but to accuse thee and to give sentence against thyself. The wonderful creation, order, and government of this howge world, can give thee knowledge of his fatherly love, wisdom, and infinite power, although not in all points to the full. But in jesus Christ crucified, all the bowels of gods mercy are opened unto thee at large and perfectly. There is no more any veil that can hinder thee from the knowing of so great love. Seest thou not how that at his death the veil was rend asunder in the mids? And when he cried that all was finished, & bowed down his holy head, he gave a token that peace was made between God and man. Let us therefore henceforth learn O my brethren to acknowledge the soverein benefit which we have received by jesus Christ crucified Let us behold the perfectness of his life, and his most holy Doctrine. Let us open our eyes at the unmeasurable brightness of his everlasting truth, and let us withal our force follow the way wherein he hath go afore us. Let us with a cheerful and glad heart embrace the cross which he hath set afore us: and discharging our shoulders from all burdens and all sin wherein we are wrapped, let us run with patience to the combat that is appointed for us, having an eye to the beginner & accomplisher of faith jesus Christ, who in stead of worldly glory sustained the cross, and despyzed all the shame thereof. Let us put of the old man with all his wretched and combersom doings and grievous burdens: and clot ourselves with the new man whose yoke is sweet and burden light. Let us by true faith run between the arms of his mercy, and pray him too vouchsafe too lyghten us, and too make us capable of all his graces, and specially of the great benefit that we have received of him by his cross. Concerning the which, forasmuch as there is lighted into my hands a little treatyze compiled in the Italian tongue, wherein he is marvelously well and lively drawn with another manner of pencil than peinters' use: I thought it good to put it into French, to the end that my countrymen also might take profit by it, and receive like comfort as I have received by it: And specially the simple people and such as have no great depth of knowledge. For it seemeth, that the Author (whosoever he was) was wholly minded to apply all things unto them, without seeking or affecting any fineness of speech, or great darkness of sentences. But even as in Sommertyme we see the River Saon go gently to join himself with the River of Rhone, without doing any damage to any body: even so goeth this man, sliding so smothely into the bosom of his dear spouse jesus Chryst, without staying at any other thing: that overmaliciouse should he be, which would look awry on him, or by any means let him of his course. And thus my brethren fareye well in God, who enrich you with his gracious gifts from day to day. Amen.   

Of the benefit that christians receive by jesus Christ crucified.  
The first Chapter.  
¶ Of Original sin, and of man's wretchedness.  
THe holy Scripture says, 
The stat● of man before and after that he had 〈◊〉.  that GOD created man after his own Image & likeness, making him, as in respect of his body, impossible: and as touching his Soul, righteous, true, good, merciful, and holy. But after that he being overcome with desire of knowledge, had eaten of the Apple that God had forbidden him: he lost the said image & likeness of God, and become like the brute beasts, & like the devil who had abused him. For as touching his Soul, he become unrightuous, untrue, cruel, pitiless, and the enemy of God: and as touching his body, he become passable and subject to a thousand inconveniences and diseases: and not only like, but also inferior to brute beasts. And even as if our forefathers had obeyed God, they should have left us their rightuousenes and holiness as an heritage: even so by being disobedient unto God, they have left us the inheritance of unrighteousness, wickedness, and gods displeasure in such sort as it is unpossible for us (through our own strength) to love God, or to frame ourselves unto his holy will. Nay we be enemies unto him, as to one that must punish our sins because he is a just judge, and therefore can we not any more trust wholly to his holy mercy. To be short, our whole nature was corrupted by Adam's sin. And like as erst it had superiority above all creatures, so become it an underling to all, the bondslave of satan, sin, & death, & condemned to the miseries of hell. Also he lost his judgement altogether, & began to say that good was evil, and evil good: esteeming false things to be true, & true things to be false. 
Psal. 114. Psal. 14.  Which thing the prophet considering, says: that all men are liars, and that there is not one that doth good, because the devil like a stout man of arms ruleth his own palace, that is to wit the world whereof he become the prince and Lord There is no tunge that can express the thousandth part of our misery, in that we being created by gods own hand, have lost the said image of god, and are become like the devil, and too like to him in nature and condition, willing whatsoever he willeth, & likewise refuzing whatsoever he misliketh. By reason whereof being given up for a prey to that wicked spirit, there is no sin so grievous, which every one of us would not be ready to do, if the grace of god stay us not. 
Original s●n.  And this our deprivation of rightuousenes, and this foreward inclination to all unrightuousnes and naughtiness, is called origiall sin: the which we bring with us from out of our mother● womb, so as we be born the children of wrath, and it hath had his first spring from our first fathers, & is the cause and fountain of all the vices & iniquities that we commit: wherfrom if we willbe delivered & return again to our first innocency, to recover the image of god: first of all it standeth us on hand to know our own wretchedness. 
A very good comparison.  For like as no man will ever seek to the Physician, except he know himself to be diseased: or acknowledge the excellency of the Physician and how much he is bound unto him, except he know his own disease to be pestilent and deadly: even so no man acknowledgeth jesus Christ the only Physician of our souls, except he first know his own soul to be diseased: neither can he perceive the excellency of him nor how much he is bond unto him, except he first enter in to the knowledge of his own outrageous sins, & of the incurable infirmity, which we have received through the infection of our first fathers.   

The second Chapter.  
¶ How the Law was given by God, to the end that we knowing our sin and having not any hope of ability to make ourselves righteous by our own works, should have recourse to god's mercy, & unto the ryghtuousenesse of faith.  
OUR God therefore minding of his infinite goodness & merche to sand his only Son to set free the wretched children of Adam: & knowing that first of all it behoved him to make them understand their own misery: chose Abraham, (in whose séed he promised to bliss all nations,) & accepted his offspring for his peculiar people, unto whom, (after their departure out of Egypt & deliverance from the bondage of Pharaoh,) he by the means of Moses, gave the Law, which forbiddeth all justing, and commandeth us to love GOD with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our strength, in such wise as our whole trust be reposed in him, & we ready to leave our life for his sake, to suffer all torments in our members, and to be bere●t of all our goods, dignities, & honours for the love of our god: choosing to dye, rather than to do any thing that may mislike him, be it never so little: and doing all things in that behalf with a merry heart, and with all forwardness and cheerfulness. Moreover the Law commandeth us to love our neighbour as ourself, 
Who is our neighbour  meaning, by the Neighbour, all manner of men as well friends as foes: & it willeth us to do to every man as we would be done unto, and to love other menns caces as our own. And so by looking in this holy Law as in a clear lookingglasse, man doth out of hand espy his own great imperfection & unablenes to obey gods commandments, and to tender him the honour and love which he aught to yield to his maker. 
The 〈◊〉 office or duty of the law.  The first office of the Law then, is to make sin known, as saint Paul affirmeth. And in another place he says, I had not known what sin is, but by the Law. 
Rom. 3. and 7.  The second office of the Law, is to make sin increase, forasmuch as we being quite g●ne from the obeying of God, 
The second office of the law.  and become bondslaves to the devil, being full of wicked works and inordinate affections, cannot abide that god should forbidden us to lust, which increaseth so much the more, as it is the more prohibited: by reason whereof S. Paul saith, that sin was dead, but the Law came and raised it up again, and so it become out of measure great. The third office of the Law, 
The third office of the law.  is to show the wrath and judgement of God, who threateneth death and everlasting punishment to such as keep not the Law throughout in all points. For the holy Scripture says, 
Deu. 27.  Cursed is he that performeth not thoroughly all the things that are written in the book of the Law. And therefore saint Paul says, 
2. Cor. 3.  that the Law is a ministery and that it bringeth forth wrath. The Law then having discovered sin and increased it, and showed forth the wrath & indignation of God who threateneth death, 
The forth office of the Low.  executeth his fourth office, which is to put a man in fear, who there upon falls into sorowfulnes, & would fair satisfy the Law: but forasmuch as he seeth clearly, that he is not able: he waxeth angry against God, and would with all his heart, that there were no god, because he fears to be sore chastized & punished by him, 
Rom. 4  according as saint Paul says, that the wisdom of the flesh is the enemy of God, because it neither is nor can be subject to the Law of God. 
The fifth office of the law.  The fifth office of the Law, (which is the principal end and the most excellent and necessary office of it) is to constrain a man to go unto jesus Christ, in like wise as the Hebrues being dismayed, were constrained to appeal unto Moses, saying: 
Exod. 20  Let not the Lord speak unto us, lest we die, but speak thou unto us & we will obey thee in all things. And the Lord answered: verily they have spoken exceeding well. Yea they were not praised for any other thing, than for thenyr desiring of a Mediator betwixt GOD and them, which was Moses, who represented jesus Christ, that should be the advocate & Mediator between God and man. In respect whereof God said unto Moses, I will raise up a Prophet among their brethren like unto thee, & I will put my word in his mouth, & he shall speak unto them all the things that I shall command him, and I will punish all those that will not obey my word which he shall speak in my name.   

The third Chapter.  
¶ How the forgiveness of our sins, our justification, & our salvation depend upon jesus Christ.  
WHen as our God then had sent the said great Prophet which he had promised us, (who is his only son,) to the end that he should set us free from the curse of the Law, 
Coloss. 3  and recon●yle us unto our God: that he should make our will fit for good works, healing our free will, and repairing in us the foresaid image of god which we had lost through the fault of our first parents: 
Act. 4.  forasmuch as we know that under heaven there is non● other name given unto men whereby we may be saved, but the name of jesus Christ: Let us run unto him with the feet of lively faith, 
Mat. 11.  & cast ourselves between his arms, sith he allureth us so gracious●i, crying: come unto me all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you: What comfort or what joy in this life can be comparable to this his saying there, when as a man feeling himself oppressed with the intolerable weight of his sins, understands so sweet and amiable words of the Son of God, who promises so graciously to refresh & rid him of his great peyns? But all the matter lieth in acknowledging our own weakness & misery in good earnest. For he shall never know what is sweet, who hath not tasted of the sour. And therefore jesus Christ saith: If any man thirst, 
john. 7.  let him come to me and drink: as if he had meant to say, if a man know not himself to be a sinner, nor thirst after rightuousenesse, he cannot taste of the sweetness of jesus Christ, how sweet it is to talk of him, to think of him, and to follow his most holy life. But when we once throughly know our own infirmity by mean of the Law: let us hearken to saint john Baptist, 
john. ●.  who pointeth us to the soverein Physician with his fingar, saying: Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world. For he it is that delivereth us from the heavy yoke of the law, 
Gal. 3.  abrogating and disannulling the curses and sharp threatenings of the same: healing all our infirmities: reforming our free will, returning us to our ancient innocency, and repayringe in us the image of our God: 
john. 8.  insomuch that (according to saint Paul's saying) like as by Adam we be all dead: 
1. Cor. 15.  so by jesus Christ we are all quickened. And it is not to be believed that the sin of Adam, which we have by inheritance from him, should be of more force than the righteousness of Christ, the which also we inherit by faith. It seemeth that m●n hath great cause to complain, that (without any reason why,) he is conceived & born in sin, 
Psal. 50  and in the wickedness of his parents, by means of whom death reigneth over all men. But now is all our sorrow taken away, inasmuch as by a like mean (without any occasion given on our behalf,) rightuousenesse & everlasting life are come by jesus Christ, and by him death is s●ayne, whereof saint Paul maketh a very goodly discourse, which I purpose to set down here following. 
Rom. 5  Wherefore (saith he) like as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin: even so death went over all men, forasmuch as all men have sinned. For until the Law, sin was in the world: but sin was not regarded as long as there was no law. neverthelater, death reigned from Adam unto Moses, even over them also that sinned not after the like manner of the transgression of Adam, who was a figure of him that was to come. But yet the gift is not so as is the offence: For if through the offence of one, many be dead: much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. Neither is the gift so as that which entered in by one the sinned. For the fault came of one offence unto condemnation, but the gift is of many offences to justification. For if by the offence of one, death reigned through one: much more shall they which receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness, reign in life through one, that is jesus Christ. Likewise then, as by the offence of one, the fault came on all men to condemnation, so by the ryghtuousenes of one, the benefit abounded toward all men to the justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many also be made righteous. Moreover the law entered there upon, that the offence should abound: nevertheless where sin abounded their grace abounded much more, that as sin had reigned unto death, so might grace also reign by rightuousenes unto eternal life through jesus Christ our lord. By these words of saint Paul we manife●tlye perceive the thing to be true which we have said heretofore: that is to wit, that the law was given to make sin known: which sin we do also know, no to be of greater force than Chris●es rightuousenes, wherethrough we be justified before God. For even as jesus Christ is stronger than Adam was: so is his ryghtuousenes more mighty than the sin of Adam. And if the sin of Adam was sufficient enough to make all men sinners & children of wrath without any misdeed of our own: much more shall Christ's righteousness be of greater force to make us all righteous and the children of grace, without any of our own good works: which cannot be good, unless that before we do them, we ourselves be made good, 
The greatness of sin 〈◊〉 not to 'cause despair.  as Awstin also affirmeth. Hereby a man may know in what an error they be, who by reason of some great offence, despair of gods good will, imagining that he is not willing to forgive, cover, and pardon all sin, having already punished and chastized all our sins and iniquities in his own only begotten and déerebeloved son, and consequently granted a general pardon to all mankind, which every body enjoyeth that believeth the Gospel, that is to say, which believeth the happy tidings that the Apostles have published through the whole world, 
●. Cor. 5.  saying: We beseech you for jesus Christ's sake, be ye recon●yled unto God: for he that never known sin, was made a sacrifyze for our sin, that we might become righteous in him. The Prophet Esay foreseeing this great goodness of God, writeth these heavenvly words, which do so well peynt out the passion of our Lord jesus Christ, and the cause there of: as it is not to be found better describe, even in the writings of the Apostles. Who (saith he) will believe our report, & to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed. But he shall grow up before him as a branch and as a root out of a dry gdound, he hath neither form nor beauty: when we shall see him, there shallbe no form that we should desire him: He is despized and rejected of men, he is a man full of sorrows, and hath experience of infirmities, we hid as it were our faces from him: he was despized & we esteemed him not. Surely he hath born our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we did judge him as plagued and smitten of god, and humbled: but he was wounded for our transgressions: he was broken for our iniquities. The chasisment of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have go astray: we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all: he was oppressed & he was afflicted, yet did he not open his mouth. He is brought as a sheep to the slaughter and as a sheep before the shearer is dumb so he openeth not his mouth. O great unkindness. O thing abominable? that we which profess ourselves Christians, and here that the son of God hath taken all our sins upon him, & washed them out with his precious blood, suffering himself to be fastened to the cross for our sakes: should nevertheless make as though we would justify ourselves & purchase forgiveness of our sins by our our own works: as who would say, that the deserts, ryghtuousenes and bloodshed of jesus Christ were not enough to do it, unless we came to put to our works & righteousness which are altogether defiled and spotted with self-love, seflyking, selfeprofit, and a thousand other vanities, for which we have need to crave pardon at GOD'S hand, rather than reward. Neither do we think of the threatenings which saint Paul useth to the Galathians: who having been deceived by falseprechers, believed not that the justification by faith was sufficient of itself, but went about still to be made righteous by the Law. Unto whom S. Paul saith: 
Gala ●  jesus Christ shall nothing profit you that justify yourselves by the Law: for you be fallen from grace, because that we through the spirit of faith wait for the hope of righteousness. 
An excellent comparison of the ●●●bilitie of our own works.  Now if the seeking of righteousness & forgiveness of sins by the keeping of the law which God gave upon mount Sinai with so great glory and majesty, be the denying of Christ and of his grace: what shall we say to those that will needs justify themselves afore God by their own laws and observances? I would wish that such folks should a little compare the one with the other, and afterward give judgement themselves. God mindeth not to do that honour, nor to give that glory to his own law, and yet they will have him to give it to men's laws & ordinances. But that honour is given only to his only begotten son, who alone by the sacrifice of his death and passion, hath made full amendss for all our sins, past, present, 
Hebr. 7.  and to come, as saint Paul and saint john declare. 
john. 12.  Wherefore as often as we apply this satisfaction of jesus Christ's, unto our souls by faith: out of all doubt we obtain forgiveness of our sins, and become good & righteous before God, through his righteousness. 
Phil. 3  And therefore after that saint Paul hath said, that as touching the ryghtuousenes of the law, he had lived unblamable: he addeth, & yet whatsoever I have gained by it I have accounted it in all respects to be but loss, for the love of Christ. And specially I esteem all things to be loss, for the excellent knowledge of jesus Christ my Lord, for whom I have counted all things to be loss, & deem them but as dung, so I may win Christ, & be found in him, not having mine own rightuousenesse which is of the law, but the righteousness which is by the faith of jesus Christ, which righteousness is given of god, I mean the righteousness of faith, that I may come to the knowledge of jesus Christ. O most notable words, which all Christians aught to have engraven in their hearts, praying God to make them to taste it perfectly. Lo, how S. Paul showeth plainly, that whosoever knoweth Christ aright esteemeth all the works of the law to be hurtful, for so much as they make us to serve from our trust in jesus Christ, to whom every man aught to impute his salvation, & to trust only unto him alone. And to enforce this sentence the more, he addeth further, that he esteemeth all things but as dung, so he may gain Christ and be found incorporated in him: declaring thereby that whosoever trusteth in his own works, and pretendeth to justify himself by them, getteth not jesus Christ nother is ingreffed into him▪ And forasmuch as the whole mystery of our faith consists in the truth hereof: ●o the end we might the better understand what he meant to say: he addeth and repeateth oftentimes, that he had nothing to do with all the outward justification & all the righteousness that is grounded upon the keeping of the law, but that he would clothe himself with the righteousness which God giveth by faith, to all them that believe that all our sins are fully chastized & punished in jesus Christ: 
●. Cor. 1.  & that jesus Christ (as S. Paul saith) is made our wisdom, righteousness, holiness, & redemption to the end, (as it is written) that he which will glory should glory in the lord & not in his own works. Very true it is, that in the holy scriptures there are some texts to be found, which being misunderstode, seem to gainsay this holy doctrine of S. Paul's, & to attribute justification & remission of sins unto works, & to charity. But those authorities have already been well expounded by some who have showed plainly, that such as have understood them in the sense aforesaid, understood them not aright. Wherefore my déerebeloved brethren, let us not follow the fond opinion of the bewitched Galatians, but rather let us follow the truth which s. Paul teacheth us, & let us give the whole glory of our justification unto God's mercy & to the merits of his son, who by his own bloodshed hath set us free from the sovereignty of the law, & from the tyranny of sin & death: & hath brought us into the kingdom of god, to give us life and endless felicity. I say yet further, that he hath delivered us from the dominion of the law, insomuch as he hath given us his holy spirit, who teacheth us all truth, and that he hath satisfied the law to the full, & given the same satisfaction unto all his members, (that is to wit to all true Christians,) so as they may safely appear at God's throne, because they be clothed with the righteousness of his Christ, 
How man is delivered and set free from the curse of the law.  and by him delivered from the curse of the law. Then cannot the law any more accuse us or condemn us, nor move our affections or appetites, nor increase sin in us. And therefore Saint Paul saith, that the Obligation which was against us is canceled 
Gal. 3.  by jesus Christ & discharged upon the tree of the cross, 
Rom. 8.  insomuch as he hath set us fr●e from the subjection of the law, 
Colost. 2  and consequently from the tyranny of sin & death, which can no more hereafter hold us oppressed because it is overcome by jesus christ in his resurrection, & so consequently by us which are his members, in such manner that we may say with Saint Paul, and with the Prophet Osee, 
1. Cor. 15  Death is quite vanquished & destroyed. O Death, where is thy 〈◊〉? O Hell, where is thy victory? The sting of Death is ●in, and the strength of sin is the law. But God be praised who hath granted us victory by our Lord jesus Christ. 
Gen. 3  He is the bles●ed seed that hath crushed the head of the venomous Serpent, that is to wit of the Devil, insomuch that all those which believe in Ie●us Christ, reposing their whole trust in his grace, do overcome sin, death, the Devil and Hell, as Christ hath done. He is that blessed seed of Abraham, in the which god hath promised blissednesse to all Nations. It behoved every particular person to fight with the said horrible Serpent, and too deliver himself from that curse. But that enterprise was so great, that all the force of the whole world knit together was not able too go through with it. Wherefore our God the father of mercy, being moved with compassion of our miseries, hath given us his only begotten son, who hath delivered us from y● veni● of the Serpent, & is himself become our blissednesse & righteousness, condicionally that we accept the same, renouncing all our own outward justifications. Then my dear brethren let us embrace the righteousness of our Lord jesus Christ, and let us make it ours by means of faith: let us assure ourselves that we be righteous, not for our own works, but through the merits of jesus Christ, & let us live merrily & assured that the righteousness of jesus Christ hath utterly done away all our unrighteousness, & made us good, righteous, and holy before God, who beholding us ingreffed into his son by faith, esteemeth us not now any more as the children of Adam, but as his own children, and hath made us heirs of all his riches, with his own begotten son.   

The fourth Chapter.  
¶ Of the effects of lively faith, and of the union of man's Soul with jesus Christ.  
THis holy faith worketh after such a sort in us, 
How we 〈◊〉 the likeness of God.  that he which believeth that jesus Christ hath taken all his sins upon him, becometh like unto Christ, & overcometh sin, the devil, death, & Hell. And the reason thereof is this: namely that the church (that is to wit every faithful Soul) is Christ's wife, 
A very good similitude expressing the manner how our 〈◊〉 are taken away by Christ.  & Christ is her husband. For we know how the law of marriage is, that of two, they become one self-same thing, being two in one flesh, and that the goods & substance of either of them become common to them both: by means whereof the husband saith, that the dowry of his wife is his, & likewise the wife sayeth that her husband's house & all his riches are hers: and of a truth so they are: for otherwise they should not be one flesh, as the scripture says. After the same manner hath God married his onlibegotten & dear-beloved son to the faithful soul, which hath not any other thing peculiar of her own, save only sin, & yet the son of God hath not disdeyned to take her for his well-beloved spouse, together with her peculiar dowry, which is sin. And now by reason of the union which is in this holy marriage, look what y● on hath, is also that others. jesus christ therefore saith thus: The dowry of man's soul my dear wife, (that is to wit her sins and transgressing of the law, God's wrath against her, the boldness of the devil over her, the prison of Hell, and all other her evils) are become mine & are in my power to do what I list with them. Wherefore it is at my choice to deal with them at my pleasure, and therefore I will put out the hand writing which is against the soul ●y wife, I will take it out of the way, I will fasten it too my cross in mine own body, and in the same will I spoil principalities and powers and make a show of them openly & triumph over them and consume them utterly unto nothing.  
Now when GOD saw his son who knew no ●nne, neither had any sin in him, thus willingly taking on him the fowlenes of our iniquity, he made him to be sin for us even the very sacrifice for our sin: & did sharply punish our sin in him, putting him to death, even the death of the cross. Howbeit forasmuch as he was his well-beloved & obedient son, 
Math. 28  he would not leave him in death nor suffer his holy one to see corruption: 
Phil. 2  but raised him up from death to life, giving him all power in heaven and earth, and set him at his right hand in glory. Now than the wife likewise with exceeding great joy doth say: the Realms and kingdoms of my most dear husband and saviour are mine, by him I am an heir of heaven, my husband's riches, (that is to wit his holiness his innocency, his rightuousenes & his godhead, together with all his virtue & might,) are mine and for me: and therefore in him I am holy, innocent, ryghtuouse, and godly, & there is not any spot in me. I am well favoured & fair, inasmuch as my lawful husband hath not any blemish in him, but is altogether goodly and fair. And sith that he is wholly mine, and so consequently all that he hath is mine, and all that he hath is pure and holy: it followeth that I also am pure and holy. Therefore to begin at his most innocent birth● he hath thereby sanctified the birth of his spouse conceived in sin. The godly chyldhod and youth of the brydegroome, hath justified the childish and youthful life of his dear-beloved bride. For the love and union that is betwixt the soul of a true christian and the bridegroom jesus Christ, maketh all the works of either of them, to be common to them both. By reason whereof when a man says, jesus Christ hath fasted, jesus Christ hath prayed, jesus Christ was herd of the father, raised the dead, drove devils out of men, healed the sick, dyed, rose again, and ascended into heaven: Likewise a man may say, that a Christian man hath done all the self-same works, forasmuch as the works of Christ are the works of the Christian, because he hath done them for him. verily a man may say that the Christian hath been nailed too the cross, buried, raised again, is go up into heaven, become the child of God, and made partaker of the Godhead. On the other side, all the works that a Christian man doth are Christ's works, because it is his will to take them for his. And forasmuch as they be unperfect, and he thoroughly perfect, & cannot away with any unperfect thing: he hath made them perfect with his virtues, to the end that his wife should be always joyful & well contentid and not be afraid of any thing assuring hirself, that although there be yet still some default in her works, yitnotwithstanding they be acceptable to God in respect of his son, upon whom he hath his eyes always fastened. O the unmeasurable goodness of god? how greatly is the christian bond unto god? There is no love of man, be it never so great, that may be compared with the love that god beareth to the soul of every faithful christian, whereof Christ is the bridegroom. whereupon s. Paul sayeth, that jesus Christ hath so loved his wife the church which is builded of living stones (that is of the souls of the believing christians) that for to sanctify her, 
Ephe. 5.  ● he hath offered himself to the death of the cross, clenzing her with the washing of water, by his word, to join her to himself a glorious church without spot or wrinkle or other like thing: but that she should be holy and unblamable (that is to wit like unto him in holiness & innocency) and also be the true and lawful daughter of god, who hath loved the world so well, that (as jesus Christ himself saith) he hath given his onlibegotten son, 
john. 3.  to the end that every one which beleveh in him should not perish, but have life everlasting. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world: but to the end that the World might be saved by him, insomuch that he which believeth in him shall not be damned. 
How the faithful man's soul is assu●ed of his being married unto Christ.  Some man might demand after what manner the union of this holy Marriage is made, and how the Soul which is the Bride, and her Bridegroom jesus Chryste are knit together. What assurance can I have, that my Soul is united unto jesus Christ, and become his Spouse? How can I assuredly glory that I am Queen and Mistress of his great riches, as a wife may? I can easily believe that otherfolkes shall receive this honour and glory: but I cannot persuade myself that I am one of th●se same to whom GOD hath given so great grace: For I know mine own wretchedness and imperfection. My der●beloued brother, I answer thee that thine assurance consists in true and lively faith, wherewith (as Saint Peter sayeth) God clenzeth man's hearts: 
Act. 5  And this sayeth is ground in the be leving of the Gospel that is to say, in the believing of the glad tidings which hath been published on GOD'S behalf throwgh the whole world: which tidings containeth in effect, that god hath used the rigorousenes of his justis against jesus Christ, chastizing & punishing all our sins in him. 
Mat. 2  And whosoever receiveth this good tidings & believeth it steadfastly, hath the true faith and doth enjoy the forgiveness of his sins, and is also reconciled unto GOD: and of the child of wrath, is become the child of grace: and recovering the image of God, entereth into the kingdom of God, and is made the temple of God, 
2. Cor. 3.  who marrieth man's soul to his only Son, by the mean of this faith, which faith is a work of God and the gift of god, as saint Paul saith oftentimes. And God giveth it unto those whom he calleth to him, of purpose to justify them & to glorify them, & to give them everlasting life, according as our Lord jesus Christ witnesseth saying: This is the will of him that sent me, 
john. 6  even that every one which seeth the son and believeth in him, should have everlasting life, and I will raise him up again at the latter day. 
john. 3  And like as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness: so must the son of man be lifted up, to the end that every one which believeth in him might not perish but have life everlasting. Also he sayeth to Martha: 
john. 11.  He that believeth in me shall live, although he were dead, and every one that liveth & believeth in me shall not dye for ever. And to a company of the jews he sayeth: 
john. 12.  I am come a light into the world, to the end that every man which believeth in me, should not abide in darkness. And saint john in his Epistle saith: 
1. john. 4  Herein appeared the love of god towards us, for that god is love and sent his only begotten son into this world, that we might live through him. And here in is love known, not in that we loved God, but in that he loved us & sent his son to make atonement for our sins. And moreover, he sent him to destroy our enemies. For the bringing whereof to pass, he made him parttaker of our flesh, and of our blood, as sayeth saint Paul, to the end that by his death he might destroy him that had the dominion of death, 
Hebr. ●.  that is to wit the devil, and set all such at liberty, as were subject to bondage all their life long, for fear of death. Seeing then that we have records of the holy Scripture, concerning the promises, whereof we have spoken heretofore, and concerning many other promises that are dispersed in divers places of the same: we cannot doubt of it. And forsomuch as the Scripture speaketh to all ingenerall, none of us ought to distrust in himself, that the self-same thing which the Scripture sayeth, should not belong particularly to himself. And to the end that this point, wherein lieth and consists the whole mystery of our holy faith, may be understood the better: 
A very goodly similitude & ●it for the expressing of the free for givensse of si●●es for jesus Christ's sake.  Let us put the case that some good & holy King, cause proclamation to be made through his whole Realm by the sound of a Trumpet, that all Rebels and banished men shall safely return home to their houses, because that at the sewt & desert of some dear friend of there's, it hath pleased him to pardon them: certainly none of those Rebels aught to doubt, of the obtaining of true pardon of his rebellion, but rather aught assuredly to return home to his house, to live under the shadow of that holy king. And if he will not return, he shall bear the penalty of it, because that through his own unbelief he dieth in exyll and in the displeasure of his prince. But this good king is the Lord of Heaven and Earth, who for the obedience and desert of our good brother jesus Christ, hath pardoned us all our siunes, and (as we have said afore) hath made open proclamaction through the whole world, that all of us may safely return into his kingdom. Wherefore he that believeth this proclamation, doth streytwayes return into God's kingdom (whereoutof we were driven by the offence of our first parents,) and is blissedly governed by gods holy Spirit. And he that giveth no credit to the said proclamation, shall never enjoy the said geverall pardon: but for his unbelefes' sake shall abide in banishment under the tyranny of the devil, and live and dye in extreme misery, living and dying in the displeasure of the king of heaven and earth: and that justly. For we cannot commit a greater offence against this good God, that to accounted him as a liar and deceiver: which verily we do, in not giving credit to his promises. O how passing heavy is this deadly sin of unbelief? which (so far forth as is possible (beréeveth God of his glory and perfection: besides the great harm that it doth to a man's self, which is his own damnation and the endless torment of his soul, which the miserable conscience feeleth even in this life. But on the contrary, he that cometh unto GOD with assuredness of this faith, believing him without any mistrust or doubt of his promises, and warranting himself for a certeyntie, that God will perform all that ever he hath promised him: giveth all the glory unto God, and liveth continually in rest and endless joy, evermore praising and thanking the Lord God for choozing him to the glory of the eternal life. 
●. Cor. 1.  And hereof they have an assured earnestpeny and gage, that is to wit the son of god, whom they take for their most loving Bridegroom, the blood of whom hath made their hearts so drunken: that through this passing holy belief there is in the christian heart engendered so lively a hope and so certain a trust of god's ●ercie towards us, and such an operation is wrought in us, as we rest ourselves wholly upon God, leaving the whole care of us unto him in such wise that being thoroughly assured of God's good will, we are not afraid, nother of the devil, for of his ministers, nor of death. Which holy and steadfast trust of God's mercy, enlargeth our heart, chéereth it up, and with certain marualouse sweet affections directeth it unto GOD, filling it and setting it on Fire with an exceeding fervent love. 
Heb. 4  And therefore Paul encourageth us to go with all boldness to the throne of grace: & he counseleth us that we should not shake it of, nor make light of our trust, which hath great recompense & reward. But this so holy and divine affiance is gendered in our hearts by the working of the holy ghost, who is communicated unto us by faith, 
Heb. 10.  which never goeth without the love of God. And hereof it cometh, that we be provoked to do good works with a certain liveliness and effectual cheerfulness: whereby we gather such a strength and inclination to do them, as we be thoroughly ready and forward to do and suffer all intolerable things for the love and glory of our most gracious and merciful father, who hath inryched us with so abundant grace through jesus Christ, and of his enemies made us his most dear children. This treve faith is no sooner given a man, but he is by and by endued and imprinted with a certain violent love of good works, to yield right sweet and amiable fruits both unto God and likewise to his neighbour, as a very good & fruitful tree. And it is no more possible that he should be otherwise, than it is possible that a faggot should be set on fire & not cast light immediately. 
Heb. 8  This is the holy faith without the which it is unpossible that any man should please God, and whereby all the holy men (as well of the old Testament as of the new) have been saved, according as Saint Paul witnesseth of Abraham: 
Rom. 4.  concerning whom the Scripture sayeth, 
Gen. 1●.  that Abraham bel●●ued GOD, and it was reckoned to him for rightuousenesse. And therefore he saith a little before: We believe that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law. 
Rome 2.  And in another place he says: Sothen in that time shall the remnant be saved, according to the election of grace: and if they be saved by grace, then is it not by works, for than were grace no grace. And to the Galathians he sayeth, 
Gala. 3  it is a manifest matter that no man becometh righteous before God by the Law, 
Abac. 2.  because the righteous liveth by faith. And the law consists not in belief, but he that performeth the things that the Law commandeth, 
Gal. 3.  shall live by that performance. And further he sayeth that a man cannot become righteous by the deeds of the law, but only by believing in jesus Christ. Again, a little after he sayeth, that if a man can become righteous by the Law, jesus Christ died in vain. Moreover, 
Rom. 10.  to the Romans, making comparison between the righteousness of the Law, and the righteousness of the Gospel, he sayeth that the one consis●eth in the doing of works, and the other in believing. For if thou confess our Lord jesus Christ with thy mouth, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised him up from death: thou shalt be saved. For the belief of the heart maketh a man righteous, and the confession of the mouth maketh him safe. Lo how this good teacher Saint Paul showeth evidently, that faith maketh a man righteous without any works. And not only Saint Paul, but also the holy Doctors that came after him have confirmed and allowed this most holy truth of justification by faith: among whom Saint Augustin is the chief, 
S. Augustin  who in his book of faith and works, and in his book of the Spirit and the Letter, and in his book of fourscore and three questions, and in his book which he did writ to Boniface, and in his treatise upon the xxxj. Psalm, and in many other places, defendeth this article, showing that we become righteous by faith without any help of good works: howbeit that good works are the effects of righteousness, and not the cause of it. And he showeth that the words of S. ●ames being sound understood, are nothing contrary to this article. 
Origen  With thing Origen doth also affirm in his fourth book upon the Epistle to the Romans, saying y● S. Paul's meaning is, that faith only is sufficient to make men righteous, insomuch that a man becometh righteous, only by believing, although he have not done any good work at all. For so it is, that the thief become righteous without the works of the law, forasmuch as the Lord sought not what good works he had done in time past, nor waited until he had done any after he had believed, but having accepted him for righteous upon his only confession, took him for his companion even when he should enter into Paradyse. Likewise, that so renowned 
* Marry magdalen.  woman in the gospel of Saint Luke, 
Luke. 6.  while she was yet at the feet of jesus Christ, herd it said unto her, thy sins are forgiven thee. And a little after he saith unto her, thy faith hath saved thee, go thy way in peace. Afterwards Origen saith. In many places of the Gospel a man may see how our Lord jesus Christ hath spoken in such wise, as he showeth that faith is the cause of the salvation of the believers. Then is a man made righteous by faith, 
Faith is the mark of those that are justified  and the works of the law further him nothing at all. On the contrary, where faith is not, (which faith maketh the beléever righteous,) although a man do the works which the law commandeth: yet notwithstanding, forasmuch as they be not builded upon the foundation of faith, albeit y● to outward appearance they seem good, yet can they not justify him that doth them, because he wanteth faith, which is the mark of them that are become righteous before God. And who is he that can boast himself to be righteous, when he heareth God say by his Prophet ●say, 
Esai. 64.  that all our righteousness is as a defiled clot of a menstruous woman? Then can we not justly glory in ourselves but in that only faith of the cross of jesus Christ. S. Basill in his Homily of humility, 
S. Basil.  sayeth that the Christian aught to hold himself for righteous through belief in jesus Christ, and his words are these. The Apostle sayeth that he which glorieth should glory in the Lord, in that God hath made jesus Christ to be our wisdom, rightuousenes, holiness, and redemption, to the end that he which would glory should glory in the Lord, because that the perfect and sound glorying is to glory in the Lord For in so doing, a man presumeth not upon his own rightuousenes, but acknowledgeth his want of the true rightuousenes, and that he is made righteous, only by believing in jesus Christ. And Saint Paul glorieth of the despyzing of his own rightuousenesse, and of his seeking of Christ's righteousness, by faith which cometh of GOD. Saint Hilary in his ninth Canon upon the exposition of Saint Matthew sayeth these words: 
S. Hilary  The Scribes considering jesus Christ but only as man, were troubled, that a man should forgive sins, and pardon that thing which the Law could not do, because that only faith justifieth. 
S. Ambrose.  Saint Ambrose in expounding these words of Saint Paul (unto him that believeth in him which justifieth the ungodly, 
Rom. 4  his faith the is accounted for righteousness, according to the purpose of God's grace: like as David also sayeth, that the man is blissed whom God accounteth righteous without works) writeth thus. Saint Paul sayeth, that unto him which believeth in jesus Christ (that is to wit to the Gentle) his faith is imputed for rightuonsnes, as it was unto Abraham. In what wise then think the jews to become righteous by the works of the Law: and yet to be righteous as Abraham was, seeing that Abraham become not righteous by the deeds of the Law, but only by faith? Then is not the Law needful, forasmuch as the sinner becometh righteous before God through only faith, according to gods gracious purpose, as David sayeth. The Apostle coufirmeth that which he hath said, by the Prophets' example, 
Psal. 31  saying: Blissed is the man whom God accepteth for righteous without works: whereby David meaneth, that those men are very happy, whom GOD hath determined to accept for righteous before him, by only faith without any pains taking or observation of the Law on their behalf. Thus showeth he the blissednesse of the time wherein Christ was born, in so much as the Lord himself says: Many righteous men and Prophets have coveted to see the things that you see, and to hear the things that you hear, and have not herded them. The self-same thing sayeth Saint Ambrose in expounding the first chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians, affirming openly that whosoever believeth in jesus Christ, is become righteous without works and without any desert, & receiveth forgiveness of his sins by faith alone. Also he affirmeth the same thing in an epistle which he writeth to Ireneus saying: let no man boast of his own works, for no man becometh righteous by his own works: but he that hath righteousness, hath it of free gifts forsomuch as he is made righteous by jesus Christ. Then is it faith that delivereth by Christ's blood: for happy is he whose sin is forgiven and pardoned. 
S. Bernard.  And S. Bernard in his threescore and seventeenth Sermon upon the Ballet of Ballets, confirmeth the same, saying that our own merits bear no sway at all in making us righteous, which thing m●st be attributed wholly unto grace which maketh us righteous freely, and likewise dischargeth us from the bondage of sin. And he addeth, that jesus Christ marrieth the soul and cupleth it unto himself by faith, without that any desert of our works ought or can come between. But because I will not be to long, I will make an end of mine allegations, when I have uttered one very notable and good saying of Saint Ambrosis in his book entitled of jacob concerning the blessed life. 
Gen. 17.  The said holy man says, that like as jacob having not on his own behalf deserved the birth right, 
A very good comparison how we be clothed with the rightuousenesse of jesus Christ.  shrouded himself under the apparel of his brother, & clothed himself with his garment which yielded a very sweet sent, and in that wise presented himself to his father to receive the blessing under another man's person to his own behoof: even so is it requisite for us to cloth ourselves with the rightuousenesse of jesus Christ by faith and to shroud ourselves under the divine pureness of our elder brother, if we will be received for righteous afore God. And certainly this is true. For if we appear before God unclothed of the rightuousenes of jesus Christ: but of all doubt we shallbe judged worthy of everlasting damnation. But contrariwise, if God see us apparelled with the rightuousenes of his son Christ: then will he surely take us for righteous, & holy, and worthy of eternal life. And verily it is a great rashness in such as pretend to attain to rightuousenes by the keeping of gods commandments, which are all comprehended in loving God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our strength, & our neighbour as ourself. But who is so arrogant or so mad, 
No man 〈◊〉 boast of the performance of god's law.  as to presume that he is able to perform those commandments to the full? Or who seeth not that god's law requireth perfect love, and condemneth all unperfectnes? Let every man consider well his own works, which partly shall seem good unto him: and he shall find that they aught rather to be called transgressions of that most holy Law, according also as they be altogether unclean and unperfect, so that he must be fain to utter this saying of David's, 
Psal. 102.  Enter not into judgement with thy servant O Lord, for no man living shallbe found ryghtuouse in thy sight. And Solomon saith who is he that may say, 
Pro. 20.  my heart is clean? And job crieth out, 
job. 1●.  ●hat man is he that can be undefiled, and what man born of woman can show himself righteous? Behold he found no steadfastness among his saints, yea the heavens are not clean in his sight. How much more abominable and filthy is man, who drinketh iniquity as it were water? And saint, john sayeth, 
●●ohn. 2.  if we say we be without sin, we deceive ourselves. 
Math. 6.  And specially our saviour jesus Christ teacheth us to say, as often as we pray, Forgive us all our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us▪ And hereby may well be gathered the folly of those that make merchandyse of their works, presuming to save by them, not only themselves, but also their neighbours, as though our Lord jesus Christ had not said unto them. When you have done all that ever is commanded you, 
Luke. 17  say you, we be unprofitable servants: we have done but as we aught to do. You see that although we had performed gods law to the full, yet nevertheless we should esteem & call ourselves unprofitable servants, Now then, sing that men are so far of from this full performance: who is he that dareth be so bold as to glorify himself that he hath added so great an overplus of deservings above the full measure, as he may have to deal abroad unto others? But to return to our purpose, I would that the proud sinner which beareth himself in hand that he maketh himself righteous before God by doing some works which are allowable to the world, would consider that all the works which proceed out of an unclean and soul heart, are also unclean & filthy, and consequently cannot be acceptable unto God, nor have any power to make the party righteous. Therefore we must first of all clenze y●●art, if we mind that our works should please God. The clenzing of the heart proceedeth of faith, as the holy ghost affirmeth by the mouth of S. Peter? Then must we not say that the unrightuouse person and the sinner becometh righteous, 
Acts. 1●.  good, and acceptable unto god by his own works: but we must of necessity conclude, that faith clenzeth our hearts, and maketh us good, ryghtuouse and acceptable before GOD, and furthermore cawseth our works to please him, notwithstanding that they be altogether unprofitable and unperfit. For inasmuch as we be become the children of god through faith: he considereth our works, not as a severe and rigorous judge, but as a most merciful Father, having pity of our fraylenes, & regarding us as the members of his elder son, whose perfection & rightuousenes doth supply all our uncleanness & imperfection, which are not laid to our charge forsomuch as they be covered under the pureness and innocency of jesus Christ, and come not to judgement before God. And hereupon it cometh to pass, 
How the works of the faithful, though they be unperfect, please GOD.  that all our works which proceed of true faith, (notwithstanding that they be wholly sinful and corrupt of themselves,) shall nevertheless be praised & allowed by jesus Christ in the general judgement, because they be the fruits and testimonies of our faith whereby we be saved. For insomuch as we have loved the brethren of jesus Christ, we shall show evidently, that we have also been faithful, and brethren of Christ, and therefore by faith we shallbe put in full possession of the everlasting kingdom, which our soverein Lord god hath prepared for us before the creating of the world: 
Math. 2●  not for our merits sakes, but through his mercy, whereby he hath chozen us, & called us to the grace of his gospel, and made us ryghtuouse, to the intent to glorify us everlastingly with his only begotten son jesus Christ, who is the holiness and rightuousenes of us, but not of them which will not confess that faith is sufficient of itself to make a man righteous and acceptable to the Lord God, who through his fatherly goodness and lovingkindness offereth & giveth us jesus Christ with his rightuousenes, without any desert of our own works. What thing can work or 'cause a man to deserne so great a gift & treasure as jesus Christ is? This treasure is given only through the grace, favour, 
In wha● manner faith iustify●th.  & mercifulness of god: and only faith is the thing that receiveth such a gift, as to make us enjoy the forgiveness of our sins. And therefore when S. Paul & other doctors say, that only ●ayth maketh men ryghtuouse, without works: they mean that it maketh us to enjoy the general forgiveness of our sins, & to● receive jesus Christ, 
Ephe. 3  who (as saith saint Paul) dwelleth in our hearts by faith, & overcoming and pacifying the trubbles of our consci●̄ces, satisfieth gods justice for our sins. Furthermor it appeaseth gods wrath iustlimoved against us, quencheth the fire of hell wherein? our natural corruption did throw us headlong, & chéerfully destroyeth & overthroweth the Devil, together with all his power and tyranny: Which things, all the works that all the men in the world can lay together, are not able to deserve nor to bring to pass. That glory and that prerogative is reserved alonely to the son of God, that is to wit to the blissed jesus Christ, who hath power above all the powers that are in Heaven, in Earth, and in Hell, and giveth himself & his merits, to all such as distrusting in themselves do set their whole hope of being saved, in him and in his merits. And therefore let no man begwyle himself when he heareth it said, that only faith justifieth without works: and think as fal●e christians do, (who draw all things to live fleshly) that the true faith consists in believing the bore story of jesus Christ, after the same manner as men believe the story of Caesar or of Alexander. Such manner of belief is but an historical belief, grounded merely upon the report of men, and upon their writings, & lighly imprinted in our conceit by a certeint custom, & is like to the faith of the Turks, who for the like reasons believe the fables of their Alcorane. And such a faith is but an imagination of man, which never reneweth the heart of manner warmeth it with the love of God, neither do any good works ensue or any change of life which faith should bring forth. And therefore they fal●●y hold opinion, against the holy scripture and against the holy Doctors of the church, that only faith maketh not men righteous, but that they must also have works Unto whom I answer, that this historical and fond belief, and all the works that ensue thereof, are not only unable to make a man righteous: 
Mat. 12.  but also do cast the parties headlong to the bottom of hell, like unto those that have none oil in their Lamps, that is to say, no lively faith in their hearts. The faith that maketh men righteous, 
Rom. 6.  is a work of God in us whereby our old man is crucified, and we being transformed in jesus Christ, become new creatures, and the derebeloved children of God. This heavenly faith is it that graffeth us into the death and resurrection of jesus Christ, and consequently mortifieth our flesh with the effects and lusts thereof. For when we by the operation of faith do know ourselves to be dead with jesus Christ: we are at a full point with ourselves and with the world, and are thoroughly resolved how it is meet that they which are dead with jesus Christ, should mortify their earthly members, that is to wit the sinful affections of their mind, and the lusts of the flesh: and forasmuch as we know we be raised again which Christ, we bend ourselves to the leading of a spiritual and holy life, like unto that which we shall live in heaven, after the last resurrection. This holy faith making us to inoy the general pardon that is published by the gospel, bringeth us into the kingdom of our good god, and pacifyeth our consciences, maintaining us in continewal joy and holy and spiritual sweetness. This self same faith knitteth us unto god, and maketh him to devil in our hearts, and clotheth our soul with himself, so as thenseforth the holy Ghost moveth us to do the same things whereunto he moved jesus Christ while he was in this world & was conversant among men: that is to wit, unto lowliness, meekness, obedientnes unto God, lovingnes, and other perfections, wherethrough we recover the image of god. For this self-same causes jesus Christ did rightly attribute blissednes unto this inspired faith: which blissednes cannot be without good works & holiness of life. And how can it be that a christian should not become holy, sing that jesus Christ is become his holiness through faith? Therefore by faith we be justified and saved, 
Saint Paul calleth them Saints whom we call Christians.  and therefore S. Paul doth in a manner always call those Saints, whom we call now christians: who, if they have not Christ's spirit, are none of Christ's, and consequently no christians at all. But if they have the spirit of jesus Christ to rule and govern them: we must not doubt, 
He that believeth cannot be with out good works.  but that although they know well that they be made righteous through faith only: yet for all that they will become never the more slothful to do good works. For Christ's spirit is the spirit of love: and love cannot be idle, nor cease from the doing of good works. But if we will say the truth, a man can do no good works, except he first know himself to be become ryghtuouse by faith: for before he knoweth that, his doing of good works is rather to make himself ryghtuouse than for the love and glory of God: and so he defileth all his works with self-love for the love of himself & for his own profit. But he that knoweth himself to be become ryghtuouse by the merits & rightuousenesse of Christ, (which he maketh his own by faith) laboureth happily, and doth good works alonely for the love and glory of Christ, and not for love of himself, nor to make himself righteous. And thereupon it cometh, that the true christian, (that is to wit, he that accounteth himself righteous by reason of Christ's rightuousenesse) asketh not whither good works be commanded or not: but being wholly moved & provoked with a certain violence of Godly love, he offereth himself willingly to do all the works that are holy and christianlyke, and never ceaseth to do well. He therefore which feeleth not the marvelous 〈◊〉 by his faith which we have heretofore declared that the inspired faith worketh in the heart of the christian. Let him assure himself, that he hath not the christian faith, and let him pray earnestly unto God to give it him, saying: Lord, 
Mark● 9  help mine unbelief. And when he herereth it said that only faith maketh men rightuonse: let him not deceive himself & say, what need I to weary myself in doing good works, faith is enough to sand me to Paradyse? to such a one I answer, that only faith sendeth us to Paradise: but yet let him take good heed for the devils do also believe & tr●ble, as saith saint james. 
james. 2.  O miserable man wilt thou go with them to Paradise? By this false conclusion t●ou mayest know, (my brother,) in what an error thou art, for thou weenest to have the faith that maketh men righteous, and thou haste it not. 
Apoc. 3  Thou sayest thou art rich and hast no need of any thing:: and thou seest not how thou art poor, wretched, blind, and naked. I counsel thee to bye gold of GOD, that is thoroughly fired with fire, (that is to say, true faith set on fire with good works,) to the intent thou mayest become rich: and to cloth thyself with white raiment, (that is to wit with Christ's innocency,) to the end that the shame of thy nakedness, (which is the great filthiness of thy sins) be not seen to the whole world. Then is the justifying faith as it were a flame of fire, which cannot but cast forth brightness. 
A lively comparison  And like as the flame burneth the wood without the help of the light, and yet the flame cannot be with out the light: so is it assuredly true, the faith alone consumeth & burneth away sin with out the help of works, and yet that the same faith cannot be without good works. Wherefore, like as if we see a flame of fire that giveth no light, we know biandby that it is but vain and painted: even so when we see not some light of good works in a man, 
Wh●t S. james meant concerning works.  it is a token that he hath not the true inspired faith, which god giveth to his chozen, to justify and glorify them withal. And hold it for certain, that Saint james meant so when he said, 
james. 2.  show me thy faith by thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. For his meaning was, that he which is plundged in ambitionsenes, and worldly pleasures, believeth not, though he say he believe) forasmuch as he showeth not in himself the effects of faith. 
● heavenly 〈◊〉.  Also we may liken this holy faith to the godhead which is in jesus Christ: who being very man (but without sin) did wonderful things, healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, walking upon the water, and raising up the dead, unto lift again: & yet these marvelous works were not the cause that he was GOD. For before he did any of those things, he was God and the lawful and onlibegotten son of God, and he needed not to work those miracles to make himself god by them, but forasmuch as he was god, therefore he did them. And so, the miracles that Christ wrought made him not to be god, but showed openly that he was God. In likewise, true faith is as it were a godhead in the soul of a christian, which doth wonderouse works and is never weary of well doing: and yet those works are not the cause that a christian is a christian, (that is to wit, that he is righteous good, holy, and acceptable unto God, neither needeth he to work all those good works to become such a one. But forasmuch as he is a Christian by faith, like as jesus Christ being a man was also God by his Godhead: he doth all those good works, which make not the christian to be righteous and good, but show him to be good righteous & holy. So then, like as Christ's Godhead was the cause that he wrought miracls: even so faith working through love, is the cause of the good works that a chzisten man doth. And like as a man may say of jesus Christ, that he hath done this miracle or that, and that those miracles, besides that they glorified God, were also a great honour unto jesus Christ as he was man, who for his obedience even unto death, was recompensed at god's hand in his resurrection, and had given unto him all power but in heaven and earth, which he had not afore as in respect of his manhood, but deserved it by the union which is betwixt the word of God and the manhood of Christ: So doth faith in a christian, which faith by reason of the union that it hath with the soul, attributeth the thing to the one which is proper to that other: whereupon it cometh, that the holy scripture promises the christian everlasting life for his good works because good works are the fruits and testimonies of lively faith, & proceed of it as light proceedeth from a flame of fire, according as I have said heretofore. And by this holy faith which imbraseth jesus christ it cometh to pass that our soul is joined with Christ and is so united and knit to him, that whatsoever Christ hath merited & deserved, the same is imputed unto the soul as though it had merited & deserved it. And therefore S. Austin saith that God crowneth his own gifts in us. 
john. 17.  Of this union of the soul with jesus Christ, Christ himself beareth good record where he prayeth to his Father for his Apostles, and for such as should believe in him by their preaching. I pray not (sayeth he) for them only: but also for all those that shall believe in me through their word, to the end they may be all one thing, that like as thou my Father art in me & I in thee, so they also may be one in us, & that the world may believe that thou hast sent me, and that I have given them the glory which thou haste given me, so as they should be one self-same thing like as thou and I are one. Whereby it appeareth evidently, that if we believe the word of the Apostles, 
Rom. 4.  (who preached that jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again for our justification) we become all one thing with him: and forasmuch as he is all one with Go●. we also become all one with God by the mean of jesus Christ. 
2. Cor. 6.  O wonderful glory of the christian, to whom it is granted through faith, to possess the unspeakable benefits which the Angels long to behold. By this present discourse a man may plainly perceive the difference, that is betwixt us and them that defend the justification by faith and work●s together Herein we agree with them, that we establish works, affirming that the faith which justifieth cannot be without good works, and that those which are become righteous are they that do the good works that may rightly be called good works. 
1. Peter. 2  But we differ from them in this, that we say, that faith maketh men righteous without the help of works. And the reason is ready: namely bycawse that by faith we put on Christ, 
Gala. 3  and make his holiness and rightuousenesse to be ours. And seeing the case so standeth, that Christ's rightuousenesse is given us by faith: We cannot be so thankless, blind, and unhappy as not to believe that he is of sufficient ability, to make us (acceptable and ryghtuouse before GOD. Let us say with the Apostle, 
Hebr. 9  if the blood of Oxen and Goats and the ashes of a Cow sprincled, clenzeth the unclean, as touching the clenzing of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of jesus Christ who by the everlasting spirit offered himself undefiled unto God, clenze our consciences from dead works to serve the living God? I pray thee now, thou good & devout christian, consider well which of these two opinions is the trewest, holiest, and worthiest to be preached: Ours, which advanceth the benefit of jesus Christ, & pulleth down the pride of man which would exalt his own works against Christ's glory: or the other which by affirming that faith of itself iusti●ieth not, defaceth the glory and benefit of jesus Christ and puffeth up the pride of man, who cannot abide to be justified freely by our Lord jesus Christ, without some merit of his own. But (say they) it is a great quickening up to good works, to say that a man maketh himself righteous before good by means of them. I answer, that we also confess that good works are acceptable to god, & that he of his mere grace and free liberality recompenseth them in Paradise. But we say moreover, that no works are good, saving those that as (S. Austin saith) are done by them that are become righteous through faith, because that if the tree be not good, it cannot yield good fruit. And furthermore we say that such as are become ryghtuouse through faith, forasmuch as they know themselves to be ryghtuouse through God's righteousness purchased by Christ: make no bargaining with GOD for their works, as though they would by their manner of justification such as it is, with them: but being inflamed with the love 〈◊〉 GOD, and desirous to glorify jesus christ who hath made them righteous by giving them his merits and riches, they bestow 〈◊〉 their whole study and labour to do gods will, fight manfully against the love of themselves, and against the world and the Devil. And when they fall through frailty of the flesh, they recover themselves by and by, and are so much the more desirous to do good, & so much the more in love with their God, considering that he layeth not their sinn●● to their charge, because they be engraffed 〈◊〉 jesus Christ, who hath made full 〈◊〉 for all his members upon the tree of his cross, and maketh continual interce●●● for them to the eternal Father, who for the love of his only begotten son, beholdeth them always with a gentle countenance, governing and defending them as his most dear children, and in the end giving them the heritage of the world, making them like fashioned to the glorious Image of Christ. These loving motions are the spurs that prick forward the true christians to do good works: who considering that they are become the children of god through faith, & made partakers of his divine nature, are stirred up by the holy ghost dwelling in them, to live as it becometh the children of so great a lord, and are greatly ashamed that they maintain not the beauty of their heavenly noblesse: & therefore they employ their whole endeavour to the following of their first-born brother jesus christ, living in great low lines & meekness, in all things seeking the glory of God, giving their lives for their brethren, doing good to their enemies, glorying in the sufferance of reproaches, 
Gala. 6.  & in the cross of our Lord jesus christ, 
Luke. 2.  & saying with Zacharie: We be delivered out of the hand of our enemies, to serve god without fear, in holiness and rightuousenesse all the days of our life. They say with Saint Paul: The grace of the Lord is appeared to abolish all wickedness and all worldly desires in us, 
Tit. 2.  to the end we should live a sober, holy and honest life in this world, waiting for the blissed hope, and for the glorious appearing of the great God and Saviour. There & such other like thoughts, desires and affections are wrought by inspired faith in the souls of them that are become righthouse. And as for him that either wholly or partly feeleth not these godly affections and operations in his heart, but is given over to the flesh and the world: let him assure himself that he hath not yet the justifying faith, nor is the member of Christ, because he hath not Christ's spirit, 
Rom. 8.  and consequently is none of his, and he that is none of Christ's, is no christian. Then let man's wisdom cease henceforth to fight against the rightuousenesse of the most holy faith, and let us give all the glory of our justification, to the merits of JESUS Christ, 
Gala. 3  with whom we be clothed through faith.   

The fifth Chapter.  
In what wise the Christian is clothed with jesus Christ.  
ALthough that by the things aforesaid, a man may easily and plainly enough perceive, how a Christian may clothe himself with jesus Christ: yet nevertheless, I mind to speak a little of it, assuring myself, that unto the good and faithful Christian, it can seem neither grenouse nor troublesome to speak thereof, although the thing were repeated a thousand times. Therefore I say that the Christian knoweth that jesus Christ together with all his righteousness, holiness and innocency, is his own through faith. And like as when a man purposeth to present himself before some great Lord or Prince, he laboureth to array himself in some fair and costly apparel: even so, when the christian is decked and arrayed with the innocency of Christ, & with all his perfection, he presenteth himself boldly before God the Lord of all, assuring himself, that through Christ's merits, he is in as good case as if he had purchased all that which jesus Christ hath purchased and deserved. And truly, faith maketh every of us to possess Christ and all that is his, as we possess our own garment. And therefore to be clothed with jesus christ, is nothing else but to believe for a certainty, that Christ is wholly ours: and so is he in very deed, if we believe so, and hold ourselves assured, that by the same heavenly garment we be received into favour before god. For it is most certain that he as a most dear father hath given us his son: meaning that all his righteousness, & all that ever he is, can, or hath done, should be in our power & inrisdiction, in such wise as it should be lawful for us to make our boast of them, as if we had done, purchased & deserved them by our own strength. And whosoever believeth this, shall found that his belief is good and true, as we have showed heretofore. Then must the christian have a steadfast faith & belief that all the goods, all the graces, & all the riches of jesus christ, are his: for sith that God hath given us jesus christ himself, how should it be possible that he hath not given us all things with him? 
Rom. 8.  Now if this be true, as true it is in deed: the christian may rightly say, I am the child of god, & jesus christ is my brother. I am Lord of heaven & earth, & of hell and of death, & of the law, in so much as the law cannot accuse me nor lay any curse upon me, because the righteousness of god is become mine. And this faith is it alone that maketh a man to be called a christian, & which clotheth him with jesus christ as we have said afore. And boldly may this be called a great mystery, wherunder are contained marvelous things, and things not herd of concerning the great God, which cannot enter into man's heart, except god do first soften it with his holy grace, as he hath promised to do by his holy prophet saying, I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new mind into you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your body, and I will give you a heart of flesh. Now then, he that believeth not after the said manner, that jesus Christ with all the goods that he possesseth, is his: cannot call himself a true christian, nor ever have a quiet and joyful conscience, nor a good and fervent courage to do good: but shall easily faint in doing of good works, yea and moreover he shall never be able to do works that are truly good. This only belief and trust that we have in the merits of jesus Christ, maketh men true christians, stout, cherful, merry, lovers of God, ready to do good works, possessers of gods kingdom and of god himself, and his right derebeloved children, in whom the holy Ghost doth truly devil. What heart is so cowardly, cold, and vile, which considering the inestimable greatness of the gift that god hath bestowed upon him in giving him his 
jesus Christ the true example of christians.  own so well-beloved son with all his perfectness: is not inflamed with an exceeding carnest desire, to become like unto him in good works? specially sing that the Father hath given him unto us for an example whereon we must continewally look, framing our life after such a sort, as it may be a true counterpane of the life of jesus Christ, 
1. Peter. 2  forasmuch as Christ (as sayeth Saint Peter) hath suffered for us, leaving us an insample, to the end that we should follow his footsteps. Out of this consideration iss●weth another kind of clothing of a manes self with Christ, which we may term An example clothing, for so much as the christian must frame his whole life after the example of Christ, fashyoning himself like unto him in all his deeds words and thowghtes, leaving his former wicked life, and decking himself with the new life, that is to wit with the life of Christ. 
Ephe. 4.  By reason whereof saint Paul sayeth: 
Rom. 15.  Let us cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light, not in feasting, nor in drunkenness, nor in chambering and wantonness, nor in strife: but put upon you the Lord jesus Christ, and make no preparation for the flesh, nor for the lusts thereof. Héeruppon the true Christian being in love with jesus Christ, sayeth in himself. Sigh that jesus Christ, not having any need of me, hath redeemed me with his own blood, and is become poor to enrich me: I will likewise give my g●●ds y●● & my very life for the love & welfare of my neighbour. And like as I am clothed with jesus christ for the love he hath born to me: so will I have my neighbour in Christ to clot himself with me & with my goods likewise, for the love that I bear him for Christ's sake. He that doth not so, is no true christian, for he cannot say that he loveth jesus christ, if he love not the members & brothers of him: and if we love not our neighbour for whose sake christ hath shed his blood, we cannot truly say that we love jesus christ: who being equal with God, was obedient to his father, even to the death of the cross, 
Phil. 2.  & hath loved & redeemed us, giving himself unto us, with all that ever he hath. After the same manner, we being rich & having abundance of good things at Christ's hand, must also be obedient unto god, to offer & give our works & all that we have, yea and even ourselves to our neighbours and brethren in jesus Christ, serving them & helping them at their need, and being to them as another Christ. And like as jesus Christ was lowly and gentle, and far from all debate and strife: 
Math. 1●.  so must we set our whole mind upon lowelinesse & meekness, eschewing all strife and impatience, as well which consist in words and reasoning, as in deeds. And as in jesus Christ hath endured all the persecutions and spites of the world for the glory of God: so must we with all patientnesse chéerfully bear the persecutions and reproaches that are done by false christians 
2. Tim. 2  too all such as will live faithfully in jesus Christ: who gave his life for his enemies, and prayed for them upon the cross: and so must we also pray always for our enemies, and willingly spend our life for their welfare. And this is too follow Christ's steps, according as saint Peter sayeth. For when we know jesus Christ with all his riches to be our own good, (which thing, is to be clothed with Christ, and to become pure and clean without spot): there remaineth nothing more for us to do, but to glorify God by following the life of jesus Christ, and to do to our brethren as Christ hath done to us: and specially for somuch as we be warranted by his word, that whatsoever we do to his brethren and ours, he accepteth it as a benefit done to himself. And dowtlesse sing that the true christians are the members of Christ: we cannot do either good or evil too the true Christians, but we d●● it likewise unto Christ, in so much that he rejoiceth or suffereth in his members. Th●reTherefore like as jesus Christ is our clothing by faith: so also must we through love become the clothing of our brethren, & have as good care of them as of our own bodies: for they be members of our body, whereof Christ is the head. And this is the godly love and charity which springeth and proceedeth of the true unfeigned faith, which god hath breathed into his elect: which faith (as sayeth Saint Paul) worketh by love. Howbeit, 
Rom. 12.  for as much as the life of our Lord jesus Christ, wherewithal we must be clothed, 
1. Tim 1  was a continual cross, full of troubles, 
Gala. 5  reproaches, and persecutions: if we will fashion ourselves like unto his life, we must continually bear the cross, as he himself sayeth: 
Luke. 9  If any man will come after me, let him forsake himself and take up his cross and follow me. But the chief cause of this cross is, for that our GOD purposeth to mortify the affections of our mind and the luftes of our flesh by that exercise: to the end we may conceive in ourselves the great perfection wherein we be comprised by our Lord JESUS Christ, by being graffed into him. Also his will is, 
john. 15.  that our faith being fyned like gold in the furnace of troubles, 
Phil. 3.  should shine bright to his glory. Moreover, his intent is, that we by our infirmities should set out his great power, which the world in despite of it, beholdeth in us, in as much as our frayeltie becometh strong by troubles and persecutions, and the more that it is beaten down and oppressed, so much the more is it strong and steadfast. Whereof the Apostle Saint Paul sayeth, 
2. Cor. 12  we carry this treasure in earthen vessels, 
2. Cor. 4.  that the excellency of the power might be Gods and not ours. On all sides we suffer tribulation, but we are not overcome: we be poor, but not overcome of poverty: we suffer persecution, but yet are we not forsaken: we be despised, but yet we perish not: and so we daily bear about us the dying of our Lord jesus Christ in our body, that the life of jesus Christ may also be openly showed in us. And seeing the case is so, that our Lord jesus christ and all his dear Disciples glorified God by tribulations: let us also embrace them ioyefully, and say with the Apostle Saint Paul, 
Gala. 6.  GOD forbidden that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord jesus Christ: and let us so deal, as the world may (whither it will or not) perceive & see with his eyes, the wondered effects that god worketh in such as sincerely embrace the grace of his gospel. Let us so deal I say, as the worldlings may see with how great quietness of mind the true christians endure the loss of their goods, the death of their children, flanders, the diseases of the body, & the persecutions of false christians: and also that they may see how the only true christians do worship God in spirit & truth, taking in good worth at his hand whatsoever happeneth, & holding all that he doth to be good rightful & holy, praising him always for the same, whither it be in prosperity or adversity, thanking him as a most gracious and loving father, and acknowledging it for a right great gift of god's goodness, to suffer any adversity, 
Rom. 5.  and che●●y for the gospel & for following the steps of Christ: specially forasmuch as we know, 
After what sort patience engendereth trial  that tribulation engendereth patience, and patience trial, and trial hope, and hope maketh us not ashamed. I say that patience engendereth trial, because that whereas God hath promised help in truble to such as trust in him, we found it by experience, in that we continue strong and steadfast all the while, and are upholden by the hand of God, which thing we could not do with all the powers that we have of our own. So then by patience we find that our Lord giveth us the help that he hath promised us at our need, whereby our hope is confirmed. And it were an overgreat unthankfulness not to trust to such an aid and favour for the time to come, as we have found by experience to be so certain and steadfast heretofore. But what need we so many words? It aught to suffyze us to know, 
Rom. ●.  that the true christians are through tribulation clothed with the image of our lord jesus christ crucified: which if we bear willingly & with a good heart, we shall in the end be clothed with the image of jesus Christ glorified. 
2. Cor. 2.  For as the passions of jesus Christ do abound: so through him shall the consolations overabound: & if we suffer with him here bylowe for a time, we shall also reign with him there above for ever.   

The sixt Chapter.  
¶ Certain remedies against distrust.  
BUt forasmuch as the devil & man's wisdom labour continually to dispossess us of this most holy faith, wherethrough we believe that all our sins are chastized & punished in jesus christ, & that 〈…〉 precious bloodshed we be reconciled to the majesty of god: it is very needful for a christian to have his weapons always in a readiness, to defend himself from the said most mischevouse temptation, 
Mark. 9  which seeketh to bereave the soul of her life. Among the said weapons (in my judgement) the mightiest and best are, 
Four remedies against the temptations of distrust  Prayer the often use of the holy Communion, the remembering of holy Baptim, and the minding of predestination. In our Prayer, 
Prayer.  we may well say with the father of the poor Lunatik person of whom mention is made in the Gospel of saint Mark: Lord jesus, 
Math. 9  help mine unbelief. Or else we may say with the Apostles, Lord increase our faith. And if there reign in us a continewall desire to grow in faith, 
1. Thes. 5  hope, and Love: we will continewally pray, as saint Paul instructeth us. 
True prayer.  For Prayer is nothing else but a fervent mind settled upon God. By the remembering of Baptim, we shall assure ourselves that we are at peace with God. 
Baptism.  And forsomuch as ●. Peter sayeth that the Ark of No was a figure of Baptim: therefore, 
1. Pet. 3.  like as No was saved from the flood by the Ark, because he believed the promises of GOD: so also are we by faith saved in baptym from God's wrath. Which faith is greunded upon the word of our Lord jesus Christ, who saith that he which believeth and is baptised, 
Mark. 16  shallbe saved. And good right it is: for in baptism we put on jesus Christ as the Apostle Saint Paul affirmeth, 
Gala. 3  and consequently we be made partakers of his rightuousenesse, and of all his goods: and under this precious rob, the sins that our frayelty committeth, lie hieden and covered, and are not imputed unto us. And so, according as Saint Paul sayeth, 
Rom. 4.  the blissednesse which the Psalmist speaketh of, appertaineth to us: namely, 
Psal. 36.  Blissed are they whose misdoings are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blissed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sin. But it standeth a christian in hand, to take good heed, that upon these words he take not liberty to sin: for this doctrine belongeth to none such as honour themselves with the name of Christians confessing Christ with their mouth, and yet deny him in their deeds. But it concerneth the true Christians, who though they fight manfully against the flesh, the world, and the devil: do notwithstanding fall darly, and are constrained to say, Lord forgive us our offences. These are they to whom we speak to comfort them and to hold them up, that they fall not into despair as though the blood of christ washed us not from all sin, and that he were not our advocate, and the attonementmaker for his members. And therefore when we be provoked to doubt of the forgiveness of our sins, & that our own conscience beginneth to trubble us: 
The supper of the Lord  Then must we furnish ourselves with true faith, and out of hand have recourse to the preciowse blood of jesus Christ shed for us upon the altar of the Cross, and distributed to his Apostles at his last supper, under the veil of a most holy Sacrament, which was ordained by Christ to the end that we should celebrated the remembrance of his death, & that by the same visible Sacrament our trubbled consciences might be assured of our atonement with God. The blissed jesus christ made his last will when he said, This is my body which is given for you, 
Luke. 22  and this is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many to the forgiveness of their sins. 
Mark. 16  We know that a Testament (sayeth Saint Paul) although it be but a man's Testament, 
Gala. 3  yet nevertheless if it be allowed, no man despyzeth it or addeth any thing to it: and that no testament is of force till the testator be dead, but hath full pour after the party's decease. Then did jesus Christ make his Testament, wherein he promisethe forgiveness of sins, and the grace and good favour of himself and his father, together with mercy and everlasting life. And to the intent that the said Testament should be of full force, he hath confirmed it with his own preciowse blood and with his own death. 
Hebr. 9  By reason whereof, saint Paul sayeth, that jesus Christ is the mediator of the new Testament that by his dying for the redemption of those transgressions which were in the former testament, they that are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. For wheresoever is a Testament, there must also be the death of the Testator, for the Testament is confirmed by the death of the party, insomuch as it is of no valu so long as the maker of it is alive. Wherefore we be very certain and assured by the death of jesus Christ, that his Testament is available, whereby all our misdeeds are pardoned, 
Ireneus Lib. 1.  and we made heirs of eternal life. And for a token and faithful pledge hereof, in stead of a Seal, he hath left us this divine Sacrament, which not only giveth our souls assured hope of their everlasting Salvation, but also warrant●th unto us the immortality of our flesh, forasmuch as it is even now quickened by that immortal flesh of his, and in a certain manner becometh parttaker of the immortality thereof, and he that is parttaker of that divine flesh by faith, shall not perish for ever. 
john. 6.  But unto him that receiveth it withowt the said faith, it turneth to a dangerous poison, becawse that like as when bodily sustenance findeth the stomach encumbered with evil humours, it corrupteth likewise and worketh great annoyance: even so if this spiritual feed light into a sinful soul that is full of malice and misbelef, it casts it headlong into some greater ruin, not through it own default, but because that to the unclean and unbelever all things are unclean: notwithstanding that the things be sanctified by the lords blessing. For (as sayeth Saint Paul (he that eateth of that bread and drinketh of that cup unworthily, 
1 Cor. 11.  is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, 
What is meant by not making a difference of the lords body.  and he eateth and drinketh his own damnation, because he maketh no difference of the lords body. For he maketh no difference of the Lords body, which presumeth to the Lords supper without faith & charity. And forasmuch as he believeth not that body to be his life and the clenzer of all his sins: 
He that receiveth this Sacrament protesteth himself to trust in none other thing than the blood of Christ.  he maketh jesus Christ a liar, and treadeth the son of God under foot, & esteemeth the blood of the Testament whereby he was fanctified but as a common or worldly thing, & doth great wrong to the spirit of grace, and he shallbe punished very sore at God's hand for this his unbéelef and wicked hypocrisy. For whereas he reposeth not the trust of his justification in the passion of our lord & saviour jesus christ: yet nevertheless he receiveth this most holy Sacrament, & maketh protestation that he putteth not his trust in any other thing. Whereby he accuseth himself, and is a witness of his own iniquity, and condemneth himself to everlasting death, by refuzing the life which god promises him in that holy Sacrament. 
Very comfortable counsel.  And in this point, when the Christian feeleth that his enemies are like to overcome him: the is to wit, when he beginneth to doubt whether he have received forgiveness of his sins by jesus Christ: & that he shall not be able to withstand the devil and his temptations: & that the accusation of his own doubtful conscience comes to press him, so as he beginneth to fear lest helfyre should swallow him up, and death hold him in his everlasting bands by reason of God's wrath: I say, when the good christian feeleth himself in such agony: Let him get him to this holy Sacrament with a good heart and stout courage, and receive it devoutly, saying in his heart and answering his enemies thus: I confess I have deserved a thousand hells, & everlasting death by reason of the great sins which I have committed. But this heavenly sacrament which I receive at this present, assureth me of the forguivenes of all my misdoing, & of mine atonement with God. For if I have an eye to my works: there is no doubt but I acknowledge myself a sinner, and condemn mine own self in such wise, as my conscience should never be quiet, if I should think that my sins are pardoned me for my works sake. But when I look to the promises and covenants of God, who promises me forgiveness of my sins by the blood of jesus Christ, I am as sure that I have obtained it, and that I have his favour, as I am sure that he which hath made the promises and covenants, cannot lie nor deceive: and through this steadfast faith I become ryghtuouse by Christ's rightuousenes, 
Rom. 4.  where through I am saved and my conscience quieted. Hath he not given his most innocent body into the hands of sinners for our sins? Hath he not shed his blood to wash away my iniquities? Why then dost thou vex thyself O my soul? put thy trust in the Lord, who beareth thee so great love, that to deliver thee from eternal death, it hath pleased him that his only son should suffer death and passion, who hath taken upon himself our poverty, to give us his riches: laid our weakness upon himself, to establish us in his strength: become mortal, to make us immortal: come down unto the earth to advance us up to heaven: and become the son of man with us, to make us the children of God with himself. Who is he then that shall accuse us? God is he that justifieth us, 
Rom. 8.  & who shall condemn us? jesus Christ is dead for us, yea & risen again for us, and he sitteth at the right hand of God, making intercession for us. Let us then O my Soul leave of these tears and sighs.  

¶ THE. HUNDRED III PSALM.  
1 MY soul, praise thou the LORD, and all that is within me, praise his holy Name.  
2 My soul, praise thou the Lord, and forget not all his benefits.  
3 Which forgiveth all thy iniquity, and heals all thy infirmities.  
4 Which redemeth thy life from the grave, & crowneth thee with mercy & compassion.  
5 Which satisfieth thy mouth with good things: & thy youth is renewed like the eagles.  
6 The Lord executeth righteousenes and judgement to all that are oppressed.  
7 He made his ways known unto Moses, & his works unto the children of Israel.  
8 The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, slow to anger and of great kindness.  
9 He will not alway chide, neither keep his anger for ever.  
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sinz, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.  
11 For as high as the heaven is above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.  
12 As far as the East is from the West: so far hath he removed our sins from us.  
13 As a father hath compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compassion on them that fear him.  
14 For he knoweth whereof we be made: he remembreth that we are but dust.  
15 The days of man are as grass: as a flower of the field, so flourisheth he.  
16 For the wind goeth over it, & it is go, and the place thereof shall know it no more.  
17 But the loving kindness of the Lord endureth for ever & ever upon them that fear him, & his righteousenes upon children's children.  
18 Unto them that keep his cevenant, & think upon his commandments to do them.  
19 The Lord hath prepared his throne in heaven, and his kingdom ruleth over all.  
20 Praise the Lord, you his Angels, that exrel in strength, that do his commandment in obeying the voice of his word.  
21 Praise the Lord, all you his hosts, you his servants that do his pleasure.  
22 Praise the Lord, all you his works, in all places of his dominion: my soul praise thou the Lord   
So hath he had mercy on us, in giving us his only son. With this faith, with these thanksgivings, with these or such other like thoughts must we receive the sacrament of the body & blood of our Lord jesus Christ. After this manner is all fearfulness driven out of the soul of the christian: & charity is increased, faith strengthened, the conscience quieted, & the tongue never ceaseth to praise God and to yield him infinite thanks for so great a benefit. This is the virtue efficacy, and only trust of our soul. This is the Rock where upon if the conscience be bwilded, it fears nother tempest, nor the gates of hell, nor gods wrath, nor the Law, nor sin, nor death, nor the devils, nor any other thing. And forasmuch as the substance of the Lords Supper and table consists in this divine Sacrament: When the christian is at it, he must hold his eyes fastened continewally upon the passion of our gracious Saviour, beholding him on the one side upon the cross laden with all our sins: and GOD on the othersyde punishing, chastizing, and whipping his own only begotten and derbeloved son in stead of us. O happy is that man that shetteth his eyes from all other syghts, and will nother here nor see any other thing than jesus Christ crucified, in whom are laid up & bestowed all the treasures of God's wisdom & divine knowledge. Blessed (say I) is he that feedeth his mind with so heavenly a food, & maketh himself drunken in the love of God with so sweet and singular a liquor. But before I make an end of this matter, I will first advertise the christian, that Saint Austin hath ordinarily been wont to term this holy sacrament the bond of charity, and the mystery of unity. And he saith, that whosoever receiveth the mystery of unity and regardeth not the bond of peace, receiveth not the Sacrament to his own behoof, but as a witness against himself. Therefore we must understand, 
Why the holy Sacrament of thanksgiving was ordained.  that the Lord hath ordained this holy Sacrament, not only to make us sure of the forgiveness of our sins: but also to inflame us to peace, unity, & brotherly charity. For in this Sacrament the lord doth after such a manner make us partakers of his body, as he becometh all one thing with us, and we with him. By reason where of forasmuch as he hath but one body whereof he maketh us partakers: 
Christian peace and vnyo● are betokened by the bread and Wine.  it is meet that we also should by such partaking become all one body together among ourselves. And this union is represented by the bread of the Sacrament: which as it is made of many grayns mingled and kneaded together in such wise as one of them cannot be discerned from another: So also must we be joined together after such a sort, and so united together into one agreement of mind, as no division may creep in. And this doth saint Paul show us when he saith: Is not the cup of blessing which we bliss, the communion of the blood of jesus Christ? is not the bread that we break, the communion of the body of jesus Christ? whereas we be many, yet are we but one bread and one body, forsomuch as we be all parttakers of one bread. 
●e that offendeth one of his Christian brethren, offendeth Christ himself.  By these things we understand, that when we receive this most holy communion, we must consider that we are all of us ingreffed into Christ, and are all become members of one self-same body, that is to wit of I●sus Christ, in such wise as we cannot offend, defame or d●spyse any of our brethren, but we must therewithal offend, defame and despise our said head jesus Christ: neither can we be at variance with any of our brethren, but in likewise we must be at odds with him. Also we cannot love him, except we love him in our brethren. Look how much care we have of our own body, so much must we have of our christian brethren, who are the members of our body. And like as no part of our body feeleth any grief, which spreadeth not itself into all the other parts: so aught we to determine with ourselves, that our brother feeleth not any inconvenience, which should not move us to compassion. With such manner of thoughts must we prepare ourselves to this holy Sacrament, quickening up our spirits with a fervent love to our neibour ward. For what greater spur can we have to prick us to love one another, 
A preparation to the receiving of the holy Sacrament.  than to see that jesus christ, by giving himself unto us, not only allureth us to give ourselves one to another, but also by making himself common to us all, maketh us also to be all one self-same thing in him? In respect whereof, we aught to covet and procure, that in all of us there may be but one mind, one heart, & one tongue, accorded and united together in thoughts, words and deeds. And we must mark well, that as often as we receive this holy and worthy Sacrament, 
He that receiveth the Sacrament bindeth himself to all the dewlies of charity  we bind ourselves to all the duties of charity: as not to offend any of our brethren, nor to leave anything undone, that may be profitable and helpful in their necessity. But if there come any to this heavenly table of the Lord, that are divided at variance with their brethren, the same must assure themselves that they eat unworthily, and are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, and that they eat and drink their own damnation: for that there wanted nothing on their behalf, but that the body of jesus christ was rend and plucked in pieces again, whilst they by hatred are divided from their brethren, that is to wit, from the members of jesus Christ, and have not any part with him: and yet nevertheless in receiving this holy communion, pretended to believe that their whole salvation consists in the participation and union with jesus Christ. Then let us go my brethren, 
The true and for which the holy Sacrament is ordained.  to the receiving of this heavenly bread, to celebrated the remembrance of our lords passion, and to strengthen and fortify the belief and assurance of the forgiveness of our sins, with the remembrance thereof, and to quicken up our minds and tongues to praise and exalt the infinite goodness of our God, and finally to cherish brotherly love, and to witness the same one to another by the straight union which all of us have in the body of our lord jesus christ. 
The fourth remedy against distrust.  Besides prayer, & the remembering of Baptim, and the often resorting to the most holy communion: there is one other very good remedy against distrust and fearfulness, which is no less friend to christian charity: namely the remembrance of our predestination and election to eternal life, grounded upon the word of God, which is the sword of the holy Ghost wherewith we may beat back our enemies. 
Ephe. 5.  Rejoice ye in this (sayeth the Lord) that your names are written in heaven. 
Luke. 10  There is no greater joy in this life, nor any thing that more comforteth the christian that is afflicted, tempted, or fallen into any sin, than the remembrance of predestination, and the assuring of ourselves that we be of the number whose names are written in the book of life, and which are choose to be fashioned like unto the image of jesus Christ. O how unspeakable is the comfort of him that hath this faith, & museth continually in his heart upon this exceeding sweet predestination whereby he knoweth that although he fall often: yet notwithstanding, god his father who hath foreordeined him to everlasting life, holdeth him up and reacheth out his hand unto him continually. 
Psal. 36.  And he sayeth continually in himself, if god have chozen me and predestinated me to the glory of his children, who can hinder me? If God be with us (sayeth saint Paul) who can be against us? Nay rather, 
Rom. 8.  to the end that the predestination may be accomplished in us, 
He that re●eyueth the Gospel is sure that he is predestinated. ● he effect that precede of the knowleg for predestination.  he hath sent his dear beloved son, who is a most sure earnest penny and pledge unto us, that we which have received the grace of the Gospel, are gods Children, chozen to eternal life. This holy predestination maintaineth the true Christian in a continual spiritual joy, increaceth in him the endeavour of good works, & inflameth him with the love of god, & maketh him enemy to the world & to sin. Who is so fierce & hard-hearted, which knowing the god of his mercy hath made him his child from everlasting, will not by and by be inflamed to love GOD? Who is of so vile and ba●e courage, that he will not esteem all the pleasures, all the honours, and all the riches of the world as filthy mire, when he knows that god hath made him a citizen of heaven? yea these are they the worship god rightly in spirit & truth, receiving all things (as well in prosperity as in adversity) at the hand of God their Father, and evermore praising and thanking him for all, as their good father, who is righteous and holy in all his works. These being inflamed with the love of God, and armed with the knowledge of their predestination, fear neither death, nor sin, nor the Devil, nor hell: neither know they what the wrath of god is: for they see none other thing in god, but love & fatherly kindness towards them. And if they fall into any troubles, they accept them as tokens of gods favour, 
Rom. 8.  trying out with S. Paul, who is it that shall separate us from God's love? shall tribulations, shall anguish, shall persecution, or hunger, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? as it is written, for thy sake are we killed all the day long, and counted as sheep appointed to the slaughter. But in all these things we get the upper hand through him that hath loved us. Wherefore, it is not for naught that saint john sayeth, how the true christians know right well, 
1. john. 3.  that they must be saved and glorified, and that by reason of the same affiance, they make themselves holy as jesus Christ is holy. And when Saint Paul exhorteth his Disciples to a good and holy life: 
●phe. 1.  he is wont to put them in remembrance of their election and predestination, as of a thing of very great force to stir up the minds of the true Christians to the loving of God, and to the performance of good works. And for the same cause our good lord jesus christ speaketh openly of this holy predestination, as one that known of how great importance the knowledge thereof is to the edifying of his elect. But perchance thou will't say to me, I know well that they whose names are written in heaven, have cause to live in continual joy, and to glorify GOD but in word and deed: but I know not whither I am of that number or not, and therefore I live in continual fear: specially because I know myself to be an exceeding weak and frail sinner, from the violence whereof I am not able to defend myself, but that I am overcome of it daily. And furthermore for as much as I see myself continevally afflicted and troubled with diverse temptations, methinks I do as it were behold with mine eyes, the wrath of God squorging me. Too answer to these doubts of thine, I say my right dear brother, that thou must assure thyself, that all these are but temptations of the devil, who by all means seeketh to rob us of that faith and confidence that springeth of faith and assurethe us of God's good will towards us. He laboureth to strip our soul out of this precious garment: for he knoweth that none is a true Christian, except he believe God's word which promises forgiveness of all sins, & peace to all them which accept the grace of the Gospel. verily I say, that he which upon these promises of God, persuadeth not himself assuredly, that god is a merciful and loving father unto him, nor with steadfast confidence looketh to receive the inheritance of the heavenly kingdom at his hand: is not faithful in deed, & maketh himself utterly unworthy of god's grace. In respect whereof saint Paul sayeth that we be the temple of God, 
Hebr. 3  so farforth as we firmly maintain the confidence and glory of our hope, unto the end. And in another place he exhorteth us that we should not give over our trust, 
Hebr. 10  which hath great reward of recompense. And therefore my brethren, let us give our whole endeavour to do the will of God, as it becometh good children, and beware that we sin not, as near as we can. And although we fall oftentimes into sin through our own frayeltie: yet let us not by and by surmise, that we be vessels of wrath, or that we be utterly forsaken of the holy Ghost: for we have our Advocate jesus Christ before God the father, and he is the atonement maker for our sins. Let us bethink us of the opinion of Saint Austin, who sayeth, that none of the Saints is righteous and without sin: and yet notwithstanding that, he ceaseth not to be righteous and holy, so farforth as he retain his holiness with affection. 
Afflictions at no signs of reprobation  And therefore if we have afflictions and tribulations: let us not think that God sends them because he is our enemy, but because he is our most loving father. The Lord (sayeth Solomon) chastiseth him whom he loveth, and scourgeth every child of his whom he receiveth. Wherefore, 
Pro 5.  if we have received the grace of the Gospel, whereby man is received of GOD for his child, we must not doubt of God's grace and good will towards us. 
〈◊〉 true 〈◊〉 to know ●●ods children by.  And when we perceive ourselves to delight in GOD'S word, and to have a desire to follow the life of jesus Christ: we must steadfastly believe, that we be the children of GOD and the temple of the holy Ghost. For those things cannot be done by the power of man's wisdom, but are the gifts of the holy Ghost who dwelleth in us by faith, and is as it were a seal of authority which sealeth up God's promises in our hearts, the certainty whereof is printed aforehand in our minds, and is given us as a pledge to establish and confirm the same. 
●phe. 2.  As soon as you believe (saith the Apostle Saint Paul) ye be sealed by the holy Spirit of promise, 
Wherefore the Apostle calleth the holy Ghost the spirit of 〈◊〉.  who is the earnestpenny of our inheritance. Behold how he showeth us hereby, that the hearts of the faithful are marked with the holy Ghost as it were with a seal●: in respect whereof he calleth the holy ghost the spirit of promise, for so much as he confirmeth the promise of the Gospel, the which (as I have oftentimes told you) is a happy tidings that promises forgiveness of sins and everlasting life, to all such as believe that all their misdoings are blotted out in jesus Christ. All we that believe in JESUS Christ (sayeth Saint Paul) are become 
Gala. 3  the children of GOD: and because we be his children, he hath sent the Spirit of his Son into our heart, which crieth, Father, father. And to the Romans, those (sayeth he) that are guided by the spirit of GOD, 
Rom. 8.  are the children of God: for you have not received again the spirit of bondage in fear: but the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry father, father. For certainly the sam● spirit beareth our spirit record, that we be the children of GOD. Now then, if we be children, we be also heirs. And we must mark well, that in these two places the Apostle Saint Paul speaketh plainly, not of any special revelation, but of a certain record which the holy Ghost doth commonly yield to all such as receive the grace of the Gospel. Then if the holy Ghost assure us that we be God's children and heirs: why should we doubt of our predestination? The same man sayeth in the same Epistle, 
Rom. 8.  whom he hath predestinated, them hath he also called: and whom he hath called, them hath he also made righteous: & whom he hath made righteous them also hath he glorified. What shall we then say to all these things? if god be on our side, 
A true mark of predestis nation.  who can be against us? And therefore if I plainly perceive, that God hath called me by giving me faith and the fruiets of faith, that is to wit, Peace of conscience, mortification of the flesh, and quickening of the spirit, whether it be in whole or in part: why should I doubt that I am not predestinated? And moreover we say with Saint Paul, that all true christians (that is to wit, all such as believe the Gospel) receive not the spirit of this world, 
1. Cor. 2.  but the spirit that cometh from god: by the inspiration where of they discern the things that God hath given them. What marvel then is it, if we know that god hath certainly given us everlasting life? But there are some which say, that no man aught to presume so far, as to boast himself to have the spirit of GOD. They speak in such wise, as if the christian should glory of the having of it for his own deserts, & not by the only & mere mercy of God: and as though it were a presumptuousnesse to profess himself a christian: or as though a man could be a Christian without the having of Christ's spirit: or as though we could without flat hypocrisy say that jesus Christ is our Lord, 
Rom. 8.  or call God our Father, if the holy ghost moved not our hearts & tongues to utter so sweet words. 
1. Cor. 12  And yet notwithstanding, even they that count us presumptuous for saying that God hath given us his holy spirit, with faith, forbidden us not to say every day Our Father, but rather command us. But I would have them too tell me, how it is possible to separate faith & the holy ghost asunder, seeing that faith is the peculiar work of the holy ghost? If it be presumption to believe that the holy ghost is in us, 
He that glorieth not that he hath the holy ghost, is no true Christian.  why doth saint Paul bid the Corinthians try themselves whither they have faith or not, affirming them to be reprobates if they know not that jesus Christ is in them? But in very deed, it is a great blindness to accuse the christians of presumptuousnesse for taking upon them to glory of the presence of the holy ghost, without which glorying, there cannot be any Christianity at all. But jesus Christ (who cannot lie) sayeth, that his spirit is unknown to the world, & that they only do know him, 
john. 14.  within whom he dwelleth. Then let them begin to become good christians, and put away their jewish minds, & embrace the grace of the holy gospel in good earnest: and then shall they know that the good and true christians both have the holy Ghost, and also acknowledge themselves to have him. But some one may say to me, that the christian can not by any means know that he is in gods favour, without some special revelation: and so consequently that he cannot know whither he be predestinated or no. 
Eccle. 6.  And he may specially allege these words of Solomon, A man knoweth not whither he be worthy of hatred or of love: and also these words of the Apostle Saint Paul to the Corinthians: I feel not myself guilty of any thing, 
1. Cor. 4.  and yet feel I not myself justified for all that. 
A Man may know that he is in God's fa●or.  It seemeth to be sufficiently declared by the texts of holy Scripture, that the said opinion is false: and now remains only to be showed briefly, that these two texts whereupon the same opinion is chief grounded, aught not to be taken in that sense. As touching Salomons sentence, although it be scarce well and faythefully translated in the common translation: yet is there not any man so dull, who in reading Salomon'S whole discourse, may not plainly perceive, by saying so he meant that if any man will 
By the chances  take upon him to judge by the casualties▪ that happen in this life, 
Of this life no man can judge whther a man be in God's favour or displeasure.  who is loved or hated of GOD: he laboureth in vain, considering that the self-same chances which light upon the righteous, light also upon the unrightuouse: upon him that Sacri●●zeth, as well as upon him that sacrifizeth not: & as soon upon the good man as upon the sinner. Where of it may be gathered, that god doth not always show his love towards those whom he endueth with outward prosperities: & contrariewyse, that he showeth not his displeasure towards those whom he punisheth. Then my right dear brethren in Christ jesus our Lord, do you think it reason to conclude, that a man cannot be sure of God's favour, because the same sureness cannot be perceived by the sundry chances that happen every day in these transitory & temporal things? A little afore, Solomon says that a man can not discern any difference between the soul of a man, & the life of a beast: for it is seen that both man & beast die after one manner. Shall we then conclude by this outward accident, that the persuasion which we have conceived of the immortality of the soul is grounded but only upon conjecture? Not surely, and it were a great folly to stand upon a thing so notably known. And as for Saint Paul's words, I say, that for as much as he was speaking of the administration of the gospel, he meant that his heart misgives him not of any misdealing therein, and yet for all that, that he is not sure he hath done his whole duty to the full, and therein obtained the praise of rightuousenes to Godward, as if he had done all that pertained and was convenient to be done by a faithful Steward: and therefore in speaking of his office, like a just and discrete person, he dared not justify himself, nor avow that he had discharged his duty to the uttermost, and satisfied his lords will, but ●eferred all things to the only judgement of his Lord And verily, who soever readeth these words of the Apostle Saint Paul, and considereth the words going afore them with some judgement, and likewise the words that follow: will not doubt, but this is the true sense of them. I know well, that some men in expounding these words of the Apostle saint Paul, say, that although he knew himself to be without sin, yet he knew not whether he were righteous to Godward or not, according as David affirmeth, that no man can perfectly know his own sins. But these men perceive not that Saint Paul 
Rom. 3. 5  groundeth not rightuousenes upon works but upon faith, and that he utterly refuseth his own rightuousenesse to embrace only the righteousness which God hath given us through our Lord jesus Christ. 
Phil. 3.  Also they consider not, that he was most certain to be accepted for righteous, in maynteining the soundness and pureness of the christian faith, and that he knew well how the crown of 
2. Tim. 4  that righteousness was laid up for him in heaven: and also, that he was fully assured, that no creature in heaven, 
Rom. 8.  earth, nor hell was able to separate him from the love of God, 
Phil. 1.  and that he longed to dye because he known for a truth, that after his death, he should be with jesus Christ. All which things should be false, if he had not been well assured that he was righteous, (I mean) by faith & not by works. Therefore, my dear-beloved brethren, let us cease to speak that thing of the Apostle Saint Paul, which he never once thought of himself, but féersly fought against it continually, in answering such as measured rightuousenes by works, & not by faith in our Lord jesus Christ. But besides these two authorities of Solomon and saint Paul, a man might allege some other places of holy scripture, which whereas they warn and encourage men to fear God, seem to be contrary to the assurance of this our predestination. And if I would declare them all particularly: I should be over long. 
The two ●ort●s of fear, child y● & 〈◊〉  But I say generally, 
Rom. 8.  that the fear of punishment was proper to the old Testament, and childly love to the new Testament: according as S. Paul witnesseth when he sayeth to the Romans, you have not received the spirit of bondage to fear: but you have received the spirit of adoption whereby we ●rye father, father. And likewise unto Timothy he sayeth, 
2. Tim. ●.  that god hath not given us the spirit of fearfulness, but rather of power and love: which spirit jesus Christ hath given us according to the promise made by the mouth of the holy Prophets, and brought to pass that we being delivered out of our enemies hands, may serve him without fear before his holy presence, in all holiness and rightuousenesse all the days of our life. By these & many other places of the holy Scripture, a man may plainly gather, that the peynfull and slavish fearfulness agreeth not with a Christian: and this is already confirmed by this, that such manner of fearfulness is utterly contrary to the spiritual cheerfulness and joy which is peculiar to the christian, as the Apostle Saint Paul showeth openly to the Romans, 
Rom. 14  saying that the kingdom of God is rightuousenesse & peace & joy in the holy ghost: that is to say, that every man which entereth into the kingdom of the grace of the gospel, is become righteous through faith: and afterward addeth peace of conscience, 
Ephe. 6.  which consequently breedeth such a spiritual and holy rest & gladness, 
Phil. 4.  in respect whereof the same Saint Paul doth oftentimes encourage the christians to live merrily. 
1. Peter. 1  And saint Peter sayeth, that all they which believe in jesus Christ, do continually rejoice with an unspeakable and glorious joy, notwithstanding that they be afflicted with diverse temptations. 
The slavish fear threateneth the wicked, and the childly fear 〈◊〉 y● chozen.  And therefore when the holy scripture threateneth and frayeth the christians: they must understand, that it speaketh to such as are so licenciouse, that forsomuch as they keep not the thankfulness and honesty that belong to GOD'S children, they must b●e handled as serua●●●●●, and held in awe until they come to taste and feel how sweet and pleasant the Lord is, and until such time as faith work his effects in them, & that they have so much childly love, as may suffice to keep & maintain them in honesty of christian conversation, and in following the example of our lord jesus Christ. And when the self-same scripture exhorteth the christians to the true fear: it means not that they should fear the judgement and wrath of god, as though it were presently ready to condemn them: for (as I have said already) by the record which the holy ghost giveth to their spirit, they know that God hath choose them and called them, of his own mere mercy, and not for their deserts. By reason whereof they doubt not at all, but that by the self-same goodness & mercy, he will maintain them in the happy state wherein he hath placed them. And after such manner the scripture exhorteth them, 
The effects of childly fear. Eph 4.  not too flavish fear but to childly fear: that is too wit, that like good children they should be loath to offend against the christian Religion, or to commit any thing against the duty & honesty of God's true children, and likewise to grieve the holy ghost that dwelleth in them: to the end that knowing the corruptednesse of our nature, we shou●● always be heedful and diligent, and never have any t●ust in ourselves: for in our flesh and in our minds do the appetites and affections continually devil: which, as deadly enemies of the soul, lay a thousand snares and baits for us incessantly, labouring to make us proud, ambitious, lecherous, and covetous. This is the fear whereunto the whole scripture exhorteth the Christians that have once fasted how sweet the Lord is, and which bestow all their endeavour in following Christ's footsteps, who cast not from them this holy fear, because they labour to put off the old man. And the good christians must never berée●● themselves quite and clean of this childlie fear, which is the singular friend of christian charity, like as the slavish fear is such an enemy unto it, as they can by no means devil together. 
The christian may warrant himself the forgiveness of his slunes.  And by the foresaid things, a man may plainly perceive, that the good Christian aught never to doubt of the forgiveness of his sins, nor of God's favour. Nevertheless, for the better satisfying of the Reader, I purpose to set down here under, certain authorities of the holy Doctors, which confirm this foresaid truth. Saint Hilary in his fifth Canon upon Matthew saith, it is Gods will, that we should hope without any doubting of his unknown will. For if the belief be doubtful, there can be no rightuousenesse obtained by beléevinge. And thus we see, 
S Hilary  that according to Saint Hilary, a man obtaineth not forgiveness of his sins at God's hand, except he believe undoubtedly to obtain it. And good right it is, 
james. 1.  that it should be so. For he that doubteth, is like a wave of the Sea, which is tossed & turmoiled with the wind. And therefore let not such a one think to obtain any thing at gods hand. But let us here saint Austin, 
S. Augustin.  who in his Manuel counseleth us to drive away the said foolish imagination, which intends to dispossess us of the foresaid good and sage assuredness. Let such foolish imagination (sayeth he) murmur as much as it listeth, saying: who art thou? how great is that glory? by what deserts hopest thou to obtain it? I answer assuredly: I know in whom I have believed, and I know that he (of his great love) hath made me his son: I know he is true of his promise, and able to perform his word: for he can do what he will. And when I think upon the Lord's death, the multitude of my sins cannot dismay me: for in his death do I put all my trust. His death is my whole desert, it is my refuge, it is my salvation, my life and resurrection, & the mercy of the Lord is my desert. I am not poor of desert, so long as the lord of mercy faileth me not. And sith the mercies of the Lord are many: many also are my deservings. The more that he is of power to save, the more am I sure to be saved. The same saint Austin talking with GOD in another place, sayeth that he had despaired by reason of his great sins and infinite negligences, if the word of god had not becommne flesh. And anon after he saith these words: All my hope, all the assurance of my trust is settled in his precious blood, which was shed for us and for our salvation. In him my poor heart taketh breath: and putting my whole trust in him, I long to come unto thee O father, not having mine own ryghtuousenes, but the ryghtuousenes of thy son jesus Christ. In these two places saint Austin showeth plainly, that the christian must not be afraid, but assure himself of ryghtuousenes, by grownding himself, not upon his own works, but upon the precious blood of jesus Christ, which clenzeth us from all our sins, and maketh our peace with god. Saint Barnard in his first sermon upon the Annunciation sayeth most evidently, 
S. Bernard.  that it is not enough to believe that a man can have forgiveness of his sins, 
Each one must believe particularly that high sins are released & forgiven him freely.  but by god's mercy: nor any one good desire or ability to do so much as one good work, except God give it him: no nor that a man cannot deserve eternal life by his works, but if GOD give him the gift so to believe: But besides all these things (sayeth Saint Bernard) which aught rather to be counted a certain entrance and foundation of our faith), it is needful that thou believe also, 
Each one must believe particularly that his sins are released & forgiven him freely.  that thy sins are forgiven thee for the love of jesus christ. See how this holy man confesseth that it is not enough to believe generally the forgiveness of sins: but he must also believe particularly that his own sins are forgiven him by jesus Christ, and the reason is ready at hand, namely, that forasmuch as God hath promised thee to accept thee for righteous through the merits of jesus Christ, if thou believe not that thou art become righteous through him, thou makest GOD a liar, and consequently thou makest thyself unworthy of his grace and liberality. But thou will't say to me, I believe well the forgiveness of sins, and I know that GOD. is true: but I am afraid that I am not worshie to have so great a gift. I answer, that the forgiveness of thy sins shall not be a gift or free grace, but a wages, if God should give it thee for the worthiness of thy works. But I reply upon thee, that God accepteth thee for righteous, and layeth not thy sin too thy charge, because of Christ's merits, which are given unto thee and become thine by faith. Therefore, following the council of Saint Bernard, believe thou, not only the forgiveness of sins in general, but also apply the same belief to thy own particular person, by believing without any doubt, that all thy misdoinge are pardoned thee through jesus Christ. And in so doing thou shalt give the glory unto God, by confessing him to be merciful and true & shalt become righteous and holy before God, forsomuch as by the same confession the holiness & righteousness of jesus Christ, shall be communicated unto thee. But to return to our purpose of predestination: I say, that by the things above mentioned, a man may evidently perceive, that the assurance of predestination doth not hurt, but rather greatly profit the true Christians. And I think not that it can hurt the false Christians and reprobates. For albeit that such manner of folk would bear themselves in hand and pretend to the worldward to be of the number of the predestinate: yet can they never persuade their own consciences, which will ever be gnawing and crying out to the contrary. But yet it seemeth greatly, that the doctrine of predestination may hurt them. For they be wont to say: If I be of the number of the reprobates, what shall it avail me to do good works? And if I be of the number of the predestinate, I shallbe saved without any labouring of mine to do good works. I answer thee at few words, that by such devilish arguments they increase gods wrath against themselves, who hath disclozed the knowledge of predestination to the Christians, to make them hot, and not c●ld in the love of God: and to set them forward and not backward unto good works. And therefore the true Christian, on the one side holdeth himself assuredly predestinated unto everlasting life and to be saved, not at all by his own merits, but by God's election, who hath predestinated us, not for our own works lakes but to show the greatness of his mercy: And on that other side indevereth himself to do good works after the example of jesus Christ, as much as if his salvation depended upon his own policy and paynestaking. As for him that ceaseth to do good because of the Doctrine of predestination, saying, if I be predestinated, I shallbe saved without streyning of myself to do good works: he showeth evidently, that his traveling is not for the love of God, but for the love of himself. By reason whereof, the works that he doth may perhaps be good and holy to the sight of men but they be wicked and abominable before the Lord God, who hath an eye to the intent. And hereupon it may be gathered, that the doctrine of predestination worketh rather good than harm to the false christians. For it discovereth their hypocrisy which can not cure itself so long as it lieth hidden under the mantel of outward works. But I would have them that say, I will not strain myself to do well, for if I be predestinated, I shallbe saved without tiring of myself so much: I say I would have them tell me, how it happeneth, that when they be diseased, they say not also, I will have neither Physician nor physic: for look what God had determined upon me, cannot but come to pass? why eat they? why drink they? why till they the ground? why plant they Uines? and why be they so diligent in doing all things convenient for too sustain the body? why say they not also, that all these turmoylynges, policies, and travels of ours are superfluous, forasmuch as it is not possible, but that what soever God hath foreseen and determined concerning our life and death, must needs come to pass? And therefore if God's providence make them not negligent and idle in things pertaining to the body. Why should it make them more slothful and negligent in that which concerneth the Christian perfection, which without all comparison is far nobler than the body? But for as much as we see that neither jesus christ nor Saint Paul, for any doubt of offending the reprobates, have forborn to preach the truth, which is necessary to the edifying of the choose, for the love of whom the everlasting Son of GOD become man, and was put to death upon the cross: we also in like wise aught not to forbear the preaching of predestination to the true Christians, for as much as we have seen, that it importeth great edification. Now are we come to the end of our purpose, wherein our chief intent hath been (according to our small power) to magnify the wonderful benefit which the Christian man hath received by JESUS Christ crucified, and to show that faith, of herself alone justifieth, that is to wit, that God receiveth and holdeth them for righteous, which believe steadfastly that Chryste hath made full amendss for their sins: how beit that as light cannot be separated from Fire which of itself burneth and devoureth all things: even so good works can not be separated from faith, which alone by itself justifieth. And this holy doctrine (which exalteth jesus Christ and represseth and abateth the pride of man) hath and always shallbe rejected and fought against by such Christians as have jewish minds. But happy is he, who following the example of Saint Paul, spoileth himself of his own rightuousenesse, and would have none other rightuousenesse, than that which is of jesus Christ, wherewith if he be clothed and appareled, he may most assuredly appear before God, and shall receive his blessing and the heritage of heaven & earth: with his only Son jesus Christ our lord, to whom be all honour, praise & glory from this time forth for evermore. Amen.  Christ is the end of Law.  

¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas East, for Lucas Harison, and George Bishop.