The Right Way from Danger of Sin and Vengeance, Chapter 5
CHAP. v.
God by the ministerie of the gospell teacheth men to beleue in dede: the diuel by common custome teacheth men to say onelyonly that they beleue.
THE Lorde God in Christ did reconcile the world to himself, not charging men with their sinnes, but offering vntounto them his mercies. And Christ by his comming and suffering hath abolished all figures and shadows of sacrifices and ceremonies, ouercomming in déede sinne, death and damnation, and ascending bodily vp into heauen, hath sent downe the holie ghost to beare witnesse and work with the preachers of his gospell vponupon earth, whiche as faithfull messangers of the Lorde, earnestly exhorte and humbly beseech men in Christ that they woulde bée reconciled vntounto God. Wherfore now after sufficient experience, and tryall of all things, and vtter abolishement of such as nowe might bée euil or vnprofitable, God the father of merciemercy and pitie, through the merits & meanes of Christ his son, by the power and presence of the holie Ghost, euer woorking and witnessing with the Ministers of the Gospell, doth so mooue and dispose, purifie and sanctifie the harts and mindes of men, as teacheth and causeth them by fayth to flee dangers of dā nation deserued by their owne déedes vntounto assurance of saluation in Christes merites.
They be taught to beleue in God, by the sonne, the spirite, the woorde, and messangers of God.
I do not meane that they be taught, only to say, I beléeue as the Church doth, or only to say the summe of a good beléefe in an vnknowen language, but that as God by the minister of his worde and power of his spirit teacheth, so their heartes and minds conceiue, their mouthes confesse, and the fruites of their charitable works bée agreable in such wise, as eueryevery one of them most truly and comfortable doth think, and may say with the holie catholike Church:
I beleue in God, the father almightie, maker of heauen and earth.
I which was by nature a childe of wrath borne and liuing in sinne vnderunder Sathan, in the kingdome of darkenesse, nowe of grace through the holy ghost, by the immortall séede of Gods worde, being newe begotten and new borne vntounto the kingdome of God, Do beleeue as certainely as of moste sure ground, and as throughly as of great triall and experience, I do know and trust in god the father almightie, that God which is all goodnesse in himselfe, hath of his fatherly louelove, and almightie power, made mée his good creature and deer child, so that he will for euer be a gracious God, and louing father vntounto me, which is the maker of heauen and earth, which hath created and made, & doth rule and order al things in heauen and earth vntounto his honour and glorie, and vntounto my comfort and cōmoditie. For as hée being the Lord ouer all, hath declared himself to bée a father vntounto me, by his promise, so I am sure of the inheritance of all, being his childe by faith.
And in Iesus Chryste hys onelyonly sonne, our Lorde.
I hauehave good knowledge by sure truste in Iesus the Sauioure of his people from their sinnes, that I shall bée saued from my sinnes, and from all euilles throughe Christ the annointed King, priest and prophet, that I shall bée a christian, that I shal be annointed with grace of Christes spirit, to be partaker of the kingly priesthode, and godly wisedome of Christ, that in such holinesse, righteousnesse, and godlinesse as is acceptable before him, I may offer the sacrifice of my selfe, in seruing him al the dayes of my life and hauehave the crowne of glory with him in his kingdome, in the kingdom vntounto the which he hath redéemed vsus, that is of nature and substance vntounto God his only sonne, making vsus his brethren and Gods children by grace and adoption, so that wée must take him to be our Lorde obeying the authoritie, learning the doctrine, and following the example of him, as of our onelyonly gouerner, scholemaster and pastour,
VVhichWhich vvas conceyued by the holie Ghost, borne of the Virgin Mary.
Which in taking by the holy Ghost (of a pure virgine) our flesh vponupon him, hath purified vsus from our sinnes, to be sanctified in his righteousnesse.
VVhichWhich suffered vnderunder Pontius Pilate.
Suffered vnderunder a Iudge the iudgement of death due for our sinnes, to purchase for vsus of god his father, the reward of his righteousnesse, & to giuegive vsus example and grace to followe his obedience.
He vvas crucified.
Bearing the curse of the lawe to get and giuegive vntounto vsus the blessing of grace, hee
Died and vvas buried.
So that nowe our bodies & mindes with him should bée mortified and buried frō sin, and not die and damned in sin, for hee
Descended into hell.
He suffered all extremitie, not onelyonly in bodie but also in soule: that we should suffer no more than we might be able to bear: and that no paynes, or punishment for sinnes, should be plagues of vengeance to destroy vsus, but rather corrections of fatherlie louelove to amende vsus.
The thyrd day he rose againe from the dead.
The day and time appointed and afore prophecied with victorie ouer Hell, Death, and Damnation, hée rising from the deade, did make death a ready and spéedie passage for vsus vntounto life, teaching and strengthning vsus to ryse forth of sinne and walke in newnesse of life, after him that
Ascended into heauen, and sitteth on the right hande of God the father almighty.
And like as the sunne at midday, so he in bodily presence lifte vp from the earth into heauen, there in glory of Gods maiestie abiding, doth from thence shine, and shewe his vertue and goodnesse by ye power of his spyrite, most presently, and comfortably, vntounto all creatures in eueryevery place vponupon the earth, and as hée ascended bodily into Heauen to replenishe all things, euen so in the same bodie
From thence he shal come to iudge the quick and dead.
From heauen whither as he did ascende in the sight of his disciples, so from thence in the sighte of all men, shall hée come, not only in spirite and power (as he is at all times in all places) but also in his bodie glorified with maiestie as he is nowe in heauen, and shall not come from thence, vntill the last day, when as all men both dead afore and liuing then, shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye, from mortalitie vntounto suche state as shall euer continue, either in hel or in heauen, according vntounto the righteous iudgement of Christe, in the which hee shall declare and take all vsus that be vnfayned Christians, to be the blessed children, and heires of God, with him, in that kingdome which could neuer by any works, or merites of any man hauehave bene deserued or purchased, but onelyonly in Christe vntounto Christians, of the only gracious goodnesse of god hath for euer bene prepared.
I beleue in the holie Ghost.
I hauehave knowledge with sure hope in the holy spirit of God, equall with the father and the sonne, proceeding from the father and the sonne, to sanctifie & beautifie Christes Church, that I shall be sanctified from all sinnes, and endued with all good giftes of grace, as God seeth is moste necessarie, & expediente for mée, to edifie and not to destroy. Yea, I beléeue that by him all Gods creatures be sanctified and made holie vntounto all godly men, and that without him there can be no holinesse, nor nothing holie vntounto any man. For it is not only the holy ghost, in the heart and minde of man that sanctifieth, that maketh and kéepeth pure and holy.
The holy catholicke church.
I knowe and thinke assuredly, that I and all Christians, be one church, one congregation, in suche vnitie of liuely faithe whiche worketh by charitie, as dothe euer kéepe vsus togither as members of one bodie in Christe, although wée be farre asunder by reason of diuers times and places in the worlde, and by the holy spirite, worde, and sacraments of God in this church, is such holinesse as doth euer striue and preuaile against vngodlines, such holinesse as is the continual purging of men from their sins, to furnishe and garnishe them with godly righteousnesse in Christ. This Church or congregatiō is so catholike, so made one of many, so made one mysticall bodie in Christ of many men in all places, as is one mannes naturall body, of diuers members eueryevery one seuerally hauing their own places and proportions, & all together ioyned accordingly in one body of one person.
And so the communion of Sainctes.
The vnitie of them that be sanctified, redemed, and deliuered from the seruice of the Diuell, the flesh and the worlde, to glorifie God in holinesse and righteousnesse, is by Christ and in Christ a common comfort and cōmoditie vntounto al them, of eueryevery thing that is good or profitable vntounto any of them, which although many times they cānot bée séene, and perceyued of worldely men, nor well knowne one to another, yet being all of one faith, be euer altogether afore god in one mind as members of one body, to hauehave communion, comfort and commodity eueryevery one with al other in Christ their head. And as it was sayde they hauehave Moses and the Prophets, let them heare them: so hauehave wée always in this holy catholike Church, the foundatiō of the Prophets, & Apostels, Christ being the beade corner stone, albeit not their personsin bodily presēce, yet their examples of liuing, and truthe of doctrine in their wrytings, so that euer therein wée may sée, and perceyue that face and fashion of the holie catholicke Churche, which God hath ordayned to be so shewed, as moste expedient and sufficient vntounto all men, at al times, and all places.
The Remission of sinnes.
In this Church of Christ and companie of Saintes, I knowe and receiue freely by fayth forgiuenesse of sins, which be so great and gréeuous debts as do deserue death and damnation: and as the least of them could neuer hauehave bene dyscharged, but onelyonly by the precious passion and oblation of Christ once for all
The resurrection of the body.
I know and loke that our bodies, by sin of man, deseruiug death to decay in corruptiō, shall by the might and merite of Christ be raised to receiue glory & immortalitie.
And life euerlasting.
And finally that bodies and soules, in ioy and glory, shal liue for euer in the kingdome of god, when as we shall receiue our inheritaunce with Christ, in whom according vntounto Gods promises and our fayth, al these things be most sure and certaine, that is to say: Amen. So be it.
Now thus beleuing and comparing the kingdome of heauen with the pleasures of Paradise, and the holinesse of regeneration with the purenesse of creation, I finde and féele how that I do get more, and better by faith in Christ, than that which I did loose by sinne in Adam. Yea I hauehave good vnderstanding and comfortable experience how that God hath concluded al men vnderunder sin, to be mercyful vntounto all, how that the scripture truely describing & declaring the righteousnesse of God, and the sinfulnesse of man, hath concluded all men vnderunder their owne sinnes, that righteousnesse which cō meth of the faith of Christ, might be giuen vntounto the beléeuers: howe that through the righteousnesse of the lawe and infirmities of mannes flesh, God doth make greate aboundance of sinne to appeare in all mens beedes and deseruings, that more aboundaunce of grace might bée graunted and giuen by the merits of Christ, vntounto all that receyue and beleeue the Gospell. O blessed be God for the gifte of this beléefe, by the which he maketh the losse of ye plesures of Paradise through mās sinne, to serue vntounto the inheritance of the kingdome of Heauen by gods grace. And the sinfull sorowes in mans conscience to be cōfortable signes and tokens of sauing health by Christes Phisicke and medicines. And all dangers, plagues, and vengeance for sinne in the world, to driue men to assurance of health and wealth by faith in the Lorde.
There can be nothing so sure & certaine as this faith, which commeth by hearing of Gods worde, which is the worke of Gods spirite, whiche is confirmed by the life, doctrine, and death of al that euer were Prophets, Apostles, Euangelists, & Martyres to teach and witnesse Gods truth. For this faith is not only a knowledge of the grace, mercy, & goodnesse of God, but also an assurance of the same vntounto mannes self by the word & sprite of God. So yt it is the ground worke & stay of al good hope, the argument and euidēce of all such mysteries, as be hid and couered from worldlings, to be reserued and reueled only vntounto Gods children. Therefore any man may easely learne to speake these wordes, but the goodnesse of God towards mā by these words signified, is such, as can not be knowne or perceiued of them which be of bloud, or of the will of the Flesh, or of the wil of man, but only of them whiche be borne of God, whiche be priuiledged by Christ to be the children of God. For this beléef is not of the fréewill of man, …ut of the holy spirit of God, not by keping customes or traditions of men, but by hearing the word of God, by hearing or reading the glad tidings of the Gospell in such sorte as can not be reueled, but onelyonly in Christ, of the heauenly father, by the holie ghost, vntounto Gods children.
The blind eyes of wittie worldlings, in séeking for worldely wealth, & contemning Gods worde, can sée, and finde in déede nothing but the wrath and vengeance of God in al things, and especially in sicknesse, plagues, wars, and losse of any lands or goods, but the cleare eyes of faythfull christians, by the light of the Gospell seeking the kingdome of god, and the righteousnesse therof, in all things, and especially in losse of anie góodes, or suffering any paynes, do euer sée the mercifull pitie and tender louelove of their heauenly father alwayes keping them vnderunder the rodde of correction, and the crosse of persecution▪ as his most deare children.
All Iewish persons wil hauehave such a Messias, as shall make them Princes and prelates in a worldely kingdome: faythfull christians hauehave the sonne of god their Lord and sauior, which hath bought and brought them from this world to bee a holie people, and kingly priesthode vntounto God in his heauenly Hierusalem.
The Crosse, the passion & death of Christ is an offence vntounto all such as be delited and drouned in Iewishe ceremonies and superstition, and a foolishnesse vntounto such as glory in Gréekish learning and wisedome: but for all faithfull Christians whiche beléeue the Gospell of the same crosse, death and passion, it is the power of God vntounto their euerlasting rest and saluation.
Grosse idolaters do boldly and blindly imagine a presence of God in imagerie, or vnderunder the forme of some maner of bodie, to be kept and honored of them, according vntounto their fantasie: but the cléere light of the Gospell, doth euidentely vntounto the faithfull shewe EMANVEL, him which is God with vsus, so that they most comfortably sée by fayth, Christ God and man, so in his naturall bodie glorified in heauen, that in power of his spirit, with the ministers of hys worde, and members of his mystical bodie vponupon earth, he is alwayes present amongst men, bestowing suche giftes of his grace vponupon them, and receiuing suche honoure, thankes, & seruice of them as may be most for his honor and glory, and their comforte and commoditie.
Uoluptuous▪ Epicures be alwayes wery of the time present, and voide of all good hope of that which is to come: but faithfull Christians chéerefully bestowe their time in honest godly study, labors, and exercise, with most comfortable hope and desire of Christ to come in Maiestie, to receiue them into his eternall ioy and glory.
Coniurers and Charmers doe imagine suche a vertue too be in their wordes and waters, circles and crosses, brethinges and blessinges, as shoulde poure aboundance of holynesse, into any thing as pleaseth them, yea as coulde force the deuil from hell, and God from heauen to appeare vnderunder some likenesse presently vntounto them: Faithefull Christians by Gods worde doe learne and knowe, how that the holy Ghost by faithe in Christ, doth purge mennes hartes from al vngodlynesse, and replenishe them with such gratious goodnesse as sanctifieth them, and all things, as causeth them with all manner of Gods good creatures, euer too serue God in holinesse and rightuousnesse, without any presumption or desire to coniure either God or the deuill.
Superstitious hypocrites, can sée no face of that Churche whiche they wil cleue vntounto, but in solemne shewe of Ceremonies, and pompe of Prelates: faithfull Christians do euidently sée in the holy Scriptures, suche a foundation of the Prophets and Apostles ioyned vntounto Christe the heade corner stone, as is moste necessary, commodious, and sufficient for them, in faith, doctrine and conuersation, to be framed, ioyned, and made members and partes agréeable vntounto that head & foundation. They sée by faith that face of Christes church, which god by his word hath shewed to ye faithful.
Desperate persons can neuer trust, nor desire of God forgeuenesse of sinnes, resurrection of their bodies, nor life euerlasting. But faithfull Christians, by glad tydinges of the Gospell, be taught and encouraged, to desire and beléeue, that their sinnes shall be vtterly abolished, their bodyes from corruption and deathe chaunged and raysed, that they themselues vntounto the image of God in Christ reformed may in life euerlasting with Christ be glorified.
For in the light of the gospel of Christ, is the vncouered face of Christ, the euidente example and doctrine of Christ, so shewed to be séene, as doth transforme the faithfull beleuers into the same image of godlinesse, which is in Christes doctrine and conuersation, as doth moue and make men to put of olde Adam, that they may become newe creatures in Christ. So they be taughte of the father to know the sonne, they be drawen of the father to come vntounto the sonne, they be transformed from the custome and trade of this world, to be framed and fashioned like vntounto the sonne of God, as vntounto the heade corner stone of a spirituall house, of a holie temple, to offer spirituall sacryfices acceptable vntounto God, to offer as Paule teacheth the Romaines, their owne bodies a sacrifice holie, liuely, and acceptable vntounto God, and as Paul calleth the charitable bestowing of the Philippians goods, odours of swéete sauour, acceptable sacrifices, plesaunt vntounto God. So that fayth which commeth by the Gospell, maketh mens bodies and mindes, landes and goods, and al that they hauehave to be sanctified, sacrificed, and offered vntounto God. For the Gospell teacheth howe that God ordeyneth and gyueth all things vntounto mannes comfort and commoditie, and howe that men should do all thinges vntounto Gods honour and glorie.
So by the Gospel al holinesse and godlinesse▪ all gracious goodnesse, all true treasures and riches, be giuen abundantly vntounto man, and all honour and seruice, all thanks and prayse, be rendred duely vntounto god. But vntounto all manner of men lacking the lyghte of the Gospell, all manner of things be vnprofitable, yea al their owne dooings be abhominable afore God▪ and damnable vntounto thēselues. For nothing can be good or profitable vntounto man, which doth offend and displease God. Nothing can please God without faith in Christe, and it is vnpossible to hauehave fayth in Christe, and not to hauehave the Gospell of Christe.
Therfore it was verie necessarie and expedient that afore the cleare lyghte of the Gospell did fully shine vntounto the world, that the experience of other thinges shoulde be well tried and knowne in the world.
For suche is the good ordinance of God, to vse all maner of meanes, to bring mē frō vaine hope in any other thing vntounto a sure faith in christ only, which cōmes by hering of gods word, according to Christes gospel.
For of all the good creatures of God, and of the habilitie of fréewill, man had sufficient experience in paradise, afore there was any infirmitie, and corruption of nature by reason of sinne. And afterwardes the promisses made vntounto the fathers, the lawe giuen by Moyses, with all Sacrifices and ceremonies in the Tabernacle, and in the Temple, dyd serue for a season to make men myndefull and desirous of the commyng and kingdome of Chryste, whyche should performe the promisse, and satisfye the Lawe, beautifying his Churche with suche cleare lyght of the Gospel as shoulde vtterly abolishe all shadowes, and figures of Sacrifices and Ceremonies, with the Tabernacle and the Temple. And Christ himselfe did in bodie depart from the earth to be glorified in Heauen: so as by sending from thence the holie Ghoste was most expedient for men, to hauehave Christe in spirite alwayes present with them vppon earthe. So therfore after all other good thinges as the last and the best, God hath thus, in the ende of the worlde, set vp the kingdom of Christ, with the clere lighte of the Gospell, and comfortable presence of his spirite.
Seeing therefore that man in Paradyse amongest all Goddes creatures, hauing a pure nature, did not then by the habilitie of his Fréewill, nor by the goodnesse of other creatures, continue and stande in vprightnesse: he should not imagine that now in the vanities of this worlde, and infirmities of his fleshe, being drowned in sinne, he can finde any thing able to rayse him vp vntounto rightuousnesse. Also it is a cruel thing, by the heauie yoke of the law, to force men thoroughe feare to fall into Desperation, which should by the libertie of the Gospell be allured of louelove to walke in the way of saluation. And it is a perillous presumption of man, with gréeuous offence against God, and a great blemishing of the gospell, to renue the same, or deuise any other such like sacrifices or Ceremonies as God hathe now once abolished by the light of ye gospel. And finally there can be nothing more contrary vntounto the truth of god, & the comfort of man, than to imagin any bodily presence of Christ vponupon earth with men, vntounto whome he sayde it was expedient, that he shuld depart from them, for else the holy Ghost the comforter should not come vntounto them. But if I depart, sayth Christ, I will send him, and he when he commeth, shal reproue the worlde of sinne, of righteousnesse, and of iudgement: but he shall comforte you, and hée shall remayne with you. For beholde through his power, and presence, you preaching the Gospell hauehave me alwayes wyth you, in all tymes and places euen vntounto the ende of the worlde.
Thus therefore it is euident, howe that al other things did serue in other times and places, so that now remaineth vntounto vsus only the Gospell of Christe, with suche spiriall presence of Christe, as is the power of God vntounto the saluatiō of all that do beléeue. For all that do beleeue the Gospel, be made children of God to enherite his heauenlye kingdome, membres of Christes mysticall body, to be liuely stones of an holy churche and temple, garnished not with golde, siluer, copper, or colour, in caruings or paintinges to please the eyes of men: but with holynesse and righteousenesse acceptable afore God. The goodly costly ornamentes & deckings of the tabernacle of Moses, of the temple of Salomon curiously wrought by the hands of cunning workmen, serued but for a season, & coulde no longer continue either to please God or profit man. But faith which worketh by charitie, & is in hearing of the gospel, wrought in the harts & minds of men, by the inspiration of the holy gost, with beautiful frutes of charitable works, shall alwayes shyne and set forth the glory of God in the church of Christe: for Christes churche is the elect kinred, the Kingly Priesthood, the holie assemblie, and the peculiar people, which God hath called oute of darknesse, vntounto his maruellous light, for to shewe and set forth his vertues.
They be surely built vponupon the foundation of the Prophetes and the Apostles, fast framed vntounto the heade corner Christe, in faithe euer working and fashioning them by charitie, so conformably vntounto the example and doctrine of Christe set forth by the Prophets, Apostles, and Euangelists, that al diuelish deceytfulnesse in the world, can neither blynde, nor bring them to mistake, and forsake their Lord and sauiour Christ▪ and his holy Catholike Church: for they in Faith doe euer sée the face of Christe, and the forme and fashion of Christes churche in holy Scriptures, euen so as God by his worde dothe sufficiently shewe to be séene, knowne and reuerenced of all men at all tymes, and in all places.
But suche men as care not for the scriptures, can not cléerely sée or knowe any thing that is good and godly, but boldly and blyndely in all thinges misiudge, mystake, and mislike Christ and his holye Churche, according vntounto the common custome, and mannes fonde imagination. For when as they will not learne to vnderstand & know the truthe, by the worde of God, then they do deserue to be deceiued with lyes, by the crafte of the Diuell, in learning suche sayings, as lacketh all knowledge and vnderstanding. What knowledge or vnderstanding gette they, which learne to saye, that they doe beléeue as the Churche teacheth? and bée taught to say and confesse their beléefe in a straunge Language? When as they say, I doe beléeue as the Churche teacheth, and the Churche teacheth them that vnderstand no Latine, to say, Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem. &c. Surely in suche sayings they learne to vnderstand and perceiue nothing, but take what soeuer commeth by ye craft of the deuill into their imagination so highly, that they wil neuer hū ble themselues to be taught of gods spirite, by gods word truly. For there is no lesson that lyketh and pleseth them so wel, as the lesson of that Doctor which sayth, Say that thou beléeuest as the Church doth, and my soule for thyne. O what auayleth it a man to say wordes, the whiche he doth nothyng perceyue in mynde, nor declare in déeds, or who is able in heauen or earth to paye the price, or guage the pledge of mannes soule, but onelyonly Christ the sonne of God? Take héede, for the falling of their Doctor or teacher into the Dungeon of damnation is no excuse for them, that wylfullye folowe a blinde guide. They are wilfull and blynd, which refuse the gospell of God, and folow the Doctrine of men. They deserue to bee damned for folowing a blinde guide, which will not be taughte the Christian Beléefe, but in suche a tongue as they can vnderstand neuer a worde: which wil not be persuaded to beleue the holy catholike church, but in such sort as they shal neither beléeue nor know the Gospell of Christ. For they which learn by the Gospel to know Christ and beléeue in him, hauehave a lyuely Faythe, working by charitie, not of selfe louelove séeking by their owne merites, to saue themselues, or to hauehave vainglorie, but knowing and beléeuing that they be saued wholly by Christes merites onelyonly, of a pure louelove towardes God and their neighbour, without any truste or looking vntounto the worthynesse of their owne déeds, they be earnestly bent vntounto good woorkes to the glorie of God, and the profite of all men.
Thou that lackest the light of the gospel, maist say, that thou beléeuest as the church doth, and yet thinke in thy heart, that thou by thy good déedes maist be saued: yea that thou wouldest not do good deedes, but that thou beleeuest by them to win heauen. And so trusting to winne Heauen by thy good workes, which the truth of the gospel teacheth can not be purchased but by Christes bloud, and doing all thy workes for louelove of thy selfe, without pure louelove of God and thy neighboure, albeit thou say vntounto men, that thou beléeuest as the Church doth, yet afore God thy heart and mynde is voyd of Christen faith and godly charitie, and far from any true louelove of Christ and his Gospell.