Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion — Henrich Bullinger

Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion · Henrich Bullinger

¶ Of ſinne, and of the kindes thereof, to witt, of originall, and actuall ſinne, and of ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt. And laſtly of the moſt ſure and iuſt puniſhment of ſinnes.

¶ The tenth Sermon.

WEe HaueHave laſtlye now to diſcourſe of ſinne, which as I told you, is to be referred to the treatiſe of y^e law. Of whiche, that I may lawfully, religiouſly, rightly, and profitablie ſpeake to the edifying of you all, I ſhal deſire you to make your humble prayers with mée to God the father in the name of Chriſt his ſonne our gratious Lord and mediatour.

Sinne, is of moſt men taken for … came ….errour, for that, I meane, whereby we do not only erre from the thing which is true, right, iuſt and good, but do alſo followe and decline to that whiche is naughte. The Latines deriue their word peccatum (ſinne) of pellicatus (whorehunting) whiche is a faulte of wedded people that are corrupted w^t the ſpirite of fornication, as when mē preferre harlotts before their lawfull wiues. And this definition verilie doth wōderfully agrée to this preſent treatiſe. For all wée, that do beléeue, are by faith handfaſted to oure God as to our ſpouſe and huſband: if therefore wée prefer other Gods before him, or chooſe rather to ſerue them: If, I ſay, we let paſſe the true Gods in déede, to follow the ſhadow of Gods, vaine hopes, and y^e pernicious pleaſures of this world, then do we ſinne in déed, and commit fornication againſt oure ſpouſe & huſband. But the learned ſort doe for the moſt parte, put a difference betwixte peccatum and delictum, (which both in effect doe ſignifie ſinnes:) But they call that delictum, when the thing is not done that ſhould be done: and that they call peccatum, when that is done that ſhould be left vndone. S. Hierome ſéemeth to hauehave taken delictum for the firſt fall to ſinne. S. Auguſtine ſayeth, that peccatum is committed of him y^• ſinneth wittingly, & delictum of him that ſinneth of ignoraunce. I ſée that thoſe woordes are in ſome places confounded, and that the one is vſed for y^e other. In ſome places the errour or delictum, is vſed as y^e mylder terme, peccatum in a more gréeuous ſenſe, & an heynous crime, a miſchiefe, a reuolting or wickedneſſe for the greateſt of all. For S. Auguſtine ſayth, Neither is eueryevery peccatum crimen, beecauſe eueryevery crimen is peccatum. Therefore wee ſaye that the life of a man liuing in this tranſitorie world maye be found to bee without that heynous offence, crimen, for which al the world doth crie out vponupon and accuſe him: but if wée ſay we hauehave nullum peccatum, no ſinne (as the Apoſtle ſayth) wee deceiue our ſelues, and the trueth is not in vsus. Amonge the Hebrues ſinne is called by ſundrie names, which do import & ſignifie ouerthwartneſſe, peruerſeneſſe, a fault, an errour, a reuolting, infirmitie, vice, ignoraunce, and tranſgreſſion. For to tranſgreſſe doth ſignifie to depart from the truth, from oure duetie or office, not to kéepe the right path, but to turne awrie from the preſcript rule of the law of God. Now that rule or lawe of God is of the Hebrues called Thora, that is to ſay, a direction or a leading by the hand. For it doeth directe a man in the wayes that are acceptable to the Lord. And therefore the Gréekes call ſinne by the names of foreign. Againe in the Hebrue tongue ſinne is as much to ſay, as a turning awaye from good to euill: alſo a reuolting, as when thou draweſt thy neck from out of the yoke of his power, to whome thou art a ſeruant: finally, it ſignifieth the crime or guilte, whereby wee indaunger oure ſelues to the rodd of puniſhment.

Verilie S. Auguſtine taketh much The definition of ſinne.paines to finde out a proper definition of ſinne. In his ſecond booke De cō ſenſu Euangeliſtarum, he ſayeth: Sinne is the tranſgreſſion of the Lawe. Ad Simplicianum lib. 1. Sinne is an inordinateneſſe or peruerſeneſſe of man, that is, a turning from the more excellent Creatour, and a turning to the inferiour creatures. De fide contra Manichaeos Cap. 8. hée ſayeth, What is it elſe to ſinne, but to erre in the preceptes of truth, or in the truth it ſelfe. Againe, Contra Fauſtum Manichaeum. Lib. 22. Cap. 27. Sinne is a deede, a woord, or a wiſhe againſt the lawe of God. The ſame Auguſtine De duabus animabus cōtra Manichaeos cap. 11. ſayeth, Sinne is a wil to reteine or obteine that whiche iuſtice forbiddeth, and is not free to abſteine. And In Retract. Lib. 1. Cap. 15. he ſayeth: That will is a motion of the minde, without compulſion either not to looſe or elſe to obteine ſome one thinge or other. All whiche definitions as I doe not vtterly reiecte, ſo doe I wiſhe this to bée conſidered and thought off with the reſte, Sinne is the naturall corruption of manhinde, and the action, whiche ariſeth of it, contrarie to the lawe of God, whoſe wrath, that is, both death and ſundrie puniſhments it bringeth vppon vsus.

Thou heareſt howe well this definition doeth conſiſt vppon his partes. Thou heareſt in it of our natural corruption: in the naming whereof appeareth how this definition doeth not agrée to the ſinne of our firſt parents, in whome there was no naturall corruption. Of which I meane to ſpeake in place conuenient. Thou heareſt the action named, whiche ariſeth of that natural corruption and is repugnaunt to the lawe of God. Thou heareſt that ſinne doeth bring vppon vsus the wrath of God, that is, death and ſundrie ſorts of puniſhments appointed by the mouth of God to plague vsus for our ſinnes. Of which I wil ſpeake in order as they lye, ſo farre foorth as the Lord ſhall giuegive mée grace and abilitie.

Now therefore it ſéemeth that this treatiſe maye moſt aptly bée begonne …at the diſcuſſing of the originall cauſe, and beginning of ſinne. Some there bee that doe deriue the originall cauſe of euill or ſinne, from the influence of the Planets, ſaying: I ſinned, becauſe I was borne vnderunder an vnluckie Planet. Other there are, which when they ſinne, and are rebuked for it, do make this aunſweare, Not I, but the diuel is in fault that I hauehave committed this greeuous crime. And ſometime laying a ſide all excuſes, they doe directlye caſt the blame vppon God, and ſaye: Why, God would that it ſhould bee ſo: For if hee would not hauehave had it ſo, I had not ſinned. An other ſayeth, Since God could hauehave letted it, and would not, he is the cauſe & authour of my ſinne.

But it is no newe thinge nowe that men doe wh…t their blaſphemous tongues againſt God the maker and ruler of all thinges. For our firſt parents, when they had ſinned, & were accuſed of it by God himſelfe, found a ſhifte for to tranſlate the ſinne whiche they committed, from themſelues to other, & would not confeſſe the trueth as it was in very déede. Such is the abhominable wickedneſſe of man. For Adam as it were aunſwearing GOD ouerthwartlye, caſteth the faulte of his offence, not onelyonly vppon his wife, which God had coupled vntounto him, but alſo vppon GOD himſelfe. The woman, ſayeth hee, whome thou gaueſt to bee with mee, gaue mee of the tree and I did eate. As if he ſhould hauehave ſaid: If thou haddeſt not giuen mee the woman, I had not ſinned. But the Lord coupled him to a wife, not to the end that ſhée ſhould bée an occaſion of euill, but that the man mighte bée in the better caſe and condition.

Againe, the woman doeth ſimplie impute the cauſe of that euill vntounto the diuel, ſaying: The Serpent beguiled mee, and I did eate. Loe theſe are moſt corrupt, falſe, wicked and deteſtable opinions touching the originall cauſe of ſinne, wherewith the iuſtice and trueth of God is mightily offended. Neither is the nature of man the The nature of mā is not the cauſe of ſinne.cauſe of ſinne. For God, which created all thinges, did alſo create the nature of man, and made it good, euen as all thinges elſe whiche hée created were alſo good. Therefore the nature of man was good. For it is an accidental qualitie that hapened to man either in, or immediatly after his fall, and not a ſubſtantiall propertie, to hauehave his nature ſo ſpotted with corruption as nowe it is. Nowe wee being borne in ſinne of ſinnefull progenitours, hauehave ſinne by deſcent as our naturall propertie. For Sainct Auguſtine writing De Fide contra Manichaeos Cap. 9. ſayeth: And if wee ſaye that any men are euill by nature, wee meane that they are ſo becauſe of the originall deſcent of our firſt parentes ſinne, wherein wee mortall men are wholie borne. But this nowe requireth a more exacte and ample declaration.

That the diuel alone is not the authour The diuel alone is not the cauſe of ſinne.of ſinne, ſo that when we ſinne, the blame thereof ſhould redound to him, and wee that ſinned eſcape without fault, this doth greatly argue, béecauſe it is in his power to egge and perſuade, but not to inforce a mā to do euill. For God by his power reſtrayneth the diuel from being able to doe the thing that he would do. He can do no more thē God permitteth him to do: for if he had no power ouer an hierd of filthie ſwine, how much l…ſſe authoritie hath hee ouer the excellent ſoules of Gods moſt excellent creatures? Hée hath, I confeſſe, great ſubtilties and more then Khethoricall force, wherewith to perſuade vsus: but God is ſtronger, and neuer ceaſſeth to prompt good and hoaleſome counſels vntounto y^e ſoules of his faithfull ſeruants. Nether doth he permit more to Satan than is for our commoditie: as is to be ſéene in the example of that holy man the patient Iob: and alſo in the example of Paul 2. Cor. 12. and in his words ſaying, God is faithfull, whiche will not ſuffer vsus to be tēpted, aboue that wee are able to beare. They therefore are vainely ſeduced, whiche caſte the faulte of their ſinne vppon the diuels ſhoulders.

To procéede, if thou demaundeſt of them, whiche laye the blame of their ſinne vppon their euill deſtinie, what That deſtinie is not the cauſe of ſinne.deſtinie is? they will anſweare, either that it is a courſe knitt together by eternitie, and lincked to it ſelfe, as it were a certaine chaine and continuall roawe of counſels, and workes neceſſarilie following one vppon an others necke, according to the diſpoſition and ordinaunce of God: or elſe that it is y^e euill ſtarres or planets. Now if thou demaundeſt againe, who made the ſtarrs? they hauehave none other anſwere, but God: it followeth therefore conſequently that they inforce the cauſe of their ſinne vppon God himſelfe. But al the auncient and beſt Philoſophers did neuer pretend or alledge deſtinie, much leſſe ſuch Chriſtians as did freely confeſſe the mightie power of their God and maker. And euen amonge our men, I meane, amonge them that would ſéeme to bee Chriſtians, they which ſtoode in the opinion of deſtinie and conſtellations, were ſuch kinde of fellowes as wiſe men would be aſhamed to follow them as authors. Bardeſanes imputed to deſtinie the cō uerſations of mortall men. And the Priſcillianiſts, who were condemned in the firſt counſell helde at Toledo, thought and taught that mā is tyed to fatall ſtarres, and hath his bodie compact according to the 12. ſignes in heauen, placing Aries in the head, Taurus in the necke, and ſo conſequently to euerie ſigne his ſeuerall limins. S. Auguſtine, In opuſculo S 2. quaeſtionū. Quiſt. 45. confuting ſoundly the deſtinies of Planets, amonge other his reaſons ſayeth, The conceyuing of twinns in the mothers wōbe, becauſe it is made …in one and the ſame acte, as the Phyſicians teſtifie (whoſe diſcipline is farre more certeine and manifeſt than that of the Aſtrologers) doeth happen in ſo ſmall a moment of time, tha… there is not ſo much time as two minuts of a minute betwixt the conceyuing of the one and the other. How therfore commeth it, that in twinnes of one burden there is ſo great a diuerſitie of de…des, wills, and chaunces, conſidering that they of neceſſitie muſt neds hauehave one and the ſame planet in their conception, and that the Mathematicals do giuegive the conſtellation of them both, as if it were but of one man? To theſe woordes of S. Auguſtine great light maye bee added, if you annexe to them and examine narrowely the example of Eſau and Iacobs birth, and ſundrie diſpoſitions. The ſame Auguſtine writing to Boniface againſt two epiſtles of the Pelagians Lib. 2. cap. 6. ſayeth: They which affirme that deſtinie doeth rule, will hauehave not onelyonly our deeds and euents, but alſo our very wils, to depend vponupon the placeing of the ſtarres, at the time wherin euerie man is either conceyued or borne, whiche placeings they are wonte to call Conſtellations.

But the grace of God doth not onelyonly goe aboue all ſtarres, and heauens, but alſo aboue the verie Angels them ſelues. Moreouer, theſe diſputers for deſtinie, do attribute to deſtinie both the good and euil that happen to men. But God in the euils that fall vppon men doth duely and worthily recompence them for their ill deſertes: but the good, which they hauehave, he doth beſtowe vppon them not for their merites, but of his owne fauour & mercifull goodneſſe through grace, that cannot be looked for of duetie: laying both good and euil vppon vsus men not through the temporall courſe of planets, but by the déepe and eternall counſell of his ſeueritie and goodnes. So then wée ſée that neither y^e fallinge out of good or euill hath any relation vntounto y^• planets. Therefore this place may be concluded with the wordes of the Lorde in the Prophet Ieremie, ſaying: Thus ſaith the Lorde, ye ſhal not learne after the manner of the heathen, and ye ſhall not be atraide for the tokens of heauen, for the heathen are afraide of ſuch, yea, all the obſeruations of the Gentiles are vanitie. For the planets hauehave no force, to doe either good or euill. And therefore the blame of ſinnes is not to bee imputed therevnto.

I hauehave now to proue vntounto you that … is not ….God is not the cauſe of ſinne, or the author of euill. God, ſaye they, would hauehave it ſo. For if he would not hauehave had it ſo, I had not ſinned. For who may reſiſt his power? Againe, ſince he could hauehave letted it, and would not, he is the author of my ſinne and wickedneſſe. As though wee knewe not the craftie quarels and ſubtile ſhiftes of mortal men. Wh…, I pray you, knoweth not that God doth not deale with vsus by his abſolute power, but by an appointed lawe and ordinance, I meane, by commodious meanes, & a probable order? God could I know by his abſolute power kéepe off all euil: but yet he neither can nor wil either corrupt or marre his creature & excellent order. Hee dealeth with vsus men therefore after the manner of men: he appointeth vsus lawes, and layeth before vsus rewardes & puniſhements: he commaundeth to imbrace the good, and eſchue the euill: to the perfourming whereof he doth neither denye vsus his grace, without which we can do nothing: neither doeth he deſpiſe our diligent good wil and earneſt trauaile. Herein, if man bee ſlacke, the negligence and fault is imputed to man him ſelfe, and not to God, although he could hauehave kept off y^e ſinne, and did not: for it was not his duetie to kéepe it off, leaſt peraduenture hee ſhould diſturbe the order, and deſtroy the work which he him ſelf had made and ordeined. Therefore God is not the author of ſinne or naughtineſſe. Touching which matter I will firſte adde ſome teſtimonies of the holie Scripture: then aunſwere to ſundry obiections of the aduerſaries of this doctrine: and laſtly declare the originall cauſe or headſpring of ſinne and wickedneſſe.

The teſtimonies, which teach that God being good himſelfe created all thinges good whiche be created.God is not y^e author of ſinne or naughtineſſe, are many in number, but among the reſt, this is an argument of greateſt force and probabilitie, becauſe God is ſaide to be good naturally: and that all which he created were made good in their creation. Whervppon it is that Solomon ſaith: God hath not made death, neither hath he delight in the deſtruction of the liuing: for he created all thinges that they might hauehave their being, and the beginnings of the world were health full, & there is no poyſon of deſtruction in them, nor the kingdome of hell vppon the earth: for righteouſeneſſe is immortall, but vnrighteouſneſſe bringeth death: and the vngodly call it to them both with wordes and woorkes, and thereby come to nought. And ſo forth, as is to be ſéen in the firſte Chapter of the booke of wiſedome: which wordes do paſſingly agrée with y^• firſte Chapters of that moſt excellent prophet Moſes.

In the fifth Pſalme, Dauid ſaith: Thou art the God, that haſt no pleaſure in wickedneſſe: neither ſhal any euil dwell with thee: the vniuſt ſhall not ſtande in thy ſight: for thou hateſt all them that woorke iniquitie: thou ſhalt deſtroy them that ſpeake leaſing: the Lord doth abhorre both the bloudthirſtie & deceiptful man. Lo, thou canſt deuiſe nothing more contrarie to the nature of God than ſinne & nau…htineſſe: as thou mayeſt more at large perceiue in y^e 34 Chapter of the booke of Iob.

The wiſeman ſaith: God created man good, but they ſought out many inuentions of their owne. And therefore the Apoſtle Paule deriueth ſinne, damnation, and death, not from God, but from Adam, and from God he fetcheth grace, forgiueneſſe & life, through the mediatour Ieſus Chriſte.

That place of Paule is farre more manifeſt than that it néedeth any large expoſition: let it onelyonly bee conſidered and diligently weighed of the Readers and hearers: whome I woulde wiſhe alwayes to beare in mouth and mynde the verie wordes & meaning of this notable ſentence: Euen as by one man ſinne entred into the worlde, and death by ſinne. And ſo foorth as followeth.

The ſame Apoſtle in the ſeuenth to the Romanes, doeth euidently declare that the lawe is holie, the commaundement good and iuſt, and therby he doth inſinuate that in God or in his will there is not, and in his lawe, which is the will of God, there ſpringeth not any ſpott or blurre of ſinne or naughtineſſe. In our fleaſh, ſaith he, the euil lurketh, and out of vsus iniquitie ariſeth. I knowe, ſaith hee, that in mee, that is, in my fleſhe, there is no good. In that Chapter there are many ſentences to be founde, which doe wonderfully confirme this argument.

Againe, in the thirde to the Romanes, the ſame Apoſtle ſaith: If our vnrighteouſneſſe ſetteth foorth the righteouſneſſe of God, what ſhal wee ſaye? Is God vnrighteous which taketh vengeance? (I ſpeake after the maner of men, that is, I vſe the wordes of wicked people) God forbidde. For howe then ſhall GOD iudge the worlde? for if the trueth of God hath more abounded through my lye vntounto his glorie, why am I as yet iudged as a ſinner? &c. Verily if God were the author of ſinne and all euil, and that he would hauehave the wicked to be ſuch, as in verie déede they are, then why, I praye you, ſhoulde hee iudge or puniſhe them as tranſgreſſours, ſince they by ſinning fulfilled his will?

To this place alſo doth belong that teſtimonie of the bleſſed Euangeliſte and Apoſtle Iohn in his canonicall Epiſtle, where he ſaith: If any man louelove the worlde, the louelove of the father is not in him. For all that is in the worlde as the luſt of the fleſhe, and the luſt of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the father, but of the worlde.

And the world paſſeth away & the luſt thereof. But he that fulfilleth the will of the father, abideth for euer. Lo here, God is vtterly frée from all euil: euil, ſaith he, is not of the father, but of the world. And he which doth the will of the father, doeth not what the world will, but what God will.

Therefore theſe two good and euil, ſinne and the will of God are directly oppoſed & repugnant the one againſte the other. Theſe teſtimonies thoughe fewe in number, are notwithſtanding, in my iudgement, ſufficiently ſignificant and able to perſuade a godly diſpoſed hearer.

Nowe vppon this wee doe firſt inferre a concluſion and boldly warrant that poynt of catholique doctrine, which hath euer ſince the Apoſtles time alwayes béene defended with much diligence againſte the vnpure Philoſophie of ſome (although yet I do not vtterly condemne all y^e partes of Philoſophie: knowing verie well that ſome poyntes thereof are verie neceſſarie and profitable to the zealous louers of God and godlyneſſe:) that God is not the author of euil, or …cauſe of ſinne. Then out of y^e ſame teſtimonies wee gather that the originall cauſe of ſinne or euil is deriued of man him ſelfe, and his ſuggeſter and prouoker the diuel: ſo yet that wee ſaye, that the diuel beeing firſte him ſelfe corrupted, did corrupt man, beeing neuertheleſſe not able of him ſelfe to hauehave done any thing, had not man of his owne accorde conſented vntounto euil.

And here wee muſt ſett before our eyes the fall of our firſt father Adam, that by the conſideration thereof wee maye bee the better able to iudge of the originall cauſe of ſinne and iniquitie. God created Adam the firſte father of vsus all, according to his own ſimilitude and likeneſſe, that is to ſaye, he made him good, moſte pure, moſt holie, moſte iuſte, and immortall, and adorned him with eueryevery excellent gifte and facultie, ſo that there was nothing wanting to him in God, which was auailable to perfect felicitie.

Touching this ſimilitude or likeneſſe to God I ſhall take occaſion vppon the woordes of Paule to ſpeake hereafter. So then hee was indued with a verie diuine, a pure, & ſharpe vnderſtanding. His will was free without conſtraint, and abſolutelye holie. Hee had power to doe either good or euill. Moreouer, God gaue him a lawe which might inſtruct him what to doe, and what to leaue vndone. For God in ſaying: Thou ſhalt not eate of the fruite of the tree of knowledge of good and euil, did ſimply require at his handes faith, and obedience, and that hee ſhoulde wholie depende vppon God: all which hee had to doe not by compulſion or neceſſitie, but of his owne accorde and free good will.

For verie truely and holily writ the wiſe man in the fiftéenth of Eccleſiaſticus, ſaying: God made man in the beginninge, and l…ft him in the hande of his counſell. He gaue him his commaundementes and preceptes, if thou wilt, thou ſhalt kepe my commaundementes, and they ſhall preſerue thee.

Therefore when the Serpent tēpted the minde of man, and did perſuade him to taſt of the forbidden trée, man knewe wel enough what perill was laide before him, and howe the ſerpents counſell was flatly repugnant to the Lordes commaundement. In the meane time, neither did God compell him, nor Satan in the ſerpent inforce him to ſinne, while he reſiſted and did withſtande him. For God had ſaide: Ye ſhall not eate of that tree, nor touche it: if ye doe, ye ſhal die for it. Therefore hee was at his owne frée choice, and in the hande of his owne counſell, either to eate or not to eate. Yea, God declared his minde vntounto him in giuing preciſe cō maundement, that he ſhould not eate: and to the commandement he annexed the daunger of the breache thereof, withdrawing him thereby from the eating of the fruite and ſaying: Leaſt perhaps thou dye. And as Satan could not, ſo alſo he did not, ſhew any violence, but vſed ſuche probable wordes to counſell him, as he coulde, and did in déede at length perſuade him. For when the womans will gaue eare to the woorde of the diuell, her minde departed from the woord of God, whereby ſhée reiected the good lawe of God, did of her owne peruerſe will committ that ſinne, and drewe her huſbande, that yelded of his owne accorde, into the fellowſhippe of the ſame offence: as the Scripture doeth moſte ſignificantly expreſſe in theſe wordes: And the woman ſeeing that the tree was good to eate of, and pleſant to the eyes, and a tree to bee deſired to make one wiſe, tooke of the fruite thereof, and did eate, and gaue to her huſband with her, and he did eate alſo. Lo heere thou haſt the beginning of euill, the diuel: thou haſt heard what it was that moued the minde or will of man vntounto that euill, …o wite, the falſe perſuaſion of the di…el, or his ſubtile praiſe of the fruite of the trée, & ſo conſequently a méere lye, and the pleaſant ſhewe of the delicate tree.

But that, which our firſt parents did, they did of their owne accorde, & frée good will, beeing ledd by hope to obteine a more excellent life, & profounder wiſedome, which the ſeducer had falſely promiſed them. Wee doe therefore conclude y^• ſinne doth ſpring not of God which hateth and doth prohibite all euill, but of the diuel, the frée election of our graundparents & their corrupted will, which was depraued by the diuels lye, and the falſe ſhewe of fayned good. So then the diuel, and the yeldinge or corrupted minde of man are the verie cauſes of ſinne and naughtineſſe.

To procéede nowe, this euil doth by Sin … of … diuels … our corrupt …deſcent flowe from our firſte parentes into all their poſteritie, ſo that at this daye ſinne doth not ſpring from elſe where, but of our ſelues, that is to ſaye, of our corrupt iudgement, depraued will, and the ſuggeſtion of y^e diuell. For the roote of euill is yet remaining in our fleſh by reaſon of that firſt corruption: which roote bringeth foorth a corrupt braunche in nature like vntounto it ſelfe: which braunch Satan euen nowe, as hee hath done alwayes, doeth by his ſleightes, ſubtilties, and lyes, cheriſh, tende, and tender as an impe of his owne planting: and yet notwithſtandinge hee laboureth in vaine, vnleſſe wee yelde our ſelues to his handes to bee framed as he liſteth. Nowe therefore that there may herein appeare leſſe doubte or darkeneſſe, I will for confirmations ſake adde two moſte euident teſtimonies, the one out of the writinges of the Euangeliſtes, the other out of the doctrine of the Apoſtles.

The Lorde in the Goſpell ſaith: The diuell was a murderer from the beginninge, and ſtoode not in the trueth: becauſe the trueth is not in him. When he ſpeaketh a lye, he ſpeketh …. 8.of his owne, becauſe he is a lyar, and the father of lyes. By theſe wordes of the Lorde wee gather that euill is to be referred to the diuel, who being created in trueth and goodneſſe, did not ſtand faſt in trueth and goodneſſe, but degenerated from his nature, wherein hee was made good, and fell into another nature, corrupt and wicked, and hath out of him ſelfe diſperſed al euil (as it appeared by the hiſtorie of our firſt parentes) into the worlde, to wite, murther and lyes, (vnderunder which two are comprehended all other euils) of which he is expreſſely ſaide to be the father, that is, the cauſe, the author, the welſpring, and beginning: not becauſe he was made ſuche an one of God, but becauſe hee ſtoode not faſt in the trueth. To them therefore that do demaunde: of what beginning Satan came, and whether God made him or no? Our aunſwere is, that God in déede made all the Angels, and thoſe alſo which afterwarde did become reprobates and wicked diuels: but we do not therefore ſaye, that the cauſe of euil doth redound to God. For we knowe that God in the beginning made all the Angels good. For all things which hee made were good.

Furthermore, it is ſaide that the diuel ſtoode not in the trueth, that is, that he reuolted from the trueth: frō which he could not hauehave reuolted, if he had neuer ſtoode in it. Therefore God in the beginning did place all his Angels in the trueth. Hee required of them trueth, faith or fidelitie, and the duetie that they ought him: which they were able to hauehave done, if they them ſelues would. But they did diſloyally fal from their allegiaunce and ſinned, as the Apoſtle Peter teſtifieth, againſt the Lorde, and therefore the fault of their falſhood, and of all their naughtineſſe was not in God, but in the rebellious and reuolting Angel. For ſince the time of his fall, there is no trueth, no fidelitie, no integritie, no feare of God, no light or goodneſſe to be found in him. Therefore truely ſaide Sainct Iohn in his Canonicall Epiſtle: He that committeth ſinne is of the diuel, for the diuell ſinneth from the beginning. For he is the firſt ſinner and the beginning of ſinne. To this alſo may this note be added, that of Peter and Iohn, the diuel is ſaide to ſinne. For ſinne is repugnāt to the will of God: therefore God would not hauehave had him periſh, whervpon, ſince he periſhed, it followeth that he periſhed, not by the faulte of God, but by his owne fault.

Let vsus nowe heare the other teſtimonie concerning the corrupt will of man, which is in verie deede the cauſe of ſinne. Sainct Iames the Apoſtle ſaith: Let no man ſaye, when hee is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot bee tempted with euil, neither tempteth he any man. But euerie man is tēpted when he is drawen away and enticed of his owne concupiſcence: then when luſt hath conceiued, it bringeth forth ſinne: and ſinne, when it is finiſhed, bringeth forth death. In theſe wordes Sainct Iames, I hope, doth euidently enough make God to be free from all faulte of ſinne, and doeth deriue it of vsus our ſelues, ſhewing by the way the beginning and procéeding of ſinne. Neither doeth Iames in this place gainſay the place in Geneſis, where Moſes ſaide: God tempted Abraham. For in Moſes, to tempt, doth ſignifie to make a triall or a proofe. But in this argument of ours, it ſignifieth to ſtirre or drawe to euil, and ſo to corrupt vsus. Therefore, God, as hee cannot, ſaith he, be …mpted of euil, that is to ſaye, as God is by nature good and vncorrupt, ſo doth he not corrupt, depraue or defile any man with euil. For that is contrarie to the nature of God: From whence then hath ſinne his beginning? The holie Apoſtle aunſwereth ſaying: Yea, eueryevery one is tempted, corrupted and drawen into euil, while he is withdrawen and enticed with his owne concupiſence. Lo here, ſinne taketh beginning of our concupiſcence, and is accompliſhed and finiſhed by our owne woorke and labour.

Note heere by the waye, what a weight and Emphaſis eueryevery one of y^• Apoſtles wordes doeth carrie with it. For firſte, hee maketh concupiſcence our owne, or proper to vsus al, euen as the Lorde before did ſaye of Satan: When he ſpeaketh a lye, he ſpeaketh of his owne. Nowe becauſe concupiſcence is our owne, therefore ſinne is our owne alſo. For concupiſcence doth withdrawe vsus from that that is true, iuſt and good, to that which is falſe, vniuſt and euil. The ſame cō cupiſcence enticeth vsus, that is, by making a ſhewe of falſe hope it doth deceiue vsus: as foulers are wont with meate to entice birdes into their nets, which, whē they hauehave deceiued them, they catch vpp and kill. What I pray you could bee ſpoken more plainely? wee are by our owne concupiſcence caſt into euil.

This concupiſcence draweth vsus from God, it doth entice and vtterly deceiue vsus. And then hauing layde the foundation of ſinne, and opened y^• welſpring from whence it floweth, he doth verie properly allude, and by an Allegorie ſhewe vsus y^• genealogie, that is, the beginning and procéeding of ſinne. That concupiſcence, ſaith he, which is proper vntounto vsus all, doeth as it were a matrix conceiue ſinne in vsus, and immediatly after doeth bring it forth, to wite, when our luſt burſteth out into the act, when wee do gréedily proſecute that which we luſted after, and being once obteined we do inioye it againſt the lawe of God: vppon the necke whereof, death doeth followe without intermiſſion. For the reward of ſinne is death. I hauehave, I truſt, by theſe euident proofes of Scripture plainly declared, that God is not the cauſe of euil, but our corrupt will, or concupiſcence, and the diuel, which ſtirreth, prouoketh and inflameth our depraued nature to ſinne and wickedneſſe, as he which is the tempter and vtter enimie to mankind and his ſaluation.

It will not be a miſſe here to heare the obiections of certeine cauillers againſt Obiections are a… ſwered.this doctrine, and to learne howe to aunſwere them accordinge to the trueth. Some there are, which when they ſée that wee deriue ſinne, not of the nature of God, but of the corrupt will of man, and falſe ſuggeſtion of the diuel, do preſently obiect, that God created Adam, and ſo conſequently created ſinne in Adam. To this wee aunſwere, that ſinne is the corruption of y^e good nature made by God, and not a creature created by God either in, or with man. God created man good, but man beeing left to his owne counſell, did through the perſuaſion of Satan, by his owne action, and depraued will, corrupte the goodneſſe that God created in him: ſo nowe that ſinne is proper to man, I meane, mannes corrupt action againſt the lawe of God, and not a creature created in him of God. To this they replie, but the will and abilitie that was in Adam, was it from elſe where than from God him ſelfe? vndoubtedly no, it was from God. Therefore, ſaye they, ſinne is of GOD.

I denye it, for God gaue not to Adam will and power of working, to the ende that he ſhould worke euil. For by expreſſe commaundement he forbadd him to do wickedneſſe. Therfore Adam him ſelfe did naughtily applye the will and power which he receiued of God, by vſing them vntowardly. The prodigall ſonne receiued money at his fathers hand, whoſe meaning was not that he ſhuld waſte it prodigally with riottous lyuing, but that hee might hauehave wherevppon to liue and ſupplye the want of his neceſſities.

Wherefore, when he had lauiſhly laſht it out, and vtterly vndone him ſelfe, the fault was in him ſelfe for abuſing it, and not in his father for giuing it vntounto him. Furthermore, to hauehave the power to doe good and euill, as Adam had of God, is of it ſelfe a thing without fault: euen as alſo to hauehave poyſon, to beare a weapon, or weare a ſwoorde, is a thing that no man can worthily blame. They hauehave in them a force to doe good or harme. They are not naught vnleſſe they be abuſed. And hee that giueth thee them, doeth leaue to thee the vſe thereof.

If hee bee a iuſt man, hee putteth them into thy hande, not to abuſe, but to vſe as equitie and right requireth. Wherefore, if thou abuſeſt them, the faulte is imputed to thee ſelfe, and not to him that gaue thée them.

Nowe, ſince God, which gaue Adam that will and power, is of him ſelfe moſte abſolutely iuſt, it followeth conſequently, that hee gaue them to Adam not to doe euil but good: why then is the moſte iuſte God blamed in ſuch a caſe, as ſinfull man is without all blame in? Wee do therfore conclude, becauſe affection in Adam beeing moued by ſenſe, and egged on by the ſerpent did perſuade him to eate of the forbidden fruite, when neuertheleſſe his vnderſtanding did yet holde the worde of God, which forbadde him to eate, and that his will was at free choyce and libertie to incline to whether parte it pleaſed him, he did notwithſtanding will and chooſe that which God had forbidden him, (wee do therefore, I ſaye, conclude) that ſinne is properly to be imputed to man, which willingly tranſgreſſed, and not to God, which charged him, that hee ſhoulde not ſinne.

Here againe the aduerſaries aſke Why God created mā ſo fickle that hee ſhould fallthis queſtion, why did God create man ſo fraile that he of his owne will might incline to euill: why did hee not rather confirme in him the goodneſſe and perfecte ſoundneſſe of nature, that he could not hauehave fallen or ſinned? To this the Scripture aunſweareth, ſaying: What art thou that diſputeſt with God? woe to him that ſtriueth with his maker. Wo to him that ſaith to the father, why begotteſt thou? and to the mother, why broughteſt thou foorth?

Vnleſſe God had made man fallable, there had béene no praiſe of his workes or vertue. For hee coulde neither hauehave willed nor chooſed but of neceſſitie hauehave béene good. Yea, what if man ought altogether to be made fall-able?

For ſo did the counſell of God require him to bee. God giueth not his owne glorie to any creature. Adam was a man and not a God. But to be good of neceſſitie is the proper glorie of God, and of none but God. And as God is bountifull and liberall, ſo alſo is he iuſt. He doth good to men: but will therewithall that men acknowledge him and his benefites, and that they obey him, and bee thankfull for the ſame. He had beſtowed innumerable benefites vppon Adam, there lacked nothing therefore but to giuegive him an occaſion to declare & ſhewe his thankfulneſſe and obedience to his good God and benefactour. Which occaſion hee offered him by the making of y^e lawe, or giuing his commandement. We ſée therefore, that God ordeined not that lawe to bee a ſtumblinge blocke in Adams waye, but rather to bee a ſtaffe to ſtaye him from falling. For in the lawe he declareth what he would hauehave him to doe. He ſheweth that he wiſheth not the death or deſtruction of Adam: he teacheth him what to do, that he may eſcape death, and liue in felicitie & perfect happineſſe. For which cauſe alſo hee prouided that the lawe ſhould be a plaine and eaſie commandement: Of the tree of knowledge of good and euil thou ſhalt not eat, ſaith To what e…d God gaue the lawe to Adam.the Lorde, for if thou doeſt thou ſhalt dye the death: but of any other tree in the garden thou ſhalt eate. What elſe was this, than as if hee ſhoulde hauehave ſaide? thou ſhalt in all thinges hauehave an eye to mée, thou ſhalt ſtick to mee, obey mee, be ſubiect vntounto mee, and ſerue mee: neither ſhalt thou frō elſewhere ferche the formes of good & euil than of mee: and in ſo dding thou ſhalt ſhewe thy ſelf obedient & thankfull vntounto mee thy maker. Did God in this, deſire any vniuſt thinge or more than he ſhould at the hands of Adam? He ſhewed him the trée as a ſacramēt or ſigne of that, which he inioyned him by the giuing of the law, to wite, that the trée might be a token to put him in memorie that he ought to obey y^e Lord alone, as a wiſe, bountiful, excellent, and greateſt God and maker. And what difficultie I pray you, or darkneſſe was there herein? Sainct Auguſtine is of the ſame opinion with vsus, who in his booke De natura boni aduerſus Manichaeos Cap. 35. ſaith: He did therefore forbidd it, that hee might ſhewe, that the nature of the reaſonable ſoule ought to be, not in mannes owne power, but in ſubiection vntounto God, and that by obedience it keepeth the order of her ſaluation, which by diſobedience it doeth corrupt and marre. And herevppon it commeth that he called the trée, which he forbadd, by the name of the trée of knowledge of good and euil: becauſe Adam, if hee touched it againſt the Lordes commaundement, ſhoulde by tryall feele the puniſhmēt of his ſinne, and by that meanes knowe what difference there was betwixt the good y^• followeth obedience, & the euil which enſueth the ſinne of diſobediēce. Now therefore when the Serpēt was crept in, and beganne to tell man of other fourmes of good and euil directly contrary to the lawe of God, and that mā had once receiued them as thinges both true, and credible, hee did diſloyally reuolt from God, and by his owne fault through diſobedience hee wrought his owne deſtruction.

Therefore God did alwayes deale iuſtly with him, and man contrarily dealt too too vniuſtly, and was vtterly vnthankfull, howeſoeuer men will go about to cloake, or not to heare of his vnthankfull ſtubbornneſſe.

But whereas wee ſaye, that man was made fall-able, wee will not There was … corrup… or in…m…tie in …dam be…re his falhauehave it to bee ſo vnderſtoode that anye man ſhoulde thincke that there was in Adam any one iotte or pricke of infirmitie before his fall. For, as hee was in all poyntes moſte abſolutely perfect, ſo was hee in no poynt created ſo fraile that he ſhoulde ſinne or periſh by death.

For God, which is one in ſubſtaunce, and thrée in perſons, ſaide: Let vsus make man in our image, after our owne likeneſſe. Note here that Zaelaem doeth ſignifie the picture or counterfaite of an other thinge, and that Demuth importeth the verie patterne whereby any picture is drawen or image portrayed. Therefore, in God is the example or patterne, to the reſemblance whereof there was a picture or ſimilitude framed. But that repreſenting likeneſſe cannot be this … image … God.bodie of ours. For God is a ſpirite, in no poynt like to the nature of duſt and aſhed: wee muſt of neceſſitie therefore reſemble the image of God to ſpirituall thinges, as to immortalitie, trueth, iuſtice and holineſſe. For ſo hath the Apoſtle Paule taught vsus, where he ſaith: Bee ye renued in the ſpirite of your mind, and put on that newe man, which after God is ſhapen in righteouſeneſſe and holineſſe of trueth.

Wherefore, there was no want in our graundefather Adam, of any thing that was auailable to abſolute perfectneſſe: ſo that euen a blinde man may perceiue, that man was not created to death and deſtruction, but vntounto life, felicitie, and abſolute bleſſedneſſe.

But, ſay they, God did foreknow …the fall of man, which, if he would, he coulde hauehave withſtood: nowe ſince he could and would not, God is to bee blamed becauſe Adam ſinned. It is a goodly matter in déede, when all feare of God beeing layde aſide, men wil at their pleaſure fall flatly on railing againſt the maieſtie of God allmightie.

I aunſwered in the beeginning of this diſcourſe to this obiection. And yet this I adde here more ouer, that vppon Gods foreknowledge there followech no neceſſitie, ſo that Adam did of neceſſitie ſinne, becauſe God did foreknowe that he would ſinne. A prudent father doth foreſée by ſome vntowarde tokens, that his ſonne will one daye come to an ill ending. Neither is he deceiued in his foreſight for he is ſlaine being taken in adulterie. But he is not therefore ſlaine, becauſe his father foreſawe that hee woulde be ſlaine: but becauſe he was an adulterer.

And therefore Saincte Ambroſe, or whoſoeuer it is, that was author of the ſeconde booke De gentium vocatione. Chap. 4. ſpeaking of the murther whiche Cain committed, ſaith: God verily did foreknowe, to what ende the furie of that mad man would come. And yet becauſe Gods foreknowledge could not bee deceiued, it doth not thereupon followe, that neceſſitie of ſinning did vrge the crime vppon him &c.

And Sainct Auguſtine, De libero arbitrio. Lib. 3. Cap. 4. ſaith: As thou by thy memorie doeſt not compell thoſe things to be done that are gone and paſt, ſo God by his foreknowledge doth not compell thoſe things to be done which are to come. And as thou remembreſt ſome thinges that thou haſt done, and yet haſt not done all thinges which thou remembreſt; ſo God foreknoweth al things which he doth: and yet doeth not all which he foreknoweth. But God is a iuſt reuenger of that, whereof he is no euil author. And ſo forth.

Like vntounto this is an other obiection, which they make, that ſaye: God An obiection.did before all beginninges determine with him ſelfe to deliuer mankinde from bondage: therefore it could not otherwiſe be, but that we ſhould firſte be intangled in bondage: therefore it behoued vsus to be drowned in ſinne, that by that meanes the glorie of God might ſhine more clearely as the Apoſtle ſaid: Where ſinne was plentious, there was Grace more plentious.

But it is meruaile that theſe cauillers do no better conſider, that God of him ſelf without vsus is ſufficient to him ſelfe vntounto abſolute bleſſedneſſe and moſte perfecte felicitie, and that his glorie could (as it doth) of it ſelfe reache aboue all heauens, althoughe there had neuer béene any creature brought into light. Is not GOD without beginning? but we his creatures had a beginning. God is glorious from before all beginninges: therefore he is glorious without vsus: and his glorie woulde be as greate as it is, though we were not.

But what dullarde is ſo fooliſhe as to thinke that that eternall light of God doeth drawe any brightneſſe of glorie at oure darkeneſſe: or out of the ſtinking dungeon of our ſinne and wickedneſſe? Should Gods glorie be no glorie, if it were not for our ſinns? The wiſe man in Eccleſiaſticus, ſaith: Saye not thou, it is the Lordes faulte that I hauehave ſinned: for thou ſhalt not do the thing that God hateth. Saye not thou: he hath cauſed mee to doe wronge: for hee hath no neede of the ſinner. Or, for the wicked are not néedefull vntounto him. God hateth all abhomination of errour, and they that woorſhip God, will louelove none ſuch. Why therefore doe wee not chaunge our manner of reaſoning, and ſo conſider of the matter as it is in verie déede? God of his eternall goodneſſe and liberalitie, whereby hee wiſheth him ſelfe to bee parted among vsus all to oure felicitie, did from euerlaſtinge determine to create man to his owne ſimilitude and likeneſſe: but for becauſe hee did foreſée that he woulde fall headlonge into a filthie and miſerable bondage, hee did therefore by the ſame his grace and goodneſſe ordeine a deliuerer to bringe vsus out of thraldome: to the ende, that ſo hee might communicate him ſelfe vntounto vsus, that wee might praiſe his gratious fauour, and render thankes to his fatherly goodneſſe.

And ſo whatſoeuer wee men hauehave ſinned and turned to our owne deſtruction, that ſame doeth God conuert againe to our commoditie and ſaluation: euen as he is read to hauehave done in the caſe of Ioſeph and his brethren, which is as it were a certeine type of ſpirituall thinges and caſes of ſaluation. And wee muſt wholie endeuour our ſelues to doe what wee maye in reaſoning of this argument ſo to turne it, that all glorie maye bee giuen to God alone, and to vsus nothing elſe but ſilence in the ſight of God.

Nowe, laſt of all, there are yet behinde ſome places of Scripture How … giueth ouer ….which muſt, by the waye, be runne through and expounded. The Apoſtle verily ſaith: God gaue them vpp to a reprobate ſenſe.

But this kinde of giuing ouer is, as Auguſtine alſo ſaith, a woorke of iudgement and iuſtice. For they were woorthie to bee giuen vpp vntounto a reprobate ſenſe. The cauſe is prefixed in the woordes of the Apoſtle. For God had made him ſelfe manifeſt vntounto them: but they were not onelye vnthanckefull towardes him, but waxed wiſe alſo in theire owne conceiptes, and went about to obtrude vntounto him, I wot not what manner of religion and woorſhip. Therefore, that they might by proofe ſée, that they were fooles and vngodly, God gaue them vpp vntounto filthie luſtes.

In like manner, kinge Amazias woulde not giuegive eare and hearken to the Lorde, becauſe God had determined to puniſhe his iniquities: as is to be read in the fourth booke of Kings …the fourtéenth Chapter. and 2. Paralipo. 25. Chapter. Likewiſe did the Lorde putt the ſpirite of errour into the monthes of the falſe prophets and they ſeduced Aegypte, Eſaye 19. So alſo did a ſeducing ſpirite goe out from the Lorde of iudgement, and was a lying ſpirite in the mouth of all the Prophets: as is to be ſéene in the laſt Chapter of the thirde booke of Kinges. Nowe the Lorde doeth all … c…p.theſe thinges with iuſt and holie iudgement.

Againe, GOD is ſaide to blinde …mennes eyes, ſo often as he doeth reuoke or take awaye the contemned light of his trueth and ſinceritie, leauing them, that delight in darkneſſe, to walke and ſticke in their darkeneſſe ſtill. For then the Lorde permitteth his woorde to be preached to the vnthankfull and vngodly receiuers vntounto their iudgment or condemnation. For ſo verily doeth the Euangelicall and Apoſtolique doctrune teache vsus to thinke.

This, ſaith the Lorde, is condemnation, or, this is iudgement, that the ſonne of God the verie true light came into the world, and the world loued darkeneſſe more then light. And Paule ſaide: If yet the Goſpell be hidd, it is hid in them that periſh: in whome the God of this worlde hath blinded the ſenſes of the vnbeleeuers &c.

In the ſame ſenſe, God is ſaide to To hardenharden man. For when the Lorde calleth man, and hee reſiſteth, making him ſelfe vnworthie of the kingdome of heauen, hee doeth then permitt him vntounto him ſelfe: that is, hee leaueth man vntounto his owne corrupte nature, accordinge vntounto which the heart of man is ſtonie, which is mollified and made tractable by the onelyonly grace of God: therefore, the withdrawing of Gods grace is the hardening of mannes hearte: and when wee are leafte vntounto our ſelues, then are wee hardened.

Pharao king of Aegypt did by his murthering of the Iſraelitiſh infants, by his tyrannie, and many other vices, horribly committed againſt the lawe of nature, offende the eyes of Gods moſte iuſt and heauenly maieſtie: therefore it is no meruaile that hee hardened his heart. But if any man will not admitt or receiue this expoſition, yet can he not denye that God in the Scriptures doeth vſe our kindes of phraſes and manner of ſpéeches. Nowe we are wont to ſaye: this father doeth by too much cockering or ouer gentle dealing marre or harden his ſonne, he maketh him ſtubborne & ſtiffen…cked, & yet the father doth not tēder him to deſtroy, but to ſaue him: y^e ſonne in deede by the abuſe of his fathers clemencie doeth both deſtroye & harden him ſelfe.

Therfore wheras y^e ſonne is hardened, that cōmeth by his owne, & not his fathers fault, although the father beare the name to hauehave hardened him or made him paſt grace. And verily if thou doeſt diligently conſider the hiſtorie of Pharao, thou ſhalte oftener than once finde this ſentence repeated there: And God hardened Pharaos heart, namely when ſome benefite or God hardned Pharao…s hart.deliuerie from euil was wrought before.

As though the Scripture ſhoulde hauehave ſaide: by this benefite of deliuering him from euil, did God harden y^e heart of Pharao, while hee abuſed the goodneſſe of God, and ſuppoſed that al thinges would be afterwardes out of peril and daunger, becauſe God had taken away the preſent puniſhment, and did beginne to doe him good. And yet I confeſſe that God before he had benefited, or layde any puniſhments vppon Aegypt, did immediately vppon y^e calling of Moſes, ſaye: I knowe that the king of Aegypt will not let you departe. And againe: See that thou do all theſe ſignes and wonders which I hauehave put in thy hande before Pharao: but I will harden Pharaos heart, that he ſhall not let the people goe. But theſe ſayings doe not tende hereunto, that we ſhould make God the author of all Pharaos falſhood, rebellion, and ſtubborn dealing againſt the Lorde: but rather they were ſpoken to the comfort and confirmation of Moſes, who is therefore ſo premoniſhed, that when he dealeth earneſtly with the king, and yet cannot obteine his ſuite, hee ſhoulde notwithſtanding knowe that he had Gods buſineſſe in hande, and that God by his long ſufferance is the cauſe of that delaye, when as notwithſtandinge at the laſte hee woulde temper all things to his owne honour and glorie.

The caſe by a ſimilitude is al one, as if an houſholder ſhould ſende his ſeruaunt to his debitours, ſaying: Go thy waye and demaunde my debtes: but yet I knowe that thou ſhalte receiue none of them.

For I by my ſufferance and gentle dealing will cauſe them to bee the ſlacker to paye it. But yet do thou thy duetie. And I in the meane while will ſée what is néedefull to be done.

To this may be added, that euen in thoſe verie Chapters, where it is ſo ſo often ſaide: God hardened Pharaoes heart. This alſo is afterwarde annexed, which layeth the hardening of Pharaos heart vppon Pharaos owne head, ſaying: He hardened his hearte, and hearkened not vntounto them.

In the ninthe of Exodus, when Pharao was well whipped, hee cryeth: I hauehave nowe ſinned, the Lorde is iuſt, but I and my people are vniuſt or wicked. And immediately after againe: But when Pharao ſawe that it ceaſſed rayning, hee ſinned yet more, and hardened his heart, and it was hardened. So then theſe and ſuch like places muſt bee conferred with theſe woordes: I hauehave hardened Pharaos heart, and out of them muſt be gathered a godly ſenſe, ſuch a ſenſe, I meane, as maketh not God the author of euil.

Nowe alſo the Prophet Amos doth verie plainly ſaye: There is no euill Amos …in a citie, but the Lorde doth it. But Auguſtine Contra Adimantum. Ca. How … is … euil…26. did verie religiouſly write: Euil in this place, is not to bee taken for ſinne, but for puniſhment.

For the worde (euil) is vſed in two ſignificati…s: the one is the euil which a man doeth: the other euil is y paine which he ſuffereth. Nowe the Prophet in this place ſpeaketh of that euil which is the puniſhement that men do ſuffer. For by the prouidence of God which ruleth and gouerneth all things, man do…h to committ the euil, No…e here … firſt … is the …, the … the … euil ….which he will, that he may ſuffer the euil which he would no…. Therefore the euil that God doeth, is not euill in reſpect of God, but is euil to them vppon whome his vengeance lighteth. So then he in reſpect of him ſelfe doth good: becauſe eueryevery iuſt thing is good: that vengeance of his is iuſte: and ſo conſequently it is good. The place of Eſaie alſo muſt bee none otherwiſe vnderſtoode in his 45 Chapter, ſaying: I am the Lord, and there is elſe none: it is I that created light and darkeneſſe: I make peace and euil: yea, euen I the Lorde doe all theſe thinges. For here he taketh euil for warre, and maketh it the contrarie to peace. Againe Sainct Auguſtine De natura … thinges … of god … Go…, & … God.boni contra Manichaeos Chap. 28. ſaith: When we heare that all things are of him, and by him, and in him, we muſt vnderſtande it to be ſpoken of all the natures, that are naturally. For ſinnes are not of him, beecauſe they do not keepe but defile nature: which ſinnes the holie Scriptures doe diuerſly teſtifie to bee of the will of them which committ them. Thus much Auguſtine.

Neither is it a matter of any great difficultie to anſwere to that ſentence of Solomons, where hee ſaith: God created all thinges for his owne ſake: yea, the vngodly againſt the euill daye. Prouerb. 16. For wee beleeue that the moſte iuſt God hath appointed a day of affliction, iudgement, or puniſhement, which ſhal come vppon them in due time and ſeaſon. But whereas the Apoſtle ſaith: Hee hath merciemercy on whome he wil, and whom he wil he …ardeneth: wee muſt not ſo wr…ſt it, to ſay, that God doeth of neceſſitie driue any man to ſinne, and that therefore he is the cauſe of ſinne. For the will of God is good and iuſte, and willeth nothing, but what is expedient, and not repugnant to nature and the word of God. And therefore it is, that the Prophet cryeth: The Lorde is iuſte in all his wayes and holie in all his woorks. Pſalme 145. Thus hauehave I out of much, that may be ſaide, picked out a little, and layed it before your eyes, dearely beloued, for you to conſider of the cauſe of ſinne.

Wee are nowe come to demonſtrate the firſt partes, which were ſet The differences of ſinne.downe in the deſcription of ſinne immediately vppon the beginning of this ſermon. They are in number two, the firſt is: Sinne is the natural corruption of mankinde. The latter is: and the action that riſeth of it contrarie to the lawe of God. Some verily in ſetting downe the kindes or differences of ſinnes doe verie well & aduiſedly ſaye: Of ſinnes, one is originall, and another actuall. I meane in order to ſpeake of both, ſo farre as God ſhal giuegive mée grace: and firſte, of the ſame naturall corruption in mankinde, that is, of originall ſinne. Nowe therefore, it is called originall Originall ſinne.ſinne, becauſe it commeth from the firſte beginning, being deriued from our firſte parents into vsus all by lineall deſcent and continual courſe from one to another.

For wee bring it wi…h vsus in oure nature from our moth…rs wombe into this life.

Of this ſinne there are many definitions made, which, as they doe not Originall ſinne what it is.diſagrée among them ſelues, ſo yet is one of them more full and euident than another of them is. Some ſay, Originall ſinne is the corruption of nature from the firſt perfectneſſe. Other ſome ſaye, it is the corruption of mannes nature which maketh that wee doe not truely obey the lawe of God, and are not without ſinne. Againe, ſome call it a want or defect: other call it concupiſcence, whiche might better ſéeme to be the fruite of originall ſinne, that is, of oure corruption.

Other call it, an inordinateneſſe of appetites, which is leaft in nature. Anſhelmus a late writer, ſaith: Originall ſinne is the want of originall righteouſneſſe. But this is thought to hauehave beene ſpoken ſomewhat too briefely. For the force of ſinne ſeemeth to bee not ſufficiently expreſſed. For our nature is not onelyonly voyde and baren of goodneſſe, but alſo moſt aboundant and fruitefull of all euils and naughtineſſe.

Therefore, the definition of Hugo is taken for the better, who ſaith: Originall ſinne is ignoraunce in the mynde, and concupiſcence in the fleaſhe. But yet this ſéemeth to bée a farr fuller and better definition: Originall ſinne is the vice or deprauation of the whole man, whereby hee cannot vnderſtande GOD and his will, but of a peruerſe iudgement of thinges, doeth ouerthwartly, and peruerteth all thinges. And nowe among all theſe definitions, I wiſhe you (dearely beloued) to conſider of this alſo: Originall ſinne is the inheritablie deſcending naughtineſſe or corruption of oure nature, whiche doeth firſte make vsus indaungered to the wrath of God, and then bringeth foorth in vsus thoſe woorkes, which the Scripture calleth the woorkes of the fleaſhe.

Therefore this originall ſinne is neither a déede, nor a woorde, nor a thought, but a diſeaſe, a vice, a deprauation, I ſaye, of iudgement and concupiſcence, or a corruption of the whole man, that is, of the vnderſtanding, will, and all the power of man, out of which, at laſt, doe flowe all euil thoughtes, naughtie wordes, and wicked déedes.

This ſinne taketh beginning at, and of Adam, and for that cauſe it is called the inheritablie deſcendinge The begining …naughtineſſe and corruption of oure nature. Concerning the corruption and ſinne of Adam, out of whome we are all borne ſinners, I hauehave allreadie ſufficientlye ſpoken, where I treated of the cauſe of ſinne, and by and by hereafter ſhall followe ſomewhat more of the ſame argument, ſo that I hauehave no néede to repeate any thing here: I will therfore now paſſe forth to the reſt.

The Pelagians denyed that this euill of Originall ſinne was hereditarie. The Pelagians.For theſe are the verie woordes of Pelagius him ſelfe. As without vertue, ſo are we alſo borne without vice. And before the action of our own wil, that alone is in man, which God created. Theſe woordes of his are ſomewhat obſcure, but Caeleſtius the partener of Pelagius did more openly ſpue out this poyſon, and ſaye: Wee did not therefore ſaye that infants are to bee baptiſed into the remiſsion of ſinnes, to the ende that we ſhould ſeeme thereby to affirme that ſinne is Ex traduce, or hereditarie, which is vtterly contrary to the Catholique ſenſe. Becauſe ſinne is not borne with man, but is afterwarde put in vre by man: becauſe it is declared to bee, not the fault of the nature, but of the will.

Againe, Pelagius ſaide: that that firſt ſinne did not hurte the firſt man onelyonly, but all mankinde alſo, his iſſue and ofſpring: but he doth immediately adde: not by propagation, but by example, that is to ſaye, not that they which came of him, drewe any vice of him, but becauſe they that ſinned afterwarde did in ſinning imitate him that ſinned firſt, and before them. This is to be ſeene in Aurelius Auguſtinus De peccato originali contra Pelagium & Caeleſtium. Lib. 2. Cap. 6. 13. et 15.

Wee therefore muſt proue by the teſtimonies of holie Scripture, that … in & … man.the euil is hereditarie in man, and that originall is borne together with vsus, that is, that all men are borne ſinners into the worlde. The Prophet therefore doth plainly crye, Pſalme 51. Beholde, I was borne in wickedneſſe, and in ſinne hath my mother conceiued mee. Or as another tranſlation out of the Hebrue ſaith: Beeholde, I was ſhapen in iniquitie, and in ſinne my mother cheriſhed or warmed mee. That is to ſaye, ſinne did then immediately cleaue vntounto mée, when I was once conceiued and nouriſhed in my mothers wombe. Nowe that happened vndoubtedly not by any vice of matrimonie: for the wedlock bedde is holie and vndefiled: but Extraduce and by propagation. For Iob in his fourtéenth Chapter, ſaith manifeſtly: Who can make or bring foorth a pure or cleane thing of that which is vnclean? no bodie vndoubtedly is able to do it. Of that ſorte alſo there are many other ſayinges in the fiftéenth & 25 Chap. of the ſame booke.

And Paule the holye Apoſtle of Chriſte, in the fifte to the Romanes, doth moſte euidently ſaye: As by one man ſinne entred into the worlde, and death by ſinne: euen ſo death entred into all men, in ſo muche as all hauehave ſinned: for vntounto the lawe was ſinne in the worlde: but ſinne is not imputed when there is no lawe. Neuertheleſſe death reigned from Adam vntounto Moſes ouer them alſo, that had not ſinned with like tranſgreſſion as did Adam &c. Doeth not the Apoſtle in theſe woordes manifeſtly ſhewe the propagation of ſinne, ſaying: Sinne entred by one man into the worlde, death entred into all men, in ſo muche as they hauehave all ſinned, to wite, in ſo muche as they are all ſubiect to corruption. And that no men either beefore or after Moſes might be excepted, he addeth: Death reigned from Adam vntounto Moſes ouer them alſo, which had not ſinned with the like tranſgreſsion as did Adam: that is to ſaye, ouer them which had not ſinned of their owne wil, as Adam had, but drew frō him originall ſinne by propagation.

Sainct Auguſtine doth more fully excuſſe and handle this argument in his firſt booke, De peccatorum meritis et remiſsione: in the ninth, tenth and eleuenth Chapter: and the reſte as they followe in order. Againe, Paule in the ſeuenth to the Romanes calleth this euil, the ſinne y^• dwelleth in vsus, that is to ſaye, the ſinne y^• is begotten & borne w^t vsus. For he addeth, I am carnall, ſolde vnderunder ſinne. And, I knowe that in me (that is my fleaſhe) there dwelleth no good. And therfore the bleſſed Apoſtle & Euangeliſt Iohn telleth vsus, that, if we ſaye, we hauehave no ſinne, we deceiue our ſelues, and trueth is not in vsus.

He ſaith verie ſignificantly (wee hauehave) and not (we hauehave had) or (we ſhall hauehave.) For by our corrupt nature we hauehave that proper vntounto vsus. Therefore it is manifeſt that the fiction of the Pelagians is falſe, whereby they affirme, that wee are borne without vice: it is falſe, that the voluntarie action onelyonly, and not y^• corruption or deprauation which is not yet burſt forth to the déede, is ſinne. And Auguſtine doth in one place call Voluntary ſinne.euen that voluntarie ſinne, originall ſinne, and that two ſundrie wayes: firſte, not ſimply of it ſelfe, but in reſpect of Adam, becauſe it beeing committed by the naughtie will of Adam is drawen and made hereditarie in vsus. Secondly, becauſe a naughtie luſt may be named a will. For Lib. Retract. 1. Cap. 15. he ſaith: If any man doth ſ…ye, that euen t…e verie luſt is nothing elſe, but will, ſuche a will yet, as is vicious and ſubiect to ſinne, he needeth not to be ga…ſaid: for, where the thing is manifeſt wee muſt not ſtriue about termes and wordes. For ſo it is proued that without will, there is no ſinne, either in deede, or in propagation: that is either actuall or originall.

Thus much Auguſtine, who doth alſo alledge other ſayings like to this, in his thirde booke Contra Iulianum Pelagianum Chap. 5. It ſhalbe ſufficient to vsus, euen without them to learne by the teſtimonies of the holie Scriptures, that ſinne is not onelyonly a voluntarie action, but alſo an hereditarie corruption or deprauation, that commeth by inheritance.

Not vnlike to all this is that ſentence in Ezechi…l, where the Lorde The ſonne ſhall not beare the iniquitie of the father.ſaith: The ſonne ſhall not beare the iniquitie of the father, but eueryevery man ſhal dye in his owne ſinne. For Adams fall ſhould do vsus no harme, if it were not …o that euē from him there is ſprung vpp in vsus ſuch a peruerſeneſſe, as is worthie of Gods iuſt iudgement. But nowe ſince all the inclination, diſpoſition, and deſire of our nature, euen in a childe but one day olde, is repugnaunt to the purneſſe and will of God, which is onelyonly good, no man therefore is puniſhed for his father, but eueryevery one for his owne iniquitie: and calamities fall euen on the yongeſt babes, whome wee ſee to be touched with many afflictions by the holie and iuſte iudgement of the moſte iuſt God.

Neither is their obiection anye To bee borne o… hol… par…nts.whitt ſtronger which ſaye, that the children of holie parents cannot draw or take any ſpott of their parents. For they hauehave their line all deſcent of the fleſhely generation, and not of the ſpirituall regeneration.

And whe…eas the Apoſtle ſaide: The vnbeleeuing huſbande is ſanctified by the wife, and the vnbeleeuing wife is ſanctified by the huſbande: elſe were your children vncleane, but nowe are they cleane: it is not repugnant to our former allegations. For they are called holie, not by the prerogatiue of their birth or generation, as though children were borne holie without any ſpott or vice at a…l: but for becauſe they beeinge borne by nature corrupt, are by the vertue of the couenaunt & grace made pure, & vncleanneſſe is not imputed to them, for Chriſt his ſake or the remiſſion o… ſinnes, which is pronounced in theſe woordes: I will bee thy God and the God of thy ſeede after thee. For of olde, euen thoſe children which of the ſeede of Abraham were holie & bleſſed, receiued notwithſtanding the ſigne of circumciſion. Now, what neede I pray you had they had of Circumciſion, or purging, if by their birthe they had had no vncleanneſſe in them?

That therfore is vtterly falſe whiche ….ye heard euen now that Caeleſtius the Pelagian did vtter in theſe words: We did not therefore ſay that infants are to bee baptiſed into the remiſſion of ſinnes, to the end that wee ſhould thereby ſeeme to affirme that ſinne is extraduce or hereditarie, which is vtterly cōtrarie to the catholique ſenſe. For it is catholique and true doctrine, that the children of the Iewes were circumciſed, not ſo much onelyonly beecauſe they were partakers of the diuine couenaunt, as for becauſe that all the antiquitie of holy fathers did ſo cō feſſe, that in infants there was ſomewhat which had néede of cutting, that is, which had néede to be remitted by the grace of God, and not bee imputed to them vntounto death. It is catholique & true doctrine that the infantes of Chriſtiās are baptiſed, not ſo much becauſe they are the children of God, and fréely receiued into the couenant, as for becauſe there is in them, euen from their birth, ſomewhat which the Lord by his grace doeth waſh awaye, leaſt it ſhould bring vponupon them death and damnation. Yea, that cannot bée catholique, whiche doeth ſo manifeſtly repugne ſo many euident places of Scripture, which proue that in infāts there is ſinne by propagation. To cō firme this, wee may add that S. Auguſtine in his firſt booke Contra Iulianum Pelagianum Cap. 2. gathereth together the teſtimonies of the moſt excellent biſhops and doctours in the primatiue Church, by whiche hee proueth that all the miniſters of the Churches, euen from the Apoſtles time, did both acknowledge and openly teach original ſinne. In that place he citeth the teſtimonies Al the au… cient doctours or f… thers of the church confeſſe (with one aſſent) originall ſin.of Irenęus, Cyprian, Retilius, Olympius, Hilarie, and Ambroſe his father and maiſter in Chriſtian doctrine, Innocent, Gregorie, Baſil, and Iohn Chryſoſtome. And at length hée inferreth: Wilt thou now call ſo great a conſent of Catholique prieſtes a cō ſpiracie of naughtie men? Neither thincke thou that S. Hierome is to be cōtemned, becauſe he was but a prieſt onelyonly and no biſhop, who being ſkilful in the Greeke, Latine and Hebrue tongues, and paſſinge from the Weſt vntounto the Eaſt Church, liued in holy places, and the ſtudie of the ſacred Scriptures euen to his croane & crooked age. He read all or in a maner al the woorkes of them, whiche in both The Eaſt and weſt churches.partes of the world did write of Eccleſiaſticall doctrine: and yet he neither held nor taught any otherwiſe of this point of doctrine. And againe That is, he taught & held ori… nall ſinne.the ſame Auguſtine in his third booke De peccatorū meritis & remiſſione. Cap. 7. ſayeth: Hierome, expounding the prophe…ie of Ionas, when he came to that place, where mētion is made that euen the little children were chaſtened with faſting, ſayth: It began with the eldeſt, and came euen to the yongeſt. For there is none without ſinne, no, not hee which is but one day old, nor hee whoſe gray head hath ſeene many yeares. For if the ſtarres are not cleane in the ſight of God, how much more vncleane are duſte and putrifying earth, and thoſe which are in ſubiection to the ſinne of Adams tranſgreſſion? To theſe words of Hierome doeth Auguſtine himſelfe annexe this that followeth: If it were ſo that wee might eaſilie aſke it of this moſt learned man, how many teachers of the holie Scriptures in both the tongues, and howe many writers of Chriſtian treatiſes would hee reckon vp, which ſince the time that Chriſt his Church was firſt planted, hauehave themſelues nether thought, of their predeceſſours learned, nor taught their ſucceſſours any other thā this doctrine touching originall ſinne? I verilie, thoughe I hauehave read nothing ſo much as hee, do not remember that I hauehave heard any other doctrine of Chriſtians, whiche admit or receiue both the teſtaments, whether they were in the vnitie of the Catholique Church, or otherwiſe in Schiſmes and hereſies: I doe not remember that I hauehave read any other thing in them, whoſe writinges touching this matter, I could come by to read them, if either they did followe, or thought that they did follow, or would hauehave men beleeue that they did followe, the Canonicall Scriptures.

Thus farre hath Auguſtine, teaching in the very beginning that all the Sainctes did by a full conſent and agréement in doctrine, moſt expreſſely graunt and confeſſe that originall ſinne is euen in newe borne infants. Mée thincketh that Sainct Hierome did not onelyonly in Ionas, but alſo much more euidently in Ezechiel, confeſſe and affirme originall ſinne. His wordes are to bée ſéene Comment. lib. 14. in cap. 47. ad Ezechielem, and are verbatun as followeth: What man can make his boaſte that hee hath a chaſte heart: or to whoſe minde by the windows of the eyes the death of concupiſcence, or (to vſe a mylder terme) the tickling of the minde doth not enter in? For the world is ſet in wickedneſſe: & euen from his childhood the hart of man is ſet to naughtineſſe: ſo that not the very firſt day of a mans natiuitie, his nature is free from ſinne and naughtineſſe. Wherevppon Dauid in the Pſalme ſayeth: For behold I was cōceiued in iniquitie, and in ſinne my mother conceiued mee. Not in the iniquities of my mother, or in mine owne ſinnes, but in the iniquities of our mortall ſtate. And therfore the Apoſtle ſaith, death reigned from Adam vntounto Moſes, ouer them alſo whiche had not ſinned with the like tranſgreſſion as did Adam. Thus much hath Hierome: and we hauehave hetherto alledged al theſe ſayings, to the end wee might proue, that originall ſinne is the naturall or hereditarie corruption of mans nature.

Let vsus nowe ſée what and howe What … how … the … of … nature …great the hereditarie naughtineſſe or corruption of our nature is, and what power it hath to woorke in man. Our nature verilie, as I ſhewed you aboue, was before the fall moſt excellent and pure in oure father Adam: but after the fall, it did by Gods iuſte iudgement become corrupte, and vtterly naught, which is in that naughtineſſe by propagation or Extraduce, deriued into all vsus, whiche are the poſteritie and ofſpring of Adam: as both experience and the thing it ſelfe doe euidently declare, as well in ſucklings or infantes, as thoſe of riper yeares. For euen very babes giuegive manifeſt tokens of euident deprauation, ſo ſoone as they once beginne to bée able to doe any thing, yea, before they can perfectlye ſounde any one ſyllable of a whole word.

All oure vnderſtandinge is dull, blunt, groſſe, and altogether blinde in heauenlie things. Our iudgement in diuine matters is peruerſe and friuolous. For there ariſe in vsus moſt horrible and abſurd thoughtes and opinions touching God, his iudgementes, … wonderfull woorkes: yea, our whole minde is apt and readie to errours, to fables, and our owne deſtruction: and when as our iudgements are nothing but méere follie, yet doe wée preferre them farre aboue Gods wiſedome, whiche wee eſteeme but fooliſhneſſe in compariſon of oure owne conceiptes and corrupte imaginations. For hee lyed not whiche ſaide: The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the ſpirite of God: for they are fooliſhneſſe vntounto him, neither can he know them, becauſe they are ſpirituallie diſcerned. Nowe Paule calleth him the naturall man, which liueth naturally by the vitall ſpirite, and is not regenerate by the holy Ghoſte. And ſince we all are ſuch, wée are therefore wholie ouercome and gouerned of Philautie: that is, too great a ſelfeloue and delight in our ſelues, whereby all things that wee oure ſelues doe woorke, doe highly pleaſe vsus: loking ſtill verie buſilie to oure owne ſelues and our commoditie, when in the meane time wée neglecte all others, yea rather doe afflicte them. Neither did Plato vnaduiſedly eſtéeme that vice of ſelfeloue to bee the very roote of eueryevery euill. Furthermore, our whole will is ledd captiue by concupiſcence, which as a roote enuenomed with poyſon, infecteth all that is in man, and doeth incline, drawe on & driue man to things carnall, forbidden, and contrarie to God, to the end that hée maye gréedilie purſue them, put all his delight in them, and content him ſelfe wyth them.

Moreouer, there is in vsus no power or abilitie to doe any good. For wée are ſ…owe, ſluggiſh, and heauie to goodneſſe, but liuely, quicke, and readie enoughe to anye euill or naughtineſſe. And that I may at laſt conclude, and briefely expreſſe the whole force and ſignification of our hereditarie deprauation and corruption, I ſay, that this deprauation of our nature is nothing elſe but the blotting of Gods Image in vsus. There was in oure father Adam Our deprauation is the blotting out of the Image of God in vsus.before his fall, the very Image and likeneſſe of God, which Image, as the Apoſtle expoundeth it, was a conformitie and participation of Gods wiſedome, iuſtice, holineſſe, trueth, integritie, innocencie, immortalitie, and eternall felicitie. Therefore what elſe can the blotting or wiping out of this Image bée, but originall ſinne, that is, the hatred of God, the ignoraunce of God, fooliſhneſſe, diſtruſtfulneſſe, deſperation, ſelfeloue, vnrighteouſneſſe, vncleanneſſe, lying, hypocriſie, vanitie, corruption, violent iniurie, wickedneſſe, mortalitie, and eternall infelicitie? This corrupte Image and likeneſſe is, by propagation, deriued into vsus all, according to that ſaying in …he fifte of Geneſis: Adam begatt a ſonne in his owne ſimilitude and likeneſſe. Therefore as our father Adam was him ſelfe corrupted, depraued, and full of calamities, ſo hath hee begotten vsus his ſonnes, corrupte, depraued, and full of miſeries: ſo that all we which do deſcend of his vnpure ſéede, are borne infected with the contagious poyſon of ſinne. For of a rotten roote doe ſpringe as rotten braunches, which in like manner put ouer their rottenneſſe into the little twiggs that ſhoote out and growe vppon them.

And this euill verilie, this corruption, and this ſinne, althoughe it lye Originall ſinne condemneth.hidd in infants, and by reaſon of their tender age doeth not breake foorthe into any déede dooing, yet notwithſtanding it is a ſinne, and ſuch a ſinne verilie, as maketh them indaungered vntounto Gods wrath, & ſeparateth them from the fellowſhip of God.

For with the moſt holy God, who is a conſuming fire, no man can abide but hee that is vnſpotted and cleane from the filthineſſe of ſinnes. And Paule ſayeth: All hauehave ſinned and are deſtitute, or hauehave neede of the glorie of God. This glorie of God is the very image of God: whereof becauſe they are deſtitute, they being corrupted w^t originall ſinne, are worthilie excluded from the fellowſhip of God. To this place doth belong the whole treatiſe of concupiſcence in the fourth Sermon of this third Decade: where I taught you, that bare concupiſcence, which is not yet burſt forth to the déed doing is a ſinne, & that to, ſuch a ſinne, as maketh all men ſubiecte to the curſe of God. For it is written: Curſed be euerie one whiche abideth not in all thinges that are written in the booke of this lawe. Therefore the firſt effecte of originall ſinne is this, that it bringeth wrath, death, and damnation vppon verie infants, and ſo conſequently vppon all mankinde: whereof, that it maye the more firmely be ſettled in euerie mans minde without all ſcruple of doubting. I wil by ſome ſtore of teſtimonies out of the ſcripture make manifeſt proofe vntounto you, not by repeating thoſe places againe, which I hauehave alreadie cited in this Sermon, & in the fourth Sermon of this thirde Decade.

The Lord in the Goſpell ſayeth to Nicodemus: Verilie I ſay vntounto thee, vnleſſe a mā be borne from aboue, he cānot ſee the kingdome of God. And againe: Vnleſſe a man bee borne of water and of the holie Ghoſt, he cannot enter into the kingdome of God. That, whiche is borne of the fleſh, is fleſh: and that, which is borne of the ſpirite is ſpirite. In theſe words are comprehended two things worthie to be remembred, and very conſonant to our preſent argument. Firſt, none enter into the kingdome of heauen but 1thoſe that bee regenerate from abcue by the holy Ghoſt: therefore our… f…ſt birthe tendeth to death and not to life. For in oure firſt natiuitie wee are borne to death. The latter is, That which is borne of fleſh is fleſh: therefore …in oure firſt natiuitie wee are all borne fleſh. But touching the diſpoſition of the fleſh, and the force thereof the Apoſtle ſayeth: The fleſhly minde is enimitie againſt God: for it is not obedient to the lawe of God, neither can bee. Therefore that fleſhly birthe ingēdreth vsus, not the friends & ſonnes, but the enimies of God: and ſo conſequently doth make vsus indaungered to the wrath of God.

Paul in his ſecond Chapiter to the Epheſians, ſayeth: Wee were by nature the ſonnes of wrathe, euen as other. In which words he pronounceth that all men are damned. For al thoſe that are damned, or are worthie of eternall death, and all ſuch with whom God hath good cauſe to be offended, hée calleth the ſonnes of wrath, after the proper phraſe of the Hebrue ſpeache. For the wrath of God doth ſignifie the puniſhment which is by the iuſt iudgment of God layd vppon vsus men. And he is called the child of death, which is adiudged or appointed to be killed. So is alſo the ſonne of perdition &c. Now marke that he calleth vsus all the ſonnes of wrath, that is, the ſubiectes of paine & damnation, euen by nature in birth from our mothers wombe But whatſoeuer is naturallie in all men, that is originall: therefore originall ſinne maketh vsus the ſonnes of wrath, that is, we are all for our originall corruption made ſubiecte to death and vtter damnation. This place of Paule for the proofe of this argument is worthie to be remembred.

The ſame Apoſtle in the firſt to the Coloſſians, ſayeth: God hath deliuered vsus from the power of darckneſſe, and hath tranſlated vsus into the kingdome of his deere ſonne. Nowe if we be tranſlated into the kingdome of the ſonne of God, then were we once in the kingdome of the diuel. And to this place belong very many teſtimonies of the ſame Apoſtle in the fifte Chapter of his Epiſtle to y^e Romanes: By one mans ſinne many are dead. Againe, By one that ſinned came death, For iudgement came by one vntounto cō demnation. Againe, For the ſinne of one, death reigned by the meanes of one. And againe, By the ſinne of one, ſinne came vppon all men vntounto condemnation. Finally, original ſinne is by Dauid and Paule expreſſely called ſinne: therefore death is due to originall ſinne. For the reward of ſinne is death.

Wée do therefore conclude that infants doe bring damnation with them …iginall … to all.into this world, euen from their mothers wombes: becauſe they bring w^t them a corrupt nature: and therefore they periſh not by any others, but by their owne fault & naughtineſſe. For althoughe S. Auguſtine doeth in one place ſéeme to cal this ſinne peccatum alienum, that is, an others ſinne (that thereby he may ſhew how it is by propagation deriued from other into vsus) yet doeth he confeſſe that it is in very déed and truely proper to all, and eueryevery ſeuerall one of vsus. And although it bee ſo, that for lacke of age in a newe borne babe this diſeaſe hath not alreadie brought foorth the fruite of his iniquitie, yet notwithſtanding the very whole nature of the babe is nothing but filchie corruption, and a certeine ſéede of ſinne and wickedneſſe, whiche cannot chooſe but bée abhominable vntounto the Lord. For God doth hate al maner of vncleanneſſe.

With this agréeth that ſentence of Where there is no lawe there is no tranſgreſsion.Paule, where he ſayth: Where no law is, there is no tranſgreſſion. For the Apoſtle doth not abſolutely ſaye, that the ſinne or tranſgreſſion, (whiche is ſinne in very déed in the ſight of God) is no ſinne: but hee reſpecteth the eſtimation of men how they do repute it, For, men, before ſinne doeth appeare and is opened vntounto them by the lawe, do not ſo repute or thincke of ſinne, as it ought in verie déede to be eſtéemed. The ſame Paul in an other place ſaieth: Sinne without the lawe was once Rom. 7.dead: and I once liued without law. But when the lawe came, ſinne reuiued. If ſo be now that ſinne reuiued, then did it liue before the lawe, afore it was ſtirred vp by the law, although it did not ſo rifely then, as now, ſhew forth the ſtrength and force of it ſelfe. To this alſo is to be added that ſaying of Paul, Sinne was in the world euen to the lawe: but ſinne is not imputed when there is no lawe. Loe here ſinne was in the world before the lawe, but it was not imputed: not, becauſe God did not impute it, but becauſe men do not impute it to themſelues. VnderUnder cinders doth fire lye hid, which is very fire in déede, but becauſe it caſteth out no flame or lighte of it ſelfe, it is not thought for to bee fire. And for y^• cauſe the learned and godly man of famous memorie Vlderick Zuinglius, did diligently Vldericke Zuinglius of original ſinne.diſtinguiſh betwixt ſinne and diſeaſe or infirmitie, when once he had occaſion to diſpute of originall ſinne, which hee choſe rather to call a diſeaſe than ſinne: becauſe by the name of ſinne all men do vnderſtand y^e naughtie acte committed by oure owne conſent, and will againſt the law of God: but by the name of diſeaſe or ſickneſſe they vnderſtand a certaine corruption and deprauation of the nature, that was created good, and the miſerable condition of bondage whereinto it is brought. Euē as alſo we heard before that Auguſtine did call this originall ſinne Peccatum alienum, an others ſinne, that thereby hée might giuegive vsus to vnderſtand that it is hereditarie, & doth deſcend from others into vsus: and yet he denied not, but it is proper to eueryevery ſeuerall one of vsus. In like maner Zuinglius denied not originall ſinne: as ſome did falſely ſlaūder him: he thought not that by it ſelfe it is vnhurtfull to infants: but ſo farre foorth as it is by the grace of God thoroughe the bloud of Ieſus Chriſt in the vertue of gods promiſe and couenaunt made harmeleſſe vntounto them. His minde was to make an exquiſite difference betwixt the actual and original ſinns. For in rendering an accompte of his faith in the counſell helde at Auguſta, the yeare of our Lord 1530. hee ſaid: I acknowledge that originall ſinne is by condition and contagion borne in and with all them, that are begotten by the acte of a man and a woman: & I knowe that wee are the ſonnes of wrath. Nether am I any thing againſt it, that this diſeaſe & cōdition ſhould as Paule termeth it, bee called ſinne: yea, it is ſuch a ſinne as that they, who ſoeuer are borne in it, are the enimies and aduerſaries of God Almightie. For hether doth the cōdition of their bi…the drawe them, and not the committing of wickedneſſe, except it bee ſo farre forth as our firſt parent committed it. The very true cauſe there…ore of oure diſloyaltie & death is the crime and wickedneſſe, which Adam committed and that in very deede is ſinne: And this ſinne which cleaueth to vsus, is in verie deed a diſeaſe & condition, yea it is a neceſſitie of dying. And ſo forth as followeth. For hetherto I hauehave rehearſed his very words.

There is nowe remayning the other Original …effecte of original ſinne for me to expound. It breaketh out & bringeth forth in vsus thoſe works, that the ſcriptures call the workes of the fleſh, euen like as when an ouen ſet on fire doeth caſte out flames and ſparkles, or as a fountaine that euer ſpringeth, doeth powre out water in great abundance. There is no quietneſſe in the nature of man: For couetouſneſſe with filthie luſte ariſeth in it, ambition cleaueth to it, anger inuadeth it, pride puffeth it vpp and cauſeth it to ſwell, drunckenneſſe delighteth it, and enuie torments both thée ſelfe & others. Therefore the Lord in the Goſpell ſayth: Out of the hart procede euil thoughts, murthers adulteries, whoredoms, thefts, falſwitneſſe bearings, & euill ſpeakinges. Againe, Paul in the 5. cap. to the Galat. doth reckon vp no ſmal number of the works of the fleſh: euen as he doth the like alſo in the firſt and third Chapiter of his Epiſtle to the Romanes. In the fourth to the Epheſians he doeth very properly deſcribe thoſe woorkes of the fleſh, which ſpring out of the naturall corruption of all them, whiche are not regenerate by the holy Ghoſt. This I ſay, ſayeth hee, and teſtifie vntounto you, that ye henceforth walke not as other Gentiles walke, in vanitie of their minde: darckened in cogitation, being alienated from the life of God, by the ignorance, that is in them, by the blindneſſe of their hartes: which beeing paſt feeling, hauehave giuen themſelues ouer vntounto wantonneſſe, to work… all vncleanneſſe with greedineſſe.

This, though it be but little, ſhall ſuffice for this place. For I wil more largly proſecute it in the treatiſe of actuall ſinne: to the handling whereof I will preſently paſſe, ſo ſoone as I hauehave by the way admoniſhed you, that I hauehave not without good cauſe thus farre in many wordes ſpoken of the cauſe of originall ſinne, y^t is, of mans deprauation & the corruption of all his ſtrēgth.

For as in theſe are opened the veines of pure doctrine, ſo in them are placed the foundations of oure faith, & whole beléefe. For if there be no originall …ſinne, then is there no grace: or if there be any, yet ſhall it hauehave nothing to worke in vsus. If our owne ſtrengthe is whole and ſound, then hauehave wee no need o… any Phyſician. In vaine therfore came y^e ſonne of god into y^e world. For then ſhall men bee ſaued by their owne ſtrength & abilitie, and ſo ſhal y^e foundatiō of our faith be quite turned vpſide downe. Therfore S. Auguſtine is very vehement in this cauſe, whoſe golden woords I wil recite vntounto you, deerely beloued, out of his 2. booke De originali peccato contra Pelagiū & Caeleſtium. In the 23. 24. Cap. I finde written as followeth: There is great diuerſitie in theſe queſtions, which are thought to bee beſide the articles of faith, & thoſe, wherin (keeping ſound the faith whereby we are Chriſtians) it is either not knowen what is true, & ſo the ſentence definitiue is ſuſpended, or elſe it is otherwiſe gheaſſed at by humaine and vnaſſured ſuſpicion, than the thing it ſelfe in verie deed is: as for example, when it is demaunded of what ſorte and where Paradiſe is, where God placed man whom he had made of the duſt of the earth, when as notwithſtāding Chriſtiā faith doubteth not but that there is a Paradiſe? And after the recitall of a fewe more ſuch queſtions, at laſt hee ſaith: Who may not perceiue in theſe & ſuch like ſundrie & innumerable queſtions apperteining either to the moſt ſecrete works of God, or the moſt darck and intricate places of the holie ſcripturs, which it is hard to cōprehend or define in any certeine order, both that many things are vnknowen without the perill of Chriſtian faith, and alſo that in ſome points men do erre with out any crime of hereticall doctrine? But concerning the two men: by the one of whō wee are ſold vnderunder ſinne, by the other redeemed from ſinne: by one we are caſt headlong into death, by the other wee are made free vntounto life: becauſe that man did in himſelf… deſtroye vsus by doing his owne will, and not the will of him that mad… him, but this man hath in himſelfe ſaued vsus by doing not his owne wil, but the will of him that ſent him. Therfore in the cōſideration of theſe two Chriſtian faith conſiſteth in the conſideratiō of two men.men Chriſtian faith doeth properly conſiſt. For there is one God and one mediatour of God and man the man Chriſt Ieſus. Becauſe there is none other name vnderunder Heauen giuen vntounto men, in which they muſt be ſaued: & in him hath God appointed all men to truſt, rayſing him vp from death to life. Therefore Chriſtian veritie doubteth not but that without this faith, that is, without the faith of the only mediatour of God and man the man Chriſt Ieſus, without the beliefe, I ſay, of his reſurrection, whiche God hath preſcribed to men, whiche cannot be truly beleeued without the beleefe of his incarnation and death: without the faith therefore of the incarnation, death, and reſurrection of Chriſt, none of the auncient iuſt men could be cl…nſed and iuſtified of God from their ſinnes: whether they were in the number of thoſe iuſte men, whome the holy Scripture mentioneth: or in the number of thoſe iuſte men, whom the Scripture nameth, & yet are to bee beleeued to hauehave beene, either before the deluge, or betwixte the deluge and the lawe, or in the verie time of the lawe: not onelyonly among the children of Iſrael, as the Prophets were: but alſo without that people, Some were ſaued beſide Iſrael: but not without Chriſte.as Iob was. For euen their harts were clēſed by the ſame faith of the mediatour, and charitie was powred into them by the ſame holy ſpirite, which breatheth where he liſteth, not following after merits, but euen working the verie merits themſelues. For Gods grace will not bee by any meanes, vnleſſe it be free by al meanes. Although therefore death reigned from Adam vntounto Moſes, becauſe the law giuen by Moſes could not ouercome it. For there was no ſuch law giuen as could quicken, but ſuch a lawe, as whoſe office was to ſhewe that the dead, to the quickening of whome grace was neceſſarie, were not only ouerthrowen by the propagation and dominion of ſinne, but were alſo condemned by the hidden tranſgreſſion of the verie law it ſelfe, not that eueryevery one ſhould periſh that did then vnderſtand it in the merciemercy of God, but that eueryevery one being through the dominiō of death appointed vntounto puniſhment, and detected to himſelfe by the tranſgreſſion of the lawe, ſhould ſeeke for the helpe of God, that where ſinne aboū ded grace might more abound, which alone doth deliuer from the body of this death. Although therefore the lawe giuen by Moſes could not ridd any mā from the kingdome of death, yet in the very time of the lawe were the men of God, not vnderunder the terrifying, conuinceing, & puniſhing law, but vnderunder the delectable, ſauing, and deliuering grace. There were among them ſome which ſaid: In iniquitie was I conceiued, and in ſinne hath my mother fedd mee in her wombe. And ſo forth. For hetherto I hauehave cited the very words of S. Auguſtine.

I hauehave thus farre ſpoken of originall ſinne, of the natiue and hereditarie corruption of our nature, which is y^e firſt part in the definition of ſinne here followeth nowe the latter part, to witt, the very Action, which ariſeth of that corruption, the actual ſinne, I ſay, which is ſo called Ab actu, that is, an acte or a déede doing. For in ſo much as that corruption whiche is borne together with, and is hereditarie in vsus, doeth not alwayes lye hidd, but woorketh outwardly and ſheweth forth it ſelfe, & doth at laſt bring forth an imp of her owne kinde and nature, which impe is actuall ſinne: therefore we define actuall ſinne to bee an action or woorke, or fruite of oure corrupte and naughtie nature, expreſſing it ſelfe in thoughts, words, and workes againſt the lawe of God, and therby deſeruing the wrath of God.

So then by this the cauſe of actuall The … of … ſinne.ſinne is knowen to be the very corruption of mankind, which ſheweth forth it ſelfe through concupiſcence and euil affections: affections intice the will, & wil being helped with the other faculties in man, that worke together with it, doth finiſh actual ſinne. And that ye may more clearely perceiue that whiche I ſaye, I wiſh you to note that our minde hath two partes: The vnderſtanding, or reaſon, or iudgement: and the will or appetite. In the reaſon are the lawes of nature, whereunto muſt be added the preaching, or reading, or knowledge of Gods word. And nowe as of good woorkes in man there are two eſpeciall cauſes, to witt, ſound iudgement well framed by the woord of God, and a will conſenting and obeying therevnto (and yet notwithſtanding there is principallie to be required the comming to of the holye Ghoſte from heauen, to illuminate the minde and moue forward the will) euen ſo we may moſt properly ſay that actuall ſinne is finiſhed, when any thinge is of ſet purpoſe, with aduiſed iudgement, and the conſent of our wil committed againſt the lawe of God. And yet to theſe there doe many times happen other outward cauſes both viſible and inuiſible. For euill ſpirites moue men, and euill men moue men, and other infinite examples of corruption that are in y^e world. Hope, ſeare, and weakeneſſe, doe alſo moue men. Auguſtine, Quaeſt, in Exodum 29. ſayeth: The beginning of vice is in the will of man: but the heartes of men are moued by ſundrie accidental cauſes, now this, now that: ſometimes the cauſes are all one, the difference is in the manner and order, according to eueryevery ones proper qualities, which doe ariſe of euerie ſeuerall will. Againe in the 79. Pſalme he ſayeth: Two things there are that woorke all ſinnes in mortall men, deſire and feare. Conſider, examine & aſke your heartes, ſearch your conſciences, and ſee, if any ſinnes can be but by deſiring, or elſe by fearing. Thou a…t promiſed, if thou wilt ſinne, to hauehave ſuch a reward giuē thee as thou doeſt delight in, and for deſire of the gifte thou crackeſt thy conſcience, & doeſt commit ſinne. And againe on the other ſide, though peraduenture thou wilt not be ſeduced with giftes, yet being terrified with threatnings, thou doeſt for dread of that whiche thou feareſt cōmit the iniquitie that other wiſe thou wouldeſt not. As for example, Some one man or other would with giftes corrupte thee to beare falſe witneſſe. Thou preſently haſt turned thee ſelfe to God and haſt ſaid in thy heart, what doth it aduantage a man if hee gaine the whole world, & ſuffer the loſſe of his owne ſoule? I will not be hired with giftes to looſe my ſoule for the gaine of monie: therevpon hee which before enticed thee, doeth now turne himſelfe to terrifie thee, & for becauſe his gifts did faile to hire thee, he beginneth to threaten vntounto thee damage, baniſhment, woundes and death. In ſuche a caſe now if greedineſſe could not, yet feare perhappes mighte cauſe thee to ſinne. The ſame Auguſtine againe, in his booke De Sermone Domini in mō te, ſayeth: Three thinges there bee, by which ſinne, is accompliſhed, ſuggeſtion, delectation, and conſent. Suggeſtion, whether it bee wrought by the memorie or ſenſes of the bodie: as when we ſee, heare, ſmel, taſt, or touch any thing. Nowe if we be delighted to hauehave it, that vnlawful delight muſt be reſtrained: As for example, when wee faſte, if at the ſight of meate, our appetite do ariſe, it is not done without delectation: but wee muſt not giuegive our conſent to that delectation, but ſuppreſſe it with the power of reaſon. For if the conſent bee giuen, then is the ſinne accompliſhed. Theſe three things are correſpondent to the circumſtances of the hiſtorie, that is written in Geneſis: ſo that of the ſerpent was made that ſuggeſtiō: in the carnall appetite, as in Eua was the delectation, and in reaſon as in Adam did the full conſent appeare: whiche being finiſhed, man is expelled as it were out of Paradiſe, that is, out of the bleſſed light of righteouſnes into death and damnation. Thus much ſayeth Auguſtine touching the cauſe of ſinne.

But héere we muſt eſpeciallie note in the definition of actual ſinne the verie Sinne is repugnant to the law of God.propertie or difference, whereby this action is diſcerned from all other actions, and whereby the moſt proper note of ſinne is made manifeſt. This action therefore, euen as all ſinns elſe doe, doth directly tende againſt Gods lawe. But what the lawe of God is, I hauehave in my former ſermons at large declared. Verilie it is none other but the verie wil of God. Now the will of God is, that man ſhould be like vntounto his image, that is, that hee ſhould bée holie, innocent, and ſo conſequently ſaued.

This will of his did God expreſſe, firſt by the lawe of nature, then by the lawe which hée writt in two tables of ſtone, & laſtly by the preaching of the holie Goſpell. Nowe thoſe thrée tend all to one end, to witt, that man ſhould be holie, innocent, and ſo conſequently ſaued. And whatſoeuer things are done of men either in thought, word, or déed againſt that holy lawe of God, they both are, and are called actuall ſinnes. Therefore in the iudging or eſtéeming of mens ſinnes, the lawe of God muſt be onelyonly looked vntounto. For the thinges that are not contrarie to Gods lawe, are not ſinnes. Neither hath any man authoritie to make new lawes, for the trāſgreſſing wherof men ſhould bee counted ſinners. That glorie belongeth to God alone, to whome Dauid crieth: To thee alone hauehave I ſinned, and againſt thee hauehave I wrought wickedneſſe. Neither is it any part of our office to take vppon vsus by oure owne iudgementes to determine whiche be the ſmalleſt, and which the greateſt ſinnes. For which of vsus would thinke that it were ſinne to ſay to his brother, Thou foole? And yet the Lord in the Goſpell pronounceth it to be a ſinne: who in the ſame Goſpell alſo affirmeth, that wée ſhal giuegive accompt for eueryevery idle word, at the latter day of Iudgement. Verie rightly therfore ſayeth Sainct Auguſtine in his ſecond booke De Bapt. Contra Donatiſtas Capit. 6. In eſteming of ſinnes let vsus not bring in deceiptfull balances, wherein to weighe, both what wee liſte, and as wee liſte▪ after our owne minde and phantaſie▪ ſaying: This is heauie, and that is light: but let vsus bring in the weights of Gods holie Scriptures, as out of the ſecrete treaſuries of the Lord, and thereby let vsus weighe what is heauie and what is light, naye rather let not vsus weigh them, but acknowledge, & ſo accepte them, as they are weighed by the Lord.The … and … of …

And although this might ſéeme to be ſufficient, as that whiche hath ſufficiently declared the nature of actuall ſinne, yet will wée more at large conſider the ſundrie ſortes or kindes, and differences of ſinnes. The Stoikes were of opinion that all ſinnes were equall: whome perhappes Iouinian followinge (as the Patriarchs of hereſies are by Tertullian ſaid to bée Philoſophers) is written to hauehave affirmed the verie ſame with them, as is extant in S. Auguſtines Catalogue of heretiques.

The holie Scripture teacheth vsus That k… and … of …that God is iuſt: wherevppon we doe conclude that all ſinnes therefore are not equall. For wée ſée that God, as hée is a iuſt Iudge, doeth puniſh ſome ſinnes more ſharpely than otherſeme. For in the Goſpell the Lord ſayeth: Wo to you Scribes and Phariſers hypocrits, which deuour widowes houſes vnderunder the pretence of longe prayer, therefore ſhal ye receiue the greater damnation. And againe, It ſhalbe eaſier, ſayeth the Lord, for the land of Sodom, in the day of Iudgement, than for the citie that reiecteth the preaching of the Goſpell. Likewiſe in the eleuenth of Matthewe hee ſayeth: It ſhalbe eaſier for Tyre and Sidon in the day of Iudgement than for you. To Pilate alſo hee ſaid: The man, that deliuered mee to thee, hath the more ſinne. Againe, The ſeruaunt that knewe his maiſters will, and prepared not himſelfe, neither did according to his will, ſhalbe beaten with many ſtripes: But hee that knewe not, and did commit thinges worthie of ſtripes, ſhalbe beaten with fewe ſtripes.

To procéede nowe, ſinnes doe ariſe by ſteppes, and increaſe by circumſtances. … by … & …For firſt there is a hidden ſinne, conteined in the very affection or deſire of man. But I hauehave alreadie told you that affections and deſires are of two ſortes, to witt, naturall affections, whiche are not repugnaunt to the lawe of God: of whiche ſort are the louelove of children, parentes, and wife: and the deſire of meate, drincke and ſléepe: although I know, and doe not denie, but that ſometimes thoſe affections are defiled with the originall ſpott. Againe, there are carnall deſires or affections in men, directly contrarie to the will of God. Thoſe affections are nouriſhed and do increaſe by vaine thoughtes and carnall delightes increaſing in thy boſome: and at laſt they breake out into the ſinne of the month, yea and after that to the déede dooing, or actuall ſinne it ſelfe. As for example: Thou …uſteſt after an other mans wife, and …ettleſt the luſte in the bottome of thy …eart, ſtill delighting thée ſelfe with vaine cogitations, while thou calleſt to minde her paſſing beautie and lineaments of bodie, and doeſt by thy often and vehement imagination both delight and ſet thée ſelfe on ſire. And not being content herewithall alone, thou ceaſſeſt not to lie at her, whome thou loueſt, with words and writings to ſpott her chaſtitie: and if occaſion ſerue thée, thou doeſt by the déed doing defile her: and alſo doeſt reiterate the ſinne, which thou haſt once cōmitted: and laſtly, laying aſide the feare of Gods plague, and the ſhame of the world, thou doeſt daily frequent it, & openly vſe it. Séeſt thou héere by this example howe one and the ſame ſinne doeth increaſe by degrées, and doeth ſtill require a ſharper puniſhment according to the greatneſſe and enormitie of the crime? Verilie the Lord in the Goſpell after Sainct Matthewe confirmeth this and ſayeth: Ye hauehave heard how it was ſaid to them of old. Thou ſhalt not kill. Whoſoeuer killeth ſhalbe in danger of Iudgement. But I ſay vntounto you, that who ſo is angrie with his brother vnaduiſedly, ſhalbe in daunger of Iudgement. And who ſoeuer ſhall ſaye vntounto his brother, Racha, ſhalbe in daunger of a Counſell: but whoſoeuer ſhall ſay, Thou foole, ſhalbe in daunger of hell fire.

In theſe wordes of the Lords thou heareſt firſt the differences of ſinnes, as anger, the tokens of angrie minds, and open ſcouldinges, whiche doe for the moſt part end in open fightinges. And then thou heareſt that as the ſinne increaſeth, ſo the greatneſſe and ſharpeneſſe of the puniſhmente is ſtill augmented. It was therefore no vnapte or ſillie diſtinction, that they made in actuall ſinne, which ſaid that there is one ſinne of the thoughte, an other of the mouth, and an other of the déede, which they did againe diuide into certaine kindes and ſortes: reducing them againe partly into Scelera, Scelera & delicta.and partly into Delicta. Scelera are thoſe heynous crimes whiche are conceiued and committed of ſet purpoſe and pretended malice: of whiche ſorte are thoſe eſpeciallie whiche are called the Crying ſinnes, as murther, Peccata clamantia.vſurie, oppreſſion of the fatherleſſe & widowes, Sodomie, and the withheld hire of the néedie labourer. For touching murther the voyce of the Lord in Geneſis, ſayeth: The voice of thy brothers bloud crieth vntounto mee. And in the twentie two of Exodus hée ſayeth: If ye vexe the fatherleſſe and widowes, and they crie to mee I will heare them and ſlay you. The word of GOD doeth with bitter quippes, baighte vſurie and vtterly condemne it. The ſinne of the Sodomites aſcended vpp to heauen, requiring vengeaunce to lighte vppon the villaynous beaſtes. And Iames the Apoſtle ſaith: Behold the hire of the labourers whiche hauehave reaped downe your fieldes, whiche hire of you is kept backe by fraude, cryeth: and the cries of them, which hauehave reaped, are entered into the eares of the Lord of Sabbaoth.

To theſe ſinnes, other men do alſo annexe thoſe ſeuen principall vices, The 7. principal vices, cōmonly called the 7. deadly ſinnes.pride or vaine glorie, anger, enuie, ſlouth, couetouſneſſe, gluttonie, and lecherie. Yea, they make theſe the ſéeds and firſt beginnings of all ſinnes and wickedneſſe, and therefore doe they call them the principall ſinnes. As is to bée ſéene in the ſentences of Peter Lombard.

Moreouer, they call thoſe ſinnes delicta, which are committed of infirmitie or vnwittingly, to witt, when the good is forſaken, & duetie to God or man neglected by a certeine kinde of idle ſluggiſhneſſe, where peraduenture Pec…atum alienum, an othe… ſin, is … an other made to ſin by … mea…es, … ye ſhall hereafte… perceiue▪are to bee numbred the ſinne of ignorance, the ſinne called Alienum, and the ſinne of vnwillingneſſe: although euen they alſo are often times made both heynous crimes, and deteſtable offences.

Ignoraunce is ſaid to bée of two ſortes, the one is naturall and verie ignoraunce, whiche ſpringeth of originall The … of ignorance.ſinne: y^e other is affected or counterfeite, whiche riſeth of a ſett purpoſe and pretended malice. The naturall ignoraunce is a diſeaſe, a fault, and a ſinne: becauſe it ſpringeth of a poyſened original, and is a worke of darckneſſe, as it appeared aboue by the teſtimonie of the Apoſtle Sainct Paule. Verilie Sainct Auguſtine in his third booke De libero arbitrio Cap. 19. ſayeth: That which euerie one by ignorance doeth not rightlie, and that which he cannot doe though he willeth rightlie, are therefore called ſinnes, becauſe they hauehave their beginning of the ſinne of free will. For that precedent did deſerue to hauehave ſuch cōſequents. For as we giuegive the name of Tongue, not to that member only, which moueth in the mouth while wee ſpeake: but euen to that alſo whiche followeth vppon the mouing of that member, to witt, the forme and tenour of woordes, which the tongue doeth vtter: according to whiche phraſe of ſpeach wee ſay, that in one man there are diuers tongues, meaninge the Greeke and the Latine tongues. Euen ſo wee doe not onelyonly call that ſinne, which is properly called ſinne, (for it is committed of a free wil wittingly) but that alſo which followeth vppon the puniſhment of the ſame. Of whiche I hauehave ſaid ſomewhat before.

Other doe cloake their ignorance with that ſaying of the Lord in the Goſpel: If I had not come and ſpoken vntounto them, they had had wherewithall to cloke …heir ſinne, or they ſhould hauehave had no ſinne. For herevppon they inferre: Therefore they to whome nothing hath béen preached, are frée from blame and accuſation of ſinne. But the Lord ſaid not ſo. For firſt he ſpake of their pretended colour, and not of their innocencie. And eueryevery pretence is not iuſt and lawefull. Hee ſaid: I cōfeſſe, they ſhould hauehave had no ſinne: but he addeth preſently: Nowe hauehave they nothing to cloake their ſinne withall. Secondarilie he doth not vniuerſally acquite the ignoraunt from all kinde of ſinne, but from the ſinne of rebellion onelyonly. For S. Auguſtine vppon Iohn ſayth: They hauehave an excuſe not for euerie ſinne, but for this only, that they beleued not in Chriſt, becauſe hee came not vntounto them. For all, which neither hauehave heard, nor do heare, may hauehave this excuſe, but they cannot eſcape condemnation. For they, that hauehave ſinned without lawe, ſhall periſhe without lawe. And Paule alſo in the firſt to Timothie the firſt Chapiter, ſayeth: I thanke him, becauſe hee hath counted mee faithfull, putting mee into the miniſterie, who was before a blaſphemer, and a perſecuter, and an oppreſſour: but yet I obteined merciemercy, becauſe I did it ignorantlie, in vnbeleefe. Loe heere the Apoſtle ſaith that he obteined merciemercy becauſe hee ſinned thorough ignoraunce: this ignorance he deriueth of vnbeléefe, and attributeth to it moſt filthie fruites. Furthermore wée call that falſe and counterfeite ignorance, which is of very malice feigned by obſtinate and ſtubborne people. As if thou, when a thing diſpleaſeth thee, ſhouldeſt ſay, that thou doeſt not vnderſtand it, or if, whē thou mayſt, thou wilt not vnderſtand it. Such is the ignorance that was in the Iewes the profeſſed enimies of Gods grace in Chriſt. For Paul ſayeth: I beare them wittneſſe that they hauehave a zeale of God, but not according to knowledge. For being ignoraunt of Gods righteouſneſſe, and ſéeking to ſet vpp their owne, they were not ſubiecte to the righteouſneſſe of God. For the Lord in the Goſpell ſaid to the Phariſeis, when they demaunded if they were blinde alſo? If ye were blinde ye ſhould hauehave no ſinne: but nowe ye ſay, Wee ſee: therefore your ſinne abideth.

The ſinnes called Aliena, are not thoſe whiche wée oure ſelues commit, Peccata aliena. Others ſinnes.but thoſe which other men doe, yet not without vsus, to witt, while we allowe, helpe forward, perſuade, commaund, wincke at, giuegive occaſion, or doe not reſiſt or gaineſay them, when wée may. The Apoſtle Paul forbiddeth Timothie to lay hands on any man haſtilie, nor to communicate with other mens ſinnes. Therefore to giuegive an vnfitt man orders, and to place him in the Eccleſiaſticall miniſterie, is that kind of ſinne which wée doe call an Others ſinne. For to thée is worthilie imputed what vnſéeméelineſſe ſoeuer is committed againſt God & his Church, by the ignoraunce of the man, whome thou haſt ſo ordeined. They ſinne an Others ſinne, whiche offer violence, and doe by tormentes and threatenings compell men to denie the truth, or to commit ſome heynous offence. For the deniall of the trueth is Peccatum alienum, an Others ſinne to him, whiche compelleth the denier to renounce Both theſ… ſinnes an referred t… the compeller, the one in reſpect of the man compelled, the other in reſpect of the compeller him ſelfe.it, and therwithall to the ſame man, his Owne ſinne, in reſpecte of himſelfe, is impietie, tyrannie, ſacrilege, and murther, for cauſing the other to renounce the trueth.

Where, by the way, wée are well admoniſhed, that of ſinnes ſome are wilfull and ſome vnwilfull, or inforced. They call that the vnwillfull ſinne, whiche is committed either by an other mans inforceing, or elſe by oure owne ignoraunce. Therefore Peccatum voluntariū & inuoluntarium.that, whiche is done neither by compulſion, nor by ignoraunce, is concluded to bee the voluntarie or willfull ſinne. Againe, of inforced ſinne they make two ſortes: whereof they call one abſolute, the other conditionall. Nowe, they thincke that the abſolute violent ſinne is, when it lyeth not in vsus either to do or not to doe, but when it commeth from ſome other man, without the conſent of him, to whome the violence is offered. Euen as if the wind ſhould driue vsus to any place vnlooked for. Or if the kinges officers doe perforce compell thy handes to offer incenſe to idols, while thou to thy power reſiſteſt, and doeſt denie it ſo farre as thou canſt. In ſuch a caſe they acquite the man, ſo compelled, from all blame, puniſhment, and reproche.

Nowe touching the ſeconde kinde of violent ſinne, whiche they call conditional, they thincke that it riſeth vppon ſundrie cauſes. But that wee maye not ſticke to longe vppon this pointe, wée doe ſimplie ſaye: The vnwilfull or violent ſinne either hath, or hath not the conſent of him whiche is compelled. If hee giuegive his conſent, as for example, either to the renouncing of the Euangelicall trueth, whiche hée hath hetherto profeſſed, or to the cōmitting of other gréeuous and horrible crimes, then is not the man compelled, voyde of blame.

For neither can the feare of death, nor torments be an excuſe for him. Chooſe death rather than to denie the trueth, to committ anye heynous crime, or See Augſtine, demenda… ad Cōſe… tium. cap 9. &. 10. …to bée compelled to conſent to a wicked and horrible ſinne. If thou ſhalt rather chooſe to die than to doe a filthie déede, the tyraunt ſhall not inforce or compell thée againſt thy will. Hee maye, in déede, kill thee: but to compell thée to doe euill againſte thy will, hee is not able. For by dyinge thou confeſſeſte the trueth, and by dyinge thou declareſt that thou wilt not doe that, whiche while thou lyueſte they doe exacte of thée. And by that meanes they neyther ouercome nor compell thée: but are themſelues ouercome and compelled to ſée and hauehave triall of that which gréeueth them full ſoare.

Antiochus Epiphanes did what hee mighte, to hauehave polluted the holie bodies of the Machabees, with the vſe of vncleane and forbidden meate. But they, chooſinge ratherto die than by liuing to bée defiled, did by dyinge ouercome the tyraunte, and could not bée compelled And verilie it is a thing receiued and approued amonge all profeſſours of ſounde Religion, that death and all extremities whatſoeuer, muſt ſooner bée taſted, than any thing committed which is by Nature filthie and repugnaunt to religion.

To procéede nowe, if conſent bée not giuen, but méere and vnauoydable violence is offered to a godly man, (for héere wée make a difference béetwixte him that vppon compulſion doeth yéeld to doe wickedneſſe, and him whiche by compulſion cannot bée broughte vntounto it) that violence ſpotteth not his vncorrupt and holy mind. As for example, if a Godly man hauing his feete bound and armes faſt pynnioned, bée perforce brought into an idole Temple, and there compelled to be preſent at their deteſtable ſacrifice: or if an vnſpotted virgin or honeſt matrone bée in the warres or barbarous broiles villanouſiye abuſed, without their conſent to the déede doing, and cannot hauehave leaue rather to die vntouched, then ſo to bee vndecently handled, ſhée is, aſſure your ſelues, vnſpotted before the face of God. For verie wiſely ſaid Saincte Auguſtine: Not to ſuffer vniuſtly, but to doe vniuſtlie, is ſinne before GOD: Lib. de Libero arbitrio 3. Capit. 16. Againe, De Mendacio ad Conſentium Capit. 7. hee ſayeth: That whiche the bodie, where luſte went not before, doeth violently ſuffer, ought rather to bee called vexation than corruption. Or if all vexation bee corruption, yet all corruption is not filthie, but that corruption onelyonly, whiche luſte hath procured, or wherevnto luſt hath conſented.

Againe, in his firſt booke De Ciuitate Dei, Capit. 18. hee ſayeth: Where the purpoſe of the minde remayneth cōſtant, by which the bodie is ſanctified, there the offered violence of an others luſte taketh not from the bodie the purpoſed holineſſe, which the conſtant perſeuearance of the parties owne chaſtitie doeth ſtill reteine. Much more like to this hath hée in the ſame place, and alſo in the ſixtéenthe, ninetéenth, and twentie eighth Chapiters of the ſame booke, &c.… mens … is … to be … the beſt

So alſo wée muſt thincke the beſt of the vnwillfull death of men beſide their wittes, that in their maddneſſe kill them ſelues. For otherwiſe it can not bee founde in the Canonicall books of holie Scripture, that GOD did either giuegive leaue or commaundement … man … haſtē ….to vsus mortall men, to kill oure ſelues, thereby the ſooner to obteine immortalitie, or to auoyd ſome imminent euill. For it muſt be vnderſtoode that wée are forbidden ſo to doe, by the lawe, whiche ſayeth: Thou ſhalt not kill: namely ſince hée addeth not, Thy neighbour: as hée did in the other precept, where he forbiddeth to beare falſe witneſſe. For béecauſe he nameth not thy neighbour, hée doeth in that precepte include thée ſelfe alſo. Therefore is the doctrine of Seneca to be vtterly condemned, whiche counſelleth men in miſerie to diſpatche themſelues, that by death their miſerie maye be ended.

And Saincte Auguſtine diſputing againſt them that doe therefore murther themſelues, béecauſe they wil not bée ſubiecte to other mens filthie luſtes, doeth ſaye: If it bee a deteſtable crime, and a damnable ſinne, for a man to murther himſelfe, as the truth doeth manifeſtly crie that it is: who is ſo madd to ſaye: Let vsus ſinne now, leaſt peraduenture hereafter we happen to ſinne: Let vsus nowe committ murther, leaſt hereafter perhappes wee fall into adulterie? If iniquitie hauehave ſo farre the vpper hande, that not innocencie, but miſchiefe is moſt ſet bye, is it not better by liuinge to hazard the chaunce of an vncerteine deflouration in time to come, than by dying to commit a certaine murther in the time preſent? Is it not farre better (in ſuch extreme times of calamitie) to committ ſuch a fault as by repentaunce may bee forgiuen, than to doe ſuch a ſinne whereby no time is left to repent in?

This hauehave I ſaid, becauſe of thoſe wilfull men and women, whiche to auoyde not others, but their owne ſinne, leaſt perhapps vnderunder an others luſte, they ſhould conſent to their owne being ſtirred vpp, doe thincke that they ought to ridd themſelues from it by ſhortening their liues. But farre bee it from a Chriſtian minde which truſteth in our God, and with a ſettled hope doeth ſtaye on him as on his ſureſtayde. Farre bee it, I ſay, from ſuch a minde to yeeld to any pleaſures of the fleſhe vntounto the conſenting to filthineſſe. But if the concupiſcentiall diſobedience, whiche dwelleth yet in our mortal members, is againſt the lawe of our will ſtirred vp, or moued by a lawe of her owne, how much rather is it without blame in the body of him that conſenteth not, if it be without blame in the bodie of him that ſleepeth? Thus much out of Auguſtine. Nowe doe wée returne to our purpoſe againe.

To proceede therefore, they diuide Sinnes hidd…n and ….actuall ſinnes into hidden or priuate, and into manifeſt or publique ſinnes. Thoſe hidden ſinnes are not ſuch as are hidd from men béeing knowen to none but God alone, of which ſorte is hypocriſi… & the deprauation of mans diſpoſition, but ſuch as are not vtterly without witneſſes, althoughe they bée not openly knowen and made manifeſt to all men. For on the other ſide the manifeſt and publique ſinnes are committed with the knowledge and offence of the whole Church. And theſe verilie are of both, the greater, & thoſe the lighter, becauſe they touche the church, and p…ocure the offence of many men. Touching which the Apoſtle ſpeaketh in the fift Chapter of his firſt Epiſtle to Timothie.

But the moſt vulgar and apte diſtinction of actuall ſinne, whiche doeth Sinns mortal and veniall.in a manner conteine in it ſelfe all the other kinds and parts thereof, is that, wherein it is called either mortall or veniall ſinne. They thincke that mortal ſinne is euerie ſinne which is committed of an vnfaithfull perſon. And that veniall ſinne is euerie ſinne that is done of a faithfull man. I doe ſimplie and according to the Scriptures ſuppoſe that all the ſinnes of men are mortall. For they are done againſt the lawe or will of God. But death is due to ſinnes. For the Prophete cryeth: The ſoule that ſinneth ſhal die it ſelfe. And the Apoſtle ſayeth: The reward of ſinne is death. Yea, and deadly ſinnes doe take the name of death. To this nowe doe belong theſe teſtimonies of the Apoſtle: This yee knowe, that euerie fornicatour, or vncleane perſon, or couetous perſon, whiche is a worſhipper of Idols, hath none inheritaunce in the kingdome of Chriſt and God. The ſame ſentence béeing againe rehearſed in the fif…e to the Epheſians, is againe to bee founde in the fifte to the Galathians, and the fifte and ſixt Chapiters of the firſt to the Corinthians.

But the ſinnes, whiche are of their owne nature mortall, are thoroughe grace in y^e faith of Ieſus Chriſt made veniall: béecauſe they are thoroughe Chriſt forgiuen by Gods great fauour and merciemercy. And therefore the Apoſtle in the ſixte Chapiter to the Romans did not ſaye: Let not ſinne bee in your mortall bodie: But, Let not ſinne reigne in your mortall bodie, that yee ſhould obey to it thoroughe the luſtes thereof. And againe, There is therfore no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Ieſus, which walke not after the fleſhe, but after the ſpirite. And againe, Brethren wee are debters not to the fleſh to walke after the fleſh. For if ye liue after the fleſh ye ſhall die: But if by the ſpirite ye ſhall mortifie the deedes of the fleſhe ye ſhall liue. Therefore there is ſinne in our bodie alwayes ſo long as wee liue: but by Grace it is not imputed vntounto death, and they, to whome it is not imputed, doe by all meanes indeuour to walke after the ſpirit and not after the fleſh: and yet they do verie often times ſlip and fall, which falles and ſlippings neuertheleſſe together with that infirmitie of mortall men are counted ſinnes, I meane, ſinnes pardonable and not to be puniſhed eternally.

Nowe, to mortall ſinnes is that ſinne eſpecially to be referred, which is called the ſinne againſt the holie Ghoſt: which ſome do, not without a cauſe, ſuppoſe to bee moſte properly called mortal ſinne. Of which I will ſpeake, when firſt I hauehave ſomewhat briefly aunſwered to certeine queſtions that do depend vppon this argument. Firſte of all here is demaunded, …hether … the … in … after … ſinne …whether y^• ſinne or diſeaſe, which after baptiſme remaineth in infants, be ſinne in verie déede? Nowe, it is manifeſt that concupiſcence remaineth in them that are baptiſed, and that concupiſcence is ſinne: and therfore that ſinne remaineth in them that are baptiſed: which ſinne, notwithſtanding, is through the Grace of God in the merite of Ieſus Chriſt, not imputed vntounto them. So did Sainct Auguſtine reſolue this knott in the firſt booke De Peccatorum meritis & remiſsione Cap. 39. where he ſaith: In infants verily it is ſo wrought, by the Grace of God through the baptiſme of him that came in the likeneſſe of ſinfull fleſhe, that the fleſhe of ſinne ſhould be made voide. And yet it is made voide ſo, not that the concupiſcence which is ſpredd and bredd in the fleſhe, while it liueth, ſhoulde of a ſoudeine bee conſumed, vaniſh awaye, and not bee, but that it ſhould not hurte him nowe being dead, in whome it was euen at his birth. For it is not giuen in baptiſme to them of more yeres, that the lawe of ſinne, which is in their members, contrarie to the lawe of their minde, ſhould vtterly be extinguiſhed, and not bee at all, but that all the euill whatſoeuer is faide, done, or thought of man, when with his captiue mind he ſerued that concupiſcence, ſhould be vtterly wiped out, and ſo reputed as thoughe it neuer had beene done, Thus much hath Auguſtine.

Another queſtion, is, whether thoſe Whether the vertuous works of the heathen are ſinnes, or no?workes, that the Gentiles doe, which hauehave a ſhewe of vertue and goodneſſe are ſinnes, or elſe good woorkes? It is aſſuredly true, that God, euen among the Gentiles alſo had his electe. Nowe ſo many ſuch as were among them, were not without the holie Ghoſte and faith. Therefore their workes which were wrought by faith were good workes, and not ſinnes. For in the Actes of the Apoſtles mention is made that the prayers and almes déedes of Cornelius the Centurion were had in remembraunce before God. And the ſame Cornelius is ſaide to hauehave beene a deuout man and fearing God, wherevppon I inferre that hee was faithfull: whoſe faith afterward is made fully perfect, and vppon whome the gift of the holie Ghoſte is more plentiouſly, beſtowed.

Moreouer the worthie déedes of y^e heathens are not to be deſpiſed nor vtterly contemned. For as they were not altogether done without God, ſo did they much auaile to the preſeruing and reſtoring of the tranquillitie of kingdomes and common weales. And therefore did the moſt iuſt Lorde inriche certeine excellent men, and common weales with many and ample temporall giftes. For vppon the Gréekes and many Romane Princes he beſtowed riches, victories, and aboundant glorie. And verily, ciuil iuſtice and publique tranquillitie was in great eſtimation among manye of them.

Other receiued infinite rewards, beecauſe they did conſtantly and manfully execute the iuſte iudgements of God vppon the wicked rebelles and enimies to God. Neither is it to be doubted but that the Lorde graunted that inuincible power to the Romane empire vnderunder Octauius Auguſtus and other Romane Princes, to y^e ende that by their ſtrength he might breake and bringe downe the inuincible malice of the Iewiſh people, and ſo by the Romanes reuenge the bloud of his ſonne, his holie Prophets, and bleſſed Apoſtles, which had béen ſhed by thoſe furious and blaſphemous beaſtes. Note here, that immediately after the ſubuerſiō of Hieruſalem, the Romane Empire beganne to decline. Nowe let vsus returne to the matter againe.

Laſtly they do demaund, whether Whether the good workes of the Saints are ſinnes or no?the good woorkes of the Sainctes and faithful ones, be ſinnes or no? Verily, if thou reſpecteſt our corruption & infirmitie, then all our woorkes are ſinnes, becauſe they be the workes of vsus, which are our ſelues not without filthie ſpottes, and therefore y^e works, which bee wrought by vsus, cannot bee ſo perfect, as otherwiſe they ought to be in the ſight of God. And yet the verie ſame workes, for the faithes ſake in vsus, and becauſe wee are receiued into the Grace of God, and that therefore they are wrought of vsus, which are nowe by Grace the ſonnes of God, bothe are in déede and alſo called good.

For to this ende tendeth that ſaying of the Apoſtle: With the minde, the ſame I, or euen I, doe ſerue the lawe of God, but with the fleſhe the lawe of ſinne. Lo here, one and the ſame Apoſtle, euen being regenerate, doth reteine in him ſelfe two ſundrye diſpoſitions, ſo that his verie woorke working in diuers reſpectes is bothe ſinne and a good worke alſo. For in as much as in mynd he ſerueth God, ſo farre foorth he doeth a good woorke: but in ſo muche as hee againe did ſerue the lawe of the fleſhe, therein his woorke is not without a ſpott. For hee him ſelfe a little before in the ſame ſeuenth Chapter ſaide: I finde when I woulde do good, that euill (foreign, that is to ſaye) is preſent, with, by, and in mee: which euill vndoubtedly making alwayes a ſhewe of it ſelfe in all our woordes, workes, and thoughtes, doeth cauſe, that the worke which is done of vsus, when we are regenerate, cannot bee ſo pure, as Gods iuſtice doeth looke that it ſhould be: by the Grace therefore and the merciemercy of God, it is reputed and eſtéemed as pure.

Here vntounto now doth that ſentence of oure Lorde in the Goſpell after Sainct Iohn belong, where he ſaith: Hee that is waſhed, hath no neede, ſaue to waſhe his feete, but hee is cleane eueryevery whitt. For if hee bee cleane eueryevery whitt, what néede hath the cleane to waſhe his féete? But if the féete muſt be waſhed, howe then is hee cleane eueryevery whitt? And yet theſe ſayings are not repugnant betwixt them ſelues, euen as alſo that ſaying is not, where wee ſaye that good woorkes are ſinnes.

For according to the plentifullneſſe and imputation of Gods grace and merciemercy, wee are cleane euerye whitt, being thoroughly purged from all our ſinnes, ſo that they ſhall not condemne vsus. And yet, for becauſe there is alwayes in vsus the lawe of ſinne, whiche ſheweth it ſelfe in vsus ſo long as wee liue, therefore our féete, that is, thoſe euill motions & naughtie luſtes of oures muſte be reſiſted, and to our power repreſſed: finallie wee muſt acknowledge that we our ſelues and our verie workes are neuer with oute an imperfection: and therefore conſequently that all our workes and we do ſtande in néede of the grace of God. Theſe queſtions beeinge thus reſolued, wee are nowe come to expounde the ſinne againſte the holye Ghoſte.

The ſinne againſte the holy ghoſte, is a perpetual blaſpheminge of the reuealed Of the ſin …gainſt the …oly ghoſtand knowen trueth, to witte, when we againſt our conſcience, falſely reuolting from the knowen trueth, do without intermiſſion both inueigh and rayle againſte it. For blaſphemy is the euill ſpéech or deſpightfull tantes, wherewith we inueighe againſt, or ſlaunder any man, by caſting forth wicked and deteſtable ſpeeches againſte him, whereby his credite and eſtimation is either crackte, or vtterly diſgraced.

Wée d…e therefore blaſpheme the magiſtrates, our elders, and other good men, when wee doe not onelye withdrawe oure obedience, and the honour due vntounto them, but doe alſo with reprocheful wordes bayte them, not ceaſſing to call them tyrauntes, bloudſuckers, wicked headds and odible guides: but wee doe eſpecially blaſpheme God, when we detracte his glorie, gaynſaye his grace, and of ſet purpoſe doe ſtubbornly contemne and diſpraiſe his truth reuealed vntounto vsus, and his euidente worckes declared to all the world.

Euerie ſinne verilie is not blaſphemie, What blaſphemie is properly.but all blaſphemie is ſinne. For beecauſe it tendeth againſte God and his will, it is ſinne: but therewithall this propertie more, and ſingularitie it hath, that it dothe alſo deſpiſe God and ſpeake reprochfullie againſte his workes. Many doe ſinne againſte the doctrine of the trueth, becauſe they doe either neglecte and not receyue the trueth: or elſe becauſe, when they hauehave receiued it, they doe not reuerence and ſet it foorth: but theſe kinde of men thoughe they bee ſinners, doe not yet deſerue to be called blaſphemers: but if they beginne once with tauntes and quippes to mocke the doctrine, whiche they neglect, calling it Hereticall, Schiſmaticall, Seditious and Diuelliſhe, then maye they rightely bée termed blaſphemers. Wherefore the propertie of the ſinne againſte the holie Ghoſte is, not onelyonly to reuolte from the truthe, but alſo againſte all conſcience to ſpeake againſte the trueth, and with floutes inceſſauntly to ouerwhelme, bothe the verie woorke, and moſte euidente reuelation of the Lorde.

For the conſcience, being by the euidence of the reuelation or woorke of the holie Ghoſte conuinced, ſuggeſteth or telleth them, that they ought not onelyonly to temper them ſelues from reprochfull ſpeeches, but that they oughte to doe an other thing too, that is, that they oughte to yéelde to the truthe, and giuegive to God his due honour and glorie.

But nowe to exclude this inſpiration of the holy ſpirite, to reiecte and ouerwhelme it with ſtubborne falſhood, flatt apoſtacie, wicked contradiction, and perpetuall contempt, is flatly to committ ſinne againſt the holie Ghoſte. And this verily taketh The beginning of this ſinne againſt the holy ghoſtbeginning of originall ſinne, and is nouriſhed and ſet forwarde by diuelliſh ſuggeſtions, our peruerſe affections, by indignation, enuie, hope or feare, by ſtubborne and ſelfewilfull malice, and laſtly by contumacie & rebellion.

But nowe, the courſe of the matter requireth to heare what the Lorde ſaide in the Goſpell concerning this ſinne. In the twelfth of Matthewe he ſaith: EueryEvery ſinne and blaſphemie ſhalbe forgiuen vntounto men: but the blaſphemie againſt the holie Ghoſte ſhal not be forgiuen vntounto men. And whoſoeuer ſpeaketh a worde againſt the ſonne of man, it ſhalbe forgiuen him: but whoſoeuer ſpeaketh againſt the holie Ghoſt, it ſhall not bee forgiuen him neither in this worlde nor in the world to come. The ſame ſentence of our Sauiour is thus expreſſed in the thirde Chapter of ſainct Markes Goſpell: All ſinnes ſhalbe forgiuen vntounto the children of men, & blaſphemies wherewith ſoeuer they ſhal blaſpheme: but he that ſpeaketh blaſphemie againſt the holie Ghoſte, hath neuer forgiueneſſe, but is in daunger of eternall damnation.

In the twelfth Chap. after Sainct Luke, theſe woordes in a manner are vttered thus: Who ſoeuer ſpeaketh a worde againſt the ſonne of man, it ſhalbe forgiuen him: but vntounto him that blaſphemeth the holie Ghoſte, it ſhal not be forgiuen.

In theſe woordes of the Lorde we hauehave here mention made of blaſphemie againſt the ſonne of man, and of blaſphemie againſt the holie Ghoſte: of which, that againſt the holie Ghoſte is vtterly vnpardonable, but that againſt the ſone of man is altogether veniall.

Blaſphemie againſt the ſonne of man is committed of the ignoraunt, Blaſphe… againſt … ſonne of man.which are not yet inlightened, & doeth tend againſt Chriſt, whome the blaſphemer doth thinke to bee a ſeducer: becauſe he knoweth him not. Suche blaſphemers the woorde of the Lorde doth manifeſtly teſtifie that Paul him ſelfe before his conuerſion, & a greate parte of the Iewes were. For vppon the croſſe, the Lorde prayed, crying, Father for giuegive them: for they wott not what they doe. And the Apoſtle Paule ſayth: If they had knowen the Lorde of glorie they would not hauehave crucified him. Wherevpon Saincte Peter in the Actes ſpeakinge to the Iewes, ſaith: I knowe that ye did it through ignorance, nowe therefore turne you, and repent, that your ſinnes may be wiped out. Act. 3. But the blaſphemie againſt the holie Ghoſt is ſaide to be a continual faultfinding The … … gainſt … holy …or reproche againſt the holie ſpirite of God, that is, againſt the inſpiration, illumination and woorkes of the ſpirite. For when he doth ſo euidently worke in the minds of men, that they can neither gaineſaye it, nor yet pretend ignorance, and that for all this they do reſiſt, mocke, deſpiſe, and continually ſnapp at the trueth, whiche they in their conſciences do knowe to be moſte hoalſome and true: in ſo doing, they do blaſpheme the holie Spirite and power of God. As for example: the Phariſeis being by moſte euident reaſons, and vnreproueable miracles cōuinced in their owne minds, could not denie but that the doctrine & woorkes of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſte were the trueth and miracles of the verie God: and yet againſt the teſtimonie of their owne conſciences, they did of méere enuie, rebellious doggedneſſe, and falſe apoſtacie continually cauil, that Chriſt did al by the means & inſpiration of Beelſebub the diuel. And little or nothing better than the Phariſeis are thoſe, which when they hauehave in theſe dayes once vnderſtoode that the verie trueth and aſſured ſaluation are moſte ſimplie and purely ſet forth in Chriſte, doe notwithſtanding forſake it and allowe of the contrarie doctrine, condemning and with mockes rayling vppon the ſounde and manifeſt trueth, yea, and that more is, they ceaſſe not to clappe their handes and hiſſe at it, as a damnable hereſie. As this ſinne is of all other y^e Sinne againſt the holy ghoſt … not remitted.filthieſt, ſo is it not veniall, but vtterly vnpardonable. For in the Goſpell, the Lorde hath expreſly ſaide, it ſhall not bee forgiuen him, neither in this world, nor in the worlde to come. Whiche ſentence in Saint Marke is thus pronounced: He hath neuer forgiueneſſe, but is in daunger of eternall damnation. The cauſe is manifeſt. For it is vnpoſſible w^tout faith to pleaſe God. Without faith there is no remiſſion of ſinnes. Without faith there is no entraunce into the kingdome of God. But the ſinne againſt y^e holie Ghoſte is méere apoſtacie & flatt rebellion againſt the true faith, which the holie Ghoſte by his illumination doth powre into our heartes. Whiche illumination theſe vntoward Apoſt ataes doe inceſſantly call darkeneſſe, they name it a meere ſeduction, and do with tauntes blaſpheme it openly. Therfore the ſinne is neuer forgiuen them. For they tread vnderunder foote the Grace of God, and do deſpiſe & make a mocke of the waye which leadeth to ſaluation. Wherefore Sainct Paule in the tenth to the Hebrues ſaith: If wee ſinne willingly, after we hauehave receiued the knowledge of the trueth, there remaineth no more ſacrifice for ſinnes, but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire, which ſhal deuour the aduerſaries. Nowe I pray you what is it to ſinne wilingly? Forſooth, to ſinne willingly, is not to ſinne through infirmitie, or oftē times to fall into one & the ſame ſinne: but to ſinne willingly, is with a moſte ſtubborn cōtēpt to ſinne: as they are wont to do, which wittingly and willingly do reiecte and ſpurne at the Grace of God, not ceaſſing to make a mocke of the croſſe & death of Chriſt, as thoughe it were fooliſhe and not ſufficiently effectuall to the purginge of all oure ſinnes. For to ſuch there is prepared none other ſacrifice for ſinnes. And ſuche the Apoſtle calleth the aduerſaries, that is, the contemners and enimies of God. And therefore the ſame Apoſtle in the ſixte Chapter of y^e ſame Epiſtle ſaith: It cannot be, that they which were once lighted, and hauehave taſted of the heauenly gifte, & were become partakers of the holie ghoſt, and hauehave taſted of the good woorde of God, and the powers of the world to come, and they fall away, ſhould be renued againe into repentaunce, crucifying to them ſelues the ſonne of God afreſhe, and making a mock of him. He ſpeaketh not here of eueryevery fall of the faithfull: but of wilfull & ſtubborne apoſtacie. For Peter fell and was reſtored againe throughe repentance: which happeneth to more than Peter alone. For all ſinners are through repentaunce daily reſtored But vnrepentant Iudas is not reſtored, becauſe he was a wilfull apoſtatae. Mockers and blaſphem…rs are not reſtored through repentance, becauſe they do obſtinately ſtande againſt the knowen veritie, and ceaſſe not to blaſpheme the waye by whiche alone they are to be ledd vntounto eternall life. Therefore thoſe places of S. Paule do make neuer a whit for the Nouatians, but do expound to vsus the nature and enuenomed force of the ſinne againſt the holie Ghoſt. Sainct Iohn the Apoſtle and Euangeliſt diſputing of this ſinne in his Canonicall Epiſtle, ſaith: If any man ſee his brother ſinne a ſinne which is not vntounto death, he ſhal aſke, & he ſhal giuegive him life for them, that ſinne not vntounto death. There is a ſinne vntounto death, I ſay not that thou ſhouldeſt praye for it. All vnrighteouſneſſe is ſinne, and there is a ſinne not vntounto death. We knowe that whoſoeuer is borne of God ſinneth not: but he that is begotten of God keepeth him ſelfe, and that euil toucheth him not.

Sainct Iohn here maketh mentiō of two ſortes of ſinnes. The one vntounto death, that is mortall and vnpardonable, for which we muſt not pray: that is to ſaye, prayers cannot obteine pardone for it. That ſinne is contumelious reproch… againſt the holie Ghoſte, reuolting apoſtacie, and inceſſant mocking of the Goſpell of Chriſte. For in the Goſpell after S. Iohn, we read: Verily, verily I ſaye vntounto you, if a man keepe my ſayings, he ſhall not ſee death for euer. And againe: If ye beleeue not that I am, ye …hal dye in your ſinnes.

And apoſtacie in verie déede is iniquitie, and a purpoſed and perpetuall ſinne. For what is more ſinfull or vniuſt, than to ſtrine againſt, and make a mocke of the knowen veritie? The other ſinne is veniall, not vntounto death, the which, of what ſort it is, Sainct Iohn declareth, when he addeth: Wee knowe that eueryevery one which is borne of God, ſinneth not. Nowe that ſaying muſt not be ſo abſolutely taken, as though hee ſinned not at all: but wee muſt vnderſtand that hee ſinneth not to death. For otherwiſe the verie Sainctes are ſinners, as it is euident by y^e firſt Chapter of this Epiſtle.

Furthermore, that which doeth immediately followe in Iohn, maketh manifeſt that which went before: He that is begotten of God, ſaith he, kepeth him ſelfe, that is, hee ſtandeth ſtedfaſtly in the knowen trueth, and taketh heede to him ſelfe, that that euil touch him not, that is, that he intrap him not, ſtirre him vp againſt God, nor reteine him in rebellion. Thus much hauehave I hitherto ſaide touching the ſinne againſt y^e holie Ghoſte, which Auguſtine did in Or endler vnrepentance.one place call finall impenitencie, which doth followe vppon Apoſtacie, blaſphemie, and contempt of the holie Ghoſt, or of the word of trueth reuealed by the holie Ghoſt.

And although I hauehave alreadie in the handling of Originall ſinne and Of the … & certain… puniſhmē … of ſinners.ſinne againſt the holie Ghoſte, partely touched the effectes of ſinne, yet to cō clude this treatiſe withall I wil briefly ſhewe you ſomewhat touching the iuſt and aſſured puniſhment that ſhal be layde vppon ſinners. For, in the definition of ſinne I ſayde, that ſinne brought vponupon vsus the wrath of GOD, with death and ſundrie puniſhments. Of which in this place I meane to ſpeake. It is as manifeſt, as what is moſt manifeſt, by the ſcriptures, that God doeth puniſhe the ſinnes of men. yea, that he puniſheth ſinners for their ſinnes. For many places in the ſcriptures declare that God is angrie and greeuouſly offended at the ſinnes of mortall men. Dauid cryeth: The Lorde loueth the iuſt: as for the wicked and violent, his ſoule doeth hate them, Vppon the vngodly hee ſhall rayne ſnares, fire and brimſtone, ſtorme and tempeſt, this ſhalbe their portion to drinke. For the righteous Lord loueth righteouſneſſe, with his countenāce he doth behold the thing that is iuſt. In like manner Paule ſaith: The wrath of God is reuealed from heauen againſt all vngodlineſſe and vncleaneſſe of men, which withholde the trueth in vnrighteouſneſſe. And what may be thought of y^e moreouer, that the wrath of God for the ſinnes of vsus men woulde bee by no meanes appeaſed, but by the death of the ſonne of God? Wherein verily the excellencie of the greate price of our redemption doth argue the greatneſſe and filthineſſe of our ſinne. To all which we may adde, that the good Lorde, who loued mankinde ſo well, woulde not hauehave ouerwhelmed vsus, w^t ſo many paynes and exceeding calamities, had not our ſinne béen paſſing horrible in the ſight of his eyes. For who can make a full beadrowe of all the calamities of miſerable ſinners? The Lorde for our ſinnes abſenteth The places of ….him ſelfe from vsus. But if the Sunne be out of the earth, howe greate are y^e myſtes and cloudie darkeneſſe in it. If God be awaye from vsus, how great is the horror in myndes of men?

Here therefore as puniſhementes due to ſinners, are reckoned, the tyrannie of Satan, a thouſande tormentes of conſcience, the death of the ſoule, dreadfull feare, vtter deſperation, innumerable calamities of bodie, and of our other faculties, which Moſes the ſeruaunt of God doeth at large rehearſe in the 26. of Leuiticus, and the 28 Chapter of Deuteronomium. And nowe, ſince newe ſinnes are daily ſcourged with newe kindes of puniſhements, what ende, I praye, is any man able to make, if hee ſhoulde goe about to reckon them all?

It is not to be doubted verily, but The Lorde doth puniſh ſinners iuſtly▪that the Lorde doeth puniſhe ſinners iuſtly. For hee is him ſelfe a moſt iuſt Iudge. And for becauſe it is a madd mannes parte to doubte of the iuſtice, omnipotencie, and wiſedome of god: it followeth therefore conſequently, that all religious and godly men doe holde for a certeintie, that the puniſhments which God doeth laye vppon men, are laide vppon them by moſte iuſt iudgement.

But howe greate and what kinde of puniſhment is due to eueryevery faulte and ſeuerall tranſgreſſion, belongeth rather to Gods iudgement to determine, than for mortall men too curiouſly to inquire. Wherevppon Sainct Auguſtine Tracta, in Ioan. 89 ſaide: There is as greate diuerſitie of puniſhments as of ſinnes, which howe it is ordeined, the wiſedome of God doth more deepely declare, than mans coniectures can poſsibly ſeeke out, or vtter in wordes. Hee verily which in his lawe giuen to man gaue this for a rule: according to the meaſure of the ſinne, ſo ſhall the meaſure of the puniſhement bee: beeing him ſelfe moſte equall and iuſt, doeth not in iudgement exceede meaſure.

Abraham in the notable communication had with God, which is reported in the 18 of Geneſis, doth amōg other things ſay: W…lt thou deſtroye the iuſt with the wicked? that be farr from thee, that thou ſhouldſt do ſuch a thing, and ſlaye the righteous with the wicked, and that the righteous ſhould be as the wicked.

That is not thy parte, that iudgeſt al the earth: thou ſhalt not make ſuche iudgement. Herevnto alſo belongeth that notable demonſtration which the Lorde vſeth towarde Ionas, beeing angrie with the Lorde becauſe of his iudgements: for hee ſheweth that hee hath iuſtly a care of the infants, yea, and of the cattel in Niniue. The place is extant in the fourth Chapter of the prophecie of Ionas. Let vsus therefore ſtedfaſtly holde, that the Lord, when he puniſheth, doth iniurie to no creature which hee hath made. Here therefore the diſputations and queſtions come to an ende, wherein men are wont to demaunde whye y^e Lorde doeth ſometimes vſe ſo ſharpe torments towards infants or ſucklings? or why he rewardeth temporal offences with eternal puniſhments? For y^e Lord is righteous in all his wayes, and holie in all his workes. As Dauid did moſt truly witneſſe, whereas in another place he ſaith: Thou arte iuſt, O Lord, and thy iudgement is right. Bleſſed is hee that ſtumbleth not here, and doeth not murmur againſt the Lorde.

But if … ſo happen that the Lorde God puniſheth moſt ſurely.at any time do ſomewhat long deferre the iudgement and puniſhment, wee muſt not therefore thinke that hee is vniuſt, becauſe he ſpareth the wicked, and ſharpely correcteth his friendes & their vices. Let vsus rather laye before our eyes the Euangelicall parable of the riche glutton and poore ſillie Lazarus. For Lazarus, though he was the friende of God, did notwithſtanding die for want of foode. The other though he was Gods enimie, did ſpend his life in deintie fare and pleaſures, and felt none ill. But hearken, after this life, what their iudgement was: Abraham ſaith to the riche glutton: My ſonne, remember that thou in thy life time receiuedſt thy good, and Lazarus likewiſe receiued euill: but nowe he reioyceth, and thou art tormented. Therefore, if the godly bee at any time afflicted in this preſent life, they ſhalbe abundantly rewarded for it in the life to come. But if the wicked be ſpared in this worlde, they are more grieuouſly puniſhed in the world to come. For God is iuſt, & rewardeth eueryevery man accordinge to his merite. If hereafter therefore thou ſhalte chaunce to ſée the wicked liue in proſperitie, thinke not thou by and by that God is vniuſt, ſuppoſe not that his power is abated, and ſay not that he ſleepeth, & ſéeth them not. For that ſaying of the Prophet, which is alſo vſed by the Apoſtle Peter, is aſſuredly true: The eyes of the Lord are vponupon the iuſt, and his eares open vntounto their prayers. Againe: The eyes of the Lorde are vppon them that do wickedneſſe. Wee muſt in ſuche a caſe fortifie our mindes with the iuſt examples of Gods iudgementes, gathered together out of the holy Scriptures. Let vsus conſider that the world was deſtroyed with the generall deluge, when God had in vaine a longe time looked after repentaunce. Let vsus remember that Sodom, Gomorrha, Exampl… of Go… iuſtly …and the cities adiacent thereaboute were burnt with fire ſent down from heauen. Let vsus thinke vppon Aegypt howe it was ſtricken with diuers plagues, and the inhabitantes drowned in the redde ſea. Let vsus call to minde the thinges that happened by the holie and iuſt iudgement of God to the Amorrhites, the Chanaanites, the Amalechites, & the verie Iſraelits, firſt vnderunder their Iudges, then vnderunder their Kinges. Their meaſure at laſt was fully filled. Neither did they at anye time deſpiſe God and his worde, but were at the laſt payde home for their labour. They neuer ſinned & went ſcotf…e long. The hiſtorie of Paulus Oroſius, yea, the vniuerſall hiſtorie of all the world doe miniſter vntounto vsus inumerable examples like vntounto theſe, declaring the certeintie of Gods iudgement. Let vsus thinke that God doeth not therefore allowe of ſinnes, beecauſe …ods long …he is ſlacke in puniſhing them, but let vsus perſuade our ſelues that he by the prolonging of puniſhment doth of his vnmeaſurable goodneſſe both looke and ſtaye for the repentaunce & conuerſion of miſerable ſinners.

For in y^e Goſpell the Lord biddeth not to cutt down the barren figg trée, becauſe hee looked to ſee if it woulde bring any fruite the next yere following.

The Apoſtle Paule ſaith: Deſpiſeſt thou the riches of his goodneſſe, and patience, and long ſufferaunce, not knowing that the goodneſſe of God leadeth thee to repentance? But thou after thy ſtubborneſſe and heart that cannot repent, heapeſt vntounto thy ſelfe wrath againſt the day of wrath, and declaration of the righteous iudgement of God, which wil rewarde eueryevery man accordinge to his deedes: to them which by continuing in weldoing ſeeke for glorie, and honour, and immortalitie, eternall life: But vntounto them that are contentious, and doe not obey the trueth, but obey vnrighteouſneſſe, ſhall come indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguiſh vppon eueryevery ſoule of man, that doth euil.

This I ſaye let vsus firmely holde, & with this let vsus content our ſelues, not grudging to ſée the wicked liue long in proſperitie without paine or puniſhment. The holie, iuſt, wiſe, and mightie God, knoweth beſt what to doe, howe to doe, why and when to doe eueryevery thing conueniently. To him bee glorie for euer and euer. Amen.

To this belongeth alſo, that God doeth as well afflicte the good as the Why ſin… a… plagued with temporall puniſhments conſidering that they are forgiuen by the grace of God.badd. Touchinge which I ſpake at large in the thirde Sermon of this thirde Decade. Nowe, here therefore ſome there are which demaunde, why God doth with diuers puniſhements perſecute thoſe ſinnes whiche he hath alreadie forgiuen to men? For he forgaue Adam his ſinne, and yet he layde on him both death, and innumerable calamities of this life beſide. To Dauid we read that the Prophet Nathan ſaide: The Lorde hath taken thy ſinne away: and yet immediately after, the ſame Prophet addeth: The ſworde ſhall not departe from thy houſe. To this wee aunſwere ſimply that theſe plagues which are layde on vsus beefore the remiſſion of our ſinnes, are the puniſhmentes due to our ſinnes, but that after the remiſſion of our ſinnes they are conflictes and exerciſes, wherewith the faithfull doe not make ſatiſfaction for their ſinnes, which are alreadie remitted by Grace in the death of the ſonne of God, but wherewith they are humbled and kept in their duetie, hauing an occaſion giuen of the greater glorie.

And here I wil not ſticke to recite vntounto you (dearely beloued) Saincte Auguſtines iudgement touching this matter in his ſeconde booke De peccatorum meritis et remiſsione Chap. 33. & 34. where he ſayth: Thinges, the guilt wherof God abſolueth or remitteth, to the ende that after this life they ſhould doe no harme, and yet he ſuffereth them to abide vntounto the conflict of faith, that by them men may be inſtructed and exerciſed, profiting in the conflict of righteouſneſſe. &c. And preſently after: Before forgiueneſſe they are the puniſhments of ſinners: but after remiſſion they are the conflictes and exerciſes of iuſt men. And againe, after a fewe wordes more he faith, The fleſh which was firſt made, was not the fleſh of ſinne, wherein mā would not kéepe righteouſnes among the pleaſures of paradiſe. Wherfore God ordeined, that after his ſinne, the fleſh of ſinne being increaſed, ſhoulde indeuour with paines and labours to recouer righteouſneſſe againe. And for that cauſe Adam being caſt out of Paradiſe, dwelt ouer againſt Eden, that is, againſt the place of pleaſures, which was a ſigne, that with labours, whiche are contrarie to pleaſure, the fleſhe of ſinne was then to be invred, which being in pleaſures, kepte not obedience, before it was the fleſh of ſinne. Therefore euen as thoſe oure firſt parentes by liuing iuſtly afterward, whereby they are rightly thought to be by the bloud of Chriſte deliuered from vtter puniſhment, deſerued not yet in that life to be called backe againe into Paradiſe: ſo alſo the fleſhe of ſinne, although, when ſinnes are forgiuen, a man liue righteouſly in it, doth not preſently deſerue not to ſuffer that death, which it drew from the propagation of ſinne. Such a like thing is inſinuated to vsus in the booke of the Kings, concerning the patriarche Dauid, to whome when the prophet was ſent, and had threatened vntounto him the euils that ſhoulde come vppon him through the anger of God, bicauſe of the ſinne which he had committed, by the confeſſion of the ſinne he deſerued forgiueneſſe, according to the anſwere of the prophete, who tolde him that that ſinne and crime was forgiuen vntounto him, and yet thoſe thinges Abſol… defiled … fathers bed, … by he … that … was hu… bled.betyded him which god had threatened vntounto him, to wit, that he ſhoulde ſo be humbled by the inceſt of his ſonne. &c. And what is the cauſe that they demaund not, if God for ſinne did threaten that ſcourge, why then when he had pardoned the ſinne, did he fulfill that whiche he threatened? but for bicauſe they knowe (if they demaund that queſtion) that they ſhall rightly be anſwered, that the remiſſion of the ſinne was graunted, to the end the man ſhuld not be by his ſinne hindered to obteine eternall life: but the effect of Gods threatening did followe after the remiſſion of the ſinne, to the end that the godlineſſe of the mā might be tryed and exerciſed in that humilitie. In like manner, God hath for ſinnes layde bodily death, as a puniſhment vponupon the body of man, and after the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes hathe not taken it away, but left it in the body, to be a meane to the exerciſe of righteouſneſſe. Thus farre hath Auguſtine.

Nowe as concerning the puniſhments Howe wicked puniſh…of the wicked (If the moſt iuſt God doe in this worlde touch them w^t any) let vsus knowe that they bee the arguments of Gods iuſt iudgement, who in this worlde beginneth to puniſhe them temporally, and in the worlde to come doeth not ceaſſe to plague them euerlaſtingly. The wicked verily periſhe thorough their owne default. For God beginneth to whippe them in this life, to the end that they beeing chaſtened may begin to be wiſe, and turne to the Lorde: but they by his chaſticement are the more indurate, and murmur at the iudgements of God, conuerting that to their owne deſtruction, which was ordeined to hauehave bene to their health. For as to them that louelove GOD all thinges worke to the beſt, ſo to them that hate the Lord all things do work to their vtter deſtruction.

This argument might bee extended further yet: but for becauſe I hauehave alreadie ſpoken a great deale to this effect in the third Sermon of this thirde Decade, that whiche is here left out may there be founde, & therefore I referre you to the looking vponupon that. And ſo nowe hitherto touching ſinne.

I hauehave, with ſomewhat too long a Sermon, (dearely beloued) by more than the ſpace of two whole houres deteyned you here. That therefore I may nowe make an end, let vsus humblie acknowledge our ſinnes, and méekely crye with prayers vntounto the Lorde, which ſitteth in the throne of Grace, ſaying: HaueHave merciemercy vppon vsus, O Lorde, for againſt thée hauehave wée ſinned, and do confeſſe our offences. Thy debters are wée. Forgiue thou vsus our debtes, as wée forgiue our debters: and leade vsus not into temptation: but deliuer vsus from euil. Amen. (⸫)

The ende of the thirde Decade of Sermons.

Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion, Sermons 2 · Decade 3 · Sermon 10

p. 477¶ Of ſinne, and of the kindes thereof, to witt, of originall, and actuall ſinne, and of ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt. And laſtly of the moſt ſure and iuſt puniſhment of ſinnes.

¶ The tenth Sermon.

¶ Of ſinne, and of the kindes thereof, to witt, of originall, and actuall ſinne, and of ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt. And laſtly of the moſt ſure and iuſt puniſhment of ſinnes.