A Wholesome Antidote Against Anabaptists, Dialogue 8
The .viii. Treatye or Dialogue.
How that a ſynner may come to grace, as often as he reuen…ethe, and that no man is without ſynne.
Ioiada.
O Lorde God, that the ſimple, do ſo miſerably ſuffer themſelues to be blynded. If Menander & Symō, ſhould come agayne: I thynke they coulde fynde adherentes, and diſciples, ſyth that the ſecte of Nouatus & of the Catharians, is ſo regarded & beleued among many.
Sy.
What do theſe thingꝭ meane▪
Ioia
That the ſeyd heretykes, dyd teache, about .xii. C. ye…r…s ago, the ſame thynges, that thou haſt nowe brought of the Anababtiſtes. For thei dyd deny all grace and forgeuenes, vntounto them, that were fallen agayne: Thei dyd arrogate, and take vponupon them, pureneſſe or clenlyneſſe of lyfe. They dyd congregate & aſſemble a particuler Churche, auoidyng and ſhūnyng al cōmunion or felowſhip of ſynners. In the meane ſeaſon, they dyd paſſe al mortal men, in preſumptuo…ſneſſe and arrogancy, in enuy, hate …e … contencion, in couetouſneſſe, & intemperancy of lyfe. But rede thou Ciprian, vponupon the matter, in the .iiii. Epi…le to Antonianus. The Anabaptiſtes if thou lookeſt better vponupon the …, are in all thinges lyke vntounto the Catharians, and doo teache all one thyng with them. S…ct… them therefore▪ For he, that agreith, with manifeſt h…e…s is lyuyng, condicions, conuerſacion & teachyng, can not teche the truthe, nor be a rightful mā. Or howe canſt thou alow them whom all godly perſones dyd alwayes abhorre?
Sy.
I care not for the Catharians, nor I know not, what the Cathariās be. That I do, in this thyng, agree with the Anabaptiſtꝭ, the ſcriptures compell me to do it, therfore I do not beleue them, but the ſcriptures.
Ioia.
This is that I hauehave ſayde, and yet do I repete it, that nothing boldeth them ſo muche in their error as dothe ignoraunce. If they had read, and taſted the olde hiſtories, thei wolde be more modeſt and ſobre, and not ſo preſump…ous. Is not this a miſerable and perilous thyng, that men beyng ſo rude and ignoraune in all thynges, do take vponupon them, to be teachers? Wherby, it cometh to paſſe, that thei corrupt, confound & ſubuert al thynges, not hauynge the righte vnderſtādyng of ſcriptures. For that which Paule in the▪ vi. chap. to the Hebrues, and Peter in the ii. chap. of his ſecond Epiſt. doo write, dothe not ſtrengthe nor proue the oppinion of the Anababtiſtes, but that there is no remiſſion for them, whiche doo ſwarue frome the faythe, and thorow miſbeleue or infidelitie do diſpayre of the mercy of god. For they doo ſynne agaynſt the holy goſt, whiche ſyn is not forgyuen here, nor in the worlde to come, as Chriſte teacheth. Mat. xii. & .i. Iohn .v. But, my Symon, diſcuſſe thou and wey, the wordes, of bothe the Apoſtles, and conſider to what purpoſe they were ſpoken. Truly for this purpoſe, to proue, that it is impoſſible for hym, that hath beleued ones perfectly, to falle away from his fayth. Peter, with the other diſciples, being aſked of chriſt, whether thei woulde, forſake hym alſo, dyd anſwere. Lord, to whom ſhould we go? thou haſt the wordes of euerlaſtyng lyfe. And we dooe know and beleue, that thou art the ſonne of the lyuyng God. If ſo be, that any man dothe fall cleane from fayth, he doth ſhew manifeſtly, that he had neuer a true fayth. They went from vsus (ſayth Iohn) but they were not of vsus: for if they had ben of vsus, truly they ſhoulde had remayned with vsus. He therfore, that ſwarueth from the knowē faith hathe no ſaluacion. But why? For Chriſt is the onelyonly ſaluaciō frome whome he doothe falſely ſwarue, and therfore can fynde no other ſaluacion. Thou doeſt vnderſtande, I thynke, that the falle, whereof Paull ſpeaketh, is not the fall, that doth chaūce daily, by thinfirmitie & weakeneſſe of the fleſh in them, that are godly, but extreme deſperacion thorough miſbeleue & infidelitie, wherby a mā ſwarueth from God. Reade the .vii. &. viii to the Heb. and thou ſhalte ſee, that daily remiſſion of ſynnes, is not denyed vntounto them that ar fallen agayne. For he ſayeth alſo, in the .v. cha. that Chriſt is a biſſhoppe, that can hauehave compaſſion, of our infirmities, vntounto whom we muſt flye, hauyng lycence & libertie, to do it .x. chap. to the Hebrues.
Sy.
In the .xii. chap. Paule teacheth. that Eſau coulde fynde no place of repentaunce, thoughe he dyd ſeke it with teares.
Ioia.
Paule doth not ſpeake in this place, of repentaunce, and forgyueneſſe of ſynnes. but of election, and recouering of his firſt birth which he had loſt ones, thorough glotony, and intemperance, and could neuer recouer it agayne, though he had aſſaied & proued it, with wepynges and teares. for Iacob had bought the right of the firſt borne. and had preuented him. Wherfore he ſpeaketh nothyng heare, of the inwarde remiſſion of ſinnes. And often tymes, thys woorde penaunce is taken in an other ſignificaciō. But the Cathariās dyd vſe the ſame argumentes, in ſo muche, that ſome weake perſons, among them, that wer godly. dyd abhorre, & ſuſpecte the Epiſtle to the Hebrues, as ſome do now a dayes the Epi. of ſaynt Iames. But now I come to the auctoritie of Peter, who ſpeaketh after this maner: It had ben better for them▪ not to hauehave knowen the waye of righteouſneſſe, then after that they hauehave knowen, to tourne from that, that was taught them by the holye precepte. But that chaunceth vntounto theim, that is wont to be ſpoken in a true prouerbe: A dogge goynge to his vomittyng (or to that which he had vomitted) agayne: And a waſhed ſow, beyng retourned to the myre wallowyng or walteryng. If thou conſidereſt well & truly theſe wordes, thou ſhalt fynde that they be ſpoken of infidelitie, and vnfaythfulneſſe. From the which, after that thei wer ones called, through faith, they dyd fall agayn from God, into the fyrſt vnfaythfulneſſe & infidelitie. We doo ſet therfore that infidelitie is condempned eueryevery where.
Sy.
What ſayeſt thou of this, that thei do affirm that we liue no more in the fleſh
Io.
The fleſh dothe ſtycke vntounto vsus, to the verye graue. For the fleſh doth contrary, the ſpirite, and agayne, the ſpirite doth repugne agaynſte the fleſh, in ſo moche that we doo that, whiche we woulde not do, the Rom. the vii. It is therfore great boldeneſſe, to preſume & boaſt of that, whiche the Apoſtles dyd neuer preſume … boaſt of. For Paule did complain of his fleſh, which hath more ſpirite, & dyd labour more, to tame his fleſh, then all the Anababtiſtes. And yet they dare ſay, that they be not in the fleſh. For this cauſe peraduenture, becauſe that they be, none other thyng but fleſh, that is to ſay, all carnal, drouned in their ſenſualitie & affections. Which thyng is manifeſtly knowen, by their lyfe. But paul did cōclude all thys whole matter, more perfectly, & more briefly alſo, ſaiyng: I do, with my mynde, obey and ſerue vntounto the lawe of god, but with my fleſh, vntounto the law of ſynne. He doth more, at large expounde theſe thynges, in the .viii. Rom. and v. Galat. Where he dothe ſhewe, in fewe wordes▪ that they, which do not feare God, nor rare, for heauenly thynges, but are all earthly, do lyue after the fleſh. And that he walketh in the ſpirite, or after the ſpirite, which though he hath, & feeleth in him ſelf, ſinne, and weakeneſſe of the fleſh, beyng tickeled with ſenſualitie, & affections, yet not withſtādyng, dothe not geue the bridell, vntounto the fleſh, ne vntounto ſynne, but reſiſteth ſtyll, and is alwayes a frayde to fall. And if ſo be, that he chaunceth to fall, by and by, draweth he backe his foote, and repentyth.
Sy,
But they ſaye, that a man may be, without ſyn
Ioi.
We are without ſynnes, as dogges be without fleas, in the monethmonth of Auguſt. O abhominacion, that men ſhould thinke or preſume ſuche thingꝭ. I paſſe ouer here, that by this opinion, they doo blaſpheme the veritie, of the goſpel, yea, & take vtterly away the grace & mercy of God For where ſynne is not, there is no grace, where preuaricacion and tranſgreſſion is not, there is no Remiſſion amonge them, there is no tranſgreſſion, ergo, the grace of God, is not a mong them. Is not this, to aboliſh the grace of God? What ſhall I ſaye, but that theſe mad braynes, do fal into another hereſye, that is to ſaye, in to the hereſy, of that blaſphemous mā Pelagius, who dyd denye the grace of God, magnifiyng and extollyng the ſtrengthe of man. He was .xi. C. yeares ago.
Sy.
But they proue thys, with ſcriptures.
Ioia.
The veritie of the ſcriptures dothe teache nothing ſo. Beſide that, thou canſt bring no exemple, but the exemple of Lucifer, which woulde be lyke vntounto God, as they wyll be without ſynne, wheras no man can be pure, and without ſynne, but God onelyonly.
Sy.
Dothe not Iohn ſay, that he, whiche is of God, ſynneth not?
Ioia.
He ſynneth not to death.
Sy.
Thou doeſt ſo expoūd it, or this is thyne expoſicion.
Ioai.
Conſider the wordes that go afore, and thou ſhalte vnderſtand, that I ſaye true.
Sy,
What ſynne is that? or is not a man without ſynne, when he ſynneth not to death?
Io.
Chriſt ſaieth vntounto the Iues: If ye do not beleue, ye ſhal dye, in your ſynnes, Ergo, vnfaythfulneſſe is a deadly ſynne or ſyn to death. And though a faythful beleuer, is without this ſyn, that is to ſay, without infidelitie, yet he is not without vyce or ſyekeneſſe, which he muſt be ware of always, leſt he be drouned in ſyn. or ſoiled & defiled wt the abhominable fylthyneſſe of ſinnes: & therfore it followeth in Iohn: We do know, that all that is borne of god, ſineth not: but he that is borne of god, doth kepe himſelf, & theuyll toucheth him not. So therfore the godly ſineth not: & though he falleth by frailnes, yet notwithſtāding that malicious Satan can not catche him. For the diligent ſtudy & labor, that the godly dothe take, in ſhunnynge & auoidyng ſynne (that is to ſay faith) doth that ſyn is not imputed for ſyn. It is written in the .viii. Rom. That ther is no condemnacion vntounto thē that be in chriſt, which do not walke after the fleſh, but after the ſpirit. Els ſaint Iohn doth ſay in the ſame ſelf epiſtle: If we do ſay, we hauehave no ſyn, we deceyue our ſelfꝭ, & truth is not in vsus. If we do cōfeſſe our ſines god is both faithful & rightwiſe to forgeue vsus our ſinnes, and to clenſe vsus from our iniquitie. If we do ſay, we hauehave no ſynne, we make him a lier, & his worde, is not in vsus. There be many ſuche places eueryevery where in the ſcriptures. Dauid doth crye out: O Lorde, do not enter into iudgement, with thy ſeruaunt, for in thi ſight, no mā ſhalbe iuſtified. And agayne, if thou lookeſt extremely vponupon our ſynnes, o lord who is able to abyde it? In the xliii. of Eſa. the lord doth ſpeke thus, by the Prophet, vntounto the Iues, which dyd glorify & boaſt them ſelues in the rightwyſnes of ye law. I am he, I am he (ſaith y• lord) that taketh away thyne iniquities, for myne owne ſake, & wyll not remembre thy ſines. Bring me into remembraunce, let vsus be iudged together, telle furth if thou haſt any thyng, to iuſtifie thy ſelfe. Thy father hath ſynned fyrſt, and thyne interpreters hauehave gone out of the way. None of the moſt holy men were euer without ſinne, which thyng manifeſtly appereth, in Adam, Noe, Abraham, Iſaac, Iacob, Moyſes, Aaron `Dauid Ioſias, Ezechias, Peter, Paul, Matew. &c. Therfore Iob ſpeaketh truly. Iob .ix. What am I, that I ſhould anſwer him, and ſpeake with him, with my wordes, which though I had ſome rightwyſneſſe, wyl not anſwer, but entreate my iudge. If I wyll iuſtifye my ſelfe, my mouth ſhall condemne me: if I ſay that I am innocent, my mouth ſhall proue me wicked. &c. Paule in the .iii. Rom. ſayeth, that al men hauehave ſined, & do want the glory of god. In y• .xiii. of Ihon, chriſt ſayeth, he that is waſhed hath no neade, but to waſh his feete: for he is all cleane. If he be all cleane, what neade hathe he, to waſh his feete? If he hath neade to waſh his feete, how can he be all cleane? Therfore we ar clenſed & purified, with the blood of Chriſt, that was ſhed vponupon the croſſe, from the filthines of ſyn, & be all cleane, But it followeth not by this, that we be no more i the fleſh, or that we be no more ſynners. For the dregges of ſyn do remayne in our feete, that is to ſay, in our affections, as long as we liue, & walke in this duſt i and foule way, we are ſoyled & contaminated, with the filthyneſſe of ſynne, which we neade, with perpetuall ſtudy and daily care, to waſhe awaie, and afterwardes, to wype out, theſe filthineſſes, with gret inward grefe repentaunce, and teares, in the vertue of the paſſion and death of Chryſt. Finally chriſt, in the .xv. of Iohn ſaieth: I am the trewe vine, and my father is the huſbande man. He doeth take awaie eueryevery bough in me that bringeth forth no fruite, & eueryevery bowgh y• bryngeth for the fruite, he doeth purge & make cleane, that he mai bryng forth more fruite. By the which ſaiynges we maie vnderſtande, ye we that are in Chriſt, thorowe faith, as a bowgh, is in y• vine, & doo bryng forth fruite, liuyng godly, hauehave neuertheleſſe nede to be made cleane, and that, by the ſpirit, and vertue of Chriſt. Now, ye, which is made cleane, muſt nedes to be vnpure, & vnclene? So we, that ar in Chriſt alredy ar made clene daily, for we do offend in many thinges, and no man is liuyng, that ſinneth not, and that hath no nede of this clenſyng. Except the Anababtiſtes, whiche in their hathe, be made ſo pure & clene, by their water, wherwith thei do waſh their diſciples, among whom, water doeth take awaie that, which the blood of Chriſt doeth not take awaie in them, that are godly.
Sy.
I do not ſee yet proued, that he, which falleth againe, after that he hath knowen the truthe, doeth daily fynd grace & pardon.
Io.
It is ſufficientli proued by y• ſaiyngs of Iohn, and by the exemple of Dauyd, and of Peter. For if we be all ſynners, and yet neuertheleſſe doo entre, into the kyngdome of heauen, where no vncleane thing entreth, it foloweth that our ſynnes are forgyuen vsus.
Sy.
I do not denay, but that we were ones all ſynners, & that thoſe ſynnes were ones forgyuen vsus, by Chryſte. But I will ſaie this, that after that the ſynnes, which we committed before, thorow ignorā cye, be ones, thorow the grace of God forgyuen vsus, and ſo bee receaued by the free gyfte and goodneſſe of Chriſt, in to y• numbre of the chyldren of god, that then we be pure holy, and clene, and that we ought to ſynne no more, and that, if we ſynne wittyngly, after that we hauehave ones knowen & receaued the grace, ſuch ſinne is not forgiuen.
Io.
But thou mighteſt, ſufficiently vnderſtand by the places afore aledged▪ that we be yet ſinners ſtyll, after that we hauehave knowen the truthe, and that thoſe ſinnes, which we do daily commit as long, as we ar in Chriſt …e daily forgyuen vntounto vsus. For Chryſte ſaieth, that his diſciples, are all cleane, but neuertheleſſe that thei hauehave neade to waſhe their fete. And again, the father dooeth make cleane the bowghes, that doo bring forth fruite in Chriſte. If thei dooe bryng forth fruit, thei do bring forth fruite, in faith, and in the knowen truthe (for without faith, it is impoſſible, that any man ſhulde pleaſe God, & what ſo euer is without faith, is ſīne and not fruit) If thei be made cleane, thei hauehave ſome filthines in the knowen truthe. Els thei ſhulde be cleane, and ſhuld nede no clenſynge or purgynge. But ſith that thei be made clene, the filthineſſes that thei do gather in bringyng forth fruit, ar forgeuen and waſhed awaie. Neither Pelagius, nor Nouatus, nor none of the Anababtiſtes, is able to withſtand this veritee.
Sy.
I am not farre frome this opinion, yet notwithſtanding, had I leuer to heare plain ſcriptures, that a man, maie come to grace, as often, as he ſynneth.
Io.
And that can I ſhew vntounto the, beſyde, the fore aleged places. The lorde ſpeaketh thus by Ezechiell: When the vngodly ſhall turne from y• vngodlines, that he hath done, & doeth iudgement & rightwiſneſſe, he ſhall get life vntounto his ſoule. Is the death of ye vngodly, a pleaſure vntounto me, ſaieth y• lorde, and not rather, that he turne from his waies and liue? Turne and repent from al your iniquitees, and your iniquitee ſhall not hurt you. In the .ii. of Ioel. Turne to ye lord your god (ſaieth he) for he is gentill, and piteful, he is pacient, & of great mercifulnes, & repenteth vponupon y• plage, yt he had threatened.
Sy
That, whiche thou haſt aleged, is to be vnderſtanded of the vngodly, & of y• remiſſion of ſinnes yt is graunted vntounto them, that neuer knew god, & neuer beleued in him.
Io.
I wold y• thou ſhuldeſt loke better vponupon y• wordes of Ezechiell, thou ſhuldeſt ſe, yt he ſpeaketh theſe woordes to y• children of Iſraell, whiche were the choſen people of god. Moreouer conſidre, with what ende, he dooeth conclude this chapiter. Why ſhoulde ye dye (ſaieth he) o ye houſe of Iſrael, I wyll not the death of a ſinner but y• hereturn & lyue. Or canſt thou returne to hym, with whō thou waſt neuer before?
Sy.
No, but I doo come to hym, and do not returne, but with whom I was afore, and from whome I was gone, to hym doo I return againe.
Ioi.
Ergo it foloweth, that they, which are exhorted, by the prophete, to returne to god, were ſomtymes with god. If thei were ſometymes with god: ergo this is not the fyrſte ſinne, that thei did committe, afore that thei knew the truthe but it was the ſynne, that thei committed, after that thei knew the truthe and had faith. We hauehave proued, I thynke, that the ſynnes that we cōmit after the knowledge of the truth, are forgeuen, by God. In the .xxiiii. of the Prouerbes, it is written that a rightwyſe man falleth vii. tymes in the day, & ryſeth a gayne, but that the vngodly do fall, to their vtter dampnacion. Here thou haſt a manifeſt and a playne difference, betwexte the godly & the vngodly, or betwixt the faithfull & infidell. The vngodly, after that he is come, in to the bothomleſſe pitte, of vngodlyneſſe, dothe contempne, & remayneth in ſynne to the laſt ende with diſpayre. A godlye man, is not he that ſynneth not, but he, which falling .vii. tymes in the day, doth not continew in ſynne, but ryſeth agayne. With this place, are the Palagians, Nouatians, and Anababtiſtes confounded & conuicted. Adde vntounto theſe the .xviii. of Mat. & the .xvii. of Luke, where Chriſt doth plainly ſay: If thy brother dothe treſpaſſe agaynſt the, rebuke him betwixte the and him alone, if he be ſori for his offence or repenteth, forgeue thou him. And if he .vii. tymes in the day dothe offende the, & .vii. tymes in the day cometh to the ſaiyng: I am ſory for myne offēce, thou ſhalt forgeue him.
Sy.
But he doth not ſaye, that he wyll forgeue vsus our ſynnes.
Ioia.
Canſt thou pray, or ſay thy Pater noſter?
Sy.
yeas.
Ioia.
Doeſt thou not thou pray this: Forgeue vsus our treſpaſſes, as wee forgeue them that treſpaſſe againſt vsus? VntoUnto theſe woordes dothe the Lord adde, by and by, in the .vi. chapiter of Mathew. If ye doo forgeue vntounto men their fautes, your father, that is in heauen, ſhall forgeue you alſo. Seyng therfore, that wee doo forgeue, vntounto oure brethren daily, it foloweth, that the father of heauē forgeueth vsus alſo daily. Do not the ſaintes or holy men pray ſo, and that eueryevery day? Nowe, I aſke the, whether they do lye before God: praiyng thus or not?
S.
They do not lye.
Io.
If they do not lye, it foloweth, that thei hauehave in them ſelfe treſpaſſe and ſynnes. If ſo be, that ſynne, as thou thynkeſt, is not forgeuen, whye dyd Chriſte teache vsus to prai ſo? forgeue vsus our treſpas. Is not this an abhominable thyng, that any man, whiche knoweth not, what he dooeth praye, ſhoulde take vponupon hym, not only to be a teacher, but alſo to teache that whiche repugueth againſt ye manifeſt truth and prayers of the Sayntes? But what thynkeſt thou of Peter, was he, a faithfull Chriſtē man, & elected of God, or not?
Sy.
He was not a faithful Chriſten man, afore his falle, els he wolde not hauehave denyed Chriſt.
Ioi.
If he had ben an infidel, to what intent were theſe wordes ſpokē. mat. xvi. Thou artchriſt the ſon of the lyuyng god? Are theſe the wordes of an infidell. And agayne, if Peter had ben, an infidell or hipocrite, when he dyd make ſuche a godly confeſſion, Chriſt would not hauehave ſayde: Thou art bleſſed Symō: Fleſh and blood hath not reuelated this thynge, vntounto the, but my father, which is in heauen. The LORDE prayſeth not, hipocrites and infidels, but abhorreth & hateth them, Mat. vi and .xxiii. He would not, hauehave ſaid vntounto him: he that is waſhed, hath no neale, but to waſhe his feete. And agayne, Peter, I hauehave prayed for thee, that thy faith do not faile or ſlake. Rede beſyde that, the .xvii. of Iohan. Now I aſke the again, whether Peter was a faythful Chriſten mam, or not?
Sy.
The ſcripture doth compel me to confeſſe, that he was a faithfull chriſtē man.
Io.
Now I aſke agayn, whether his fall, was a ſynne or not?
Sy.
Agayne, the ſcripture cōpelleth me, to confeſſe that it was a ſynne, for he dyd wepe bitterly And agayn, if to deny chriſt, is no ſynne, what ſhalbe a ſyn thā?
Io.
Ergo, it followeth, by all theſe argumentes, that Peter dyd ſynne, after the knowledge of the truthe, and receiuyng of the fayth. Therfore, a faythfull man is not all without ſynne. And here Peter dyd commytte not a ſmall, but a very greuous ſynne, denyeng thus, the Sauior of the worlde. Now I aſke whether his ſynne was forgeuē him or not?
Sy.
yeas truly: for Chriſt ſayeth: Whan thou arte turned agayne, conforte or confirme thy brethren.
Ioia.
So ſhoulde the Anababtiſtes dooe, if they were ſent by God. But ſeeyng that preſumptuouſneſſe & partinacie hath ſente them, and do ſo bytterly, & with ſuche ſtubburneſſe, ſpeake agaynſt the goſpell, teachyng for conforte, deſperacion: they ar ſuch Prophetes, as the Lorde doth complayne vponupon, in Ezechiel, which regarde nor care nothynge for the diſeaſed & wounded ſheepe, (which thing neuertheleſſe, thei had learned of the Lord, which is deſeruingly called the good & true ſhephearde. Luc. xxv. or of Paule. ii. Corin. ii.) but diſſipate & ſcatter the Lordꝭ flocke. For what maketh them, beſyde a ſingularitie, or ſinguler louelove of them ſelfes, to ſeparate them ſelfes, from our church, but that (as they do ſay) we be ſynners, that is to ſay, vſurers, publicās & dronkardes? I can not, but that I muſt cōfeſſe, that ther be many enorme ſines vſed amōge vsus (which is the more pitie) yet we ought not to diſpayre of many, but that thei mai be brought to repentaunce. And truly, as for our elues, we are not very negligent or ſlouthfull in rebukynge ſynnes, criynge out ſtyll bitterly againſt them, that commyt ſuche thynges. And yet agaynſt the precepte of GOD, Math. xiii. and exemple of the Apoſtles, which dyd condemne no man raſhly, they do ſeparate them ſelues from vsus. But this is the nature of Phariſeis.
Sy.
As touchyng this article, I am ſufficiently taught, & I thanke God of it,
Iaia.
Iohn, without exception, doth ſay: Chyldren, I hauehave written this vntounto you, that ye ſhulde not ſynne, but if any man dothe ſynne, we hauehave our aduocate, before the father, that rightwiſe LORDE Ieſu Chriſt. &c. Here no man can bryng any cauillacion. Chriſt is here named and appoynted to be Aduocate or mediator for all ſynners, and that, at all tymes, as he offereth him ſelfe. ri. Mathew, ſaiyng: Come vntounto me all ye that labor and are loadyd, and I wyll refreſh you. That ſame thyng doeth Paule teache, concernynge the onelyonly Sauior Ieſu Chriſt .i. Tim. i. It is a faythfull ſaiyng, and worthi to be receiued of al men, that Chriſt dyd come, into this worlde to ſaue ſynners. If the Anababtiſtes therefore, dooe teache the contrarye, they are the open enemyes of the Croſſe of Chriſt: in the which opinion, if they doo abyde, or perſiſt obſtinately, they are manifeſt heretikes, whome all godly perſones ought to flye and abhorre.