¶ T• third sort knowledgyng and confessing Christ in his own kind: that he is the only saviour, the only redeemer,1 our only mediator and advocate, which showeth to his father in our cause his bloody pains, which he hath suffered and passed for us these men do teach that only by faith every Christian man is justified in the blood of the Lamb, which is Christ. Nat there by excluding repentance and good works from our life:2 as the Papists, and Hypocrites do continually bark and blaspheme: but excluding them from the cause of our justification,3 which cause is only Christ and his merits These be those men which would fain that Christ had his right and his honour not minished: these men will and teach him to be a whole saviour: not scanted, mangled, pieced and botched ⟨p. v⟩Of these sort of new learned men was John Baptiste:4 which for all that he taught the people repentance and knowleginge of their sin, yet for all that he declared, that all that would not serve them, did they never so much, showing to the people with his finger him which should be their saviour, which came down for none other cause but to take away the sin of man. If there had been any other thing beside him, wherein our salvation should consist: he would not have said, behold the Lamb of God which take the away the sin of the world, he would have ben well ware of it: he would not have spoken these words so plain to be any manner of occasion of heresy or division, he would have said: look, yonder is he, which may do much in this cause: he shall be a great part of your salvation: but yet take good heed and trust not to much to him:5 trust to your works also or else ye may be deceived. This or such like oration would he have made to his hearers. But he was well assured of the contrary. And therefore he showed to them their sin, that they might see and abhor their abomination of life: their filthiness of manners: to the intent they might be the more apt to receive comfort ⟨image 6⟩of the Gospel: which is the glad tidings. And so after he had rebuked them of their sin: with like counsel to repent and to forsake their unhappy lewdness: then he taught them the Gospel: that •hriste should take away the sin, not of one or twain: or of a few in number: but of all the whole world. To this brazen wall he commanded them to lean hard:
¶ T• thyrde sorte knowledgyng and confessynge Christe in his owne kinde: that he is the only sauiour, the only redemer,1 our only mediatour and aduocate, whiche shewethe to his father in oure cause hys bloudy payns, which he hath suffered and passed for vs these men do teache that onely by faythe euery Chrystyan man is iustified in the bloude of the Lambe, whiche is Christ. Nat there by excludynge repentaunce and good workes from our lyfe:2 as the Papystes, and Hypocrytes do continuallye barke and blaspheme: but excludynge them from the cause of our iustification,3 whiche cause is only Christ and his merites These be those men which wolde fayne that Christ had hys ryghte and hys honour nat mynyshed: these men wyll and teache him to be a whole sauioure: nat scanteled, mangeled, peced and botched ⟨p. v⟩Of these sort of newe learned men was Iohn Baptyste:4 whiche for all that he taught the people repentance and knowleginge of theyr sinne, yet for al that he declared, that all that wolde nat serue them, dyd they neuer so muche, shewing to the people with his fynger him whiche shulde be theyr sauiour, which came downe for none other cause but to take awaye the sinne of man. If there hadde bene any other thinge beside him, wherin our saluation shulde consist: he wold nat haue sayde, beholde the Lambe of God whiche take the away the sinne of the worlde, he wold haue ben wel ware of it: he wolde nat haue spoken these wordes so playne to be any maner of occasion of heresye or diuision, he wolde haue sayde: loke, yender is he, whiche may do muche in thys cause: he shalbe a greate part of youre saluation: but yet take good hede and truste nat to muche to hym:5 trust to your workes also or els ye may be deceyued. This or suche lyke oration wolde he haue made to his hearers. But he was wel assured of the contrarye. And therfore he shewed to them theyr synne, that they myght se and abhorre theyr abhomination of lyfe: theyr fylthynes of maners: to the entent they myght be the more apte to receyue comforte ⟨image 6⟩of the Gospell: whiche is the glad tidinges. And so after he had rebuked them of theyr sinne: with lyke counsell to repent and to forsake theyr vnhappy lewdnesse: then he taught them the Gospell: that hriste shulde take awaye the sinne, nat of one or twayne: or of a fewe in nombre: but of all the whole world. To this brasen walle he commaunded them to leane harde:
- 1True preachers.Trewe prechers.
- 2Good works.Good workes.
- 3The cause of our justification.The cause of our iustification.
- 4John Ba• tyst.Iohn Ba• tyst.
- 5John first preached •• pentaunce• afterward the GospelIohn fyrs• preached •• pentaunce• afterwar• the Gospe•
