MarginaliaAn. 1555. Iuly.of in vs, striuing against it, as we shall be made able of the Lord): a man, I say, that is regenerate, consisteth of two men (as a man may say) namely of the olde man, and of the new man. MarginaliaThe old man.The olde man is like to a mighty Giant, such a one as was Goliath, for his birth is now perfect. But MarginaliaThe new man.the new man is like vnto a little chylde, such a one as was Dauid, for his birth is not perfect vntill the day of his generall resurrection.

MarginaliaWhy the old man is stronger then the new.The olde man therefore is more stronger, lusty, and stirring then is the new man, bicause the birth of the new man is but begun now, and the olde man is perfectly borne. And as the old man is more stirring, lusty, and stronger then the new man: so is the nature of him cleane contrary to the nature of the new man, as being earthly and corrupt with Sathans seede, the nature of the new man being heauenly and blessed with the celestiall seede of God. MarginaliaIn what respect one man is both an old man, and also a new man.So that one man, in as much as he is corrupt with the seede of the Serpent, is an olde man: and in as much as he is blessed with the seede of God from aboue, he is a new man. And as, in as much as he is an olde man, he is a sinner and an enemy to god: so in as much as he is regenerate, he is righteous and holy, and a friend to God, the seede of God preseruing him from sinne, so that he cannot sinne, as the seede of the Serpent, wherewith he is corrupt euen frō his conception, inclineth him, yea enforceth him to sinne, & nothing els but to sinne: So that the best part in man before regeneration, in gods sight, is not onely an enemy, but enmity it selfe.

MarginaliaHow one man may be called alwayes sinful, and alwayes just.One man therefore, which is regenerate, well may be called alwayes iust, and alwayes sinfull: iust in respect of Gods seede, and his regeneration: sinfull in respect of Sathans sede and his first birth. Betwixt these two men therefore, there is continuall conflicte, and warre most deadly. MarginaliaWhy the old man often times preuayleth agaynst the new man.The fleshe and olde man by reason of his birth that is perfect, doth often for a time, preuaile against the new man (being but a childe in comparison) & that in such sort, as not only other, but euen the children of God themselues thinke that they be nothing els but olde, and that the spirit and seede of God is lost and gone away, MarginaliaThe old man so mightily preuaileth sometimes agaynst the new in the children of God, that the spirite and seede of God semeth to be vtterly taken from them: whereas in deede, it is not so, as afterwardes, to theyr great comfort, they find and feele.where yet notwithstanding, the truth is otherwise, the spirit and the sede of God at the length appearing againe, & dispelling away the clouds which couer the sonne of Gods seede from shinyng, as the cloudes in the ayre doe the corporal Sunne: so that sometimes a man can not tel by any sense, that there is any Sunne, the cloudes & windes so hiding it frō our sight: Euen so our cecitie or blindnes, and corrupt affections doe often shadow the sight of Gods seede in Gods children, as though they were plain reprobates. Wherof it cometh, that they praying according to theyr sense, but not according to the truth, desire of God to giue them againe his spirite, as though they had lost it, and he had taken it away. Which thing god neuer doth in deede, although he make vs to thinke so for a tyme: for alwayes he holdeth his hand vnder his chyldren in their faulles, that they lie not still as other doe which are not regenerate. And this is the difference betwixt Gods children which are generate and elect before all times in CHRIST, and the wicked castawayes, that the elect lie not still continually in their sinne, as doe the wicked, but at the length doe returne againe by reason of Gods seede, which is in them hid as a sparkle of fire in the ashes: as we may see in Peter, Dauid, Paule, Mary Magdalen, and others. For these ( I meane Gods children) God hath made all things in CHRIST IESV, to whom he hath geuen this dignity, that they should be his inheritaunce and spouses.

This our inheritour CHRIST IESVS, God with God, light of light, coeternal and consubstantiall with the father and with the holy Ghost, to the ende that he might become our husbande (because the husband & the wife must be one body and flesh) hath taken our nature vpon him, cōmunicating with it and by it in his owne person, to vs all his children, his diuine maiesty (as Peter saythMarginalia2. Pet. 1.) and so is become flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bones substancially: as we are become flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones spiritually, al that euer we haue pertaining to him, yea euen our synnes: as al that euer he hath, pertaineth vnto vs, euen hys whole glory. So that if Sathan shold summon vs to answer for our dettes or sinnes, in that MarginaliaAs the wife is no sutable person, but the husband: so Christ being our husband, let him enter the Action for our sinnes.the wife is no sutable person but the husband, we may wel bid him enter his action agaynst our husband CHRIST, and he wyll make hym a sufficient answere.

For thys end (I meane that we myght be coupled &

maryed thus to CHRIST, and so be certayne of saluation, and at godly peace with God in our consciences) God hath geuen hys holy word, which hath two parts (as now the chyldren of God doe consist of two men): MarginaliaThe law pertayneth to the old man and the gospell to the new.one part of Gods word being proper to the old man, & the other part of Gods word being proper to the new mā. The part properly pertaynyng to the olde mā, is the law: the part properly pertaining to the new man, is the gospell.

MarginaliaWhat the law is.The law is a doctryne whych commaūdeth and forbyddeth, requyring doing & auoyding. Vndre it therefore are contayned all precepts, threatnings, promises, vpon conditions of our doing and auoyding. &c. MarginaliaWhat the gospell is.The Gospell is a doctrine whych alwayes offereth and geueth, requyring on our behalfe, not as of worthynes or as a cause, but as a certificate vnto vs, & therfore vnder it are contayned all the free and sweete promises of God: as, I am the Lord thy God. &c.

In those that be of yeares of discretion, it requyreth fayth, not as a cause, but as an instrument wherby we our selues may be certain of our good husband CHRIST and of hys glory: and therefore when MarginaliaThe conscience feared and beaten down with the terrour of Gods iudgement agaynst sinne, may not loke vpon the law, but fly to the gospell for reliefe and comfort.the conscience feleth it selfe disquieted for feare of Gods iudgement agaynst synne, she may in now wyse looke vpon the doctrine pertayning to the olde man, but on the doctrine only that pertayneth to the new man, in it not loking for that which it requireth, that is faith, because we neuer beleue as we should: but onely on it whych it offereth, and whych it geueth, that is, on Gods grace and eternall mercy and peace in CHRIST. So shall she be in quyet, when she loketh for it altogether out of her self, in Gods mercy in CHRIST IESV: in whose lap if she lay her head with S. Iohn,MarginaliaIohn. 13 then is she happy, and shall fynde quietnes in deede. When she feeleth her selfe quyet, then (in Gods name) let her looke on the law, and vppon such thinges as it requyreth, MarginaliaTo the conscience quieted and at peace with God, the law serueth only to kepe downe the old man.thereby to brydle and keepe downe the olde Adam, to slay that Goliath: from whom she must needes kepe the sweete promises, being the bed wherein her spouse and she meete and lye together. For as the wyfe wyl keepe her bed only for her husband, although in other things she is contented to haue fellowshyp with others, as to speake, sitte, eate, drynke, goe. &c. so our consciences, whych are CHRISTES wyues, must needes kepe the bed, that is, Gods sweete promysses, alonely for our selues and our husband, there to mete together, to embace and laugh together, and to be ioyfull together. If synne, the law, the Deuill, or any other thyng would creepe into the bed and lye there, then complayne to thy husband CHRIST, and forthwith thou shalt see hym play Phinees part.MarginaliaNum. 25. Thus my dearely beloued, I haue geuen you in few words, a summe of all the Diuinitie whych a Christian conscience can not want.

MarginaliaAn other letter or a leauetaking, to his mother, supposing that he shold haue suffered shortly.THe Lord of life and Sauyour of the world IESVS CHRIST, blesse you and comfort you, my good & deare mother, with his heauenly comfort, consolation, grace and spiryte, now and for euer, Amen.

If I thought that dayly, yea almost hourly you dyd not crye vpon God the father through IESVS CHRIST, that he would geue my hys blessyng, euen the blessyng of hys chyldren: then wold I wryte more hereabouts. But for asmuch as herein I am certayne you are dilygent, and so I beseech you good mother to contynue: I thynke it good to wryte somethyng, wherby this your crying myght be furthered. Furthered it wil be, if those thyngs whych hynder it, be taken away. Among the which, in that I thynke my imprisonment is the greatest and chiefest, I wyll thereabout spend thys letter, and that briefly lest it myght encrease the let,MarginaliaHe meaneth the daunger of more strait imprisonment that might herby follow. as my good brother thys brynger can tel you. You shal know therefore good mother, that for my body, though it be in an house out of the whych I can not come when I wyll, yet in that I haue conformed my wyll to Gods wyll, I fynde herein lyberty enough, I thanke God. And for my lodgyng, beddyng meat, drynke, godly & learned company, bookes, and all other necessaryes for mine ease, comfort, and commodity, I am in much better case then I coulde wyshe, and Gods mercyfull prouydence here is farre aboue my worthines. Worthines quoth I? Alas I am worthy of nothyng but damnation.