heauenly life that is prepared for vs and that although we do but glide away here below and be as straungers yet there is an euerlasting heritage which cānot fayle vs. According as the outward man decayeth saith S. Paule so the inward man renueth For the more that the faithfull see themselues decay the more are they warned and prouoked to looke vpward For we know that such as are strong and lusty do besot and forget themselues and therefore our Lorde is faine to tame vs in such wise as we may renue by decaying I say in such wise as we may be as ye wold say new cast in a mould again to the end that the hope of the heauenly life may be stablished in vs and we haue our sight cleered to behold the thyng which otherwise would be wrapped vp frō vs. Marke how gold and siluer do greatly wast when men make them to passe the furnace VVhē it is cast into the fire it is a great masse of metall but whē it is takē out again ther is but a small quantitie of it And yet the gold if it were not so fined would neuer serue to any purpose no more would siluer nother Euen so is it with vs we could neuer be renued to come to the kingdome of heauen except we dyed first VVe must euer go forward to that vtter defacement and not rest by the way vpon any thing that we see with our eyes For this earthly life is but a shadow and a smoke that slideth and vanisheth away yet neuerthelesse we be renued thereby within Not that all men haue that benefit For the faithlesse do well ynough finde their owne weaknesse and are inforced to feele the summonings of death specially when they be growen old for then they perceiue that any little blast is ynough to cast thē downe and therevpon they fall to storming and could find in their harts to fall out with God nature Howsoeuer the world go though they rotte yet are they not renued For one graine of corne may well rotte and yet not take roote to spring againe and to bring foorth frute and another grain shal rot likewise howbeit for asmuch as it is in good earth hathe takē roote it will bring foorth frute in seasonable time So thē the faithful come to decay and the rewithal are renued and gather new force and why For they rot in this world to the end to be restored and renued againe in the heauēly heritage The faithlesse also do go away to they rot likewise they slip aside they vanish quite away but they haue no vauntage by it bycause they be not restored to eternall life So then let vs marke well that whereas S. Paul sayth we liue by the faith of Iesus Christ it is to wakē vs so as nothing in the world may keepe vs from resting cōtinually vpon Gods promises VVhen we looke vpon al the things that are about vs there is nothing but death But what for that God hath giuē vs his word that being dead in our own nature we haue our life elsewhere namely in our Lord Iesus Christ in asmuch as he was purposely sent to bring vs from death to life Seing then that we haue that promise of god ye see how he may be honored at our hands And for asmuch as the cace standeth so that only saying ought to suffise vs. And if wee setle and resolue ourselues fully therevpon it is a token that we set our handes to Gods truth as faithfull witnesses thereof as sayeth Sainct Iohn Contrariwise when we doubt or be in a mamering then hath Gods word no authoritie nor reuerence among vs. For if we looke no further than to the things that are before vs and to the things that are neare at hand we cannot acknowldge that God is faithfull and that the things which God hath vttered wyth his owne mouth are vnfallible Moreouer in so doing we turne away from our Lord Iesus Christ who notwithstāding is the pledge of all that is conteined in Gods word Seeing we haue the worde we must no more aske as Moses saith who shall climb vp aboue the Cloudes or who shall go downe into the deepe or who shall go ouer the Sea The word sayth he is in thy mouth and in thy hart and we must content ourselues with it And moreouer seeing that we haue our Lord Iesus Christ for a larger confirmation we know that he went downe into the hells that is to saye bare the curse that was due to vs for our sinnes and answered as our pledge and suretie before the iudgement seate of his father and afterward went vp into heauen and in our behalfe tooke possession of the heritage that he had purchaced for vs. For he was exalted vp in our flesh and nature Seeing that we haue such an assurance must wee not needes be tootoo wretched if we cannot hold ourselues too it Agayne the matter willeth vs to looke still backe to that whych hath bin said namely that we hope not for thinges that are open and manifest but for the thinges that are vnknowen to worldly perceiuerance Then sith it is so let vs learne to liue by the faith of Iesus Christ that is to say although we be miserable in this worlde and be faine to indure neuer so many hartbitings greefes anguishes troubles and distresses yet notwithstanding let vs continue in this constancie of beleeuing that there is nothing but singular happinesse in all our miseries bycause God blisseth and halloweth them for our Lord Iesus Christs sake and all is turned to our helpe and welfare as it is said in the .viij. to the Rom. Therfore as we haue seene in another text God must vtter the perfectnesse of his strēgth in our weakenesse and we suffer him to make vs to stoupe in such sort as this world may not keepe vs backe from hauing the promises of the Gospell throughly printed in our heartes nor hinder vs to be glad and cheerfull in the mids of our miseries and afflictions nor boldly too dispyze all the slaunderings and mockages of the faythlesse when they offer vs reproch saying Godes you silly wretches thinke your selues to be princes when you beleeue the Gospell But alack poore soules where is the ioy and happinesse which you say is promised you of God VVhere is the inestimable benefit which you make so great account of For ye haue no more than those whō you call Gods enimies reprobates and cursed kaytifs But as I sayde all this geere must not thrust vs out of the way for we must come backe vntoo fayth Although then that heere beneath we perceiue not the things that are promised vs in the Gospell yet let vs assure our selues of them out of all doubt For as sayth S. Paule our life is hidden and the time of the discouerie thereof is not yet come And where is our life but in our Lorde Iesus Christ Now the
abashed at his sinnes not for three or foure monethes but so as hee shall abhorre them all his life long forsomuch as hee seeth that hell is alwayes readie to swallow him vp at one chop if God supplyed not his wantes and drewe him not as it were out of the gulfe of death And therefore it is sayde that the righteous shall liue by fayth to the ende that the same should serue as a lesson not for a three or foure monethes onely nor for those onely whiche are not of so perfect life as other men but as a lesson that God speaketh euen to such as are the most excellent And surely that also is the thing wherevnto wee must referre the woord Liue so as wee may liue not for a litle while nor for a day nor for two or three monethes but cōtinually in Gods free goodnesse seeke the same from day too day euen to the end And although our life be hidden in this world as S. Paule sayeth and wee see nothing but death before vs yet let vs not ceasse too repose our selues vppon this promis that our life is sure for asmuch as God hath taken it intoo his custodie and will keepe it safely and therevnto hath left vs so good a pledge of it that is too wit our Lord Iesus Christe who died and is rizen againe for vs and therefore wee shall not neede too say any more who shall go vp into heauen or who shall go downe intoo the deepe or who shal passe ouer the sea For the woord is in our mouth and in our hart in asmuch as wee know that our Lord Iesus Christe went downe too hell that is too say as wee shall see in the next sermon by Gods leaue that he became accursed for vs whiche is the thing that muste content vs and afterward went vp intoo heauen whereof the gate is opened vnto vs euer since he entred in thither in our behalfe Therefore let vs take all our hold there and suffer our selues too be as poore dead men in this worlde wayting for the discouerie of the lyfe that is promised vs for no doubte but God will in due tyme discouer it and manifestly shewe it vntoo vs in such wyze as wee shall fully inioy it as it is preached too vs by his Gospell And now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them more and more and that wee may bee so touched with them as it may beate vs flat downe before him make vs sigh and grone vnder the burthen of our infirmities and vices wherewith we be hēmed in till he haue clenzed vs throughly of them and praying him also too beare with vs during this mortall lyfe till he haue fully deliuered vs from the bondage of sinne and from the bondes of Satan wherein wee bee hild as nowe till he haue set vs vtterly free from them That it may please him too graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people c. The. 19. Sermon which is the fifth vpon the third Chapter 13 Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the lavve in that he vvas made accursed for vs for it is vvritten Cursed is euery one that hāgeth on tree 14 To the end that the blissednesse of Abraham should come vpō the Gentiles through Iesus Christ that we might receiue the promis of the spirit by faith WEe haue seene alreadie that if wee hope not to bee saued by some other meanes than by discharging our duetie we should all of vs be accursed bycause wee bee all giltie before God in that wee are found too haue transgressed and done amisse many wayes For there was neuer yet any of the holiest men so perfect but that there was alwayes some blemish yea and store of infirmities in him Therefore it is to be concluded that if God should call vs too account wee should bee all damned and forlorne Lo in what plight men bee though they set neuer so much store by themselues But now it standeth vs on hand too haue some meanes too scape this cursednesse Else what shall it auayle vs to haue our eares beaten dayly with Gods woord For his will shall serue but to plundge vs still deeper in eternall death To the ende therefore that Gods woord may bee profitable too vs and auaylable to our saluation it lieth vs vpon to get vs out of the sayd sentence of damnation which is giuen and proclaymed vppon all mankinde And Sainct Paule sheweth vs here the meane namely that Christ hath redeemed vs euen by becomming accursed for vs. He sheweth vs that our Lorde Iesus Christ was not hanged vppon tree in vayne for he was fayne too beare the cursednesse of all suche as were too bee called too saluation Yee see wee are all accursed as I haue declared alreadie and therefore was our Lorde fayne too receyue in his persone the thing that was due vntoo vs. Now it was written in the Law of Moyses Cursed shall he bee hangeth on tree VVhen our Lord commaundeth the bodie too bee taken downe he addeth that it is a cursed sight too beholde a man so disfigured and therefore let it bee taken downe sayeth he And at suche tyme as God pronounced the sayde sentence that he which should bee hanged on tree should bee as it were accursed and banned he knew well ynough what he had determined of his owne onely Sonne For our Lorde Iesus Christe suffered not that kinde of death by chaunce nor at mannes pleasure or appoyntment It is true that the vnbeleeuers crucified him but that was bycause God had so ordeyned it by his owne purpose according as it is sayd that God so loued the world that he spared not his onely begotten Sonne but deliuered him too death for vs. And in good sooth if onely Iudassis betraying of our Lorde Iesus Christ had bin the cause of his death and that he had bin haled to that kind of death by onely violence it could not bee the foundacion of our welfare It behoueth vs to note that God had appoynted the matter after that sorte aforehand according also as Sainct Peter treateth thereof more fully in the fourth chapter of the Actes where he sayeth that our Lord Iesus was so crucified by the wicked as they attempted not any thing but that which had bin determined aforehand in Gods purpose Nowe then whereas it is sayde that our Lorde Iesus Christ was crucified wee muste come too this poynt that all was done for our saluation bycause it was Gods will too reconcyle vs too himselfe by that meane and that when he pronounced this sentence cursed is he that hangeth on tree so as it was his pleasure to haue it registred in the lawe of Moyses he was not ignorant what shoulde happen afterwarde for he had alreadie determined and ordeyned it Then muste wee match these twoo things toogither that is too witte that
shall not bee able any more too put a difference betweene whyte and blacke Thus yee see howe it behoueth vs too behaue our selues And nowe lette vs marke what kinde of menne Sainct Paule hath noted here He sayeth that they were crept in as it were by stealth too spie out the libertie whiche wee haue in our Lorde Iesus Christe The libertie that hee speaketh of heere concerned Ceremonies For as we haue touched alreadie and shall more fully see agayne hereafter God had ordeyned many figures vnder the Lawe too holde the Fathers in hope of oure Lorde Iesus Chryste till hee were come and shewed too the worlde The Sacrifizes therefore with all their appendants and appurtenances and the Sanctuarie with all that was in it serued bycause our Lorde Iesus Christe who is the truthe and substance of those things had not yet shewed himselfe It was for the fathers too bee led and guyded vnder suche shadowes And that is the cause why Sainct Paule will vse the similitude of yong children that are vnder Tutors and gouerners The auncient fathers therefore tooke profite by keeping the Ceremonies of the Lawe for thereby they were alwayes confirmed in the things that were promysed concerning the Redeemer And for that cause also it is sayd that the Sanctuarie was made according too the Patterne that Moyses had seene in the Mount Now that Patterne was spiritâ—all that is too wit it was our Lord Iesus Christe with his grace which is vttered too vs by his meanes now adayes in his Gospell For in asmuch as our Lord Iesus Christe is come intoo the worlde he hath made an end of those shadowes and figures And therefore also the veyle of the Temple rent asunder at his death too shew how it was Gods will too haue the faythfull come more familiarly vnto him S. Paule sayeth now that wee haue libertie in our Lorde Iesus Christ and that is bycause wee bee no more subiect too the bondage that lasted in the time of the Lawe according as he will hereafter take example of circumcision and as he treateth of it in another place also too the Colossians VVee then are circumcyzed not by the hand of man but by the woorking of Iesus Christ in vs through the power of his holy spirite And in steede of the circumcision that was ordeyned for the Iewes wee haue Baptime which witnesseth the same thing vntoo vs namely that wee must become new creatures too dedicate our selues wholly too the seruis of God And so wee see that the libertie or freedome whiche is purchaced too vs by our Lord Iesus Christe is that the Ceremonies of the lawe are layd away so as wee bee no more subiect nor bound vntoo them Now at the first blush a man would thinke this were no great thing For what harme were it if we were first baptized and by and by after circumcyzed Or if we knew that our Lord Iesus Christe only is the whole perfection and accomplishment and yet had the figures thereof still First if men should keepe still the ceremonies as in the time of the lawe the glorie of our Lord Iesus Christ should be diminished for it according as it is sayd that the law was giuen by Moyses but truth and grace were vttered too vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ for so it is sayd in the firste chapter of S. Iohn Therefore he should be bereft of his honour if wee shoulde not haue the libertie that he hath brought vs. And it behoueth vs to vnderstand that our state is better and more excellent now adayes than was the state of the old fathers bicause our Lord Iesus Christ is giuen vntoo vs and in him we haue all that was figured at that tyme. So then men do wrong to our Lord Iesus Christ in keeping still the ceremonies of the Lawe That is one poynt Againe for as much as he is named the Sonne of rightuousnesse we must not be led still as though there were but a sparke of light but wee must fasten our eyes vpon the doctrine wherein our Lord Iesus Christe is shewed vntoo vs and wherein wee may also behold him face to face to come euen vnto God his father as hath ben shewed in the second too the Corinthians Moreouer if the ceremonies of the Lawe bee considered without our Lord Iesus Christ that is to say if they be separated from him they bring as it were a binding with them and a recorde of condemnation and death vpon men And therevpon doth S. Paule stand in the seconde too the Colossians where he sayth that our Lorde Iesus Christe hath vpon his Crosse torne asunder and blotted out the obligation or handwriting that was against vs. For if the Sacrifizes stoode in force at this day wee should see there that we be all in daunger of eternall death before God And why so The sleaing of the poore beasts was not for that they themselues had deserued it but to shewe vnto men as it were in a liuely picture that they were all worthy to perishe Then if the same continued yet at this day we should still stand bounde vnder the same obligation of death But we be discharged of it by oure Lord Iesus Christ And that was the tryumph of his death as Saint Paule sayth Thirdly the auncient fathers knewe that although the Lawe was giuen them yet they obtained such fauour of freedome at Gods hand that all their faults were forgiuen them But if men shoulde nowadayes be put to the necessitie of keeping all the ceremonies it woulde be an intolerable yoke as it is sayd in the .xv. of the Actes For the cace would not only concerne ceremonies but also the drowning of vs in dispaire For is it possible for men to do the things which God commaundeth all men to do without any exception or release No. For the thing that God requireth and demaundeth passeth all our abilitie and if we fayle but in any one point we should be ouerwhelmed vnder the buâ—then Therefore for that cause this libertie is of such importance as we cannot bee sure of our saluation nor freely call vppon God excepte wee knowe that we be no more hilde vnder the yoke and bondage of the Lawe There is yet one poynt more which shall bee layd out at length which is that such as would needs make the faythfull subiecte to the keeping of ceremonies had therewithall a wicked and vntowarde imagination that men were iustifyed and did purchace grace at Gods hand by such meanes And that was an vtter abolishing of the force of the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ Now then we see it was not causelesse that S. Paul stroue so stoutly agaynst the ceremonies of the lawe to the ende they should not be so brought in vse agayne that the faythfull should be hilde in bondage vnder them And we haue neede to be warned thereof for in these dayes we haue the like encounter agaynst the Papists True
looke into hys owne lyfe what it is Now if there were but one myte as ye would say amisse it is certaine that we were foorthwith in daunger of eternall death But surely euery of vs shall finde hymselfe a sinner not in some one poynt alone but in a hundred thousande not in some one fault but in infinite sortes of faultes And when wee shall haue perceiued neuer so many miseries in ourselues God knoweth yet many mo without comparison than we can for hee seeth much cleerer than we do as sayth Sainct Iohn in his canonicall Epistle Thus then is our pleading vtterly voyd Thus is sentence gyuen that we cannot be iustifyed by the lawe but by fayth only And nowe the Apostle going forward with his matter vseth another reason whiche is that if wee seeke righteousnesse in the law the same will be a cleane contrary one to the rightuousnesse which Gods children and chosen people obteyne by fayth For what manner of one is the rightuousnesse of the law sayth hee This it is He that doth those things shall liue in them that is to say whosoeuer obeyeth God and doth his commaundements shall haue saluation for his labour Lo heere a fayre promis but what good will it doe vs If wee will assay to do the things thoroughly which are commaunded vs wee shall euery one of vs see that God sheweth vs our condemnation so much the greeuouser as if he had set it downe before vs. VVhat would become of our saluation if we should seeke it in ourselues and be fayne to earne it Now therfore when we heere that God is ready to recompence all suche as shall haue serued and honored him by keeping of his law it seemeth to vs before we go any further that we haue gottē a maruellous vantage Tush say we beholde God byndeth hymselfe too vs and warranteth vs the heritage of heauen if wee serue him and fulfill his will Yea but when wee haue compared our lyfe too hys doctrine we shall fynd that his shewing of himselfe so liberall and bountifull towards vs too bind himselfe to vs for our seruing of him and for our keeping of his lawe is a plunging of vs muche deeper into the gulfe wherein wee were before VVhat shall we do then VVe must resort to the remedie which the Apostle setteth downe heere before vs by the mouth of Abacucke whyche is that the rightuouse shall liue by faith Therefore let vs refuse the promis of the law bicause it is not for our behoof take the freegiuē goodnes of our god who reacheth out his armes to receiue vs so we be cleere rid of al selfweening That is the thing which is set downe vnto vs here by S. Paule And it is a reason that holdeth of contraries as they tearme it As for example if a man shoulde say that fire heateth and another wilfull body shoulde holde the contrarie it myght be sayd vnto him see if yee or frost do heate or no doth it not appeere that they be things dyuerse repugnant and vnmatchable Agayne if it should be demaunded whither the heate of the Sunne is behooffull for this lyfe or no what a thing were it if there were no Sunne in the world we shoulde de all of vs be choked with the filthinesse of the aire all the corruption whereof is clenzed away by the shyning of the Sunne Then like as men may reason vppon contraries in the order of nature so the Apostle sayeth that wee cannot bee iustified both by the law and by the free fauour of God that is too say if we bee well lyked at Gods hand our comming into his fauour must be through his owne freebestowed goodnesse bycause hee loueth vs in oure Lord Iesus Christ and not for any worthynesse that can be in our selues Howbeit for the better vnderstanding of this doctrine Let vs mark well how it is told vs heere that the ryghteousnesse of the law is the fulfilling of Goddes commaundementes And heereby it myght seeme to vs that the doctrine of the law were sufficient to saue vs for asmuch as God hauing rehersed the ten commaundements that are conteyned in the law hath finally tolde vs that that is the thing whereby we shoulde liue the thing whereby wee shoulde direct our lyfe the infallible rule and that wee must not seeke anie other perfection of righteousnesse than that And that is the very matter wherein we stryue so muche against the Papistes bycause that whereas God requireth obedience they thinke to do him as good seruis with the things that are of their owne deuizing VVherefore let vs marke that the full perfection of all holinesse is conteyned in the Lawe Yea verely as in respect of doctrine For it is not lawfull to adde any thyng to it and men do but ouerlabour themselues in vayne when they bryng in I wote not what deuotious of their owne deuyzing But it is not ynough for vs that the doctrine of the lawe dothe sufficientlye shewe vs what ryghtuousenesse is wee come too thys poynt also namely whither wee be able to do the thynges that God hathe enioyned vs. I tolde you thys morning that wee come farre short of that And so the promis of the law is nothing to our behoofe and the Papists do fowlly ouershoote thēselues in that behalfe For they hold still this fantasticall opinion that God hath not commaunded any thing which we be not able to performe But we see the cleane contrary by Sainct Paule To confirme theyr error they alledge that then God mocketh men in telling them that he which doeth those things shall liue in them But this knot is easye too be vntyed For if God gaue men no remedye it is certeine that they should be vtterly abashed when he sayth that he whych doth these things shall lyue in them that is to say no man shal liue At the first blush as I sayd we may seeme to haue wonne the goale seing that God hath told vs that by keeping his law we shall obteine hys fauour and that there is a crowne of glorie prepared for vs wherof we cānot fayle but when we haue cast our cardes we must be fayn to come to this poynt that no man can atteyne to lyfe by his owne purchace or earning for why no man performeth the law It is not sayd he that doeth but some one part or other of the lawe shall liue but he that doeth all that is conteyned in it VVhat manner of thing then is the rightuousenesse of the lawe It is a ful and perfect keeping of it without missing or fayling in any point at al. But such a one is not to be found among men and therefore it followeth that all of vs are disappointed and shut out from the promis that is giuen vs in the lawe Yet is it not to be sayd that God mocketh vs when he holdeth vs at the staues ende bycause men deceyue themselues through their owne pryde by boasting of their owne deseruings He
a mutual agreement melodie betwene God and vs then hath baptisme the effect whereof S. Paule treateth and discourseth in this text And so the thing that maketh vs Gods children and clothed vs with Iesus Christ is that God draweth vs out of the corruption wherin we were by nature and will haue Iesus Christ to be our head and vs ingraffed into him to be parttakers of his goods Therfore looke when we receiue that then is all accōplished that is figured by baptisme If hypocrites brag of their baptisme S. Paule sheweth them that it is but vanitie and illusion saying that the circumcision of the letter is nothing that is to say if we loke no further but to the outward and visible Sacrament it is all of no value Euen so is it with baptisme it shall stand them in no sted which with their mouthes vaunt themselues to be Christians and great pillers of the Church forasmuch as they defile the thing which God had dedicated to so excellent an vse as I haue told you before Then let vs marke well that S. Paule speaketh this sentence not to all without exception which beare the signe and mark of baptisme outwardly but to such as fare the better by their baptisme Againe S. Paule meeneth not that baptisme that is to say the water hath the power to chaunge vs in such wise that we should be clothed with our Lord Iesus Christ for by that meanes God should be robbed of the prayse that is due to himself alone But he sheweth here the meane whereby we be certified that we be the members of our Lord Iesus Christs bodie I haue tolde you alredie that we must not seeke any other cause of it than Gods mere goodnesse for if we fetch windlasses one wher or other it is like as if a mā were a thirst and would turne his back to the fountaine to seeke water Therfore let vs learne that it is only God which knitteth vs to our Lord Iesus Christ of his own mere goodnesse that he doth it by the secrete power of his holy spirit and yet notwithstanding ceasseth not too woorke by baptisme as by an inferiour instrument according as wee see how all light cōmeth of him in somuch that there was light in the world euen before there was eyther Sunne or Moone And yet neuerthelesse God hath stablished the Sunne whereby we haue light heere bylowe euen vnto this day But yet doth not the Sunne serue too diminish the power that is in God alone Againe it is sayd that man liueth not by bread onely but by euery woord that procedeth out of Gods mouth And in good sooth the bread it selfe is a dead thing VVho giueth it vs It is God that inspireth life into vs for wee liue in him as S. Paule sayeth in the .xvij. of the Actes And yet notwithstanding it is his will too doo it by bread and he applieth it dayly too our vse too the intent we should bee fed with it So then there is none inconuenience that wee should bee clothed with our Lord Iesus Christ by baptisme and yet notwithstanding that the same should proceede of Gods meere grace and that it shoulde bee done by the secrete working of the holy Ghost surmounting the whole order of nature whereof baptisme dothe certifie vs bycause we bee rude and earthly God therefore is fayne too drawe by little and little by reason of our infirmitie too make vs too conceyue the things that otherwise are too high for vs. For where are our wings too stie with aboue the heauens VVee haue much a doo to creepe heere beneath vpon the earth and therefore God is fayne too come downe to vs which thing he doth by his Sacramentes Thus are we clothed with our Lord Iesus Christe by baptisme according also as S. Paule she weth by another similitude in the sixth to the Romanes For he sayeth that we bee greffed into the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ too the end also to bee made partakers of his resurrection and life This similitude of greffyng is as fit as the other of clothing For take mee the syen of a tree and cut mee of the head or some bough of another tree and greffe mee that little syen into it that was taken from another and yee see they growe bothe into one so as they become bothe one substance and the roote yeeldeth his sap too the little sprig that was taken from another tree Euen after the same maner are wee greffed intoo our Lord Iesus Christe sayeth S. Paule and that is too the end that our old man should be crucified in him and we be raysed vp againe in newnesse of life But heere wee haue first too marke howe gratious and bountifull God hath and still doth shew himselfe towardes vs in that it pleaseth him too vnite vs too his owne sonne for that passeth all the benefites whiche wee can conceyue in our imaginacion And therefore also doth S. Paule proue that all things which God hath do belong vnto vs and that we haue the inioying of them whē we once possesse his Sonne Seing sayeth hee that God hath not spared his owne Sonne how should he not giue vs all things with him Too be short God coulde not haue vttered the infinite treasures better than by ioyning vs after that maner to his only Sonne It is more than if he had giuen vs heauen and earth For surely if wee compare Iesus Christ with all the goodes of the worlde yea and all the goodes that are aboue the earthly world he farre surmounteth them all Marke that for one poynt Furthermore let vs vnderstand that God hath so vnited vs to our Lord Iesus Christ as wee must be fayne to haue all our lyfe in him And it serueth to humble vs the better and to make vs perceyue how horrible a thing it is to bee wrapped in the cursednesse of Adam For if the holy Scripture told vs not that wee muste be vnited to our Lord Iesus Christ before wee can bee in Gods fauour wee should not feele sufficiently the wretchednesse wherein we be hild by nature nother should wee hate our sinnes so much as we ought to do But now that it is tolde vs how it is impossible yea though all the Angels should come to our ayde that all the world shoulde helpe forward the matter and too bee short that although nothing wanted yet it were impossible for vs to come neere vntoo God or that he should looke vpō vs with a fatherly coūtenance yea or that he should acknowledge vs for his creatures til we be clothed with our Lord Iesus Christ This were ynough to make vs abhorre our selues And needes must it be that we be worse than lothely seing there is none other meanes to appease Gods wrath towards vs and to set vs againe in his fauour than by his couering of our sinnes by his clenzing of vs frō al our filthinesse infection by
yet for all that for asmuch as our Lorde Iesus Christe appeared vntoo vs in the shape of man and was conuersant in this world and there despized yea and abaced euen too a most shamefull death wherein he receyued all the curses that were due vnto vs therefore it is sayd that if wee giue not eare too the Sonne of God the father is preiudiced therby accordyng also as our Lord Iesus himself declareth in that he sayeth He that despizeth you despizeth mee and he that reiecteth mee reiecteth the liuing God that sent mee Marke then whervnto the order tendeth which S. Paule keepeth namely that if we do not willingly honour our Lord Iesus Christ by accepting his doctrine for certain and infallible God is set at naught and we cannot say that our intent is too woorship him for he will reiect all our doyngs And why For as I sayd afore it is ynough too proue vs rebelles if wee separate the Sonne from his Father And S. Paule addeth expresly that Iesus Christe was rayzed from the dead too the end that his Apostleship should not be the lesse esteemed and also that men should match him with the number companie of the other Apostles according also as he was added too them after that Iesus Christe ceassed too bee any more vpon earth For as I haue touched already the thing wherwith the false Apostles which came too ouerthrowe all vpbrayded him was this How now sayd they He hath not bin the Disciple of the Sonne of God as Peter and Iohn were he is a thing borne out of seazon And how cā he shew that he hath receyued his doctrine of Iesus Christ S. Paule declareth that if they will needes inquyre of the authoritie of our Lord Iesus Christe his ryzing againe ought not too haue diminished it Surely though our Lord Iesus Christ were brought lowe whyle he had the veyle of mans nature vppon him whereby his glory was after a sorte hidden yet was he not abaced in himselfe For wee knowe that the Angelles acknowledged him for their souerayne king and although he were borne in a stable and layd vpon the ground as a creature destitute of all help yet we see that the Starres of the skie bare record of him To bee short the maiestie of our Lord Iesus Christe was alwayes sufficiently auouched as long as he was in this world But yet for all that there was a muche excellenter glory in his resurrection accordyng as it is sayd in the first too the Romanes that then he was shewed too bee the Sonne of God And wee also haue seene in the second Epistle to the Corinthians that as he suffered vnder weakenesse of the fleshe so he was rayzed againe through the wonderfull power of Gods spirite So then S. Paule sheweth that although our Lorde Iesus Christ bee not conuersant with vs nowadayes yet muste not his Maiestie therefore bee diminished nor defaced that we should not yeelde him his due and deserued obedience and receyue his woorde reuerently without all gaynesaying This warning is verie behooffull for vs. For what a number of lightheaded persones doo wee see which woulde haue Iesus Christe too be heere in visible shape Their saying is that they would fayne see Iesus Christ conuersant heere beneathe and that then they would at the first push accept what soeuer he spake to thē so as there should neede but one woord of his mouth to rauish them and there should neede none other teaching nor any other man to be much with vs. Yea but the Sonne of God which came downe hath performed his charge whiche was committed to him of God his father that is to say he hath preached the Gospell and sufficiently confirmed it by his death and passion Afterward beyng rizen againe he sent foorth his Apostles And nowe that he hath all soueraine dominion so as the Angelles bow their knees before him and that he hath suche a maiestie as surmounteth all glory both in heauen and earth ought not all that which he hath done to suffize vs throughly VVhen it pleaseth him too send vs mortall men and too send forth the message and inestimable treasure of his Gospell in brittle vesselles and yet notwithstanding will haue vs to receyue them is it not a mockerie to say that if Iesus Christ were with vs and in our companie we would obey him For if heauen and earth muste bee fayne too quake vnder him and his Maiestie bee knowen euen to the Diuels of hell and yet for all that wee continue blockish and pretend that he is to farre of from vs yet notwithstanding our Lord Iesus sheweth sufficiently that he hath not forsaken vs seing we haue the Gospell preached vnto vs And that although he dwell not with vs here by lowe in visible shape yet notwithstanding we shal bee continually ioyned with him and that forasmuche as he is our head hee will gouerne his bodie and there shal be one vnseparable bond betwixt him and vs. Now seing it is so we ought of right to yeeld him obedience and his resurrection ought to touch vs to the quicke to worke suche a reuerent awefulnesse in vs that whensoeuer the name of our Lord Iesus Christe is spoken of we may be sure that it is the name whereof the Prophet speaketh wherby all men ought to sweare and whereat they ought to bow their knees Thus ye see in effect that the thing which we haue to beare in minde is that we should not measure the Gospell after the respect and reputation of those that speake vnto vs for why they be frayle men Nother is that the thing whereon we ought to stay for that were as muche too say as we should settle our saluation vpon the credite of men which might cause vs too rest vppon the world but wee must vnderstand that it is Iesus Christ which speaketh And howe In the Maiestie that is giuen him by God his father for the power of the holy Ghost was then shewed too the full when he was raysed from the dead Then seyng our Lord Iesus Christ hath obteyned such authoritie when he was lifted vp into heauen as too haue superioritie ouer all creatures let vs learne too submit our selues too him and let the same serue to hold vs in awe that his woord may be receyued of vs and we assure ourselues that he gouerneth vs and that it becommeth vs too suffer our selues too be taught in his name and too vnderstand that although the woorde which is preached vnto vs proceede out of the mouth of men yet notwithstanding it is by the authoritie of God our saluation must be grounded thervpon as well as though heauen opened an hundred thousand tymes too shew vs the glory of God Lo say I how it behoueth vs to be taught in this world vntill God haue gathered vs into his euerlasting heritage And that is the thing which we haue to beare in minde concernyng that the glorie of our
moste part of the world is at that poynt There are othersome which seeme too take a better way and rule but yet doo they also peruert all They desire God too send them the things which he knoweth too bee good profitable for them but in the meane whyle they looke not to the fountayne wherout of they should draw their first water that is to wit too bee reconciled to God For all is one with them so God spare them and execute not his rigour towardes them As for his loue or hatred they passe not greatly for it so he handle them after the desire and appetite of their fleshe Now although such maner of men do seeke vnto God yet doo they set the Cart before the horse For they ought to set Gods loue in the first chiefest place and then to come downe to the great number of benefites which he bestoweth vpon vs wherby he witnesseth his goodnesse towards vs. Albeit then that many men holde not themselues within the sayd measure but make more vnruly requestes vnto God than one man would doo to another so as one man craueth Riches another Honour and none is contented with that whiche God sendeth yet notwithstanding though men were well aduized in their wishes precize in desiring nothing but that which they haue neede of yet if they forget Gods fauour therein they shew themselues not to haue profited at all VVherfore let vs marke how it is not without cause that S. Paule hath heere set downe twoo things ioyntly togither that is too witte that God muste firste receyue vs into his fauour so as we also may feele him to be truely our father and to accept vs as his children and he thervppon afterward make vs too prosper Now such maner of prosperitie may as I haue sayd already be well wished for but yet in the meane while the only goodnesse of God must be our solace and when we be put too the suffering of many miseries in this world so as things fall not out as wee woulde haue them yet must we be contented with this that God accepteth vs. And therewithall he setteth downe the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ bicause it is not possible that God should fauour vs but for his owne sonnes sake in whom is his whole delight according as it is sayd as well in the. xvi chapter of S. Mathew as in the firste too the Ephesians Then if we had nothing else to set before our eyes but the maiestie of God it would make vs afrayd and we could not haue any accesse vnto him bicause we be frayle creatures yea and altogither sinfull creeping here vppon the earth and deseruing too be swallowed into the bottom of Hell Therfore it is very requisite that Christ should shew himself vnto vs and that wee should looke vpon him to taste what Gods loue is and to inioy all the benefites which he bestoweth vpon vs for they belong not to any other than to his owne onely Sonne who is the heyre of all things as the Apostle speaketh of him in the first chapter to the Hebrewes Seing then that all the good turnes whiche God doeth vs belong peculiarly too our Lord Iesus Christe it behoueth vs too communicate with him and to be made parttakers of them by his meanes Therfore it is not without chuse that S. Paule sayeth heere from God the father and from our Lord Iesus Christ. Yea and too the intent too giue vs the greater assurance that God will take vs into his fauour if we seeke him truely and vnfaynedly howbeit by the meanes of his only Sonne he sayeth that Iesus Christ gaue himselfe for our sinnes Now it is certaine that nothing putteth vs out of Gods fauour but our owne sinfulnesse For we see that his mercy extendeth it self euen to the Sparowes that flie in the ayre and vnto the brute beasts For when as God bringeth forth grasse in the mountaynes and maketh other fodder too grow for cattell it is a token that he hath a care of them And truly they be markes of his goodnesse as it is said in the Psalmes How then should he not loue those whom he hath created after his owne image and which approche much neerer too him to his nature that is to say men God therfore in respect of his creating of vs receiueth auoweth vs for his owne But for somuch as we be corrupted and our nature is become sinful it causeth God too hate vs and too take vs for his enemies so as there is as it were a deadly foade betweene him and vs till he haue taken vs again into his fauour for our Lord Iesus Christes sake VVherfore to the end we may nor haue any cause to doubt of Gods loue S. Paule doth here set downe before vs the Sacrifize whereby the rememberance of our transgressions is blotted out so that God hauing now forgotten all our wretchednesse beholdeth vs as his owne and as those on whom he hath set his marke to be short as those whom he hath created too be his children and heyres And hereby wee be warned that there is none other meanes to pacifie our consciences and to make vs able to call vpon God in full libertie but by applying too our selues the sacrifize offered by our Lorde Iesus Christ wherein he hath made full satisfaction for vs so that henceforth God receyueth vs as his owne children And here first of all we see the force of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ how that therin we find attonement betwene God and vs so that whereas we were erst at oddes with him and he must needes haue as ye would say abhorred vs now he voutchsafeth too take vs into his fauour â–ª And why Bicause our Lord Iesus Christ hath made amendes for all our faultes misdeedes by the obedience which he yeelded in his death passion in somuch that the sacrifize which he offered was a full satisfaction for all our sinnes his bloudshed became likewise our clenzing and hath washed vs cleane from all the spottes of our sinnes Thus ye see how we may be sure that God receiueth vs. And how may we haue the boldnesse to call vpon him and to resort vnto him Euen by fastening our eyes vpon the Sacrifize which our Lord Iesus Christ hath offered For if we haue not that it is certayne that we shal alwayes be afrayd when we think vpon the maiestie of God For seyng we be wretched offenders how should we not be afrayd of our iudge who is armed to execute the vengeance that we deserue Neuerthelesse for asmuch as our Lorde Iesus Christ hath buried our faults we may come vnto God boldly and without any stop Howbeit it behoueth vs to marke therewithal that the sacrifize wherby our Lord Iesus Christ hath reconciled vs to God his father is so sufficient that it behoueth vs to lay â–ª vp all our trust therein not to seeke any other
meanes according also as S. Paules intent heere is to bring backe the Galathians to the pure truthe from the which they had bin led away seduced not that they had vtterly renounced Iesus Christ but that they had intermingled the ceremonies of the Lawe thereby to obtayne forgiuenesse of sinnes as who should say there needed other helpes therevnto according as in papistrie it wil well ynough be graunted that Iesus Christ is the redeemer of the world but yet therwithal euery man seeketh to cōpound with God to make amends by himself Now the Galathians had already bin imbured with the like errour For this cause Sainct Paule sheweth the that sinnes are none otherwize wiped out than by the sacrifize of our Lord Iesus Christ to thintent that our fayth may rest wholly there Therfore if we wil be parttakers of so great a benefite we must giue ouer al our vaine hopes all the illusiōs that the Diuell putteth in our minde when he turneth vs aside frō our Lord Iesus Christ frō his only grace by making vs to beleeue that we can come vnto God if we bring some amends with vs. To be short vntill such time as we be sure that there is none other washing wherewith to skoure out the spottes of our iniquities but the bloud which our Lord Iesus Christ hath shed wherwith we be rinced through the holy ghost it is certain that we cā neuer come freely vnto God nor rest vpon his fauour loue but shall euer be wandering in our own imaginacions that shal be a due payment for our misbelefe in that we haue not yeelded our Lord Iesus Christ the honor that he deserued Thus ye see in effect what we haue to beare in mind here where S. Paule setteth the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ before vs telling vs that that is the thing wherein we shall finde the amends of all our faultes do as they shal not be called any more too account before God And he sayeth purposely that Iesus Christ gaue himselfe too the end wee should the more boldly take holde of his Loue. For wee see heere that when our Lord Iesus Christ did put foorth himself too make attonement betweene God and vs he spared not his owne body soule in somuch that he indured extreme anguish in his foule as he that was our borrow in the same and bare the wrath of God in our behalfe And in his body also he indured all reproch and shame and therewithall also the horriblest tormentes that could be deuized and al this as I sayd afore sheweth right wel that the loue which he bare vs was inestimable sith he forgate himself after that sort for our sakes But yet notwithstanding herewithall S. Paule bringeth vs alwayes backe too the will of God too shew that when our Lord Iesus Christ did in that wyze performe all that belonged too our saluation it was no let but that God in the meane whyle vttered his mercy in the same according as it is sayd in another text that God so loued the world that he spared not his onely sonne but deliuered him to death for vs. To the intent therfore that we should not think that the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ too pacifie God his father was after such a sort that he persuaded him to alter his purpose as men are inclined to such grosse earthly imaginacions S. Paule to shew vs that God was not reconcyled vnto vs after the maner of men telleth vs expresly that the cause why Iesus Christ was deliuered for our sinnes was for that God had so ordeyned it For if a man be angry with his childe some other man may steppe in too appease his wrath and such a one shall supply the roome of a third partie But the cace stoode not so with our Lord Iesus Christ when he offered himself in Sacrifize too do away all our sinnes to make vs way vnto God from whom we were shet out before He came not as one that stepped in of his owne head and as though God had not meddled with the matter How then God as hath bin touched not long since did both hate vs and loue vs before the reconciliation was made And why loued he vs Bicause we be his creatures And again although he saw we were so wretched and vtterly forlorne damned folke by reason of sin yet notwithstanding he had pitie vpon vs would not haue mankind to perish vtterly Thus yee see how God loued vs notwithstanding that in the persone of Adam we were fallen away frō him vtterly corrupted Therwithall he did also hate vs euen bicause he is the welspring of all rightuousnesse Therfore he abhorred the naughtinesse that was in vs by reason wherof there needed an attonemēt to be made in the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ by the sacrifize which he offered But yet must not that benefite bee fathered vppon any other than God Yee see then howe it was Gods dooing too sende his onely sonne and too giue him ouer vnto death for vs. And why To the ende that all hatred betweene him and vs shoulde bee done away This in effect is the thing that ought to be vnderstood of S. Paules woordes when he saith that Iesus Christ gaue himselfe to the death for our sinnes and yet notwithstanding that the same came not too passe without the wil of God who had determined the same aforehande in his owne euerlasting purpose Heere first of all we haue too magnifie the mercie that was shewed vs in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ For if God had but proclaymed a pardon and tolde vs that he woulde take vs to mercie though we were vnworthie of it that had bin verie much yea and it had bin impossible for vs to magnifie such a gracious goodnesse as it deserueth But seeing he hath lent vs such a gage of his loue as his owne sonne and gyueth himselfe to vs in his person thereby shewing himselfe to be our father it so farre passeth all that we haue sayde that if all our wittes were imployed too woondering at suche a goodnesse yet should wee neuer come to the fulnesse thereof Thus ye see what we haue to marke in the first place when Saint Paule speaketh too vs of Gods will Howbeeit let vs vnderstande that euen from the time that God had iust cause to hate vs and to abhorre vs yea and euen from the time that we were his enimies as the Scripture sayth in very deede he neuer ceassed to haue some regarde of vs and to extende his pitie so farre foorth as he would not haue vs to abyde in our destruction in so much that he hath not thought it ynough to declare the same by word of mouth but also hath giuen vs such a pledge as wee see that is to wit that his owne sonne hath answered for it Now seeing it is so that God hath shewed himselfe so gracious
and mercifull before we were reconciled to him what will he do now when we haue so sure a warrant and that the Gospell also is preached vnto vs to assure vs that we be knit vntoo our Lord Iesus Christ by fayth as members of his bodie Shall we now doubt of Gods loue towards vs when we haue so good a confirmation of it as Saint Paule fayth in the fift Chapter to the Romaines If so be that Iesus Christ sayth he came to put away all our sinnes at such times as there was yet deadly foad betweene god vs ought not all doubting to be troden vnder foote and we not be afrayde in any wise too call vpon our God but assure our selues of our owne saluation nowe when God hath so confirmed it vnto vs when hee hath admitted vs into his fauour when he calleth and allureth vs as gently as may be and when hee sheweth and certefieth vs that hee doth as it were hold open his armes to imbrace vs whensoeuer we will come vnto him Thus ye see what we haue to beare in minde in this streyne Furthermore let vs marke also the loue of our Lord Iesus Christ how that seeing hee hath giuen himselfe after that sort for our sinnes he will not suffer his death and passion to be vnprofitable nor the sacrifice which he hath once offered to be voyd and of none effect without bringing forth frute in vs. But as hee hath offered himselfe once for all so also will he be our continuall Mediator and Aduocate to the ende we may be partakers of the clennesse which he hath purchased for vs that beeing ridde of all our fowlenesse we may appeare cleane before God and speake vnto him with open mouth Lo how we ought to gather togither all the things that are shewed vs here for the stablishing of our faith that we may freely resort vnto our God not as straungers to him but as his owne children and familiar friendes And herewithall let vs learne also to shake off all the illusions and fancies of Satan who seeketh by all meanes too turne vs away from our Lorde Iesus Christ or else to darken the grace which we shoulde finde in him and when he can not abolish it vtterly he snarleth vs and putteth new meanes into our heades whereby to purchase fauor at Gods hande But let vs cut off all such things and so fasten all our wittes vpon our Lord Iesus Christ as he onely my suffize vs and we vtterly mislyke whatsoeuer shall come in our heade too purchase grace and fauor with assuring our selues that there is not any other thing that may cause God to receyue vs to mercie than the sacryfize whereby all righteousnesse and clennesse was purchased for vs. Furthermore vnder these woordes of Gods will it behoueth vs too comprehende a free goodnesse too exclude all that men are woont too make themselues beleeue of their owne merits for in that sence also are those wordes taken in the holy Scripture so that as I haue tolde you before the thing which is termed heere by the name of Will is termed elsewhere by the name of good pleasure Saint Paule therefore not onely sheweth that the welspring of our Redemption and Saluation consisteth in the ordinance and euerlasting purpose of God the father but also intendeth to beat down all pryde and presumption by shewing that wee must yeelde the whole prayse of our righteousnesse too the free fauour of God which had no regarde at all of our deseruings For let vs examine our selues and what shall God find in vs but vtter wretchednesse And that is the verie cause why God voutsafeth his mercie vpon vs. So then let vs assure our selues that hencefoorth wee may freely lift vp our eyes to heauen and preferre our prayers and supplications vnto God bycause he hath preuented vs according as it as sayd in S. Iohn that he had not tarried till we loued him for that was impossible bicause we be wholy bent vnto euill and are vtterly giuen ouer to it but had loued vs euen though wee were his enimies And so ye see that the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ was too the ende too reconcile vs to God his father as wee haue shewed alreadie That therefore is in effect the thing that wee haue to beare in minde Nowe Saint Paule addeth immediately that it was to deliuer vs from this wicked worlde Heere he sheweth why we bee called too the knowledge of our Lorde Iesus Christ and also why he hath set so great store by vs as to redeeme vs as he hath done namely to the ende we shoulde not abide in our filth and vncleannesse but be withdrawne away from it by him In verie deed that is not the cause of our saluation but the ende and marke wherat God loked in ordeyning vs to saluation The thing therefore which it standeth vs on hand to haue an eie vnto when our redemption is spokē of is that we must begin at the free fauor which God bare vnto vs when he determined in his euerlasting purpose that we should be brought backe againe vnto him by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christ And so that was the principall cause Another cause thereof is Iesus Christ in whome wee finde all that is requisite for our assurance For there we see our sinnes blotted out inasmuch as hee is ordeyned to be our borrow and hath made such amendes for vs as nothing can stop vs from comming too God That is the seconde poynt which wee haue too remember heere Now the meane whereby we be made partakers of our Lorde Iesus Christ is our imbracing of the promises of the Gospel by true faith For the faythlesse haue no profite at all by the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ but rather are so much the more damnable bicause they reiect the meane that God had ordeyned and theyr vnthankfulnesse shall be so much the more grieuously punished bicause they haue troden vnder foote the bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christ which was the ransome for their soules Therfore it standeth vs on hande to receyue the promises of the Gospell by fayth if we desire that Iesus Christ should communicate himselfe vnto vs and that he should bring vs to the possession and inioyment of the benefites which he hath purchased for vs so as they belong not too any other than such as are members of his bodie and are graffed into him and receyue him by fayth according as it is sayde in the first Chapter of Saint Iohn that God accepteth and auoucheth those for his children which beleeue in his only sonne Thus ye see what we haue to remember in the thirde place when we come too the scanning of our saluation Nowe remayneth that God bee glorified in vs as good reason is that he shoulde be And in that respect also Saint Paule in the thirde to the Romaynes sayth that wheras God hath giuen vs the meanes in our Lorde Iesus Christ
too finde fauour at his hande by the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and there withal sent vs the Gospell to put vs in possession of the same benefite his so doing is to the ende that he onely may appeare to be righteous and be glorified therefore so as we should yeeld him all prayse and acknowledge our selues beholden to him for all things Neuerthelesse the glorifying of God consisteth not onely in our confessing with our mouth that he is the authour of our saluation and that the same commeth of him alonely and of his mere goodnesse and free grace but also in becomming newe men through his holy spirite so as his image shineth forth in vs and we indeuer to giue ouer our selues wholy to his seruice It is sayde that God hath not called vs to filthinesse and vncleannesse but that his meaning is too make vs holy to himselfe Nowe then seeing the cace standeth so it is not for nought that Saint Paule addeth heere that Iesus Christ hath deliuered liuered vs from this wicked world by offering himselfe for vs and that he hath wyped out the remembrance of our sinnes before God his father to the ende we should not lie any longer plunged in our owne filth and vnclennesse but be as it were separated from the world ▪ to the intent to become the heritage of God and to dispose our whole life to such obedience as it may be seene that like as hee hath adopted vs to be his children so we also haue loued and honored him as our father And out of all doubt when as it is sayde that we must be taken out of this wicked world it is a benefit which we ought to be abashed at For vnder the word World is comprehended all that belongeth to man in his owne nature The worlde of it selfe hath in it neither vice nor corruption but al the euilnesse of it commeth of the sinne that dwelleth in vs. So then whereas it is said that the worlde is wicked according also as S. Iohn in his canonicall Epistle sayth that all the world is saped and plunged in naughtinesse that wickednesse is neither in the Sunne nor in the Moone nor in the earth nor in the water nor in any of all the things that are conteined in them but in that we be so peruerted that we haue infected all things heere bilowe with our vnclennesse and that as long as men continue in themselues and in their owne nature they bee but filthinesse so as they must of necessitie displease God For surely there can be none agreement betweene righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse But in vs there is nothing to be found but vnrighteousnesse Therefore we must either be withdrawne from our selues or else we shall neuer be able to come nie vnto God VVhat shall then become of all the blinde wretches which beare themselues in hand that they be able to worke wonders with their free will theyr vertues their wisdome and I wote not what else According as we see that men do always like well of themselues although they be conuicted to haue nothing but filthinesse in them that they be so lothsome as it is pitie to see it and they themselues ought to be ashamed of it yet they will still chalenge somwhat to themselues alwayes deceyue thēselues with their owne fond imaginations And yet notwithstanding when men haue well tried themselues all that they can find in them shal be condemned vnder the terme of naughtinesse or wickednesse insomuch that it is shewed therby that there is nothing but corruption in vs and that if wee presume too preace vnto God as we be of our selues hee must needes driue vs a great way of Therefore marke this for a grounde that heere all pride is beaten downe too the intent that men may learne too leaue their boasting in any thing saue in the free goodnesse of God and bee so abashed in considering their owne shame that they may condemne themselues with their owne mouth and not tarie til God giue sentence against them but become their owne iudges This is it in effect which we haue to marke And now we see how it behoueth vs to walke warely and carefully that we may be assured that the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ belongeth to vs. For if we will needes giue bridle too our Iustes it is certaine that our Lorde Iesus Christ will disclayme vs. True it is that our Saluation resteth alwayes vpon the onely goodnesse of God and that we must not intermeddle our owne workes when we intende too haue the certaintie of fayth but rather renounce our selues Neuerthelesse howsoeuer the cace standeth our Lorde Iesus Christ is not come to giue vs occasion too abuse the grace that he hath purchased vs for that were a mocking of him to his face If we shoulde go wallow againe in our owne filthinesse after that hee hath washed vs in his bloud were it not a wilfull defyling of the thing that is most holy ye a and which maketh all the whole world holy Now forasmuch as we are all of vs corrupted and the whole world is subiect to cursing and all of vs are condemned there is not any thing to sanctifie vs againe but onely the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ And how great and intollerable a trecherie were it if we as much as in vs lieth should fall to beraying of our selues again in our own filthines Thē let vs marke wel that to inioy the frute of the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ we must not take libertie to do euil nor to liue after our owne appetites and lustes but we must alwayes come to the separation wherof S. Paule speketh here which is to be withdrawne from this wicked world not to breake asunder the things that are knit togither with so holy a band nor to disanull the order of God The faythfull therefore must giue themselues to all purenesse of life and consider that the redeeming of them by our Lord Iesus Christ and by the sacrifice of his death and passion is vppon condition that they should forsake themselues according also as we heerehow our Lord Iesus Christ telleth vs that those which wil be his disciples must abace thēselues folow him What haue we thē to do and what ought to be our trauel all the time of our life VVe must do our indeuer to withdraw our selues from the defilementes of this world that we may cleaue vnto our God in purenesse of life True it is that this thing is not perfected in vs vntill wee bee quite withdrawne from the world but yet that is the marke that we must ame at and whervnto it behoueth vs to draw more more Then like as the faythfull resort continually to Gods mercie grounding themselues therevpon and are not otherwise righteous than by the forgiuenesse of their sinnes so also behoueth it them to kepe on to the end which S. Paule setteth down to vs
it is that the Papists haue lesse colour than had the deceyuers of whom S. Paule speaketh For although they were Satans vnderlings and sought nothing but to peruert the truthe of the Gospell yet had they at least wise this colour that they broughte not in their owne dreames and traditions but alleaged the authoritie of God howe that the lawe ought to be kepte and that was a meetely apparant excuse But the Papists haue no suche foundation For all their Ceremonies are forgeries of mans brayne It is true that they haue mingled Iewishnesse with them and made suche a galimaufrey as a man can not tell of whome they haue borowed moste But howsoeuer the world go yet are the Ceremonies of mens setting vp which are at this day in the Popedome Nowe when we striue to abolishe them they say wee trouble the worlde for nothing And then steppe in these Neuters whiche woulde fayne please bothe parties and make a Bastarde Gospell Those fellowes caste vs in the teeth that wee bee seditious and that throughe oure precisenesse wee set muche trouble in the worlde And for proofe thereof saye they is it meete that there shoulde bee suche stryuing aboute Ceremonies seeing they bee things indifferente Yea forsoothe For if God woulde haue the Ceremonies of the lawe which yet notwithstanding came of him and by his expresse commaundement too come too an ende in our Lorde Iesus Christ what shall wee do when men will of their owne foolishe rashnesse set vp others in their stead Seeing that God would haue his owne abolished why should men step foorth therevpon and bring in their owne deuice and make God beleeue that he was not well aduised See yee not a cursed blasphemie Nowe vve knowe that the cause vvhy God vvould haue the Ceremonies of his lawe abolished in these dayes was to the intent that the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ should be the more lightsome and better knowen For he is the daysunne of righteousnesse Therfore all those shadowes must cease and it is he in whō we haue the body and substance of them sayth S. Paule Seeing then that God had that respect and reason the figures must passe and vanishe away But now what reason wil the Papists bring when as men perceyue by eyesight that all their Ceremonies are a burying of our Lorde Iesus Christ and yet that they binde men to the keeping of them vnder payne of deadly sinne And furthermore when as in all their Ceremonies they haue a certeyn opinion that Baptisme is not inough for them but that they must haue holiwater to christen or baptise men euening and morning and finally that when they haue brought in all their pelting trash and al their gewgawes there must alwayes be somewhat in thē to draw poore soules into bondage is it to be borne withall On the other side we see there is so streight a yoke as it is able to strangle the poore wretches For the seelie soules are bereft of the freedome that was purchased for them by the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ VVe see thē how it is not without vrgent cause yea extreme necessitie that we striue against the Popish tyrannie about ceremonies cōsidering that our Lord Iesus Christ hath not his deserued preheminence so long as men busie their wits about those smal trifles that moreouer their wretched consciences are alwayes in vnquietnesse without ende or ceassing and finally that on the otherside the Papists thinke to deserue grace by the things which they terme Gods seruice bearing themselues in hande that that is the meane whereby men shuld become righteous to obteine saluatiō So thē we see that S. Paul in his time was driuē to susteyn that strife And forasmuch as our case is altogither like at this day so as we cānot hold our peace except we wil betray both god mā we must fight stoutly agaynst that hellish tyrannie and against those pelting trash trumperie and illusions of Sathan whereby hee would fayne eyther quite deface the Gospell or else so turmoyle it as a man shoulde not knowe which is the pure truth This in effect is the thing that wee haue to beare in mynde And whereas S. Paule sayth that he yelded not one iote too such men it is too confirme vs so muche the better on the thing that I touched euen nowe Peace and friendshippe are an amiable thing among men They bee so indeede and wee ought to seeke them to the vttermost of our power But yet for all that we must set such store by Gods truth that if all the world should bee set on fyre for the mayntenaunce thereof wee shoulde not sticke at it As much as wee can possibly let vs purchase peace and if the matter concerne but our owne persons or goodes let vs endeuour too compound with our aduersaries let vs beare with them and let vs labour to ouercome them by our patience Lo in what maner wee ought to buy peace But yet in the meane while let not Gods truth be deminished nor sustein any harme or preiudice For the peace that men seeke among themselues shall euermore be accursed if God be not therewithall acknowledged and magnified as he ought to be and his word also continue vnimpeached for that is the knot of our bonde and if we intend to haue it acceptable to God and the end of it to be good and for our welfare surely God must knit vs togither And hee hath giuen vs his Sonne who is called our peace too the end we should all of vs fall in order vnder him Then if we minde to haue good and holie peace let vs ame vs at this marke of yeelding our selues vnder the obeysance of Gods sonne that he may be our head and we his body like as there is but one Church But if any man goe about too withdraw vs from our Lord Iesus Christ let vs rather beare all the hatred outrages and madnesse of the world than to seeke such agreement And let vs not be afraide of all the reproch that can bee done vnto vs according as nowadayes we shal be falsly slaundered as stirrers vp of many strifes yea verily but what can wee do with it For it behoueth vs to abide still in the truth of the Gospell or else woe bee vntoo vs. If the Papistes will not agree with vs but bee vtterly wilfull in the stubbornnesse that is seene too bee in them wee must bee contented to be at defiance with men seeing they purpose too turne vs from the peace which wee should haue with God by the means of his Sonne who not without cause beareth that title as I told you before Therefore when they crye out vpon vs wee must be fenced with this answere of Elias which hee made vnto Achab. Art not thou he sayd Achab that troublest Israell For the Prophet was accused as we be nowadayes bicause he labored to bring the people backe againe too the purenesse of
things should goe to hauocke and confusion in the world than to abyde that Gods woord being so precious and holy a thing as it is should in any wise be peruerted yea it were better that heauen and earth should be confounded together than that that should bee suffered So then lette vs consyder well this doctrine howe it maye serue our turne and doe vs good not onely to beate backe all the assaultes that shall bee put too vs by the enimies of Gods truth but also too frame vs too all lowlynesse and modestie so as oure whole desire maye bee too bee guyded and gouerned by Gods woorde and by the doctrine of our Lorde Iesus Chryste Howbeeit therewithall lette vs bee so stoute hearted as not to bee turned awaye by men neyther for theyr credite and authoritie nor for their threatenyngs nor for all the pryde and statelinesse of the worlde but that wee maye alwayes sticke stedfastly to our Lorde Iesus Chryste And if any bodie come and laye any newe thing afore vs lette vs eâ—ermore haue a good eye too the ende wherevntoo they woulde leade vs and consyder that lyke as Satan hathe many wiles and policies so also haue his vnderlings too And therfore let vs on our side haue the skil to loke to our selues in such wyse as we may always know our Lord Iesus Christ and be guyded thither so as he may be our only marke and shoote anker and we vnderstande that hee hath all fulnesse of welfare in him to the ende that wee should seeke our wantes in him and all things be put away that might hinder vs from comming vnto him And nowe lette vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgemente of oure faultes praying him too make vs feele them in suche wise as wee may craue forgiuenesse of them at hys hande wyth true repentance and profyte after suche sorte more and more in hys worde as it may make vs too forsake oure selues and leane vntoo hym and hys power that he may hold vs vp in our fraylenesse till he haue brought vs to the perfection wherevnto he calleth vs at thys daye And so let vs all say Almighty God our heauenly father c. The ninth Sermon which is the third vpon the second Chapter 6. But as for those that are in estimation I passe not vvhat they haue bin in time past for God regardeth not the outvvard apparance of man surely those that vvere in estimation did adde nothyng vnto me 7 â–ª But coÌ„traryvvise vvheÌ„ they savv that the preaching of the Gospell to the vncircumcised vvas coÌ„mitted vnto me as the preaching to the circumcysed vvas committed vnto Peter 8 For he that vvas of povver in Peters Apostleship tovvardes the Circumcizion was of povver in mee also tovvardes the Gentiles WE saw this morning that when meÌ„ mingle their owne fancies with Gods truth ther is nothing but corruption and by that meanes the Gospel is falsified VVhich thing ought to holde vs in such awe as no man shoulde presume to adde aught at all to the things that we haue from aboue For God hath taught vs so perfectly as we can not put too any thing without great blasphemie forasmuch as it were a couert accusing of him of vnaduisednesse or els of nigardship as who shuld say he were loth too bestow things vpon vs which would be for our welfare Seeing then that the doctrine of the Gospel is sufficient for vs let vs abide in it And if any man step vp to bring in some addition of his own let vs abhor it yea though the thing seme to haue neuer so great reason in it as oftentimes the diuell vseth to shroude himself vnder this couert that we must not stick at light slender points But surely God must be hearkned too in al points and al respects â–ª according as it is to be demed by S. Paules dooing who could easyly haue let slip the circumcizing of Titus as a smal thing yet notwithstanding would not beÌ„d in that behalf the reason wherof was least the Gentiles shoulde be made subiect to such necessitie as was intended to be layde vpon theÌ„ Yet we read that he sticked not to circumcise Timothie Neuerthelesse the matter seemed to be all one and that S. Paule vsed inconstancie and variablenesse in that behalfe Beholde there were twoo Heathen men which had not bin nourished and instructed in the law of Moyses from their birth And the Iewes would neuer haue receyued any man that had not ben circumcized For they deemed all men to be vncleane whiche bare not that warrant about them Now S. Paule circumcyseth the one and will not doe the lyke to the other who will thinke that he kept an euen hande If wee consider all thyngs well wee shall see why he refuzed to circumcyse Titus and yet had circumcysed Timothie Circumcision was at that tyme lawfull of it selfe It was not lyke the Idolatries that are in Papistrie nowadayes If ye aske what holywater is it is an vnhallowing of baptisme For in baptim wee haue a washing that ought to suffice vs both in lyfe and death and God will not haue vs too haue anie other warrant of the spirituall clenzing that was obteyned for vs by the blud of our Lord Iesus Christ but we must be contented with it But as for the Holywater of the Papists what else is it than an endlesse baptysing of our selues As touching the Masse it is so vilanous and outrageous a trecherie that noman can come at it but he must defyle himself by renouncing the death of our Lord Iesus Christ But Circumcision stoode not in the like case for it was profitable for the tyme that it lasted True it is that it was abolished at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ but yet for all that the Iewes myght keepe it still till they were fully instructed in the libertie of the Gospel Saint Paule therfore had circumcised Timothie and the reason why was for that hee sawe manye weaklings whiche woulde haue bene offended bycause they were not yet throughly confirmed in the knowledge of the Gospell but thought that it behoued them to keepe still the ceremonies of the Lawe And it is sayd that wee must yeeld one to an other for charitie byndeth vs thervnto Euery man must not do what he him self thinks good to the trubbling of his neybours but we must so fashyon our selues one too an other as none maye bee offended through our faulte S â–ª Paule then forbare in hauing respect too the poore Ignorant weaklings who not withstanding myghte bee brought to knowledge in tyme. And as concerning the persone of Titus he sawe how men went about to lay a yoke of bondage vpon the Gentiles and that the same wold be a holding of the Iewes alwayes vnder the Lawe whiche was then but superstition For it was for them to haue known that the law had serued out his time and that the ceremonies should not continue for euer If thys
all this is but a flimflam For S. Paule sayth expresly that Peter was worthie of blame that thervpon he had stepped vp when he saw he walked not aright VVe see then that there was not a secrete agreement or packing in this cace but rather that S. Paule vsed the libertie that was giuē him of God rebuked Peter would not bear with him in that cace although he reuerenced him as the Apostle of Iesus Christ And now vpō this text we haue to gather for our owne instruction how precious this libertie is as I haue declared heretofore For here the cace standeth not vpon the onely vse of things but vpon the hauing of our consciences quiet before God If the debate had bin whither it were lawful to eate swines flesh or no which was a thing comprehended vnder the ceremonies of the law it had bin a trifling matter and it might well haue bin passed ouer like as it may be nowadayes when the like Ceremonies are talked of But it behoued them too come to the wel head as I haue declared heretofore For the figures serued to holde the people of olde time as it were in wardship lyke yong children which are vnder gouernours and do not yet inioy their libertie But at the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ like as fayth grew great so it was meet that such maner of teaching should no more take place among the Iewes Then was not Saint Paules stryuing onely about the outwarde vse of things for hee woulde willingly haue forborne that but to the ende it might be knowne to what purpose the Ceremonies of the lawe had serued namely how it was not a bondage that should indure for euer but that they had stood in force only to the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ And herevpon it may be gathered that when the Iewes forbare the eating of Swines flesh or obserued any holy day or did this thing or that they did not a seruice to God that was of necessitie in it selfe but vsed it for the continuall exercising of themselues in the fayth of Iesus Christ VVhereby wee see that the Ceremonies had no vertue of themselues but that when they were referred too their due ende and spirituall paterne then it was perceyued that God had not ordeyned them but to the benefite of the Church Then let Iesus Christ be separated from the Ceremonies and they shal be but tryfles for little children to play with But if the end be considered wherevnto they ought too lead the faythfull then will it be found that they were profitable Yea and euen we at this day may fare the better by them Although the vse of them be abolished yet may we by them gather the things that are shewed vs in the Gospell As howe It was sayde that the Priest shoulde enter alone intoo the Sanctuarie and not without sacrifice VVell then therevppon wee haue to gather that there is neyther man nor Angell worthie too come vnto God but that we shoulde bee all of vs shet out if there were not a way opened for vs in the person of our lord Iesus Christ Marke that for one poynt Agayne we haue also to beare in minde that we can haue none attonement with God nor boldenesse and libertie to call vpon him except bloud go with it that is too say except the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ go with vs to get vs grace and fauour And all our prayers must be offered vp by that meane or else they shall be refused at Gods hade Moreouer it is sayde that the booke of the law was sprinckled with bloud as well as the Sanctuarie VVe see then that all things shoulde bee vnholy if they were not hallowed by the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ on all sydes ▪ and also that we shoulde haue no assurednesse of Gods promises nor be able to apply them to our welfare vnlesse they had seales continually at them Besides this when as it is sayd that God is our father and that our sinnes are forgiuen vs and wee accepted of him as righteous and giltlesse none of these promises should be of any force neither could they boot vs at all except the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ went before our eyes so as all the word of God were after a sort written vnto vs in red letters of the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ Thus ye see how we should profite our selues by the Ceremonies of the law But howsoeuer we fare the vse of them is abolished and if they continued still wee shoulde not haue so good teaching by them as we haue for we shoulde rest vpon these bace and corruptible things But in as much as we haue the heauenly pattern that was spoken of vnto Moses according also as the Apostle in the Epistle too the Hebrewes and Saint Steuen in the Acts do shew right well now we vnderstand wherefore God ordeyned such Ceremonies The thing then which wee haue too marke for one poynt is that we must vnderstand howe here is no speaking of matters of small importance but in knowing wherein the Ceremonies profited the fathers of old tyme and why it was Gods will to haue them abolished at the cōming of our Lord Iesus Christ And herewithal we see also that Saint Paul spared not Peter though he were his fellowe and were in as worthie and excellent an office as he was and seemed that of dutie he should haue bin borne withall Howsoeuer the cace stood with him he rebuked him sharply for that matter VVe may much better deeme that if it were a smal light thing S. Paule woulde not haue moued such debate and strife for it Needes therefore must it bee a matter of great importaunce But by the way we be warned that whensoeuer Gods truth is defaced or that any man turneth away from the pure simplicity of the Gospell we must not in any wise spare him but although the whole worlde shoulde set it selfe agaynst vs yet must we mainteyne the cace with inuincible constancie without bending for any creature For if any man ought to be borne with the same was Peter and seeing that our Lorde Iesus Christ had bestowed such giftes of grace vpon him as to giue him that name Saint Paule should haue yeelded somewhat vnto him yea but that matter was not to bee borne with Then ye see heere an example which sheweth vs that when the authoritie of men tendeth to the defacing of the truthe of the Gospell wee must fall too stryuing and not regarde any creature And this is greatly for our profite nowadayes For there are many that woulde fayne rowe betweene twoo streames and althoughe they perceyue the abuses and corruptions yet would they beare on both sydes and all to purchace peace as they themselues say wheras in the ende there must needes followe great confuzion when men doo so heaue one at another Therefore too appease all discorde they woulde fayne
eschew the â—lightes and allurementes of Satan and the worlde so as wee shall not passe too pleasure creatures ouermuch But without that wee shall bee beguyled at euery turne as it happened vnto Peter For if wee compare our selues with him it is certaine that hee was much better able too keepe himself than wee bee Neuerthelesse he was cast downe afterward too the end that his doyng might serue for our learning and wee bee rid of all pryde so as wee might not thrust foorth our owne opinions to bee ouerwyze in our owne brayne and fancie but that all our wisedome might bee too rule our selues according to Gods pure woord But now let vs come to that which S. Paule addeth He entereth further intoo the matter and sayeth wee bee Iewes by nature and not sinners that is too say damnable men defiled and miserable wretches of the Gentyles And yet notwithstanding for asmuch as we know that wee cannot bee iustified by the deedes of the law and that there is none other meanes to make vs acceptable to God than by comming too him with the grace of our Lord Iesus Christe wee haue renounced the rightuousnesse of the lawe and assured our selues that Gods accepting of vs muste bee of his owne free goodnesse for his sonnes sake Seyng then that wee Iewes haue renounced our owne worthinesse what shall the Gentyles now do must not all be reconciled to God through his owne meere goodnesse without bringing any thing of their owne and without pretending to haue any maner of desert or worthinesse of themselues Heere as I haue touched afore S. Paule entereth into the principall poynt of his disputation agaynst suche as mingled the Ceremonies of the lawe with the Gospell Howbeit S. Peter was none of that number For it is certayne that he knew well ynough that there was none other meane too come vntoo God than by his mercie as it is shewed vs in our Lord Iesus Christ Sainct Paule had communed sufficiently with him afore of that matter as wee haue seene He agreed fully with S. Paule as touching doctrine Then was not Sainct Peter wrapped in that errour for it had bin a superstition that had vtterly defaced the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christe Therefore S. Peter would haue abhorred that But the dissimulation that I treated of this morning was an occasion to harden the Iewes in the fond dotage which they had conceyued of their owne meritorious woorkes Not that he intended it nother is it a sufficient excuse for vs though wee protest a hundred tymes that wee meene not too mayntayne euill but if wee make any countenance at all of it surely wee are alwayes woorthie too bee condemned bothe before God and the worlde Sainct Peter then agreed very well with Sainct Paule as concerning doctrine namely that there is none other meane too come before God too obtayne grace than by renouncing all creatures and by confessing that there is nothing but cursednesse in vs and that God muste receyue vs of his owne meere mercie for our Lorde Iesus Christes sake S. Peter knew this and taught it without any gayne saying And moreouer he wist well it was lawfull for him to giue ouer the vse of Ceremonies For he would not haue graunted too any suche libertie vnlesse he had knowen that the same had bin purchaced for vs by the death and passion of the Sonne of God Neuerthelesse he swarued a little too much too the intent too keepe still his owne Countriemen bicause he knew that the Iewes were somewhat too wilfull wayward and therfore he ment no more but to beare with their nature But S. Paule respecteth not the person of his fellow S. Peter nother reasoneth he with him as if he shoulde say thou arte an abuzer of men thou knowest not what the Gospell meeneth but hee sayeth vntoo him bethinke thee well what is like too befall of thy doyng and what inconuenience it will draw with it For whereat ame they that would haue men too keepe the Ceremonies of the Lawe euen too get some holynesse by them or to binde men so too them as they should vse them vpon necessitie of saluation and to deserue fauour by them at Gods hand and finally to obtayne forgiuenesse of sinnes by keeping of circumcision and all other such things But in so doing they be hild downe in this errour that they renounce the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ and yet notwithstanding thou intendest too feede them in that fondnesse and what a thing were that Therfore let vs marke wel how S. Paule passeth not what Peters opinioÌ„ is in this behalf but dealeth with the matter it self to the end that all cloking might be taken away froÌ„ such as did shet the Gospel out of dores besides that they did also rende the Church asunder as we saw this morning Howbeit for asmuch as it is a matter that caÌ„not be fully discoursed in a day or twayne no nor in fower we must take the things in order as they lie to the end we may know why S. Paule stroue so sharply for the abolishing of Ceremonies For the cace concerneth the saluation of our Soules and it is the chief point that we must learne in gods schole next after the glorifying of him For if wee fall too comparisons it is certaine that the seruing of God dooth alwayes go in order and degree before the saluation of our soules True it is that they bee things inseparable for God sheweth his infinite loue which he beareth vs in this that neuer any thing serueth too his glorie but that the same is immediately fitte and profitable for our saluation Howbeit for asmuch as God hath loued vs so greately and continueth still his fauour towardes vs wee on our side are bound vntoo him bothe too forget our selues and to giue selues wholly vnto him But how soeuer we fare wee see heere the twoo groundes of all our Religion namely too know how God ought too be honored and serued and also how we may so offer our selues before him as he may accept vs and auow vs for his children and wee holde him for our father and by that meanes be fully assured of our saluation And these twoo poynts are contayned in the discourse that S. Paule handleth heere For the cace is after what maner God wil be serued according as the cheef sacrifize that he demaundeth is the confession of humilitie I say humilitie not by making demure countenances but by beyng touched with such remorse as wee suffer our selues too bee vtterly condemned before God and all the trust of our owne woorkes and merites be thrust vnder foote Marke that for one poynt And more ouer when God commaunded the Ceremonies it was not for that he passed vpon these outward things but for that he amed at another end which was that on the one side the Iewes should be inured to patience by continuall perceyuing of their owne wantes and miseries and therevpoÌ„ rid
themselues froÌ„ al corruptions of the flesh and on the other side be led to our Lord Iesus Christ to repose their trust in him to rest wholly there So then as touching those that would haue the ceremonies of the Law kept as if it were of necessitie that meÌ„ should be precisely bound to theÌ„ vpon paine of deadly sinne as they terme it it is certayne that their meening was to set vp a seruis of God contrarie too his will and meening and that they were as good as Cousiners for why they peruerted the naturall meening of the Law Marke that for one schoole poynt Another is that they taught men to set vp their bristles to glory in theÌ„selues that was an abolishing of Gods glory for we caÌ„not chaleÌ„dge aught be it neuer so little to ourselues but we rob and rende away that which belongeth vnto him Ye see then how it is a diuelish trayterousnesse when men presume vpon their owne power as though they had any sparke of righteousnesse in themselues And besydes that it is an entering into the gulfe of hell when we weene to get saluation by our owne workes For we renounce the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Chryste where we should seeke all our righteousnesse Agayne the Diuell maketh vs to beleeue wonders â–ª howbeit it is but to make vs to fall into destruction VVherefore let vs marke well that S. Paule treateth heere of the manner of iustification before God that is to say of the meane whereby we bee brought into his fauour bycause it is the principall poynt whiche we ought to learne and without that all the religion or deuotion that can be named is but smoke and leazings And it is not for naught that Sainct Paule entereth into that question For manye men make this allegation â–ª How now The cace concerned the Ceremonies of the law and why then doth Sainct Paule as ye would saye fling himselfe ouerthwart the feelds VVhy speaketh hee of righteousnesse of mans saluation of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and fynally of all the whole lawe Nowe on the one part it behoued hym too deale wyth all those thynges â–ª as for example when we in these dayes teache that men must not keepe the superstitions of the Papists nor any of the thyngs that haue bin so deuised by the witte of man wee shall not only debate whither fleshe may be eaten vppon frydayes or whyther suche a wake vigil or Sainctes euen bee too be kept or whyther thys thyng or that thing be to be done but we shall treate generally whither it bee lawfull for a mortall man to make lawes to bring mennes consciences into tyrannicall bondage For God hathe reserued to himselfe alone the authoritie and prerogatiue to be called the lawmaker to the intent that no man should vsurp any such preheminence in the Church Then seeing that the spirituall gouernement of our soules ought to be taken out of Gods pure word we may coÌ„clude that nother Pope nor any other man of what calling soeuer he be hath power to burthen vs with any lawes or ought to attempt any thing that is against the doctrine whiche we haue of God Then may we well enter into that generall discourse and that is bycause the reason of them is alike in all points If we should dispute onely about the eating of fish or flesh it would be but a fond disputation For euery man must eate according as is for his health or as hee can get and therefore such disputation shoulde not concerne the health of mens soules or the matter that were requisite for them to rest their conscience vpon But when we take in hand too shewe that it is not for any liuing creature to aduance himselfe so hygh as to lay lawes vppon mennes necks the other disputation is fully resolued and dispatched Againe when as men say that in babbling paternosters to buy out their sinnes and in gadding on pilgrimage to get there the things which in poperie are tearmed the workes of supererogation that is to saye workes of ouerplus that men do more than God commaundeth them they raunsome theÌ„selues and make him some recompence for the faultes that they haue committed If we speake simply of pilgrimages and go not to the ground and welspring of the matter it will be a cold and sleÌ„der discourse But if we declare how all our satisfaction is in the things that are purchaced for vs by the death and passion of oure Lord Iesus Christ and therewithall that God vtterly misliketh all that is of our owne inuention and that he will be serued with obedience then do we lay foorthe the cace as it ought to be and may bring it to a sure and certaine conclusion After that manner did S. Paule For he regarded not only what the Iewes sayd how it behoued them to forbeare the eating of swines flesh and to keepe suche a feast or such a feast and all the residue of the Ceremonies but he marked to what end they said it namely how they went about too shew that the keeping of the law was of necessitie of saluation and that was a yoke of bondage vpon mens consciences that could not be borne Againe he saw how the libertie that was purchaced vs by our Lord Iesus Christ was taken away and that was another point that compelled him to enter into that discourse But the cheefe point that he treateth of heere is that such as would haue had men to keepe the Ceremonies had a secret meening that the same was an acceptable seruis vnto God and of such importance as meÌ„ shuld purchace righteousnesse and soulehealth by it and to be short that it was a meritorious thing But S. Paule sheweth that it is impossible for meÌ„ to purchace righteousnesse before God by their works Now therefore we see for what cause S. Paule treated generally of our iustification when as notwithstaâ—ding hys aduersaries pretended no more but the keeping of the Ceremoniall lawe and the continuing thereof still as before the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ so as men should still offer sacrifise and do the rest of the shadowes and auncient figures And heereby we see also what a follie it is for the Papists to thinke themselues escaped in saying that S. Paule speaketh heere but of the works of the law and not of the morall works True it is that they be not the first founders of that dotage For the Diuell hath always had his ministers to cousin the people But we must not rest vpon the authoritie of men specially of such as haue nother religioÌ„ nor feare of God in them Although that many of the Monkes haue bin reported to be men of greate skill yet notwithstanding they haue bin but fantasticall fellowes and neuer had any tast of the feare of God Euen those that were called the auncient doctors haue peruerted the kindly sense of the holy scripture and were as vtterly bewitched by Satan and yet the wretched
our Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe if children be alreadie full of infections at their comming into the world what are we who neuer ceasse to offend our God and do drinke wickednesse as a fishe drinketh water as it is sayde in the booke of Iob Agayne when wee come too the Lords supper what come we to doo Come we to get any thing of God by our owne desert No but to confesse that we be like wretched dead men which come to seeke our life out of our selues and therefore must be fayne to haue the fleshe of our Lorde Iesus Christ for our meate and his bloud for our drinke and all things in him which we want in our selues Yee see then that the Sacraments serue not to puffe vs vp with any presumption but to make vs walke in humblenesse to the ende that beeing voyde of all selfe-trust our whole seeking may be to be succoured by Gods infinite goodnesse and by his pouring out of the treasures of his grace vpon vs according to our neede And our comming to them is that God should warne vs of our sinnes to be touched with them in good earnest And wee muste not acknowledge our selues sinners with the mouth onely or slightly and by way of ceremonies but wee must haue our hartes wounded inwardly with griefe that wee haue offended and feele howe dreadfull Gods wrath is too the ende wee may be sorie in our selues and not haue any rest till he haue shewed vs where wee shall finde it that is too wit in our Lorde Iesus Christ And when we come to this holy table let euer of vs looke well that he be so grounded in our Lorde Iesus Christ as that he hauing forsaken all the fonde illusions of Satan and all the deceiptes that he setteth afore vs too turne vs away from the grace of God and may imbrace our Lorde Iesus Christe with the merites of his death and passion assuring our selues that it is he in whom we haue the full performance of righteousnesse and saluation Moreouer forasmuche as our Lorde Iesus Christ hath called vs to be members of his body let vs knit our selues togither indeuouring to glorifie God as it were with one heart and one mouth and therwithall to liue in true vnitie with our neighbours lyke as the hande serueth bothe the foote and the eye So then let vs haue the sayde brotherlynesse in suche estimation as wee maye shewe that we intende not to separate our selues asunder as it were too â—eare Iesus Christ in peeces but that our desire is that he shoulde so knitte vs togither that not onely he may liue in vs and wee in him but also that he may so rule vs by his holy spirite as euery of vs may indeuer to serue and honour him first of all and afterward to employ him selfe in the seruing of his neighbours according to the abilitie which he shall haue And now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him too make vs feele them more and more that the same may alwayes stirre vs vp to better repentance and cause vs to continue therin to the ende and also make vs to grow in fayth to our Lorde Iesus Christ so as we may giue our selues wholly vnto him and in his name cal vpon God his father to the ende that he may heere vs and continue his gratious goodnesse towards vs till he haue drawen vs wholly too him selfe to make vs feele perfectly the benefite which is purchased for vs by his death and passion That it may please him to grauÌ„t this grace not only to vs but also to all people c. The twelfth Sermon which is the sixth vpon the second Chapter 15 VVee bee Ievves by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles 16 And yet for as much as vve knovv that a man is not iustified by the vvorks of the lavv but by beleefe in Iesus Christe vvee also haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that vve might be iustified by the faith of Iesus Christ not by the vvorks of the lavv for no flesh shal be iustified by the vvorkes of the lavve WE haue seene alredie and declared heretofore why S. Paule hauing to treate of the Ceremonies and shadowes that were before the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ coÌ„cluded generally that men could not attaine righteousnesse before God to stand in his fauour but by keeping the whole lawe Nowe a man mighte deeme at the first sight that these were diuers matters Howbeit as I haue sayde afore it behoued Paule to come to the pure vse of ceremonies to shew that men do but beguyle them selues when they thinke to obteine fauour at Gods hand by their own merites Secondly also I declared why S. Paul doth expresly adde the word Law For although it haue alwayes bin a common opinion in the world that by liuing well men might binde God to be good vnto them yet did they fowlly deceyue them selues therein For doo what we can God shall not be any whit at all beholden vnto vs bicause wee owe vnto him what soeuer wee be able to doo Then is there not any deserte if there might bee any deseruing at all but by the couenant which God hath made in saying that he which fulfilleth the law shall obteine life and saluation For as muche as God hath spoken that worde no doubt but he accepteth the obedience that is yeelded vnto him as if it deserued saluation but yet is not that as muche too say as that wee can deserue oughte For there is none of vs all that dischargeth hys duetie as wee shall see heereafter That promise woulde bee too no purpose or at least wyse it woulde bee vnauaylable so as it shoulde neuer take effecte vnlesse God gaue vs another remedie that is too witte vnlesse hee forgaue our offences and accepted vs for righteous althoughe wee bee not so But howe so euer the cace stande when S. Paule sayth that wee bee not iustifyed by the workes of the Lawe hys meanyng is that if wee intende too clayme fauour and saluation bicause God hath promised that such as keepe his lawe shall be righteous and so taken to bee that will not serue our turne bicause none of vs fulfilleth the Lawe but wee are all of vs gyltie before God and must receyue sentence of damnation vpon our heads And for the better expressing heereof he maketh a coÌ„parison betweene the Iewes the Gentiles Although sayth he that we be Iewes by nature and not Heathen men yet doo we knowe that we shall not otherwise obteyne Gods fauour than by beleeuing in our Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe it maye peraduenture seeme that although men beeing corrupted in Adam can not deserue ought yet notwithstanding the Iewes had a speciall priuiledge bicause God had adopted them as it were for his owne children and accompted them to bee as his housholde And that was the thing wherein the Iewes deceyued them selues For when the Scripture speaketh
wretched it is nor also the remedie which wee must apply too it For to the intent we may put our trust in our Lord Iesus Christ wee must vnderstand that wee be vtterly forlorne as well by reason of the sinne of Adam as by reason of the infinite number of iniquities wherein we be saped yea and wee must fully beleeue it But we should neuer perceyue that our sinnes condemne vs curse vs before God except wee knew that wee haue neede of rightuousnesse And on the otherside wee should not know Gods rightuousnesse if we should singly say that we be saued by faith and by grace For God cannot once renounce himself bycause he is the soueraine rightuousnesse and there is nothing in him but purenesse and perfection by reason whereof he must needes hate euill Now it is so that wee be full of corruption there is nothing but euill in vs and therefore God must needes hate vs. And if he hate vs wo woorth vs for then are we damned Then standeth it vs on hand to be made rightuous before we can be in Gods fauour That is to say it behoueth vs to be purged of our faults and misdeedes for else as I sayd wee shall neuer be able to conceyue that God intendeth too shewe vs mercie But in acknowledging our selues too be sinners wee perceyue by and by that God muste needes hate sinne and that although he hate sinne yet not withstāding he findeth meanes to saue vs which is by forgetting our offences and by clenzing and purging them with the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ who is our spirituall washing God then purgeth vs in that wize too the ende wee should bee receyued of him and being made parttakers of his loue bee assured of our saluation Thus yee see why the Scripture vseth the woorde Iustifie But the Papistes descant vppon it like blinde buzzardes VVhat say they shoulde wee bee iustified by fayth Fayth is no such vertue as maketh men perfect and how then shall it make vs rightuous They consider not that this rightuousnesse whereof the Scripture speaketh is Gods couering of our sinnes as I declared afore and his taking of them quyte and cleane away for the sake and by the meane of our Lord Iesus Christe and by the vertue of the Sacrifize of his death and Passion How soeuer the cace standeth it is sayd that wee be counted rightuous before God bycause he releaseth and forgiueth our sinnes And after the same maner doth Sainct Paule speake of it in the fourth to the Romanes where he sayeth that Dauid hath well declared in effect howe wee bee iustified by fayth when he sayeth Blissed is the man whose iniquities God hath forgotten and whose sinnes he hath couered And in another place he sayeth that our Lord Iesus Christe who knewe no sinne nor had any spot in him was made sinne for vs that is too say receyued all the condemnation of our faultes too the end that wee should become Gods rightuousnesse in him that is too say too the end that being greffed into his persone and made one body with him wee might be taken for rightuous bycause there was such perfectnesse in his obedience that our sinnes were buried and rid quite and cleane away Thus much concerning the woord Iustifie ▪ Now as touching the woord Fayth or beleefe S. Paule addeth for a declation that they had beleeued in Iesus Christ. If a man aske an vnlearned persone what Fayth is he will perchaunce answere that it is too beleeue but he shall not be able too tell what is ment or imported by any of them both VVill wee then haue the vnderstanding of them according too the rawe capacitie of the vnskilfullest sorte VVee must alwayes marke that our Lord Iesus Christe is set too bee the butte of our fayth and beleefe Do wee obtayne saluation by fayth It is asmuche too say as wee beleeue in our Lord Iesus Christe But let vs now cōsider why our Lord Iesus Christ is set before our eyes for our fayth too ame at and too reste wholly vppon It is bycause wee shall finde in him what soeuer belongeth too the making of vs rightuous I haue tolde you already that wee bee taken for rightuous before God when he forgiueth our sinnes and calleth thē not too account any more And how shall wee obtayne that but by the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ which was shed to wash vs withall For in asmuch as he hath made full amendes for vs by his death and passion therefore God is appeazed towardes vs condicionally that we seeke not to pay him with any other thing than with the sacrifize that was offered vp to him by his only sonne our Lord Iesus Christ who is called Gods wel beloued sonne too the ende that wee should be beloued in him and the rightuous to the end we should be made parttakers of his rightuousnesse and the holy too the end we should be made holie in him Thus then yee see why wee muste haue an eye to our Lord Iesus Christ when wee intend too know what the woorde Fayth importeth But the Papistes stande wilfully in their owne conceyt bycause they neuer tasted what it is to beleeue and that do they shew well ynough by their allegacions How is it possible say they that a man should bee iustified by beleeuing seyng that the very Diuels doo beleeue It is true and S. Iames vseth the same reason How beit in that place he mocketh at suche as pretend a vayne and fonde cloke of Christianitie and fayth and in the meane whyle shewe no frutes at all of it But the Papistes beguyle themselues yet much more grosly in saying that Fayth is too beleeue in God and that God is the marke that fayth ameth at so as it seemeth too them that too make vp beleefe there needeth no more but to imagine that there is some one certayne God that made the worlde and which gouerneth all things And so they fall faste a sleepe in their ignorance and yet ceasse not too take themselues for good Christians and Catholikes as they themselues bable although they be altogither dulled in deede But it is no woonder that they fight so agaynst the doctrine of the holy Scripture and with suche vnamendable wilfulnesse denie that a man can bee saued by fayth seyng they haue nother discretion nor vnderstāding for they wote not what the matter meeneth So muche the more therefore doth it stande vs vppon too marke well what Sainct Paule telleth vs heere that is too witte that if wee looke not vntoo Iesus Christe wee knowe not what fayth is And the reason thereof is for that we know not what it is too haue forgiuenesse of sinnes to come vnto God to be able to put our trust in him and to call vpon him nother do we know any more what it is to haue our consciences quiet and to hope for the euerlasting life All these things we want till Iesus
seuenth vpon the second Chapter 17 But if vvee that seeke to bee iustified by Christ bee founde to bee sinners is Christ therefore the minister of sinne No not so 18 For if I build vp the things again vvhich I had cast dovvne I make my selfe an offender WEe haue seene alreadie that to beate downe all the pryde and selftrust which men put in their owne workes and merites Paule alledged that the Iewes who had great preferment aboue other men could not for all that come in Gods fauour otherwise than by beleeuing the Gospell Yet notwithstanding it was a good likelyhood that the Iewes had some righteousnesse in themselues wherwith too winne Gods fauour bicause the lawe was giuen to them with promise that whosoeuer performed those things should liue in them Therefore a man would haue iudged that the Iewes euen in respect of themselues alone without Christ might after a sort haue bin iustified before God otherwise it shoulde seeme that the lawe was superfluous But when they come too our Lorde Iesus Christ there they perceyue themselues to bee wretched sinners forlorne and damned It should seeme then that Iesus Christ bringeth sinne for before his comming the Iewes were reckened for Gods children They bare the badge of holinesse in their bodies moreouer it was sayd vnto them that they were the holy and chosen people of their God Now then seeing they become fellowlike with wretched sinners and there is nothing but cursednesse to bee found in them so as they be faine to flee for refuge to the mere grace of our Lord Iesus Christ it seemeth that Iesus Christ brought sinne intoo the worlde Truly so will men iudge of him after their owne opinion howbeeit foolishly For it behoueth vs to marke that our Lord Iesus Christ doth not bring sinne but bewray sinne For although the Iewes exercised themselues in the keeping of the law yet did that serue but to proue vnto them still more and more that God would neuer shewe them mercie but by the meane of the Redemer No doubt but that in liuing chastly soberly therwithall in walking in obedience to god they had some show of righteousnesse but that came wholy of grace and we must not father that thing vpon men which belongeth vnto God for by that meanes God should be defrauded of his honour Then if the Iewes being gouerned by Gods spirite had some willingnesse and desire to lead a holy life it must not come in account as who should say that God were beholden to them for it for contrariwise they be so much the more bound vnto God But on the otherside wee haue too marke as wee shall see more fully in due time and place that there was neuer yet any man so perfect but there was alwayes much to be blamed in him Therfore we haue to conclude that the Iewes could not be so well taken and accepted at Gods hand but that they had neede of his mercie and that their saluation must needes be grounded wholy vpon the forgiuenesse of their sinnes Also as in respect of Ceremonyes they bare themselues on hande that there was great holinesse in them as whereof hypocrites haue alwayes made their cloke But howsoeuer they fared it is certaine that the Iewes were more damnable than all other men And why For as Saint Paule sayth without the lawe sinne doth not vpbrayde men insomuch that men fall asleepe and flatter themselues in their vices when they haue not that Sumner to cyte them before Gods iudgement seate Then whereas the wretched Gentiles might haue some defence and excuse at least wise that they bee not so giltie before God the Iewes in offering their sacrifizes had it witnessed too their face that all of them were worthie of eternal death and so consequently double giltie in comparison of the Gentiles And therefore in the second to the Collossians S. Paule vseth this similitude that the Ceremonies of the law were as euidences to binde a man the more Truly like as although a detter be not cōdemned by order of law nor haue bound himselfe before a notarie nor giuen assurance in wryting vnder his hande and seale yet ceasseth he not for all that to be bounde in conscience too pay his debt euen so although the Gentyles had not any authenticall matter of recorde whereby to bee condemned yet ceassed they not too bee still worthie of death But as for the man that hath passed bondes by order of lawe and entered his debt in the common recordes what shall he say more There is no shift for him he must be fayne too answere the debt out of hande Now the Iewes were in the like plight For their washing of themselues when they went intoo the Temple and in their owne houses and euery where else was a confessing that there was nothing but vncleannesse in them Againe when they killed the beastes and sawe them slain before thē surely the same was as a liuely picture of their owne death and cursed state And yet coulde not the brute beastes nor the shedding of their bloud set them cleare nor likewise the water which is a corruptible element and cannot come at the soule So then the washing which they vsed had bin a fonde thing if it had not directed them to the spirituall washing which wee haue in our Lorde Iesus Christ Likewise in baptisme at these dayes if we think our selues to be made cleane by the water what an abuse is it All these things must serue to leade vs to the bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christ VVherefore I conclude that whereas the Iewes were exercysed in the lawe the same was a greater euidence agaynst them and bounde them straightlier to subiection vnto Gods iudgement and eternall death than the Gentiles were And so wee see howe Iesus Christ was not a bringer in of sinne but a discouerer of sinne For the Iewes thought themselues well shrowded vnder the Ceremonies and made a sheelde of them to fence themselues from gods displeasure esteeming all other Nations vnholy vpon opinion that there was nothing but vncleannesse in all the worlde besydes and that all holinesse was in themselues Lo what their brauerie was Yea but when Iesus Christ came and put them in order he shewed them that they shoulde be faine too shew other men by their owne example that their saluation was too bee sought elsewhere than in their owne merites and that it behoued them to come to him with such humilitie as too confesse that they on their part brought nothing with them but vtter cursednesse And by that meanes oure Lord Iesus Christ discouered the mischief that had bin hiddē before like as diseased persons shall oftentimes not perceyue the festering of some sore that will breede some deadly disease till the Surgeon finde it out who cannot do his dutie in curing it till hee haue searched the sore to the bottome which was vnknowne before Euen so was our Lorde Iesus Christ fayne too bewray
the wretchednesse that was in the Iewes to the intent they shoulde returne vnto him and confesse that they had not any thing in them worthie of Gods fauour nor any other refuge than vnto his mere mercie Thus ye see in effect what wee haue to consider for the solution of the question and doubt which Saint Paule putteth forth heere Likewise in these dayes if a man speake of the Gospell too such as thinke they serue God and hope to winne heauen by their owne desertes they be greeued at it bicause that that gate is shet agaynst them by the presumptuousnesse which they haue conceyued afore hande saying VVhat I pray Shall I haue lost my time when I haue bin so deuout all my life long As for the man that shall haue heard a Masse or twaine or mumbled vp a sort of prayers or gone on pilgrimage or lashed out his money and substance without sparing vpon pardons indulgences and such other things if one tell him that wee bee all wretched and that there is none other thing for vs too leane vnto but the mere grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ and that all that euer we are able to bring vnto God is but filthie and lothly he will storme and replie Is it possible that God should haue no regarde of so greate paynes as I take to serue him Muste not all of it passe in myne accounte and bee allowed mee too my saluation They woulde faine accuze God yea and wee shall see many that will not sticke to rayle vpon him with open mouth bycause they bee lothe to lose that which they haue done Although the Hypocrites perceyue much lewdnesse in themselues yet woulde they fayne hyde all vnder theyr cowles For they breake out after this maner One sayes I haue gone woolwarde another I haue risen at midnight to serue God the thirde I haue forborne the eating of fleshe and another I haue bin shette vp in a Cloyster as in a pryson and finally I haue bin dead to the worldwarde and shall all this be vnprofitable too mee so as God will haue no regarde of it Such murmurings as these we shall heare dayly But let vs see if they can make their cace the better for all their replying For when they haue wel examined what is in them they shall finde that all their doings are but as a paynting to ouercast things withall like as a man that in-intendeth not too repayre his house leaueth the holes vnmended within and doth but dawb them ouer on the outside too the ende they be not seene and afterwarde whytelymes them so that finally it is nothing else but a pargetting or whitelyming according also as our Lorde Iesus Christ vseth the same similitude agaynst the hypocrites that did no more but blaunche things Howbeeit in the meane while God regardeth not the outwarde appearance as it is sayde in the first of Samuell but searcheth mens heartes and the truth and layeth open the things that were hidden afore according also as it is sayd in Ieremie Sith it is so then all such as alledge or set foorth their owne deuotions may peraduenture haue some fayre shew before men but surely before God all is but leasing And assoone as God doth but blowe vppon their painting and starche it shall scale off lyke the painting of harlots that take great paine too starch their faces and yet the Sunne doth no sooner shine vppon them but a man shall see the filthie scales fal off and their foulnesse is discouered to their shame In like taking are all hypocrites when they will needes colour things after that maner before God their shamefull leudnesse must needes bee brought too light VVherefore let vs marke that our Lorde Iesus Chryste in condemning the whole worlde by shewing that none can bee saued but by the free goodnesse of God his father the which hee offereth and imparteth vntoo vs bringeth not sinne for wee haue that alreadie in vs but vttereth and bewrayeth it too the ende wee should bee conuicted of it and all the pryde wherewith wee were made drunken afore be layde downe and nothing remayne in vs but lowlynesse too confesse vnfeynedly that wee bee vndoone and that there is none other shifte for vs but that God vtter the infinite treasures of hys mercy vpon vs. Yee see then that all mouthes shall bee stopped and men must not beguile themselues any more by surmyzing to find any rightuousnesse in themselues And furthermore S. Paule vseth heere a dubble answere too shew that it is nothing so Howbeit before he answer he setteth downe a precyze woord saying God forbid As if he should say it is an horrible blasphemie too intend to lay the blame of our sinnes vpon our Lord Iesus Christ Eor sayth he if I pull downe the thing that I haue buylded vp there shal be contrarietie in mee And in speaking so he bringeth vs backe to the common doctrine of the Gospell For our preaching of the end wherevnto God hath sent his onely sonne is too shew that he hath brought vs rightuousnesse and is come too put away sinne which holds vs as it were vnder Tyrannie till wee bee deliuered and set free from it by the grace whiche was purchaced for vs in the death and passion of the Sonne of God Now then seing it is so wee see that our Lord Iesus Christ is not the bringer in of sinne but is come too destroy sinne as S. Iohn sayeth in his Canonicall Epistle and we also do see it to bee so For what else dothe the Gospell teach vs but that wee bee full of all wickednesse and must bee fayne to bee made cleane by him that is made the Lambe without spot and also that he hath brought vs the spirit of holinesse For asmuch then as mē so long as they be cut off frō Christ haue nothing in thē but cursednesse so as they be vtterly rottē saped in their sins that Iesus Christ is the partie that maketh thē pure and cleane by the sheading of his bloud to wash thē withall and by bringing vs the spirit of regeneration to renue vs with that we might giue our selues too the seruing of God haue his Image repayred in vs and walke in truth and vprightnesse forasmuch say I as it is sayde so we see that our Lorde Iesus Christ is not the bringer in of sinne And why so For let vs consider what we bee and wee shall finde that there is a gulfe of all maner of wickednesse in euery one of vs and in all mankinde But our Lorde Iesus Christ commeth to remedie it Ye see then that the sinne was in vs before but our Lorde Iesus Christ is faine to vncouer it VVhat harme doth a Phisition by letting bloud Beholde a wretched man hath a disease that is not perceyued his bloud is altogither corrupted and yet it is not seene to be so as long as it lieth within the veynes But be he once let bloud it will appeare
the bottome of hell Yee see then what I haue wonne by abyding in the lawe And S. Paule speaketh of him selfe rather than of any other body to the ende that the things which he speaketh may bee the better receyued as of a man of experience And it is after the same maner that he speaketh in the fore alleaged seuenth Chapter too the Romanes For there he setteth not foorth thys man or that man for an example but saythe I my selfe was sometymes alyue that is too saye at suche time as he was a Pharisie and accounted an holy man yea euen for one of the excellentest in all Iewry in so muche that he was a myrrour of all perfection and as a lyttle Angell then saythe he I was alyue howebeeit but by hypocrisie For he made him selfe too beleeue wonders and he was so puffed vp with pride that he hilde scorne of Iesus Christe Lo in what blindnesse Sainct Paule acknowledgeth hym selfe too haue beene And he addeth anone after that he wyst not what was ment by Thou shalte not couet It might bee thoughte straunge that a man whiche had not onely bin at schoole but also bin a great teacher of others and thereto a very zealous man as he him selfe affirmeth should bee so dulled as not to knowe his owne faultes But S. Paule sheweth the reason of it For sayth he I looked no further than to the outwarde honestie that there might no faulte bee founde in me before the worlde nor any man know any euill by me But when I vnderstoode what this saying Thou shalt not luste ment and perceyued that God condemneth all the affections thoughts of men then I perceyued that the worst was behind as the common Prouerbe sayth for it is the last cōmandement of the law wherein God maketh so liuely and deepe a searche as nothing can be excepted from it VVheras it is sayd in the lawe Thou shalte not haue any straunge goddes Thou shalt not make any image too worship it Thou shalte not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vayne ▪ Thou shalt keepe holy the day of rest Thou shalt honor thy father mother Thou shalt not kil Thou shalte not commit aduoutrie Thou shalte not steale All this is well will we thinke we must absteyne from all whordome violence and extortion we must absteyne from deceipt and robberie we must liue soberly Heretoo we must absteyne from blasphemie and we must honor God All this will easily be graunted But there is a backenooke that we perceyued not whiche is Thou shalt not couet or luste that is a priuie nipper Truely it seemeth not too bee very bigge or greate but yet for all that it is suche a stinger as passeth all the rest in byting For by the ende and wynding vp of hys Lawe God searcheth out all that euer is in man Hee setteth downe that commaundement too trie out the things that were hidden and when he sayth thou shalte not couet it is a percing euen into the marie of mens bones So then S. Paule confesseth that he knewe not what sinne mente till he vnderstoode what was mente by the commaundement that forbiddeth men too couet or luste And therfore in this texte he chargeth not the Gospell but the Lawe with it VVherefore let vs remember vpon this text that all they whiche deceyue them selues by any opinion of their owne merites neuer tasted what the Law of God is nor what it meaneth I speake of the greatest doctors that are in moste estimation as in good fayth it is too bee seene in the Popedome For euen those that are taken too bee the pillers of the Churche notwithstanding that they professe Diuinitie knowe not one worde of Gods lawe too apply the same too his true and naturall vse For they haue nothing in them but hypocrisie and they beare them selues in hande that they shall please God with a rattle as if he were a little babe They doo but toye with him and yet yee shall see them stande so muche in their owne conceites as they can not abide to be condemned And if a man tell them that wee must seeke our saluation in Iesus Christ yea say they and what shall become then of our freewill what should become of our owne merites and satisfactions Too their seeming it were much better too plucke the sunne out of the sky yea and God out of his seate too than too bereeue man of that prerogatiue or of the thing that he can bring of him selfe to cōpound with God and yet for all that it is certayne that there is nothing in thē but starke filthinesse For men see that there is neyther feare of God nor vprightnesse nor equitie nor ought else that good is in their lyfe They be so full of pride that they be readie to burst agayne and they be full of enuy rancour and all maner of loocenesse And yet for all this they will needes holde God bound vnto them but that is bicause they neuer knewe the law So then when our Lorde teacheth vs and sheweth vs how we ought to walke in this world let vs learne to lay the doctrine that he setteth foorth and our life togither and there we shall finde the right perfection of the law and that in our selues there is nothing but horrible confusion wee shall see hell readie prepared for vs. By that meanes it will be easie for vs to giue ouer all the deseruing whiche wee shall haue fancied in our selues so as it shall be soone beaten downe and our mouthes stopped and we become like poore dead folke without any breath bicause we shall perceyue well inough that we can not come vnto God but must needes thunder agaynst vs if wee bring any foolishe imagination of our owne deseruings Lo howe the lawe sleaeth vs. But when we haue passed through suche death that is to say when we be alreadie rightly humbled and vtterly dismayde then here is a remedie which S. Paule setteth downe saying I was crucified with Iesus Christ euē to liue vnto God Now he sheweth here that our Lorde Iesus Christ not only bringeth vs remission of our sinnes but also sanctifieth and regenerateth vs by his holy spirite in so muche that whereas there was nothing but stubbornesse in vs before now we be giuen to serue God and to please him And for the better vnderstanding of that which S. Paule telleth vs let vs marke that we receyue two principall graces of our Lorde Iesus Christ The one is the forgiuenesse of our sinnes whereby we are assured of our saluation and haue our consciences quieted and wherevpon it behoueth vs to be grounded so as we cal vpon God as our father VVho giueth vs the boldnesse to lift vp our heads to heauen and to call God our father Agayne what maketh vs so bolde as to glory that we be companions and brothers to the Angels It is bicause our sinnes come not to account for we must alwayes haue recourse to
the washing of them away which was done by the deathe and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ Yee see then that our righteousnesse is that God accepteth vs howebeit not in respecte of our owne worthynesse but in respect of the obedience of our Lorde Iesus Christ whereby all our misdooings are wyped out That is the first benefite which wee haue by our Lorde Iesus Christe The seconde is that whereas wee bee frowarde of our owne nature and al that the Papists terme by the name of freewill is but frenzie and that howe great accompte so euer men make of them selues all is but naughtinesse and wee bee full of vyce and corruption in steade of beeing so our Lorde Iesus Christ giueth vs the grace to be sory for our sinnes to labour to do good for so long as we abide in our owne nature euery of vs sootheth and flattereth him selfe in his euill But when we haue once tasted the inestimable loue of our God and perceyued what our Lorde Iesus Christ is then we be so touched by his holy spirite that wee condemne the euill and desire to drawe neere vnto God and too frame our selues to his holy will VVee be sure of that once and although wee go halting yet doo wee continually sigh to see our owne imperfections and infirmities and perceyue full well how it is the spirite of God that moueth vs thervnto when our chiefe desire is to forsake the sinfulnesse that is in vs and commeth of our fleshe so as we wishe nothing else but that God should be glorified in all our lyfe and faythfully obeyed in all things That is the seconde benefite which our Lord Iesus Christ bringeth vs and they be two things knit togither by vnseparable bande so that like as the light of the sunne can not be separated from his heate so these two graces that is to wit our righteousnesse and the remission of our sinnes are vnseparably matched with our renewment which is done by the spirit of sanctification Thus ye see two graces inseparable and like as when we say that the Sunne is whot it ceasseth not to shine also yet notwithstanding the light of the sunne is not heate so when we say that wee be iustified by the remission of our sinnes it is not ment that our Lord Iesus Christ doth thēcefoorth suffer him selfe too bee mocked and despised but that wee haue neede to be throughly clensed so as wee may learne too renounce the world and our selues too the ende to sticke vnto him with true obedience Howsoeuer the worlde go the thing that S. Paule speaketh in this text shall alwayes be founde true namely that he was crucified with Iesus Christ to liue vnto God Then if any man accuse the Gospell that it giueth libertie to doo euill and too sinne wee may alwayes answere howe so By the lawe wee bee alwayes dead for there wee see our owne cursednesse whiche will leaue vs dismayde in dispayre But in the Gospell although wee bee crucified that is too saye althoughe there bee a spice of death in the Gospell yet is that death a quickening deathe and the cause of lyfe For so long as men lyue too them selues they bee dead vnto God they bee wretched carkasses full of rottennesse But when they dye in them selues they lyue vntoo God And for that cause Sainct Paule in the twelfth too the Romanes calleth vs lyuing sacrifices where hee telleth vs that wee muste bee transformed and vtterly gyue ouer our owne reason and our owne wyll too yeelde God suche seruice as is meete for him too haue He saythe Offer vp your selues as lyuing sacrifices So then in the Lawe there muste needes bee a deadly deathe a deathe that leaueth vs vtterly ouerwhelmed and sunken euen downe intoo hell But in the Gospell there is a quickening deathe And why For wee bee crucified wyth Iesus Christ too lyue vnto God that is too saye our olde man as Sainct Paule termeth it in the sixth too the Romanes and that whiche wee haue of our owne nature is doone awaye howebeeit not at the first daye but by little and little But howe soeuer the cace stande wee shall perceyue that our Lorde Iesus Christe mortifieth all that was in vs of our owne or of the worlde so as wee bee not so greatly giuen too nestle heere bylowe bycause wee see it is a myserable state too lyue heere and oure very care is too stycke vntoo God Thus yee see howe wee may bee crucified with our Lorde Iesus Chryste But what is mente by that crucifying Verily it is a certayne kynde of deathe Howebeeit that deathe bryngeth vs too lyfe whiche thing the death whiche the Lawe bringeth dooth not Nowe then wee see the very intente of Sainct Paule and the naturall meanyng of this texte Therefore nowe a dayes when the enimies of the truthe blaspheme the Gospell we haue heere an answere to stoppe their mouthes And if they holde on still let them barke lyke dogges but they shall not bee able too byte doo what they can See heere what the Papistes flushe foorth when wee preache that men are iustified throughe Gods free goodnesse O say they are they so That were the nexte waye to giue euery man the brydle too lyue after his owne lyking and too cause that there mighte be no more remorse nor scruple of conscience so as euery man myghte haue leaue too doo what he lysted That is the common blasphemie of the Papistes Agayne when wee shewe them that they can not bynde vs by their traditions and that it is but a tyrannie whiche they haue vsurped in robbing God of his righte and that the libertie was purchased for vs by our Lorde Iesus Christ to the ende that wee shoulde not bee tyde too the things whiche men woulde lay vpon vs of lawe and necessitie in matters concerning the spirituall gouernment of our soules O saye they see what cōmes of it their desire is nothing else but too wallowe in all pleasure and too leade a loose lyfe Surely wee maye easily answere too all this For the doctrine that wee bring serueth not to stirre vp mens lustes nor to giue them too greate and lawlesse a libertie but too the cleane contrarie But howsoeuer the cace stande it oughte too suffice vs that if wee shoulde abyde in the quamyre of the Papistes surely there woulde bee nothyng but deathe for vs. For were they not too faste asleepe and vtterly dulled vndoubtedly they shoulde bee tossed wyth suche vnquietnesse and hartebytings as they should needes see that that is not the thing wherevpon wee muste reste But beholde they bee so rotted in their ignoraunce that they haue not anye feelyng of Gods iustice at all But as for oure partes for as muche as wee knowe wee haue suche a freedome purchased vs by our Lorde Iesus Christ and are sure of our saluation bicause God dothe freely forgiue all our faultes and doo feele alreadie by the working of Gods holy spirite that he
kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ is apparant inough howbeeit that is but in part we haue but a tast of it and things are so troubled disordered in this world that if we will iudge of our saluation by the outwarde apparance what would become of it Therfore let vs suffer our life to be hid till our Lord Iesus Christ come and then shall we perceiue that we haue not bin beguiled in putting our trust in him and in admitting the doctrine of his Gospell Yee see then after what maner we must liue by fayth that is to say wee must not be so nyce as to seeke a quiet life heere and too haue all our commodities and ease here For in so doing we should forgo the thing that God hath promised vs we shoulde forget him and it woulde be an vtter destruction of our fayth But let vs take the myrrour of Gods worde and there looke vpon the things that furmount all our wit and are set far out of this world and are vtterly inuisible and let vs lift vp our eies thither not so far forth as our own reason skill shal be able to guide vs for that is not inough but so as we may climbe aboue the world and forsake the present things to the end to holde our selues fast in Gods promises and to be pacient in all afflictions and miseries wherby we shal be exercized and against which we must befain to fight till we receyue the frute of our victorie whē we be cōueyed vp into the rest of heauen Thus ye see what haue we to gather vpon this saying of S. Paule which might seme darke at the first sight but whē we haue on the one side marked wel what our state is while we bee in this worlde and on the other side considered what the nature of fayth is we shall easily perceyue that there is no darknesse at all in it And now Saint Paule addeth expressely that Iesus Christ loued him and gaue himselfe to the death for him This is an exposition of that which we sawe erewhiles For men do oftentimes misconster the woorde Fayth bycause they consider not what the pithe of of it is And in deede euerie man will bee called faythfull and yet euen among those that make profession of Christianitie yee shall scarce finde one of a hundred that hathe so muche as one droppe of fayth For as I sayde afore it is neuer sought what is ment by fayth The worde is verie short but it draweth a long tayle after it as wee see by the addition that is set downe heere For Saint Paule declareth that hee liueth by fayth bycause Iesus Christ had loued him and deliuered himselfe to death for him As much must we do For inasmuch as wee see that the Sonne of God the Lorde of glorie the heade of the Angels hee by whome all things were made and by whome all things are still mainteyned yeeldeth himselfe to death yea and too so vile a death that hee tooke our curse vppon him and not onely was hanged vpon a Crosse which was an yrksome thing to all the worlde but also was pronounced accursed by Gods owne mouth seeing say I that wee haue such a price to raunsome vs from death and too purchase vs life and saluation haue we not cause if we thinke well vppon it to ouerleape all the lettes that Satan can cast in our wayes to make vs turne head or to retyre backe that wee might not continue in the certaintie of our fayth Surely the victorie will bee easie ynough for vs agaynst all remptations if we can consider of what value the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ is and what it importeth So then S. Paule armeth vs heere too the ende wee might holde out wyth inuincible constancie agaynst all the stoppes that Satan laboureth too lay afore vs to hinder vs from keeping on our course VVhen the faythfull are pinched with hunger or thirst they bee troubled with looking heere and there for the promise that they shall be heyres of the worlde and in the meane while do well neare starue for famin and penurie But if they looke to our Lorde Iesus Christ that will dispatche them of all their trouble and sweeten all the bitternesse that might haue put the promises of saluation out of tast with them Therefore whensoeuer the faythfull are in any perill or bee persecuted so as they haue many wrongs and iniuries done them and yet are not succoured of all that while they might thinke thus with themselues VVhere is God Hee hath promised to dwell in vs to keepe vs as the Apple of his eie and to be our sheeld and fortresse and yet in the meane while wee bee cast vp too the spoyle wherefore it is certaine that we shall be vndone at euery blow But when we come to the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ wee must conclude that the Sonne of God was not offered vp in vaine Seeing then that our Lorde Iesus Christ spared not himself but abaced himselfe so farre as too suffer so slaunderous yea and cursed a death and afterwarde also the paynes of Hell howbeeit but for a while too the ende too set vs free and cleare and too purchace vs grace before the iudgement seate of God his father should that dooing of his bee vnauaylable Is it possible that it shoulde bee No For if Heauen and earth were turned vpsyde downe it were not so great a confusion as too imagine that the Sonne of God hath suffered in vaine Then see wee nowe why Saint Paule telleth vs that hee liued by fayth For it behoueth vs to be settled vppon the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ assuring our selues that it is able ynough too drawe vs out of the dungeons of death And furthermore it behoueth vs ▪ too looke vppon our Lorde Iesus Christ not onely as deade in the infirmitie of his fleshe but also as ryzen againe through his diuine and heauenly power as is saide of him in another Text. And therefore when there is any speaking of the death of our Lorde Iesus Christ it standeth vs on hande too consider what the same importeth that is too wit that it is a sacryfice to make an attonement of Recōciliation betwene God man an obedience too couer all the naughtinesse that is in vs and a washing too scoure away all our vnclennesse and filthinesse For asmuch then as wee knowe that there is such power in the death and passion of the sonne of God and that therevpon wee marche further that is to wit too the glorie wherevntoo it leadeth vs let vs not any more imagine that man ought hereafter to continue still in hys owne nature but that hee ought too liue in the fayth of the Gospell assuring himselfe that he shall not be disappoynted in resting vppon the promises that are conteyned there Thus ye see in effect wherevnto we should referre this saying where Saint Paule telleth
vs expressely that the Sonne of God gaue himselfe And hee contenteth not himselfe too say that Christ gaue himselfe for the worlde in common for that had bin but a slender saying but sheweth that euerie of vs must applie too himselfe particularly the vertue of the death and passion of oure Lorde Iesus Christ VVhereas it is sayde that the Sonne of God was crucified we must not onely thinke that the same was done for the Redemption of the worlde but also euerie of vs must on his owne behalfe ioyne himselfe too our Lorde Iesus Christ and conclude It is for me that hee hath suffered Likewise when wee bee baptized as it is not for any one man alone so is not the water sprinckled vppon all men in common but euerie man is baptized seuerally in his owne behalfe too the ende that euerie of vs may applie it particularly too himselfe too saye that wee bee all members of our Lorde Iesus Christ Also when wee receyue the holy Supper euery man taketh his owne portion too shewe vs that oure Lorde Iesus Christ is communicated vntoo vs yea euen to euerie one of vs. S. Paule therefore dooth purposely vse that maner of speech too the ende wee shoulde not haue any colde imagination after the maner of diuerse ignorant persons which take themselues too bee Christians and yet in the meane while are as wretched beastes But when we once knowe that the thing which was done for the redemption of the whole worlde perteyneth to euery of vs seuerally it behoueth euery of vs to say also on his owne behalfe The sonne of God hath loued me so deerly that he hath giuen himself to death for me Furthermore the worde Loue is not superfluous here for Saint Paules intent is too magnifie the gracious goodnesse of our Lorde Iesus Christ as if he shoulde say that we be verie wretches if we accept not such a benefite when it is offered vs seeing that God in sending vs his sonne had none other respect but to our miseries which hee intended too relieue Also our Lord Iesus Christ did so neglect himselfe that he spared not his life for our welfare And what was the cause of it The loue that he bare vs. Seeing it is so must wee not needes be worse than out of our wittes if we accept not such a benefite But it is a verie common doctrine in the holy Scripture that God so loued the worlde that hee spared not his onely sonne but gaue him too death for vs and also that our Lorde Iesus Christ at such time as wee were his deadly enimies as sayth Saint Paule did confirme a maruellous loue towardes vs in that he offered himself in sacrifice to make attonement betweene God and vs and too doo away all our sinnes so as they might no more come to account Lo heere a warrant of our saluation so as wee ought to thinke our selues throughly assured of it Howbeit S. Paule ment purposely here too rebuke mens vnthankefulnesse in that they accept not the benefite which God graunteth them so bountifully yea and of hys owne free goodnesse For it behoueth vs too call to minde howe Saint Iohn in his Canonicall Epistle sayeth that we loued not God first as if shoulde saye wee did not preuent him as those thinke they doo which say I haue done him suche seruice and such For alas what is it that wee can do too him but that he loued vs yea euen at such time as we were his deadly enimies and came euen then to seeke vs out in the verie deepest of the bottomlesse Dungeons And therevppon Saint Paule addeth that hee dooth not dispize or shake off the grace of God This is the knitting vppe of the things that wee haue hythertoo seene For heere he ment too shewe that the Diuell must needes possesse those that make none accounte of Gods mercie that is vttered in our Lorde Iesus Christ and dayly offered vs in his Gospell For looke howe oft the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ is preached vntoo vs and the infinite goodnesse of our God talked of so oft is this message renued vntoo vs that our Lorde Iesus Christ calleth vs vntoo hym to the ende we should forsake the worlde and being out of all hope in our selues fasten and settle our whole trust in him Sith it is so it is good reason that we should not reiect the grace of God And S. Paule in saying so ment to call backe suche as had gone astray before and too shewe them the way as if he had sayde whereas the poore ignorant soules that neuer heard worde of the Gospel might be excuzed we must needes be worse than damnable seeing we refuze the grace of God when it is offered vs for it smelleth of such an vnthankefulnesse as can by no meanes be excused Saint Paule therefore dooth heere make mention of those whome our Lorde Iesus Christ calleth too the hope of saluation by his Gospell and yet doo still welter in their owne wretchednesse and become brutishe not knowing whither there bee a better lyfe or no◠or else of suche as are sufficiently tormented wyth inwarde heartbyting and yet seeke no remedie nor cōfort Yet notwithstanding all they too whome our Lorde Iesus Christ hath not preached his Gospell shall not fayle to perishe without mercie They cannot defende themselues by ignorance I say that all the heathen folke and Idolaters that euer were must haue their mouthes stopped And what shal become of vs then which haue had our eares beaten dayly with the message that God sendeth vs which is that hee requireth nothing but that we should be drawne vnto him wherevnto he incourageth yea and beseecheth vs as we haue seene in the second to the Corinthians It is not a great shame for vs that God should so farre abace himselfe in the person of his onely sonne that he should beseech vs Let vs fall to attonement sayth he And what hath he done on hys side VVhat hath hee offended vs Nay contrariwise wee ceasse not to prouoke him dayly agaynst vs and yet he commeth too say vnto vs I will fall too attonement with you whereas notwithstanding there is nothing but spitefulnesse in vs we be like little feends and to be short we bee damned and forlorne and yet commeth he to seeke vnto vs and desireth nothing but too haue th◠attonement made After that maner speaketh Saint Paule woorde for woorde But nowe what will become of vs if wee reiect such grace seing that God offereth it vs so freely This is it which is ment by that saying And therevppon hee concludeth in the ende that if wee seeke rightuousnesse in the Lawe Iesus Chryst dyed in vayne As if hee shoulde say that if wee iutende to inioy the grace that is conteyned in the Gospell wee muste vtterly gyue ouer the fonde opinion of our owne merites For men are deceyued by bearing themselues in hand that there is euer somwhat of value in
there is none of vs but he shall finde that he prouoketh God too vse suche sharpenesse towardes him as if a father bee as kinde harted as is possible to be wished yet if he haue vnruly children so as they be â—eude and froward he shall bee prouoked after suche a fashion that he shall as it were chaunge his nature bycause he knoweth not at what end too begin with them and is fayne after a sort too transforme himselfe Euen so is it with vs. For we haue a father which in goodnesse surmounteth all that can bee seene among men but we on our side as I sayd afore in steede of yeelding obediently vnto him as we ought to do and in steede of offering our selues redily to walke as he commaundeth so soone as he doth but speake the woord do nothing but stray VVe haue our lustes alwayes inordinate and boyling wee haue our replies alwayes readie coyned and although our mouth speake not yet it appeereth that there is no such calmnesse in our hartes as too be contented to submit our selues to God as we ought to do Seyng then that we be conuicted to our faces by experience that God had neede to be so rough and sharp towardes vs let vs suffer him to do whatsoeuer he knoweth too be for our welfare And no doubt but the Galathians were as nyce as wee and had as itching eares as wee haue and yet were they fayne too be rebuked so sharply by reason of their vnthankfulnesse As for S. Paule we know he indeuered by all humilitie and meeldnesse too drawe all such to the obedience of our Lord Iesus Christ as were committed and appoynted too his Apostleship He likeneth himself and not without cause too a nurce which will beare with hir nurse childe and not spare any thing too shew the loue that shee beareth it VVee shall see hereafter that he will say Be yee as I am for I am as you bee I seeke nothing but too fashion my selfe vnto you and to bring to passe that wee may agree in one And yet notwithstanding necessitie hath constreyned him too crie out as you heare now Yee vnwize yee fooles yee vndiscreete or witlesse as beasts who hath bewitched you after that sorte must you not needes bee possessed with the Diuell Here are very harde woordes and no doubt but the Galathians were greeued at them at the firste sight Yet neuerthelesse it was meete for them to feele that S. Paule vsed not that maner of speach and language without cause Therefore whensoeuer we bee rebuked let vs blame our owne faultes for it and yeeld our selues giltie for wee shall gayne nothing by checking againe VVhen we haue disputed what we can wee may peraduenture iustifie our cace afore men but wee shall alwayes be giltie before God Moreouer it behoueth vs too marke well the reason that is added heere by S. Paule when he sayeth yee muste needes bee bewitched if yee obey not the truth seyng that our Lorde Iesus Christe hath bin as it were peynted out liuely before you yea and euen crucified among you In speaking after that fashion S. Paule sheweth with what force and effectualnesse he had preached the Gospell Therfore he likneth the doctrine which he had brought vnto a picture therevnto inlargeth it yet better saying that the matter which hee had preached among the Galathians ought too auayle asmuch as if they had seene the Sonne of God crucified among them and his bloud sheaded out for the spirituall washing of their soules For so much then as they had bin taught so faythfully they could no more excuse themselues of their backesliding But first of all we see here whiche is the true maner of preaching the Gospell namely to giue knowledge of Gods loue towardes vs in that he spared not his onely Sonne but gaue him too the death for vs according as in very deede all the treasures of wisedome and vnderstanding are layed vp in our Lord Iesus Christ as it is sayd in another place too the Colossians Sith it is so if we bee desirous to profite well in the Gospell lette vs learne too acknowledge the grace that is purchaced for vs by our Lorde Iesus Christe for without that all that wee haue is nothing Many will brag that they bee well learned in Gods word but the true triall too knowe whither it bee so or no is if wee perceyue howe greate neede wee haue that God shoulde poure out his mercie vpon vs too succour vs by drawing vs out of the gulf of Hell and therevpon coÌ„clude that wee cannot be clenzed and washed from any of all our spottes but by the bloud of Gods sonne nor obtayne rightuousnesse but by the obedience that he hath yeelded nor haue any satisfaction for vs but by the sacrifize that he hath offered nor come in Gods fauour but by his meanes nor open our mouthes too call vppon him but by his intercession Therefore when wee bee throughly persuaded of the gracious benefites that are brought vs by the sonne of God then may wee say wee haue some vnderstanding in the Gospell but without that wee haue nothing but imagination and follie Marke that for one poynt And therewith let vs marke that it is not ynough for vs too know slightly that our Lord Iesus Christ hath bought vs so deerely but that we must continue still in the doctrine of the Gospell till it bee throughly printed in our hartes as though his bloud gushed downe too apply the frute that commeth of it too our vse and that is too the end to waken vs out of our drowsinesse For we shal see many that take themselues too bee very great Clerkes if they vnderstande but three or foure woordes of the Gospell at a glaunce And yet the same shall soone bee defaced and put out of rememberance bycause that whereas wee ought too seeke too bee filled with the benefites that our Lord Iesus Christ hath brought vs they holde themselues contented with a tast of them God then punisheth the vnthankfulnesse of such folke and their despizing of his goodnesse And therfore it standeth vs so much the more on hand to put forth apply all our indeuer to be well settled in the foresayd doctrine that is too wit of knowing whervnto the death and passioÌ„ of Gods sonne and the inestimable benefites which we haue receyued do auayle vs. Again on the other side we be warned that our sins are the heynouser before God if after wee haue bin taught his will wee turne head backe againe and sin not through ignoraÌ„ce but through contempt and wilfulnesse For if we shake off his yoke it is a sure proofe that wee bee loth to be subiect to him and play the wilde beasts True it is that euen the ignorantest folk in the world are reproued by their own sinfulnesse for asmuch as hypocrisie reigneth in all men but yet if coÌ„parison bee made betweene those that neuer heard one woord of the truth and vs
from the rightuousnesse of fayth is too shewe that they bee vnmatchable and can no more bee ioyned togither than fyre and water True it is that there is no contrarietie betwixt the Lawe and the Gospell as I haue sayde afore for wee knowe that both twaine of them doo come of God But heere it behoueth vs too take Gods meening in such wise as he declareth it to vs which is that by setting the rightuousnesse of the Law before vs he intendeth to humble vs and to make vs condemne our selues when we come before him which thing wee woulde neuer do if he should not bewray our wretchednesse Therfore when he sayth that wee shall be iustifyed by keeping of the Lawe it is all one as if hee should say wretched wightes what woorthinesse or valure weene you to be in your selues VVey my commaundements and consider what they import and therewithall bethinke your selues how euery of you hath liued and ye shall be as good as drowned in despayre VVhen God hath sayd so he addeth the remedie Come saith he to the doctrine of the Gospell And what a maner a one is that Saint Paule alledgeth heere the saying of Abacucke how that the rightuous shall liue by fayth And in the same place which I haue alledged he openeth himselfe howe that it behoueth to resort wholy to our Lorde Iesus Christ For the worde that ought too bee in our mouth and in our heart to bring vs vnto God and too open vs the kingdome of heauen is not a worde that serueth to holde vs downe heere beneath nor too make men beleeue that God will allowe of our owne desertes nor too puffe vs vp with pryde no but too holde vs fast to our Lorde Iesus Christ Therefore when we knowe that our sinnes are wyped out by the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ and that by his resurrection suche rightuousnesse is purchased for vs that in stead of beeing damned too the gulfe of hell which is the heritage that belongeth to vs and whereof we be worthie we be made heyres of the kingdome of heauen and when we know that in Iesus Christ we recouer all that we had lost in Adam and the cursednesse wherein we be wrapped is taken from vs and God hathe sette vs free that is Gods iustifying of vs by fayth And in good fayth when wee haue well considered the circumstance of the text that Saint Paule alledgeth out of the Prophete Abacucke wee shall see plainly that that is the thing wherevnto the holy Ghost leadeth vs. For the Prophete had spoken of the chastizements and corrections which God would send vpon the people so as to looke vnto all shoulde seeme too bee confounded Now therevpon hee sayth that the wicked shall but swell more and more in their pride howbeit that they shall haue no sure footing but shal stūble with all their sway bicause they wil nedes exalt themselues they shall the more cast thēselues down with so much the sorer fouler fal That thē is the thing which the prophet vttereth against the wicked And he addeth on the cōtrarie part but the rightuous shal liue by faith Now wheras he saith that the rightuous shal liue it is all one as if he had said that gods children shal not find their life neere at hand in themselues but that euen when they shall haue traueled ouer all the world vp down it shal seme to thē that there is nowhere any thing else thā the very dungeons of death yet notwithstāding that missing of a presēt life they shal find a life to come when they shall haue nurrished it in their harts mindes by fayth VVe see thē that the Prophets intent is to draw Gods chosen both from the world and frō thēselues to the end they may cleaue wholy vnto him and not seke any other meanes to be saued than by his only grace But S. Paule hath spoken more breefly here bycause he was fully resolued of all that I haue declared heretofore and which hee himselfe hath discoursed that is to witte That fayth teacheth vs too seeke all oure welfare in God But the Lawe teacheth vs the contrarie I say it teacheth vs it to the ende too shewe vs that to seeke it throughly wee must acknowledge that there is not so much as one drop of lyfe in vs. The Lawe then sayth vnto vs go to take yee paynes and do yee so much as ye may winne heauen by it And why doth the Lawe say so Not too feede men in their vaine self trust of weening still that they can deserue well at Gods hād it is not for that but to prepare thē to receyue the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ with lowlinesse For as I haue sayd alreadie when we keepe our selues aloof from God and euery man beares himselfe in hand that he is well worthie to be accepted of him our Lorde will surely be aduenged of such presumptuousnesse and sayth Go to let me see what ye haue done come on and let vs fall to reckening and let him that oweth aught to other pay it Ye shal not be disappointed by me I haue your wages in my hande it is readie for you and if ye shall haue done all that I haue commaunded you feare not but you shall be well payde for your labor Therefore hie you apace and let me see how you will serue me But as I sayd our Lord in saying so prepareth and dispozeth vs to know in what plight we be For when we once perceiue our owne neede then will wee seeke our wantes at his hand Thus ye see how the Lawe leadeth vs to fayth but it is a straunge kinde of leading Howsoeuer the cace stand there is alwaies this cōtrarietie which S. Paule setteth down here namely that we cannot be iustified by fayth except we haue first knowne and acknowledged vnfeynedly that we be damned in our selues and that the groūd of our welfare is to know that there is nothing but damnation in vs. Now at the first sight it might be sayd that S. Paule hath stretched this saying of Abacucks too farre seing he spake there but of the afflictions of this transitorie life The rightuous shall liue that is to say he shal holde out and although God afflict him scourge him yet shall he not quayle if he ground himselfe vpon Gods promises And here the cace concerneth not Gods comforting and deliuering of vs from the miseries wherevnto wee bee subiect in this world but it concerneth our euerlasting saluation which farre passeth all the state of this transitorie life It seemeth therefore that S. Paule applyeth not this Text of the Prophete aright Howbeeit let vs marke that if the Prophet had looked no further than too thys worlde that saying of his had bin very vaine seeing that afflictions are common both to good and bad Againe howe is it that we lyue by fayth Seeing we bee continually subiect to fall into the same daunger
let vs not doubt but that mercie is readie for vs as oft as we seeke it in his name for if we should come with any opinion of our owne deseruings what were that woorth But when we know how deerely the Sonne is beloued of the father and how precious his death was that is the thing wherein we haue full certaintie that God will alwayes heare vs and that wee shall finde him mercifull and fauorable towards vs namely if wee rest wholly vpon that which is tolde vs here which is that our Lord Iesus Christ forbare not euen to become accursed for our sakes Here withall let vs marke how S. Paule sayeth that by that meanes the promis of the spirit came vntoo the Gentyles as it had bin giuen vntoo Abraham Nowe by naming Abraham heere he sheweth that the promis belonged first and formest too those that came of his race For the Iewes had as it were a peculiar interest in the heritage of saluation till suche tyme as God opened the gate too the whole worlde and published his Gospell too the end that all men should bee made parttakers of the redemption that was purchaced by our Lorde Iesus Christe Now then although the sayd promis belonged too the Iewes and was after a sort peculiar too them yet was it after them made common too the whole world And why For it consisteth in spirite and not in Ceremonies By this woorde Spirite Sainct Paule ment too deface all the false opinion of those deceyuers whiche mingled the Lawe and the Gospell toogither He sheweth that all these things namely the Sacrifices Circumcision and such other things are now superfluous Not that there is no profite for vs too gather by the Ceremonies in reading the Lawe but bycause the vse of them is abolished Yee see then that the cause why the promis is at this day called spirituall is for that wee haue no more neede of the old shadowes and figures but are simply called and guyded to our God so as wee may call vppon him with full trust and beyng so adopted by him rest wholly vpon our Lord Iesus Christ as the only foundacion of the Gospell and seeke all our wantes in him That in effect is the thing that S. Paule ment too say in this text And herevpon he vseth another reason too shewe that wee haue our saluation perfectly reueled in the Gospell and neede not any other doctrine than that and also that we bee iustified by the free mercie of our God For the Lawe sayeth he was giuen foure hundred and thirtie yeeres after the promis of saluation Now when any couenant is made though it be but betweene men yet ought it too bee kepte if it bee once throughly agreed vppon Therefore it foloweth that the Lawe was not giuen too disanuall the couenant that God had made with Abraham chiefly in the behalfe of his linage and finally in the behalfe of the whole worlde True it is that at the firste blush this argument of Sainct Paules may seeme very weake for wee knowe that second couenantes do alwayes repeale former couenantes in so much that although men haue made any bargayne yet they may aduyze themselues better and therevppon chaunge their mindes and so the first bargaine shall be as good as buried As much is to bee sayd of Lawes and Statutes For a former Lawe may well bee repealed and disanulled by a second Lawe But Sainct Paule presupposeth the thing that is too be considered in this matter whiche is that when a man hath once promised yea and solemnly bound himself he will not go backe againe but bee as good as his woord Howbeit if bothe the parties agree too chaunge the thing that they had consented on and be bothe of one minde then may it be so But it were no fit similitude too take men that are fickleminded and chaungeable through lightnesse or by better aduice but S. Paule presupposeth a couenant too be made by a man that will stand to it and not fall too skanning afterward how to shift it off by any meanes at all For if any of the parties should doo agaynst the former couenant it were a falsehood that were not to bee borne with among men bicause the things that are inregistred so solemnly ought to bee stood too and performed without any gaynsaying Now then shall there be lesse stedfastnesse in God than in men which are nothing but vanitie The Gospell therefore muste continue vnimpeached notwithstanding that the lawe came in after the making of the free promis This would bee still darke if it should not be declared in order I haue shewed heretofore what comparison S. Paule maketh betweene the Lawe and the Gospell For whereas God promiseth saluation in his Lawe it is vpon condition that men serue him and doo their duetie towards him But that is not done and therefore are wee shet out from all hope of saluation as in respect of the Law not that God is not faithfull on his side but bycause wee keepe not touche with him in performing that which he requireth It is all one as if a man should say I am ready to sell you this thing so you bring mee monie Now if a man bring nother monie nor moneys woorth he can not bee put in possession of the thing that he would haue for the condition is that he must first pay for it So then God promiseth vs the heritage of saluation when wee shall haue serued him but wee be neuer the better for it bycause it is but vpon condicion that we performe that which he requireth of vs and wee bee fraughted with all iniquitie and haue not any thing in vs but vncleannesse and filth in somuche that wee bee iustly odious vnto him And so are wee all condemned in the lawe howbeit God receyueth vs of his free goodnesse in our Lord Iesus Christ in whom he offereth vs the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and will haue vs so too imbrace his offered goodnesse as wee should hold our selues wholly to our Lord Iesus Christ and vtterly renounce ourselues But now sayth Sainct Paul let vs see whither went before other in antiquitie the free promis of saluation or the law VVe know the diuersitie that is betwixt them Then if the law were the auncienter it might seeme that that ought to be sticked too bycause God doth neuer vnsay his wordes nother is variable But if the free promis were the elder and were made before the law was published it is to be concluded that God repented hym not ne called backe his promis at that time ne ment to disanul the sayd couenant for it were too great a diminishing of his bountie and mercie if we should say that he had first bound himselfe of hys owne free goodnesse and promised men saluation without theyr desert and afterward intended to restreyne it as though he meant to inrich himselfe with our good works It were an auk thing too talke after that fashion For Sainct Paul sheweth
to lament their sinnes to the end they might rest themselues wholy vppon the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ yet did they it not till God had striken them as it had bin with many blowes of a Beetle vpon the heade which thing he did by the Lawe Moreouer Saint Paule sheweth that we abuse the gentlenesse of our God through our vnthankfulnesse bycause that the more curteous hee sheweth himselfe towardes vs the more occasion do we take thereby too flatter our selues Therefore hee must bee fayne too rouze vs vp and to make vs feele what we bee thereby too scare vs and driue vs too seeke his fauour in good earnest Thus yee see what the woorde Added importeth It is all one if Saint Paule shoulde blame vs for that wee make not oure profite of Gods goodnesse seeyng hee allureth vs so gently vntoo him and sheweth himselfe as meelde as may bee but greeue him and after a sort inforce hym too vse rygour agaynst vs too beate vs downe by that meanes and so to prepare vs too the seeking of hys grace the which wee shall finde in oure Lorde Iesus Christ whensoeuer wee lyst And heerewythall Saint Paule addeth that the Lawe serued but till the seede came to whome the promise was made This concerneth properlye the Ceremonyes or else wee must take it too bee spoken of the Lawe with all his appurtenances circumstances and appendants as men terme them If we take the Lawe for no more but the ten commaundements the thing that S. Paule speaketh will not stande For the lawe must euen at this day haue such force with vs as to be our rule of good life and to shewe vs Gods will that we may not liue like vagabondes and gad abrode at aladuenture but haue our way plaine before vs. The lawe then is not transitorie in respect of shewing vs what is good for it must continue to the worldes ende But wee must marke Sainct Paules discourse for he taketh the lawe as conteyning the promises and threatnings and also the Ceremonies Then on the one side there is this promise he that doth these things shall liue in them as we haue seene heeretofore And on the other side there is this threat cursed is he that fulfilleth not all that is conteyned heere Now the lawe as we see promiseth saluation to none but such as liue purely and vncorruptly but all of vs come short of that and therefore the promise of the lawe is to no purpose Marke that for one poynt If it be alledged what Sirra Ment God too mocke men I say no but they haue alwayes beguiled themselues with vainglorie and presumption bearing themselues in hande that they could purchace their owne saluation and therefore God is fayne too say vntoo them Goto if ye bee so able men as ye thinke shew it as for me I giue you my Lawe and bicause you shall not thinke your selues ill delt with for your seruing of me your wages is readie for you if you performe it Beholde I assure you of euerlasting life out of hande nowe let me see a little what you can do buskle your selues to your worke But when men haue tryed the vttermost that is in them surely they shall perceyue their owne weakenesse which was hidden afore Thus ye see that the promise of the Lawe can haue none effect towardes vs and yet it is not guilefull for it serueth vs to another ende As touching the threates of it it is infallible for we be all damned by this threatning Cursed is he that performeth not all But we come so farre short of performing all that there is not one poynt but wee fayle of it If wee thinke too serue God by halues it is nothing for he hath not separated one peece from another but will that he which walketh in chastitie shall also abstain from theft robberie craft extortion and all other sinnes Seeing it is so let vs marke that the threate holdeth all shet vp vnder it and that is the thing that Saint Paule had an eye vnto As touching the Ceremonies they were a confirmation that all of vs are accursed according as I haue tolde you howe Saint Paule in his Epistle to the Collossians lykeneth them to obligations and autenticall euidence that serue too holde a man most straytly bounde If a man haue borowed a peece of money he is a detter and giueth a bill of his hande for it But if hee binde his goodes or bodie for it by recognisance or Statute so as his deede is inrolled of common Recorde then is he bounde more straytly than hee was before Euen so is it with the Ceremonies The lawe of it selfe was ynough too condemne men bicause they are all offenders howbeeit forasmuch as God saw the pride that is rooted in our nature he added the Ceremonies for an ouerplus to the ende they shoulde be as a solemne bonde agaynst vs. But nowe Saint Paule sayth that all this geere serued but till the promised seede were come that is too wit that the lawe serued not too holde those in slauerie and bondage which put their trust in our Lorde Iesus Christ but to bring them to him that there they might find the thing which they wanted in the law So then wee see that Gods vsing of rygour in condemning of vs procureth our welfare and his thundering vppon vs after that fashion is a witnesse of his singular goodnesse towardes vs. And why so I haue tolde you alreadie and experience sheweth it too much that we ceasse not to abuse his gentlenesse and too drawe it cleane contrarie to his meening Therefore he is fayne to rouze vs vp and to shew himselfe to be our iudge and to make vs heere this dreadfull sentence able to cast vs into dispayre that there is nothing for vs to looke for but euerlasting death and finally too confirme and ratifie the same sentence still Yea but all this is but too make vs stoupe that beeing at our wittes ende we should flee to our Lorde Iesus Christ with a true and vnfeyned zeale and learne to rest vpon him when we bee troubled with vnquietnesse and torment of conscience Thus ye see why Saint Paule hath sayd expressely that the lawe was giuen too continue no longer than till the promised seede was come Nowe if a man demaunde howe then did the fathers obteyne saluation I answere that the lawe raigned and had his full scope as in respect of outwarde order before the comming of oure Lorde Iesus Christ but yet for all that the fathers myssed not too resort too the grace that was promysed them although they sawe it not as wee shall see more plainely hereafter Then is it a thing vtterly out of all doubt that the Lawe did nothing preiudice the promise nor was added for any helpe of it as though the promise had not bin sufficient of it selfe too saluation but that it serued too correct mennes pryde and presumptuousnesse too the ende they might with all
of the Church at the comming of the anoynted and so were they also which had heretofore bin separated a great way off not only from God but also one from another Now wee see S. Paules meaning Howbeit that we may profite the better by this text let vs marke that as God hath giuen vs his Lawe by the Angels so shall they beare witnesse agaynst vs if the Lawe beare no sway with vs and that wee make none account of it but doo as it were treade it vnder our feete Then shall the Angels bee armed too aske vengeance at Gods hande agaynst our wickednesse and rebellion For it was no babes play when God willed his Angels too bee present and assisting at the publishing of his Lawe Therefore it was to the ende it should bee receyued with all reuerence Nowe it is true that wee can not perfourme all that the Lawe commaundeth and if wee should stande vpon that poynt wee should bee plunged into euerlasting death and vtterly ouerwhelmed in dispayre But first of all seeing that God is so gracious too vs as too teache vs his will too the ende wee should discerne betweene good and euill let vs bowe downe our neckes and receyue the yoke that God layeth vpon vs to make vs subiect vnto him Let that serue for one point And for as muche as the Lawe dooth quicken vs and cheare vs vp when wee bee hartfrosen and when there is suche slouth and slownesse in vs as wee can not come vnto God Let euery of vs looke well too him selfe and early and late call too minde Gods commaundements to reproue our selues withall Then let vs bethinke our selues better seeing that the Angels keepe watch and warde about vs will not now after that God hath giuen them in charge to authorise his Lawe suffer vs to despise it and misuse it as if it were a thing of nothing Furthermore as touching that the Lawe curseth vs let vs assure our selues that although men commende vs and clap their hands at vs for ioy yet shall we be put to shame before the Angels of heauen Then if 〈◊〉 whole world fauour vs it is nothing For to what ende was it Gods will that all his Angels should appeare togither at the publishing of his law but to teach vs to be ashamed of our sinnes and therby to humble vs in good earnest that wee might seeke all our welfare in our Lord Iesus Christ And moreouer where as it is sayd that our Lorde Iesus Christ was the mediator of the Lawe let vs assure our selues that if we resort wholly to his grace wee shall not neede to feare that the law shall haue any more power to condemne vs yea or to reigne ouer our sinne For we must beare in minde howe S. Paule in the first to the Corinthians sayth that the law is the strength of sinne and doth so sharpen sinne as it woundeth vs deadly Seeing it is so then surely if we had not the thing that is shewed vs heere for our comfort we should be striken with such feare as wee could not bee sure of our saluation though the promises were offered vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ For wee would alwayes matche the contrarie things agaynst them and lay the Lawe in balance with them saying VVhat was not the Lawe giuen of God But God condemneth vs by it Therefore although our Lorde Iesus Christ steppe in too helpe the matter yet doothe it not seeme that wee bee escaped So shall wee alwayes bee in trouble But if we consider howe our Lorde Iesus was the mediator in the publishing of the lawe it sheweth vnto vs that if he bee our aduocate at this day it will bee a good and sufficient discharge for vs in so muche that although God haue pronounced his sentence of cursing agaynst vs yet wee must not be dismayde at it nor so ouerpressed with hartgreefe and anguishe of mynde as though the mishiefe were incurable but assure our selues that our Lorde Iesus Christ wyll very well agree too doo bothe twayne that is too wit bothe make vs ashamed that wee may learne humilitie and therewithall also make vs sure of our saluation And therefore let vs learne that whensoeuer wee bee beaten downe there is none other meanes too rayse vs vp aâ—gayne but too know that the selfe same person which was ordeyned to bee the mediator for the publishing of the lawe is now manifested vnto vs at this day with the same commission and will make vs too perceyue it by experience Further let vs marke that he is not a mediator for 〈◊〉 one nation alone but for al the whole worlde in as muche as all of vs are the creatures of God True it is that wee were after a sorte cut off from him by the sinne of Adam But our Lorde Iesus Christ is come too make vp the breache agayne that was both in heauen and in earth as I haue alledged already out of the first chapter to the Colossians Seeing it is so then let vs not doubt but that God accepteth vs as heires of his promise in asmuch as he acknowledgeth vs for the spiritual children of Abraham And although there bee great diuersitie betweene our dayes and the time of the ceremonies whiche serued too separate the one from the other yet let not that hinder vs from comming vnto God For why God is one Although then that there bee bothe Iewes and Gentiles although there bee many diuers Nations among men although their languages bee diuers their maners and trades of liuing contrarie and euery of vs hath so muche varietie and inconstancie in himselfe that we haue no holde of our selues yet let vs rest vpon God for he is alwayes one He hath giuen vs his law he hath giuen vs his Gospell and let not vs think that there is any contrarietie in that cace but that all agreeth very well Only let vs suffer our selues to be ruled by him that we may come to our Lorde Iesus Christ And howe may that bee doone By beeing cleane ridde from all pride by beeing abashed and ashamed by misliking of our selues and by perceiuing that there is nothing in vs but death Then shall wee come too our Lorde Iesus Christ knowing that God the father accepteth vs if we holde that way VVhy so For he is alwayes one and his giuing of the lawe was not too disanull or impeache the promise that he had made afore Likewise his reuealing of his grace more fully vnto vs in his Gospell was not for that he wist not how to make his law of force towards vs and to put it to the right vse and purpose of it that we might haue a rule wherby to liue well but that whereas wee were accursed by it wee might knowe howe there is none other remedie for vs but by beeing blissed agayne in the seede that was promised from time to time in whose hande our welfare was stablished that is to wit by comming to our Lord Iesus
leadeth vs right forth to heauē And whereas I said that they were inferior to vs in the measure of faith I meene not that Abraham Dauid other like had a weaker faythe thā we for seeke we neuer so narowly through the whole world it is not to be presumed that any one creature is to bee found at thys day which hath the hundreth part of the faith of Abraham or Dauid And the excellēcie of their faith appeereth in this that although they had not the promises so apparant as we haue but very darkly yet notwithstāding they ouerdame all such temptations as woulde haue ouerthrowē vs a hundred thousand times If any of vs wer put to the induring of the incoūters of Abraham or Dauid what would become of vs For Abraham was a wayfarer al his life lōg in a strāge country wher mē grudged him water to drinke though he himselfe digged the welles He was put to as many plunges as could be Finally God exercised him in so many incoūters that he semed to be minded to throw him into the bottom of hel and yet neuerthelesse his faith abideth stil vnvāquished As touching Dauid he was driuē a lōg time frō place to place Being hunted out of the whole realme hauing no succour to retire vnto but 〈◊〉 amōg the infidels and enimies of God or else into dennes and among wyld beastes he was moreouer put to such reproche that euery man cursed him as the veriest villayne and kaytif in the world and yet for all that he hild out still hee called still vppon God and hee neuer fell to any murmuring or blaspheming but rather glorifyed God in those his extremities and distresses So then wee see that their faith ought to make vs all ashamed And when euery of vs shall haue looked wel into his owne conscience wee shall fynd that wee scarsly haue any little peece of the faith that they had But the greatnesse of their faith must not be measured heere by the constancie and ablenesse that euery of them had to trust in God VVhereby then By the outward obiect of their fayth As for example Although Esay was an excellēt teacher so that his like is not to be found in the world yet the least preacher that setteth foorth the Gospell purely shall be preferred before Esay as is auouched by the mouth of our Lord Iesus Christ hymselfe And why is that Bycause that although Esay was as an Angell and spake with such authoritie yea and maiestie as were able to touch the hartes to the quicke which are most falne aslepe in this world in somuch that euen God himselfe seemeth to haue opened his owne holy mouth in him and his words were not as the words of a mortall man yet did he hold but the manner of teaching that was conueniēt for that tyme that is to say he did set foorth the lād of Chanaan as a pledge to those whom he taught keepe them to the Sacrifises washings figures shadowes al other like things whervnder he shewed what the happinesse of gods children is As for example we see how he likeneth the church to a palace builded of gold siluer and preciouse stones Yee see then that his maner of dealing was fashioned vnto the darknesse of the law But now our Lord Iesus Christ is set forth vnto vs although a simple man preach the Gospel which hath nother great eloquence nor authoritie yet shall hee as it were poynt at Iesus Christe with his fingar he shall shew vs how we be in the time of fulnesse and therwithall hee shall assure vs that our sinnes are forgiuen vs in the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christe in somuch that Gods wrath is pacified and victorie obteyned for vs ouer death Thus ye see that the diuersitie is 〈◊〉 doctrine and not in the qualitie of the fayth as it is in euery mans heart For although Abrahā had a wonderfull fayth and such a one as we shall not finde nowadayes in the worlde yet was it alwayes hemmed in with the sayd Ceremonies and shadowes Dauid was an Angell and myrror of all perfection and yet for all that he was faine to be subiect to the same order that the common people were and to vse all the Ceremonies that were then in vse and his looking at Iesus Christ was but a farre off bycause there was the said Curtain before him which letted him that hee coulde not beholde his glorie as it is shewed vs nowadayes in the Gospell And although we know not the hundredth part of the things that were disclozed to Dauid and Abraham to make them inuincible agaynst all temptations and to make them fight so manfully that god might be glorified in them and to make them beare out all brunts yet had they not that which we haue that is to wit they had not the pledge Iesus Christ deliuered vnto them as we haue to the ende we might call vppon God his father bycause we be members of his bodie and hee is our heade assuring our selues that he and we are all one with condition that his goodes become ours and that we haue full inioyment of them at this day Thus yee see that our fayth is greater than Abrahams was not in respect of our persones nor yet in respect of any stedfastnesse and firmnesse that is in vs but in respect of the doctrine or teaching of it which we terme the obiect of fayth that is too say the thing that is sette before vs from without And so ye see why Saint Paule sayeth that the fathers were hilde in warde as it were vnder a Schoolemayster tyll the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe we for our part haue cause too magnifie Gods goodnesse according also as oure Lorde Iesus Christ exhorteth vs saying blessed are the eyes which see that which you see and the eares which heare that whiche you heare For many Kings and Prophets haue desired the like and haue gone without it Beholde Abraham was called Gods freend Beholde Dauid is reported too haue bin founde according too Gods owne heart and yet for all that hee was fayne too looke aloofe at the promises which are now as it were cast into our lappes and whereof we haue our fill They sought Iesus Christ then absent and hidden and they wayted for him But now that our Lord Iesus Christ hath come downe into the worlde and bin conuersant here he hath gyuen vs a sure warrant that all is performed as he himselfe declared at his death VVhat a lewdnesse then is it if we nowadayes bee not much the more inflamed and quickened vp to followe the promises of the Gospell where God communicateth himselfe so familiarly vnto vs So then on the one side wee haue cause too yeelde vnto God his deserued prayse for that he hath vouchsafed to exalt vs I say vs miserable creatures to so high dignitie as to preferre vs before all the holy kings and Patriarkes
the end we shoulde knowe that onely fayth ought to suffice vs to the atteyning of saluation without seeking any other meanes one way or other too helpe vs. VVhat shoulde wee desyre more than that God shoulde acknowledge vs for his children VVill we needes haue an ouerplus added too so inestimable a benefite Ye see then that our full felicitie and perfect glorie is that we haue leaue to call vppon God as our father not doubting but that seeing he hath receyued vs into his fauour hee will also handle vs as his owne children But howe shall we come by that Saint Paule sayth it is onely fayth that maketh vs parttakers of that dignitie Then let vs conclude that the Lawe can nothing aduauntage vs or else it must needes bee that wee bee woonderfull couetous yea and as good as out of our wits to desire more than too be the children of God The Angelles are greatly honoured in the holy Scripture and yet the cheefe tytle that is giuen them is that they be the children of God Now seeing that we we I say poore wormes of the earth in whom there is nothing but filthynesse no nor aught but corruption of sinne bee matched with the Angelles insomuch that God openeth vs the kingdome of heauen and intendeth too haue vs fellowes with them who bee vertues are nere about him seing I say that we be made partakers of that glorie shall we be so presumptuous to seeke I wot not what moreouer Truely it is not onely fayth that maketh vs to obteyne that benefite VVherfore lette vs learne to renounce all other meanes that may bee set before vs for when men offer vs any other helpes as though the fayth that we haue in him were not sufficient it is but a turning of vs away from our Lorde Iesus Christ That then is Saint Paules meaning But wee shall neuer conceyue the frute that is conteined in this texte except we alwayes beare in minde that by this worde Fayth S. Paule meaneth to exclude all the desert worthinesse that men suppose or imagin thēselues able to bring with thē vnto God VVhen they will needs go through with the matter by their owne power and vertues It is all one as if they would cut off a peece of the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ But he cannot be rent in peeces or deuided Therefore all the working of our saluation must come of him alone and we must not skulk heere and there nor seeke bywayes but come right forth vnto him by the streyte way of fayth Herevpon S. Paule addeth that beeing baptised in Iesus Christ we haue put him on And this is too take away a doubt that might be cast heere namely howe it is possible that we should become the children of God seeing that that dignitie is peculiar to our Lorde Iesus Christ For whereas he is called the Sonne of God the Apostle sheweth that that tytle cannot be verified of the verie Angels of heauen True it is as I haue sayde heretofore that they be named the children of God howbeeit that is not without an addition So is it out of doubt that there is not any creature to whom that dignitie belongeth But nowe seeing that Iesus Christ is the only sonne of God howe doth the same extende vntoo vs S. Paule declareth that it is by reason of the vnion that is betwixt him and vs according as it is sayd in the .xvij. Chapter of S. Iohn Then if we were not one with our Lorde Iesus Christ surely wee should haue none acquaintance at all wyth God for we be quite cutte off from all hope of lyfe by sinne Yea and wee must needes be as deadly enimies vnto him and he vnto vs till hee haue altered and renued vs. Howsoeuer the worlde go beeing separated from Iesus Christ and considered in our owne nature we bee vnworthie too be called men and therefore much lesse can we boast that God is our father But here as I sayde Saint Paule intended to assoyle that question saying that by Baptisme we be clothed with our Lord Iesus Christ And this similitude of clothing is verie ryfe in the holy Scripture and it betokeneth in effect that Iesus Christ is our apparell or rayment whereby all is couered and buryed that might make vs to be reiected at Gods hand and grace is purchased vnto vs so as he doth not any more sift vs and search vs in our selues but accepteth vs as if we came in the very person of his owne Sonne To be short Saint Paule ment to shew here the vnion that is betwene our Lord Iesus Christ and all the faythfull which are the members of his body And like as all the substance of a tree commeth from the root and al the powers and abilities of a natural bodie come from the head euen so is it betwene the sonne of God and vs. For as I haue sayd alredy we haue not so much as one drop of the heauenly life but of his inspyring or breathing into vs. Therefore if we will come vnto God and be partakers of the holy Ghost and of the giftes that belong to the endlesse life let vs be in Iesus Christ and not thinke our selues to be any thing or aught worth of our selues And for the same cause our Lorde Iesus Christ in the sayd text which I alledged out of the xvij of S. Iohn setting out the true and perfect happinesse of his fayeth Father I pray thee that they may bee made one with vs. Ye see then that the way for vs to get out of the dungeon of death wherein we were drowned is to be vnited to our Lord Iesus Christ by the bond of fayth Now S. Paule sayth that that is done in Baptisme Not that all they which are baptized are true members of Iesus Christ in deede for we see the cleane contrarie insomuch that there are some which vnhallow and defile all the holinesse of Baptisme and are giltie of high treason too God bicause that whereas they professe to holde of Iesus Christ they despyze and spyte him and are as dung and filthinesse too marre all things Baptisme then maketh vs not all Christians and againe wee knowe that too bee made the childe of God is too great a benefite to bee fathered vppon a corruptible Element VVhat is the water Too say that the water begetteth or regenerateth vs againe and that thereby we be deliuered from death and obteyne the glorie wherein God lyfteth vs vp too himselfe as say I a peruerting of all order But first of all let vs marke here that when Saint Paule speaketh of Baptisme he presupposeth that we receyue the thing that is offered vnto vs in it Many that are baptised do wype away the grace of God and notwithstanding that it be offered them yet they make themselues vnworthie of it through their vnbeleef lewdnesse and rebellion Thus yee see that the power of baptisme is disfeated in many men But when there happeneth
things contrary S. Paule vpbraideth the Corinthians that hee was driuen too giue them milke as to little babes bicause they were not yet able to brucke stroÌ„g meate he maketh them ashamed of their dulnesse of their weltring in their vntoward afectioÌ„s for that they had not profited in the faith as the time required Therfore it was a kind of childishnesse for them to be always new to begin Yea we see how the Prophet Esay condemneth the Iewes yet more roughly wheÌ„ he saith that they were little childreÌ„ to whom meÌ„ say A A B B so as they be still new to begin agein looke what they learne to day they forget to morrow so that they neuer go forward but with great hardnesse This is a vice that is too coÌ„mon in the world Moreouer S. Paule in the fourth to the Ephesians doth generally exhort al the faithful al such as are well strengthned able to be teachers of other meÌ„ which be as it were antesigne bearers to shew the way of saluatioÌ„ I say he exhorteth theÌ„ to grow stil til they be come to the ful age of manhood It shuld seme at the first blush that there is some contrarietie For hee sayth here that al those whome God hath receiued into his Church made them of the houshold of faith are already come to ful age yea euen the veriest idiots that scarsly vnderstand three wordes of faith so they haue the principles and as yee would say the grosse fuÌ„me of the power of our Lord Iesus Christ S. Paul sayth that they be already as good as men growen that God wil not hold them any loÌ„ger as children vnder a maister or as vnder tutors gouerners And in another 〈◊〉 he saith that not only suche as are weake and ignorant but eueÌ„ the excelleÌ„test sort which ought to carie the torch before others to giue them light must grow still And how long Not for a yeere or two but al their life time so that as long as they liue in this world they must dayly acknowledge theÌ„selues to be weake still that they haue neede to inforce and streine themselues to go forwarder and forwarder But al this agreeth very well togither For if euery man examin himselfe what he is surely euen the forwardest of all shall finde theÌ„selues to be stil as little children For although we indeuer to come vnto God yet we drag our legs after vs and howsoeuer we bee disposed of ourselues a number of hinderaÌ„ces step before vs euery little straw stoppeth vs or else if a flie do but crosse our eyes byandby we bee ready to turne away And although wee had neuer so great courage in vs yet haue wee many vices to fight against our knowledge is not suche but wee haue neede to pray God dayly to increace our faythe and correct the remnant of vnbeleefe that is in vs. Thus ye see what euery man shal find on his owne behalfe But if we looke vpon the fashion that God keepeth in guiding gouerning his Church it is certaine that we be fully men growen And why For we be no more hilde in so streight subiection of the law as the fathers were but for asmuche as we haue our Lord Iesus Christ we resort vnto him wheÌ„ we haue sinned VVe see welynough how we be berayed with spots blots before God but yet is our washing ready at haÌ„d in somuch that by being dipped in the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ by faith throgh the working of the holy Ghost we become pure cleane God accepteth vs into fauour Againe we be bound to euerlasting death by reason of the faultes that we coÌ„mit dayly against him but yet the amends for theÌ„ is to be found in our Lord Iesus Christ for he is ordeined the ransome to discharge vs. Ye see then that we be no more vnder the bridle wherto the fathers were subiect namely in respect of God and of his gouerning of vs. Therfore although we feele our owne infirmities yet doth not that barre vs froÌ„ being men growen that is to say it is not let but that God giueth vs greater libertie and priuiledge than he did to such as liued vnder the law Thus in effect that question is assoyled And it serueth to bring vs backe too that which I haue touched already 〈◊〉 that we must magnifye Gods grace towards vs for aduauncing of vs to such dignitie But therwithall we see also that it is not lawful for men to deuise a new gouernment at their owne pleasure vnder pretence that folke are raw or that many are not yet fit to be led and guided after a higher and wiser fashion And it behoueth vs to marke that wel For when the superstitions that reigne nowadayes in poperie did firste enter into the world they began not with suche diuelish blasphemie as they bee now mainteined with For looke how many Ceremonies there are in the popedome tearmed by the name of Gods seruis so many be their Idolatries and the Illusions of Satan and to be short all is abhominable before God VVhy so For they imagin them to be things necessary to saluation that by the meanes of them they be able to raunsome themselues and too get forgiuenesse of theyr sinnes Moreouer they deface our Lord Iesus Christ and the grace that is brought vs by him bycause they hope too raunsome themselues by their owne satisfactions and by that meanes vsurp and plucke to themselues the thing that beloÌ„geth to the sonne of God Thus ye see that they be cursed villaines Neuerthelesse wheÌ„ al their gewgawes were first brought into the Churche they were not yet ful of so grosse dotages but they crept in vnder a somewhat more fauorable preteÌ„ce that is to wit that men were rude dul vnable to compreheÌ„d the secrets of the kingdome of heaueÌ„ if they had not bin haÌ„dled dandled after the maner of little childreÌ„ Now as I haue touched alredy it is true that euery maÌ„ ought to huÌ„ble himself wheÌ„ he knowes his owne infirmitie but yet doth it not therfore follow that we shuld bring vp new fashioÌ„s after our owne fancies VVe must be coÌ„teÌ„ted with that which God hath ordeined A yong child must not choose his tutor of his own head no he should not be suffered to do so But his father will apoint him one True it is that there are other meanes stablished by lawes but heere S. Paule hath taken a similitude agreable to the matter that he deales with Then if an earthly father haue authoritie to apoint Tutors to hys children why should not God haue the same power A childe shall not be licenced nor suffered to choose a Tutor to his owne liking Sith it is so by what right or title will wee deuise this or that too saye wee bee yong â—â—yldren and therefore we must haue a fashion meete and agreable to our slendernesse Yea and God hath prouided one for
that is not commaunded by hym And truly the thing wherein hee will be discerned from his creatures is that hee haue all souerenitie in ruling our lyfe that the thing whych he commaundeth be accepted as good and needefull without gaynsaying that the thinges which he forbiddeth be omitted and that men make no reckening nor conscience of them But in obseruing the Ceremonies and in thinking to deserue at Gods hand for so doing there is yet a further matter namely that we renounce or giue ouer the thing that is purchaced for vs by the death and passion of the sonne of God our Lorde Iesus Christ whâ—â—e hath discharged vs of all dettes due vnto God hys father Not to gyue vs libertie to do euill but too the ende wee shoulde flee vnto him alone when wee haue done amisse If we find ourselues to haue transgressed Gods lawe and that our owne conscience vpbraydeth vs there is none other remedie for vs but to put ourselues into the hands of our Lord Iesus Christ that we may bee quit before God and washed from all our spottes by the merit of his death and passion and by the sheading of his bloud To be short Sainct Paule sheweth heere that men runne astray when they seeke meanes of saluation any where else than in Iesus Christ in somuch that they become forlorne and vtterly past recouerie Now then seeing that God hath sette vs foorth but only one way of saluation they that turne aside from that do cast themselues wilfully into destruction and Satan reigneth ouer them for their vnthankfulnesse sake in despising the inestimable benefyte that God offered them VVhat a bountifulnesse is it that God calleth and allureth vs too hys fauoure and loue notwithstanding that we be his deadly foes Againe seeing he appoynteth not the Angells to bee our mediators but voutsaueth to ioyne himselfe vnto vs in the persone of his only sonne if we be so miserable that that will not suffise vs but wee will needs of a diuelish couetousnesse seeke other meanes is it not a shaking off of our Lorde Iesus Christ â–ª Then let vs learne that too profit well in the Gospell wee must forsake all that is contrary to the trust whych we ought to haue in our Lord Iesus Christ and sticke wholly to his ryghtuousnsse too seeke all perfection in hym Let that serue for one poynt Also therewithall let vs looke well to ourselues for sometimes we shall thinke we commit but some small and light fault in swaruing asyde but in the end we shall wonder how God hath giuen vs head so as wee shall bee vtterly strayed from him And that is the cause why so feaw holde out to the end For men doo easly beare wyth themselues vnder the foresayde pretence bearing themselues in hand that it is nothing and so euery man giueth him selfe libertie But God punisheth such rechlesnesse giueth vs ouer to it so as Satan carieth vs away VVherefore let vs walke in feare and warenesse â–ª and when â—od hath once gyuen vs the grace to tast of his Gospell let vs indeuer too bee confirmed in it day by day let vs beware in any wise that wee step not asyde from it and let euery of vs bee watchfull in that behalfe least wee make a deadly fall when we thinke wee do but trippe finally let vs keepe the way that our Lorde Iesus Christe teacheth vs. It is true that though wee swarue aside yet he will pitie vs as wee see by experience For hee must bee fayne too rayse vs vp agayne not three or foure tymes in our whole lyfe but a hundred tymes euery day For wee bee fickle and neuer leaue reeling too and fro Neuerthelesse let vs not tempte him nor so harden ourselues that the Diuell leade vs away or draw vs one way or other but let vs labour too make the seede of lyfe auaylable in vs seeing that God wyll haue vs too yeelde foorth frute too hys honor in all our thoughtes wordes and deedes Let vs beware that wee indeuour ourselues heerevntoo Nowe heerevpon Sainct Paule addeth that hee woulde fayne haue the Galathians fashion themselues lyke vnto hym bycause that hee on hys side laboureth to apply hymselfe vntoo them It shoulde seeme that thys saying differeth farre from that whyche wee hearde euen nowe for it was as a stroke of some tempest or thunderclap when he sayde I am afrayde least I haue lost my laboure vppon you I will let you alone like folke past amendmente It greeued hym too see that the doctrine whyche hee had preached was so ill receiued and nowe hee vseth a gentle and freendly manner of speeche To bryng them backe agayne vntoo hym hee calleth them breethren and afterwarde protesteth that hee desireth to ioyne wyth them and too frame hymselfe to them as much as is possible for hym seekyng nothyng but that they shoulde yeelde the like vntoo hym And heerein we see what measurablenesse they ought to keepe which haue the charge to preach Gods word that is to witte they must not foade mens faults by flatterie but rebuke them sharply to the intent that such as are beguiled by SataÌ„s illusioÌ„s may bee wakened as it were scared at Gods iudgemeÌ„ts For wheÌ„ meÌ„ are giueÌ„ to any euill they lye weltering in it still vnlesse they be plucked out of it as it were by force Yea aâ—â— it greeueth and spiteth them if they be wrung by the eare too hard or if they bee made to scratch where it did not itch as the coÌ„mon prouerb sayth The more then that men beare with themselues the lesse are their faultes to be spared for else it were a betraying of them That is the cause why S. Paule vsed so great vehemencie in saying that hee was sore afrayde least hee had lost his labour and there leaueth the Galathians as it were in despayre But yet for all this hee intendeth to cheere them vp agayne that they may come to repentaunce And so hee seasoneth hys sharpenesse with sweetenesse and sheweth that the gate is still open for them if they will submitte themselues vnto God Thus yee see twoo things that are requisyte when wee will haue our exhortations too bee profitable The first is that there bee a liuelynesse in vs too pricke foorth suche as haue done amisse that they may bee throughly touched with the knowledge of theyr synnes and mourne and bee sorie for them before God for if they haue not that sorynesse they will neuer yeelde to followe God True it is that to outwarde syght menne may well alter theyr lewde dispositions but howe soeuer they pretende they shall styll bee full of stubbornnesse and malice till they be ashamed of themselues and feele what they haue deserued So then the true preparatiue too repentaunce is to be pricked so neerely as wee may feele the euill that is in vs and condemne our selues for it yea and that wee bee full of anguishe finding no rest till God haue receyued vs to mercie But yet
Beholde I Paule doo tell you that if yee be circumcised Christ shall profite you nothing at all 3 And agayne I protest to euery man that is circuÌ„cised that he is bounde to keepe the vvhole lavve WE haue seene heeretofore that to haue a state of continuance in the Churche wee muste bee grounded vpon our Lord Iesus Christ For many doo boast themselues to be Gods children who notwithstanding are not begotten of the true seede which maketh the differeÌ„ce wherby God auoweth and acknowledgeth vs for his children Therfore if we wil be truly knit to our Lord Iesus Christ we must hold fast the doctrine of the Gospell that he as our heade and mediator may ioyne vs to God his father Therwithall I haue declared that the cause why S. Paul speaketh so of boÌ„d free seed is for that they which seeke their righteousnesse in their owne vertues do alienate theÌ„selues froÌ„ our lord Iesus Christ froÌ„ his grace For by that meanes they bind theÌ„selues to an impossibilitie that is to say to satisfie God in keeping his coÌ„maundements But there is such weaknes in vs as none of vs is able to perform the least point of the law and therfore much lesse can we attaine to the perfectioÌ„ that is shewed vs heere And for that cause S. Paul coÌ„cludeth now â–ª that we must stand fast in the freedome which our Lord Iesus Christ hath purchased for vs. It is certayn that he treateth heere of the ceremonies of the law but yet must we always resort to the welhead and cheefe poynt For if the matter concerned no further than the keeping of a holyday or the forbearing of some kinde of meate it were not of so great weighâ— that suche strife should bee moued for it in the Church But Sainct Paule pored not vppon a matter so slight and of so small importance He had an eye to the doctrine he considered that if meÌ„ should be tyde to do this thing or that thing of necessitie it were an excluding of them from the hope of saluation For if I must needes performe a thing vnder peine of deadly sinne then if I fayle I am become a transgresser and there is no shift for me bycause God is my iudge and I must be fayne to come too account and there is no meanes to redeeme me Now it is certaine that al of vs are subiect to the keeping of the law but yet notwithstanding there is a remedie for it which is to runne vnto our Lord Iesus Christ in all our needes who was made subiect to the law to purchace vs freedome and bare our curse to discharge vs of it Now if any necessitie be layd vpon vs againe too say that the doing of this or that is sinne then cannot our Lord Iesus Christ stand vs in any more stead as I sayde afore by reason whereof we must needes bee plunged in our owne cursednesse without any manner of releefe Therefore it is not without cause that Sainct Paule exhorteth the Galathians to hold their owne and not too suffer themselues to be brought into bondage For by that meanes he faith that they shall be bereft of inestimable benefyte euen so farre foorth as they shall be falne quite away from Gods grace or fauour and vtterly separated from our Lord Iesus Christ in whome lieth all our welfare and happinesse Now that wee may the better conceiue S. Paules meening and also reape the frute that is offered vs in thys text Let vs marke that by this word Libertie oâ— freedome it is meant that we may walke with full confidence before God and that hee will alwayes be fauorable so that although wee bee giltie of many offences yet we shall be quit of them for our Lord Iesus Christes sake and moreouer that it is not in mans power to bridle vs or too hold vs in bondage but that it ought to suffise vs to yeld ourselues obedient vnto God howbeit not after a slauish and constreyned fashion but as children yeeld themselues subiect too their father knowing well that their father will not handle them roughly Thus ye see what is meant by the worde libertie or freedome whiche S. Paule vseth Neuerthelesse to the end that this shortnesse bee not darksome I will declare it more aâ—â—â—ge So long as we be in doubt whither God do loue vs or hate vs there will always bee trouble and vnquietnesse in our consciences and we shall be as it were locked vp in prison So then there will be no freedome in our mindes till we know and be throughly perswaded that God is at one wyth vs and that he receiueth vs into his fauoure grace though we be not worthy of it But it is impossible for vs to haue any certeintie of it except we haue our quittance alwayes before our eyes which was made vs in the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Chryste VVhy so For as I said afore we be indetted vnto God many wais yea infinite wayes For we be bouÌ„d to keepe the law and we breake it a hundred times a day yea euen or euer we thinke of it Again we offend euen in grosse faultes But howsoeuer we deale we cannot assure ourselues of Gods loue vnlesse wee bee discharged againste him of the obligation of euerlasting death wherein we staÌ„d bound Now we atteine that benefyte when we be perswaded by the Gospel that the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ was shed to wash away al our spottes and that his death is a sufficient sacrifise too appease Gods wrath and to wipe out the remembrance of al our offences iniquities Ye see then that the way to set vs free is to know that God receiueth vs to mercie for our Lord Iesus Christs sake that our faults sins shal not hinder vs to find fauor alwais in his sight or to haue familiar accesse vnto him as children haue vntoo theyr fathers SecoÌ„dly we must not be wauering too fro to make coÌ„science of euery thing that meÌ„ deuise of their owne heads but walke stedfastly according to gods word knowing moreouer that our coÌ„scieÌ„ces are free that whither men coÌ„mand or forbid any thing it is nothing to vs I meene as in respect of the spirituall regiment of our soules For we talke not heere of ciuil policie nor of the common life of men but of our saluation So then all things ought too bee free vntoo vs when they bee not forbidden vs by Gods owne mouth Yet is it not ynough that we haue Gods word for our guide without mingling any thing at all with it but as I haue touched alreadye we must therewithall know that God accepteth our affection when he seeth vs willing to obey him and that although there be much faultinesse and ouer many infirmities in vs and that we come halting vnto him and 〈◊〉 that all that euer wee doo were trifling toyes if he listed to examin them with rigorâ— yet neuerthelesse he taketh al in good woorth And
why For he beareth with vs as a father with his childrē That therfore is the freedom wherein we must stand except we wil be separated frō our lord Iesus Christ For as I haue sayd alreadie if we beleeue not assuredly that God loueth vs though we be vnworthie of it and that his louing of vs is bycause our sinnes are buryed by the death and passion of oure Lord Iesus Christ what will become of vs what shal Iesus Christe boote vs Ageyn if we be in doubt and vnquietnesse not knowing whether God accept our seruice or no and therwithall be bounde to the keeping of this or that at mennes appoyntment the intangling of our selues in so many debatyngs will neuer suffer vs too haue any rest Neyther is it without cause that Saint Paule hauing exhorted the faythfull to continue in the freedome that was purchased them so dearly addeth that Iesus Christe shall not profite them at all vnlesse they know the thing that he hath purchased for them and suffer not themselues to be in any wise bereft of it by men Nowe we see heere that the freedome which Sainct Paule speaketh of is not to giue vs leaue to doo what we our selues thinke good as though he layd the reynes of the brydle vpon our necke and that will he also protest in place conuenient Then intendeth he none other thing than that we might serue God quietly without greef of mind without constreint and without any continuall tormenting of our selues with diuersitie of debatings doubtfull scruples as wee see the vnbeleeuers do namely such as haue not their trust wholly settled vpon our Lord Iesus Christ Therfore besides that which hath bin sayd alredie we haue to mark further that the end of that freedome is too bee able too carie a cheerfull and quiet minde before God For without that wee shall neuer haue the hart to obey him but wee shall alwayes bee in trouble and not bee able too call vppon hym which is the cheefe seruice that he demaundeth and alloweth of VVe see thē that this matter concerneth the cheef point of oure welfare if it bee well vnderstoode VVhen wee speake now a dayes of Christen libertie the Papistes say wee go aboute too abolishe all the ordinances and traditions of the Churche and that we passe not what commeth 〈◊〉 so euery man may liue as he listeth to eate flesh on all dayes alike without let and to despise all other such ordinances But their saying so is bycause they neuer knew that it is no obeying of God vnlesse it be done with an vnconstreyned will For let the Papistes be throughly sifted all the packe of them yea euen the deuoutest of them and it is certayne that they chafe vppon the bitte when they tyre and ouerlabour themselues most to serue God For all that euer they do is but vnwillingly and if they could plucke their heads out of the collar they would full fayne do it Furthermore when they haue toyled after that fashion in their fond deuotions they beare themselues in hand that God ought to like well of it And if a man tell them that they cannot do any thyng that God shoulde accept and furthermore that although their works were good yet they deserue not aught before hym ye shall see them spew out their poyson as they do and fall to blaspheming of God vnlesse yee beleeue them that they be able to worke wonders by their owne merites Howsoeuer the cace stand they are neuer able to know and to tast what it is to obey God For why they vnderstand not what it is too bee quiet namely that it is an vnconstreyned offering of their dooings vnto God with a free hart and an assuring of themselues that he accepteth the same euen bycause he handleth them gently and beareth with them as with his children The Papists know not this and therefore it is not too be wondered at though they thinke it straunge that we should striue for that freedome for they wote not what it meeneth But yet doth not Sainct Paule speake it without cause and by those words we see how precious that libertie is and that it is not a thing to be despised For Iesus Christ did not iest in hys death and passion when he offered vp himselfe vnto God hys father but wrought a worke that in excellencie and worthinesse passeth the creation of heauen and earth Now if Sainct Paule bring in this libertie for an excellent frute purchaced to vs by the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ it must needes followe that it is a high and precious thyng And to the intent wee may conceyue what the nature and power of it is wee must learne too gather in ourselues vnto God when wee bee spoken to of it As for example if we be commanded or enioyned of necessitie too do such a thing or such a thing very well the doing thereof too the worldward hindereth not our freedome before God for the thynges that concerne common policie may bee bidden or forbidden bycause that otherwise they might turne too the hurt of the common weale or else such things may be expedient and thē must one of vs serue anothers turne in common Therefore let vs haue a regard of the things that concerne the policie bycause it behoueth vs to be knit and vnited togither and to haue suche an onement among vs that euery of vs serue his neighbours turne and none of vs be addicted to himselfe But when the cace concerneth the spirituall libertie then must euery of vs draw home into himselfe too consider the nature and propertie thereof Euery of vs say I must draw home himselfe as it were before God For our account is too be made to the heauenly iudge and therefore it behoueth vs too enter into ourselues to say thus How may I present my self before Gods iudgement seate If my life come to be tried by the lawe wo worth me For I am giltie after so many sorts yea euen withoute number that if I should suffer a Million of deaths it were too little for the offences that I haue committed Neuerthelesse God will be fauourable to me and take me to mercy for our Lord Iesus Christs sake and when I resort to him I may come with my head bolt vpright as hauing my quits est and cleere discharge which was gyuen me in the sacrifise that he offered vp for vs bycause that therein hee hath made full satisfaction for me and set me at full libertie Marke this for one point that I must serue God and it is good reason that I should dedicate my life vnto him But at which end shall I begin I cannot bring such perfection as is requisite no nor the hundreth part of it Yet for all that God beareth with me and ceasseth not to take the things in good worth which are vnperfect and weake yea sinful too And why doth he so Bycause he admitteth me as one of his children for our Lord
Iesus Christs sake After thys manner say I must we come before God if wee will conceyue and vnderstand the frute of this libertie or freedome that Sainct Paule treateth of Now whereas he addeth that wee shoulde not wrappe ourselues agayne in the yoke of bondage thereby he sheweth that before we be come to the faith of the Gospell and do know what benefyte is brought vs by the death and passion of the sonne of God wee bee all hild in streyt bondes like prisoners and haue not any freedome or libertie at all And in very deede were it not that Iesus Christ maketh intercession and is a meane betweene God hys father and vs it is certaine that our mindes should be in continual torment and vnquietnesse For there is none of vs all but he is conuicted to be more than giltie and therfore we should needes stand at a stay as drowned in dispaire till we were succoured by our Lord Iesus Christ and knew that God will be fauorable to vs thervpō could find peace and assurance to call vppon him as knowing that Iesus Christ wil be there aforehand On the otherside if we knowe not that God hath so receiued vs into his fauor as he is contented with our willingnesse to obey him and with our comming towards him though it be with infirmitie we see yet another halter that serueth to hang vs withall But yet so is it with all vnbeleeuers S. Paul therfore doth purposely warne vs that vntill such time as the Gospell haue taught vs that God loueth vs and of his own free goodnesse taketh vs as his children and moreouer wil not haue vs to be ouertroden by mens tyrannie and specially that he deliuereth vs from the bond and rigor of the Law we are all of vs drowned in bondage and that when Iesus Christ hath once set vs free it behoueth vs to maynteine well such a benefite Now let vs come to the reason that he addeth Verily sayth he I Paule yea euen I do tell you if you bee circumcised Iesus Christ shall profite you nothing at all ▪ It is a very sore saying that circumcision should cut men off in such wyse as they should haue no part in the saluation that is purchaced for vs by our Lord Iesus Christ But first of all wee must marke that when as S. Paule speaketh heere of Circumcision he looketh not at the thing in it selfe but vntoo the ende of it bycause the deceyuers that had peruerted the purenesse of the Gospell among the Galathians made them beleeue that they ought too bee circumcised too the ende too keepe the Lawe Sainct Paule standeth vpon that poynt and sayth that if wee doo so constreyne and bynd our selues before God or enter intoo suche couenant with him Iesus Christ shall profite vs nothing at all And this is well worth the noting For when as wee nowadayes doo say that is a hellishe Tyrannie for men to commaund the keeping of a thing vnder pein of deadly sin or to forbid a thing bicause them selues like not of it as the commaundement of keeping the Lent or the shiruing of mens sinnes once a yeare if we striue against such things the Papistes as I said cast foorthe their desperate rage without considering of the cause that moueth constreineth vs to stand vpon that poynt and ground For why they looke no further than to the outward thing But it behoueth vs to go further For when the Papistes command a thing vnder paine of deadly sin it is a bynding of vs in such wyse as we may not haue Gods fauor but vpon condition of dooing our duetie in that poynt And he that shall haue so done his dutie he I say shall haue as it were bound God vnto him yea truely after the diuelish opinion that reigneth in poperie which is that wee must earne grace by our own deserts and also that we must pacify Gods wrath and wype out the rememberance of our sinnes and offences by making amendes VVherby it appeereth well that if wee can so discharge our selues then is Iesus Christ made vnauailable too vs and he shal profit vs nothing at all For why Iesus Christ cannot be our rightuousnesse except we seeke the forgiuenesse of our sinnes in the sacrifize of his death therwithal be wel assured that God is our father to the end wee may call vpon him with quiet consciences bycause he hath adopted vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ It is true that the deceyuers which had beguyled the Galathians could well haue found in their hart that Iesus Christ shoulde haue bin acknowledged and called the Sauiour of the world And they did so mingle the law with the Gospel as yet notwithstāding Iesus Christ should haue had his titles still But they made a coparcinerie that mē on their side should deserue that by that meanes God shuld bee appeased As if they had sayde that Iesus Christ supplyed mens wants howbeit after such a sort as the wretched consciences were alwayes out of quiet The lyke dealing is at thys day in the Papacie And the Pope with all the rable of his Clergie differ nothing at all from the cousiners ageynste whom Sainct Paule incountereth heere sauing that those cousiners did put foorth theyr owne inuentions and would haue had them too preuayle vnder the shadowe and authoritie of Moyses Lawe They then ageinste whom Sainct Paule disputeth sayd we must keepe still Circumcision we must needes be circumcised still And to what purpose to the ende wee may discharge ourselues towardes God and bee accepted at his hand for doing of our duetie VVhereto then shall Iesus Chryste serue He shall serue for to fill vp a voyde roome for hee is not vtterly vnprofitable but when men haue so discharged and cleered themselues then if there bee any want Iesus Chryste shall supply that After that manner did those Cousiners speake whiche were Sainct Paules aduersarie partie And what sayes the Pope Hee sayth that in sted of the Ceremoniall lawe of Moses wee must keepe his ordinances and the thyngs that are decreed by Councelles or by thys man or that man and that the same byndeth vs vppon peyne of deadly sinne so that if we offende God wee must make him amendes for it by our owne satisfactions and not by the things that God hath commaunded For the amendes that we must make is not any of the thynges appoynted by Gods lawe but an addition of an ouerplus of oure owne deuice besydes and so are wee discharged to Godwarde and God must needes take it a woorth VVee see then that the Pope holdeth the same diuelish foundation whiche those Cousiners laboured too bring in Howbeit that thys is yet woorse that whereas they inforced the law of Moses whiche ought too beare some sway the Pope bringeth in his owne inuentions and the forgeries of his owne brayne But contrariwise Sainct Paule sayth that Iesus Christ shall profyte vs nothyng at all when we wil needes indent with God after
Money or for some Lande an vmper may so qualifie the matter on eyther side as peace shall soone bee made betwixt them But if we graunt Gods enimies their owne asking specially to the preiudice of him that will haue his owne right throughly maynteyned as good reason is that it shoulde bee what a thing is that So much the more then behoueth it vs too marke well this lesson where Saint Paule telleth vs that to serue God we must not shun neither trouble nor vexation nor repinings nor reproches nor any thing else insomuch that if it stande vpon the hazarding of our life we must go through with it And though there be great frailtie in vs yet let vs consider that God calleth vs vnto him and that he is able to remedie al our weaknesse and to giue vs sufficient strēgth to holde out to the vttermost Howsoeuer the cace stande seeing hee imployeth vs in his seruice vs I say which are nothing of oure selues we must not dishonour him so much as to make him subiect to mens lustes Thus ye see what wee haue to consider in the first place Furthermore we bee warned therewithall to suspectall suche as seeke their owne aduauntage and profite and all suche as disguise themselues rowing betweene two streames and falsifying Gods pure truthe at euerie turne too please men withall For as I haue tolde you alreadie we must prepare our selues to many battels if we minde to serue God simplie And we must call to minde this sentence where Saint Paule sayde that if his minde were too please men hee must of necessitie forsake the seruice of our Lorde Iesus Christ his maister For as I haue tolde you before the diuell will not ceasse to make warre vppon vs on all sydes and againe men are naturally disposed therevnto euerie man coueteth to bee soothed and vphilde and to haue all his vyces cloked To be short there is none but he desireth too bee foded and mainteyned in hys rechlesnesse And therefore if wee will bee freendes with men too frame our selues vntoo their willes and desires Iesus Christ can haue no more maystership ouer vs and wee shall not onely become vnprofitable for him but also vtter peruerters of all Nowe therefore when wee see that these which pretende great zealousnesse of christian religion doo seeke their owne profite let vs hardily conclude that they deserue not to haue any authoritie Of which sort are they whiche nowadayes keepe a barking to mainteyne popish abuses and ceasse not to slaunder 〈◊〉 doctrine of the Gospell but labour to bring it in discredite with the blinde and ignorant and yet notwithstanding what is it that the most part of them doo seeke Some to maintaine themselues in their estate with their red hattes horned cappes and crosses Others runne after them like houndes in a chace and these poore storuelings plie them apace that they may haue their wages Besides this all that euer is done of these pelting hypocrites and of all the whole stinging and stinking rable of shauelings what pretence so euer they make tendeth too none other end but to haue their dishes alwayes ful so that all their fighting is but for their bellie Also there are a great number of Neuters which are contented to haue the Gospell preached by halues but to go too it with so great rygour and seueritie ô say they it is no reason at all for the worlde cannot awaye with it And why should not men passe much for Ceremonies say they Although they sprung of superstitions and abuses yet shoulde wee not go too worke so roughly for that were too importunate dealing All they then which cannot abyde too haue the filthie dregges and corruptions of Poperie cutte off to the quicke do certainly ame at none other marke than too eschue persecution and too shrinke awaye from it And woulde God that examples of it were not too ryfe But nowadayes ye shall see an infinite number of such as would be ashamed to withstande the Gospell in all respects consent well ynough with vs to say In deede it is true but yet many things had neede to be borne withall and we had neede to go to it with gentlenesse and modestie And what moueth them to this VVhat foundation haue they See I pray you what they alledge O say they wee see fires kindled euerie where and what a thing were it too moue yet further troubles that shoulde make them greater It should seeme that we bee bent of set purpose to prouoke those that are alreadie enemies to the Gospell and haue the sworde in theyr hande and are able to rende all vp by the roote were it not better too beare with things awhile till God had giuen some rest too his Church It is certaine therefore that such folke as desire too make truce with those that fight openly against our Lord Iesus Christ are ful of treason And so see ye the second warning that is to be marked vpon this text Furthermore whe◠〈◊〉 S. Paule sayeth that the stumbling blocke of the Crosse shall be done away he meeneth that the world shall no more be so prouoked to refuse the doctrine of the Gospel for when we preach Iesus Christ crucified simply without any mixture that doth he purposely name the preaching of the Crosse Now the worlde woulde alwayes fayne haue solemnities and first of all wee see that many mennes eares itche and they desire nothing but that men shoulde flourish in Rhetorike and painted speach and such other like things Again we see that many are ashamed of the simplicitie of the Gospell bicause that if the great and small shoulde bee coupled togither it might seeme that it tendeth too the pulling downe of all highnesse And shoulde menne bee spoyled and robbed after that maner of all theyr glorie thinke they Manie therefore are ashamed of that Nowe for this cause Sainct Paule sayeth Go too it is the preaching of a Gibet or Gallowes It is true for to the intent to open vnto vs the Kingdome of heauen the sonne of God was fayne to suffer our curse and to indure that death which is so slaunderous before men yea and to be cursed of Gods owne mouth according to the saying of the Lawe Cursed is hee that hangeth on tree Then was our Lorde Iesus Christ faine to come to that poynt that hee might be our borrow To be short hee was as good as ouerwhelmed And we see howe the Prophete Esay sayth of him that he was disfigured like a poore Lazerman so as men vouchsafed not to looke vppon him or to count him in the number of men Also wee see howe the .xxij. Psalme sayth I am a worme and not a man I am a mockingstocke euen to the rascallest sort insomuch that the theefe did scorne him and scoffe at him VVell then at the first sight this doctrine seemeth vnworthie to be receyued But wee must bethinke vs what Saint Paule sayth in another text that is to wit
that the world knew not God in true wisedome and therfore he was fayne to vse another fashion of teaching which is by foolishnesse For were wee throughly wise as wee woulde bee taken too bee wee haue as good an instruction as can bee in beholding the skies and the earth VVe see there a mirrour wherin god sheweth vs his infinit goodnesse power rightuousnesse mercie and wisedome And so wee see there the great treasures of Gods wisdome which ought 〈◊〉 rauish our wittes to wonder at it But who fareth the better by it Nay contrarywise wee see men cobble vp Gods benefites and fill their panches with them without any thinking vppon him at all and not onely that but also to kicke agaynst him that hath pampered them And when they weene too do God seruice they plucke away the honor that belongeth to him and set vp Idols after their owne fancie Seing then that the world hath not knowne God in true wisedome and by the order of nature God was fayne to trie another way as he did For if we iudge after our naturall wit it is a kind of starke folly to say that the sonne of God the heade of the Angelles the Lorde of glorie the welspring of life the persone to whome all maiestie belongeth was not onely made a mortall man and clothed with our state but also vtterly abased as Sainct Paule sayth in the seconde too the Philippians yea and became subiect too our curse and bare the name of sinne which is more VVhen a man speaketh to vs in such phraze of speech it must needes seeme straunge to vs as it is in deed But we must submit our selues with al lowlinesse and consider that forasmuch as we haue not profited by the things that god hath shewed vs from the beginning both in heauen and earth we must bee fayne to come to this other schole Thus much concerning this streyne where Saint Paule sayth then is the stumblingblocke of the Crosse put away But to be short we must gather vpon this Text that if there be any absurditie in the Gospel according to our vnderstanding the same must not make it out of taste with vs but we must cōsider that God intendeth to trie our obedience by sending vs to the death of of our Lorde Iesus Christ and that there we see as it were the gulfe of hell seeing that the sonne of God is there to beare our condemnation and is become our suretie there to pay all our dettes Againe let vs consider further that from death there was a goodly passage vnto glorie which appeared in his resurrection For the Sonne of God hauing suffered through infirmitie that is to say according to the ordinance of God his father and according to his owne good will also wherby he consented to submit himselfe to such bondage and hauing suffered in such wise that hee ouercame death by the power of his holy spirite he obteyned such a victorie as all knees must nowe bow before him and he hath a name aboue all names and men muste knowe that all the Maiestie of God appeared and shone forth in his person Thus yee see that wee neede not to bee ashamed of the Gospell And aboue all things let vs holde faste that which Saint Paule in the first to the Romaines calleth the power of God to the saluation of all beleeuers Then as for the worldlings and such as are swolne with pryde and ouerweening like Toades let them despize the Gospell as much as they list and let them perish in their owne cursednesse and in the meane while let vs with all humblenesse of fayth imbrace the sonne of God who offereth himselfe to vs of purpose to lift vs vp to the glorie of the kingdom of heauen But heere is yet more namely that Saint Paule matcheth Stumbling and the preaching of the Gospel togither as things inseparable It is true that wee must eschue all stumblingblockes as much as is possible for wo be to him by whom stumblingblockes come But yet muste Iesus Christ raigne and haue his full scope though all the whole worlde shoulde stumble at him The woorde Stumblingblocke importeth a stoppe hinderance or let as if there were a rough and stonie way that had some thornes and bushes or some other comberances in it the same were a meanes too make men stumble Nowe it were to be wished that Iesus Christ might go on freely and that all the worlde would receyue him and that nothing might stoppe the preaching of the Gospell from the one ende of the worlde to the other I say we ought to wishe it as much as in vs is Howbeeit let vs learne that God intendeth to trye the obedientnesse of our fayth by giuing Satan the brydle who casteth many stumblingblockes and cumberances in our wayes Too bee short our Lorde Iesus Christ is not without cause called a stone to stumble at and a stoppe for all men too dashe agaynst and by that meanes too breake their neckes And in the ende as it is sayde in Saint Luke they must be crushed by that stone for it is to hard for their stubbornnesse And this is verie much for our behoofe For we see many men so nice that if men agree not to the Gospell out of hande they thinke themselues quite and cleane discharged and set free before God from mainteining the quarel or cace any longer If all Kings and Princes had caused it to be proclaimed by the sound of a trumpet that there shoulde 〈◊〉 no more fighting agaynst Gods truth euerie man woulde make countenance too bee of the same minde But nowadayes ye shall see great crueltie tyrannie spytefulnesse manacing and such other like things Again ye shall see that the most part of the enemies are as greedie woolues that desire to deuour all and seeke to shed innocent bloud to the intent that they may haue their goodes Othersome haue a frentike zeale insomuch that they woulde fayne haue the name of God cleane wyped out and the doctrine of the Gospell vtterly quenched VVhen men see this ô say they I will not meddle with it VVhat Shall I bring all the world in my toppe Is it not manifest that they which haue tasted this doctrine are but a handfull of men and that all others are enemies too them or else they doo reiect them or laugh them to scorne or at leastwyse beare a poysoned and malicious heart agaynst them Yee see then that verie fewe are so strong as too beare out the stumblingblockes of the Gospell when they see as it were logges cast in theyr way and that Iesus Christ is hyndered by Satan and by the practises of his vnderlings O say they wee muste needes backe againe Yea and what a number are too bee seene at thys day whiche will say that this doctrine bringeth store of stumblingblockes Againe see I praye you what diuersitie of opinions it hathe say they Beholde such a one speaketh thus and such a one
euery thing neuer beeing resolued of any one poynt Of which sort also are the Papists who haue an infinite number of doubts among them And no maruell at all for they knowe not too what master they must yeeld their account Euery of them talkes according to the disposition of his owne brayne one sayes to my seeming such a thing would be good another sayes Lo this my deuotion telleth me and the third says it were good yet that this or that were doone more Now when they be once entred into suche a maze at length they fall to doubting whether they may kembe their heades or no and make a scrupulousnesse with whiche finger they shoulde feede themselues and of euery thing else To bee short there is neyther ende nor measure of their fondnesse VVhen S. Paule intendeth to shew what it is to be wrapped in mens traditions he saith that wheÌ„ they haue once forbidden too eate flesh anone after they forbid to tast it and when they haue forbiddeÌ„ to tast it soone after they forbid to touch it Yee see then that the way for vs to maynteyne the libertie that is purchased for vs by the death passion of our lord Iesus Christ is first too knowe in what wise God will bee serued and honored to the ende wee be not tossed with so many scruples of conscience for want of discerning what is good or euill but determine fully and certenly with our selues to follow Gods word assuring our selues also that in so dooing wee can not doo amisse And secondly to serue one anothers turne that none of vs bee so addicted to his owne selfe as to ouermate his fellowes but bee so gentle kindharted as euery of vs haue an eye wherin he may aduauntage or succor his neybour absteyning froÌ„ all offence giuing so as it be not sayd I care not for suche a one or for suche a one I passe not whether he sinke or swim but that for as much as our Lorde Iesus Christ hath linked vs â—â—gither too bee members of his Churche wee holde fast the sayde doctrine that is too witte first that God be honored and serued among vs as he commaundeth and secondly that wee agree in suche wise togither as wee labour through meeknesse to matche our selues one with another and to serue one anothers turne notwithstanding that wee be free still to Godwarde as in respect of our consciences And now let vs fall down before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to make vs so too feele them as it may humble vs before hym and drawe vs too true repentance and wee go forwarde therin more and more groning continually vnder the burthen of our sinne till wee be quite clensed and vtterly ridded of it And that it may please the same good God to beare with vs and not to handle vs so rigorously as he could doo but to guide vs in suche wise by his holy spirite as he may both forgiue and forget our sinnes till we be fully clensed froÌ„ them That it may please him to graunt this grace not only to vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth c. The. 35. Sermon which is the fifth vpon the fifth Chapter 14 For all the Lavve is fulfilled in one vvorde vvhich is this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy self 15 If yee bite and deuour one another bevvare that yee be not consumed one of another 16 But I say vnto you vvalke after the spirite and yee shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 17 Surely the flesh lusteth contrarie too the spirite and the spirite contrarie to the flesh For these things are one agaynst another so as yee can not do all things as yee vvould 18 But and if yee be led by the spirite then are yee not vnder the Lavve WE see that Moyses intending to bring the lawe into a summe to the ende wee might knowe what was taught vs and tolde vs sayth that God will be loued of vs as good reason it is that we should first sticke vnto him be knit vnto him and afterward that there should be such a bonde of friendship among our selues as we might bee knit togither as members of one bodie And our Lord Iesus Christ also sayth that that is the thing wherby his disciples may be knowen shewing therin that he brought not vp any doctrine contrarie to that which god had always giuen to the people of olde time And for that cause S. Paule sayth now that the fulfilling of the lawe consisteth in this worde that we loue our neibours Not that God ought in the meane while to be forgotten as I haue tolde you heeretofore for it is good reason that hee should be set formost and bee preferred before all his creatures in so muche that for his sake wee ought to forget euen our father and mother our wife and children and all that euer is in this world Neuerthelesse to loue God and to loue our neibours in their degree are not things contrarie For when euery man walketh in charitie thereby he sheweth the loue that he beareth to his God according also as I haue declared And that is the cause why I stande no longer vpon these poynts To be short if wee be giuen to our selues it is a token that wee know not what it is to cary Gods yoke for that is the thing whervnto our own nature driueth vs. Now as we shal see anone men are wholly inclined to all euil therwithal they giue the bridle to all their lusts they make war agaynst God al their whole life is nothing else but a rebellion which sheweth that the diuell doth so possesse al our affectioÌ„s that God can not way with vs til we haue beateÌ„ down al that is of our own nature Now then we know that he which loueth his neibours seeketh not his owne nor is giueÌ„ to himself That therfore is a true certeÌ„ profe that we be desirous to obey God to rule our life according to his word Also our Lord Iesus Christ beginneth at the same poynt wheÌ„ he intendeth to shew briefly what his doctrine is It is saith he a learning to renounce or forsake ourselues For so long as we followe our own trace we must needes go ful coÌ„trary to Gods wil. So then it is not without cause that S. Paule saith in this text that the whole law coÌ„sisteth in this poynt that we loue our neibours But it behoueth vs to mark that by this word neibour God meeneth not our kinsfolk friends at whose haÌ„ds we hope for some profite or aduantage or which haue deserued some recoÌ„pence at our hands but he wil haue vs to haue an eye to the coÌ„mon aliance which he hath set amoÌ„g vs. Therfore we be al formed after his image we beare his mark Besides this we be al of one nature that ought to hold vs in true vnitie brotherhod But many
downe into the worlde nor what grace he imparteth vnto vs by his Gospell they knowe not neyther what fayth nor what prayer is and yet for all that they will needes haue leaue to doo what they liste and that folke should lay the bridle looce in their necke Of these wylde Christians there are tootoo many nowe a dayes In the meane while the doctrine of God is blamed by their meanes For the enimies of the truthe vpbrayde vs with all suche as are loose liuers now a dayes and say that the same springeth of our preaching For this cause S. Paule hath answered his aduersaries and also armed and fenced vs to answere them to the ende to stoppe the mouthes of all raylers and of all suche as doo falsly slander the doctrine of the Gospell First of all therfore when the wicked sort say that we giue an inordinate libertie to all suche as seeke nothing but to doo lewdly Let vs looke backe to S. Paule who telleth them that the libertie which we speake of serueth for none but such as are a law to them selues namely through the working of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ But yet notwithstanding this ought to serue for a warning to all suche as imagine a libertie after their owne liking Therefore let them vnderstande that first of all it behoueth them to become members of our Lorde Iesus Christ VVil we then eate quietly without making any 〈…〉 VVill wee bee exempted from all 〈…〉 whiche doo nowe a dayes vexe the simple and ignorant sorte in the Papacie Let vs vnderstande what Iesus Christ is and let vs bee throughly his Let him gouerne vs and let his death and passion shewe their power and effectualnesse in our whole life Thus yee see what we haue to beare in binde in this text And heere S. Paule sheweth agayne that the true perfection of Gods children consisteth in abacing themselues so as they followe not the rule of their owne brayne and affections for wee bee vtterly corrupted Then can wee not bee but rebels agaynst God all the time of our life till wee haue kylled all the sinfulnesse of oure owne nature Marke this for one poynt that our lyfe shall neuer bee framed to the will of God excepte wee bee vtterly chaunged bothe in our thoughts and in our affections Secondly S. Paule sheweth that that can not be done but by communicating with our Lorde Iesus Christ for it is not without cause that he vseth this worde Crucified For thereby he declareth that so long as wee bee separated from our Lorde Iesus Christ and cast off from him and not knit vnto him by fayth our nature will alwayes bring foorth hir owne frutes that is to say nothing but all maner of naughtinesse and vice Thus ye see that first of all Freewill is beaten downe Secondly it is shewed vs that wee can not be partakers of any of Gods giftes nor of his holy spirite but by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christ according as I haue tolde you alreadie that wee must all drawe of his fulnesse for he is the onely fountayne that is able too suffice vs. And if wee seeke neuer so farre aboute elsewhere wee shall finde nothing but drythe and wee shall continue a thirst styll and if wee thinke too fill our selues it will bee but wyndinesse and misweening wherewith wee shall burste and yet not gather any good nourishment or substance Nowe heerevppon Sainct Paule concludeth that if wee liue after the spirite wee shoulde also walke after the spirite And it is a more easie declaration of the thing that I haue touched alreadie It had beene inough too haue auouched that wee can not bee set free but by crucifying all oure wicked lustes howe bee it for as 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Hypocrisie is so great that they doo alwayes finde â—â—aâ—ting holes and 〈…〉 man would bee esteemed as an Angell though his life bee out of order therefore Sainct Paule intended for a confirmation too adde this saying â–ª that if wee liue after the spirite wee must therewithall walke after the spirite As if hee should say that it is not inough for men too protest them selues to haue Gods spirite dwelling in their heart but they muste shewe that he is there for he is not idle Therfore if a man will discerne whether Gods spirit dwell in vs or no he must come to our works and to our life and according as our conuersation is so may he see what we be and what is within vs and giue iudgement by our outwarde workes that are apparant As for example if one would beare mee in hande that a blocke were a liuing a man too see too It stirreth neyther head nor foote thrust at it and shoue at it and yet there appeareth no lyfe in it and shall he then make mee beleeue that a peece of stone remoueth from place too place or hath any power in it or is a creature that hath a soule Euen so is it with those that boast them selues to be spirituall For although the vnbeleeuers and enimies of God be aliue as in respect of the body yet are they dead in respect of the heauenly life bicause their soule is vtterly corrupted but wee liue to Godwarde through the grace of his holy spirite And if this grace be in vs it can not bee idle as I sayde afore And that is the cause why S. Paul sayth that our conuersation will shewe whether we liue in the spirite or no. The worde walke is very rife in the holy scripture when the whole ordering of our life is mentioned neuerthelesse heere is not onely walking The worde that S. Paul vseth importeth more that is to wit too walke orderly as if he should say that we must frame our selues to the thing that is conformable too the will of God and of his holy spirite and that our life must bee so well ruled as it maye bee knowen that God gouerneth vs in deede and that our Lorde Iesus Christ holdeth vs too him selfe as the members of his body and that he hath truly witnessed that he dwelleth in vs by his holy spirite Therefore at a worde this thing muste needes bee knowen Nowe to bee shorte S. Paule ment heere to bewray the hypocrisie of all suche as make fayre protestation with their mouthe and woulde haue men to beleeue wonderous well of their zeale and yet in all their whole lyfe doo shew 〈…〉 at all too come neere God nor any 〈◊〉 of hys worde All such folke then are heere condemned of lying and vnfaythfulnesse And therefore that wee may discerne which are Gods children let vs come to the examining of our liues True it is as I haue touched heeretofore that sometimes the ignorant wretches and suche as neuer had any instruction in the Lawe shall haue some apparance of vertue But if a man sounde them throughly he shall finde it is but a shadowe and that they bee not well bent eyther too loue their neibours or to walke
that which S. Paule tolde vs heretofore that is to wit to beware that wee deceyue not our selues wilfully when we would shew our selues hardie and bolde in correcting rebuking and amending one man or other Let vs not bee so foolish as to iustifie our selues by comparison as who should say that God ought to hold himselfe contented with our rebuking of others after that maner and for that there is some shewe of vertue in vs. Let vs not stay vpon any of these things as is told vs vs heere but let vs marke also by the way that whereas it is sayde that euery man shal beare his own burthen we haue right great need of our Lord Iesus Christs helpe and that he should take all our burthens vpon him according as in very deed hee hath borne all our sinnes vpon the crosse as sayth S. Peter in his first Epistle True it is that the matter which S. Paule handleth here is none other than the same that I haue declared alreadie that is to wit that we must not imagin that men are able to warrant vs for the rightuousest man aliue is combered ynough with himself And furthermore that if our Lord had not regard to hold vs vp wee shoulde be oppressed vnder our burthen Yet notwithstanding euery man must answer for himselfe and Gods word must haue the maistrie as I said afore Thus ye see what S. Paule intended to tell vs. But yet further let vs thinke a little vpon our selues If euery man should be faine to beare his own burthen who were able to indure it VVe should needes be borne downe For if a man had but some one sinne in him behold hel were readie too swallowe him vp Surely the weight of one sinne is heauier than a stone that were able to crush all our limmes and bones a peeces Nowe it is no talking of any one nor of a hundred the multitude of them is infinite How then shall we stande in iudgement before God when he bringeth vs to account VVho can say that hee commeth franke and free To be short we see that if there were not a remedie in the matter that S. Paule telleth vs heere we shouâ—◠〈…〉 we must repayre to our Lorde Iesus Christ for it is hee that hath borne all our burthens as I haue alledged alreadie Truly the redeeming of vs did cost him deere and if we seeke heauen and earth throughout for the price of a ransome we shall not finde any other than him that is able too pacifie God Then had we neuer bin sanctified except the sonne of God had giuen himselfe for vs. And in very deed the prophete Esay sheweth how hee bare our burthens Namely that he felt the paynes of death and that the father was faine to wreake himselfe vpon him as though hee had bin an offender and giltie of all the sinnes of the worlde Now therefore we must resort vnto him according also as he allureth vs to him And by the way if any man alledge that here seemeth to be some contrarietie considering how Saint Paule saith that euery man shall beare his owne burthen the answere thereto is easie VVhen the Scripture speaketh too vs of Gods iustice it sayth that euery man shall bee recompenced according to his owne workes After which maner Saint Paule speaketh in the .xiiij. to the Romanes According as euerie man shall haue walked in his conuersation in this world sayeth he and according as hee shall haue wrought in his bodie so must he receyue his rewarde That is the order which the scripture keepeth in speaking of Gods iustice Yea but in the meane while it excludeth not the remedie that is giuen vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ whereby men are succoured Lo how God succoureth his elect and such as hee hath reserued too saluation that is to wit after he hath chastized them he reacheth them his hande and lyfteth them vp againe when hee hathe cast them downe And truly we shoulde not knowe of what value the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ is neyther coulde wee taste of it neyther coulde wee euer bee partakers of it vnlesse wee were vtterly confounded in our selues Therefore let vs learne to feele our burthen in such wise as too bowe vnder it as hathe bin declared this morning and let the same leade vs too true humilitie And afterwarde when wee haue felt the burthen more than wee are able too beare let vs repayre too oure Lorde Iesus Christ who promiseth too ease vs so wee seeke oure whole rest in hym So then wee see that Gods grace is not excluded when hys iustice is spoken of For it standeth vs in 〈…〉 â—â—ayes too his mercie VVhereas it is sayde that hee whiche shall haue beene a cruell and mercilesse persone shall haue iustice withoute mercie thereby Saint Iames dooth vs too vnderstande that oure Lorde hath his iudgement against the wicked and the reprobates to recompende them according to their misdeedes and againe that he measureth his owne otherwise that is to wit that after he hath condemned them in themselues and made them to feele their diseases thereby to bring them to true lowlinesse then he setteth them vp againe Then must we first be striken downe with Gods hande and afterwarde be lifted vp againe by his gracious promises in that hee telleth vs that in our Lorde Iesus Christ wee shall find all that wee want Thus ye see in summe after what maner we must practize this text namely that in admonishing our neighbours with a gentle and meeld spirit and being also humble mâ—ke our selues without presuming any thing vpon our selues wee must examin well our owne liues so as we may dayly bewayle our sinnes and be sorie for them to the ende that we be no more deceyued with hipocrisie but labor to withdraw our selues from the worlde to the intent we surmize not that we shall scape Gods iudgement by our shiftes So then let vs beare all these things in minde that we may submit our selues to the pure worde of God And whatsoeuer men do to turne vs away from it let vs not suffer our selues too be seduced And for the bringing hereof to passe let vs flee to our Lorde Iesus Christ knowing that howe desirous so euer we bee to giue our selues wholly to the seruing of God yet wee be so ouerloden with sinnes and imperfections that they were able to sinke vs downe to the bottome of hell if wee had not one to holde vs backe that is to wit our Lorde Iesus Christ who hath borne all our sinnes and set vs vtterly free from them too the intent wee might hereafter come before God with our faces vpright Now let vs acknowledge our sinnes with such humilitie as euerie of vs may confesse yea euen vnfeynedly that we are all forlorne and paste hope except this oure good God haue pitie vppon vs praying him neuerthelesse too make the fruite and vertue of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ
S. Paule say that for as muche as he had setled his glory in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ he had quite forsaken and giuen ouer the worlde Nowe by the worlde he meaneth all that is delightsome to the fleshe as when men think neyther vpon God nor vpon the lyfe of heauen so as one is giuen to couetousnesse another to ambition and euery man is driuen by his owne naturall sway and there is not any that passeth further than this world VVhen men followe their owne swinge and God hath not yet touched them with his holy spirite to draw them too him surely although they doo all fling ouer the feelds and runne astray yet is there great diuersitie in their affections so that if the matter come to triall one drawes one way and another another way cleane contrarie and to be short men seeme to differ quite cleane one from another But yet they be all alike in one thing that 〈◊〉 wit that they would aduaunce thēselues to the worldwarde that they be giuen to their owne priuate profite or pleasures At a worde they be so intangled here that they could find in their harts too be separated from God But S. Paule sayth that when wee shall haue set all our glory in our Lorde Iesus Christ knowing that by the meanes of his Crosse he hath dedicated vs vnto his father and purchaced vs the kingdome of heauen then it will be easie for vs to withdraw our selues from the world and to be as it were cut off from it And why For it is certayne that whosoeuer hath bin touched and wounded to the quicke with the feeling of his sinnes will so pursue the grace that hath bin giuen him in our lord Iesus Christ as the world shall be nothing with him And in good sooth wee shew that al the spirituall benefites which God offreth vs whervnto the calleth vs are as things of nothing vnto vs in that wee esteeme them not in comparison of the trumperie and inticements of Satan VVhat is this world if a man view it in it selfe There is no man but he seeth howe frayle our life is and howe it is but as a smoke that passeth and vanisheth away and yet wee see men frye still in their affections and howe they bee vtterly caried away and rauished with them God on his side crieth out Ye wretched folk ye be more destitute of wit than little children For ye buzie your heads about mooneshine in the water and about pelting trifles wherein there is nothing but foolishnesse ye be wholly wedded vnto thē and yet in the meane season whē I offer you perfect happinesse ye make none account of it all is one to you Yee see then that the cause why we be so cold negligent now a dayes in receiuing the benefites which God offreth vs by his Gospel is for that the world hath gotten the possession of vs aforehand and on the other part we also do set too much store by the world And why do we so Bicause we know not the inestimable benefites that God offereth vs. Therefore let vs ioyne these two togither that is to wit that we be crucified to the world and the world to vs bicause we haue our glory in our Lord Iesus Christ crucified But this is easier to be sayd than to be doone and therfore euery man must strayne himselfe in his owne behalfe when he vnderstādeth this lesson he must put it in practise For if we couet to be taken auowed for Christians before God his Anger 's we must be conformabl◠〈◊〉 the holy Ghost in the thing that he setteth down here And in very deede if we were not too farre ouerseene wee haue occasion of it inough as hath bin said afore For they that doo but only enter into themselues to consider what they be and what their state is so long as they be separated frō Iesus Christ must needs be scared with the feling of gods wrath which they haue deserued whē they perceiue thēselues to be plūged in such cursednesse that it were much better for thē if the earth had swallowed thē vp a hundred times than to haue liued in that plight but one day being in the meane while enimies to their God frō whose hands they can not scape Therefore let vs lerne to looke to our selues Such as intend to deck thēselues to the worldward specially women will looke in a glasse that shal be done with as much curiositie warenesse as may be But in the meane while we looke not vpō our selues to spie our own wāts and filthinesse to the end we might humble our selues truly before God seeke our glory where it is to be had Now it is certen that he which knoweth his own reproch shame wil seeke to come to the remedie of it at leastwise of Gods spirite worke liuely in vs that we be not sotted by Satā as I haue said afore Let vs lerne let vs lerne to looke vpō ourselues both without feining without flattery And whē we shall haue knowē our own wāts miseries let vs resort to our lord Iesus Christ And forasmuch as al loftinesse statelinesse vaunting must be beaten down by meanes of the Crosse Let vs be truly crucified to the world and let the world also be nothing vnto vs. Now whereas S. Paule sayth that the world was crucified to him he to the world it is true that he meeneth another thing than playn crucifying For therby he intended to shew yet more strongly how we may renounce the world and be separated frō it namely by beeing crucified to ourselues as in respect of the world that is to say by mortifying al the lusts that fight one against another within vs haue too much force inflame vs al wholly like a burning fire cast vs heere there bicause wee see that the son of God was fayne to suffer so reprochful a death for vs. VVho would now make his triumphes braueries in the world when he seeth that he which is the head of the Angels vnto whō belōg all maiestie glory dominiō 〈◊〉 hāged vpō tree made accursed abhominable for vs Thus ye see by what meanes al our lusts may be mortified and the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ worke so in our hearts as our lusts may be no more so ticklishe as they haue bin And that is for one poynt Agayne the world must be crucified vnto vs. As howe By esteeming all worldly thinges as chaffe and corruption according as in very deede there is not any thing in them whiche is not corruptible in comparison of the spirituall benefites whiche Iesus Christe hathe brought vs and whiche wee inioy by this meanes For in very deede all worldly things are corruptible And moreouer what else are all the things whiche men couet so sore and so vehemently that they bee vtterly intangled in them but snares
shewed it in another Epistle heretofore where he sayth that he had bin often whipped that he had bin once stoned that he had bin cast in prison that he had suffered hunger thirst and finally that he had bin as an outcast and forlorne person True it is that such reprochfull things would bee shunned to the worldward But S. Paule saith that they be much better than all the honor and pompe that could be deuised to be done vnto him and that he caryeth those markes to the end that men should not stop him of his course nor hinder him of discharging his duetie Now then wee see how S. Paules meaning is first that if we bee Christians and 〈◊〉 true Church of God we must keepe this order namely that we bee vnited togither or that wee bee all as one And howe is that Not euery man after his owne fancie as wee see some doo who beyng of a froward minde cannot possibly frame themselues to others but will needes keepe alone by themselues like shrewde horses and it were too bee wished that there were Hermitages and Cloysters for such maner of people when they will not by any meanes ioyne with the order of the Churche Therefore when they doo so separate themselues from the companie of the faithfull through their owne pryde they must bee made the Diuelles Hermites and Cloysterers But howsoeuer the worlde go men see why they bee so hidden namely bycause the Diuell holdeth and possesseth them and their desire is nothing else but too haue I wote not what a separation too turne quyte and cleane away from God But Sainct Paule telleth vs that the rule which wee must go by is this namely that we make Iesus Christ our shooteanker laboring too fashion our selues lyke vnto him so that whensoeuer he speakes wee may yeeld our selues too his saying and euery of vs keepe his order and afterward that wee help one another For wee may well brag of perfection and of this and that but if wee indeuer not too further the buylding vp of the spirituall temple surely wee shall still serue Satan and bee as slaues vnder his tyrannie Therefore let vs learne to haue one conformitie among vs tending all togither too our Lorde Iesus Christ And furthermore let such as haue stoutnesse and coÌ„stancie to walke in Gods Lawe defie all these Cockerelles that mount vp in pryde after that fashion too bring in this or that For Iesus Christ will alwayes knowe his owne markes That is too say although wee bee despyzed too the worldward yet shall wee alwayes bee auowed too bee Gods children And therefore let vs go on forewarde still and let such as would stoppe vs be sure that God will beate them down as wee haue seene heeretofore Yea and it is good reason that they should bee scattered and confounded sith they breake the vnitie of the Churche and for asmuch as they will not imploy their seruice according too their abilitie too the furtherance of the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ Gâ—rt muste needes ouerthrowe them how glorious or prydefull so euer they bee Thus yee see what we haue too gather vppon this text if wee minde too continue in the inioying and possession of the benefites that haue bin purchaced for vs so deerely by the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ and are still dayly offered vs by the Gospell And now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faults praying him that wee may bee so wounded with them as they may make vs too bewayle them and too craue forgiuenesse of them and also too reforme them in such wise by true repentance as wee may fight manfully agaynst all the vyces and corruptions of our fleshe till he haue ridde vs quyte and cleane of them all too clothe vs agayne with his owne rightuousnesse And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. Thus ende the Sermons of Mayster Iohn Caluin vppon the Epistle of S. Paule too the Galathians All prayse glorie honour and thankes bee only vntoo God through his Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ Amen The prayer which M. Iohn Caluin made ordinarily before the beginning of his Sermons LEt vs call vppon our good God and father praying him too vouchsafe too turne away his face from the great number of faultes and offences wherby we ceasse not to prouoke his wrath agaynst vs and forasmuch as wee bee too too vnworthie to appeare before his maiestie it may please him to loke vpon vs in the countenance of his welbeloued sonne oâ— Lorde Iesus Christ accepting the desert of his death and passion for a full recompence of all 〈◊〉 sinnes that by meanes thereof he may like well of vs and vouchsafe to inlighten vs by his spirite in the vnderstanding of his word and graunt vs the 〈◊〉 to receyue the same in true feare and humilitie so as we may be taught thereby to put our trust in him to serue and honour him by glorifying his holy name in all our life and to yeelde him the loue and obedience which faythfull seruants owe to their maisters and children too their fathers seeing it hath pleased him too call vs to the number of his seruants and children And let vs pray vnto him as our good maister hath taught vs too pray saying Our father which art c. The Prayer that Maister Iohn Caluin made ordinarily before the beginning of his Sermons LEt vs fall downe before the face of our good God c. Here he addeth as the matter treated of in his Sermon giueth him occasion too require at Gods hande and bicause the same chaungeth almost in euerie Sermon it cannot here be specified That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth bringing backe all poore ignorant soules from the miserable bondage of errour and darcknesse to the right way of saluation for the doing whereof it may please him to rayse vp true and faythfull ministers of his worde that seeke not their owne profite and vainglorie but onely the aduauncement of his holy name and the welfare of his flocke and contrariwise roote out all sects errours and heresies which are seeds of trouble and diuision among his people too the ende we may liue in good brotherly concorde all togither and that it may please him to guide with his holy spirite all kings princes and magistrates that haue the rule of the sworde to the end that their raigning be not by couetousnesse crueltie tyrannie or any other euill and disordered affection but in all iustice and vprightnesse and that wee also liuing vnder them may yeelde them their due honour and obedience that by the meane of good peace and quietnesse we may serue God in all holinesse and honestieÌ„ and that it may please him to comfort all afflicted persons whom he visitâ—â— after diuers maners with crâ—â—es and tribulations all people â—â—om