and in the meane whyle bee nigardly in our harts and haue no zele at all so as all is doone but for fashyons sake surely wee vnhallowe Gods name in so dooing And euen for the same did he say by his Prophet Esay that such as came neere him only with their lippes were farre of from him in their harts Therfore let vs mark well how it is sayd heere that too sing Gods prayses the hart must go before and as yee would say make a thundering within For it is the cheef melodie that can bee and therin wee agree with the Angels of heauen For if the mouth speake alone surely it is but flat mockerie And although men allow of vs for it yit dooth God refuze our paying of him with such coyne that is too say with follies and things of nothing Notwithstanding when wee shall haue bin zelous in the praysing of God aâ—d he can well bee our iudge and witnesse that wee lay open our harts before him then must wee also doo â—ur dewtie towards our neyghbours that euery man may be incoraged and tolled foreward by our example And heere wee see first of all how little account is made of God now adayes For all the countenance that men make of singing his prayses is but a howling and yelling It is one of the grossest abuses in papistrie that they think that God ought too hold him self well apayd when they haue barked at their parchment as they say But in so dooing the holy scripture is vnhalowed torne in peeces yea and vtterly falsifyed Howsoeuer the cace stand there is nother aduyzednesse wit nor vnderstanding in their dooings for it is ynough with them that the throte hath yelled it out aloud Yea and euen among vs too it is certein that such as pretend to set foorth Gods prayses doo commonly seeke nothing but too glorifye themselues by it and keepe backe the principall in making countenance too pay God some peece of their arreerages Agein let vs consider how cold and sâ—ender this exercyze of talking one too another in songs hymnes and prayses of God is among vs For hardly can one woord bee wroong out of vs that may edify Leaud talk can by no meanes bee banished froÌ„ vs all the world shall heare vs sing vnchaste and ribauldly songs and such things cannot be plucked out of mens mynds But then ought this matter too bee rayzed out of the holy scripture Howsoeuer the cace stand if men pardon themselues they shall answer for it before God according too the sentence that Saint Paule pronounceth heere by the authorie of God and by the power of his holy spirit And by the way let vs marke that his touching of three woordes heere togither which import all one thing is not for nought It is too shewe that wee shal haue ynough wherwith too interteyne one another if wee acknowledge the sâ—ndrie benefytes that God hath bestowed vppon vs as becommeth vs If varietie delyght men let vs consider how manie wayes God layeth foorth the treâ—sures of his goodnesse toowardes vs Looke how many there bee of them so many 〈◊〉 are there and if wee had a hundreed melodyes too delyght vs in all the things that wee occupye our selues about it were nothing in comparison of the inestimable diuersitie of benefites which wee receyue at Gods hande Saint Paule therefore hath heere corâ—ected our vnthankfulnesse by adding these dyuers wooâ—dâ—s too shew that it must needes bee that wee bee too dull if wee bee not moued when our Lord stirreth vs vp so many wayes seeing wee cannot set our mynd vntoo any thing but his benefytes must needes come in our syght For the same cause also he addeth Yeelding alvvayes thankes As if he sayd that if wee were well aduyzed the continuall repeting of Gods prayses and the harping vppon them should neuer greeue vs nor weery vs And why Seeing that God continueth his benefyting of vs is it not reason that there should bee an answerablenesse on our part too hold out in dooing him honour for his good turnes Dooth any one day passe wherein wee receyue not at the least a hundred good turnes at Gods hand Now is it meete that wee should thinke that when wee haue thanked him a twyce or thryce for the greate number of benefytes which we receyue of him al our lyfe long we haue leyzure to occupy our selues otherwyse euer after When as our Lord renueth and refresheth the rememberance of his goodnesse were it not meet that wee should bee moued by it Therefore it behoueth vs alwayes too marke well this saying whereby Saint Paule declareth that wee bee tootoo vnmyndfull of God if wee bee not prouoked too acknowledge his benefytes from yeere too yeere from mooneth too mooneth from day too day and from houre too houre and too yeeld him the sacrifyze that he requyreth of vs which is that wee shoulde protest our selues too bee wholy at his will too bee beholden too him for all good things and that it is impossible for vs too performe the hundreth part of our dewtie according as wee heare how Dauid sayeth What recompence shall I yeeld vntoo the Lord for all the goood that he hath doone mee I will receyue the cup of saluation and call vppon his name And in the fortith Psalme he sayeth expresly that the order which God keepeth in gouerning vs is so woonderfull a thing as it passeth the heares of our heades in number insomuch that wee must needes bee amazed at it And therefore seeing wee cannot come at the infinite goodnesse of God though we indeuer too apply all our wittes thereuntoo al leastwyse let vs ame toowardes it And lyke as wee see that God is neuer werie of shewing himâ—elfe liber all towardes vs but floweth continually as a founteyne yea euen by so many streames as are able too satiâ—fie vs in all things let vs also shewe continually without ceassing how much we be bound 〈◊〉 beholden to so good and kynd harted a father And he addeth yit further that vvee must thanke God for all things Whereby he dooth vs too wit that men are too blockish in that they consider not how many wayes God allureth and spurreth them notwithstanding the slothfulnesse that is in them As if he should say my freendes considering how much wee bee bound vntoo God both in respect of our bodyes and in respect of our soules can wee comprehend it No it is not possible for wee haue too small and narrowe a wit. And when wee haue after a sort comprehended Gods benefytes yit haue wee not tung too expresse nothing neere how much wee bee bound vntoo him So then of whom is it long that wee bee so cold that as soone as wee haue spoken but one woord wee thinke it is ynough and that we bee discharged till another tyme and returne too it agein as slowely as may bee whereof commeth such slacknesse Euen of our shetting of our eyes Although God shewe vs by all meanes
wee must marke well how it is sayd in the eyght Psalme that God hath care of all thinges yea euen vntoo the sheepe too the byrdes of the ayre and too the fishes of the sea Too bee short al creatures are put vnder his feete And too what end For the holy Ghost ment too drawe vs therby as litle babes and to shew that the spiritual benefites which wee ought too haue in greatest estimation are communicated too vs by our Lord Iesus Christ. His saying then is that wee might not eate one byt of bread saue in respect that wee bee members of Iesus christ For it is all one as if he intended too traine vs vp higher by an Apcie in as much as all thinges are giuen too our Lord Iesus Christ with condition that if wee bee members of his body in deede al things that he hath doo belong vntoo vs and that if wee separate not our selues from him he wyl hereafter make vs partakers of farre higher and excellenter goodes that is too wit that we shal be named Gods chyldren and bee taken so too bee and become the temples of his holy Ghost And what a thing is that What a thing is it that wee may come freely vntoo hym and cal vppon hym boldly as our father What a thing is it too bee inriched ageine with the giftes that wee were bereft of by the sinne of Adam What a thing is it too bee matched in felowship with the Angels in stead of being vnder the tyrannie of Satan and vnder the thraldome of sinne Howe can wee haue these so high and noble thinges sith wee can not clayme so much as a morsel of bread as our owne without theft sauyng in that wee be members of our Lord Iesus Christ. Now then wee see whereat S. Paule amed in saying that all things are made subiect too our Lorde Iesus Christ. So then let vs learne now too giue God thankes in the name of his onely sonne our lord Iesus Christ whom he hath sent not onely too feede and nourishe our bodyes but also too bee foode too our soules that they may lyue euerlastingly And by that meane let vs learne too inure our selues to acknowledge that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath wherwith too succour al our necessities Then if the diuell make so violent assault vpon vs as we may be afrayde of vtter quayling let vs vnderstand that our lord Iesus Christ hath an inuincible fortresse wherwith too defend vs ageinst hym and armyes wherewith too make vs inuincible in al battels Therfore when wee bee weake let vs resort too his strength when wee want any grace let vs desyre him too giue vs what he thinketh necessary when our enemyes play the mad beastes and it seemeth that wee shoulde be quite and cleane swallowed vp as it were in gulfes let vs beseech our lord Iesus Christ too hold vs vnder his protection and too hold Satan as it were chayned with al his vpholders so as he suffer vs not too be ouercomme of of them Yee see then how all thinges were made subiect to our lord Iesus Christ not for his owne vse for what neede had he of them but for our sakes too the end he should giue vs what soeuer he knoweth too bee for our behoofe and that wee also shoulde learne too seeke all thinges at his hand and that when he seeth our enemyes haue the aduantage of vs he should represse them as he wel can Furthermore wheras S. Paule sayeth heere that he was ordeyned head in the Church or ouer the Church in all thinges it is a continuing in his matter too bring vs wholly too Iesus christ As if he should say It is trew that Gods gracious giftes are delt abrode yea and that the Angelles and mortall men also may bee ministers of them vntoo vs but yit howsoeuer the cace stand we must alwayes resort too the welhead The veynes that are dispersed throughout the whole bodie may well giue strength too euery part for they bee as it were the Cunditpypes of the blud but yit howsoeuer the world go the brayne must alwayes be the welspring of lyfe It is wel to be seen that in a tree the sap is spred throughout and yit notwithstading albeeit that the roote ascende not vp too giue nurrishment too euery braunche and leafe all the nurrishment commeth of the roote And if any man woold say that the whole tree is maynteyned alyue by any one braūch the cleane contrary is seene It is trew that a great bough may well giue nurrishment to the braunches and twigges that are about it but is it meete that that should preiudice the roote therfore No surely no more than the members of a mans body ought too preiudice the heade ▪ though euery member doo his dewty Here S. Paule sayeth that our Lord Iesus Christ was giuen to the Churche to be hir heade aboue all thinges as if he should say it behoueth vs all too resort vntoo him In this cace ther is nother S. Paule nor S. Peter nor the virgin Mary nor S. Michaell that haue ought of their owne For they are all needie hungery sauing so farforth as Iesus Christ filleth them therfore al of thē as well che great as the small must be fayne to draw out of his plentie And that is the cause why that in the selfsame text which I alledged out of the first to the Colossians S. Paule sayeth it pleased God the father that all plentie or fulnesse should dwell in him For the tytle of Head is not alonely a style of fleeting honour but it serueth too expresse the power of our Lord Iesus Christ so much the better Therefore lyke as a naturall head not onely hath superioritie and preeminence aboue the whole body but also yeeldeth nurrishment too the whole and keepeth the man alyue euen so is it betweene our Lord Iesus Christ and vs in so much that all should go to wrecke if wee depended not vppon him Although say I it seeme that wee haue receiued ryght excellent giftes at Gods hande already yit notwithstanding all is but wynde and smoke vnlesse wee holde out in the vnion of our Lord Iesus Christ. Herewithall it behoueth vs too note also that inasmuch as Christ is called a heade it is meete that all others should obey him and that wee should yeelde vntoo his doctrine that he may rule all things as the head ruleth all the rest of a mannes body For the feete go and the handes stirre and too bee short there is no part which is not willing and forewarde too doo whatsoeuer the head shall appoynt it The lyke must bee doone in the Church Iesus Christ must rule and all men must quietly obey him And so we haue too marke in this text first that our saluation dooth so depend vppon Iesus Christ that there are nother Angells nor men how holy soeuer they bee which haue not neede too receyue at his hand the thinges that they want in themselues
offended That therefore is the order which Saint Paule keepeth too bring vs too charitie and too maynteyne vs in it for it is the whole summe of this Lesson Too bee Gods children say I we must loue one another be knit toogither in good agreement that peace may bee maynteyned among vs And how is that possible too bee For euery man is too much medded too himself Agein their myndes are as farre differing as may bee Their manners and conditions also are differing Too bee short wee haue infinite causes too put vs away and too cut vs of from all company And surely if euery man let himselfe looce Charitie shall neuer take place but bee banished farre from vs What is too bee doone then Wee must first rid away all scornfulnesse and pryde as is sayd afore and afterward bee clenzed from bitternesse and frowardnesse so as wee fall not too bee cholerike and testie but euery man brydle himself and subdew his owne affections But this cannot bee doone except wee bee gentle and kynd harted namely bycause wee bee creatures fashyoned after the image of God and knit togither with an vnseperable bond Yit would not all this suffize vntyll wee haue learned too knowe our owne infirmities and that euery of vs bee angrie with himself bycause he seeth that he hath neede too bee quickned vp and that there bee many vyces in himself of the same sort that are in his neyghbours and that therefore wee haue neede of this bond too hold vs fast togither which will then bee doone when wee bee mercifull and pitifull Now if common courtesie ought too moue vs too succour such as are in necessitie it ought also too bee of force too reconcyle vs. For when our Lord Iesus exhorteth vs too bee merciful it is not only too the intent wee should releeue the hungry and thirsty with meat and drinke or help vp a man agein that is falne in decay or that wee should succour euery man according too our owne abilitie and the parties neede our Lord Iesus intendeth not that alone Trew it is that all things are comprehended therein but he will haue vs specially too shewe mercie in forgiuing the faultes that are committed and not too bee so extreme as too shake of those vtterly which are not altoogither too bee commended or in whom wee spye many vyces In deede wee ought not too flatter one another for trew freendship will not beare that bycause it would bee but a foading of vs too our owne destruction If a man bee a freend too another and suffer him to ouer come himself with meate and drinke so as in the end he killeth himself is it too be sayd that his flattering of him after that manner and his foading of all his foolish appetytes is freendship No So then if wee see a poore man at the poynt too throw himself headlong intoo destruction wee doo well shew our selues too bee rather traytors than freendes too him if wee indeuer not too plucke him backe The compassion therefore whereuntoo our Lord Iesus exhorteth vs is not a rocking of vs asleep in our infirmities through flatterie but a holding of our selues in measure and a tempering of our rigour in such wyse as oyle may alwayes bee mingled with our vineger as they say That is in effett the thing whertoo Saint Paule ment too bring vs For although euery man doo his best too bee pitiful so as he may shew no ouer greate rigour towards his neyghbours yit is it as contrarie too our nature as any thing can bee For as I haue sayd alredye this selfloue of ours dooth so blynd vs that wee make the least scapes in the world too bee heynous sinnes and offences vnpardonable By meanes wherof if any man anger vs too our seeming his fault ought not in any wyse too bee forgiuen So then mercifulnesse shall neuer bee found in men vnlesse they fyght it out too the vttermost ageinst their owne affections As for single teaching it wil not boote in that behalf Wee haue this Churlishnesse so deeply rooted in our harts that if wee bee told of our dewtie it dooth but half moue vs For this cause Saint Paule setteth Gods example afore vs heere who hath forgiuen vs in his only sonne And immediatly therunto he addeth our Lord Iesus Christe who spared not him self for our redemption and saluation The thing then that can breake all hardnesse in vs the thing that can mortifye all our excessiue passions the thing that can reclayme all our crueltie pull downe all our pryde and loftinesse and sweeten all our bitternesse is to haue an eye too Gods behauing of himselfe towardes vs. Nowe he hath loued the world so well that he hath giuen his only sonne too death for our sakes If we compare our selues with God what a distance is there betwixt vs So then the greatest wrongs that wee can possibly imagin too bee doone vntoo vs are nothing in comparison of the least fault that wee commit ageinst god For a man cannot deuyze to break Gods will neuer so little but the same is an incountering of his souerein dominion a violating of his maiestie and an ouerthrowing of his ryghtuousnesse which are thinges too precious too bee abuzed What lyke thing is too bee found in man can it bee sayd that if one haue misuzed vs it ought too bee esteemed as if a man had infringed Gods ryghtuousnesse Now then wee haue iust cause too condemne our selues vntill wee serue God as wee ought too doo And who dooeth that Wee bee enemyes too him aforehand euen from our moothers womb and as wee growe in age so growe wee continually without ceassing in naughtinesse in all sinfulnesse and in all vnryghtuousnesse And yit for all that God hath not forborne too looke mercifully vppon vs insomuch that the more wretched we were the more hath he vttered his infinite mercie in sending vs his only sonne Now if wee consider this ought not all pryde too bee layd downe all bitternesse asswaged all rebelliousenesse tamed all spytefulnesse rid out of our harts and all vntruthe put away Yis verily What is the cause then that wee bee so wayward and that when heate hath once caryed vs away wee ceasse not euen too spurre foreward our selues and that wee doo so easly enter intoo contention and stryfe that all the house where we bee must ring of vs What is the cause hereof Euen our owne vnthankfulnesse for that wee think not vppon Gods incomprehensible goodnesse towards vs in that he hath not spared his only sonne notwithstanding that wee were his deadlie enemyes notwithstanding that wee were at warre with him notwithstanding that wee were cursed alredy of nature bycause of the corruption that is in vs But yit notwithstanding all this as I sayd afore it is vnpossible that wee should taste of Gods mercie except wee bee touched with compassion and haue our harts rid cleane of that cursed affection of reuendge So then albeeit that
hypocrisie but also vtterly past shame when wee fashion not our selues lyke vntoo God and yit will needes bee hild and taken for his children Trew it is that too bee so fashyoned lyke vntoo God and too resemble him so fully as one man commeth neere vntoo another is vnpossible but yit must wee not bee out of hart for all that And soothly wee must call too mynd how the scripture sayeth that if wee go on too Godward although wee bee farre of from the marke that wee ame at yit dooth he accept that willingnesse of ours when wee keepe our way and indeuer continually too go on forwarde styll Although wee bee slowe and weake and although wee trip and stumble yit God imputeth none of those faultes vntoo vs when wee bee desyrous too fashyon our selues lyke too him When wee shoote at that marke although wee bee farre short or wyde of it yit dooth God take it in good woorth as I sayd And that ought too giue vs corage For if wee should bee dryuen too fashyon our selues lyke vntoo God poynt by poynt in all respectes alas how could it bee doone For euen the very Angels notwithstanding that there bee nothing but holinesse in them and that Gods glorie shyne foorth in them are yit farre short from the perfection that is in god Aâ—d what are wee then which bee so corrupted and marred which haue such abundance of naughtinesse and which are so plucked back and turned away by so many vyces and temptations which Satan trumpeth in our way yit haue wee this too reioyce of that our Lord beareth with vs and accepteth all our dooings in good part so wee keepe on toowardes him That is the manner of following him which is commaunded vs heere Trew it is that wee must not in the meane whyle fall asleepe and say as many doo I would fayne be lyke vntoo God and then doo but wring their mouth at it but wee must consider euery day and euery houre that wee haue ill profited in the trew rule of fashyoning our selues lyke vntoo God and theruppon condemne our selues for it and thinke thus I had some good will yisterday how is it increaced since nothing at all but rather to my seeming it is become colder After that maner must we quickeÌ„ vp our selues fyght ageinst the things that hinder vs that wee may indeuer too go styll foreward and too come neerer and neerer too our marke from whence wee bee yit so farre of But howsoeuer wee fare yit wil not our Lord fayle too esteeme vs alwayes too bee lyke him and too bee trew followers of him if wee willingly and without hipocrisy forgiue them that haue offended ageinst vs at leastwyse after his example who hath giuen vs a pardon that is farre greater than all the pardons that can bee gotten at our handes so as wee beare with the vyces and infirmities of our neyghbours as wee see that he hath borne with vs For he myght iustly sinke vs downe too the bottom of hell and yit he forbeareth not too adopt vs for his children Seeing then that he loueth vs after such a sort notwithstanding all the vnworthinesse that is in vs It is good reason that wee should resemble him in so dooing And although wee had no better prerogatiue than our naturall birth yit ought wee too knowe that God hath not separated vs asunder Euen the wretched Paynims had some vnderstanding heereof For they sayd that mans lyfe is too tend vnto God and too bee fashyoned lyke vntoo his image and that the same is also the full perfection of all happinesse And agein they added that wee cannot resemble God better in any thing than in vsing gentlenesse one towardes another and in dooing good and in being pitifull So then let vs consider that in asmuch as God hath made vs his welbeloued children vs I say which were his enemyes and had nothing but filthinesse in vs and were clogged with so many vyces that we were woorthie too bee lothed of him and yit he hath not letted too loue vs it is good reason that wee should winke at manie things that myght offende vs and hinder our louing of our neyghbours and our holding with them And now Saint Paule hauing spoken of God addeth also the example of our Lord Iesus Christ. The heauenly father loued the world so well that he spared not his only sonne but deliuered him to the death for vs And what did Iesus Christ He forgate himself he regarded not his owne person he that was the Lord of all glorie submitted him self too all reproche He that was the lyfe from the beginnig made him self mortall He that was the power of God the father made him self weake for loue of vs He that had all things in his hand became poore to inriche vs He by whom all things are blissed became subiect too cursing Seing then that oâ—r Lord Iesus Christ abaced him self after that fashyon as Saint Paule also sayeth in another place where he setteth him foorth as an example for vs and in sted of his glorie tooke vppon him al shame and in sted of his ryghtuousnesse became sin not that he offended or had any blemishe or spot in him but as bearing the punishment of our sumes in which respect also the scripture termeth him by the name of sin and agein in sted of lyfe tooke death and voutsafed too bee cursed of God in this world that wee myght haue blissednesse by his meanes when wee think vppon al this ought not all pryde all presumption al feercenesse all scornfulnesse and all bitternesse too be layd away considering the meane wherby our Lord Iesus Christ hath reconcyled vs too God his father So then let vs thinke wel vppon all those things And furthermore too pull vs the more downe and too breake the hard hartednesse whertoo wee bee too much inclyned Saint Paule sayth that he offered a sacrifyze of good sauour vntoo God his father As if he should say my freends had you once well weyed the grace and fauour that is purchaced you by our Lord Iesus Christ you would soone beate backe all the wicked affections which make you to stomack things and yee would fyght ageinst them vntill yee had ouercome them And therfore bee kynd harted in bearing one with another and seeing it hath pleased God too gather vs as it were intoo one flocke and that our Lord Iesus Christ dooeth the dewtie of a shepherd too leade vs toogither shewe your selues too bee as a flocke of sheepe and not as rauening wooles For somuch then as our Lord Iesus disdeyneth vs not in any thing insomuch that he hath made an offering and sacrifyze of his owne person vntoo God his father wherby he hath wyped out all our sinnes let it moue vs and rauish all our wyts to glorifie God and too doo homage too our Lord Iesus Christ as oft as wee thinke vpon it And whereas he sayth that the sacrifize which
for any trubbles impediments lettes or stoppes that can bee layd in our way Now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him too touche vs with such repentance as wee may bee sorie for them and rid them away more and more too the strengthening of vs in his feare and in the keeping of his holy commaundementes and the meane season he beare wyth our infyrmities vntill wee bee quyte and cleane rid of them and make vs too profit from day too day in the doctrine that is too wit in the remission of our sinnes vntyll wee come too the perfection of his rightuousnesse and glory And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father The .xxxvi. Sermon which is the fourth vppon the fifth Chapter 11. Haue not too doo vvith the fruitlesse vvoorkes of darkenesse but rather rebuke them 12. For as for the things vvhich they doo in secret it is a shame euen too name them 13. But all thinges are layd open vvhen they bee rebuked by the lyght for the lyght is it that layes all things open 14. VVherfore he sayth awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ vvillinlyghten thee WEe haue seene this morning that although there bee many things in the world too turne vs away from the seruing of God yit must we not therfore swarue as though that myght serue vs for an excuce For there haue bin stumbling blockes in the world at all tymes but the remedie for them is this doctrine that is too wit that Gods children must stande vppon their gard that they corrupt not themselues by companying with the vâ—beleeuers bycause God hath sholed them asunder And it is not ynough for vs not too bee drunkardes whoremongers theeues or murtherers but wee must also shun all manner of euill wheresoeuer it bee In deede wee ought too begin alwayes at our selues for hipocrites will alwayes spye a mote in their neyghbours eye and yit beare a great stone in their owne without feeling it But if wee will bee ryght and sound Iudges let euery man examine himself and begin there in condemning vyces Let vs consider well whether wee our selues bee faultie or no that wee may first and formest make our owne indytement before God by hating the euyll that is in our selues Howbeeit wee must also shewe therwithall that wee loue God better than the world and not maynteyne our selues in fauour and freendship of the wicked by foading them in their faultes and by flattering them And for that cause S. Paule addeth that wee must rather euen rebuke the woorkes which can bring nothing but vtter cursednesse And this serueth not onely too shewe the zeale which wee haue that God should bee honored but also too withdrawe sillie soules that are in the way too destruction and too bring them backe agein intoo the way of saluation Lo heere twoo causes which ought too moue vs too reproue euill The one is that it must irke vs too see God offended and men prouoke his wrath by ouerthrowing the order that he hath set Seeyng then that God is by that meane despyzed and his woord troden vnder foote it ought too greeue vs according too the Psalme where it is sayd that wee ought too receyue too our selues the reproches that are offered too god Also we ought of dewtie too haue a care of those that are redeemed with the blud of our Lord Iesus Christ. If wee see the soules go too damnation which did cost God so deere and make no reckening of it it is a scorning of the blud of our Lord Iesus Christ. And euen for that cause also dooth S. Paule tell vs that inasmuch as wee bee separated from euill too the intent wee should not be companions of such as despyze God nor in any wise bee lyke them wee must too the vttermost of our power shew that we hate them to the end that they beyng by that meanes ashamed of their leaudnesse may bee touched with repentance If wee haue once profited so farre it shall bee a great gayne too haue drawen backe a wretched soule that was in the way too destruction And after the same maner speaketh Saint Iames of it exhorting vs too doo it saying The thing that you shall gayne by it is that you shall saue a soule from loozing And although men bee hardened in their sinnes yit is it too great purpose for vs too shew the zeale that we haue of honoring God and that his woord should not bee so impeached nor the order broken which he hath set without declaring that the same displeazeth vs For if a man will bee knowen too bee a good and faythfull subiect he will not suffer any man too speake euill of his Prince without setting of himselfe ageinst him Lykewise that chylde shall bee taken for vnkynd and vnhonest which heareth his father wrougfully â—lamed and defaced and maynteyneth not his honour or honestie Now is not God our souerein prince Yis and although wee bee but wretched woormes of the earth and vyle caryons yit dooeth he the honour vntoo vs too adopt vs for his children Now then if wicked and heathenish folk deface his maiestie and darken his ryghtuousnesse yea and indeuer too plucke his dominion from him and wee dissemble at it is it not too excessiue and intollerable a leaudnesse Therfore let vs mark well what is told vs heere For it standeth vs so much the more on hand too mark this text bycause this vyce hath reigned in the world in all ages namely that according as euery man is more or lesse desyrous too be flatttered so dothe he the easâ—yer beare with other men not after the maner which wee haue seene heertofore which is that wee ought too haue compassion of such as are weake and too vse pacience towards them but cleane contrariwyse that is too wit that wee bee contented too feede the euill and too enter continually into a willing confederacie toogither and too the intent that other men should not sift vs too narrowly in our vyces but let vs alone too doo what wee list wee giue euery man leaue too take lyke libertie too him self And that is the cause why all things are out of order now adayes in the world Agein wee bee loth too prouoke any mans displeazure ageinst vs insomuch that we had leuer betray God and too betray our neyghbours bothe bodie and soule than too vse the libertie that Gods spirit commaundeth vs Wee see a wretched man play the naughtipacke let him follow his owne swindge say wee it maks no matter too vs And why for wee wil not discontent him Agein we see othersome peruert all order of Iustice and infect the whole people and countrie And wee passe it ouer easly without speaking ageinst it And why O I will not bring my self in displeasure with a man of authoritie Let some other bodie leade the daunce and I will willingly say Amen too it And if
byndeth vs vntoo And heerin wee see what a statelinesse it is when any man shall say what owe I vntoo you It is trew that men may well vpbrayd one another that they owe them no dewtie but they must step yit further And that is the cause why Saint Paule setteth downe the feare of our Lord Iesus Christ or of god As if he should say If wee were here without a God and that euery man would get alone by him self wee myght well hold scorne one of another and say I passe not for thee Trewly yit were it a greate and intollerable follie too say I passe not for thee For the richest man that can bee deuyzed dooth notwithstanding stand in neede of a hundred folks helpes yea of all mens help Then is it a greate ouer statelinesse too thrust away our neyghbours after that fashyon vnder colour that they can nother boote vs nor hurt vs And it is apparant that wee bee too blynd in so dooing But put the cace wee myght say I passe not for thee I owe thee nothing yit must wee come too God who is our head For when he did put vs intoo this world he linked vs togither and would haue vs too serue one another in charitie â–ª and wee knowe there is none other bond of perfection but charitie and charitie bringeth a bondnesse with it So then although I owe a man nothing as in respect of him self yit doo I owe him somwhat as in respect of god And that is the thing whertoo Saint Paule bringeth vs backe As if he should say Consider with your selues that yee were not created and put intoo the world but with condition that yee should serue euery man his neyghbours Otherwyse if yee shrinke asyde one from another it is lyke as if yee would cut asunder the sinewes of the body too the intent it should fall in peeces yea and that our Lord Iesus Christ who is our head might haue no more too doo with vs They then that will needes play the wyld beastes and cannot fynd in their hartes too stoope too any bondnesse too their neyghbours must go lyue abrode in the wyld woods for they bee not woorthy too lyue among men For wee see how God hath knit vs toogither and therby separated vs from the brute beastes and yit notwithstanding bound vs one too another Now if wee wyll needs shake off this yoke is it not a playne bewraying that we thinke not our selues beholden for any thing too our Lord Iesus Christ and that wee bee loth too bee ruled by his hand or too submit our selues too the order wherunder he hatâ— put vs and which he would haue too bee kept without breaking So then forasmuch as euery of vs is so wedded too himselfe that wee cannot submit our selues one too another let vs beare in mynd that which Saint Paule hath set downe for vs heere For it is the very sauce that will make vs fynde taste in this doctrine that is too wit that if wee feare God and can fynde in our hartes too submit our selues quietly too his wyll it must not greeue vs nother must wee thinke it irksome and straunge that euery of vs should serue them whom he is bound too serue and by that meane so maynteyne his degree as we may all linke toogither vnder our head Iesus Christ and atteyne too the heauenly glory which he hath purchaced for vs. Now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him too make vs so too feele them as it may drawe vs too trew repentance and make vs too profit in it from day too day and too examin our myseries in such wyze as wee may bee moued too call vppon our God for remedie that he may clenze vs and defend vs from them vntyll he haue brought vs too the perfection of ryghtuousnesse which we ought too labour for and from which wee bee yit farre of and in the meane whyle he so beare with vs as wee may not ceasse too haue the priuiledge of calling vppon him as his children and also haue wherefore too thanke him through our Lord Iesus Christ bycause he hath by his holy spirit sealed the adoption in our hartes wherby he holdeth vs fast too him and that wee may so perseuer in fayth and hope as wee may euer persist in acknowledging the manifold benefytes which he addeth one vppon another and learne too receyue them so at his hand as they may be made holy vntoo vs both by fayth and thanksgiuing That it may please him too graunt this grace not onely too vs but also too all people and Nations of the earth c. The .xxxix. Sermon which is the seuenth vppon the fifth Chapter 22. VVyues bee subiect too your husbandes as too our Lord. 23. For the husband is the head of the vvyfe as Christ is the head of the Church and lykewise is he the sauiour of the bodye 24. Therefore as the Church is subiect vntoo Christ so also let vvyues bee subiect to their husbands in all things 25. Yee husbandes loue your vvyues as Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it 26. Too sanctify it clenzing it in the vvashing of vvater through the vvoord WEe haue seene heertoofore how euery of vs is subiect too his neyghbours and that wee cannot otherwyse lyue one with another than by dooing some duetie as of subiection And forasmuch as that mislyketh vs bycause euery of vs coueteth too bee aboue his fellowes and wee set so much store by that loftinesse that it is hard for vs too stoope wee haue seene also that if wee feare God wee must not thinke it straunge that wee should submit our selues too our neyghbours for God created vs with that condition Yee see then in generall that charitie doth so bynd vs one too another that we ought not too disedeyne this man nor too loth that man or too count the third man vnworthie to haue any seruice done vnto him For as in respect of God wee must eyther bow downe our necke or else our stubbornnesse wil turne too our decay And now Saint Paule passeth further and sheweth that there are certein degrees among men For although the foresayd rule doo stand generally that is too wit that euery of vs must indeuer too performe his duetie yit notwithstanding there is also a greater subiection particularly of the sonne too the father of the wyfe too hir husband and of vnderlings too their superiours than there is indifferently among al men I haue told you ere this that there is a brotherood euen betweene the furthest straungers on the earth bycause they bee all of one common nature and euery man must needes acknowledge himself indetted too other Howbeeit when God hath knit folkes togither in a streyter and holyer band euery man must looke neerlyer to himself For when a wyfe is matched too hir husband shee is giuen him for a help and shee is a part of his
although Gods blissings shyne foorth euery where bothe aboue and beneathe yit are there alwayes tokens of cursing imprinted in them so as wee cannot behold nother heauen nor earth nor any other creature but wee may partly perceyue that God is become a straunger too vs bycause our father Adam fell from that noble and excellent state wheruntoo he was created afore This is too bee seene euery where in all things and specially in mariage For women ought too feele the frute of their sinnes and men feele ynough of it for their parte For surely if Eue and Adam had continued in the ryghtuousnesse that God had giuen them the whole state of this earthly lyfe had bin as a Paradise and mariage had bin so beautifyed that man and wyfe being matched toogither should haue liued in such accord as wee see the Angels of heauen doo among whom there is nothing but peace brotherly loue and eueÌ„ so had it bin with vs Therfore as now when a man hath a curst and shreud wyfe whom he cannot weeld by any meanes he must consider with him self Lo heere the frutes of original sin and of the corruption that is in my self And the wyfe also on hir side must think good reason it is that I should receyue the payment that commeth of my disobedience towards God for that I hild not my self in his awe Thus much concerning the woord subiection which is set downe heere Now Saint Paule in saying As too the Lord meaneth not too make men equall with God or with our Lord Iesus Christ for that were too greate an ouersyght but he sheweth that the feare and reuerence which a woman ought too beare vntoo God and the subiection which shee oweth too hir husband are twoo things that cannot bee put asunder lyke as when he exhorted vs erst too link toogither in mutuall subiection he added this saying in the feare of God. And why For if wee pretend too honour God and to obey him and in the meane whyle reiect and despyze our neyghbours so as euery of vs is wedded too him self and will needs be exempted from all lawe and rule it is too grosse hipocrisie Also if a wyfe pretend neuer so great deuotion and seeme too bee throughly seasoned with the feare of God and in the meane whyle bee a feend so as there is nothing but scolding and brauling and wrangling and such other thinges with hir at home in hir owne house therin shee shewes hir selfe not too haue one sparke of the feare of God forasmuch as shee dooth so holde scorne of hir husband who is hir head and as it were Gods lieftenant in that behalf Therfore let vs marke that Saint Paule hath not set downe this similitude too match husbandes who are mortall creatures yea very woormes of the earth in equall degree with Iesus Christ but too shewe breefly that forasmuch as our Lord Iesus hath authoritie ouer mariage men must haue an eye vntoo him and euery person submit himselfe paciently bycause no man can refuze his part without despizing of him which wyll haue wedlocke maynteyned with mutuall dewtie so as the man loue his wyfe and the wyfe be subiect too hir husband That is the pith of the matter which wee haue too remember vppon this streyne Now then let wyues looke well too their dewties and vnderstand that when they contend with their husbandes it is all one as if they would reiect God â–ª bycause he hath not created them otherwyse than with condition and too the end they should bee subiect too their husbandes Trew it is that they will bee soo proud and stately as to say Should my husband haue my head vnder his girdle Yea but the wyfe that dooth so sheweth that shee is loth that God should haue any authoritie ouer hir and would fayne put Gods Lawe vnder hir foote Howbeeit forasmuch as there is none other shift but women must needes stoope and vnderstand that the ruine and confuzion of all mankynd came in on their syde and that through them wee bee all forlorne and accuâ—sed and banished the kingdome of heauen when women say I doo vnderstand that all this came of Eue and of the womankynd as Saint Paul telleth vs in another place there is none other way for them but too stoope and too beare paciently the subiection that God hath layd vppon them which is nothing else but a warning too them too keepe themselues lowely and myld But if they lyft vp themselues ageinst their husbandes and cannot fynd in theyr hartes too bee ruled by them it is as it were a setting of their seales too the sinne of Adam and Eue and too the disobedience by them committed too declare that they be not willing that God should heale that wound agein notwithstanding that it bee deadly Now when they doo so make warre ageinst the grace of God what can come of it but vtter confuzion But the wyues that are leaud headed will not think of that but yit is it registred before God and they must bee fayne too yeeld an account of it too their vtter confuzion And therefore let vs looke that wee keepe this warning better too the end that euery man may glorify God in his owne house Also let the husbandes thinke vppon their duety For although to speake properly they be not subiect to their wyues bycause their wyues haue no authoritie ouer them yit are they aduaunced too that honor of superioritie with certeyne conditions namely that they should not bee cruell towardes their wyues nor thinke all things graunted and lawfull which they lift but that their authority should rather bee a companionship than a kingship For doubtlesse the husband in not his wyues head too oppresse hir or too make none account of hir but let him vnderstand that the authority which he hath dooth bynd him so much the more too hir For seeing he is the head he ought too haue discretion and skill how too guyde his wyfe and his houshold And what is the way too bring that too passe but too vse gentlenesse and myldnesse and too beare discreetly with the frayltie which he knoweth too bee in his wyfe according as Saint Peter exhorteth vs Yee see then that husbandes must so requyre obedience at their wyues handes as they themselues must therwithall doo their owne duetie and consider that they shall not bee borne with before God if they giue their wyues cause too lifte vp themselues so ageinst them For it is certein that if the husband deale discretly and vpryghtly the wyfe shall stoope too him and our Lord will so dispoze hir hart as the house shal bee quietly guyded But the first and cheefe poynt is that God bee called vppon For though a man vse all the meanes that can bee yit if he trust to his owne wit he shall but loose his tyme And why Bycause God will laugh his presumption too scorne But if husbandes consider that God holdeth folkes hartes in his
before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him too make vs feele them more and more that wee may bee sorie for them and so streyne our selues too followe his seruice as wee may shewe by our deedes all our lyfe long that he hath not redeemed vs in vayne from the tyrannye of Satan and set vs at libertie euen too serue him with a free will and too giue our selues wholly too the glorifying of his holy name And therwithall let vs beseeche him also too graunt vs the grace so too taste the benefytes which he bestoweth vppon vs as they may prouoke vs more and more too glorify him and that it may bee our continuall exercyze and study too sing and preach his prayses alwayes and too acknowledge how greatly wee bee bound and iâ—detted vntoo him that by that meanes our Lord Iesus may so reigne ouer vs as wee may bee linked too him in vnseparable 〈◊〉 vntyll wee come too the ringdome that he hath bought so deerly for vs That it may please him to graunt this grace not only to vs but also to all people c. The .xli. Sermon which is the nyenth vppon the fifth Chapter 28. Men ought so too loue their vvyues as their ovvne bodyes He that loueth his vvyfe loueth himselfe 29. For no man euer yit hated his ovvne fleshe but rather he nurrisheth and cherisheth it as the Lord also dooth the Churche 30. For vvee bee members of his body of his fleshe and of his bones SEeing that the holy scripture exhorteth vs to be kynd harted meeke and patient one too another and setteth vs downe the example of God who is reconcyled too vs in the person of his sonne our Lord Iesus Christ and sheweth vs therewithall that Iesus Christ spared not himself but shewed the loue that he bare vs and the care that he had of our saluation in that he gaue himselfe too so hard and bitter a death it must needes bee that our hartes are harder than steele if they bee not meekened by it And yit notwithstanding all these exhortations cannot suffyze vs by reason of our wylfulnesse and corruption God therfore too put vs too the greater shame sendeth vs backe too the order of nature as if it were sayd that although we had neuer heard any word of Gods mouth nor neuer had had any teaching by holy Scripture yit ought euery of vs too enter intoo himselfe and too consider his own state for that wyll be ynough too hold vs conuicted without any other witnesse And that could the heathen men tell vs full well who hauing nother beleefe in God nor any Religion could notwithstanding well skill too saye that the wyld beastes make not warre one ageinst another For one Woolfe eateth not another the Beares and Lyons that lyue abrode in the wyld woods haue a certein thing that holdeth them in order so as they hurt not one another And yit haue they no discretion as is among men but they haue as it were a naturall â—â—â—ouing which driueth them too loue one another so as euery of them lyueth quietly with his fellowe â–ª Now then must it not needes bee that men are altoogither out of square and doo despyze God and nature seeing they lyue like Dogges and Cattes as they say and euery man is as a Woolfe or a Foxe too his neyghbour so as there is nothing but craftinesse and malice or else vtter crueltie That is the cause why God telleth vs that wee bee all of one fleshe and of one kynd And Esay vseth the same reason too perswade vs too succour our neyghbours and too haue pitie and compassion of them they stand in any neede Thou shalt not despyze thine owne fleshe sayeth he For the furthest straunger in the world is neuer the more separated from vs for all that but both he and wee spring both out of one fountayne and wee ought too acknowledge him too bee our image Therefore whosoeuer disdeyneth any man surely he foregetteth himselfe too much and he knoweth not what he is nother is woorthy of the honorable degree wherin God hath set him And why Bycause he peruerteth all order Now if this reason ought too take place in generall much more ought men too bee touched too the quicke when it is told them what they bee specially seeing they bee linked toogither in a much streyter bond As if a man should saye too a father How now If thou bee so farre out of loue with thy sonne that thou art vnwylling too see him and disdeynest too talke with him and he can fynd no meanes too come too attonement with thee what a crueltie is that For he is thy fleshe and thy blud And how then canst thou bee so blynded in thyne excessiue moode as not too consider that God hath giuen him thee as though he had come out of thyne owne person And too a sonne it will bee sayde lykewyse How now Is it meete that thou shouldest bee borne intoo the world and haue roome and place among Gods children and in the meane whyle forget thy father that begate thee and by whose meanes God sent thee intoo the world Now the holyest band that God hath set among vs is the bond betweene man and wyfe That is the cause why Saint Paule sayth that a man cannot loue his wyfe but he must loue him self and contrariwyse that if he despyze his wyfe or hate hir it is all one as if he fall at oddes with him self And is that possible Heretoofore he had exhorted husbands too doo their duetyes by hauing an eye too the example of our Lord Iesus Christ. And he had alledged that the sonne of God had giuen him self too the death too wash his Churche so that although it was poore and miserable and ful of filth and vncleannesse 〈…〉 suffered that which was needefull for ouâ— saluation he lefte vs moreouer a record of the grace which he hath purchaced â—or vs Insomuch that in Bâ—btim wee haue a visible token that the bluâ— of our Lord Iesus Christ is our washing and cleâ—zing Can we think vppon all these things and not bee moued too some gentlnesse Yea if wee consider first of all that wee â—ee but wrâ—tched woormes of the earth and too be short that there is nothing in vs but vtter miserie so as wee may well â—ee called vermin and caryons full of all corruption and lothsomnesse and afterward compare our selues with the sonne of God ought there too bee any such pryde in vs as too esteeme and commend our selues and too â—read others vnder our feete Now if this bee generall too all men as I sayd what shall it bee betweene man and wyfe For the knot that God hath knit betwixt them is such that the husband is as yee would say but half him self may no more separate him selfe froÌ„ his wyfe thaÌ„ the wyfe may separate hir selfe froÌ„ hir husband but eche of them must haue regard too their owne state
care that euery of vs hath had of himselfe in that wee haue bin myndfull of our owne welfare and labored earnestly for it and in the meane whyle broken the bond that our Lord had set among vs and euery of vs drawen alone by himself and forgotten all duetie of louing kyndnesse insomuch that wee would if wee had could haue made euery of vs a new world Truly there is no man of that abilitie that he can forbeare the helpe of his neyghbours and yit are wee loth that our neyghbours should dwel with vs yea or that they should bee counted in the number of men there is not that man which would not reigne alone lyke a lord But this vnkyndnesse and leaudnesse are sufficient too shewe that wee bee not woorthie too inioy the benefytes which God dealeth too vs in this transitory lyfe For sith wee bee too much wedded vntoo it and mynd it more carefully than wee should do wee bee so giltie as there is not that man which may open his mouth too reply or too alledge any excuce for himselfe And Saint Paule hauing told vs what wee ought too knowe yea and too iudge of our owne nature returneth agein too that which hee had touched afore that is too wit that such as professe themselues too bee members of the bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ ought to bee perswaded by his example too liue quietly freendly and agreeingly with their wyues No man sayeth he loueth him self but he loueth his wyfe also Uerely God hath ordeyned wedlocke in such wyse as the wyfe must bee as the bodie of hir husband Therfore if a man loue him self his wyfe must bee matched with him or else it shal bee a monstruous loue It is a thing that men ought most too abhorre that the thing which is most holy in mans lyfe should bee vtterly abaced Seeing it is so he that loueth him self will loue his wyfe For wee bee of his flesh wee bee of his bones Heere he toucheth a thing that hee spake not of before For when he did set downe the example of our Lord Iesus Christ it was in alledging that he spared not him self but did shead his blud to wash vs from our filthinesse and vncleannesse We then were defyled stayned before God our Lord Iesus Christ found the meanes too bring vs in his fauour agein And how Euen by his owne bludshed But heere hee alledgeth another reason too confirme the matter yit better which is that wee bee bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh In so saying he dooth vs too vnderstand that when men doo theyr duetie it is too theyr owne benefyte For therby they may taste the inestimable and infinite grace of God in that euery man accordyng too his degree dooth in his mariage represent the vnion that is betweene them selues and our Lorde Iesus Christ. The thing therfore which Saint Paule intendeth is yit agayne to remoue the haâ—dnesse of our hartes by shewing vs that wee cannot inioy the grace that is purchaced vs by our Lord Iesus Christ vnlesse wee lyue in freendshyp togither accordyng to the image therof which wee haue in the loue that he bare vs in his death and passion whiche surmoâ—nteth all the loue that wee can haue one too another Howbeeit before wee goe any further let vs see why and in what sense Saint Paule saith that wee bee of the bones of our Lord Iesus Christ and of his flesh and members of his body For he is descended of Adams linage and is called the seede of Dauid And although he was conceyued after a woonderful maner in the wombe of the Uirgin yit tooke he mans fleshe vpon hym and became very man Howbeit he saith that he is the sonne of Man too shewe that he hath taken a nature that is common too vs wherein he hath made hym selfe familiar with vs. And in deede as saith the Apostle in the Epistle too the Hebrewes he is not ashamed too call vs brothers But now let vs come too that which is sayd heere It seemeth that Saint Paule would make Iesus Christ as it were the roote of mankynd so as wee should descend of him for he calleth vs his ofspring But wee haue too marke that for asmuch as our Lord Iesus Christ was shaped of the seede of Abraham too performe the thyngs that were promised yea and that he could not bee the Mediator betweene God and vs except he had byn of our nature for he could not haue amended our misdoinges wherthrough wee were bounde too endlesse damnation vnlesse he had clothed hym selfe with our body and had also a soule too the end too present hym self in the person of al men and so it behoued our Lord Iesus Christ too bee our flesh in our body wee may say that he is of our bones and of our flesh And why He is descended of Adams race as I sayd afore But howsoeuer the cace stand he was conceyued maruelously by the holy Ghoste Howbeeit there is another respect For yit for all this he ceasseth not too bee the second Adam as Saint Paule termeth him in making comparison betweene the grace wherethrough wee were set agein and the deadly fall wherthrough wee were all forlorne He sayeth that the first Adam did by his transgression make vs enemies too God so as wee haue no accesse to him but should be thrust back if we preaced to him and that iustly For where sin reigneth there must needes bee as it were vnrecoucylable diuision God being the fountayne of all ryghtuousnesse cannot match with our iniquities and corruptions Then is there also a second Adam which coÌ„meth to remedie al that is to wit our Lord Iesus Christ. And how is he the second Adam For as I told you afore it is not ment that wee should bee so bold as too think too preace vntoo Iesus Christ as though wee were linked too him of our owne nature but that is done in the power of his holy spirit not in the substance of his body Behold then Iesus Christ is become very man and hath takeÌ„ vpon him the selfsame humane nature that ours is but yit is it not of nature that wee bee his flesh and his bones for wee bee not descended of him as touching our own substance but it is of his diuine power Then must wee come too this poynt that wee bee bone of the bones of our Lord Iesus Christ bycause wee bee restored in him and haue in him as it were a new and second creation And Saint Paule as wee shall see heerafter hath an eye too the originall of Eue for shee was taken out of Adams substance and shaped of one of his ribbes Now then are wee restored by our Lord Iesus Christ If wee consider our first birth wherby wee bee brought intoo this world too bee mortall men wee cannot say such is our flesh vnlesse wee bee of the seede of them that were afore vs but whatsoeuer wee bee in that
expound what the holy Ghost ment No the thing is euident ynough of it selfe and euery man knowes in himself that he vnderstandes it well ynough But if yee looke vppon the loue that men beare too their wyues scarsely shall yee fynd one among a hundred which could not fynd in his hart too giue it ouer and which hath not some wandering fancies in his head The women also are so lyght mynded that they could fynd in their hartes too bee vnmaryed twentie tymes in a yeere And wherof commeth that Euen of that they haue not an eye vntoo God who is the author of Mariage Truely though wee had no scripture at all as I sayd yit would the brutishest man in the world reuerence mariage And why is that but â—ycause it was our Lordes will too leaue that record ingrauen in mens hartes His meaning then is too shewe that sith the most ignorant and grossest sort vnderstand that man and wyfe should ioyne in good loue euery one in their degree men must bend that way But now wee haue teaching and wee haue exhortations added too spurre vs the further foreward too the intent wee should not â—latter our selues in our vyces and yit what are wee the better It is too bee seene dayly that men storme at their wyues and wyues checke at their husbandes it is an ordinarie matter in euery house and euer among there flye and flyng out cursings and bannings too be short there is nothing but frowardnesse and disâ—eyne Now where these things are it is vnpossible that the man and wyfe should haue any accesse too come vntoo god For after what manner ought our repayring vntoo God bee that wee myght receyue mercy and be vnder his protection and he haue a care of vs It is by prayer Now Saint Peter sayeth expresly that when a man is ouersharp and rigorous too his wyfe and the wyfe also on hir syde is stubborne so as he is not able too weeld hir by any meanes nor shee willing too submit hir self as shee ought too doo then are their prayers broken of As if he should say wretched folk wheron think yee Are yee not verie miserable seing the gate is shet ageinst you that yee cannot call vppon God Now then what will become of vs when wee cannot betake our selues intoo the hand of our God It were better for vs too bee drowned a hundred thousand tymes Seeing then that God loueth the quietnesse bothe of the men and of the women in commaunding vs too liue in peace and concorde and moreouer â—iddeth them come vntoo him saying when the husband gouerneth his wyfe quietly and the wyfe on hir syde dooth hir dewtie too then if yee call vppon mee I will heare you as it were out of 〈◊〉 mouth seeing say I that our Lord calleth vs to him for our owne benefyte and welfare when he commaundeth vs too call vppon him with a pure hart must it not needs be that we are possessed of the diuell and haue forgone al our wits if wee accept not so good and profitable a conditon Therfore let vs mark wel that if the husband intend too discharge his dewtie and the wyfe lykewyse bothe of them must haue an eye vntoo God and hold their mariage of him assuring themselues that they met not at al aduenture but that the Lord cuppled them toogither too the end that the husband should bee as a companion too his wyfe and receyue hir as a part of him self and the wyfe yeeld the degree of honourâ—too hir husband as belongeth too him in respect of God and submit hir self too him as too hir head Thus the best may too herken vnto God and too obey him in this cace is too take him for the authour of wedlocke too bee ruled by him in all things And let not the husband trubble him self too much in looking vppon the faults of his wyfe too say what shall I doo with this caryon For wee knowe that reproches are lothsome and heynous Also let not the wyfe looke at the things that are in hir husband to say he is a very diuel and cannot bee wonne by any meanes but let hir hold hir to the condition that shee is bound vntoo and let hir not ask why nor wherfore God hath put hir so in subiection nother let hir make hir self glorious in setting vp hir briâ—â—â—es ageinst God for putting hir so in subiection too hir husbâ—nd But now let vs come too the second poynt and speake yit more of the hygh misterie which Saint Paule magnifyeth so much heere It is sayeth he a great misterie yea betweene Christ and his Church By these woords it is easie too discerne that Saint Paule ment not too call mariage or wedlocke a Sacrament for he expoundeth him 〈◊〉 afterward And as I told you the only thing that is treated heere is the expressing of Gods inestimable goodnesse insomuch that in sted of executing the office of a teacher too shewe and declare how wee bee knit too our Lord Iesus Christ Saint Paule him self 〈◊〉 is astonished and as a man rauished intoo woonderment confeâ—sing that the wanâ—eth fit and sufficient wordes to expresse wel Gods grace in vouâ—safâ—ng too knit and vnite vs too his only sonne I haue told you 〈◊〉 alredy how wee â—ee 〈◊〉 of our Lord Iesus Christs 〈◊〉 and how wee bee his flesh It is not that wee bee taken out of his bodie for wee come of the linage of Adam but bycause wee liue of his owne substance according too this saying that his flesh is our meate and his blud our drink wherby he meaneth that wee liue in him howbeit spiritually In deede wee haue a common lyfe both too talke and too walk with all men which proceedeth not of the speciall grace of our Lord Iesus Christ. But yit the mouing which wee haue common with the brute beasts proceedeth also of him according as it is sayd that he was the lyfe of all things Yea and Saint Iohn passeth yit further saying that the woord that is to say our Lord Iesus Christ was too quicken men in that God hath giuen them this speciall priuiledge of hauing some vnderstanding and discretion But when the spirituall lyfe which wee haue with the sonne of God is spoken of that is a thing aboue nature For although wee haue not any woorthinesse or excellencie when wee come out of our moothers womb yit remayneth there alwayes some print and image of god And yit for all that wee bee so cursed in our owne nature and so miserable that wee bee called euen deceassed and dead And that is the cause why our Lord Iesus Christ sayeth that the houre is come that the dead which are as rotten carkesses in the graue shall heare the voyce of the sonne of god And Saint Paul hath sayd in the second Chapter that when wee bee reformed by our Lord Iesus Christ then wee lyue whereas erst wee were dead in our sinnes and trangressions bycause wee receyue that
bee rid of them and he so gouerne vs by his holy spirit as we may indeuer to liue according to his holy wil and reforme our whole lyfe according to his holy commaundementes and he beare with all our infirmites vntyll hee haue wholly reformed vs too bring vs too the perfection whertoo wee labour as now too atteyne And so let vs all say Almyghtie God c. The .xliii. Sermon which is the first vppon the sixth Chapter 1. Children obey your fathers and moothers in the Lord for that is ryght 2. Honour thy father and thy moother which is the first commaundement in promis 3. That thou mayst fare vvell and bee long lyued vppon earth 4. Fathers prouoke not your children too wrath but nurrishe them vp in the nurture and vvarnings of the Lord. OUr resorting vntoo Sermons must bee not onely too heare the things that wee knewe not but also too bee stirred vp too doo our dewtie and too bee wakened when wee bee sâ—othfull and drowzie by good and holy warnings and too bee râ—buked if there bee any stubbornnesse and malice in vs And that is the thing which Saint Paule telleth vs heere which euery of vs ought too haue ingrauen in our hartes For it is a thing which all of vs vnderstand by our moother wit that children ought too bee obedient and subiect too their fathers and moothers and also that there ought too bee such gentlenesse in those that haue children too gouerne as too vse them myldly and not too giue them cause of frowardnesse through their ouer great roughnesse This say I is knowen well ynough of all men but yit is not the warning that is giuen vs heere more than needeth For who is he that dischargeth himselfe of the things that are told vs heere by Saint Paule Fathers and Moothers doo dyuers tymes marre their children with cockering them and make them such Cocknyes as they leade them too vtter vndooing Agein somtymes they bee in such cholers and heates with them without measure or discretion that they haue no hold of themselues nor no indifferent dealing with them as there ought too bee As for children although it bee sufficiently proued too them that they ought too bee obedient and subiect too their parentes dooth not the world see how they despyze them as it were hold vtter scorne of them Nother are there almost any which hold themselues in awe and yeeld a ryght reuerence too their fathers and moothers in respect that God hath bound them too it and that they ought too doo it Therefore sith wee see heere that Saint Paule exhorteth the faythfull too things that are so common therein wee may perceyue the frowardnesse of our owne nature For thâ—se are such things as wee ought not too bee put in mynd of them but euery of vs ought too bee inclyned of himselfe too doo his dewtie without warning Gods spirit then rebuketh vs for being so fleshly that although wee knowe a thing too bee as ryghtfull as may bee yit wee cannot giue our selues too it Wherfore let vs indeuer to fyght ageinst our owne vyces For it is not ynough for vs too haue learned what wee ought too doo but also forasmuch as there is much fyghting and stryuing in our selues ageinst it after wee once knowe Gods will and what is ryghtuous and conuenient euery of vs must enter intoo himselfe and beware that he drawe not cleane backe but that he imprison and bridle himselfe and beare wel in mynd that it is not ynough for him too haue bin instructed taught vnlesse he do also thrust foorth himselfe by force and subdue all his wicked affections how hard so euer it bee too bring it too passe Now let vs come too that which is sayd heere Yee Children sayth Saint Paule obey your fathers and moothers Trew it is that as Paule alledgeth afterward God hath in his lawe set downe a more generall terme that is too wit Honour For God ment too doo vs too vnderstand that children ought too yeeld bothe subiection and reuerence too their fathers and moothers For such a one myght yeeld obedience and subiection as myght neuerthelesse haue a spytefull a proud and a loftie hart and despyze the partie whom he serueth But when as our Lord commaundeth vs too honour our fathers and moothers therunder he meaneth too comprehend reuerence and moreouer a performance of all dewtie that is too wit that children should vnderstand that they bee bound too serue their fathers and moothers to be subiect too them in all things too the vttermoste of their power Yee see then that generally God will haue children not only too bee obedient and subiect too their parents but also too yeeld them reuerence and moreouer too doo their dewtie towards them in succoring them and in dooing them all the ease and comfort that they can assuring themselues that they be not their owne nor at their owne libertie but that they owe all seruis vntoo them â–ª by whose meanes they came intoo the world And Saint Paule sayeth expresly in the Lord meaning that there is a dubble bond too hold vs in this subiection For first there is the order of nature and agein God telleth vs that he hath set vs in this earthly lyfe with condicion that fathers and moothers should haue superioritie ouer their children The Heathen men shal not fayle too bee found giltie though they had not the lawe too direct them nor were taught the doctrine which wee heare now by the mouth of Saint Paule Insomuch that if a chyld were stubborne ageinst his father and mother among the heathen he was as it were abhorred and there was nother greate nor small which could not iudge of it Nother shall they scape Gods hand sith they bee condemned alredy in this world for as I sayd afore it is a thing that is grauen in the harts of vs all and also as manifest as may bee Howbeit besyds that which wee knowe naturally God addeth his owne will for a further and more ample confirmation and telleth vs that he hath so ordeyned and appoynted it and therfore that wee must passe that way Then sith wee perceyue that God holdeth vs vnder awe of our fathers and moothers it is certein that wee bee so much the more vnexcuzable if euery of vs submit not him self with meeknesse and humilitie And they that haue followed the order of nature among the heathen and poore blynd soules shal bee our iudges For who hath stirrred them vp theruntoo They had not the helpes that wee haue and yit they performed their dewtie That then is the thing which Saint Paule intended in saying that children ought to obey theyr fathers and moothers in the Lord. Now he addeth that that is ryght As if he should say no man shal gayne any thing by stryuing in this behalf For wee knowe that mans mynd is so full fraught with pryde as there is no man but hee would bee a lord As for subiection it
reasonable creature in whom God hath printed his marke should bee put too such reproch it was tootoo farre out of all square But such are the fruites of the disobedience and sin of our father Adam that all things were turned topsiteruie Also on the other part inasmuch as seruantes were in such subiection it seemeth that if they could by any meanes plucke their neckes out of the collar it ought too bee lawfull for them and it was an honest excuce so too doo But howsoeuer Seruantes fare Saint Paule commaundeth them to obey their maysters too be subiect too them In deede he dooth also exhort the maysters not too abuse the power that was giuen them nor too thinke that the thing which was graunted them by the Lawe of man was so ryghtfull and vnparciall before God as they could not bee blamed for it Saint Paule then counselleth maysters too asswage the excesse of their superioritie but yit will he haue their seruantes too submit themselues too it and too beare the yoke that was so hard and heauy Now it myght seeme that he did seruantes wrong therein and that he should rather haue cried out ageinst the common abuse that such outrage myght haue bin layd downe But we haue two principles to remember to restreyne vs from attempting of any chaunge The one is that forasmuch as it had bin Gods will too put maynkynd intoo confuzion and that all men both great and small should be put in mynd that Adam had peruerted the order of nature Therfore S. Paul counselleth seruantes to beare such subiection assuring themselues that it commeth of God and therefore that they must take it paciently The other is that the Gospell serueth not too chaunge the common policies of the world and too make Lawes that belong too the temporall state It is trew that Kings Princes and Magistrates ought alwayes too aske counsell at Gods mouth and too frame themselues vntoo his word but yit for all that our Lord hath giuen them libertie too make such Lawes as they shall perceyue too bee meete and conuenient for the gouernment that is committed vntoo them howbeeit they must call vppon God too giue them the spirit of wisedome and discretion and bycause they bee not of abilitie too rule of themselues they must take aduice and counsell at Gods woord Yit notwithstanding the doctrine of saluation which is called the kingdome of heauen and the thinges that belong too the brydling of vs in this world that men may knowe how too behaue themselues one toowardes another are sundrye thinges That therefore is the cause why Saint Paule left slauerye bondage or seruiship as it was And he exhorteth Seruants to doo their dewtie in feare and trembling that is too say with all lowelinesse and reuerence yea and hee addeth further with singlenesse of hart which he matcheth ageinst all the fyne slyghts and shifts wheruntoo the seruants and slaues of that tyme were too much giuen as is too bee seene in them that haue written of them haue set forth the maners and trade of lif which was in course and vse at those dayes And let vs mark first of all that S. Paul thinks it not ynough for seruants too seeke the benefyte profit of their maisters and to be willing to obey them and too be foreward in executing whatsoeuer is commaunded them but he requyreth reuerence aboue all things as I sayde afore Let Seruants vnderstand that although they should not bee inforced nor chastized with whipping when they doo amisse but that they had gentle and meeke masters yit notwithstanding they ought too beare paciently the state wherin they bee assuring themselues that God alloweth of it and that the superioritie which their maysters haue ouer them how hard and greeuous so euer it be is neuerthelesse ordeyned and stablished of god And that is the cause why he setteth downe the woord Singlenesse For wee bee ouer wittie in seeking our owne aduauntage and there is none of vs all which is not a great doctor in matters concerning his owne profit Why should such a one say wee haue this prerogatiue aboue mee What reason is there that I should bee bound too him in that ▪ Take mee the handicrafts men that neuer knew word of learning and deale with them in dayly matters and in things that may make with them and they bee so skilfull in debating their cace that yee would take them too bee all men of lawe Forasmuch then as men are so wyly in seeking their owne commoditie and profit too the hinderance of others Saint Paule dooth purposely set downe singlenesse of hart which serueth too sift all affections and too ouerthrowe all things that men can deuyze too hinder themselues from dooing of their dewties Now he setteth downe purposely these woords As seruing the Lord and it is the cheef foundation that wee haue too leane vntoo when the cace concerneth the dooing of any dewtie towards men For if wee sticke too creatures wee wil say Came wee not all out of the Ark of Noe Why should he bee better esteemed than I Is it meete that I should bee put vnder his feete what reason is that And all the rest of the woords which wee heare euery day For wee haue skill ynough too alledge exemption and so little doo wee think our selues bound vnto others that wee think all others bound vntoo vs The mark therfore that al mē shoote at is that euery man would be a Lord and no man admit any subiection And so it would needs followe that wee should bee as wyld beasts or rather as doggs and Catts as men say vntill wee knew that God lyketh well of the seruis that wee doo too creatures If wee bee not throughly perswaded of that wee may well make some fayre countenances and please men but out mynd shall neuer bee ryght and well dispozed vntill wee bee come to the poynt that wee know that our Lord accepteth our seruis But there is yit one other cause that myght hinder vs or rather coole vs in the discharge of our dewtie towards other men and that is mens vnthankfulnesse For they whom wee pleasure doo commonly 〈◊〉 vs no thank but rather think that wee bee made for none other purpose but too serue them When wee see them requyte our seruis so euill it spyteth vs and it were ynough too make vs leaue of altoogither Now then it is needfull for vs too come backe too that which Saint Paule telleth vs namly that God is aboue all degrees and that he hauing superioritie ouer the world will haue euery man imploy him self with all humblenesse and that all subiections which he hath ordeyned in the world too remayne firme and vnuiolable This is the effect of the thing that Saint Paule telleth vs heere Now first of all wee haue too mark the generall article which I come now to touch which is that whē we haue superiours ouer vs we must not obey them as inforced but
cheerly hart Now what is too bee sayd of hyred seruants which may warne themselues away and haue their wages payd them when they haue serued out their yeere and are vsed and treated much more gently and liberally than those poore slaues were For they were fayne too labour euery one in his trade and craft they earned their bread they drunk water many a tyme scarce their fill and they were shet vp in Cabanes where they were inforced too doo their taskes Then if Seruaâ—tes now adayeâ— can not stoope so lowe as too beare the state that God hath layd vppon their backes it is certein that they be too-too vnexcuzable As much is to be sayd of subiectes towardes their Magistrates Therfore inasmuch as we see that our Lord spareth vs wee bee so much the more bound too the subiection which S. Paule speakes of heere Furthermore wee haue too wey yit agein the woordes where he speaketh of franke and free harted willingnesse For it is impossible for vs too fynd any tast or sauour in our state or calling of what sorte so euer it bee except wee knowe it bee for our benefyte and welfare For we can reape no great profit of the seruing of Creatures Wee must therefore resort alwayes too our God and ame at this marke namely that seeyng he hath bin so good and gracious too vs as too set vs in this world and too maynteyne vs heere and too shewe himselfe so good a father towardes vs that all that euer wee haue dooth come of him wee must shewe the reuerence which wee beare too his maiestie and labour too please him in such wyse as wee sticke not too bee subiect too men nor take it in greefe or in scorne So shall our state bee greatly sweetened when wee know that God accepteth it in good woorth at our handes And that also is the cause why he setteth these things as one ageinst another not too shewe any contrarietie but rather too accord them toogither For he sayeth that wee must serue God on the behalfe of our maysters with all willingnesse and afterwarde setteth downe Gods will on the other syde Then is it a very good melodie which answereth very well that wee should know how it is Gods wyll that seruantes should obey their maysters And this will of Gods must dispatch all obiections that myght hinder vs or stop vs When the diuell tempteth vs too thinke any thing straunge that is commaunded vs he intyceth vs too our destruction Now then let vs take Gods wyll as our souereine welfare and perfect happinesse assuring our selues that howsoeuer wee bee handled at his hand yit he loueth vs styll and hath an eye too that which is good for vs Let that serue for one poynt And if wee haue such perswasion well rooted in our hartes it is certein that this willingnesse which S. Paule speaketh of will follow with it so as wee shall fynde no lothnesse in our selues too grudge ageinst it as wee see they doo which are inforced to doo things ageinst their wils for they grunt at it and although they dare not bee aknowen of it yit their hartes are fell and there is nothing but rancor in them Therefore Saint Paule setteth downe willingnesse that is too say that wee should doo all thinges with a good will and freely And so shall we make our state leeâ—some and pleasant For as for them that doo nothing but by force and constreynt they cannot eschew the necessitie of obeying and yit in the meane whyle they bee tormenters too themselues and woorke themselues more spyte then they could receyue by all the sorrowes that they can alledge For when wee bee handled roughly by our maysters superiors and Magistrates yit if wee bee sure that God accepteth our seruice it asswageth all the greef that wee can conceyue so that when wee haue doone our dewtie wee take our repaste with praysing of God wee take our rest as a releefe that he giueth vs for our infirmities and besydes this wee wyll euer haue an eye too the heauenly lyfe and take corage at it too walke on though wee haue neuer so many stoppes Yee see then that Gods children shall alwayes make a hundred tymes better market when they doo their dewtie in seruing God freely than they that go too it as though nyne men hild them as they say and discharge it very coldly with grudging and repyning Furthermore let vs marke that Saint Paule heere bringeth vs three tymes backe vntoo God and too our Lord Iesus Christ and that is too rid vs of this imagination which wee myght conceyue that if other men misbehaue themselues towardes vs the bond is broken too vs and therefore that wee may exempt our selues from subiection if wee can As for example if a seruant haue a mayster that is too rigorous and froward he thinkes with himselfe why What doo I And so seruantes thinke themselues halfe quit if their maisters performe not their dewties towardes them But S. Paule declareth expressely that although maysters be so cruell as they doo by no meanes spare such as are vnder their hand yit is not their superioritie diminished therby Trew it is that in respect of themselues such maisters are vnwoorthie too haue authoritie as wee shall see hereafter But yit for all that he that is the inferiour must holde himselfe styll vnder the yoke bycause he sees that God hath so ordeyned it That is the effect of the thing which wee haue too beare in mynd And on the other syde Saint Paul forgetteth not seruants that he should not procure them their right and that which belongeth too them For he commaundeth maysters too doo the lyke too them not as maâ—e and matelyke as they say but so as maisters consider that although though the ciuill lawes lay the brydle looce in their necks yit dooth not God graunt them leaue too doo what they list but speaketh as well for the one as for the other which thing wee must beare well in mynd Now for the maysters he giueth this rule namely that they must looke well about them how they rule bycause they haue a common mayster in heauen who accepteth no persons As touching Seruants he sayeth my freends though yee haue not such recompence in this worlde as yee would desyre let it suffyze you that God accounteth you not as slaues It is trewe that yee bee despyzed too the worldwarde but you haue your inheritaunce in heauen and our Lord accepteth your seruis and yee shall haue your reward payd you as well as if yee were Kinges and Princes That is the thing which wee haue too remember heere In deede the tyme will not serue for the whole discourse of it but yit wee see that first Saint Paule ment not too currye fauor with the greate and riche sort by maynteyning their ryght ageinst their slaues also that he laboreth on the other syde too bring those too lowelinesse and meeknesse which otherwyse myght haue aduaunced
there shall bee noth 〈◊〉 riches nor pouertie honour nor bacenesse wee must all appeere as wee bee that is too say mortall men and children of Adam That is it in effect which wee haue too gather vppon that lesson After Saint Paule hath shewed euery mans dewtie particularly now he returneth agein too generall doctrine For as I sayd afore there is one rule common too all men without exception which is the same that is conteyned in Gods lawe namely that wee should leade a holy lyfe giuing our selues ouer vnto his seruis and also loue one another liuing chastely and soberly in all myldnesse and honestie This is common But it is sayd afterward that euery man must haue an eye too his owne calling as the husband hath a speciall dewtie towards his wyfe and the wyfe towards hir husband as wee haue seene hertoofore for Saint Paule hath layd foorth all those things Now he attempereth his talk too all men saying Moreouer my brethren bee strong in the Lord. Wherin he sheweth that wee cannot giue our selues too the seruing of God without hardnesse but must take peynes too prepare our selues thertoo Trew it is that if wee were whole and sound and that our nature were vncorrupted it would neuer dare vs to liue according too Gods commaundement nay rather it would be our whole pleasure accordingly as the faythfull doo feele by experience when God hath touched them too the quicke And for that cause also dooth our Lord Iesus Christ say that his yoke is nother hard nor rough nor his burthen heauie as if he should say that he desyreth nothing but too guyde vs by all gentle aud louing meanes But if wee consider what wee bee that is too say how vnable wee are too bee firme and constat and too hold out in the way which God sheweth vs surely wee shall well see how it is not without cause that Saint Paule exhorteth vs heere too bee strong As if he should say I haue exhorted you hithertoo too doo your dewties but I knowe well that euery of you shall fynde such stubornnesse in him self as he shal not be able too ouercome his wicked lusts but by fyghting manfully And though you be weake yit think not that that ought to serue for excuce When your passions on the one syde are stubborne and rebellious ageinst God and your selues on the other syde are frayle think not that that shall quit you before God for yee shal bee condemned in your sinnes neuerthelesse What is too bee doone then Bee yee strong in the Lord sayeth he that is too say wheras most men doo welter in their sinnes and think themselues discharged byâ—â—use their thoughts and affections are so rebellious ageinst the ryghtuousnesse of God you knowing all the same miseries must mislyke of your selues for them and seeke the remedie of them And what is that Strengthen your selues that is too say wee must inforce our selues As if hee should say It is a hard thing too walk aryght for wee shall haue as many impediments as may be The diuell wil not ceasse too seeke all meanes possible too thrust vs out of the way and wee shall haue store of oppressions and vexations for he hath slyghtes ynow and too many and besyds that he assayleth vs now after one maner and now after another and we haue not wherwith too resist him Therfore it behoueth vs too get strength too vs. Howbeit he sayth in the Lord least men should imagin themselues able too furnish out the matter with their owne freewill and with their owne cunning Therefore Bee yee strong in the Lord sayeth he yea and in the myghtinesse of his power When hee dooeth vs too wit that God will vtter such power as wee shal not neede to doubt of victorie ageinst all that the diuell can practyze so we bee not rechlesse ne fall asleepe Wherfore let vs call vppon God that he may help vs and succour vs at our neede So then let these twoo things go toogither with vs that is too wit first wakefulnesse and such care as the faythfull should haue too strengthen themselues and on the other syde hartie desyrousnesse too call vppon god And this is a text well woorthie too bee marked as which conteyneth a greate matter in fewe woords For first wee see that wee must not bee slothfull if wee couet too rule our lyfe according too Gods will but forasmuch as euery man beareth with him self and we desyre nothing but too shake of all care and too cast the things at our backs as they say which myght trubble vs too the end wee bee not so nyce wee must mark first of all that if wee will serue God wee must inforce our selues and that is as much to say as we must fyght ageinst the diuell For as I sayd afore he is not ydle nother will he suffer any of vs to doo our dewtie with such ease as though wee did but walk vp and downe in some foyre place but he will set thornes and cast logs in our wayes too stop vs Agein he will giue such girds at vs as shal bee ynough too ouerthrow vs a hundred tymes before wee can step one pace vnlesse God ayd vs Forasmuch therfore as wee cannot walk in the feare of God without fyghting wee ought too beare Saint Paules warning in mynd Furthermore he intendeth also too make vs perceyue our owne weaknesse For wee knowe that men doo beare much with themselues and seeke nothing but too welter in their pleasures Also there are which presume vppon their owne strength beare theÌ„selues on hand that they be able to worke wonders as though they were as stout as could bee requyred And this cursed perswasion hath deceiued wretched meÌ„ in al ages and by that meane hath free-will trotted in euery mans mouth But S. Paule telleth vs heere that wee haue neede too bee strenthened which saying importeth that wee bee weake by nature And afterward he expresseth him self yit better in saying that it is in the Lord that wee must bee strong and that he hath all power in him too giue therof vntoo vs as much as needeth Then if wee enterpryze any thing without calling vppon him wee shal bee punished for our rashnesse and pryde Saint Paule therfore sheweth vs that men cast themselues into decay by their ouerweening in imagining themselues too haue that which they haue not which conceyt turneth them away from calling vppon God Now it myght bee sayd heere that it is a superfluous exhortation too bid vs bee strong in the Lord for no man is able too vphold him self that lyeth not in any bodies power too doo No but yit for all that wee feele by effect that God woorketh in such wyse in vs that wee doo the same things that he dooeth But yit must that woorking needs bee amyable too vs If a maÌ„ haue liued holily so as he may haue bin as a mirrour of holinesse and of all vertew it may well bee sayd he hath
prayers should not bee woorthie too bee receyued but rather bee foule filthie and stinking if our Lord Iesus Christ hallowed them not by his holinesse and perfection Knowing this let vs neuer presume too open our mouth too call vppon our God but in the name of our mediatour assuring our selues that it is his office too bearewoord for vs and too make vs to bee heard so as wee may fynd God fauorable and foreward too help vs That then is the meane for vs too pray vntoo God boldly and with open mouth as is sayd in the texts which I alledged euen now both out of eyghth to the Ramans and out of Saint Iames and also as wee haue seene in the third chapter of this Epistle Wee must call vppon God through the beleef which wee haue in Iesus Christ assuring our selues that he not only came downe intoo the world too shead his blud once for the remission of our sinnes but also is incessantly before God too pray for vs so as wee bee fully resolued that although wee bee but wretched earthwoormes yit God accepteth vs and auoweth vs for his children by his meanes will alwayes be mercifull in receyuing our prayers and supplications bycause wee offer them not too him in our owne name nor by our selues for in good sooth that were a foolish presumptiō of our owne imagination but bycause he hath commaunded it and shewed vs the way which we should hold vs too Now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him too pardon them notwithstanding that wee deserue too bee quyte cut of from the hope of saluation And forasmuch as it hath pleased him too call vs too him and too promis vs that wee shal bee receyued too mercie if wee come too him with fayth and humilitie let vs pray him too prepare our hartes in such wyse as wee may make such requestes too him as he alloweth and that therewithall he so beare with our infirmities as wee may not fayle to obteine fauour though there be many imperfections in our prayers And so let vs al say Almyghtye God heauenly father c. The .xlviii. Sermon which is the sixth and last vppon the sixth Chapter 19 Praying also for mee that in opening my mouth vtterance may bee giuen mee with boldnesse too vtter the secret of the Gospel 20 For the which I am an Ambassadour in cheynes too the end I say that I may speake freely as it becommeth mee too speake 21 But that yee may also knowe of my state and what I do Tychicus our deere brother and faythful minister in the Lord shall shewe you all things 22 Whom I haue sent vntoo you for the same purpose that you myght knowe my state and he comfort your hartes 23 Peace be to the brethren and charitie with fayth from God and from our Lord Iesus Christ. 24 Grace bee with all them which loue our Lord Iesus Christ in purenesse Amen WEe sawe this morning how wee ought too bee carefull in praying one for anther and the frute that commeth thereof namely that euery man which is a member of the Sonne of God must assure him selfe that the whole Church laboreth for him and that generally both Iesus Christ and all his must bee refuzed if God pitie vs not But heerewithal wee haue to marke also that Saint Paule in commending himselfe too the prayers of the Church is not so myndfull of his bodye as of the thing that is much excellenter that is too wit of the due executing of the charge and office committed vntoo him If a man bee sicke or in necessitye in this world or trubbled by his enemyes wee bee woont too crye out for helpe and succour and wee would haue euery man too occupye himselfe for vs And why For inasmuch as wee bee fleshly as soone as wee feele any disease in our bodye wee bee sorye at the harte but in the meane whyle wee forget the cheef poynt that is too wit the things that concerne the euerlasting saluation of our soules Agein when it comes too the seruing of God euery man thinkes he is sufficient ynough of himselfe too doo it without helpe of his neyghbours But Saint Paule sheweth heere that he thinkes not himselfe sufficient too execute the charge that is committed too him of preaching the Gospell without help from aboue and therefore he requyreth the prayers of the Church And afterward he sheweth therwithall that he maketh more account therof than of his lyfe notwithstanding that he were hild as then in prizon yea and euen cheyned Ye see here that Saint Paule is hild in streyt ward as a sory offender and looketh dayly for nothing but death and yit for all that he careth not so much for his lyfe as for the aduauncement and preferment of Gods woorde insomuch that he had leuer dye than too bee slothfull in dooing the thing that was inioyned him That is the effect of the thing which wee haue too remember vppon this text Trew it is that in the Epistle too the Thessalonians he noteth also the reason why he desyred too bee deliuered from the wicked and faythlesse which ceassed not too lay snares for him And why It was lawfull for him too set store by his lyfe but yit for all that he did not set the Cart before the horse as they say for wee see by this text and also by that which is written too the Colossians that he had alwayes more regard too discharge his dewtie toowardes God specially in respect of the Church by preaching the Gospell faythfully than too ease himselfe or too eschew the daunger wherein he sawe he was Then first of all if our Lord call vs too any charge whatsoeuer it bee let vs learne too vnderstand our owne infirmitie that wee may bee succored of him as wee neede and not presume any whit vppon our owne strength or cunning but consider that God must bee fayne too hold vs vp by strong hand and that wee haue neede too resort vntoo him yea and too desyre after the example of Saint Paule to bee cōmended to the prayers of al the members of our Lord Iesus Christ as in deede it is good reason that wee should pray mutually also for them That is for the first poynt Secondly although it be lawfull for vs to desire men to pray for vs when wee bee sicke or when we bee pinched with any other affliction yit notwithstanding lyke as wee must afore all thinges pray for the comming of Gods kingdome and seeke the aduauncing of his glorie and make but an income of all other things else So in this cace wee must learne not too bee so wedded too the world and too this transitorie lyfe as too cry out for helpe when wee bee pinched with any aduersitie or neede and in the meane whyle forget the thing that ought too bee preferred before them Wherefore let vs learne too bee chare in such wyse
of our lyfe as wee may couet aboue all thinges that God should be glorified in our persons whether it bee by life or by death as S. Paule sheweth vs by his owne example in the Epistle to the Phillippians And so ye see what we haue to remember in the first place And he sayeth expresly that Vtterance myght bee giuen him in opening of his mouth As if he should say that God myght giue him such corage and constancie as he myght not speake fayntly but freely preach the Gospell and not conceale any thing that myght serue too let foorth the grace of our Iord Iesus Christ and the infinite benefytes that hee hath brought vs That is the thing which Saint Paule ment by the opening of his mouth Now experience sheweth that he did not without cause desyre of God that his mouth myght bee opened as a gate or doore for he vseth the same terme in the fore-alledged place of the fourth too the Colossians For such as shun death that is too wit the most parte of them that professe the preaching of the Gospell will not sticke too say somewhat too the matter but yit they doo oftentymes so disgyze the ryght or else speake it so fearfully as the hearers wot not what they meane by it their woords shal bee so intangled Too bee short whereas they should shewe with loud and shirle voyce what our Lord Iesus Christ is what Gods seruice is what the trew religion is what fayth and repentance is they touch them as it were at glaunce but as for too rip vp matters and too serch them too the bottom they cannot away with that And why For they see perill hanging ouer their heades if they should vse such freenesse Howbeeit Gods trew seruantes must practize that which Saint Paule sayeth too Timothie namely that they haue not a slauish and cowardly hart but march foorth freely in their vocation too ouerpasse all the furiousnesse of the world and to haue a brazen forehead as it is sayd in Ieremie And although they see many hard battelles and that they cannot please the world in dooing their dewtie but that they shall haue the enmitie of many men for exalting the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ as they ought too doo yit let them not ceasse too go foreward and too ouercome all lettes Howbeeit forasmuch as wee bee fearfull and feeble God must bee fayne too woorke in vs and too giue vs boldnesse too speake as wee ought too doo Then is it not ynough for vs too bee warned of our dewtie but wee must also adde this poynt of resorting vntoo God with acknowledgment of our wantes and defaultes And furthermore let vs all take notice in generall that the preaching of the Gospell is too hygh and weyghtie a charge vnlesse wee bee gouerned by Gods spirit according also as Saint Paule cryeth out in the second too the Corinthians Who is sufficent for it When he speaketh of the preaching whereby men should bee reconcyled vntoo God and certifyed of their saluation whereby the kingdome of heauen is opened whereby wee haue witnesse of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and whereby the blud of our Lord Iesus Christ is giuen foorth too wash vs from all our steynes who is of abilitie meete for it sayeth Saint Paule except God make vs able by woorking in vs For wee cannot so much as thinke too doo good Yea wee bee so farre of from hauing power too doo any thing in deede that wee cannot so much as thinke one good thought vnlesse God giue vs it Now then let such as are called too the office of teaching Gods Church vnderstand their owne weakenesse and put themselues wholly intoo Gods hand too bee made able too discharge themselues knowing that they shall neuer bring it too passe no nor the hundreth part of it vnlesse it bee giuen them from aboue And therefore let all men pray for those that are so ordeyned too bee teachers and ministers of the woord for it is a singular gift of God when wee haue such Shepherdes of our soules as are able too guyde vs well Wherfore bee it knowen both too great and small that too maynteyne the Church in hir perfect state and soundnesse God must bee fayne too giue power and strength too such as should teache and men must pray for them for in so doing euery man procureth his owne welfare and saluation And if we be negligent therin it is a token that wee make no reckening nother of our spiritual life nor of the common welfare of the Church And heerin wee see what wee ought too deeme of such as pretend too preache Gods woord in these dayes and in the meane whyle are so fearefull that they dare not open their mouth vntill they haue well bethought them whether the things that they intend too speake may offend or delyght the eares of him and of hir What a sort see wee in the Popedome which rowe betweene two streames and would fayne haue it knowen that they bee such as would fayne haue leaue too preache purely But yit for all that they doo so beepeynt the doctrine which they vtter as they play the craftie merchantes and there is nothing but falshood in them according also as Saint Paule vseth the same similitude in speaking of such as abused Gods woord too purchace the fauour of the world and too maynteyne it Now the saying of such men is that they must stryke sayle hold with the hare and hunt with the hound eschew occasioÌ„ of stumbling blocks and that it is not for a man too stryue ageinst the streame As who should say they bee much wyzer than God â—ho speaking by Saint Paule telleth vs that Iesus Cerist must bee preached throughly and men must not go about too bury him any more for seeing he is rizen vntoo glorie he will haue the voyce of his Gospell ring loud and shirle without any dissimulation as I sayd afore Moreouer euen where there is no persecutioÌ„ of sword nor fyre the world sees that they which name themselues ministers of the Gospell would fayne currye fauell in such wyse as there should bee no shift but our Lord Iesus Christ must stoope and wrythe his truthe too and fro at mennes pleasures Now adayes when the preachers perceyue that it is no pleasant thing for them too put men vnder the yoke of our Lord Iesus Christ what say they Shall wee offend greate men and such as are in authoritie ouer vs Should wee not rather win them by gentlenesse Yis but they bee wyld beasts dossing with their hornes ageinst our Lord Iesus Christ and cannot abyde that there should bee any disciplyne in the Church and yit for all that men must preache still too their lyking What a trayterousnesse and villanie were that Yit notwithstanding a man neede not go farre too fynd such preachers of the Gospell that is too say of leaud choppers and chaungers which turne all topsiteruie knowing not what their dewtie
seede wee bee accursed It is trew that Adam was created after the image of God but yit was that image defaced by sin so as wee bee not worthie too bee counted among Gods woorkes And the same horrible condemnation is pronounced wyth his owne mouth where he sayeth that it repenteth him that hee had made man as though he disclaymed vs all bycause wee doo but infect the earth and are not so woorthy too bee mustered in the aray of hys creatures as are the woormes lyce fleas dogflyes and all other vermin of the world That then is the benefyte which wee haue by Adam and as oft as it is sayd that wee be of his seede and of his fleshe it serueth too shew vs that there is nothing in vs but a gulf of cursednesse Now hereuppon if wee come too our Lord Iesus Christ wee bee restored agein and as the Scripture speaketh of it wee bee made new creatures in him Yee see then that it is by power of the spirit and not by order of nature nor by any common fashyon that wee bee of the bone and of the fleshe of our Lord Iesus Christ and the cause why wee bee members of his body is that God his father hath ordeyned and stablished him as our head Howbeeit as I sayd afore that is doone by a secret power which wee comprehend not but by fayth Then do both these things agree very well namely that Iesus Christ is of our bone and of our fleshe in respect that he hath taken our humane nature vpon him and clothed himself with it without the which wee should haue no alyance with him For if wee cannot atteyne too the Angels how shall wee atteyne too him that is the souerein head of them But wheras he is come in such wyze vntoo vs that he hath voutsafed to bee knit in the bond of brotherhood with vs that is doone specially when he woorketh so by the power of his holy spirit that he is our head and wee are gathered toogither in him and haue a heauenly state and wheras afore wee had nothing but of the earh and consequently had nothing in vs but corruption now wee bee lifted vp on hygh and are made the children of God by the grace that is spoken of heere wheras erst wee were heires of his wrath which wee hold from our father Adam when wee followe his nature bycause wee are all lost and peruerted in him Thus yee see in effect how the twoo things are too bee agreed wherin there seemed too bee some diuersitie And in deede if wee haue not that what would become of vs How miserable would our state bee I haue shewed alredye that if any man looke well what is in himselfe he shall fynd nothing there but matter too separate him from god Now then vntyll wee bee of the substance of our Lord Iesus Christ God must needes hate vs and abhorre vs and not knowe vs too bee of the number and company of his creatures Now remayneth too see how it commeth to passe that wee bee of the bones of Iesus Christ and of his flesh For he is in heauen and wee are heere beneath on earth Agein when wee bee begotten euery of vs is begotten after the order of nature he hath his father and his mother too come of and they bee of the same race that he is How then are wee of the bones of Iesus Christ It is not in respect of substance for if wee looke vppon our owne flesh nother the skin nor the bones nor the gristles that wee haue doo come of the body of our Lord Iesus Christ but it is in respect that the cursednesse which wee bring from our moothers womb and is spred ouer all Adams linage is taken away by the power of our Lord Iesus Christ and that therwithall he hath so sheaded foorth the grace of his holy spirit vppon vs that wee bee inlyghtened by it Therfore it is as a qualitie as men terme it not a substance Euery mā shal descend of such linage and God letteth the common order runne on styll which he appoynted at the beginning namely that men beget one another from issew too issew but in the meane whyle Iesus Christ renueth those whom God his father hath chozen and such as are the members of his owne body and riddeth them of the corruption which they had taken from Adam And afterward he giueth them such a power as euery of them feeleth by fayth that he is vnder the head that is set ouer vs and that wee bee gathered all toogither in him and his lyfe is giuen vntoo vs too the intent wee should no more liue too our selues nor too the world but rather 〈◊〉 he should liue in vs as Saint Paule sayeth of him Yee see then that Iesus Christ needeth not too come downe from heauen too make vs members of his body nor too diminish his owne flesh too make vs too growe out of him and too bee shaped of him For all is doone by the woonderfull power of his holy spirit Wee drawe no◠any thing from the flesh nor from the body wherwith he once clothed himselfe for that is in heauen too the intent that wee should bee fashyoned lyke vntoo the glory that is now in him But yit for all that he woorketh in such wyse as wee haue all our strength continually of him And lyke as trees drawe both their flowers their leaues and their fruites from their roote and lyke as the body of man feeleth his strength too flowe downe from the head so do wee feele the vertew and force of the coniunction that is betweene vs and our Lord Iesus Christ and yit he continueth still in his full state al the whyle Nother doth that hinder vs too inioy the inestimable benefite that S. Paule magnifyeth so much in this text And therwithal let vs beare this poynt in mynd that it is much when wee bee inwardly stird vp to doo euery man his duetie for thereby wee tast the grace of God which concerneth the saluation of our soules The matter that is in hand heere is that men should liue freendly and agreeingly with their wyues And when a husband considereth the things that are spoken heere he ought too bee prouoked not only too discharge him selfe of the bond wherein he is bound too God and his wyfe but also too thinke thus with him selfe This is such a state that although it bee corruptible and serue but for this transitorie lyfe yit hath God set it afore vs as a lyuely image wherein I see that Iesus Christ is my head and that I belong too him and that not onely I am his but also he is myne so as his lyfe belongs too mee and too bee short I am as if I were a member of his body Seeing then that men in dooing their duetie towards their wyues and wyues also in obeying their husbandes may behold how they bee ioyned vntoo Christ and that they doo the things
that belong too the heritage of the kingdome of heauen must it not needes bee that wee bee too vnthankfull if wee consider not how our Lord Iesus Christ laboreth by all meanes too win vs and too make vs walke vnder his yoke And moreouer he not onely allureth vs by gentle and louing meanes too the intent wee should take the better corage too serue him and too doo the things that our calling and state requyre but also draweth vs too him and euen in this world in the transitorie and earthly things setteth vs foorth the euerlasting saluation that is prepared for vs in heauen which was bought so deerly for vs by the blud of his only sonne to the intent that in the end wee should bee parttakers of the effect and vertue that proceedeth therof And now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him too voutsafe so too reforme our hartes vntoo goodnesse as wee may seeke nothing but too serue him and too yeeld our selues wholly too the obeying of his holy will and that it may please him therwithall so too beare with vs in our feeblenesse as wee hauing receyued pitie and mercie at his hand may in the end bee able too stand vp before his face And so let vs all say Almyghty God heauenly father c. The .xlii. Sermon which is the tenth vppon the fifth Chapter 31 For this cause shall a man leaue father and moother and bee ioyned too his vvyfe and they shal bee twoo in one flesh 32 This is a great secret Yea say I in Christ and in the Church 33 Therefore doo yee so as euery man may loue his wyfe as himselfe and let the wyfe feare hir husband GOd dooth so dispoze his woorkes as wee haue occasion too behold a woonderfull wisedome in all his dooings and too receyue such instruction by them as may be too our benefyte as for example in that which Saint Paule alledgeth here namely that the woman was drawen and taken out of the substance of the man For God could well haue created Eue after the same manner that he created Adam But he 〈…〉 and commaundeth woman too bee shaâ—ed therof And whertoo tendeth this but that there should bee such an vnion betweene man and wyfe as he myght thinke this is my flesh this is my bone and shee whence hath God giuen mee lyfe whence hath he shaped mee Euen of a rib that he tooke out of man Wee see then that God did not without cause vse such diuersitie in creating man and woman It was too the end it should bee continually mynded in wedlocke so as the husband myght knowe that he breaketh the whole order of nature if he bee not vnited in good agreement too his wyfe and the wyfe lykewyse if shee submit not hâ—â—selfe quietly too hir husband acknowledging him too bee hir head But Saint Paul applyeth this further to the vnion which is betweene our Lord Iesus Christ and his Church For as was declared vppon Sunday wedlocke is as a figure of the knitting toogither which is betweene vs and the sonne of god And therefore he cryeth out saying It is a hygh misterie that is too say a secret which wee ought too take very good heed of Yea sayeth he in Iesus Christ and in his Church There are then twoo things too bee noted here The one is that wee see how God euen from the beginning hath knit man and wyfe togither in vnseparable bond The other is that he intendeth too leade vs yit hygher that is too say that forasmuch as there is nothing in our selues but all maner of wretchednesse wee should bee knit too the sonne of God who is the fountayne of all goodnesse and from thence drawe our spirituall lyfe and haue all our strength and power of him And forasmuch as S. Paule hauing alledged the sayd text out of Moyses addeth that this misterie is great in that the sonne of God hath made vs bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh some haue imagined it too bee as a prophesie of that which hath bin sayd But there is no reason nor colour of reason why they should think so and it is euident that the text should bee mard if it bee not taken simply as it lyeth that is too wit that God intended too warne man and wyfe what their dewtie and charge is Let that then serue for one poynt The Papistes haue foully ouershoâ— themselues in this cace and bewrayed such ignorance as little children myght well spit in their faces for it Bycause the woord Sacrament was an ordinarie woord in old tyme too betoken Secrets misteries and all maner of hygh things that are woorthie too bee had in admiration of vs therfore the sayd woord Sacrament was 〈◊〉 in heere 〈…〉 It is a greate Sacrament sayeth Saint Paule that is to saye a great misterie or secret And heerof there is no doubt no more than when he sayeth it is a great Sacrament that God was manifested in the flesh It is a greate Sacrament that the Gospell was published through the whole world and that the wretched Gentyles and vnbeeleuers were matched with the ofspring of Abraham So in this text the infinite goodnesse of our God is a Sacrament that is too say a hygh thing and well worthie to bee looked at of vs Hereuppon some folks haue bin so verie beasts as too saye Then is Wedlocke or Matrimony a Sacrament as well as Baptim or as the Lords supper And bycause they vnderstood not the word to their seeming there was somwhat to be found here like as in Baptim the water betokeneth that we bee washed by the blud of our Lord Iesus Christ and in the Supper the bread and wyne are warrants and pledges of his body and of his blud They were of opinion that as much is doone in mariage Now when wee see that such doltishnesse hath crept in through the whole world and that these greate doctours had neede too bee set agein too their Apcies for so much as they knew not euen the things that they ought too haue iudged by their naturall reason therin we see that therâ— lyeth a greate vengeance of God vppon such as haue corrupted the trew religion and made minglemangles in the woord of God after their owne fancyes And therwithall wee haue too thank our God so much the more for that he hath drawen vs out of such dungeons And seeing there was so horrible confuzion in such as are reported themselues to be the Lampes and pillers of the Church were taken so to bee sith wee see that God did dull them so vtterly wee ought not too be afrayd too separate our selues from their company and siâ—agogue And seeing he hath graunted vs the grace too bee no more mingled with them let vs keepe on our course and walk foorth soberly For there wee haue a warning too hold our selues in awe that wee being Gods