In that case men can dyscerne no more than a blynde man in the darke But yet for all that oure fayth is not a whyt ouerthrowen it leaueth not to make vs certayne of Goddes goodnesse towarde vs seyng it proceadeth not from the fynenesse of mans wyt But from the only lyghtenyng of the holy ghost For thys cause in the second Chapiter of the fyrst to the Corrinthians Saint Paule hauing shewed that as the mysteryes of God doe farre surmount the conceite of oure vnderstandyng by and by after he ioyneth thereunto that the faythfull vnderstande and knowe the meaning of the sonne of God bycause they haue not receaued a spirite that is of thys worlde but the spirite that they haue was geuē them of God by which they are taught y ◠mercye and goodnesse of hym which otherwise is comprehensible Al faythful seruauntes know by y e teachyng of the holy ghost y t which is farre aboue y e fleshly sense so that they speake boldly and freely as out of the mouth of y ◠Lord. Wherfore euē as by their own abilitye they cannot cōme vnto y ◠knowledge of y ◠hygh mysteries of God so by the grace of y ◠holy ghost they haue a certayn and cleere knowledge of the same Now the holy ghost must go before we muste folowe we must staye where he leaueth vs ther we must set fast our foote But if any man desyre to know more than y ◠same spirit hath opened he shalbe euerprest w t the infinite brightnesse of his light 24 The same is Helye Mathe. 11. I am not Helias Ioan. 1. ACcordyng to the true interpretation of the Prophet Malachy Iesus Christ affyrmeth iustlye that Iohn the Baptist is Helias if you wil receaue hym sayth he the same is Helia that should cōme He shewes howe Iohn began to Preache the good tydynges of the kingdome of God that is to say in asmuch as he was y ◠same Helias that shoulde be sent before the face of God Then Iesus Christes wil is to haue thys fearefull commyng of God that was celebrated by Malachy acknowledged of y ◠Iewes seyng that the same Helie that was there promised dyd then as it were the dutye of a porter But Iohn the Baptist also speaketh the truth in saying that he is not Helia The Iewes knewe by the Prophecy of Malachye y ◠Helie should be as it were as a daystarre to shewe the commyng of the Messias In the meane time they held this ouerthwart opinion that the soule partyng forth of one body should enter into the body of another man Bycause Malachye sayd that Helia shoulde bee sent they thought that the same Helie that was in y ◠tyme of kyng Achab should cōme agayne Wherfore Iohn the Baptist aunswered ryghtly and trulye that he was not Helia for he spake and aunswered accordyng to theyr opinion 25 Those that he hath called he hath also sanctified Roman 8. Many are called but fevve are chosen Mathe. 20. IT will be an easye matter to agree these two places so we vnderstand that ther are two sortes of callings one of the whiche is spoken of in the eyght of the Romaynes the other in y ◠xx of Mathew Fyrst then there is one callyng which is effectuall that is the dyscoueryng of the eternall election whē God by y ◠mynistery of his word the grace of his holy spirit declareth vnto vs maketh vs to know perfectly y ◠he is our father Here we haue not to do only with y ◠outward preaching which shoulde but beate our eares except y ◠the second wer ioyned to it y ◠is to saye the holy ghost whiche causeth this calling to haue his effect And thei y ◠in this sort be called be also sanctifyed they possesse y e free ryghteousnesse which is in Iesus Christ They bee sanctified they haue also a continuing of Gods goodnesse frō y ◠callyng vntyl y e death ▪ Ther is another sort of calling w t which god calleth al 〈◊〉 by his gospel Many infected vncleane persōs preace in by force which though for a whyle they occupye a place among others yet at y ◠last they ar driuen out drawē to punyshment Not al they by a great many y ◠be called or bydden or y ◠haue some entry into y ◠Church are made pertakers of euerlastyng lyfe but only they whō y ◠sonne of God shal fynd prepared clad in such a garmēt as is worthye of the heauenly palace 26 He is not the lyght Ioan. 1. He vvas the burnyng and shyning lampe 〈◊〉 IN both these places Iohn y ◠Baptist is spoken of First when it is sayd y ◠Iohn was not y e light that is to be vnderstode of y ◠lighte whiche doth geue light to euery man cōmyng into the world Iesus Christ only is that light who maketh euery one of vs to feele some force of his clerenesse And true it is y ◠as he is the eternal lighte so he hath a bryghtnesse y ◠is natural to him is not takē frō any wher els But rather we ar sent backe to y ◠experience y ◠we al haue of it Seing our lord Iesus maketh vs al partakers of his brightnesse we must also cōfesse this honor to belong to him alone generally al mē ar here cōtayned For we know y ◠mē haue thys singular to thē aboue al liuing things y ◠they haue reason vnderstanding they carrye grauen in their hartes the difference of good and euil There is no man therefore but hath some syghte of thys great euerlastyng light Thys cannot be sayd of Iohn the Baptiste nor of any other whosoeuer he bee of whom it is sayd ryghtly y ◠he is not the light to the end hys bryghtnesse bee it neuer so greate dymme not the clerenesse of the glory of God For some did so sticke to Iohn y ◠Baptist that they made no accompt of our Lord Iesus As if a man should be astonned with the sight of the dawnyng day or of some little starre and the whilest voutchsafe not to turne his eyes toward the sunne Nowe as touchyng the other sentence it is also true that Iohn y ◠Baptiste was a burnyng and shynyng lampe Thys may be sayd of al faythfull that they be lyghtes to the Lorde as Saint Paule calleth them Ephe. 5. and the reason is bicause they ar lightened by hys spirite And they haue their eyes open not only for them self but also to direct and guyde other into the way of saluation The Apostles also haue caried the torche of the Gospel to dryue darkenesse out of y ◠world Although therfore the faythfull be decked wyth this honorable title that they are called lyghtes and that inasmuch as they haue the word of lyfe and saluation they must shyne in the world as lyghtes torches Yet Iesus Christ doth attribute thys particularly to his Apostles
beare the name of Christians to take from him his power and to spoyle him of his strength and glory to the end to giue it ouer vnto diuerse gouernours which thei themselues haue forged after their owne apetit For God is not acknowledged or aduoutched for God when men attribute vnto hym a bare name onely but when all authority is geuen vnto hym Hereby we may see that when it is sayed that God is hee that maketh peace and createth il it is not to be vnderstode that he is the doer or autor of naughty things and the oposition which is heere shelues it more plainly to wete this woord peace for there is a contrariety herein betwene prosperity aduersity for a maÌ„ ought to vnderstaÌ„d by peace prosperity as also by y e al aduersity to wete war famine al other lyke things wher as if ther were a coÌ„trariety betwene iustice euil this error might haue soÌ„e colour but the contrariety that is here shewes veri wel another selfe to were that ther is neither prosperity nor aduersity neither good nor euil but that proceadeth froÌ„ y â— haÌ„d of God of whoÌ„ we cannot say that he is author of the fault but of the payne There are restimentes â—now in the holy Scripture which shew plainly that the Lord shal â—aue the mischeuous and proud to chasten vs by them yet for all that we cannot say that he breatheth into them the 〈◊〉 but he vseth it or serues his courâ—e with it or correct vs therin doth the 〈◊〉 Iudge So we may conclude that God is the only author of al things that is to say prosperitye and adueâ—sity are sente by him although he vse the hand of men to the ende that nothing be attributes to forrane or to any other cause But euen as God tempreth not nor stirreth any persone to euel dooing as he himself is not tempted to euel so also the Diuel burneth with a raging desire of doing il God wil vse hym hys wickednesse to proue try vs yet the wickednesse is roted in y â— sprite of y â— Diuel and God hath not breathe 〈◊〉 into him he is called a liar and a murtherer and that he hath of his owne he is accustomed to lie and can do nothing els but forge lies with craft and guile but that he hath of hymselfe and not of the fyrst creation of God for when y â— Lord Iesus maketh hym the workman and author of lies he doth manifestly separate him from God and makes him al together contrary to God so much we may wel say of al the wicked and reprobate that are obstinate in their wickednesse God hath in no wise wrought y â— euel or mischef that is in them 20 Honour thy father and thy mother and he that shall curse his Father Mother let hym die the deathe Exod. 20. 〈◊〉 If any com to me hate not his Father and Mother he cannot be my Disciple Luke 14. THIS coÌ„mauÌ„dement is set forth in the law of God that we shoulde honor our fathers mothers and this coÌ„maundementt requires that the children be lowly toward their fathers obey them reuerence them and helpe them as they are bound and to be at their commaundement The true loue is there required without which there can be no true obedience and as the promise of loÌ„g life is made vnto those that obei their fathers and mothers in the curse is pronouÌ„ces against such as curse or speake ill or are stubborne towarde their parentes yea they are adiudged to Death by the lawe of God Exod. 21. Leuit. 10. Deut. 〈◊〉 and thoughe they shuld escape the hand of men â–ª yet God wyll reuenge 〈◊〉 in some sorte although he â—arry long as we may see it by coÌ„mon experience For how many of such people die either in the warres either in bralles or are eueri day geueÌ„ into the hands of the hangman or dye shamefully before their age or in some other sort so that a man may perceaue that it is Goddes hande that maketh them dy w t shame And if it com to pas that they escape to the old later age yet do they but pine away bicause thei are destitute of the blessing of God Then seing the loue of Parentes is so muche commended vnto vs yea and that in such sorte that whosoeuer doth agaynst it eyther by rebellion eyther by disobedieÌ„ce or by striking is adiudged to Death by the certaine decree of God How may this agree with it that a man shuld hate his Father and Mother to follow the sonne of God Our Lord Iesus coÌ„mauÌ„deth vs not to take away and put of the affections of men he doth not forbid vs to loue our pareÌ„tes as we ought but he doth decree that all the mutuall loue y â— is betweene men should kepe his owne due ordre to the ende that the feare of God shoulde be farre aboue all Let the house band loue his wife the wife hir houseband the father his sonne the soÌ„ne his father so as for al y t the loue of man beareth not the reuerence that is due vnto our Lord Iesus For if among men themselfe euen where the line of frendshyp is strayghtest there are some aboue others is it not reason y â— the soÌ„ne of God should be placed before all And in very dede this is not a sufficieÌ„t acknowledâ— to considre what it is to be receaued among the Disciples of Iesus Christ if the price of thys honour and dignitye haue not the force in vs to subdue and represse al the affections of our fleshe It now any man thinke that thys maner of speach to hate his Father is to hard yet it is one self sense as if he said if the loue of our fathers and mothers let vs from following Christ we must Manfully resist it 21 Hebr. 6. They that haue bene once illumynated and haue tasted the heauenlye gyft and bene partakers of the holye Ghost haue tasted the good vvord of God and the povver of the vvorld to coÌ„me it is vnpossible they should be renevved by repentaunce if they fall back VVhosoeuer shall call vpon the name of God shal be saued WHEN God pronounceth hys threatnings vnto vs and is wylling to astonne vs wyth them he pryckes vs forward as sluggish slow asses to seke our saluatioÌ„ And in these Iudgements he setteth before vs dredful signs as though the suÌ„ne wer altogether dimmed w t darknesse y â— Mone tourned into blood and al that is here below mingled and confounded And also after that he hath so filled the heauen and earth with darkenesse yet for all that he sheweth vs the meane how we mai openly see our saluation shine before our eyes that is by calling vpoÌ„ hys name If God dyd but simply promise to saue vs yet that were a greate mater but behold here a more excelleÌ„t and farre greater thing when he promiseth this saluatioÌ„ among diuers bottomlesse depthes and
should not dymme their brightnesse and also that none of their dignitie shoulde be taken away from them In y ◠meane season he may of him self in respect of men geue ouer hys lyfe obeying rather the good pleasure of his father burnyng with the desyre of the saluation of his than to withstand the furious assaultes of hys aduersaries 37 VVho is he that resisteth hys vvil Roman 9. You haue euer resisted the holy ghost Act. 7. SAINT Paule asketh this question in the person of the proud wicked whiche cannot refrayne from barkyng with open mouthe agaynst the iustice of God And thus their affectiō is very well expressed for not content to defend thē self they put God in their place Beside when they haue layd the fault of their condemnation vpō him they speake dispytfully against his inuincible power They are constrayned to agree that he is iuste but it is wyth murmuryng bycause they can not resiste hym as if they woulde saye thus What reason is there that God should be angry with vs Doth not he whatsoeuer semeth good to hym who shoulde withstand hym seyng he hath formed vs suche seing he doth all after hys wyll and pleasure what ells doth he in destroying vs but reuenge him selfe vpon hys woorke for it is not in oure power to warre with hym if we should resyste hym yet he would continually haue the victorye They therfore will conclude that it is a wronge iudgemente yf God doe destroye thē Such are y e murmuryngs of y ◠proud And yet thys is true that no man can withstand the will of God by whiche all things are made yea made with al vpryghtnesse If the causes of this good pleasure be hyd frō vs we muste not therefore enquyre whye he doth thus and thus we must heare quietly that which the Lord will say and wee must with al lowlinesse and obedience subscribe to his faythful true iudgements Ells what maner of madnesse were it and deuilishe presumptiō that man ful of vanitye should not graunt to God more wisedome thā to his own fleshlye reason And when the thyngs that are done lyke hym not to pleade with hys Master that he shoulde haue done otherwise There is also another will of God which is declared to vs in hys worde which men cannot bee ignorant of except it be maliciously by whiche hys grace is offered vnto all Whē the vnfaythful refuse this grace offred by the Prophets and seruaunts of God it is sayd that they withstand the holy ghost for thys toucheth not secrete reuelations whiche God breatheth inwardly into euery faythfull man but the outwarde ministerye by which y ◠goodnes of god is set befor mē 38 VVhosoeuer asketh hee receaueth Math. 7. You aske but receaue not Iacobi 4. IN the fyrst sentence the Lord Iesus offreth the grace of hys Father to sinners signfieng that god of his good wil is ready to heare vs so that we pray to him Hys riches are poured foorth to vs so that we aske them of him But this asking and prayingmust be made in fayth elles it is neyther asking nor prayer vnto God They then that beeing void of al goodnes sake not this remedi to help their pouerty or nede shal haue punishmēt due to their negligēce As cōtrariwyse as many as shal ask in faith shal not fail to enioi y ◠frut of their prayers It happeneth truly many tymes that the faythful sleepe and God watcheth for their saluation and so he preuenteth their desires and prayers For we wer more thā miserable cōsydering our great dulnesse if God shuld tary tyl we open our mouthes to pray to hym But to speake better there is nothing but his owne goodnesse that stirreth him to geue vs faith which go-before al prayers both in tyme and ordre Yet bicause he speaketh these wordes onely to his faithful he sheweth vs simply how the heauenly Father wyll make vs partakers of his benefites Although he hee geue vs al thynges frelye yet to exercise oure fayth he commaūdeth vs to pray to hym to the end hee maye graunte to our prayers that which notwithstanding flowes frō his mere goodnesse and liberality But bycause fayth only is that which obtayneth and goeth not beyonde the boundes of Gods will which is declared by hys word Saint Iames sayth here very well You aske but receaue not and hee addeth to it the cause for that you aske it to the ende to bestow it on your desires and pleasures Is it reasō that men shal make God the seruant of their pleasures and fonde desires when they temper not their desires after the maner that God hath ordained but with an inordinate libertye geue them selfe the bridle to aske thinges which they should be ashamed to aske or to open before a man who soeuer he were It is good reason that they shuld be denied Certaynly ther is no feare nor reuerence nor good opinion of god among vs when we are so hardy and rashe to aske of God things which our owne conscience would not graūt vs. Then before we shal obtayne we must bridle our desires The way to brydle them is to make them obediente and subiect to God To conclude wee shall obtayne when Fayth whych is ruled by the holy and good wyl of God shall frame our harts We shal not obtaine when we aske according to our desires neyther should it be expedient for vs to obtaine in that sorte 39 By one onely offering he hath hallovved for euer those that be sāctified Hebr. 10. I fulfyl the vvante of the aflictions of Christe in my fleshe for hys bodye vvhych is the Church Colloss 1. AL thinges that were expedient for our saluation were accomplished and broughte to perfection by the only oblation of the Lord Iesus And surely no man can alledge anye thing agaynst thys And al faythful are fully hallowed and sanctified in his only sacrifice If the Lord Iesus be Christ he is also y e true Priest And if he be y ◠true Priest then must of necessity his sacrifice be perfect For els he should in nothing differ from the Leuitical Priestes which were sinners And his sacrifice should differ no whit from the olde sacrifice of beastes Seeing then hys sacrifice is perfect it is also sufficient and it must not be offered againe nor ani other added to it God hath no nede of mennes help neyther must men set to their hands after him when he hath perfected or ended any thing Then if it be so that all other oblations that haue bene added after Christes oblation are not onely vnprofitable but also abhominable as put to w tout agaīst Gods woord What other thing shall ther be for men to offre to God by which they may adde some ouerplus to the merite of the passion of the sonne of God The death of the Iust is precious before the face of God and chefly of hys martirs which haue shed their bloud for the testimony of his
e equitie of God who is not a God willing or allowing iniquitye And yet a man might thinke y t this were signifieng by these words y â— God wil visite y t iniquitie vnto the thyrde fourth generatioÌ„ What hath he deserued y â— is not yet If a maÌ„ consider y â— coÌ„dition of mankind thys doubt shal easely be soyled No maÌ„ can loke for any thing els but y t the wrath of God shold fal on hys head and y t shoulde coÌ„me to passe of very right for we ar al sinners and vnworthy of y t fauour of God If God leaue vs as we are what occasion haue wee to complayne to hym It is not ynough to saye that children shall abyde temporall paynes for the synnes and offences of their fathers For thys is farther extended the reuenge or punishment which he threateneth here can not bee restrayned to the presente life but as it is a signe of his loue wheÌ„ he blesseth hys seruauntes children so when he leaueth the sede of y â— wicked in hys curse it is a witnesse of his vengeance on them In thys maner seing al y t nature of man is worthy of condemnatioÌ„ they to whoÌ„ God sheweth no fauour can loke for nothyng els but the destruction which is prepared for theÌ„ What caÌ„ a father forsaken of the holy ghost do but liue wickedly Lykewyse his sonne forsakeÌ„ of God what can he do but followe y e trace of perditioÌ„ And they y â— shal folow what shal they do but goe after into y e same ruyne By thys meanes a maÌ„ may see y t euery one perysheth by hys own iniquitie not by y t vniuste hate of God Touching y t the chyldren are punnyshed for the offences of their fathers it is bycause they followe theÌ„ and though they be warned yet they amende not But as touching that Ezechiell sayeth in hys 18. Chapter that the sonne shall not beare the wickednesse of hys father that was a coÌ„mon prouerb in y e mouth of the Israelites that their fathers had eaten sower things and their teth weâ— on edge with it They signified therby that their fathers had coÌ„mitted y â— fault and that they endured y e il and puÌ„nyshment w tout deseruing it But the Prophet Ezechiel pronouÌ„ceth y t they suffer for their owne faultes and y t it is in no sort agreing w t the iustice of God that the iuste and innocent childe should be puÌ„nished for y â— faults and offences of another Neither is it ment by this sentence y t he visiteth the iniquity of y e fathers in their childreÌ„ for touching that the curse falleth vpoÌ„ their head it is bicause they follow y â— condicions and the tracte of those that wente before them And therfore are punished as their fathers were And althoughe God leaue them in cursednesse before they come into the world yet he doth theÌ„ no wroÌ„g neither caÌ„ they accuse him of vnrighteousnesse 103 Psalm 5. Thou shalt destroy theÌ„ that speak Lies Genesis 12. Abraham Lied and vvas not destroyed GOD so often forbidding Lieng in the holy Scriptures and witnessing that Liars are not welcome vnto him sheweth sufficiently how he wil punish al Liars for seeing y â— truth is in such sorte natural to him that w tout it he wer not God 〈◊〉 should he leaue Lies vnpunished seeing they he altogether contrarye to his righteousnesse and truth And hereupon we gather that a man ought not to excuse any maner of Lie with what fayre color soeuer a maÌ„ couer 〈◊〉 It is not inough to reiect or condemne Lies that ar domageable or ioined with forswearing but those also that are called pleasaunt Lies or Lies for recreation or those that may serue to saue the lyfe of anye â—an As â—ruth cannot be but of God so a Lie what one soeuer it be caÌ„not be but of the Diuel In this place of the fyft Psalme Dauid speaketh more specially he setteth forth the iudgemente of God vpon those that geue themselfe to deceyte Lieng and vnrighteousnes And therwithal he coÌ„forteth the faithful to the end that as often as they shal haue occasion to beare the oppression of the vnryghteous they should wythdrawe themself toward God whoe abhorreth all vnryghteousnesse For it is a good consequent God hateth al the vnryghteous it followeth he will punishe al the vnryghteous But as touching Abraham who lied saieng Sara his wife was his sister Truly a man can not excuse his fault for God had had other meanes to saue his life than by his endangering his Wifes chastitis by help of a Lie Hee excuseth him selfe after that he hath not lied and that he forged nothing contrary to the truth This was surely a great fault for it was not loÌ„g of him that his Wife was abaÌ„doned ouer to adultry If he were carefull of his life which thing was lawfull for him and right at y e least he should haue cast his care on God True it is that the prouidence of God letteth not the faithfull from prouidyng for them selfe but it ought so to be done that they passe not the limites which God hath set for theÌ„ It is their certayne that Abraham offended but what reason were it to put thys holy patriark in y e ranck of y e wicked whiche haue al their delite in dealyng deceiptfullye wyth theire neighbors lying yea before y e eies of god Abrahams ly Isaacks hys sonnes the lyes of al other faythful are worthy of blame yea and of punyshment but wher faith hath place there is also forgeuenesse of sinnes And God suffereth not a faythful soule so to straye in such impietie y t at the last dystruction shuld followe yet notwithstandyng y e grace that is geueÌ„ to the faythful shal not let the truth of thys sentence that will destroye al Liars 104 Thou hast layd the earth from the beginning O Lord and the heauens are the vvoorkes of thy handes they shal perysh but thou art euerlasting Psalm 21. Hebre. 1. The earth abydeth for euer Ecclesias 1. WHEN it is sayed the earth abydeth for euer it is in respect of meÌ„ y t their vanitie might be rebuked and their pride beaten downe One generation passeth and another coÌ„meth on and the earth serueth for a continual dwelling place for men euen to the ende of ages The seasons haue their ouerturnings and the nightes follow after the dayes there are diuerse chauÌ„ges and wonderful which a man seeth to com ordinarily and al that doth not make the earth to waste or to stir oute of her place The â—louds of the sea rore and swel as it were to swallow al vp and yet the earth ceaseth not yearly to bring forth her frutes and to serue meÌ„ for their abode Such is Gods excelleÌ„t workmanshyp such is his wonderful goodnesse toward mankinde For how commeth it that the earth is aboue the waters but that God would of purpose prepare a lodging for men The Philosophers
gentilly reacheth forth his hand to al to the end y â— al might be very desyrous to repent He came to cal all hauyng forgotten y â— person of a iudge he myndeth nothyng els but to drawe al meÌ„ to hym to deliuer from death and destruction those that seme to be altogether lost But in y â— means season thys belongeth to the proper and naturall offyce of Iesus Christ For where the vnbeleuyng and obstinate be more greuously condemned for refusyng the Gospell it is by accident and not by nature As touchyng that he came in iudgement as touchyng that he is called the stone of offence as touching that he is appoynted for the fall of many al these thynges are accidentall for those that refuse the grace that is offered in him deserue to feele hym as a rigorous iudge reuenging so vylannous a contempt and so horrible an vnthankfulnesse As much may a man say of the Gospell althoughe it be the power of God to saluation to all that beleue it Yet the vnthankefulnesse of many makes it turne to theÌ„ vnto death So the ministers are ready at hand to reuenge to breake and throwe down the pryde of all the enemyes of the Gospell when the true obedience of the faythfull shalbe accomplished 2. Cor. 10. The Gospell is fyrst and cheiflye appoynted to bee for the saluation of the faythful But theÌ„ afterward the stubborne vnbeleuyng shal not remaine vnpunyshed who despysing the grace of the Lord Iesus haue chosen to haue hym rather the author of death than of life Beholde how the sonne of God is coÌ„me to saue and not to Iudge or condemne and yet he came in iudgement Howbeit in thys seconde sentence thys word of iudgement cannot be symply taken for the punyshment of the obstinate and contemners of God for it streatcheth forth eueÌ„ to the grace of illumination Iesus Christ is coÌ„me in iudgement that is to saye he setteth agayne in good order thynges that were out of order which is done by a maruelous secrete wysedome of God and beyonde al mannes vnderstanding 35 Yf I vvitnesse any thing of my self my vvitnesse is not true Ioan. 5. Though I vvitnesse of my self my vvitnesse is true Ioan. 8. AS touching the first sentence our Lord Iesus meaneth not that his witnesse it not sufficient to be beleued for y â— in other places he defendes it strongly and earnestly but he speaketh as agreeing herein with hys aduersaries as he shoulde thus saye wel beleue me not yet ar there ynough of others y â— witnesse of me He speaketh theÌ„ after y â— coÌ„mon fashion of meÌ„ which bryng theÌ„self into suspition when they beare witnesse of them self as though he would his enemyes should take the matter as if hys witnesse wer nothing worth It is certayn that y â— witnesse y â— any maÌ„ beareth of himself ought in no case to be receaued as true lawfull no not though y â— thiÌ„g y â— be he saith be true for in dede no man is a sufficient witnesse in his own cause Now although it is not reason or meâ—e y â— the sonne of God should be set among theÌ„ Yet he had rather geue ouer his right to conuince hys aduersaryes by the authoritye of God But yet the witnesse of our Lord Iesu is of authoritye ynough of it self and hath no nede of mens confirmations for asmuch as he is not of the common sort of men And therfore he addeth y â— he knoweth well whence he came and whither he must goe He exempts hym self out of the common sort of other men Although therefore other be suspected in their owne and priuate causes and that it is appoynted by the lawes that a man shoulde not beleue or trust any man that speaketh for hys owne profyte or aduantage yet thys hath no place in Christ who is farre aboue all the world is not reckened to be of the coÌ„mon sort of men but hys father hath geuen hym thys priuilege that by hys only word he causeth all men to obey hym 36 I vvill do nothyng of my self Ioan. 5. No man taketh my lyfe from me but I leaue it of my self Ioan. 10. IN the fyrst sentence our sauior Iesus Christ maketh aunswere to the slauÌ„ders of y e Iewes which iudged maliciously of y â— worke which he had done in healyng y â— man y â— had ben 38. yeres sicke Thei loked only on his humaine fleshe and therefore dispysed him althoughe they sawe in hym woorkes that were in dede Godly Wherefore he would haue them to go hygher and to beholde God in hym and in y â— workes whiche he wrought to the end by that meane they myghte be moued to beleue hym Thys then is not symply to say that he can do nothyng of hym self for he is God eternal almyghty And thys belongeth not perticularly to the euerlastyng worde but to the sonne of God in asmuche as he was manyfested in the fleshe Such is thys manner of speakyng when he sayeth Ioan. 14. The worde which you heare is not myne but hys that sent me It is wel knoweÌ„ that he is the eternal wisedome of God hys father which made all the Prophetes Apostles other trustye seruauntes of God to speake But this he sayth to lifte men vp vnto the Maiestye of God which staying at y â— outward loke of Iesus Christ could not owe such reuerence to the worde as it deserued excepte they had bene wel assured that it is God which speaketh in hys sonne and that the sonne speaketh through hys father All this matter must be referred to thys opposition to weete that they that thynke they haue to doe with a mortall man when they accuse the Lorde Iesus of hys doynges which were in very dede diuyne are farre out of the way And therfore he affirmeth earnestly that he hath done nothyng in the healyng of thys man that is diuerse or contrary to hys fathers will And by the other sentence he meaneth that men haue no power on him to take hys lyfe from hym but that he could haue thondered vpon al his enemyes if he woulde and so haue consumed al their attempts But in y â— he dieth it is with his wil he being able to withstande the violence of his aduersaries but beyng also willing to obey the will of hys father which had ordered and appoynted hys sonne to die to deliuer vs. Now then not only he sayeth that men cannot put him to death but in as muche as he suffereth them but also he exempteth him self from al force of necessitye But it standeth other wyse with vs for we must nedes dye bycause of our synne Christ in dede was borne a mortall maÌ„ but hys submission was voluntarie and not a forced bondage enioyned him from els where Then let vs conclude that he can do nothyng of hymself in asmuch as he wills that al hys works be wayed accordyng to hys diuyne power that the respect of his manhode
the vvay but a staffe Marc. 6. THE difficultye is in thys that Saint Mathew and Saint Luke say that it was forbidden them to carry a rodde or staffe And Saint Marke sayth they wer suffered to carry a staffe Before thys dyfficultie bee resolued we muste see what the purpose of oure Lorde Iesus is He woulde that his Aposties shoulde in a little tyme visyte all the countrey of Iewrye and that they shoulde spedely returne to hym And that thys mighte bee done he forbyddeth them to carry with them any baggage which might let them from makyng haste And thys commaundemente muste bee restrayned to thys vyage They myght well haue had wallets staues shoes garmentes golde and syluer in their houses but to the end they myght bee the lyghter he commaundeth them to leaue behynde euery burden y ◠myght lode them But as touchyng the staffe Saint Mathew and Sainte Luke meane suche staues as myghte lode or hynder them that should cary them But Saint Marke meaneth a staffe which they carry commonly that take Iourneyes in hande and they carry them onely to staye them vp and to helpe them oute of the myer or an ill way or to leape a dyke as the custome and manner in olde tyme was to cary a staffe to Iourney wythall As appeareth by that whiche is sayd in Genesis I passed Iordan with my staffe Iacob confesseth by these words that he was not loden with ryches when he came into Siria 47 Iesus taryed in Ievvry baptysed Ioan. 3. Iesus dyd not baptyse Ioan. 4. ONE of these places serues to expounde the other For when it is sayd in the. 4. of Iohn that oure Lord Iesus baptised more Dysciples than Iohn the correction is also added to wete thoughe Iesus baptised not but hys Disciples baptised and thys baptyme is called the baptyme of the Sonne of God and that to the end we shoulde vnderstand that the baptyme ought not to be estemed after y ◠person of the minister but the strength therof dependeth wholly on hym that is the author of it in whose name it is geuen and on hys holy ordinaunce And thys serueth to comfort vs that we knowe that baptyme is no lesse able to washe and renue vs than yf it were administred to vs by the very hand of the sonne of God If we aske why he stayed from the administration of the outward sygne the reason is easely geuē to were bycause he would leaue a testimony to all ages and generations that the baptyme is in nothing diminished when it is offred by a mortal man Wherefore Christ not only baptyseth inwardly by hys holy spirit but we ought asmuch to esteme y t sygne which we receaue at the hand of a mortall man as yf Christ himself streatched oute hys hand to vs from heauen Iesus Christ thē baptised and dyd not baptyse He baptysed forasmuch as the baptyme that was mynistred by the handes of hys Dysciples was aduoutched to be hys and estemed suche as if hymselfe had baptised He did not baptise bycause he did not admynister the outwarde sygne but caused hys Dysciples to do it 48 Thou shalt hate thyne enemy Mathe. 5. Loue your enemyes Math. 5. WHen God speaketh of our neighboures it is certayne that he cōprehendeth al the kynde of man for as euery man is geuen to himself as often as any perticular commodityes part one from the other the mutuall pertaking which nature her self enioyneth vs is forsaken to the ende then that we might be kept in bond of brotherly loue God testifyeth that al men be our neyghbours bycause that nature common to vs al maketh vs al frendes among our selues As often as a man beholdeth a man bycause it is hys fleshe and hys bone so often it behoueth hym necessarily to beholde hymself as in a glasse but bycause the most parte departe from thys holy felowshyp yet notwithstandyng the order of nature is not broken by theyr lewdnesse bycause we must loke vpon God who is author of thys vnitye and coniunction And therfore thys commaundement by which we ar appointed to loue our neyghbour is general But it is maruell how the Scribes fel into thys absurdltie to restrayne thys worde neyghboures vnto weldoers and those whyche by their pleasures and seruices that they doe deserue to be loued They measured neyghbourhode accordyng to the affection of euery one Wherefore they sayd those only were to be taken for neyghbours whiche for their good dedes are worthye to haue frendship borne vnto thē or at the least suche as doe pleasure for pleasure Common reason counselleth euery one so and for thys cause the chyldren of the proude worlde were neuer ashamed to confesse and shewe openly their hatred hauyng some reason to make it of value but the loue which God commaundes and recommendeth in hys law doth not loke vpon that that euery one deserueth but it stretcheth forth vnto the vnworthy the ouerthwart vnthankfull Nowe when Iesus Christ sayeth but I saye vnto you loue your enemyes he maketh not a newe lawe or ordinaunce but he bringeth agayne the law of his father into hys true and natural meaning correcting the false and pernerss expositions and gloses of the scribes by which they had corrupted and falsified the purenesse of the lawe of God he leaueth then thys holy ordinaunce in hys perfect state Thou shalt loue thy neyghbour yet he will shewe how it shalbe duely accomplyshed to wete when we shal loue not only those that do vs good but also those that procure our hurt 49 Take hede thou tel it to no bodye Math. 8. Tell all the thynges that God hath done to thee Luke 8. CHRIST forbyds the leper whom he healed to tel vnto other what was happened vnto hym And the reason is thys the conuenient tyme to tell it was not yet cōme True it is that thys myracle oughte not to bee hydde or suppressed but there was a certayne cause whye the Lorde Iesus would not that the brute of this miracle shoulde be so sodaynly spread abrode or at the least would not haue it done by y ◠leper And touchyng that the leper coulde not holde hys peace althoughe it seme that therein he dyd shewe some sygne of acknowledgyng the benefyte yet he was so farre from deseruyng any prayse thereby that he was rather worthy of rebuke bicause he dyd not obey the commaundement of the Sonne of God If we were willyng to reknowledge the healyng of hys leprosye to hym that had healed hym he could not haue done it better than by vsyng symple obedience which before God is better worth than all offrynges and sacrifice and it is the begynnyng of the true seruyce of God And as touchyng that he sayth to the possessed with a spirit whom he had also healed report al that God hath done vnto thee we must lykewyse note the reason why he gaue thys commaundemente All the miracles that Christ did could not be long hyd neyther had it beene reason to
Iesu Christ in the seconde place speaketh of hys Gospell when he maketh protestation that he spake not of hymselfe but hys father that sente hym he hymselfe gaue commaundement to hys sonne of y ◠whiche he shoulde saye and speake And he addeth that he knoweth well that thys commaundement is eternall lyfe To vnderstande thys opposition it behoueth vs to returne to that which Saint Paule sayeth in the self place 2. Cor. 3. the lawe was written in tables of stone Then it was but a doctryne of y ◠letter Thys lacke in the lawe was to be amended by the Gospel for so long as it was engraued in tables of stone it must needes be frayle The Gospel then is holy vnbreakeable attonement forasmuche as it was ratifyed by the holy ghost In steade then that the lawe is the minister of death and damnation the Gospel by which men are regenerated and reconciled to God by y e free forgeuenesse of synnes is the minister of ryghteousnesse and consequentlye of lyfe It was sayd that the office of the law is to set forth the sicknesse but not to shewe what remedy a mā might haue to heale it But the offyce of the Gospel is to geue to the hopelesse a redy remedy It was shewed that y e lawe leauyng a man to hymself geues pronounceth sentence of death but y ◠Gospell brynging vs to Iesu Christ opens the gare of lyfe So a man may say at a woorde that thys is a continual accident to the lawe to kil bycause all they that abyde vnder it ar vnder the curse But in the Gospel the iustice of God is reueled from fayth to fayth and therefore it is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleueth 69 The lavve is the minister of death 2. Cor. 3. The lavve of the Lorde refresheth the soule the testimony of the Lorde geueth vvysedome to the ignorante his commaundement lyghteneth the eyes Psal 1◠HERE before a mā myght see how the lawe is the minister of death not that it is such in it self for perfect ryghteousnesse is contayned in it and by consequent life is inclosed in it But suche it is in vs whiche be weake and not able to fulfyll it and as breakers of it not able to drawe any thyng out of it but death whiche it pronounceth to all those that shall not do y e thinges whiche are therin contayned If nowe we wil agree these two sentences we must adde to them that whiche Saint Paule hymselfe addeth in thys thyrd Chapter of y e second to y ◠Corrinthians to wete that oure Lorde is the spirite He had sayd before of the lawe that the letter killeth but y ◠spirite ioyned with the letter quickeneth The doctryne of the law is litteral and not onely dead but also the geuer of death Contrarywyse he calleth Christ y ◠spirite of it sygnifying therby that then it shalbe quicke and quicknyng when it shal be breathed in by Christ Let the soule bee ioyned with the body and of those two shal be made a man quycke garnyshed with sense and vnderstandyng and mete for all workes of lyfe Take awaye and part the soule frō the body and it shal be but a carrayn dead without any felyng at al. Now a man may accord these prayses whiche Dauyd geues to the lawe with these sentences of Saint Paule For when Christ is ioyned to the law as the soule with the bodye the prayses which Dauyd geueth it belong to it it lighteneth the eies it geueth wisedome to little ones it refresheth the soule Take away and seperate Christ from the lawe and it shal remayne dead and the minister of death and damnation Then Christ is the lyfe of the lawe These thinges verely seme to be cōtrary altogether one agaynst another that the lawe recreateth the soules and yet it is a dead letter and geueth death that it lyghteneth the eyes and yet it suppresseth the lyghte which is wythin hauyng a Veyle set agaynst it that it reioyseth the heartes and the spirites and yet brynging a spirite of bondage it astonneth and agasteth But Dauyd speaketh not symply of the bare commaundements but he comprehendeth al the league by which God had adopted the childrē of Abraham for his people And therefore he ioyneth the fres promyses of saluation with the rule of well liuyng yea Christ hymselfe vpon whom the adoption was grounded Saint Paule whoe had to doe with the peruerse interpretours of y e law which dyd separate it from the grace and spirite of Christ doth but touch the symple ministery of Moyses Now it is very certayne that when the lawe is not quickened by the spirite of Christ it is not only vnprofitable but also it bryngeth death to y e scholars of it For without Christ there is in the lawe nothing but an vnintreatable rigoure whiche bringeth all mankynde vnder y ◠wrath and curse of God Moreouer the rebellion of the fleshe taryeth remaynyng in vs whiche inflameth in vs an obstinate hatred agaynst God and his law and thence procedeth thys weary bondage and horrour 70 Novv vvhy tempt you God in laying a yoke on the neckes of hys Dysciples vvhich neyther our fathers nor vve haue bene able to beare Acte 15. And his commaundements are not heauye 1. Ioan 5. OVR own experience and the holy scriptures sufficiently beare witnesse y ◠the yoke of the law is more thā we can beare Moreouer it is clere y t bicause the renouncing of our self is as it were a trial of the true obseruation of y ◠law We dare not say y ◠it is easye for a man to renounce hymself but rather seyng the lawe is spiritual as Saint Paule saith of our part we ar nothyng but fleshe ther must nedes be a great difference beetwene y e lawe of God and vs. And where Saint Peter sayeth it is a yoke whiche not oure fathers were able to beare he speaketh not of y ◠onely which men haue accomplished but also of y ◠which they myght haue done Neyther speaketh he of any cōmon persons but of y ◠holy fathers seth he sayth that such coulde not beare the yoke of the lawe it appeareth that it is impossible for mē to beare it Here he medleth not only with the woorkes and will of men but also with theyr power abilitye With this also Saint Paule agreeth affyrmyng that it was impossible for the lawe to geue vs life bicause it was weake through y ◠fleshe If any man can performe the lawe certaynly he shall fynde in it the lyfe whiche was promysed in it But when Saint Paule sayth that lyfe cannot be attayned by the lawe a man may well conclude that in it is requyred a righteousnesse so hygh and perfect as man can not accomplyshe If a man looke vpon nothyng ells but the strength of mans nature not only he shall not bee strong ynough to beare the yoke of the law but also he shal
the Lorde hymselfe hath humbled the faythfull foorthwith he appeaseth their fearfulnesse leaste beeing ouercharged they shoulde fal vnder the burden and not that onely but also he healeth by the mildenesse of hys grace the wound and hurt which he himselfe caused But as touching the reprobate and proud they are sodenly flyghted and wyther by little and little in their tourmentes as men out of theyr wittes are agaste for a litle whyle yet are they not touched to the quicke for by and by they forget that they wer in feare not that the remembraunce of the feare is altogether oute of them but bycause thys lyuely apprehension of Gods power is fallen from them Nowe as touching the fyrst Feare whiche proceadeth of Fayth it maketh vs to walke in all reuerence and obedience vnto Goddes Iustyce And therefore it maketh vs happy bycause God wyl neuer forsake those that obey him in feare and lowlynesse Thys is contrary to the common opinion of al men that they that seate the Lord are happy and principally in thys life For how many Epicures are there whiche vomite oute blasphemies saying that God fauoureth the wicked when they prosper in their wickednesse Moreouer the prosperity of the wicked troubleth and maketh the weake to wauer besyde they faint in trouble and vnquietnesse And althoughe the dispisers of God ar not very wel at their ease and that the state of the good is in some sorte good and tollerable yet so it is that the more parte haue their eyes blinde or shutte vppe when they consider Goddes prouidence But howsoeuer it be this is very certayne that happye are they that feare the Lorde Nowe if it be so that true charyty whiche can not be withoute Fayth and is not but of the holy Ghoste causeth vs to know that we abyde in God and hee in vs howe is it sayed that feaâ—e is not in loue but that loue driueth out al feare We muste remembre the seconde kinde of feare which bringeth nothing but trembling and horroure There is in deede a seruyle feare which is altogether contrary to willing reuereÌ„ce When we loue not God francklye as our father but ar chiefely constrayned by feare of punnishment but Saynte Iohn meaneth another thynge hys mind is to shew that when we knowe by Faith what the loue of god to vs is wee haue peace in our conscience whyche is contrary to this feare And though we cannot yet altogether driue feare awaye bycause we canne haue but a little taste of the loue of God towardes vs yet whennesoeuer we haue recourse to God as to an assured porte free from all feare and daunger of wracke and of all stormes and tempestes feare is truly driuen awaye bycause it geueth place to fayth Feare then is not in loue not that it moueth not our hearts but bicause it troubleth vs not nor letteth not our reste whiche wee obtayne by fayth So a man maye saye of those two sayinges that there is in them diuersitye but no contrarietie 90 Touche me not for I am not yet gon vp to my father The vvemen handled hys feete and bent themself dovvne before hym Ioan. 20. A Man may easely agree these two places if we loke vpon the affectioÌ„ of Marye Magdalene and on the manner of the other wemens doyngs Christ suffereth these to touche hym to the end hys resurrection myghte bee certaynlye knowen And therefore Saint Mathew addeth that the wemen bowed downe before hym which was an argumente or a sygne of an vndoubted knowledge Also he suffered hys Dysciples to touche hym and specially Thomas to put hys fyngers within the hollownesse of his wounds And that he dyd bycause it was nedeful to put them out of al doubt of hys resurrection But when he sawe that Marye stayed at hys bodily presence and loked for no other happier maner of enioying hym than that he shoulde bee conuersante in earth with them a man oughte not to maruell if he were willyng to moderate and correct thys vnaduised zeale Wherefore let vs take thys for a certayntye that Christ forbad not Marye to touch him tyll he sawe that shee Importunely desyred to keepe hym styll in the worlde The reason is added therunto whiche sufficiently sheweth that whiche is very worthy to be noted to wete that he is not yet gon vp to hys father Nowe he wil make Marye to vnderstand that shee oughte to suspende her affection til time he were receaued into the heauenly glorye Besyde thys he sheweth what the end of hys resurrection is not suche as Marye deuysed it to bee according to her fantasye to wete that after hys resurrection he shoulde tryumphe here belowe in y â— world but rather that by going vp into heauenly glorye he myght take possession of the kyngdome that was promysed hym being set on the ryght hand and in the glorye of hys father he myghte mayntayne hys Church by the power of hys holy spirite Mary then dyd ill forasmuche as contentyng her selfe with the halfe of the resurrection of Iesus Christ she desyred to haue hym present in the worlde And as for vs if wee will not fayle to fynde Iesus Christ wee muste lifte vp our spirites a lofte Moreouer as many as endeuour to goe to him haue nede to vnwrap theÌ„selfe of all earthlye affections of the fleshe 91 Bevvare you doe not your ryghteousnesse before men to the end to be sene of them Math. 6. Let your lyghte so shyne beefore men that they maye see your good vvorkes may glorifye your father vvhich is in heauen 〈◊〉 CHrist warneth hys faythfull to doe good works simply before god not hauyng care for their apparauÌ„ce before men which is a warnyng very necessary for it is alwaies to be doubted leaste ambition thruste in it selfe among the vertues and it commeth to passe often tymes that ther is not so coÌ„mendable woorke but by ambition is corrupted Christ speaketh nowe of almose now of prayers both are good testimonyes of the honestye of a man but when a maÌ„ dealeth almose or prayeth onely to thys purpose to bee sene of men what beelongeth to suche an almose man or to suche a prayer but onely that he bee esteemed of men We see then that here he goeth aboute to cure the syckenesse of ambition by whiche men seke for glorye at mennes handes for their wel doing But the whylest the Christian vertues can not be in a man except they shyne vnto other Thys cannot otherwise be Euen as a man fylled ful of vyces cannot be so close but that he shal be an ill example to other so the vertues can not so abyde in a vertuous maÌ„ but that other shal perceaue them Yet a Christian man beyng as it were hyd in hymselfs ought to desyre that men should so see hys vertues that al the glory should be geuen to God So not onely these two sentences dysagree not in themself but also the seconde serueth to expound the fyrst For thys seconde
signifieth Goddes Iudgemente as thoughe hee sayed that we were condemned before God And we were such by nature that is to say from our byrth and from our Mothers wombe And if the Iewes were for a while the blessed seede yet as touching nature they wer like vnto other the difference was onely herein that God dealing graciously with them deliuered them from distruction but thys was a remedye that followed the il But howe soeuer man eauyl the Holye Ghoste pronounceth that there is neyther Iewe nor Greeke but are al by nature subiect to condemnation And if we be of nature worthy of condemnation it followeth then that sinne hath the firste and chiefe place in euery one of vs for God is not angrye but agaynste synne And the other sentence of the seuenth Chapiter of the fyrste to the Corinthes tendeth to a diuerse end for it is spoken of the holinesse of Mariage The band of mariage is singular The wife is the half part of the houseband there be two in one flesh there the housebande is the wiues hed ther the woman is her husbandes fellow in al things It seemeth thē that a faythful man cānot dwel w t an vnfaythful wyfe or contrarywyse but that by so strict a knotte the faythfull muste bee polluted but Mariage leaueth not therefore to bee holy neyther muste thou feare the infection as though the beleuing part were defiled by the vnbeleuing And beholde the argument is brought from the effecte If the Mariage were defiled the chyldren which should come of it should be vncleane but they be holy it foloweth then that the Mariage is holy Euen therefore as the vnbeliefe of the one of the twayn either of the father or of the mother letteth not but that y ◠children are borne holy so also it letteth not but that the Mariage is holy How then shal we agree this sētence with the other that of nature wee are the children of wrath or with this sentence of Dauid Beholde I am conceyued in sinne As it hath bene sayed before ther is an vniuersall encreasing of synne and Damnation in the seede of Adam All then from the fyrst to the laste are shut in vnder thys curse whether they be descended from the faythfull or frō the vnfaythful for the faythful get not children accordyng to the fleshe in asmuche as they are regenerate by the holy ghost There is therfore in al one equall state and condition of nature so that they are subiect as wel vnto sinne as to eternal death But where the holy ghost geueth here a special pryuilege to the faythful that procedeth from the benefyte of the league and when thys grace foloweth y t former course of nature is blotted out and they which before were prophaned and foule of nature are now sanctifyed and halowed to God by grace 97 Clensyng it in the lauer of vvater by the vvord Ephe. 5. The bloude of Iesu Christ clenseth vs from al synne ◠Ioan. 1. WE muste not let passe that whiche was sayd before to wete that the Sonne of God gaue himselfe for hys Churche to the end he might sanctifie it from al vncleānesse which thing is done throughe the forgeuenesse of synnes and by the regeneration of the spirite the sanctifycation is inwarde but hee addeth an outwarde sygne in which the cōfyrmation appeareth that is that the pledge of this sanctification was offered in baptisme but it is not ment that we should make vs an Idol of baptysme We are washed cleane sayth Saint Paule by baptysme but it is bycause God in it geueth vs a testimony of our washyng and in y ◠same instante doth that whiche he representeth vnto vs. For if the truth were adioyned to the sygne thys were no fytt manner of speakyng to saye baptysme is a washing of the soule for who is so blockheaded to graunt that y e outward sygne which is water hath in it y ◠power to clense the ordures of the soule if there wer nothing els in the baptysme but water And a man could not truly saye that baptysme is the washyng of soules The true and onely washing of them is the bloude of our Lorde Iesu which is applyed vnto vs by y ◠power grace of y ◠holy ghost And we must beware y t we geue not ouer to the outwarde sygne to the figure or to y e minister y ◠which belongeth to God only The minister ought not to be accounted y ◠author of thys washyng nor water to bee estemed as the washyng of soules for y ◠belongeth only to y ◠bloud of the sonne of God Besyde we must take hede y ◠we in no wyse trust eyther in y e element or in y e man seyng y ◠only lawfull vse of y e sacrament is to leade vs straight as it were by the hande to Christ there to staye vs. So. S. Iohn sayth that it is the bloud of Christ that washeth vs from all vncleānesse he excepteth nothing to the end y ◠no part of oure washyng howe little soeuer it bee should be attributed to any thyng ells For thys is y ◠cause of our clensyng y ◠Christ hath blotted out al our offences with hys bloude to the end y ◠faythfull should be assured y ◠they are pleasyng vnto hym bycause he is appeased towardes thē by y e sacrifyce of y e death of his sonne And this sacrifyce cōtaineth vnder it clensyng washing and sanctification wherfore y ◠power workyng of al these thyngs belongeth onely to y ◠bloud of Christ But albeit it be God y ◠clenseth by the bloud of hys sonne and that it is not lawfull to transporte hys glory to y e sygne or to impart it to the figure neuerthelesse ther is no inconuenience or absurditie in saying y ◠God vseth y ◠sygne as an instrument not y t y e power of God is inclosed in y ◠figure but bicause according to the conceiuīg of smalnesse weaknesse he dystributes his vertu by such an aide And God so workes by y ◠sygne that the whylest al the vertue and efficacye of the sygne dependeth on the spyrite of God and that is to the ende we shoulde not feare that any thyng is taken from the holy ghost whiche belongeth vnto hym for ther is nothyng therby attributed to the sygne more than that it is an inferiour instrumente vnprofitable of it self sauyng in asmuch as it borroweth hys vertue els where 98 VVho can forgeue synnes but only God Marc. 2. VVhose synnes soeuer you haue forgeuē they are forgeuen vvhose soeuer you haue kept they are kepte Ioan. 20. CHrist hauyng healed the gowtye sayed to hym man thy synnes are forgeuen thee The scribes hypocryte Pharisies hearyng it althoughe he had spoken nothyng but what the Prophets were wonte to say whē they bare witnesse of the grace of God they murmure notwithstandyng blame Christ as thoughe he had spoken blasphemy and of a
may coÌ„me to seke the goodnesse and mercye of God And surely the ryghteousnesse whyche is of faythe is the onely reskue that the poore synner hath beyng destitute of all workes So then Abraham in the promyse that was made to hym dyd apprehend the goodnesse of god whiche was offered hym by which he felt that righteousnesse was imparted vnto him Let vs nowe shewe howe he was Iustifyed by workes It is a thyng easye for euery man to know that Saint Iames intreateth not how meÌ„ obtaine righteousnesse for if we loke narrowly to hys meanyng we shal fynde that he medleth not at al w t the matter of Iustification but he goeth about to shew what y t profession of fayth is worth w tout works The proues which he bringeth ar to be applyed to thys sentence that fayth is but dead without workes and that good workes are euer ioyned with fayth To solute at a woorde thys doubt we must vnderstaÌ„d y â— double signification of thys word Iustifie WheÌ„ S. Paule teacheth y â— wee are Iustified by fayth he sygnifieth nothyng els but y t we obtayne this coÌ„moditye y t we are accompted to be iuste before God But S. Iames loketh to another marke namely whosoeuer sayeth he is a beleuer it behoueth he shuld shewe by workes y e truth of his beliefe It is certaine that S. Iames mynded not to shewe whereon the trust of Saluation ought to rest wherin Saint Paule resteth only Thys worde then Iustification accordyng to Saint Paule is the imputyng of free ryghteousnesse beefore God or before hys Iudgemente seate And according to Saint Iames it is a declaration or approuyng of ryghteousnesse by workes or by effectes and that before men as also a maÌ„ may gather it of y t he sayeth Shewe me thy fayth wythoute thy woorkes and I will shewe thee my fayth by my woorkes In thys sense a maÌ„ may coÌ„fesse without gaynsaying y t man is Iustified by his workes as if any man should say of some other y t he is becoÌ„me riche synce y â— he saw him bye a good ryche inheritance forasmuch as hys riches which before were hiddeÌ„ were set to sight This is y e conclusion Before God meÌ„ ar Iustified by faith y â— is so say counted Iuste before meÌ„ they are Iustified by their workes that is to say declared or approued Iuste 101 Ioan. 18. I spake nothyng in corners I spake openly to the vvorlde I haue taught in the assembly and in the temple Math. 10. That vvhich I tell you in the darke tell you it in the lyght that vvhich you heare in your eare Preache it on the houses THe doctryne of saluatioÌ„ is offered to men to diuerse endes Christ speaketh to many after such a sort as though hys word wer vnto them a language altogether strauÌ„ge barbarous as though it serued to no purpose but to beate their eares w t a disordred confused sound True it that the word of god is euer clere of it own nature but y â— lighte of it is choked by the darknesse of meÌ„ As touching the lawe though it wer couered with a veyle yet Goddes truth was manifestly shewed forth in it sauyng that many had their eies blynded Touching y â— Gospell it is not veyled but vnto y â— reprobate as S Paule witnesseth whose eyes vnderstandings ar blynded by Sathan We must then holde this that the worde of God is not darke but in asmuch as the worlde darkeneth it by hys stubborne blyndnesse But though Christ say that it is not geuen to al to heare y â— secretes mysteryes of the kyngdome of God that therfore he graunteth y t grace to none but to hys Dysciples yet notwithstandyng so it is y â— he wil that that which he hath sayd to theÌ„ in darknesse or in their eares shoulde be publyshed openly He wil y t hys Gospel be spread euery where that it passe ouer al the lets stoppes of men This is a prouerbe or a coÌ„mon saying y â— there is nothing so hid but at some time it is opened but thys oughte to be specially restrained to y e doctrine of saluatioÌ„ which be victorious as y â— sonne of god promiseth whatsoeuer men obstinatly go aboute to oppresse it It is certaine that Christ preached somtimes in y e temple but bicause his doctrine was reiected it was yet as it were hid in certain darke corners but he affirmeth y â— the tyme shal coÌ„me y t it shal be high clere and published ouer al. which we know caÌ„e to passe in S. Paule very shortly after for a man neuer heard thonder sounde lowder in any part of y e world than y â— voyce of y t Gospel was heard throughout al y â— earth So then wheÌ„ the Gospel had no great blase or shew of magnificence it seemed that Iesu Christ spake as it wer in the darke in the eare In the meane tyme notwithstandyng true it is that there is nothyng sayd in corners It behoueth vs to marke to what purpose he maketh this protestation Cayphas the Priest calleth hym to accounte as if hee had had to doe with a seditious man that had deuyded the Church by Scysmes and factious gatheryng Dysciples together and as if he had had to doe with a false Prophet whiche had endeuored to corrupt the fayth and true religion Christ hauyng exercised the offyce of a teacher entreth not into a newe neyther wil he let slippe any thyng that belongeth to the defence of the truth but he sheweth that he is ready to mayntayne that which he taught But in so saying he debateth not what is lawful or not lawfull as if it bee lawfull to Preache secretlye or openly but hys minde is to repulse the proud vnshamfastnesse of the Priest that inquired as of a thing doubtfull of a thing whyche was very openly knoweÌ„ So to make these two places agree wher he sayth hee hath spoken nothing in secrete it oughte to bee referred to the very substaunce of the worde which hath euer bene like though the forme and maner of teaching hath bene diuerse He hath oftentimes taught those that were particularly hys He hath many tymes taughte in the temple openlye but he hath taught nothing pryuâ—ly as touching the substaunce but that which he hath taught openly He did not thys of crafte as if of set purpose he woulde haue kepte close or hid from the people things which he sayd to very fewe in secret Wherfore he myght boldely protest with a safe conscyence that had frely spoken and purely published the suÌ„me of his doctrine 102 The sonne shal not beare the vvyckednesse of hys Father Ezechiel 18 â–ª I vvill visite the iniquitie of the father vpon the childreÌ„ euen vntill the thyrd and fourth generation Exod. 20. IT semeth ther ar many places in holy scriptures which shew y â— God somtimes punysheth the innocent whiche thing is greatly agaynst al equity and chiefly against y