can take him from thee if thou thy selfe doost not cast him of There is no cause therefore that we should be carefull seing that he is our father and prouideth for vs which hath all thinges in his own hand euen those which seeme to take away those things that be ours from vs and to endamage and hurt vs wherein soeuer they are able But we haue exceeding great cause alwayes to reioyce in the Lord when we are of a patient mynde toward all men forasmuch as we are certaine if so be that we beleeue that it can by no meanes come to passe that good thinges should be wanting vnto vs hauing Almightie God our fauourable and carefull father whom they that haue not let vs suffer them to be troubled with carke and care It ought to be our onely care how we may be voyde of care and be found alwayes ioyfull in God and meeke and of a patient mynde toward men So without dout we shall trie that which Dauid tried saying I haue been young now am olde Psal 37.25 and yet saw I neuer the righteous forsaken nor his seede begging their bread And that which he sayth Psal 40 The Lord careth for me But in all thinges let your requestes be shewed vnto God in prayer supplication with giuing of thankes In these wordes the Apostle teacheth how our care is to be cast vpon God and the meaning of that which he sayth is this How the godly must cast their care vpon God Onely be not carefull but if any thing chaunce which may make you carefull as in deede innumerable such are wont to come vnto those that liue in the world so behaue your selues that ye attempt nothing at all with your care what soeuer that shal be which chaunceth vnto you but casting of care turne your selues with prayer and supplication vnto God and desire him that he will bring to passe and finish that which your selues otherwise should in vaine haue attempted with your care to accomplish Howbeit desire this with giuing of thankes forasmuch as ye haue such a God as hath care of you and vnto whom ye may safely commit all carke and care for you But he that will not so behaue himselfe when any thing happeneth but will first weye all thinges by his owne reason and order them according to his owne iudgement and so take to himselfe the care of his thinges he shall wrap himselfe in innumerable discommodities he shall loze all ioy and quietnes thereby and yet shall preuaile nothing but labour in vaine plunge himselfe so much more in troubles and miseries that he shall not be able to escape out of them againe which we learne daily both by our owne and by other mens experience Now that which Paule here admonisheth concerning prayer tendeth vnto this end lest that any man should neglect all thinges commit them to God and he himselfe sleepe and do nothing at all no not so much as once pray for them for he that should vse this slouthfulnes albeit he were now quiet shall easily be wrapped in cares whereof he shall not be able to ridde himselfe we must do our endeuour and not sleepe and therefore it is that many thinges be incident which are wont to bring carefulnes whereby we might be as it were compelled to pray vnto God Wherefore Paule hath not in vaine ioyned togither these two Be nothing carefull and In all thinges let your requestes be shewed vnto God in prayer and supplication with giuing of thankes Nothing and All do in deede greatly differ howbeit the Apostle therefore put them togither that he might signifie that it can not be but that many and innumerable thinges be incident which are wont to bring carke and care but that in all them we ought to admit no carefulnes but alwayes flie vnto prayer and commit them all vnto God desire of him those thinges whereof we haue neede Now we must here see how our prayer must be framed and what is the true maner of praying The Apostle setteth downe foure thinges prayer supplication giuing of thinkes and requests or petitions Prayer Prayer is those wordes or speche wherein as sometimes some thing is desired so also other thinges are declared as is the Lords Prayer and the Psalmes Supplicatiō Supplication is when the petition is vrged or made more earnest by some thing as when one prayeth for his father or for some other thinge which is deare and excellent vnto him as when we praye vnto God by his mercy by his sonne by his promise by his name c. As Salomon Psal 132 Lord remember Dauid and all his trouble And Paule Rom. 12 I beseech you by the mercies of God And 2. Cor. 10 I beseech you by the mekenes and gentlenes of Christ A petition or request c. A petition or request is when we name that which is desired and for which prayer and supplication is made as in the Lordes Prayer all that composition of wordes is called prayer but those seuen thinges for which we pray as halowed be thy name thy kingdome come c. are petitions According to that saying Matth. 7 Aske and it shal be giuen you seeke and ye shall fynde knocke and it shal be opened vnto you For whosoeuer asketh receiueth and he that seeketh fyndeth and to him that knocketh it shal be opened Giuing of thankes is when the benefites of God are rehearsed Giuing of thankes whereby faith in God is strengthened and stirred vp so much more confidently to looke for that which is desired for which we do praie Wherefore prayer vrgeth or earnestly asketh by supplication but is strengthened and made sweete acceptable by giuing of thankes and so by this strength and sweetnes it preuaileth and obtaineth what soeuer it asketh This maner of prayer we read to haue bin vsed in the Church and among the holy fathers of the old Testament which were wont alwayes in their prayers to aske with supplication and giuing of thankes The same also we see in the Lordes Prayer which beginneth with giuing of thankes and with prayse when as euen in the beginning thereof we confes God a father vnto whom the godly mynde hath accesse by his fatherly loue and by the loue of his sonne vnto which supplication nothing may be compared wherefore it is both the best and most excellent prayer of all which may be had Moreouer in these wordes Paule hath verie well expressed the mysterie of the golden censer of the old Testament The mystery of the golden censer declared whereof we read many thinges in the bookes of Moses It was lawfull for the Priestes only to burne incense now all we which beleeue in Christ are Priestes wherefore it is lawfull for all vs and for vs onely to burne the incense of prayers The censer that golden vessel is the wordes which we vtter in prayer surely golden and precious as those are whereof the Lordes
this knowledge of them selues which he lawe bringeth brought euen vnto nothing in their owne eyes Then by and by commeth the Gospel and lifteth them vp being humbled whereby the Lord giueth his grace vnto them thus casting downe them selues and endueth them with faith Hereby they receiue that couenant of the eternall blessing and the holy Ghost which renueth their hart that nowe it is delighted with the lawe hateth sinne and is willing and ready to doe those thinges that are good ▪ And here nowe thou maist see not the workes but the hart of the law And this is the very time appointed to the heire of the Father when he must be no lenger a seruaunt but a sonne and doth now begin to be led by a free spirit being no more kept in subiection vnder Tuters and Gouerners after the maner of a seruaunt Which is euen that that Paul teacheth in the wordes following Verse 3. Euen so we when we were children were in bondage vnder the rudiments of the world What is to be vnderstood by this word rudiments By the worde rudiments thou mayst vnderstand here the first principles or lawe written which are as it were the first exercises and instructions of holy erudition whereof it is spoken also Heb. 5 As concerning the time ye ought to be teachers yet haue ye neede againe that we teach you what are the first principles or rudiments of the word of God And Colos 2 Beware least there be any that spoyle you through philosophie and vaine deceit through the traditions of men according to the rudiments of the world Again Gal. 4. How turne ye againe vnto impotent beggerly rudiments whereunto as from the beginning ye wil be in bondage againe ye obserue dayes moneths c. Here as it were in contempt he calleth the lawe rudiments he addeth also The law called beggerly rudiments and why impotent beggerly both because it is not able to perform that righteousnes which it requireth and also for that it maketh men in deede poore impotent For whereas it earnestly requireth a hart and mind giuen to godlines and nature is not able to satisfie it herein it plainly maketh man to feele his pouertie and to acknowledge his infirmitie that that is by right required of him which he not only hath not but also is not able to haue ▪ Hereunto pertaineth that which Paul hath left written 2. Cor. 3 The letter killeth but the spirit giueth life Moreouer Paule calleth them the rudiments of the world The rudiments of the world why so called for that all that obseruing of the lawe which men not yet renued by the spirit doe performe doth consist in worldly thinges to wit in places times apparell persons vessells and such like But faith resteth in no worldly thinge but in the onely grace worde and mercy of God neither doth it make a man righteous and safe by any outward thing but onely by the inuisible and eternall grace of God Wherefore it counteth a like dayes meates persons apparell and all thinges of this worlde For none of these by it selfe doth eyther further or hinder godlines saluation as it doth the righteousnes of those of Cains brood which is as it were tyed to these outward thinges Faith therefore deserueth nothing lesse then to be called the rudiments of the worlde by which we obtayne the fulnes of heauenly good thinges and albeit it be occupied also in outward thinges yet is it addicted to no outward thinge but doth freely in all thinges that which it seeth may be done to the glorie of God and profit of our neighbours alwayes continuing free and the same and yet is made all thinges to all men that so the conuersation thereof may want all peculiar respecte and difference With those of Cains brood it agreeth neyther in name nor in any thinge one of them eateth flesh an other abstayneth from it one weareth blacke apparell an other white one keepeth this day holy an other that euery one hath his rudiments vnder which he is in bondage all of them are addicted to the thinges of the world which are frayle and perish in an houre Wherefore they are no other but seruaunts of the rudiments of the worlde which they call holy orders godly ordinaunces and wayes to goe to heauen Against these Paule speaketh Colos 2 VVherefore if ye be deade with Christ from the rudiments of the worlde why as though ye liued in the worlde are ye burdened with traditions As Touch not Tast not Handle not which all perish with the vsing and are after the commaundements and doctrines of men VVhich thinges haue in deede a shewe of godlines when as they are meere superstition whereby the mind is in vayne pressed downe to these outward thinges c. By this and other places aboue mentioned it is playne that all Monasteries and Colleges whereby we measure the state of spirituall men as we call them doe plainly disagree with the Gospel and Christian libertie and that therefore it is much more daungerous to liue in these kindes of life then among most prophane men For all their things are nothing but rudiments ordinaunces of the world consisting in the difference and vse of apparell places times and other present thinges whereunto seeing they are so addicted that they hope by them to attaine righteousnes saluation faith is made no account of amongest them neither are they Christians but in name wherefore all their life and holines is meere sinne and most detestable hypocrisie They that are vnder the rudimēts of the world ought most diligently to looke to them selues It is needeful therefore that they that are occupied in such ordinaunces should aboue all other men most diligently looke vnto them selues that they trust not to these ordinaunces that they be not too much addicted vnto them but that they doe perseuer in a free faith which is tyed to none of those outward thinges but resteth in the onely grace of God For the fayre shewe of life fayned holines which is in those ordinaunces doth with a meruelous and secret force withdraw from faith more then those manifest and grosse sinnes wherof open sinners are gilty and doth easily make men such as Paule here speaketh of VVhen we were children ▪ we were in bondage vnder the rudimēts of the world that is when we were as yet ignorant of faith and were exercised onely with the workes of the law we did those outward works of the law cōsisting in worldly things but with an vnwilling mind and with no faith hoping that by these rudiments of the worlde we should obtaine saluation wherfore we were no other then seruaunts Nowe this false and seruile opinion faith alone taketh away and teacheth vs to trust vnto and rest vpon the onely grace of God whereby at once is giuen freely that which is needefull to worke all thinges For these workes of the lawe if that false opinion were away were not ill
called the wise men and diligently inquired of them the tyme of the starre that appeared 8. And sent them to Bethlehem saying Goe and serch diligently for the childe when ye haue found him bring me worde againe that I may come also and worship him 9. So when they had heard the king they departed and loe the starre which they had seene in the East went before them till it came stood ouer the place where the childe was 10. And when they sawe the starre they reioyced with an exceeding great ioy 11. And went into the house and found the childe with Marie his mother and fell downe worshipped him and opened their treasures and presented vnto him giftes euen golde frankincense and myrrhe WE celebrate this day a noble and most comfortable feast concerning the appearing of the Lorde Iesus who appeared a special comfort to al them which seeke him with a stronge faith first to the wise men which came from the East secondly to Iohn the Baptist when being about thirty yeares of age he was baptized of him in Iordane and the holy Ghost and voyce of the father gaue testimonie of him that he is the sonne of God thirdly when he shewed his glory and power in a miracle wherein he turned water into wine at a mariage whereby he would procure reuerence and estimation to matrimony which now Alas is after a shamefull sort torne contemned and reiected of the Pope his adherents as a certaine miserable and wretched state For whatsoeuer God hath ordained that of the world is contemned whereof at conuenient time we will speake more and we haue already as I thinke written sufficient therof Now we will speake in few wordes of the first appearance The wise men of Arabia which were industrious men and without all dout gouernours of that countrie as it was at that time the maner in those partes when they had seene the starre in the East breaking of all delaye made haste to Ierusalem diligently seeking for the kinge of the Iewes being newe borne Where we ought to marke that they could neither â—eeke nor finde out this king the Lorde Christ but by the starre going before them which at the last ledde them so farre that by the word of God they were certified where this king was to be found Without the word of God receaued by faith we can not finde Christ So also is it with vs we can not finde Christ without the Gospell without the word of God That must shew him vnto vs bringe vs thither where we may finde him which then onely is done when we receiue the same Gospell by faith otherwise although we haue it heare it and know it it profiteth vs nothing at all we shall not therefore finde him no more surely then the Scribes founde him who notwithstanding had the Scriptures readily and shewed the way to other not comming into it them selues for the thing did not touch their harts They did drousily neglect that king whom with great sighes they had looked for many ages Wherefore it is not enough that we haue the Gospell or that we heare it but we must beleue it and lay it vp in the secrets of our hart otherwise we shall neuer finde Christ Here also you see that it doth not skill whether one be learned or vnlearned instructed in many places of Scripture or in few vnto whom God giueth the grace he enioyeth Christ He respecteth not the person but whom he draweth he is drawne although in the meane season he prouideth that the Gospell be alwayes preached After therfore that these wise men had found the child Christ the king of the Iewes at Bethlehem together with Ioseph and Marie by the shewing of the Scripture guiding of the starre The wise men are not offended at the poore miserable estate of Christ they were nothing offended at the poore estate of the childe but being taught by the word acknowledged that Child for the Messias and king of the Iewes whom the Iewes had looked for so many yeares opened their treasures before him offering vnto him golde frankincense and myrrhe Wherein againe we ought to marke the nature of faith that it is offended at nothing but cleaueth to the word onely and nothing esteemeth those thinges that shine outwardly These wise men doe not therefore disdayne neither turne backe because the child together with his parents were without all pompe in pouertie and miserie and nothing lesse then a kingly child appeareth vnto them but they goe on and vndoutedly acknowledge him for a king as they had learned concerning him out of the Scriptures Moreouer they giue vnto him the honour meete for a king they offer most precious gifts which they had brought being euen of the best sort out of their owne countrie Nowe the world would haue done no such thing but according to the maner thereof would haue looked for garments of purple and resort of seruaunts and handmaydens In such places it is wont to bestow his giftes to wit where there is great plentie and abundance of thinges before yea it is of that qualitie How the world dealeth with the poore and afflicted that it depriueth the poore and afflicted of those thinges that they haue it taketh breade out of the mouth of the hungry needie which haue nothing but as they get it hardly by labouring sore all that they are able Whereof we haue to learne that if we will honour Christ with these wise men We must not esteeme those things which seeme precious to the world but those which to the world seeme contemptible and of no value we must shut our eies and turne them from all that which seemeth fayre goodly and noble before the world Neither must thou be offended or abhorre it if any thing seeme vile contemptible and ridiculous vnto the world let this suffize thee that thou knowest that it pleaseth God which is in heauen Take heede vnto thy selfe concerning those thinges which shine before the world exercise thy selfe in those workes which seeme vnto reason foolish and light as are to helpe the needie to comfort the afflicted to count the calamitie of thy neighbour thine owne If thou shalt be diligently exercised in these and faith being thy guide shalt endeuour rightly to apply thy self vnto them then other workes which haue a fayre shewe as to institute masses to be occupied in vigils and yeares mindes to build temples and such like follies shal by them selues be pluckt out of thy hart vanish away vnto which workes surely now almost the whole world is addicted they are in deede fayre in the very outwarde shew and seeme to be very precious when as notwithstanding they are an abhomination vnto God But whatsoeuer God hath commaunded as to doe good to our neighbour and to be touched with his aduersities no lesse then with our own to beare a friendly and well willing minde toward him these are neglected
that Christ being raysed from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion ouer him For in that he died he died once to sinne but in that he liueth he liueth to God Likevvise thinke ye also that ye are dead to sinne but are aliue to God in Iesus Christ our Lord. Thus much concerning the first appearance Now we will speake somewhat of the second that is of the baptisme of Christ Three thīgs to be considered in Christes Baptisme In the baptisme of Christ three thinges are to be considered The first that the heauens were opened when he was baptized The seconde that the holy Ghost was seene in the likenes of a doue The third that the voice of the father was heard which sayd This is my beloued sonne in vvhome I am vvell pleased Whereas Christ vouchsaued to be baptised with water he hath hallowed baptisme made the water thereof holy that he which is baptized in his name might become likewise holy and cleane from sinne and might haue the heauens open Now Christ was not baptized for him selfe for he was not infected with the spot of any sinne as S. Peter sayth 1. Pet. 2. He behaued him selfe like vnto a good Phisitian which before the sicke doth first drinke some bitter potion that the sicke may more gladly and boldly doe the same afterward For we in baptisme drinke a bitter potion namely the mortification of the olde Adam which with the bitternes thereof doth greatly trouble vs. For that dipping into the water or sprinkling with it doth signifie nothing els but that that old Adam should perish die This is greatly furthered by the crosse which God according to his diuine will layeth vpon vs which we ought not to cast from vs but beare it willingly with a patient mind But that this might be easier for vs to doe euen Christ hath taken it vpon him selfe he suffered him selfe to be baptized and tooke his crosse and caried it nothing resisting or gaynesaying and so was obedient to his father vnto the death euen the death of the crosse as Paule sayth Philip. 2. that he might deliuer vs from sinnes and might againe appease his heauēly father which surely he did of his mere grace without any desert of ours whereof we haue baptisme a signe pledge as Paule sayth vnto Titus But vvhen that bountifulnes and that loue of God our Sauiour tovvard man appeared not by the vvorks of righteousnes vvhich vve had done but according to his mercy he saued vs by the vvashing of the nevve birth and the renuing of the holy Ghost vvhich he shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour that vve being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life Secondly the holy Ghost appeareth here in the likenes of a doue when Christ is baptized The second thing to be considered in the baptisme of Christ whereby is signified that we also doe receiue the holy Ghost in our baptisme which ruleth and guideth vs according to the will of God which is present with vs helpeth vs in bearing the burden of the holy crosse which exhorteth vs is instant vpon vs enforceth vs and when we yeld to the burden of the crosse is present and helpeth vs if we fall rayseth vs vp againe and is with vs as a certeine faithfull companion in our iorney He also maketh the burden of the crosse light which we were very vnable to beare if he did not put to his helpe If so be that thou fall into sinne remember to goe backe vnto thy Baptisme for this is the onely ship wherein we passe ouer Wherefore take heede of them which make two tables wherby we passe ouer the sea of sinnes namely baptisme and repentance Beleeue them not whatsoeuer they handle it is mere delusion baptisme is the beginning of repentance As often therefore as thou fallest into sinne haue recourse vnto thy baptisme there thou shalt againe obtaine the holy Ghost who may be present with thee For repentance is nothing else but a displeasing of him selfe a detesting of his wicked life and a renuing of the man which is represented in baptisme After such a renuing of the life followeth the prayse of God and thankesgiuing vnto him for the grace receiued then such a man bursteth forth behaueth him self friendly toward his neighbour doth good to him in all thinges This is signified by that that the holy Ghost appeared vpon Christ in the likenes of a doue for a doue wanteth the gall Such they also become which receiue the holy Ghost in baptisme to witte they are gentle and without all bitternes toward all Thirdly The third thing to be considered in the baptisme of Christ the voyce of the father is heard in the baptisme of Christ which sayth This is my beloued Sonne in vvhom I am well pleased This is that Sauiour which deliuereth vs from the tyrannie of sinne death Satan and hell And here we must learne how we must come vnto God He that desireth to be the grations deare childe of God the father must attaine vnto this through Christ through him alone the beloued sonne who sitteth in the bosom of his father vnto whom alone the father looketh without whom he alloweth nothing and whatsoeuer pleaseth the father it pleaseth him in respect of this his sonne Wherefore he that desireth to goe to the father must cleaue to this beloued sonne must lay him selfe vpon his backe For by this voice all titles albeit they seeme very goodly and holy are taken away nothing is of value or estimation with the father but onely this his beloued sonne he is in his especiall fauour Now he that desireth to be in fauour with the father and to be beloued of him let him flie into the bosom of the sonne by whom afterward he findeth accesse to the father as Paule sayth Ephe. 1. that through Christ we are adopted without this Christ we are the enemies of God Whosoeuer therefore cleaueth to Christ through faith he abideth in the fauour of God he also shall be made beloued and acceptable as Christ is and shall haue felowship with the father and the sonne But where this is not done there is nothing but wrath there no honestie no vertue no free will neither prayer nor fasting nor other workes shall profit thou shalt but trifle with all these For this is a most mighty and most excellent voice This is my beloued sonne in whom all thinges consist and are comprehended which are extant in the whole Scripture Euen as all things are deliuered into the handes of Christ and gathered into one that they may obey him as S. Paule sayth For when God sayth This is my beloued sonne by shewing Christ only and shewing and naming no other he maketh it plaine enough that none is his beloued sonne beside him If so be that other are not beloued sonnes it is certaine that they are the children of wrath
world that they might byd and call men to this supper with one voyce with one Gospell with one ambassade after such sort that if S. Peter had come and preached the Gospell of God in that place where Paule had preached it before yet had it bene one worde and the same preaching that the hearers should haue bene compelled to say Behold he preacheth the same that we heard before of the other they wholy consent and agree the thinge that they publish is all one That the Euangelist might insinuate this consent and agreement in preaching he sayth He sent his seruaunt he sayth not his seruaunts as of many Nowe this message the seruaunt must doe to the bidden guests The message which the seruaūt doth to the guests bidden to the great supper Come for all things are now ready For Christ had suffered death in his death had slaine sinne and death also was risen againe from death the holy Ghost was giuen briefly all thinges were prepared which pertained vnto that great supper All things were ready without al our cost For the Father by Christ hath payd the price of all things that without all our merit and labour we might enioy his goodnes and be nourished and enriched He sendeth his seruaunt therefore first to the Iewes to byd them to this great supper vnto whom the promise was made of God For the lawe and all the Prophets were directed hereunto that they might prepare the people of God As the Angel Gabriel declared of Iohn the Baptist to his father Zacharias Luke 1 He shall be filled with the holy Ghost euen from his mothers wombe and many of the children of Israell shall he turne to their Lord God For he shall goe before him in the spirit and power of Elias to turne the harts of the fathers to the children the disobedient to the wisedom of the iust men to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. But what did the guests aunswere to the message of the seruaunt the text following declareth But they all with one minde began to make excuse This is that whereof the Lord speaketh Matth. 10 He that loueth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me And he that loueth sonne or daughter more then me is not worthy of me And he that taketh not his crosse followeth after me What they must do that will be partakers of this great supper is not worthy of me For he that will be partaker of this supper must put all thinges into daunger for the Gospells sake body goods wife children frendes c. Moreouer he must leaue all thinges whatsoeuer they be that separate him from the Gospell albeit they seeme good iust right holy Neither thinke ye that these mē which here excuse them selues were gilty of grieuous sinnes or occupied about vniust matters and works For it is not vniust to bie to vse trade of marchandize to maintaine him selfe honestly to marie a wife to be ioyned in matrimonie But therefore can they not come to this supper for that they will not forsake these thinges but will rather cleaue to them in their hart Nowe they must be vtterly forsaken and left when the Gospell so requireth Thou wilt perhaps say I would in deede willingly follow the Gospell I would cleaue vnto it doe all other things whatsoeuer but to forsake goods houses familie wife children c surely this is a hard matter God hath commaūded me to labour to maintaine my wife and children c. Beholde therefore this is the scope and summe that the Gospell is the worde of faith and offence because of which euery faithfull man doth beare offence willingly In deede God hath willed thee to doe these thinges howbeit he hath also commaunded that thou preferre him before all creatures and loue him aboue all thinges and thinke him higher then all thinges which thou canst know euen as the chiefe and greatest commaundement giueth vs to vnderstande Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule with all thy minde Deut. 6. Wherefore thou must forsake all thinges before thou suffer thy selfe to be pluckt away from the loue of him or his worde although in deede he loseth nothing which forsaketh any thinge for the Gospells sake If for the Gospells sake thou lose this temporall life God will giue thee an other farre better to wit eternall life as Christ sayth Matth. 10 He that will finde his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shall finde it If thou be compelled to forsake thy wife togither with thy children remember that God hath a care of them he will be a better father vnto them then thy selfe which vndoutedly commeth to passe if so be thou beleeue For we haue very great rich promises that he wil not suffer his word to fail but will alwayes fulfill it if we can freely and confidently trust in him and commit our selues wholy vnto him Christ sayth after this sort Matth. 19 VVhosoeuer shall forsake houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or landes for my names sake he shall receiue an hundreth folde more and shall inherit euerlasting life We haue here his words and promise what would we haue more or what can we desire more wherein therefore doe we fayle onely in our faith Wherfore no man commeth to this supper A sound faith required in the guests of this supper but he that bringeth with him a sincere faith which God preferreth and loueth aboue all creatures But how doth the Lord recompense them which excused them selues that they could not come to the supper The text it selfe declareth Then vvas the good man of the house angry and sayd to his seruaunt Goe out quickly into the streetes and lanes of the citie and bring in hither the poore and the maimed and the halt and the blind The Gospell was first to be preached to the Iewes who because they refused it the Apostles turned to the Gentiles To goe into the streetes and lanes is nothing else but that whereas the Iewes made themselues vnworthy of the Gospell and did refuse it the Disciples turned to the Gentiles For it was enioyned them of Christ that they shoulde not turne them selues to the Gentiles nor preach the kingdom of God in the cities of the Samaritanes but should goe onely to the sheepe of the house of Israell and should feede them onely as they did Now the Iewes striuing against this worde and by no meanes receiuing it the Disciples sayd Act. 13 It was necessary that the word of God should first haue bin spoken vnto you but seeing ye put it from you and iudge your selues vnworthy of euerlasting life lo we turne to the Gentiles for so hath the Lord cōmaunded vs saying I haue made thee a light of the Gentiles that thou shouldest be the saluation vnto the ende of the world But what meaneth that
spake before Before the fulnes of time came we weare in bondage vnder the rudimēts of the world All the elect which are predestinate of the Lord that they shall become sonnes are counted in that place of sonnes with God Therefore he saith rightly Because ye are sonnes that is because the state of sonnes is appointed vnto you frō euerlasting God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne to wit that he might finish it in you make you such as he hath long since of his goodnes determined that he should make you Moreouer he calleth him the spirit of that Sonne of God that he might continue in commending vnto vs this benefit of God that he hath chosen vs to be sonnes For Christ is the Sonne of God and that most beloued Now if the father giue vnto vs his spirit he will make vs like to his onely begotten sonne his true sonnes and heires that we may with certaine confidence crie with Christ Abba Father being his brethren and felow heires with him Wherin that Apostle surely hath notable set forth the goodnes of God which maketh vs partakers with Christ and causeth vs to haue all thinges common with him so that we liue and are ledde by the same spirit Moreouer these wordes of the Apostle do shew both that the holy Ghost is an other from Christ and yet doth proceede from him when as he calleth him his spirit The spirit in deede dwelleth in the godly and no man will say that he is their spirit as here Paul maketh him the holy spirit of Christ saying God hath sent forth that spirit of his Sonne that is of Christ For he is the spirit of God cometh from God to vs and is not ours vnles one will say after this sort my holy spirit as we say my God my Lord. Wherefore whereas he is here said to be holy spirit of Christ it proueth him to be God as of whom that spirit is sent is peculiarly counted his spirit Furthermore Christians may perceiue by this place whether they haue in themselues the holy Ghost How we may know whether the holy Ghost dwell in vs or not to wit this spirit of the sonne whether they heare his voice in themselues For Paul saith that he cryeth in the heares which he possesseth Abba Father a according as he sayth also Rom. 8 We haue receiued the Spirit of adoptiō whereby we crie Abba Father Now thou hearest this voyce when thou fyndest so much faith in thy selfe that thou doest assuredly without any doutinge presume not only that thy synnes be forgiuen thee but also that thou art the beloued sonne of God which being certaine of eternal saluatiō darest both call him father and be delighted in him with a ioyfull and most confident heart Thou must be so certaine hereof that thou canst not be more certaine of thy life must sooner suffer death and hellish torments then suffer this trust and confidence to be taken from thee For to dout any thing herein were no small reproch and contumelie to the death of Christ as though that had not obtained all thinges for vs and ought not farre more effectually to prouoke and encourage vs to haue a good trust in God then all our synnes and tentations are able to put vs out of hope and fray vs from it It may be in deede that thou shalt be so tempted that thou shalt feare and doute of thine adoption and thinke plainly that God is not a fauourable father but a wrathfull reuēger of synners as it fell out with Iob and many other saincts but in such a conflict this trust confidence that thou art a sonne ought to preuaile and ouercome or els thou shalt come into a miserable and desperate case When one of Cains broode heareth these thinges he is as it were beside himselfe by reason of admiration and astonishment Fye sayth he awaye with this arrogancie and this most pernitious errour God turne this mynde from me that I do not presume to thinke that I am the sonne of God I am a synner most miserable and wretched and I will neuer esteeme more of my selfe But thou which desirest to belong vnto Christ flie this kynde of men no otherwise then most hurtfull enemies of Christian faith and of thy saluation Though of our selues we be miserable synners yet we may assuredly perswade our selues that through Christ we are the sonnes of God We also know that we are synners and verie miserable and wretched but here we must not weye or consider what we either do or are but what Christ is and what he hath done for our sake It is not spoken here of our nature but of the grace of God which so farre exceedeth our synnes as heauen is higher then the earth and the east is distant from the west as the 103. Psalme sayth Now if it seeme vnto thee a great honour that thou art the sonne of God as in deede it is verie great cōsider that it is no lesse meruelous that the sonne of God for this cause did come was borne of a woman and made vnder the Lawe that thou mightest become the sonne of God These are great benefites of God do cause in the elect a great trust and confidence in the goodnes of God and a spirit which is afraide of nothing but is bold and able to do all thinges Contrariwise the religion of those of Cains broode as it is a thing meruelous strait and carefull so doth it make heartes exceeding fearfull which serue to no vse but are vnapt to all thinges fit neither to suffer or do any thing which tremble and are afraide euen at the shaking of the lease of a tree as it was before spoken of them Leuit. 26. Wherefore thou must lay vp these wordes of the Apostle well in thy minde thou must feele this crie of the spirit which crieth so in the hearts of al the faithful For how shouldest thou not heare the crie of thine owne heart Neither doth the Apostle say that he doth whisper speake yea or syng it is greater then all these which the spirit doth in thy heart he crieth out a maine that is with all the heart Whereupon it is saide Rom. 8 that he maketh request for vs with sighes that can not be expressed and that he beareth witnes with our spirit that we are the children of God how therefore can it be that our heart should not heare this crie sighes Aduersitie stirreth vp the spirit and testimonie of the spirit Howbeit hereunto tentations and aduersitie are very profitable they moue to crie and do exceedingly stirre vp the spirit Notwithstanding we foolish men do greatly feare and flie the crosse wherefore it is no meruell if we do neuer feele the crie of the spirit and do continually remaine like them of Cains broode But if thou doest not feele this crie take heede that thou be not idle and flothfull neither secure pray instantly for thou art
in an euell case And yet do not desire that thou maist feele nothing but this crie of the spirit thou must feele also an other terrible crie made whereby thou mayst be prouoked and vrged to this crie of the spirit which happeneth to all the saincts That is the crie of synnes which call most strongly and instantly vnto desperation but this crie must be ouercome of the spirit of Christ by godly calling vpō the Father and crying for his grace that the trust and confidence of grace may become greater then desperation The crie of the spirit Wherefore this crie of the spirit is nothing els but to be with all our heart touched with a very strong firme and vnmoueable trust of most deare sonnes toward God as our most tender and fauourable Father Hereby we may see howe farre a Christian life exceedeth nature which can doe nothing lesse then trust so in God A Christian life farre exceedeth nature The crie of them which trust in their owne works and not in Christ and call vpon him as a Father but is alwayes afraide and vttereth a voyce which is a witnes of exceeding feare Wo is me how cruell and vntolerable a Iudge art thou O God howe heauy is thy iudgement vnto me As Cain sayd Gen. 4 My iniquitie is more then that it may be forgiuen Thou hast cast me out this day from the vpper face of the earth and from thy face shall I be hid yea it shal come to passe that euery one that findeth me shall slay me c. This is a terrible and dreadfull crye which is necessarily heard of all such as be of Cains brood forasmuch as they trust to them selues and their owne workes and put not their trust in the sonne of God neither were and consider that he was sent of the Father made of a woman made vnder the lawe much lesse that all these thinges were done for their saluation They are continually tormented in their owne works the miserable men doe in vaine goe about by them to helpe them selues and to obtaine the grace of God And while their vngodlines is not herewith content it beginneth to persecute euen the sonnes of God as it is alwayes wont to doe yea at the last they growe vnto such crueltie that after the example of their father Cain they can not rest vntil they slay their righteous brother Abell in whome they doe also kill vnto them selues Christ Then the bloode of righteous Abel crieth vnto heauen against vnrighteous Cain neither ceasseth it to cry vntill the Lord hath reuenged it He asketh those Cains of their brother Abel yea of Christ but they deny all knowledge of Christ which labour not to become the sonnes of God and heires by Christ but to become righteous by their owne workes In the meane season the bloode of Christ continually crieth out against them euen nothing but punishment and vengeance when as for the elect it crieth by the spirit of Christ for nothing but grace reconciliation The Apostle vseth here a Sirian and a Greeke word saying Abba Pater For this word Abba in the Syrian tongue signifieth a Father by which name at this day the chiefe of Monasteries are wont to be called and by the same name Heremites in time past being holy men did call their Presidents at the last by vse it was also made a Latin word Wherefore that which Paul sayth is as much as Father Father or if thou hadst rather as My father Why the Apostle doubled the word Father But what is the cause why the Apostle doth double the word Father that is the crie of the spirit I will by your leaue bringe forth my iudgement and opinion hereof First I thinke that he would hereby shewe the force and straining of this holy cry For when as we cal any with great affection through no small necessitie we are wont eftsoones to double his name Nowe because that sinne and Cain doe alwayes goe about with desperation to stoppe this crie of the spirit for the grace of the father it is neede surely to crie most strongly and with a voice both doubled and exceedingly strained forth that is the trust of the grace of the Father ought to be most stronge and not able to be ouercome Againe such is the maner of the Scripture to witnes the certaintie of a thing sometime to double or iterate the words as Ioseph did to Pharao Gen. 41. So here also the spirit twise calleth vpon the Father whereby it may shewe the certaintie of his fatherly fauour and grace For the trust hereof ought to be no lesse certaine then great and vnmoueable Finally it is meete also to perseuer which againe this doubling of the name of father doth note vnto vs. For as soone as we begin to call God Father Satan with all his band moueth warre against vs and omitteth no meanes to wrest from vs this trust of sonnes toward God our Father wherefore thother Father must be diligently doubled that is our trust and confidence must be confirmed neither must we euer ceasse from calling vpon this Father but must most earnestly continue in this crie of the spirit whereby we may obtaine a certen sure experience of his fatherly goodnes by which our trust in him may be made most certaine and safe And perhaps Paul had respect hereunto when he first set downe Abba which is a word straunge to them to whom he wrote after adding Pater that is Father a familiar word and of their owne language meaning to signifie hereby that the beginning of so great trust in God is vnaccustomed and euen straunge vnto men but that when the mind hath a while exercised it and continued in it although assayled with tentations it becommeth euen familiar and almost naturall that we now enioy God as a domesticall Father and doe in euery thing most confidently call vpon him Verse 7. Wherefore now thou art not a seruaunt but a sonne if thou be a sonne thou art also an heire of God through Christ Nowe sayth he that is after the comming of the spirit of the sonnes after the knowledge of Christ thou art not a seruaunt For as it is sayd a sonne and a seruaunt are so contrary one to an other that the same man can not be both a sonne and a seruaunt A sonne and a seruaunt doe greatly differ We can not obtaine saluation by workes A sonne is free and willing a seruaunt is compelled and vnwilling a sonne liueth and resteth in faith a seruaunt in works And so by this place also it appeareth that we can obtaine no saluation of God by workes but before thou workest that which is acceptable vnto him it is necessary that thou haue receiued of him and possesse saluation and all things that thereupon works may freely flow forth to the honour of so gratious a father and to the profit of thy neighbours without any feare of punishment or loking for reward This that which Paule
soone as we are forsaken of God byandby Satan commeth and erecteth his kingdome in vs wherein nothing els but such wickednesses are committed which notwithstanding are so craftely coloured and commēded with such a pretence of honestie that it seemeth to be a most holy yea and an angelike life What I pray you can mans strength do here whereby some go about to bring to passe many thinges sweetely perswading themselues that they shall ascend vp into heauen thereby But thou hearest here that Christ affirmeth that the Father doth reueale these thinges also that it is the good pleasure of the Father that it should be so Whereby truly he taketh away all the merits of man here no satisfactions profit here is no respect of workes it is done by the wil and good pleasure of the Father For he respecteth not the person as it appeareth before the world He doth not contemne and reiect the synner albeit he come laden with sinnes After the same sort Christ saith to his disciples Luke 12 Feare not litle flocke for it is the Fathers pleasure to giue you the kingdome This the hypocrites and iustitiaries can not abyde yea they are driuen vnto furie senssesnes and madnes when they see simple receiuers of custome and verie publicans to go before them into the kingdome of heauen they themselues with their holines goodly and plausible workes to the world being excluded whom would not this driue vnto madnes who would not take it grieuously that he himselfe and his thinges should be in such a case and nothing at all counted of But what shouldest thou do or what shouldest thou murmur The good pleasure of God is such to whom he vouchsaueth to open to him they shal be opened and from whom he hideth from him they are hidden which compt as vndoutedly true And marke well that Christ sayth here It is so O Father because thy good pleasure was such thy good pleasure I say before the world was made as S. Paule sayth Ephes 1 God hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundations of the world were layd that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue who hath predestinate vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the prayse of the glorie of his grace wherewith he hath made vs freely accepted in his beloued Here all merit is excluded wherefore let it not come into thy mynde that thou shalt obtaine any thing here by thy deserts neither let thy workes wisedome and merits puffe thee vp Here all reioycing is taken away that he that reioyceth may reioyce in the Lord as Paule sayth 1. Cor. 1. It followeth moreouer in the Gospell Ver. 27. All things are giuē vnto me of my Father no man knoweth the Sonne but the Father neither knoweth any mā the Father but the Sōne and he to whom the Sonne will reueale him Here thou seest the safetie which is in the kingdome of Christ by whom we haue knowledge and light If therefore Christ holdeth all thinges in his hand and hath power ouer all thinges as the Father hath no man can plucke any thing out of his handes which he himselfe also witnesseth in Iohn Ioh. 10.28 I giue eternall life to my sheepe and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hand my Father which gaue them me is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand I and my Father are one Christians haue cause to reioyce although they be diuers wayes assailed of Satan for that they be vnder the tuition of Christ who will defend and preserue them Wherefore euery Christian when he hath receiued the Gospell may worthely reioyce that he is now vnder the tuition of Christ and is not any thing troubled because of his synnes If he hath embraced the Gospell Christ vnder whom he fighteth will guide the matter excellently well Satan in deede will tempt him with this and that vice as with adulterie whoredome theft slaughter enuie hatred wrath and other like synnes But let him not therefore be discouraged he hath a king that is strong mightie enough of whom he shal be easily defended Notwithstanding it wil be verie hard to stand strongly and nothing to yeelde wherefore prayer in this case is verie needefull others also may by their prayers intreat for thee that a stout corage and manly heart may be giuen vnto thee to withstand Satan But it is certaine that thou shalt not be destitute Christ will easily preserue thee be not disquieted in mynde let it onely be thy care that thou fallest not from his kingdome Moreouer in this Gospell thou seest that Christ is both God man Man inasmuch as he prayseth God and giueth him thankes God inasmuch as all thinges are giuen vnto him of the Father Which ought to be great comfort vnto vs in all things that do trouble and afflict vs. Whereas he saith No man knoweth the Sonne but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne will reueale him he in these wordes ouerthroweth free will which will know God and Christ when and how it pleaseth it Here thou hast plainly from whence the knowledge of God and of Christ is the Father saith he knoweth the Sonne and the Sonne the Father but how do we know by this or that preacher no truly these are onely certaine midle instruments but he onely knoweth to whom the Sonne will reueale A litle before he saide that the Father doth reueale or open here he attributeth the same to the Sonne Surely both the Father and the Sonne do reueale and as the Father reuealeth so also doth the Sonne and Christ also sayth in Iohn chap. 14 The holy Ghost shall teach you all thinges Wherefore as the Father teacheth so teacheth the Sonne likewise also teacheth the holy Ghost And where God the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost do not teach there all thinges remaine voide of knowledge It followeth moreouer in the Gospell Verse 28. Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden and I will refresh you Verse 29. Take my yoke on you and learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart and ye shall finde rest vnto your soules Verse 30. For my yoke is easie and my burden is light Hitherto we haue heard how the Lord dealeth with the wise and prudent namely that he blyndeth them and hideth the Gospell from them Likewise how he is delighted in children and simple ones to wit that he endueth them with right knowledge of himselfe and openeth the Gospell vnto them But some man may here say and complaine If the matter be so surely my conscience shal be in great daunger before I heare and know that the Gospell dothe pertaine vnto me I am a wretched synner and perhaps the Gospell pertaineth not vnto me what if I be vnworthie Christ that he may
thee whatsoeuer he is able do thou likewise to thy neighbour Wilt thou worke workes deriue them to thy neighbour who is compassed with troubles miseries Thou must doe nothing for this cause that Christ hath neede thereof whereby thou maist enrich him for neither was he bountiful to this ende that he might any thing profit his father thereby or that he might receiue any commoditie of him but he did it onely for this cause that therein the father might be well pleased inasmuch as he submitteth him selfe wholy to his fathers will and loueth vs with so great affection After the same sort we also must doe in our works toward our neighbour which we ought therefore onely to doe that we may giue thanks to the father that he sheweth his fauour vnto vs for that he hath giuen his beloued sonne vnto me to bestow vpon me whatsoeuer he hath When I beleue this vndoutedly I burst forth and say If God sheweth vnto me so great benefits and fauour in his beloued sonne that he suffereth him to bestow all things vpon me I also will doe the like againe and bestow all thinges whereby I may doe good to my neighbour and loue him And so I doe not lift vp myne eyes vnto heauen but I go thether where my neighbour is oppressed with aduersitie pouertie sicknes sinne or errour and I helpe him wherein soeuer I am able Thus doe thou whosoeuer thou art which mindest to do true good works as thou wouldest haue done to thy selfe if thou were troubled with pouertie so doe thou to thy neighbour being poore Againe if thy neighbour be a sinner and thou seest it but thou thy self art without sinne and hast a holy natiuitie goe preach vnto him whereby he also may be deliuered But thou must doe all these things freely in euery respect as Christ hath done for thee without all workes and merits of pure grace loue and mercy Such workes see thou doe if thou wilt doe good and Christian workes in deede God hath no neede of them neuertheles thou must doe them in respect of him inasmuch as it so pleaseth him and he will haue it to be so This onely is rightly to doe good workes which those hypocrites do not which will merit heauen by their chastity pouertie obedience Vnto whom I pray you are such works of theirs good I my selfe neede them not neither doe they profit my neighbour wherefore it is mere deceit whereas a name is giuen to workes as though they did merit heauen when as they are nothing worth neither profitable to others Laye vppe these thinges in your hartes and do also according to them In all this text being discussed from the beginning to the ending ye haue these two thinges namely faith and loue If ye shall keepe these then both the holy natiuitie of Christ shall be a helpe commoditie and comfort vnto you and also ye shall be spiritually the children of his mother as Christ Iesus is her childe carnally An exposition of the song of the Angells Glory be to God on high c. Glory be to God on high and in earth peace good will towards men Forasmuch as this song is very common and there be fewe that rightly vnderstande it when as notwithstanding it contayneth many thinges in it I thinke good to handle it somewhat at large The Angells in this hymne apply three things to three glory to God peace to the earth and good will vnto men The first is the honour or glory of God Glory due to God alone with which we must beginne that in all thinges prayse and glory may be asscribed to God as to him which doeth giueth and hath all thinges so that none may chalenge any good thing at all vnto him selfe neither ought to count it his owne Glory is so due to God onely that no part therof may be deriued to any other Adam being perswaded of Satan went about to take this glory to him selfe whereby all men fell into the displeasure of God haue that vice so throughly fixed in their mind that no other thing can be so hardly pluckt away from them Euery man pleaseth him selfe no man can abide to seeme that he is nothing or is able to doe nothing whereof come almost all euills so many contentions warres and innumerable other discommodities This glory Christ gaue to God his father teaching that all our thinges are nothing before God but sinnes which deserue his wrath and indignation and nothing lesse then glory Wherfore there is no cause that we should euen neuer so litle please our selues or glory in them but rather that we should be ashamed and feare being set in so great perill and confusion that so all our glory and pleasing of our selues may passe away and come to nothing and we may reioyce being destitute of our owne glorie that we may be found saued in Christ alone The second is peace in earth For Where true peace is and where it is not as where the glory of God is not and where euery one seeketh his owne glory there can not be peace according as Salomon sayth Prouerb 13. Among the proude there is euer strife so contrariwise where the glory of God is knowne there true peace also must needes be For why should they contend why should they disagree which doe know euery one of them that they haue no good thing of their owne but that all thinges which are which they haue and which they are able to doe come from God to whose power also they commit all thinges they in the meane season being very wel content that they haue God fauorable vnto them Howe also can it be that when one counteth nothing of him selfe and the thinges that be his he should be so carefull of him selfe and his thinges that he should moue contention with any because of them Such beleeue that Christ onely is made all thinges vnto them him they thinke on and for him alone they contend Hereupon it certainly followeth that there can be no contention or discord at al among true Christians The peace of Christians described by Esai Esai 11.9 which maner of peace of Christians Esay declareth sayth No man shall doe euill vnto an other no man shall destroy an other in my holy hill that is in the Church of Christ The cause hereof he addeth next after The earth is full of the knowledge of God that is for all know God as to whom all good thinges doe belong and all their owne things they confesse to be nothing but sinnes they may easily therefore haue peace among them selues Esai 2.4 Wherefore the same Esay sayth in an other place They shall breake their swordes into mattocks their speares to make sythes and one shall not lift vp a weapon against an other neither shall they learne ro fight from thence forth Hereupon Christ is called the king of peace or the prince of peace of whom Salomon was a figure who
and indignation For if there were moe beloued sonnes he would not so set forth shew this sonne alone saying This is my beloued sonne neither would turne his eyes vnto him onely and glory of him alone as though he knew no other For the words seeme to shew that he did diligently looke about yet founde none beside him of whome he sayth this is he as if he sayde Here at the last I haue founde such a one as pleaseth me and is my beloued sonne all other generally are not such Moreouer these wordes are not so onely to be vnderstood that it is shewed by them that Christ is very God as the Epistle to the Hebrewes sayth Vnto which of the Angells sayd he at any time Thou art my Sonne this day begat I thee and againe I will be his father and he shall be my sonne c. For it is most certaine that Christ in these wordes is declared to be the true and naturall sonne of God seeing that this word was neuer sayd to any creature Howbeit he had bene as well the sonne of God and had so remayned for euer as he hath bene from euerlasting although this had not bene spoken vnto vs from heauen neither is any thinge added or taken away from him by this name but we must thus thinke perswade our selues that so excellent a praise and so noble honour of Christ was spoken for our cause For he him selfe witnesseth in Iohn Ioh. 12.30 that this came not because of him selfe but for our sakes He hath no neede that it should be sayd vnto him that he is the sonne of God He knew this before hath from euerlasting by his nature that which he heareth Wherefore when that is conceiued by voyce and word it pertaineth to vs and not vnto Christ Christ without the word is such as he is said to be We haue the word without him of whom it is spoken Wherefore we must lay fast hold vppon the word without the essence euen as he hath the essence without the word But what doth this word it teacheth vs to know Christ in which knowledge our saluation consisteth as Esay Paule and Peter doe witnes But how doth it teach vs to know him so that he is the sonne of God and doth especially please God his father by which wordes God cheereth the hartes of all the faithfull and greatly delighteth them with mere comfort and heauenly sweetnes Howe is this done When I knowe and am sure that this man Christ is the sonne of God and doth in all things please the father whereof I must be most fully perswaded forasmuch as the diuine maiestie doth confirme this by his voyce from heauen which can not lye whereby I am certaine that whatsoeuer that man doth speake and worke they are the mere wordes works of the beloued sonne which are aboue measure approued of God This therefore I doe singularly well marke and lay vppe in the bottom of my harte When as therefore I doe hereafter heare Christ speake or see him doe any thing and that for my commoditie which surely he euery where doth for he sayth that he doth and suffereth all thinges for vs that he came to serue and not that he should be serued then I remember these wordes of the father that he is the beloued sonne then I am enforced to thinke that all that Christ speaketh doth and suffereth and that for my sake doth singularly well please God Nowe howe can God poure out him selfe more liberally or shew him selfe more louingly and sweetely then by saying that it doth please him from the hart that Christ his sonne doth speake so gently with me doth with so great affection looke vnto my commoditie and with such vnusuall loue suffer dye and do whatsoeuer for my sake Doest thou dout that if mans hart did with due sense feele such fauour of God in Christ to wit that he doth so much for our sakes it would not for ioy burst into most small peeces for then it woulde looke into the depth of the diuine breast yea and into the exceeding and eternal goodnes and loue of God which he beareth toward vs and hath borne toward vs from euerlasting But we are too hard harted and cold the flesh doth lye more heauy vppon vs then that we are able to comprehend such wordes we doe not wel consider of them with our selues neither doth our hart come neare to feele how maruelous and vnspeakeable loue and ioy they contayne in them otherwise without dout we should perceiue that heauen and earth are full of the fire of the diuine loue of life and righteousnes full of honour and praise whereunto the fire of hel whereunto sinne death being compared are nothing but as it were a thing painted or pictured But we are colde sluggish vnthankfull wretches for we passe ouer such precious words as things of no importance as vttered of man as being contayned in a booke or writtē in paper as things vtterly decayed and now long since growne out of vse by long custom as though they pertayne onely to Christ and to vs nothing at all And being dull and senseles we doe not see that they belong nothing to Christ but were committed to writing and are extant onely for our sake Seeing therefore that Christ the beloued sonne being in so great fauour with God in all thinges that he doth is thine and doth in the same serue thee as he him selfe witnesseth without dout thou art in the same fauour and loue of God that Christ him selfe is in And againe the fauour and loue of God are insinuated to thee as deepely as to Christ that now God together with his beloued sonne doth wholy possesse thee and thou hast him againe wholy that so God Christ and thou doe become as one certaine thing Hereunto make many sentences of the Gospell but especially in Iohn as this If any man loue me Iohn 14.23 my father will loue him and we will come vnto him and will dwell with him Also Where I am there shall also my seruaunt be Againe Iohn 12.26 Iohn 17. I pray that they may be one in vs as thou and I are one I in thee and thou in me and they in me But where is Christ In the fauour of God in the depth of his hart there also are we if so be that we know and loue Christ there I thinke we are sure enough there our refuge is placed high enough whither no euill can come as it is in the 91. Psalme But thou seest that faith is required hereunto and that vnto these thinges no law no worke no merit doth preuayle Hereupō it commeth to passe that so precious wordes are so abstruse and vnknowen to reason For it hath bin gouerned of Satan from the creation of the world when as in Paradise it would be as God presumed after honour which God here attributeth to Christ alone forasmuch as he is his sonne
wherunto it is yet also prone and inclined and setteth it selfe against these words the words againe are against it For because Christ is here declared the only sonne of God it is mightely ouerthrowne whatsoeuer maketh it selfe god But who be they that make them selues god surely Satan and man which please them selues and loue them selues they seeke not after God but striue to attaine vnto this that they also may become gods But what will God say vnto these Truly a certaine contrary thinge to that which he sayde vnto Christ Christ is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased seeing that he glorifieth not him selfe and maketh not him selfe God although he be God But ye are wretches in whome I allowe nothing seeing that ye glorifie your selues and make your selues gods albeit ye be creatures and men and not God So this sentēce giuen of Christ doth humble the whole world doth shew them to be all voyd of diuinitie and ascribeth it to Christ and that all for our commoditie if we will and do admit this sentence or to our condemnation if we will not and do contemne this sentence so that I may say at once without Christ there is no fauour nor any beloued sonne but very wrath and sore displeasure of God Certaine sentences out of the Scripture concerning Christ vvhereby is declared that through him vve are loued of the Father and vvithout him are refused Ioh. 1.16.17 Of his fulnes to wit Christes haue all we receiued and grace for grace For the law was giuen by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ Ioh. 3.13 No man ascendeth vppe to heauen but he that hath descended from heauen euen the Sonne of man which is in heauen Ioh. 3.16.17.18 God so loued the world that he hath giuen his only begottē sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life For God sent not his sonne into the world that he should condemne the world but that the world through him might be saued He that beleueth in him is not condemned but he that beleeueth not is condemned already because he hath not beleued in the name of that onely begotten Sonne of God Ioh. 3.35.36 The Father loueth the Sonne and hath giuen all thinges into his hande He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life he that obeyeth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Ioh. 6.40 This is the will of him that sent me that euery man which seeth the Sonne beleueth in him should haue euerlasting life and I will rayse him vp at the last day Ioh. 7.37.38 Now in the last great day of the feast Iesus stoode cried saying If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke He that beleueth in me as sayth the Scripture out of his belly shall flow riuers of water of life Tit. 3.4.5.6.7 But when that bountifulnes and that loue of God our Sauiour toward man appeared not by the workes of righteousnes which we had done but according to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renuing of the holy Ghost which he shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour that we being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life Many other such sentences there be especially out of the Epistles of Paule which euery one may gather by him selfe A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE GENEALOGIE OR PEDEGREE OF CHRIST Matth. 1. Verse 1. THis is the booke of the generation of Iesus Christ the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham 2. Abraham begat Isaac Isaac begat Iacob Iacob begat Iudas and his brethren 3. Iudas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar Phares begat Esrom Esrom begat Aram. 4. Aram begat Aminadab Aminadab begat Naasson Naasson begat Salmon 5. Salmon begat Booz of Rachab Booz begat Obed of Ruth Obed begat Iesse 6. Iesse begat Dauid the king Dauid the king begat Salomon of her that was the wife of Vrias 7. Salomon begat Roboam Roboam begat Abia Abia begat Asa 8. Asa begat Iosaphat Iosaphat begat Ioram Ioram begat Hozias 9. Hozias begat Ioatham Ioatham begat Achaz Achaz begat Ezekias 10. Ezekias begat Manasses Manasses begat Amon Amon begat Iosias 11. Iosias begat Iechonias and his brethren about the time they were caried away to Babylon 12. And after they were brought to Babylon Iechonias begat Salathiel Salathiel begat Zorobabel 13. Zorobabel begat Abiud Abiud begat Eliacim Eliacim begat Azor. 14. Azor begat Sadoc Sadoc begat Achim Achim begat Eliud 15. Eliud begat Eleazar Eleazar begat Matthan Matthan begat Iacob 16. Iacob begat Ioseph the husband of Marie of whom was borne Iesus that is called Christ The summe of this text 1 MAtthew beginneth his booke with a title or inscription by which the beleuer is prouoked with greater pleasure to heare and reade it For he sayth thus much in effect Whom the Law and Prophets haue hetherto promised preached Iesus that is a Sauiour and Christ that is an eternall king that he according to the promise of God should springe and come of the seede of Abraham and Dauid euen him doe I describe in this booke to wit that he is now borne and made man and already come into the world This I handle through this whole booke 2 Three lines or degrees are here rehearsed In the first is contained the stocke of the fathers in the second of the kings in the third is contained the decaying stocke of Dauid after the decay whereof it behoued that Christ should come For so the goodnes of God is wont to doe when all thinges seeme euen past hope and recouerie then at the last he commeth 3 Matthew omitteth one in his rehearsall but that maketh no matter seeing that he obserueth this one thing that he counteth by the right line from Dauid by Salomon to Ioseph the husband of Marie Luke counteth otherwise and vseth an other order The exposition of the text WHen Adam our first father hauing fallen by a notable offence was gilty of death with all his children as well in body as in soule it was notwithstanding promised vnto him although obscurely that both he and his posteritie should be deliuered in those wordes which God spake to the Serpent Gen. 3.15 I will put enmitie betwene thee and the woman betwene thy seede her seede and it shall treade downe thy head Of these wordes Adam tooke comfort that a woman should come by whose frute such guile and sutteltie of the Serpent shoulde be againe amended and Adam redeemed This comfort did vphold Adam with his posteritie vntill Noe. For then the promise was renued whē God made a couenant with the sonnes of Noe and set the rainebowe for a signe of the couenant whereby men might conceiue a trust and confidence that God is yet fauorable vnto them and doth not purpose their destruction whereby mankinde was againe vpheld and comforted euen vntill
Abraham In the time of Abraham God did somewhat shewe forth his mercy he declared that he would send a Sauiour who should deliuer vs againe from death both of body and soule for albeit the body should dye yet it should not alwayes remayne in death but rise againe with the Lord Christ The wordes which God spake to Abraham Gen. 22. are thus In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Here miserable men had a cause to hope and looke for a Sauiour which should deliuer them From that time all the Prophets did diuersly foretell of this aboue measure flowing fountaine of all mercy that is of this seede of the Lord Christ how that he at the last should come that all which beleued in him might obtaine saluation by that promise which can not be reuoked If so be that men would now open their eyes they must needes confesse and say that a straunge and incredible thinge is done with vs that man being in the state of damnation cursed desperate should be restored by the natiuitie of one man Hereupon the Prophets cryed out with ardent prayers and vnspeakeable groning that God would vouchsafe to sende the Sauiour whom he had promised By faith in this Sauiour the Israelites afterward obtained the lawe and this honour before all people that they were called the elect people of God By which ordinances written of Moses the anointed was plainely figured and signified whom this text which we haue now in hand setteth forth what he is from whence he is and by the afore sayd faith all obtayned saluation from Abraham vnto Dauid euen as many as were saued In the time of Dauid God made the comming of the Messias to be more manifestly declared that it might be certainly knowne of what stocke he should come namely of the stocke of Dauid as when God sayd vnto Dauid 2. Sam. 7.12 VVhen thy dayes be fulfilled thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers and I will set vp thy seede after thee which shall proceede out of thy body and wil stablish his kingdom He shall build an house for my name and I vvill stablish the throne of his kingdom for euer I will be his father and he shall be my sonne And yet more plainely in the Psalme The Lord hath made a faithfull othe vnto Dauid Psal 132.11 and he shall not shrinke from it Of the frute of thy bodye shall I set vppon thy seat Here Christ is described that he shall be a king and an eternall king Psal 45.6 as it is mentioned of him in an other Psalme Thy throne O Lord endureth for euer the scepter of righteousnes is the scepter of thy kingdome Who pertaineth to the kingdom of Christ and who to the kingdom of Satan Howebeit he is a spirituall king which ruleth the worlde by his worde and whosoeuer receiueth his word pertaineth to his kingdom But he that is not vnder this scepter neither heareth his worde is not of God neither pertaineth to his kingdom but is subiect to the kingdom of Satan vnder whose tyrannie we all are vntill the Lord doth deliuer vs from it defend vs with his scepter which is then done when we beleeue in him Forasmuch therefore as our saluation doth come meerly by the promise of God let euery one assuredly perswade him selfe that he shal neuer obtaine saluation wtout this promise although he should do the workes of all Sainctes yet they should profit him nothing hereunto Contrariwise if we lay hold on the scepter of this king that is of the promise of God we shal not perish although the sinnes of the whole world should lye vpon vs they shal be all swallowed vp in him albeit no good worke be done of vs. As we see in the theefe which hong by the Lord on the crosse who layd hold on the word of God beleued in Christ and therefore he obtayned the promised Paradise Here is no dout left let vs onely beleue that it is so and it is so in deede all thinges which men teach or which we haue done or can doe being set aside Here all thinges must giue place at the comming of this new king that he alone may rule reigne in vs. Let a man intermedle with those thinges that are written of this king as being his owne matters and as pertaining all vnto him Whatsoeuer is written of Christ it is written for our comfort For whatsoeuer is written any where of Christ it is written for our comfort that we may thereby feede and cherish our faith To the establishing of such faith God hath mercifully left vnto vs his promise written and hath suffered to be published that he will performe that which he hath promised Whosoeuer apprehendeth this in his hart it must needes be that with sighing he thirst for such Scripture and promise of God who of his grace being not prouoked of vs offereth vnto vs and bestoweth vpon vs such goodnes and mercy But let vs now come to our present text which not with words only but also with a certeine force pearseth the hart and poureth into it loue pleasure ioy gladnes c. As if an Angell should now come from heauen and say vnto vs miserable and condemned wretches after this sort Behold O man thou hast sinned wherfore thou hast deserued to be condemned for euer This being heard the hart must needes tremble Now although all this be true yet neuertheles God of his grace hath mercy vppon thee sendeth to thee a Sauiour as he promised to Abraham and his seede Be of a good cheere and giue thankes to God Loe here is the booke of the generation of Iesus Christ who is the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham so that this is not onely done but also written that thou mayst be certaine thereof Neither will he neither can he deceiue beleue onely and thou shalt haue all things Now it is to be noted that Matthew setteth Dauid before Abraham although the promise was first made to Abraham and came afterward to Dauid which promise made to Dauid the Prophets did afterward publish more abroad and did by it comfort the people As in the 11. chapter of Esai where the Prophet sayth thus There shall come a rod forth of the stocke of Iesse and a graffe shall growe out of his roote Ieremie likewise sayth thus chap. 23. Behold the time commeth sayth the Lord that I wil raise vp the righteous braunch of Dauid which king shall beare rule and he shall prosper with wisedom and shall set vp equitie righteousnes againe in the earth And many other such prophecies there are to be found in the writings of the Prophetes which they foretold of Dauid that his kingdom should be raysed vp as that Angell also declared vnto Marie when he sayd Luke 1.32 The Lord God shall giue vnto him the throne of his father Dauid Why Matthew setteth Dauid before Abraham Luke 1.54 he shall
on the crosse leapt at one leap two and forty degrees and came sodainely to Christ So did many Martyrs also and other holy men Notwithstanding none can goe so great a iorney with small griefe vnlesse he be caried with a great winde that is by the holy Ghost We must goe fayre and softly from Abraham to Isaac from Isaac to Iacob and so forth But we must begin at Abraham that we may be found endued with like faith as he was and obtaine the blessing promised vnto him then we shall more easily and cheerefully goe from one Patriarch to an other That is we shal passe ouer one affliction after an other vntill we be called out of this trauell and iorney vnto our rest Why the godly must suffer afflictions in this world For a man must be so long exercised with afflictions and so oft renounce his owne will vntill at the last he be brought vnder and his flesh by this meanes be subdued that it may obey the spirit and walke ioyfully in the will and obedience of God Wherefore let no man purpose with him selfe to come vnto heauen by leading a quiet life Luk. 18.25 and following pleasure thus Christ sayth in Luke It is easier for a camell to goe through a needles eye Act. 14.22 then for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God And in the Actes of the Apostles Paule teacheth that we must through many tribulations enter into the kingdom of God Againe Luk. 16.25 in Luke Abraham sayd to the rich glutton Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures and likewise Lazarus paines nowe therefore he is comforted and thou art tormented So it behoued Christ also to suffer by the crosse to enter into his glorie 2. Tim. 3.12 And S. Paule sayth All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution Hereupon we may learne that all that is poyson which is according to the lust of the flesh Rom. 8.13 Wherfore Paule sayth to the Rom. If ye liue after the flesh ye shal die but if ye mortifie the deedes of the bodye by the spirite ye shall liue The flesh striueth against the spirit The spirit which is of God is ready to suffer but the flesh resisteth This Iesus signified by his aunswer vnto Peter when he shewed vnto his Disciples that he must goe vnto Ierusalem Matth. 16.21 and suffer many thinges of the Iewes and be slayne also Peter tooke him aside and sayd vnto him Maister pitie thy selfe this shall not be vnto thee But Christ turned him backe and sayd vnto Peter Get thee behind me Satan for thou sauerest not the thinges that are of God but the thinges that are of men Here it is manifest that the reason of man doth flatly striue against the will of God God will haue vs enter into glory by the crosse and persecution but the flesh resisteth and is troubled in afflictions Moreouer they that are endued with the spirit of God doe reioyce if they be afflicted for God his sake Act. 5.41 as it is writtē of the Apostles They departed as Luke sayth from the councell reioycing that they were coūted worthy to suffer rebuke for his name Iam. 1.2 Wherefore Iames sayth in his Epistle My brethren count it exceeding ioy when ye fall into diuerse tentations knowing that the trying of your faith bringeth forth patience And let patience haue her perfect worke that ye may be perfect and entier lacking nothing O how necessary is patience for a Christian man that we may possesse our soules by patience Luk. 21.19 as Christ sayth in Luke otherwise we shall lose them Wherefore we must enter into a new kinde of life and if at any time calamitie commeth we must not by and by burst forth into euill speeches take it vnpatiently but we must alwayes lift vp our hart to God and beare his will with a patient minde he will well deliuer vs in his time when it seemeth good to him God euen when he chasteneth and correcteth vs doth loue vs and care for vs. Heb. 12.5 and we must alwayes thinke that he beareth a fatherly affection toward vs euen when he sendeth persecutions anguishes afflictions and aduersities as the Epistle to the Hebrewes sayth Ye haue forgotten the exhortation which speaketh vnto you as vnto children My sonne despise not the chastening of the Lord neither faint whē thou art rebuked of him For whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth If ye endure chastening God offereth him selfe vnto you as vnto sonnes for vvhat sonne is it vvhom the father chasteneth not If therefore ye be vvithout correction vvhereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sonnes God giue vs his diuine grace that we may courageously passe these two and forty degrees with the Lord Christ be regenerate into a new life Amen A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER VPON THE HYMNE OF ZACHARIAS COMMONLY CALLED BENEDICTVS Luke 1. Verse 68. BLessed be the Lord God of Israell because he hath visited and redeemed his people THat godly man Zacharias speaketh here of things as already done when he sayth he hath visited and redeemed his people c. For he was certaine of them now the childe Iohn was come being about to begin to preach of our redemption as the Angell had foretold of him that he should goe before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elias to turne the hartes of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisedom of the iust men to make ready a people prepared for the Lorde this promise he knew should assuredly come to passe Wherin this redemption consisteth I thinke it is already sufficiently knowne vnto you namely in this that God visiteth and deliuereth vs. Which visitation and deliuerance is accomplished neither by sworde nor violence but by the worde alone wherein consisteth more then in the blood and death on the crosse * That the word promises of God might be accomplished and fulfilled For because of the worde Christ shed his blood on the crosse It was the word that Iohn preached when he shewed the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde that is when he declared our visitation and redemption which Christ hath purchased with his blood This Iohn was the first Messenger which preached the Gospel Wherefore to vs to whom the Gospel was not before preached it is as if Iohn him selfe did nowe preach it for now is first set forth vnto vs redemption sweete consolation deliuerance from sinnes death hell and all euill To visit is nothing else then to come vnto vs to bring and declare vnto vs the word of saluation by which we are saued Zacharias conceiued so great ioy and pleasure in his hart that he could not cōtaine him selfe but he must needes burst forth into those words which in this Hymne he vttereth not onely because of the
infant newly borne although euen this brought great ioy vnto him but also for that by the birth of this child he beholdeth a farre greater ioy forasmuch as he was a Messenger sent of God to preach his word to the world He reioyceth therefore because of such a word which he should heare and for that he should be as it were altered from an olde man to a yonge man and shoulde become a scholer of an infant now lying in the cradle whom he confesseth to be a Prophet better learned then him selfe Zacharias conceiued both natural and spiritual ioy at the birth of his sonne Iohn Manifest naturall ioy is here for that that infant was borne after a meruelous sort Moreouer here is ioy of the spirit inasmuch as that infant should become a Preacher of the word of God And I am of that mind that I thinke that there was neuer any father which conceiued so great ioy of his childe as this Zacharias did of his sonne being so meruelously borne by the power of God and for that especially in the time of olde age when he was nowe neare vnto death he is made a father of so great a Sainct which should be a maister and teacher of the world It is a delight and pleasure vnto vs if we beget a childe that is sound fayre and wel proportioned in body that I may say nothinge what ioy it woulde bring if our childe should be an Apostle and Preacher of the word of God to the world Whatsoeuer ignominie therefore and contempt he did suffer before when he was barren together with his wife Elisabet he is now most abundantly recompensed with plētifull honour and ioy so great blessings doth God bestowe if we patiently abide his leysure For if he at any time come he commeth very rich and plentifull in giftes and doth giue much more then we euer either wished or hoped for Verse 69. And hath raysed vp the horne of saluation vnto vs in the house of his seruaunt Dauid These wordes are not spoken of Iohn for that he is not an horne raysed vp in the house of Dauid for he was borne of the tribe of Leui but Christ our Lord is of the house and of the royall stocke and blood of Dauid Wherefore Zacharias doth not singe here in the house of Leui but that in the house of Dauid an horne is raysed and lifted vp and when Christ was not yet borne he neuertheles singeth so as if he were borne neither was the horne of saluation yet come notwithstanding he knew by the reuelatiō of the holy Ghost that it should forthwith come An horne what it signifieth among the Hebrewes An horne among the Hebrewes signifieth power confidence dominion and that whatsoeuer wherein any man may trust c. As we reade in Daniel chap. 7. where the Prophet first seeth kingdoms then beholdeth beasts some hauing one horne some two hornes And he afterward interpreting him self expoundeth them for kingdoms and Kinges and this is a phrase and maner of speaking peculiar to this language Nowe Zacharias signifieth that Christ is our head yea our God whose kingdom is his horne He addeth the horne of saluation or blessednes What difference there is betwene other kingdoms the kingdom of saluation which God hath raysed vp Some kingdoms are famous in name and power other are large abounding with plentie of greate treasures much people honours and all temporall thinges But this is called a kingdome of saluation grace life righteousnes truth and of euery thinge that pertayneth to saluation whereby it differeth from all other kingdoms For albeit they be large riche or mightie yet are they counted the kingdoms of death for they that gouerne them must at the last fall dye perish and leaue their power and riches behind them Neyther was there euer any worldely kingdome which might be called a kingdom of life wherein is life peace and saluation for onely the kingdome of Christ doth glory and triumph in this title inasmuch as God hath raysed it vppe that there may be nothing in it but saluation and felicitie Moreouer I finde nothing here spoken of maners and trades of life or of workes For this kingdome consisteth neyther in outward life nor workes but in the horne in Christ and his Gospell This kingdom is ours whereof ye haue heard that it is a kingdom of grace life righteousnes saluation and mercy so that whosoeuer is in it although he be inferior to Iohn in holines and farre vnlike Christ in perfection yet he liueth in a kingdom wherein is nothing but saluation and blessednes whereof also it hath and reserueth the name It is sayd moreouer that this kingdom is raysed vp in the house of Dauid but by what meanes was it raysed vp euen by the holy Ghost and by his worde He sayth in the house of Dauid for it must be a kingdome in the earth and yet a kingdome of saluation Nowe conferre these two one with an other The house of Dauid is the tribe and stocke of Dauid who was a man as the subiects of his kingdom So that thou canst not say that he doth here make mention of an heauenly kingdome amonge the Angells when as he doth nothing lesse but he speaketh of a certaine kingdome which is amonge men which liue clothed with flesh Dauid was a man the subiects of his kingdome also were men subiect to death For as the Scripture witnesseth man that is borne of a woman liueth but a small time he can not passe the boundes appoynted him Howe is it then that honour and dishonour come together in this kingdom What agreement and consent appeareth here where mortall men are deliuered from the power of death where they that are worthy of death enioy life the vnhappy are happy and they that are subiect to Satan become the sonnes of God In the reason hereof I hope that ye are sufficiently instructed yea I thinke that ye vnderstand it as well as I my selfe But because the text so requireth it must be eftsoones repeated A Christian is deliuered from death sinne Satan We haue affirmed therefore that a Christian which liueth in this kingdom shall neuer dye forasmuch as he can not dye For Christ hath therefore suffered deathe that he might ouercome death and deliuer vs from it He tooke our sinnes also vpon him selfe that we might not neede to beare them Moreouer he subdued and ouerthrew Satan that we might not be subiect vnto him Wherefore it is giuen to a Christian that he can neuer dye he can neuer be subiect to sinne and the deuill For that must needes be true which he sayth that he hath raysed vp an horne of blessednes or saluation And in whatsoeuer place that horne shall be there is no accesse neither for death neither for sinne nor the deuill And that in the house of Dauid Wherefore a Christian is both defiled and yet without sinne A Christian after a sort subiect to
that his kingdom is set in the middes of the fight yea and in the middes of the haters thereof These things are written for our comfort that we which mind to serue vnder the Prince of this kingdom be so instructed that we looke for no other then is here prescribed and set forth vnto vs The godly must looke for no peace or quietnes in the world that we seeke not here to get vnto vs the fauour of the world neither that we serue the world and labour to haue no enemies therein For the words of Zacharias declare that it is the quality of this kingdom to deliuer from enemies Now if it deliuereth vs from enemies and as it were draweth vs out of the hands of them that hate vs surely it can not be a kingdom of peace but such a kingdom as is subiect to the hatred and malice of the world As ye see at this daye that our enemies beare a deadly hatred vnto the light which hath a litle shined forth thankes be to Christ therefore No man is any where so hated as a Christian Both the Pope and the furious Bishops with their false Apostles also the raging Princes moreouer the holy learned and wise of the world all at this day doe most bitterly hate Christians Neither are they content that they be killed slaine but they would haue them extinguished and vtterly rooted out that there may be no memorie of them as they thinke left among men And this is the state these are the badges and cognisances of Christians that when Satan by his ministers persecuteth vs he thinketh quite to roote vs out This verse also giueth vs to vnderstand that Christ is our King that he may saue and deliuer vs out of the handes of our enemies which he notably performeth and sheweth his power in the middes of the worlde in the middes of the force of flesh and Satan when as peace and quietnes is no where left to a Christian but in his Christ alone This also we must marke that there is not one but many which assayle persecute Christians but yet that we shall not therefore be destroyed forasmuch as we haue one which is stronger both then the world and the Prince thereof as Iohn sayth Nowe whereas he promiseth vs we know certainly that he both will and is able to performe we shall in deede feele the assault but he will not suffer vs to be destroyed or ouercome so that we hope and trust in him It followeth moreouer Verse 72. That he might shewe mercy towards our fathers and remember his holy couenant Verse 73. That is the oth which he sware to our father Abraham that he would giue vs. He will deliuer vs not onely from all euill both of body and especially of soule but also from our enemies Satan and men as a Christian must be as it were ouerwhelmed with all euills together so also he shal be againe wholy deliuered from all euils And he sheweth that this grace and blessing was promised to their fathers Such is the maner of the Apostles also that they often times haue recourse to the old Testament as I haue sayd before that God spake and promised by the mouth of the Prophets c. euen as Zacharias doth in this place An obiectiō Some man may now say They are dead how therefore will he shew mercy vnto them Againe what neede is there to rehearse that he woulde shew mercy to the fathers when as it is declared in the Prophets But this is therefore done The aūswer that the truth of God may be shewed forth and may be also approued vnto vs that we shoulde not be ignorant that those thinges are not due to our merits In the first booke of Moses is mentioned how God promised to Abraham Gen. 22.18 that in his seede all the nations of the earth should be blessed That is that by Christ should come peace grace and blessing to all nations Which promise was differred so long a time that it appeared that it was in vaine and abolished So vnwise as it seemeth to the worlde doth God shewe him selfe in his matters as though all thinges went backward Notwithstanding howsoeuer it was delayed and seemed yet it is fulfilled and performed whatsoeuer was promised to Abraham and God hath not onely deliuered him from his enemies but hath bestowed vpon him all good thinges yea hath giuen him selfe vnto him and all that he hath And all this is therefore done for that as Zacharias here sayth this mercy and goodnes was before promised and confirmed by an oth vnto them which are long since dead when as we yet were not He is mercifull therefore and fauourable not because of our merits as though he did owe it vnto our righteousnes but of his onely grace fauour and mercy God both promised fulfilled his promise not moued through any workes or merits of men but of his meere grace and mercy These are horrible thundrings against our merits workes that we can not glory that we haue deliuered our selues from sinnes or that we haue deserued his goodnes and the preaching of the Gospell No it is not so Here is no place for boasting but this text sayth that thou O Lorde didst promise certaine thowsands of yeares before I was borne that thou wouldest doe it Who did then desire him that he would giue vs those thinges when he had determined with him selfe to giue them And vpon this promise the Prophets are bold and doe stay them selues for by it we attaine vnto true goodnes that the mouth of euery one may be stopped that he that wil glory may glory in the Lord. For thus the Lord may say that thou liuest in my kingdom that thou enioyest my goodnes grace it is not to be imputed to thee but vnto me I promised and determined with my selfe to fulfill my promises thou being ignorant thereof And here the mouth of euery one is stopped So at this day also none of vs vnto whom thankes be to God the Gospel hath shined can glory that we obtained it by our owne meanes labour endeuour or good conuersation For those which were counted the best workes and the most excellent studies are disallowed and ouerthrowne as to celebrate Masse to ioyne him selfe to this or that hypocriticall sect which they call an order c. These the Gospell condemneth and reiecteth and how can I attaine to the Gospell by that which it reiecteth Wherefore this standeth sure and certaine that all that we haue is of the meere grace and goodnes of God so that with his honour and praise we may confesse that we haue deserued farre otherwise namely hell fire if besides this he bestoweth any thing vpon vs it is the gift of his grace and goodnes And this is that which Zacharias sayth that is was foretold by the Prophets and both promised and confirmed by an oth to the fathers Gen. 22.16 that he would performe
thee againe if thou despisest me I also will despise thee if thou makest no account of me I againe will make small account of thee What care I if the world hate me when as I displease not him that dwelleth in heauen if this hatred continue euen dayly if sinne rage and the worlde talke and prate many thinges what then let it do so vntill it be weary I wil passe ouer these things as if I heard them not This is in deede to forsake the world and to die vnto it to liue without feare to be occupied about no other thing but that which is according to Gods will to speake nothing at all but that which shall please him and which I shall know to be agreeable to his worde that I may liue so and doe those workes which I knowe certainly are acceptable before him that in my whole life whatsoeuer I doe either outwardly or inwardely I may be certaine that I seeke his glorye and endeuour to fulfill his will So I am separated from the world and notwithstanding doe still liue in the worlde No man is lesse in the world then a sincere Christian and againe no man is more occupied and hath to doe with the world then an entire Christian That is the worlde doth more intentiuely looke vnto him and Satan more often and vehemently assaileth him then him that is ignorant of Christ of grace and of faith Christ and Paule had experience hereof they had combats conflicts with the world they were troubled and molested yea the whole world was against them Againe a true Christian is not in the worlde albeit the world rage fret cruelly against him for he alwayes trusteth in God and sayth Lord I am thine thou shalt deale wel with me graunt thou that my matters may goe forward according to thy will onely be thou on my side and I shall be in safety All the dayes of our life All our life long that is continually without ceasing In holines and righteousnes before him Here S. Luke diuideth righteousnes and holines into two sortes of which one is acceptable before God the other before him is of no value wherby we haue to vnderstand that both the righteousnes holines of God are in no estimation before the world euen as the worlde is wont nothing to esteeme God and againe God litle to esteeme the world For that which God calleth iust the world calleth vniust and that which it calleth right God calleth crooked and so these two Champions are continually at variance betwene them selues That which God calleth holy seemeth to the world deuilish and vnrighteous Wherefore he comforteth vs here declaring that there be two sortes of righteousnes and holines One which we ought to obserue diligently An other which we ought to auoide Hypocritical holines and righteousnes Hitherto it hath bene the chiefe holines and righteousnes of all which could be inuented to runne into Monasteries to put on monkish apparel to be shauen to weare a hempten girdle to giue him selfe to fasting and prayer to be clothed with heare cloth to lye in wollen garments to obserue an austere maner of liuing and in a summe to take vpon him monkish holines and religion And thus sticking in a colourable shew of good works we knewe none other but that we were holy from top to toe hauing regarde onely to workes and the body and not to the hart where we were full of hatred feare incredulitie troubled with an euil conscience knowing almost nothing rightly of God TheÌ„ the world cried openly O that holy man O holy and chast woman which haue included them selues within the walls of Monasteries which day night kneeling vpon their knees say many rosaries as they call them O what holines is there where euen God him selfe dwelleth where the holy Ghost the comforter abideth present These thinges the world boasteth of and greatly esteemeth But beside these they doe not marke how they pray with no earnestnes of hart howe they teach and instruct no man howe they giue nothing to any but catch vnto them selues both the blood and sweat of the poore and leaue true sincere workes vndone This righteousnes holines the world extolleth which notwithstanding stincketh and is wholy vncleane before God which he will haue euen to be vnknowne vnto vs yet the worlde refuseth to admit any other But there is an other maner of righteousnes then this whereof God esteemeth accepteth which also we must consider The righteousnes wherof God accepteth of what sort it is now it is of this sorte It consisteth not in a graye garment not in a blacke or white coule but in a pure conscience To wit when I beleeue that Christ is my saluation and that my workes can preuaile nothing hereunto but that he doth all thinges which God hath regarde vnto Then I say no more a gray garment is holy a red garment is prophane forasmuch as I know that not in a gray or any other garment but in Christ all thinges consist For no man can attaine to this that a gray garment may clense his hart from fâ—lth or that a monasterie may purifie it for it is necessary that God onely purifie the hart by faith and the holy Ghost as Peter witnesseth Act. 15. When the hart is now pure the house is vnto it as the fielde and the fielde as the house The market is as much esteemed of it as the Monasterie and contrariwise Neither remaineth there vnto me any worke place or garment which I count prophane for all thinges are alike vnto me after that holines hath fully possessed my hart That euen God sayth vnto me Thou art godly I am thy father thou art my sonne And herein we ought to persist that we be holy and without feare doe obey and serue him Here the title and badges of a Christian are seene this is his cognisance to wit that being holy he is the Minister of God without feare But what sinner is there which dareth challenge to him selfe this title Let one come forth which dareth auouch him selfe to be godly righteous holy and the seruaunt of God destitute of no good thinges either of mind or body Now he that caÌ„ not glory of these things is not a Christian For of these thinges must a sincere Christian be partaker But what letteth that one dareth not challenge to him selfe this title Euen a timorous conscience for we alwaies feele sinne and our life is euer fraile I see nothing but an honest life although God require this also of vs yet he will not be content therwith but there is neede that there be yet a certain higher thinge that I dare be bolde to say Lorde God maker of the whole worde I am certaine that I am holy before thee and am thy seruaunt not for myne owne sake who do as yet feele sinnes in my selfe but through Christ who hath taken away my sinne and made satisfaction for me These
that thou mayst fulfil it not by thine own strength but by Gods grace For hereof it commeth that they of whom it is before spoken do not meditate on the passion of Christ aright because they desire not helpe of God thereunto but rather trusting vnto their owne strength and following their owne inuention meditate vpon it altogether after the fashion of men and after a sclender and vnfrutefull maner Tenthly if one should through the grace of God meditate rightly vpon the passion of Christ by the space of one day or of one hower yea or the space of a quarter of an hower we would faithfully pronounce of him that he hath done better then if he had pined him selfe with fasting the space of a whole yeare or had runne ouer the Psalter euery day For this maner of meditation doth as it were chaunge a man and almost regenerate him a new like vnto baptisme Then in deede the Lordes passion doth his naturall due and noble office it killeth the old Adam it driueth away all pleasure ioy and confidence which may be had of creatures euen as Christ was forsaken of all yea euen of his father Eleuenthly We must not despeire or cease though at the first we obtayne not that we pray for seeing that such a thing is not in our owne power it commeth to passe that we doe often times aske it and yet do not by and by obtaine it notwithstanding we must not therefore dispeire or cease For that is sometimes giuen for which we haue not prayed and that sometimes is not graunted for which we haue prayed euen as it is the pleasure of God and as he knoweth to be best for vs for God will haue this gift to be free without constraint Twelfthly when as a man thus knowing his sinne doth wholy tremble in him selfe he must especially endeuour that sinnes doe not still remaine in his conscience otherwise meere desperation will come thereupon but he must shake them of and cast them vpon Christ and so vnburden his conscience Therefore see againe and againe that thou doe not that which peruerse men do which within the secrets of their hart do vexe disquiet them selues because of their sinnes striue with them that by good workes or satisfactions by farre going on pilgrimage or else by pardons they may become safe and may be made free from sinnes which can not be And alas such a false confidence in satisfactions and pardons hath preuailed very farre Moreouer then thou doest cast thy sinnes from thee vppon Christ What it is to cast our sinns vpon Christ when thou firmely beleuest that he suffered was wounded for thy sinnes and that he hath payd the ful ransom and satisfaction for thē as Esaias sayth chap. 53. The Lord hath thrown vpon him all our sinnes 1. Pet. 2.24 2. Cor. 5.21 And S. Peter sayth who his owne self bare our sinnes in his body on the tree S. Paule sayth He hath made him to be sinne for vs which knewe no sinne that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him In these and such like authorities thou must repose thy hope with all boldnes and that so much the more as thy conscience doth more grieuously vexe and trouble thee But if thou shalt not doe this but presumest that thou shalt be quiet by thy contrition and satisfaction then thou shalt neuer come vnto quietnes but at the last shalt fall euen into desperation For our sinnes kept and medled with within our conscience and sette before the eyes of our hart are farre stronger then we and doe liue immortally But when as we see them layd vpon Christ and to be victoriously conquered of him by his resurrection and doe confidently beleeue this then they are dead and brought vnto nothing And yet being layd vpon Christ they must not remayne so for they are swallowed vppe in the triumphe of his resurrection Soe sayeth Sainct Paule Christ was deliuered to deathe for our sinnes and is risen agayne for our iustification that is he hath taken vppon him our sinnes in his passion and hath thereby payed the raunsome for them but by his resurrection he iustifieth vs and maketh vs free from all sinne if so be that we doe beleeue this If thou canst not attaine vnto this faith thou must as it is a litle before sayd What we must doe when we can not attaine vnto this faith to beleue that Christ died for our sinns and rose again for our iustification resort vnto God by prayer forasmuch as this gift is in the hand of God only who bestoweth it when vpon whom it pleaseth him Thou maist also stirre vppe thy selfe hereunto first not now considering the passion of Christ outwardly for that hath nowe fulfilled his function and hath terrified thee but rather by pearsing inwardly and contemplating his most louing hart with how great loue towards thee it is replenished which brought him hereunto that he did beare thy conscience together with thy sinnes with so great and painefull difficultie So thy hart shall waxe sweete towards him and the strength boldnes of thy faith shall be increased Then hauing entred vnto the hart of Christ ascend higher euen vnto the hart of God and consider that the loue of Christ could not haue bene shewed vnto thee except the will of God by his eternall loue had so appointed wherunto Christ by his loue toward thee did obey There thou shalt find a diuine hart a good hart a fatherly hart and as Christ sayth thou shalt be drawne vnto the father by Christ There thou shalt vnderstand this saying of Christ Iohn 3.16 So God loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life For this is to know God aright when he is vnderstood of vs not vnder the name of power or wisedom which is a terrour vnto vs but vnder the name of goodnes loue Then faith confidence may stand constantly man him selfe is as it were regenerate a new in God When thy hart is thus established in Christ so that thou art now become an enemy of sinne and that by loue and not through feare of punishment then afterward the passion of Christ ought to be an example vnto thee in thy whole life and is now to be considered of in thy mind after a farre other maner then before For hitherto we haue considered it as an outward thing which should worke in vs but now we will wey it so that something is to be done of vs also For examples sake In the meditation of Christes passion we may finde remedy against griefe pride lust anger enuy sorrow trouble c. when griefe or infirmity doth molest thee thinke howe light these are being compared to the crowne of thornes and the nayles of Christ When thou must either do or leaue of that which is grieuous vnto thee to do or leaue of
Lord knoweth the wayes of the righteous and their inheritance shall endure for euer They shall not be confounded in the perilous time and in the dayes of dearth they shall haue enough And againe I haue bene yonge and now am old and yet saw I neuer the righteous forsaken nor his seede begging bread All which thinges Christ bringeth with him for that we are and are called his brethren not because of any merit but of meere grace If we would print these things in our hart that we might throughly feele them it should goe well with vs but they goe in at one eare and out at an other This is that wherof S. Paule so greatly glorieth Rom. 8. As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God For ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The same spirit beareth witnes with our spirit that we are the children of God if we be children we are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him Moreouer this title ascendeth so high that mans mind is not able to comprehend it For vnles the spirit the comforter did impart this grace vnto vs no man should euer be able to say Christ is my brother For reason can not be bold so to say albeit one repeat it in wordes very often as the new spirits doe It is a higher thing then that it can be so spoken for except the hart feele it as it is requisite it should it shall be nothing but onely flatterie But if thou feele it inwardly in thy hart it will be so excellent a thing vnto thee that thou wilt much rather say nothing of it then speake and talke of it yea by reason of the greatnes of so good a thinge thou wilt perhaps dout as yet and be in an vncertaintye whether it be so or not They which onely cry out thus Christ is my brother are fanatical spirits who vainly pronounce words without any frute The case standeth farre otherwise and farre more maruelously with a true Christian so that he is thereby enforced to be amased neither dareth he either say or confesse any thing sufficiently thereof Wherefore we must endeuour that we doe not heare this onely with fleshly eares but that we feele it in our hart for then we will not be so rash but we shall be forthwith caried into an admiration thereof True and sincere Christians enter into the viewing and feare of them selues thinking thus O wretched and defiled creature which am drowned in sinnes am I now made worthy that the sonne of God should be my brother how doe I miserable wretch attayne to such a thing Thus he is by and by astonied and doth not well vnderstand the thing But a great studie and endeuour surely is required that a man may beleue this yea if it were felt as it ought in very deede a mā should forthwith dye thereupon For he can not vnderstand it according to his flesh and blood and the hart of man in this life is more narrow and straight then that it is able to comprehend so great thinges But in death when the hart shall be stretched out then I say we shall trie what we haue heard by the word In the Gospel of Iohn chap. 20. Christ doth farre more plainly declare vnto Marie Magdalen this vse and frute both of his death and also of his resurrection when he sayth Goe vnto my brethren and tell them I ascende vnto my father and your father vnto my God your God this is one of the most comfortable places whereof we may glory and boast As though Christ should say Marie get thee hence and declare vnto my Disciples which did flee from me which haue throughly deserued punishment and eternall condemnation that this resurrection of myne is for their good that is that I haue by my resurrection brought the matter to that passe that my father is their father and my God is their God They are but a fewe verie short wordes in deede but they containe great matter in them namely that we haue as great hope confidence reposed in God as his owne sonne him selfe Who can comprehend such exceeding ioye I will not say vtter it that a wretched and defiled sinner may be bolde to call God his father his God euen as Christ him selfe The author of the Epistle to the Hebrues chap. 2. did well remember the wordes of the Psalme and weied with him selfe how it speaketh of Christ who as he sayth is not ashamed to call the beleeuers brethren saying I will declare thy name vnto my brethren in the middest of the Church or congregation will I sing prayses to thee If any worldly Prince or noble man should humble him selfe so low that he would say to a theefe or robber or to one that is infected with the french pocks thou art my brother it would be a certaine notable thing which euery one would maruell at But whereas this king which sitteth in glory at the right hand of his father sayth of some poore man this is my brother that no man layeth vp in the bosome of his brest neither doth any man consider of it in his mind wherein notwithstanding our chiefe comfort and confidence consisteth against sinne death the deuils hell the law and against all sinister successe of thinges as well of the body as of the mind Moreouer forasmuch as we are flesh blood and therefore subiect to all kindes of aduersitie it followeth that the case should stand so also with our brother otherwise he should not be like vnto vs in all thinges Wherefore that he might be made conformable and like vnto vs Christ like vnto vs in all thinges except sinne he tasted and had experience of all things euen as we haue sinne only excepted that he might be our true brother and exhibite him self openly vnto vs. Which the Epistle to the Hebrues doth liuely set forth chap. 2. where it sayth Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh blood he also him selfe likewise tooke part with them that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the deuil that he might deliuer all thē which for feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage For he tooke not on him the Angells nature but he tooke on him the seede of Abraham VVherefore in all thinges it behoued him to be made like vnto his brethren that he might be mercifull a faithfull hie Priest in thinges concerning God that he might make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people For in that he suffered and was tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted The profit The frute of Christes passion and resurrection vse and frute of the Lordes passion resurrection
the wolues but that good shepeheard can no where be found who flieth away euen at that time when the sheepe haue most neede of a defender and strengthner The same shall happen to vs in time to come when we shall once begin to be touched in deede Then the Preachers will shut their mouthes and prouide for their safetie by flying and the sheepe shall be miserably dispersed so that one shall be caried this way an other that way God graunt that some of them may stand valiantly in defense of the Gospell and spende their blood if the case so require in deliuering their sheepe Thus Christ hath painted forth the hirelings in their colours who thus sayth moreouer I am that good shepeheard and knowe mine and am knowne of mine These wordes doe containe much I shoulde spend ouer much time if I should handle them seuerally He speaketh here of the peculiar dutie that belongeth to him selfe I know my sheepe sayth he and they againe know me Nowe the summe is this Christ knoweth vs to be his sheepe we againe know him to be our shepeheard He knoweth vs to be such sheepe as are weake and diseased which he doth not cast of but hath a care of them and healeth them although they be so diseased that all the worlde thinketh that they are not his sheepe and this in deede is the knowledge of the world But Christ doth not so know them neither doth he greatly regard what maner of ones they be but considereth whether they be sheepe They therefore are the true shepeheards who following Christ doe so know their sheepe that they looke vnto the persons not to the disease My father knoweth me sayth Christ The world knoweth not Christ but the world knoweth me not When as therefore the howre shall come that I shal die an ignominious death vpon the crosse all with one voice will cry out was this the sonne of God he must needes be a condemned man and giuen vp vnto Satan both in soule and also in body So the world will consider and know me But my father will say in this sort this is my welbeloued sonne my king and Sauiour He beholdeth not my affliction my woundes my crosse death but he considereth my person that is me very selfe Wherefore if I were in the middest of hell or in the iawes of Satan yet I should come out againe for the father will not forsake me Likewise I know my sheepe and they knowe me They are certaine that I am a good shepeheard they know me therefore they come to me for succour and cleaue vnto me neither doth it any thinge feare them that they are subiect to manifold infirmities and diseases they knowe very well that I would haue such maner of sheepe to resort vnto me Other sheepe I haue also which are not of this folde them also must I bringe and they shall heare my voice and there shall be one shepefold one shepeheard Some haue so handled this place that they affirme it shall be fulfilled before the latter day when Antichrist Iohn and Helias shall come Which is flatly against the truth and forged of Satan that men might beleue that the whole world shall at the last become Christian Which Satan therefore did that he might darken the sound doctrine that we might neuer rightly vnderstand it Beware therefore of this delusion For by and by after the ascension of Christ this was done and fulfilled and is yet at this day fulfilled As soone as the Gospell was published it was preached to the Iewes and this people was the shepefold Now he sayth that he hath certaine other sheepe also which are not of this fold which also he must gather together whereby he sheweth that the Gospell must be preached to the Gentiles that they also may beleue in Christ that of the Iewes and Gentiles may be made one Church Which he performed afterward by the Apostles who preached the Gospell to the Gentiles and brought them to the faith So there is now one body one Church one faith one hope one loue one baptisme and so of the like which continueth at this day and shal so continue euen to the ende of the world Wherfore doe not so vnderstand it as though all men shall beleue in Christ for the crosse must alwayes be borne of vs forasmuch as the greatest parte is alwayes of that faction which persecuteth Christians The Gospell also must be continually preached that alwayes some may be brought to Christianitie And thus much for a compendious exposition of this text A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE LOST SHEPE Luke 15. Verse 1. THen resorted vnto him all the Publicans and sinners to heare him 2. Therefore the Pharises and Scribes murmured saying He receiueth sinners and eateth with them 3. Then spake he this parable to them saying 4. What man of you hauing an hundred sheepe if he lose one of them doth not leaue ninety and nine in the wildernes and go after that which is lost vntill he find it 5. And when he hath found it he layeth it on his shoulders with ioy 6. And when he commeth home he calleth togither his friendes and neighbours saying vnto them Reioyce with me for I haue found my sheepe which was lost 7. I say vnto you that likewise ioy shall be in heauen for one sinner that repenteth more then for ninetie nine iust men which neede none amendement of life IN this text dearely beloued What kinde of doctrine this text cōtaineth euen that doctrine is contayned which we are perswaded and glory to be our chiefe doctrine and which by best right deserueth to be called christian doctrine to wit of grace and forgiuenes of sinnes set downe against the doctrine of the law and of workes But it is a very shamefull thinge that a sermon so excellent and replenished with so great comfort and ioy should be heard of a man that is wicked a contemner of the word of God This is much more miserable that all thinke they haue so soone throughly learned it to the knowledge whereof euery one will seeme to haue attained thinking that there is nothing in it which he doth not perfectly vnderstād and that there is no neede to spend any more studie in learning it Although it be not grieuous to God him selfe neither doth it yrke or wearie him euery yeare repeating it or rather euery day exercising it as though he knewe to preach nothing else being vnskilfull and ignorant of all other kind of doctrine And we miserable and wretched men doe so soone as we thinke attaine to the knowledge of the chiefest doctrine that forthwith it is wearisom and tedious vnto vs to repeat it whereby all pleasure and loue of the worde of God dieth and is extinguished in vs. But before I declare the article or chiefe point here taught I thinke it good that the beginning of this chapter be diligently considered which S. Luke setteth in steede
shed on vs aboundantly See how notably the Apostle setteth forth grace He sayth not that the holy Ghost was giuen but shed and not that onely but shed aboundantly For he can not sufficiently extoll and magnifie grace and the worke thereof and we alas count it so vile in respect of our workes The workes of the diuine grace sufficiēt for our saluation without any addition of our owne workes It were a dishonour to God and to his holy Spirit if when he hath plentifully shed it vpon vs there should as yet be some thing wanting necessarie to righteousnes and saluation which we are able to perfourme as though the workes of so incomparable grace could not be sufficient And Paul surely might be reproued of lying which had not spoken all thinges whereby we must be iustified and saued when he affirmeth that he doth it But as he writeth so it is no man can attribute so great thinges to this washing and regeneration no man can so much presume of them but greater thinges may be attributed vnto them and thou oughtest to promise to thy selfe moe thinges of them no man shall beleeue so great thinges but he shall receiue greater Forasmuch as those good thinges which God hath giuen are so great and so vnspeakeable he would haue them here come vnto vs being included and hyd in his words and fayth For the nature of our present life can not beare them being manifest and therefore it must perish when they beginne to be reuealed that man maye by these inestimable riches which he nowe possesseth by fayth be as it were swallowed vp and vanish awaye We are already aboundantly iustified by fayth without all our owne merit therefore Christ sayth Ioh. 3 God so loued the world that he hath giuen his only begotten Sonne that who soeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Behold they that beleeue haue already euerlasting life and therefore vndoutedly are iustified and holy without all their owne labour or meanes that thou maiest see that nothing but grace and mercie is plentifully powred vpon vs and that our workes could auaile nothing hereunto Thou wilt perhaps say Thou canst not preach sufficiently that the grace and mercie of God doth worke all things in vs An obiectiō and that no respect is to be had of our workes to the attaining of saluation but how commeth it to passe then that the Scripture so oftē witnesseth that they shal be saued which haue wrought good workes As Iohn 5 They shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euell vnto the resurrection of condemnation And Rom. 2 Honour and glorie to them that do well wrath and indignation to them that do ill We read many sentences here and there in the Scripture like vnto these I aunswere The answere As the wordes sound so take them without all glosse for it is euen so they that do well shal be saued they which do otherwise shal be condemned But herein many erre from the truth of the Scripture in that they iudge workes according the outward appearance Works must not be iudged good according to the outward appearance contrarie to the Scripture which teacheth that no man can do good whoe is not himselfe good before and by workes no man can become good but workes take their goodnes of the worker and he becommeth good by the washing of the new birth and by nothing els This Christ meant Matth. 7. sayng A corrupt tree can not bring forth good frute neither a good tree euell frute Wherefore make the tree either good or euell and it will bring forth like frutes Hypocrites oftentimes do workes like to the workes of the Godly yea sometime hauing a goodlier shewe for they diligently praye fast giue almes and pretend a meruelous holines but Christ calleth these sheepes clothing wherewith most hurtfull wolues are clothed and hidden For none of them is of a true humble meeke and bountifull heart which they chiefely declare when they are rebuked when their holines is reproued for then bring they forth their naturall frutes whereby they are knowen Those are rashe iudgementes impatiencie stubburnnes obstinacie sclaundering and such like It is true therefore he that doth well shal be saued that is his saluation shal be manifest but he can doe no good at all if he be not before regenerate by the washing of the newe birth For what good workes can one worke in the oldenes of the fleshe and by the strength proceeded from Adam they are the good workes which Paule here condemneth saying Not by the workes of righteousnes which we had done They are in deede good workes done in righteousnes but not before God who first hath respect to the person then to the workes as we read Gen. 4. that he had respect first to Abel then to his sacrifice as he first turneth himselfe from Cain and then from his sacrifice although according to the outward appearaunce it was as good a sacrifice and worke as the sacrifice of Abel Through Iesus Christ our Sauiour This he added that he may keepe vs vnder the winges of Christ as chickens are wont to be preserued vnder the winges of the hen for thus Christ sayth Matth. 23 Ierusalem Ierusalem how often would I haue gathered thy children togither as the hen gathereth her chickens vnder her winges and ye would not And hereby the nature of a true and right faith is taught For it is nothing which some say I beleeue in God almightie as the Iewes and many other are wont and do therefore receiue corporall benefites of God It is a true and liuely faith What a true liuely faith beleeueth whereby thou beleeuest in God howbeit by Iesus Christ First that thou dout not that God is become a merciful father vnto thee which hath pardoned all thy sinnes in Baptisme hath adopted thee for his sonne and heire that thou maiest certainly know that thou art saued Againe thou must also knowe this that that was not done freely neither without satisfaction made to the diuine iustice For there can be no place in thee for the diuine grace and mercy to worke saluation and to giue thee eternall good thinges vnlesse the iustice of God be before most fully satisfied For Christ witnesseth Matth. 5 One iote or one title of the Lawe shall not scape till all thinges be fulfilled That which is spoken of the grace and goodnes of God can not come but to them which do most purely and exactly obserue his commaundements according to that saying Mich. 2 When as the Iewes did presume of the goodnes of God toward them and did alwayes promise vnto them selues peace saying How can God be alwayes angrie is the spirit of the Lord shortened It is aunswered them Are not my wordes good vnto him that walketh vprightly Wherefore it shal be lawfull for none to attaine vnto the aboundance of grace vnles
synnes Againe He that shall beleeue and be baptized shal be saued And Ioh. 3. he saith God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that who soeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Therefore God hath set forth the mercy seat vnto vs whereunto he leadeth vs from the iudgement seat Let vs leaue other before the iudgemeÌ„t seat namely those proud holy ones contemners and persecuters of the word of God where they shall heare sentence according to their deedes We will suffer these to abyde in their circle vntill they haue humbled themselues but we will not abyde in this circle but will depart from it as farre as we shal be able into the circle of the mercy feat vnto which we do appeale Neither haue we inuented this of our owne braine but it is the word of God himselfe which threatneth horrible iudgement to them which come with their owne holines and trusting thereunto do hope that they shal be able to stand before God the iudge neglecting the mercy seat of Christ For the sentence standeth that they shal be set before the iudgement seat as Christ sayth Ioh. 3 He that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie because he hath not beleeued in the name of that onely begotten Sonne of God He that beleeueth in him is not condemned that is shall not come to the iudgement seat but to the mercy seat where there is no wrath or rigour but grace forgiuenes of synnes all thinges being remitted which be not pure yea being blotted out and so consumed as a droppe of water is consumed of the heat of the sunne For where the mercy seat reigneth there is nothing els but meere forgeuenes and remission of synnes This therefore being knowne we must exactly vnderstaÌ„d the difference betweene the Lawe and the Gospel whereof we often teach The office of the Lawe The lawe draweth vs to the iudgement seat requiring of vs integritie of life loue out of a pure heart a good conscience it maketh vs also to exercise our selues therein and must goe no further But when it shall come and accuse thee and will reason with thee and haue those things to be performed which it requireth then shalt thou be greatly troubled For albeit thou hast done them yet art thou not able to staÌ„d before God before whose iudgement seat many thinges are yet found wanting in thee which should haue bin done of thee and thou hast left them vndone neither are they knowne vnto thy selfe The Law wil driue vs vnto desperation vnlâ—â—s we can appeale froÌ„ the iudgement seate to the mercy seate Whither then wilt thou turne thee Here the Lawe vrgeth thee by all meanes and thine owne conscience being witnes accuseth thee requiring the sentence of the iudge against thee Then must thou despeire there is no counsell or helpe to be had except thou knowest to flie from the iudgemeÌ„t seat to the mercy seat as for example Admit some Bishop die in his owne holines who while he liued was as it seemed of a good life and acknowledged Christ no otherwise then a cruell iudge as it hath bin hitherto preached of him neither hath he bin otherwise set forth as he is also wont to be vnto such not of his owne nature for in deede he is most gracious and comfortable but because they esteeme him for no other in their heart behold this man is a hinderaunce vnto himselfe that he can not obtaine any grace For he knoweth no difference of the iudgement seat and the mercy seat yea he is altogether ignoraunt whether there be a mercy seat from which he so erreth and must be bound to the iudgement seate But we teach thus How Christ must be learned and considered of that Christ is so to be learned and considered that we be most certainly perswaded that he sitteth before miserable and trembling consciences that beleeue in him not as an angrie iudge which commaundeth forthwith to carie violently them that be giltie vnto punishment but as a gentle louing and comfortable Mediatour betweene my fearefull conscience and God which sayth vnto me If thou be a sinner and astonied and the deuell laboureth to drawe thee to the iudgement seat then see that thou flie vnto me and feare no wrath or anger Wherefore Euen because I sit here that if thou beleeue in me I may make intercession for thee to my father that no anger and seueritie may hurt thee for all anger and punishment shal be sooner layde vpon me then be borne of thee Howbeit that can not be for he is the onely beloued sonne in whom all grace and fauour dwelleth whom as often as the father doth behold he can not but replenish both heauen and earth with grace and fauour and forget all wrath and displeasure And what soeuer he shall aske of his father that he shall forthwith obtaine with out all repulse or deniall So by faith we are made wholy blessed and safe subiect no more to any damnation yet not for our owne holines and purenes but for Christes sake to whom we cleaue by faith as to our mercy seate being assuredly perswaded that with him there remaineth no anger but meere loue and pardon and forgiuenes of synnes Thus the heart is purified before God and the conscience made good and quiet not in respect had of mine owne purenes of life led before the world but by trust and confidence of that excellent treasure which my heart apprehendeth which is vnto me in steede of a pledge and fulnes when as before God I am not able to paye We must especially take heede that our faith be not false or feyned But herein the whole force of the matter consisteth that we do againe and againe take heede that our faith be not false or as Paul speaketh fained For if this erre and deceiue vs all things deceiue vs. For there haue bin many in all ages as there be also at this day which can speake many thinges of faith and wil be maisters not onely of the law but euen of the Gospell also Who say the same that we do that faith performeth doth all things but that the Law and good workes are also to be ioyned vnto it and that otherwise if these be not added faith auaileth nothing In which words they mixe mingle togither our life workes and Christ But this is not purely and syncerely to haue taught faith but to haue coloured defiled and corrupted faith so that it can no more be called faith but a feined colour counterfecting of faith the trust and confidence of the heart standing not purely toward Christ as the onely mercy seate but being grounded vpon our one holines as being able to stand before the iudgemeÌ„t seat Wherefore doing thus we are most rightly cast of before God and condemned vnto destruction whereof we are most worthie For if faith must be pure and voyd of all counterfecting and faining
then these two thinges Christ and my workes must be rightly discerned and seuered one from the other For this is plaine euen to him that is blinde that Christ and his workes are not my life and my workes but are separated from the Law and from the workes of all men yea and that by a greater distaunce then man is vnlike or differeth from man For neither can I say that I and Cesar or the Bishop of Rome are the same thing yet I am much neerer and liker vnto either of them then a mortall man and a sinner is vnto Christ the Lord whoe is not onely a pure and holy man free from all spot and blot but is moreouer God also Therefore let the Lawe and the purenes of thy heart yea and thy good conscience auaile in earth onely toward men But where the mercy seat is to wit at the right hand of the father and the Mediatour betweene thee God thither no mans workes merits ought to haue accesse much lesse be they there of any force or value Wherefore Christ is purely to be separated from all my life deedes and workes and we must without exception conclude that he is an other thing then our life led before men with a pure heart and a good conscience albeit it be led euen perfectly and without blame For it being presented before God and by the lawe brought to the iudgement seat I am condemned and lost But Christ is the mercy seat and all that cleaue vnto him by faith can not be condemned and iudged So the iudgement seat togither with the lawe and all my life goe into one part but my faith must flie and lep farre vnto an other part and ioyne it selfe vnto him which is pure and hath no synne of whom the Scripture speaketh he that beleeueth in him shal not be confounded Because he is present in the sight of the father and maketh intercession for me Moreouer he giueth me his owne purenes and holines that being clothed and adorned therewith I may be able to stand before God and all wrath and displeasure may be taken away in steede whereof I may enioy meere loue and fauour Loe thus faith remaineth pure and free from counterfecting for it resteth not vpon my workes that because of them it should behoue God to be gentle and fauourable vnto me as a false and fained faith doth which mingleth togither mans merits and the grace of God and although it hold the words of Christ yet hath it the confidence and trust of the heart reposed in it selfe so A fained faith is no sure foundation but faileth theÌ„ that trust vnto it that it is certaine that it is onely a colour which can not long continue For the matter commeth at the last to this point that beleeuing that God is fauourable vnto thee because of thy life led without fault or blame thou must despeire and say who knoweth what I haue done whereby am I certaine that I haue neglected nothing through careleâ—nes or that nothing is wanting in me In this doutfulnes of minde the foundation faileth slideing away vnder thee like vnto sand moued or stirred and so faith is of no force or value at all Wherefore it is not vnfitly called fained and painted faith through which one seeth as it were through a lattis or painted glasse through which the thinge that is seene representeth the colour of the glasse and yet is not in deede of that colour So they also beleeue that that affection is in God that he vouchsaueth to regard our workes and merits Which they paint forth according to their owne opinion and dreames which are vtterly false rash and vnaduised And so iudgeing God all things according to them they see only as it were through a lattis or painted glasse But so onely thou shalt behold him with pure and cleere eyes if thou do wel separate the iudgement seat and the mercy seat one from the other that heauen with the starres thereof may remaine pure to grace remission of synnes obtained by the Mediatour where Christ reigneth with his workes and the earth also with her trees and herbes whither we must be referred with our workes The matter I say must be brought of vs to that passe if we will stand with a right and an vnfained faith before God that we do purely distinguish and seuer our selues our life and Christ or the mercy seat and he that will not do this but presenteth himselfe before the iudgement seat with a bold courage shall feele the reward of his rashnes I my selfe haue bin in that daunger and as it were a mouse hauing tasted pitch haue runne away reioysing greatly that libertie was giuen me to attaine to the mercy seat and now I am enforced to say that albeit I haue liued very well before men yet all things coÌ„mitted of me contrariwise do remaine beneath vnder the iudgement seat to be punished according to the sentence and iudgement of God Only Christ is our coÌ„fort and meanes whereby we attaine saluation Now I haue no other comfort nor no other helpe and counsell of my saluation then that Christ is my mercy seat who hath neuer offended hath defiled himselfe with no synne who died and rose againe for me and sitteth now at the right hand of the father defendeth me vnder his shadow and protection that I neede not doute that I am by his benefite and intercession safe before God from all wrath and terrour of iudgement Thus faith remaineth in all thinges pure setting no other thing before it selfe whereunto it may boldly trust but Christ alone Now he that knew this well should be a man of a resolute minde For all other haue to do with a fained faith boasting many thinges of faith but mingling all thinges together like as vintners mixe wine with water by this that they say if thou liue thus God wil be fauourable vnto thee and they make the iudgement seat of the mercy seat and the mercy seat of the iudgement seat which by no meanes can be for the iudgement seat shall remaine c. Wherefore separate these two one from the other as farre as thou shalt be able that they come not togither namely thy life and holines togither with the iudgement seat into one place which may driue enforce thee to haue a good conscience and to lead an vpright life before men But offer thy synnes to the mercy seate to be transferred into an other place where God louingly receiuing thee will embrace thee as a beloued sonne and will neuer remember more any wrath or synnes If such doctrine of faith were set forth vnto men then should it be excellently well done and all other thinges should follow of their owne accord as purenes of heart and goodnes of conscience through right and perfect loue For who soeuer is by faith quiet in his heart and assured that he hath God fauourable vnto him who is not angry with
one that wil keepe his promise I am sure that he wil not deceiue me but wil deale faithfully euen then hast thou fallen from God and worshipped an idoll putting thy trust in a lyar Wherefore when thou hast any dealing with man thinke boldly If he deale faithfully it is well if he doe otherwise in the name of God let him goe I will commit all thinges to the will of God he shall prosperously bring them to passe Of such a false and vngodly confidence reposed in men How the worshipping of Saincts crept in amonge Christians that euill crept in among Christians namely the worshipping of Sainctes whereby the Christian Church that is the true congregation of the faithfull hath suffered exceeding great hurt and incomparable ruine For what other was the seruice and worshipping of Sainctes but a deuilish thing When as men vsed to reason after this sorte This man was very holy that which he taught he did whom we wil follow and doe the like Hierome Augustine Gregorie sayd this therefore is it true therefore will I beleeue it Frauncis Benedict Dominicke Bartholomewe liued thus they did this and that I will imitate their life and workes Moreouer Augustine was saued by this rule wherefore I also shall be saued by it Fy howe vnstable and miserable a thinge is this they are onely lyes and dreames of men there is not in one word mention made here of Christ and his word but they are onely the vaine inuentions and trifles of men I would vtterly breake the rule of Augustine if he therefore ordayned it thinking to be saued thereby So blind and without vnderstanding is reason that it receiueth the dotages vaine inuentions of men when as notwithstanding the worde of God onely is to be receiued in matters of saluation as if Herod Pilate Caiphas Hannas should preach the Gospell I ought to receiue it Againe if those that are counted holy should rise and preach lyes also rules habits shauings ceremonies and such like vaine inuentions of men I ought in no wise to receiue them for we must here haue respect not to the persons but to that which they preach Doost thou presume to be wiser then all the fathers saincts then all the Bishops and Princes of the whole worlde Thus may some man obiect against me Farre be that from me For I doe not contend to be wiser then they But this without controuersie is thus that whatsoeuer is wise great liberall mighty strong before the world doth seldom or neuer agree with the word of God For so it falleth out that they that are such doe for the most part persecute the Gospel and if they were not so great the Gospell should not so greatly shine forth and triumphe The Romane Emperours Hadrian Traian Diocletian were the most wise Cesars of all whose gouernment was so liked of that it was praysed of the whole world yet they persecuted the Gospell and could not abide the truth The same we find written of the Kings of the Iewes as of Achas and others which gouerned their kingdom very well yet despised the word of God and disobeyed his commaundements We in our time had neuer such Emperours or Princes as are comparable to them But it ought to be verified in these that God would by foolish preaching confound the wisedom of this worlde as Paule sayth 1. Cor. 1. All these thinges are shewed vnto vs in this text which we haue in hand which hath a simple and a sclender shewe and appearance of it selfe but yet containeth many thinges in it most worthy the noting Now how the Lord concluded with the Pharisees when they had shewed him the tribute money and had aunswered that it was Cesars image and superscription the Euangelist declareth saying Giue therefore to Cesar the things which are Cesars and giue vnto God those things which are Gods Although they had deserued no such thing of the Lorde The sword and office of the Magistrate confirmed by Christ neuertheles he teacheth them the right way And in these wordes he confirmeth the sword and office of the Magistrate they hoped that he would condemne resist him but he doth nothing lesse for he commendeth and prayseth him commaunding that they giue vnto him those thinges that are his Whereby he plainly will haue that there be Magistrates Princes and Rulers vnder whose gouernment we must liue Neither must we care whether they vse and exercise their rule and authoritie well or ill we must haue regard onely to their power and office for their power authoritie is good inasmuch as it is ordained instituted of God Neither is there any cause why thou shouldest find fault with power if at any time thou be oppressed by Princes and tyrannes for whereas they abuse the power giuen vnto them of God they shall surely be compelled to giue an account thereof The abuse of a thing doth not make that thing euill which is in it selfe good A chayne of golde is good A similitude neither is it therefore made worse for that a harlot weareth it about her neck or if one should put out myne eye with it should I finde fault in the chayne therefore In like maner the power of the Prince must be borne for if he abuse his office he is not to be counted of me as noe Prince neither belongeth it vnto me to reuenge or punish it in him I must obey him for God his cause only for he representeth the place of God How grieuous thinges soeuer therefore Magistrates shall exact I must for God his cause beare them all and obey them so farre as they be not contrary to Gods commaundements If they doe iustly or vniustly it shall in due time appeare Wherefore if thy substance life and body and whatsoeuer thou hast should be taken from thee by the Magistrates thou mayst say thus I willingly yeeld them vnto you and acknowledge you for Rulers ouer me I will obey you but whether ye vse your power and authoritie well or ill see you to that Moreouer whereas Christ sayth Giue vnto Cesar the things that are Cesars and vnto God those thinges that are Gods We must vnderstand that vnto God pertaineth honour What things must be giuen vnto God what vnto Cesar we must acknowledge him for the liuing omnipotent and wise God and ascribe vnto him what good thing soeuer can be named And albeit we doe not giue him this honour he notwithstanding easily keepeth it for nothing is either added to or taken from him by our honouring Howbeit in vs he is true omnipotent and wise when as we count him so and beleeue that he is such a one as he suffereth him selfe to be sayd to be Nowe vnto Cesar and the Magistrate feare custome tribute obedience c are due God requireth especially the hart the Magistrate the body and goods ouer which he executeth his office in the place of God which S. Paule doth most notably in plaine
and manifest wordes declare Rom. 13 Let euery soule be subiect vnto the higher powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordained of God VVhosoeuer therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receiue to them selues condemnation For Magistrates are not to be feared for good workes but for euill VVilt thou then be without feare of the power doe well so shalt thou haue prayse of the same For he is the Minister of God for thy wealth but if thou doe euill feare for he beareth not the sword for nought for he is the minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill VVherfore ye must be subiect not because of wrath onely but also for conscience sake For for this cause ye pay also tribute for they are Gods Ministers applying them selues for the same thinge Giue to all men therefore their dutie tribute to vvhom ye ovve tribute custome to vvhom custome feare to vvhom feare honour to vvhom ye ovve honour And therefore also are Magistrats ordayned of God that they may defende maintaine publike peace which alone exceedeth all worldly good thinges we felt a litle in the last cōmotion of the common people what losse miserie calamitie and grieuous sorrow conspiracie and sedition bringeth in the world God graunt that it may so continue that we trie it no more Thus much shall suffize to haue bene spoken for the exposition of this text A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER TEACHING THAT SALVATION COMMETH by Christ alone Ioh. 6. Verse 44. NO man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him I will rayse him vp at the last day 45. It is written in the Prophets And they shall be all taught of God Euery man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father commeth vnto me 46. Not that any man hath seene the Father saue he which is of God he hath seene the Father 47. Verely verely I say vnto you He that beleueth in me hath euerlasting life 48. I am the bread of life 49. Your fathers did eate Manna in the wildernes and are dead 50. This is that bread which cōmeth downe from heauen that he which eateth of it shoulde not die 51. I am that liuing breade which came downe from heauen if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer and the breade that I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world The summe of this text 1 CHrist is knowne of none but of him whom the Father draweth that is except the Father teache vs that knowledge inwardly in the hart Therefore Christ sayth to Peter Matth. 16 Flesh and blood hath not reuealed it vnto thee but my Father which is in heauen 2 Christ is the wisedom of God which is of more price then precious stones and whatsoeuer can be wished is not to be compared vnto it Pro. 8.11 as Salomon sayth in the Prouerbs 3 The old heauenly bread that is the righteousnes of the lawe doth not iustifie But Christ if we beleeue in him iustifieth for euer The exposition of the text THis text teacheth vs nothing els but christian faith and stirreth it vp in vs as surely Iohn through his Gospel doth almost no other thing but instruct vs how we must beleeue in the Lord Christ And such a faith as is grounded on the true promise of God made vnto vs in Christ Onely faith in Christ saueth vs. shall saue vs as this text plainly declareth Also they are here all proued fooles which haue taught vs an other way and meanes to obtaine righteousnes Whatsoeuer mās minde cā inuēt although it be holy although it haue a fayre shew before men it must needes vtterly fal if that he wil haue saluation to come thereby For albeit that man is exercised with the duties of godlines he shall not be able to attaine vnto heauen vnles God preuent him with his word which may offer his diuine grace vnto him and lighten his hart that he may walke in the right way Now this way is the Lord Iesus Christ Christ the right way he that will seeke an other way as the most part of men with their outward workes commonly doe hath now erred from the right and high way For Paule sayth Gal. 2 If righteousnes be by the law that is by the workes of the lawe then Christ died without a cause Therefore I saye that a man must by the Gospell be as it were brused and broken humbled euen from the bottom of his hart as being fraile weake which can moue neither hands nor feete but onely lyeth prostrate and cryeth Helpe me O omnipotent God merciful Father I am not able to helpe my selfe Helpe O Lord Christ myne owne helpe is nothing That so against this corner stone which is Christ al may be broken as he saith of him selfe in Luke when he asked the Pharisees and Scribes Luke 20.17 VVhat meaneth this then that is written The stone that the builders refused that is made the head of the corner VVhosoeuer shall fall vpon that stone shall be broken on whomsoeuer it shall fall it wil grinde him to pouder Wherefore either let vs fal vpon it by our imbecillitie and weakenes by denying our selues so be broken or els he will breake vs for euer in his straite iudgement But it is better that we fall vpon it then that it fall vpon vs. Vpon this foundation Christ sayth here in this text No man can come vnto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him and I will rayse him vp at the last day Now he whom the Father draweth not shall surely perish It is also concluded that he which commeth not to this sonne shall be damned for euer He is the onely Sonne giuen vnto vs which may saue vs without him there is no saluation if he helpe not Without Christ there is no saluation our case is most miserable Of him Peter also speaketh to the same effect in the Acts of the Apostles chap. 4 This is the stone cast aside of you builders which is become the head of the corner neither is there saluation in any other for amonge men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby vve must be saued Whither would our Diuines and Scholemen turne them selues here which haue taught vs that by many workes we must attaine vnto righteousnes Here is that high Maister Aristotle confounded who hath taught vs that reason endeuoureth to doe the best things is alwayes ready to the better But this Christ doth here deny for vnles the Father possesse and drawe vs we shall perish for euer Here all men must confesse their imbecillity and slownes to good thinges If so be that any perswade him self that he is able to doe any good thing by his owne strength truely he hath reproued Christ of falshood and with great arrogancie presumeth
which strengthneth the knowledge that God hath taught him to wit that God is nothing els but a Sauiour abounding with grace who will be fauorable and mercifull to all them which call vpon him in this his Sonne Therefore the Lord sayth moreouer Verely verely I say vnto you He that beleeueth in me hath euerlasting life I am that breade of life Your Fathers did eate Manna in the vvildernes and are dead This is that bread vvhich cōmeth dovvne from heauen that he vvhich eateth of it should not die I am that liuing bread vvhich came dovvne from heauen if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer and the bread that I vvill giue is my flesh vvhich I vvill giue for the life of the vvorld In these wordes the soule findeth a table daintily furnished whereby it may stake all hunger For it knoweth assuredly that he that speaketh these wordes can not lye Wherefore if it commit it selfe confidently vnto him and cleaue to the word it resteth vpon him and so departeth not from this goodly table This is that supper to the preparing whereof the heauenly Father killed his oxen and fatlings and hath bidden vs all vnto it The liuing breade whereof the Lorde here maketh mention Christ the liuing bread whereon we must feede by faith is Christ him selfe whereby we are so fedde If we lay hold but of a morsell of this bread in our harts and keepe it we shall be satisfied for euer neither can we euer be plucked from God Moreouer such an eating is nothing els but to beleue in the Lord Christ that he is made vnto vs of God as Paule sayth 1. Cor 1. wisedom righteousnes sanctification and redemption He that eateth this meat liueth for euer Wherefore by and by after this text when the Iewes were at contention about these his wordes he sayth Verely verely I say vnto you Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood ye haue no life in you VVhosoeuer eateth my flesh drinketh my blood hath eternall life I vvill rayse him vp at the last day Manna which the fathers did eate in the desert as Christ here sayth could not saue from death but this bread maketh vs immortall If we beleeue in Christ death shall not hurt vs any thing at all yea there is no more death This the Lord meaneth by these wordes in an other place where he sayth to the Iewes Verely verely I say vnto you Ioh. 8.51 if a man keepe my word he shall neuer see death where it is certaine that he speaketh of the word of faith and of the Gospell But some man may say that holy men die notwithstanding An obiectiō for Abraham the holy Prophets are dead as the Iewes sayd vnto him I aunswere The death of Christians is onely a sleepe The aunswer as the Scripture also commonly calleth it for a Christian tasteth seeth no death that is he hath the feeling of no death For this Sauiour Christ Iesus in whom he beleeueth hath ouercome death that afterwards he shoulde not feele or tast it but death is vnto him onely a passage and gate to life as Christ him selfe witnesseth Ioh. 5 Verely verely I say vnto you he that heareth my vvord beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life Wherefore the life of a Christian is merie and on euery side replenished with ioy and the yoke of Christ is easie sweete But that it semeth heauy and grieuous vnto vs this is the cause for that the Father hath not yet drawne vs hereupon it commeth to passe that we take no pleasure thereof neither is the Gospell comfortable vnto vs. If so be that we would lay vp the wordes of Christ well in our hart they would be vnto vs an exceeding comfort And thus ye haue heard howe we must feede on this breade which came downe from heauen that is on the Lord Christ to wit by faith which we then do when we beleeue in him that he is our Sauiour The whole chapter out of which this text is taken commendeth vnto vs nothing els but spirituall meat For when the multitude followed Christ that they might againe eate and drinke which the Lord him selfe signifieth he taketh occasion of the corporal meat which they sought almost through the whole chapter speaketh of spirituall meat as he sayd The wordes which I speake are spirit and life Wherby he would signifie that he therfore fed them that they should beleeue in him as they did eate the bodily meat so they ought also to feede of the spirituall Here let vs weie and marke this that the Lord doth so gently and graciously apply him selfe to vs and offer him selfe in such gentle wordes that it ought worthely to moue our hartes to beleeue in him to wit that that bread was therefore giuen for vs inasmuch as it was behouefull that he should tast death and suffer hellish paines Also should beare sinnes which he neuer had committed as though he had committed them and had bene his owne and he did also the same willingly for our sakes and tooke vs as brethren and sisters The will of the heauenly Father This if we beleeue we doe the will of the heauenly Father which is nothing els but to beleeue in his Sonne so be saued As Christ him selfe sayth a litle before This is the will of him that sent me that euery man which seeth the Sonne and beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life It now therfore appeareth that he that hath faith doth the will of God and eateth of this heauenly bread As Augustine sayth What doost thou prepare thy mouth beleeue and thou hast eaten Of this spirituall supper the whole new Testament speaketh but especially in this place of Iohn The Sacrament of Christes body blood is a certaine testimonie and pledge of this true supper whereby we ought to strengthen our faith and to be assured that this body and this blood whereof we feede in the Sacrament deliuereth vs from synne death Satan and all euell But how may a man perceiue and know How a man maye know whether he be called to this spirituall supper that he also doth pertaine to this heauenly bread and is called to this spirituall supper let him consider the case in his owne heart which if he fynde so affected that it doth as it were feele a sweetenes in the promise of God and is vndoutedly perswaded that he is of the companie of them which pertaine to his supper he is assuredly such a one in deede For as we belteue so commeth it vnto vs. Such a man hath also by and by a regard of his neighbour Charitie towarde our neighbour the frute of true faith and helpeth him as his brother careth for him giueth vnto him lendeth him comforteth him briefly doth no otherwise to him then he
prayer consisteth the Psalmes and other prayers of the Scripture For commonly in the Scripture vessels signifie wordes for that our meaninges are contained in wordes as in a vessel and by wordes are vttered and receiued as out of a vessell as wine water burning coles and such like are contained in vessels and taken out of vessels So by the cuppe of Babylon Apoc. 17. the doctrine of men is vnderstood and by the cuppe wherein the blood of Christ is dronke the Gospell Furthermore burning coles What is signified by the burning coles whereon the incēse was layde whereupon the frankincense was layde signifie giuing of thankes and rehearsing of benefites in prayer which we are wont to do in making supplication For that by fierie coles benefites are signified it is manifest euen out of the 12. to the Rom. where the Apostle reciteth the saying of Salomon Prouerb 25 If thine enemie hunger feede him if he thirst giue him drinke for in so doing thou shalt heape coles of fire on his head And benefits may be rightly called coles of fire forasmuch as they inflame the heart with loue although it be cold In the Lawe it was prohibited to laye the frankincense vpon any other coles but them that were of the altar of the Lord which signifieth that we must not rehearse our own good deedes in prayer as that Pharise did Luc. 15 but onely the benefits of God bestowed vpon vs in Christ He is our altar We must giue thankes to God by Christ by him we must offer for the benefits receiued by him we must giue thākes and make mention of them in prayer for the increasing of our faith This Paule teacheth Coloss 3. where he sayth Do all thinges in the name of the Lord Iesus giuing thankes to God the Father by him For God can not suffer that thou shouldest glorie of any thing els in his sight which he declared in a type or figure Leuit. 10 where we read that Nadah and Abihu the sonnes of Aaron were taken and consumed of the flame from the altar of God because they burned incense taking other fire then of the altar of the Lord. The workes of Christ only are acceptable to God wherefore for these onely we must both giue thankes and reioyce in prayer The petitiōs made in prayer signified by the incēse layd on the burning coles The incense signifieth the petitions made in prayer For petitions are whereof prayer consisteth and which ascend vnto God according as Paul sayth Let your petitions be shewed vnto God wherein he seemeth to haue considered and interpreted them as a sauour ascending from the censer As though he had said when ye will burne incense sweete and acceptable vnto the Lord make that your petitions be shewed vnto God with supplication and giuing of thankes this incense and this sauour as it is most sweete vnto God so doth it ascend straight vnto heauen like vapoures of smoke and entreth euen vnto the throne of God And as burning coles do giue a strong sauour and make it ascend vpward so the memorie of the benefites of God which we rehearse by giuing of thankes and whereof we do as it were aduertize God and our selues doth make prayer stedfast and bold which cheerefully and gladly ascendeth into heauen without which truly prayer fainteth is cold and of no force Wherefore whosoeuer thou art before thou pray with faith and effectually they heart must be inflamed with the memorie of the benefits which God hath bestowed vpon vs in Christ But perhaps some man will demaund how our petitions be shewed or become manifest vnto God seeing that they be not onely knowne vnto him before we praye but he also doth send vs that which we aske Whereunto I aunswere the Apostle adioyned this that he might teach of what sort true prayer ought to be We must not praye at aduenture but be certainly perswaded that we shal be heard of God to wit assured and hauing confidence and trust in God which passeth not away into the winde neither is made at aduenture as their prayer is which pray and haue no regard whether God heareth or not yea rather beleeue that he doth not heare which vndoutedly is not to praye or to aske of God but to tempt and mocke God For if any man did desire money of me whom I certainly knew not to perswade himselfe that he should receiue it I could not suffer such an asker of whom I might assure my selfe to be mocked how much more is God offended at our much crying out and babbling when we do continually babble much crie out do not thinke at all whether he heareth vs. Learne therefore here How our petitions are shewed vnto God that they petitions must be shewed vnto God that is that thou must so aske that thou dout not that they petitions be knowne and accepted of God and beleeue certainly that thou shalt obtaine what soeuer thou doest aske with which faith if thou be endued it shall so come vnto thee in deede For as we belteue so it commeth vnto vs. Wherefore as the smoke carieth the sauour vpward from the censer so faith carieth the petitions of the beleeuers into the sight of God whereby we assuredly beleeue that our petitions shall come vnto God and that we shall vndoutedly obteine those thinges that we aske Paul by these wordes be shewed did vndoutedly meane that which is eftsoones in the Psalmes God hath heard my petition Giue eare Lord vnto my prayer and such like Hereof Christ speaketh Matth 21 and Mar. 11. Whatsoeuer ye shall aske in prayer if ye beleeue ye shall receiue it And Iames saith chap. 1 Aske in faith and wauer not for he that wauereth shall receiue nothing of the Lord. Who may not now hereof perceiue that that much babbling and crying out which is made commonly through the world in monasteries is a mocking and deluding of God The prayers of these if they may be called prayers are aboundantly shewed before men for they crie out and babble too much but there is no regard of them with God they are not knowne of him neither come they vnto his eares that is he doth by no meanes heare them for that they do not beleeue or are assured that their crying out or much babbling is heard of God wherefore as they beleeue so do they receiue It was time therefore long since that those mockinges and blasphemies of God should be abolished But if we praye as we are here taught there shal be nothing surely which we may not obtaine Why we oftētimes praie and receiue not Now we praye for many things continually and receiue nothing neither is it any meruell seeing we praye so that our petitions be not shewed vnto God for that we do not beleeue that they be manifest vnto him Wo to our diffidence and incredulitie And the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding shall preserue your hearts and myndes in Christ Iesus In
differeth nothing from a seruaunt though he be Lord of all 2. But is vnder tuters and gouerners vntill the time appointed of the father 3. Euen so we when we were children were in bondage vnder the rudiments of the world 4. But when the fulnes of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the Lawe 5. That he might redeeme them which were vnder the Lawe that we might receiue the adoption of the sonnes 6. And because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts which cryeth Abba Father 7. Wherefore now thou art not a seruaunt but a sonne if thou be a sonne thou art also an heire of God through Christ THis text toucheth the very pith of Paules chiefe doctrine the cause why it is well vnderstood of so few is not for that it is so obscure and hard but because there is almost no knowledge of faith left in the world without which it can not be that one should rightly vnderstand Paule who euerie where intreateth of faith with such force of the spirit as he is able I must therefore speake somewhat that this text may be made plaine and that I may more conueniently bring light vnto it in expounding it I will speake a few wordes in maner of a preface First therefore we must vnderstād that that treatise wherein is intreated of good workes doth farre differ from that wherein is intreated of iustification as there is verie great difference betweene the substance and the working betweene a man his worke Now iustification is of man and not of workes for man is either iustified and saued or iudged and condemned and not workes Neither is it in controuersie among the godly that man is iustified by no worke but righteousnes must come vnto him from some other where then from his owne workes For Moses writeth of Abel after this sort The Lord had respect vnto Abel and to his oblation God first regardeth the man and thē the worke First he had respect to Abel himselfe then to his oblation because that Abel was first counted righteous entire and acceptable vnto God and then for his sake his oblation also was alowed and not he because of his oblation Againe God had no respect to Cain and therefore neither to his oblation where againe thou seest that regard is had first of the worker thē of the worke Of this place it is verie plainly gathered that no worke can be allowed of God whereas he which worketh that worke was not first acceptable to him and againe that no worke is disalowed of him vnles the authour thereof be disallowed before I thinke that these thinges wil be sufficient concerning this matter in this place of which it is easie to vnderstand that there are two sortes of workes some going before iustification and some following it and that these last are good workes in deede but that those other do onely appeare to be good Hereof commeth such disagreemēt betweene God and those counterfect holy ones for this cause nature and reason rise and rage against the holy Ghost this is that whereof almost all the whole Scripture intreateth The Lord in his word defineth that all workes that goe before iustification are euell and of no importaunce and requireth that man himselfe before all thinges be iustified Againe Man before he is regenerate can doe nothing that is good he pronounceth all men which are not yet regenerate and haue not chaunged that nature which they receiued of their parentes with the newe creature of Christ to be vnrighteous and wicked according to that saying Psal 116 All men are lyars that is vnable to performe their dutie and to doe those thinges which by right they ought And Gen. 6 The heart of man is alwayes ready vnto euell whereby vndoutedly it commeth to passe that he is able to do nothing that is good which hath the fountaine of actions that is his heart corrupted And if he do many workes which in outward shew seeme good God hath regard first to the worker then to the worke reason doth quite cōtrarie affirming that by his workes the worker is iustified they are no better then the oblation of Cain Here against commeth forth reason our reuerend maistres seeming to her selfe meruelous wise yet in deede is vnwise and blynde and is not ashamed to gainsay her God to reproue him of lying she being furnished with her follies and verie strawie armour to wit the light of nature free will the strength of nature also with the bookes of the heathen and with the doctrines of men She dareth with her euell sounding stringes make a noyce against God that the workes of a man euen not yet iustified are good workes and not workes like vnto Cains which God pronounceth yea and so good that he that worketh them is iustified by them For so Aristotle hath taught that he that worketh well is made good Vnto this saying she leaueth and sticketh vnmoueably and wresteth the Scripture cleane contrarie contending that God will haue respect first to the workes thē to the worker Such verie deuelish doctrine beareth the sway now euerie where in scholes colledges monasteries wherein no other saincts then Cain was haue rule and authoritie Now of this errour an other immediatly springeth They which attribute so much to workes do not accordingly esteeme the worker and sound iustification go so farre that they ascribe all merit and soueraigne righteousnes to workes done before iustification making almost no account of faith alleaging that which Iames saith that without workes it is dead Which sentence of the Apostle when they litle vnderstand they attribute almost nothing to faith they alwayes sticke to workes whereby they thinke they do merit exceedingly of God and are perswaded that for their workes sake they shall obtaine the fauour of God and by this meanes do they continually disagree with God shewing themselues to be the right posteritie of Cain God hath respect vnto man these to the workes of man God aloweth the workes for his sake that worketh these require that for the workes sake the worker may be crowned Now God goeth not from his sentence as it is meete and iust and these will seeme nothing lesse thē to erre in any respect They will not haue their good workes contemned reason to be nothing esteemed free will to be counted vneffectuall or surely if thou doest here striue against them they beginne to be angrie with God and count it a small matter to kill their brother Abel But here perhaps thou wilt say what is needfull to be done by what meanes shall I first of all become righteous and acceptable to God How shall I attaine to this perfect iustification The Gospell aunswereth preaching that it is necessarie that thou heare Christ and repose thy selfe wholy in him denying thy selfe distrusting all thine owne strength By this meanes thou shalt be chaunged from Cain
this meate and eatest that that thou remainest in this place that thou readest and mumblest vp daily so many wordes Surely thou doost nothing els by these but torment thy selfe to please Satan and to be a pernicious and hurtfull example to thy neighbours for there is no Christianitie in thy life being such Thou beleeuest not as it behoueth a Christian to beleeue and therefore neither doost thou pray Christianly Thy fasting also is not true chastising of thy body but rashly taken vpon thee in steede of a good worke In a summe this thy seruice and study of religion is no other thing then in time past amonge the Iewes was the religion of Moloch and Baal in the honour of whom they did kill and burne euen their owne children So pernitious and pestilent an example is this thy holines which seemeth so goodly vnto thee which when it meruelously counterfaiteth a shew of godlines it draweth miserable men to the following thereof and vtterly extinguisheth true religion Here perhaps some godly man will thinke If the matter be so and our workes doe not saue vs but onely to heare Christ and beleue in him who is giuen vnto vs of the Father to be our righteousnes and saluation to what ende then are so many precepts giuen vnto vs and why doth God so seuerely require that they be obeyed The present text of the Apostle shall giue vnto vs the solution of this question and vpon this fit occasion we will now enter into the exposition thereof The Galathians being taught of Paule the faith of Christ but afterwards seduced by false Apostles thought that the matter of our saluation must be finished made perfect by the workes of the law and that onely faith doth not suffize These Paule calleth backe againe from workes vnto faith with great diligence and words meruelous effectual plainly prouing that the workes of the law which goe before saith doe make vs onely seruaunts and be of no importance to godlines saluation but that faith doth make vs the sonnes of God that from thence true good workes doe without constraint forth with most plentifully flowe But here we must accustom our selues to the wordes of the Apostle Whom Paul calleth a seruaunt and whom a sonne in the text which is here intreated of He calleth him a seruaunt that is occupied in workes without faith whereof we haue already intreated at large he calleth him a sonne which is righteous and liueth by faith alone without workes The reason hereof is this this seruaunt although he apply him selfe to good workes yet he doth it not with that minde with which a sonne doth that is with a minde that is free willing certaine that the inheritance and all the good thinges of the Father are his but doth it as he that is hyred with a stipend in an other mans house who hopeth not that the inheritance shal come vnto him The works in deede of the sonne and the seruaunt are like almost all one according to the outward appearance but their mindes do differ exceeding much and their hope is nothing like euen as Christ him selfe sayth The seruaunt abideth not in the house for euer but the sonne abideth for euer Ioh. 8. These of Cains broode want the faith of sonnes which they them selues confesse for they thinke it a most absurd thing wicked arrogancie to affirme them selues to be the sonnes of God and holy therefore as they beleeue euen so are they counted before God they neuer become the sonnes of God or holy neuertheles they are exercised with the workes of the law and are well wearied wherefore they are and remaine seruaunts for euer And they receiue no other reward but these temporall things namely quietnes of life aboundance of goods dignitie and honours c. Which we see to be vsuall among the followers of Popish religion then whom there is none at this day that liueth more pleasauntly more welthily more gloriously and honorably But this is their reward they are seruaunts and not sonnes wherefore in death they shall be thrust from all good thinges neither shall any portion of eternall inheritance come vnto them who in this present life would beleeue nothing thereof So therefore it is that seruaunts and sonnes are not much vnlike in workes but in minde and faith they are most vnlike Now the Apostle endeuoureth here to proue which in deede is the very matter that the law with all the workes thereof doth make vs no other then seruaunts if this faith in Christ whereof we haue spokē be away For that alone doth make vs the sonnes of God Neither the law nor nature can giue it onely the Gospel bringeth it when it is heard with an holy silence of minde It is the word of grace which the holy Ghost doth forthwith followe as it is shewed in very many places and specially Act. 10 where we read that the holy Ghost did by and by fall on Cornelius and his familie hearing the preaching of Peter The lawe why it was giuen Moreouer the lawe was giuen for this that we might learne by it howe voyd we are of grace and howe farre from being of the minde of sonnes yea that we are plainly of a seruile minde For we being left to our selues can in no wise be free from the lawe neither if we doe any good thing doe we it willingly forasmuch as that faith of sonnes is wanting wherwith he that is endued knoweth assuredly that the eternall inheritance shall come vnto him and is of his owne accord inclined and bent with a willing and ready spirit to doe those thinges that are good Nowe these men doe willingly confesse that they are void of this faith and if they would confesse the truth in deede they shoulde also plainly confesse that they had farre rather be without all lawe and that they are against their wills subiect thereunto Wherefore all thinges are among them constrained and void of faith and they are in very deede compelled to confesse that by the lawe they can not attaine any further Which one thing they ought to learne by the law and know that they are seruaunts and haue nothing belonging to sonnes wherby they might be enflamed with desire to come from seruitude to the state and condition of sonnes and might make no account of their owne thinges as in deede they ought to doe that God of his grace might aduaunce them vnto an other state by faith Nowe this were a sound vnderstanding of the law and the true vse therof whereof this is the office The office of the lawe to reproue and conuince men hereof that they are seruaunts and not sonnes as many as follow the law without faith and that they doe exercise themselues therein plainly against their wills and with no confidence of grace For it causeth and maketh such to be offended at it and learne by it how vnprepared and vnwilling they are to that which is good inasmuch as
they are void of faith whereby it moueth them to seeke helpe some other where and not to presume of their owne strength to satisfie it For it requireth a ready will and hartes of sonnes which alone can satisfie it it vtterly refuseth seruaunts and them that be vnwilling But these of Cains broode doe not onely of their owne accord confesse that they want this faith which maketh the sonnes of God but also they persecute it they feele and know also ful wel how vnwillingly they beare the lawe and had rather to be free from it neuertheles they thinke that they shal become righteous by these their vnwilling and constrained workes They will continue seruaunts will not be chaunged into sonnes and yet they would enioy the goods of a straunge father They do all thinges cleane out of order wheras by the law they ought to learne that they are seruaunts and vnwilling to doe that which is good and therefore should by faith aspire to the state of sonnes notwithstanding they goe so farre that they seeke to satisfie and fulfill it by their owne works onely And thereby they doe altogither hinder the ende of the law and striue against faith and grace whereunto if they were not blind the law would direct and driue them And so they continue alwayes a blinde blockish and miserable people These thinges Paule teacheth Rom. 3. and 7. and doth freely pronounce that no man is iustified before God by the works of the lawe No man is iustified by the lawe adding no other cause hereof then this for that the knowledge of sinne only commeth by the law If thou wilt know howe this commeth to passe consider well some one of Cains brood and thou shalt by and by see it verified First he worketh his workes according to the lawe with great griefe and labour and yet he therewith confesseth that he is vncertaine whether he be the sonne of God and holy Yea he condemneth and curseth this faith as the most pernitious arrogancie and errour of all other and will continue in his douting vntil he be made certaine by his workes Here thou seest plainly that such a man is not good or righteous seeing that he wanteth this faith and beleefe that he is counted acceptable before God and his sonne yea he is an enemie of this faith and therefore of righteousnes also Wherefore neither can his workes be counted good although they pretend a faire shew of fulfilling the lawe And thus is it easie to vnderstand that which Paule sayth that no man is iustified before God by the workes of the lawe For the worker must be iustified before God before he worketh any good thing although before men which esteeme a man by outward thinges and not by the mind they are counted righteous which apply them selues to the doing of good workes For men iudge the worker by the works God iudgeth the workes by the worker Nowe the first precept requireth that we acknowledge worship one God that is that we trust and rest in him alone which in deede is the true faith whereby we become the sonnes of God But how easie is it by this precept to know that sinne is both in him of Cains brood in thy selfe inasmuch as both of you want such a faith euen by your owne nature which thou couldest not know but by meanes of this law And this is that which Paul meaneth when he sayth That by the law commeth the knowledge of sinne Rom. 3.20 Now thou canst be deliuered from this euill of infidelitie neither by thyne owne power nor by the power of the lawe wherefore all thy workes whereby thou goest about to satisfie the lawe can be nothing but workes of the lawe of farre lesse importance then that they are able to iustifie thee before God who counteth them only righteous which truly beleeue in him for they onely acknowledge him the true God are his sonnes and doe truely fulfill the law But if thou shouldest euen kill thy selfe with workes yet is it so farre of that thy hart can obtaine this faith thereby that thy workes are euen a hinderance that thou canst not knowe it yea they are a cause that thou doost persecute it Hereupon it is that he that studieth to fulfill the law without faith is afflicted for the deuils sake and not for Gods sake and continueth a persecutour both of faith and of the lawe vntill he come to him selfe and doth plainly ceasse to trust in him selfe and in his owne workes doth giue this glory vnto God who iustifieth the vngodly acknowledgeth him selfe to be nothing and figheth for God his grace whereof he doth now know being taught by the law that he hath neede Then faith and grace come and fil him being emptie satisfie him being hungry by and by follow good workes which are truely good Neither are they now the workes of the law but of the spirit of faith and grace and they are called in the Scriptures the workes of God which he worketh in vs. For whatsoeuer we do of our owne power strength All that we doe of our selues being not assisted by the grace of God is euill and is not wrought in vs by his grace without dout it is a worke of the law and auaileth nothing to iustification but is both euill and hated of God because of the infidelitie wherein it is done Againe whatsoeuer he of Cains brood worketh he doth nothing from his hart nothing freely and with a willing mind except he be as it were hyred with some reward or be commaunded to doe some such thinge whereunto he ought otherwise to be ready of him selfe Euen as an euill and vnthriftie seruaunt suffereth him selfe to be brought to no worke vnles he be hyred with a reward or commaunded whereunto he ought otherwise to be willing of himselfe Nowe how vnpleasaunt is it to a man to haue such seruaunts But they of Cains brood be plainly such they would do no good worke at all if they were not either compelled by the feare of hell or allured by the hope of present good thinges Whereby againe thou seest that these haue no mind to the law they gape only for gaine or are moued with feare whereby they bewray them selues that they doe rather hate the law from their hart and had leuer that there were no law at all Wherefore it is plainly manifest that they are not good and consequently that neither their workes be good for how should euill men worke good workes Moreouer those their workes which in apparance shew seeme to be good are either wrested from them by feare or are bought with promises An euill hart can doe nothing that is good But this naughtines of the hart vnwillingnes to doe good the lawe bewrayeth when it teacheth that God doth not greatly esteeme what the hand doth but what the hart doth which seeing it hateth the law that is good who wil deny it to be most euill Surely it
he beginneth to be of any discretion and iudgement it can not be but grieuous vnto him to liue at the commaundement and will of an other After the same sorte standeth the case of the elect The elect are for a time vnder the law as vnder a Tuter or Gouerner which are brought vppe and instructed vnder the lawe as vnder a Maister to the libertie of the sonnes First the lawe profiteth them in this that by the feare of it and of the punishment which it threatneth they are driuen from sinne at the least from the outwarde worke least that the libertie of sinning encrease ouermuche and remoue them from all religion of God that hope of saluation being paste and God quite contemned they shoulde runne headlonge without all feare into all kindes of euill as some desperate persons are wont to doe Agayne the lawe is profitable to them in this that by it they are brought vnto knowledge of them selues and learne howe vnwillingly they liue vnder the lawe and that they doe no good at all with a willing and readie mynde as it becommeth sonnes but with a seruile and vnwilling minde whereby they maye easily see what is the roote of this euill and what is especially needefull vnto saluation to wit a newe and a willing spirit to that which is good Which surely neyther the lawe nor the workes of the lawe are able to giue yea the lenger and the more that they applye them selues vnto them so much more vnwilling shall they finde them selues and with so muche more griefe to worke those thinges that are good Hereupon nowe they learne that they doe not satisfie the lawe although outwardly they liue according to the prescript rule thereof for as they doe pretend to obeye it in worke so in minde they doe hate it wherefore in minde also they remayne sinners although they pretende them selues righteous by workes that is they are like vnto those of Cains broode and to hypocrites whose hande in deede is compelled to good but they haue a hart which as it is an enemie to the lawe so doth it verely consent vnto sinnes and is miserably subiect vnto them To knowe this concerning them selues is not the lowest degree to saluation Hereof also we may see howe fitly Paule calleth such constrayned workes the workes of the lawe The workes of the lawe For they flowe not from a ready and willing hart but are enforced by the lawe the harte declyning an other waye Howebeit the lawe dothe not require workes alone but muche rather the harte it selfe so that we might saye not onely the workes but rather the harte of the lawe not onely the handes of the lawe but rather the mynde will and all the strength of the lawe Whereupon it is sayde in the first Psalme of the blessed man But his delight is in the lawe of God and in his lawe doth he exercise him selfe daye and night Suche a mynde the lawe requireth in deede but it giueth it not neyther can it giue it of it owne nature whereby it commeth to passe that whyle the lawe continueth to exact it of a man and to condemne him as longe as he hath not suche a minde as disobedient to God he is in anguish on euery side his conscience is grieuously terrified and without all counsell and helpe Then in deede he is moste readye for grace and this is that tyme appoynted of the Father The time appoynted of the Father when his seruitude should ende and he should enter into the state of the sonnes For being thus in distresse and terrified seeing that by no other meanes he can auoyde the condemnation of the lawe he turneth him selfe wholly to praye to the Father for grace he acknowledgeth his frayltie he confesseth his sinne he ceasseth to trust in workes and doth altogither as it is meete humble him selfe perceiuing nowe full well that betweene him and a manifest sinner there is no difference at all but of workes that he hath a wicked harte euen as euery other sinner hath Yea it may be that such hypocrites doe farre more hate the lawe in their harte then those famous sinners which are euen as it were drowned in sinnes For whyle these are euen wearyed with the workes of sinnes and doe trye the filthines of them it often tymes commeth to passe that they doe in some part loath and detest them when as those righteous ones doe alwaies thinke those thinges that they haue not tried to be more sweete neither can they beleeue that there is so much gall in sinnes whereof they are by nature inflamed with such a desire therefore as they doe more earnestly loue sinne so consequently they doe much worse hate the law which as a certaine scholemaister is alwayes against their desire Moreouer forasmuch as the condition of mans nature is such that it is able to giue to the lawe workes onely and not the hart who doth not see howe greatly it is contemned of vs Hypocritical dealing An vnequall diuision truely to dedicate the hart which doth incomparably excell all other thinges to sinne and the brutish hande to the lawe which is nothing els but to offer chaffe to the lawe and the wheat to sinne the shell to God and the kernell to Satan So that commeth to passe which is in the Gospell that the wickednesses of him which is in thy iudgemēt a desperat sinner are counted as a mote and thine which so playest the hypocrite are counted as a beame If this euill be added hereunto that such hypocrites doe not see a beame in their eye but being blinded doe perseuer in their accustomed workes not marking this their inward abhomination of the hart they by and by burst forth to iudge condemne others they despise sinners as he did in the Gospell they thinke them selues not like vnto them they are not as other men are they thinke them selues alone godly and righteous Whose vngodlines if one reproue as it is meete bewray they by and by are in a rage and furie and sticke not to kill innocent Abel and to persecute all those that follow the truth And they will seeme to doe that to defend good works and to obtaine righteousnes neither doe they promise to them selues a small reward for this inasmuch as they doe as they say persecute heretikes blasphemers them which be seduced doe seduce with mischieuous errour which labour to seduce and plucke euen them from good works Here thou maist see that that sheweth it selfe whatsoeuer the Scriptures attribute to these men being surely most pestilent spirits to wit that they are a generation of vipers and serpents They are no other but of Cains broode and so they doe continue seruaunts they are and seruaunts they doe remaine But they whom God hath chosen Abels and sonnes What the law worketh in the elect do learne by the lawe howe vnwilling a hart they haue vnto the lawe they fall from their arrogancie and are by
of them selues Verse 4. But when the fulnes of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the law Verse 5. That he might redeeme them which were vnder the law that we might receiue the adoption of the sonnes After Paule hath taught that righteousnes and faith can not come to vs by the Law neither that we can deserue it by nature he sheweth him by whom we obtaine true righteousnes faith and which is the author of our iustification Now this could not come vnto vs without any price for it cost a verie great price euen the sonne of God The Apostle therefore sayth The fulnes of time how it is to be vnderstood When the fulnes of time was come that is when the time was ended that time I say wherein it behoued vs to liue children and seruaunts vnder the discipline of the Lawe Wherefore the Maister of sentences hath erred here who interpreted the fulnes of time the time of grace which began at the birth of Christ plaine contrarie to the Apostle who whereas he hath written the fulnes of time this man hath interpreted it the time of fulnes For Paul speaketh of the time which was appointed of the father to the sonne wherein he should liue vnder tuters Now as this time was full come to the Iewes and ended when Christ came in the flesh so is it daily fulfilled to others when they come vnto the knowledge of Christ and do chaunge the seruitude of the Lawe with the faith of the sonnes And this in deede is that comming whereby alone we obtaine the libertie of sonnes without which that corporall comming would auaile nothing For Christ euen for this cause hath come vnto vs that beleeuing in him we may be restored to true libertie by which faith they of the aunciēt time also obtained the libertie of the spirit And so whereas he should come to the holy men of olde time he came euen then forasmuch as by faith they felt him to be their true Sauiour and deliuerer howbeit he is not yet come to our Iewes although he is gone awaye againe in body long since for they do not beleeue in him All from the beginning of the world to the end must trust vnto the comming of Christ whereby alone seruitude is chaunged with libertie but yet by fayth either in Christ being to come as it was before he was borne or in him being come as it is now Wherefore as soone as thou beginnest to beleeue in Christ he commeth vnto thee a deliuerer and Sauiour now the time of bondage is ended that is as the Apostle speaketh the fulnes thereof is come This place surely is verie copious and containeth in it diuers thinges most worthie to be knowne so that I greatly feare that it shall not be handled of vs according to the worthines thereof For it teacheth that it is not sufficient to beleeue that Christ is come but that we must also beleeue that he was sent of God is the sonne of God and also verie man borne of a Virgine who alone hath fulfilled the Lawe and that not for himselfe but for vs that is for our saluations sake Let vs wey and consider these thinges in order First it is sufficiently taught in the Gospell of Iohn that Christ is the sonne of God and was sent of God which he that beleeueth not is in a most miserable case as Christ himselfe pronounceth Ioh. 8 Except ye beleeue that I am he ye shall dye in your synnes And Ioh. 1 In it was life and that life was the light of men For this cause the mynde of man neither may nor ought to enioy any other thing then that soueraigne good so that it should be satisfied with any other then with it whereof it was made and which is the fountaine of all good thinges wherefore it is not the will of God that we should beleeue or repose our trust in any other thing neither doth this honour belong to any other And therefore God himselfe ioyned himselfe to man Why it was requisite that God should be made mā being made man that he might more forcibly allure men into him and stirre them vp to beleeue in him No good could come vnto God hereby but it was necessarie for vs that he should be made man lest that we should beleeue in any other thing thē in God alone For if we should beleeue in Christ and not in God as God should be depriued of his honour so should we be depriued of life and saluation For we must beleeue in one God who is the verie truth and we without him can neither liue nor obtaine saluation Whereas therefore the Apostle sayth God sent forth his Sonne it is thereby manifest that he was before he came and was made man Now if he be a sonne he is more then a man or an Angell which seeing they are the highest creatures surely he is also true God For to be the sonne of God is more then to be an Angell as it is els where declared Againe Christ a distinct person from the Father seeing that he is sent of God and is his sonne he must needes be an other person And so the Apostle teacheth here that the Father and the Sonne are one God and two persons Of the holy Ghost it shal be spoken hereafter The second thing which ought here to be considered is that Christ is verie man and the sonne of man This Paul teacheth when he sayth Christ verie man made of a woman For surely that that is made or borne of a woman is man A woman by nature bringeth forth nothing but verie man This it is necessarie that we beleeue as the Lord himselfe declareth Ioh. 6 in these wordes Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blood ye haue no life in you But to eate and drinke his flesh and blood What it is to eat drinke the flesh and blood of Christ is nothing els but to beleeue that Christ tooke these vpō him in deed and did also yeeld them to death for our sake This is that couenaunt which was promised to Abraham In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Gen. 22. Christ is this seede and therefore the true sonne of Abraham his flesh and blood Hereupon it appeareth that they preuaile nothing We must come vnto God by Christ which make a proper waye vnto themselues to God by their owne workes and godlines and neglecting Christ striue to come directly vnto God as the Turkes and Iewes doe This Christ alone is the mediatour blessed seede by whom thou must receiue blessing otherwise thou shalt continue for euer in malediction This couenāt of God shal not be violated of because any Thus Christ himselfe sayth Ioh. 6 No man commeth to the Father but by me The nature of God is otherwise higher then that we are able to attaine vnto it
that be his and the iudgement which we haue deserued he taketh vpon himselfe he suffered the punishment due vnto vs willingly making himselfe subiect to death and the curse that is to eternall damnation no otherwise then if he had transgressed the whole Lawe and had more then all deserued the sentence thereof against transgressours when as he did not onely not breake the Lawe but himselfe alone fulfilled it yea and fulfilled it when as he ought nothing to it so that he suffered otherwise then he deserued in two respects both for that he had ought nothing to the Lawe if he had not obserued it and also for that moreouer he most diligently obserued it so that if the Law had had especiall dominion ouer him yet had he come in no daunger thereof But on the other side whereas we suffer we suffer by double right both for that by the transgression of the Lawe we haue deserued all the punishment thereof also for that if we had deserued nothing yet being creatures we ought to be obedient to the will of our Creator Hereof it now plainly appeareth what this meaneth that Christ was made vnder the Lawe Why Christ was made vnder the Law that he might redeeme them which liue vnder the lawe for our sakes for our sakes I say and not for his owne he performed that and that of no necessitie but of his great loue toward vs and thereby he hath declared his vnspeakeable both goodnes and mercy toward vs being made accursed for vs that he might deliuer vs from the curse of the lawe He willingly made himselfe subiect to the iudgement of the lawe did himselfe beare the sentēce pronounced against vs that as many of vs as do beleeue in him might be free for euer Whereby marke what an incomparable treasure faith bringeth vnto thee By fayth we enioy an incomparable treasure whereby thou enioyest Christ and all his workes that thou mayst trust vnto them no otherwise then if thou thy selfe hadst done them For Christ did them not for himselfe whom surely they could profit nothinge he hauing no neede of any thinge but by them he layd vp the treasure of saluation for vs whereunto we should trust and being made blessed might enioye it With which fayth also the spirit of the sonnes commeth which beareth witnes with our spirit that we are the sonnes and heires of God What should God nowe adde vnto these How can a mynde hearing these thinges containe it selfe that it should not loue God againe with a most ardent affection and be most sweetely delighted in him What in any wise maye come to be done or suffered which thou wouldest not willingly take vpon thee with exceeding ioye and most high prayse of God with a reioycing and triumphing mynde Which mynde if thou wantest it is a certaine argument of a faint or surely a dead fayth for the greater thy fayth is so much more ready also and willinge is thy mynde to those thinges which God either sendeth or commaundeth This in deede is the true deliueraunce from the Lawe and the damnation of the Lawe that is from synne and death which deliueraunce commeth to vs by Christ Yet not so that there is nowe no lawe or death but that they do not now trouble the beleeuers any thinge that is they are as though they were not For the Lawe can not conuince them of synne neither can death confound them but by fayth they most happily passe from synne and death to righteousnes and life Here Munkes Nunnes c were to be exhorted if there were as yet left any place with them for counsell and admonition that they would obserue their ordinaunces How mens ordinances ceremonies c. are to be obserued ceremonies prayers apparell and such like as Christ obserued the lawe by which meanes surely they should bring vnto them no damnation That is that they would set the faith of Christ in the first place and commit the rule of their heart vnto him acknowledgeing that by that fayth onely they do obtaine righteousnes and saluation and that all their ordinaunces workes do auaile nothing hereunto Againe that they would make themselues subiect to them of their owne accord in no other respect then that by them they might serue their neighbours and subdue the arrogancie of the flesh But now seing they are occupied in them with this double erroneous opinion as though they were necessarie to saluation and righteousnes and if they did not obserue them they should grieuously synne they are vnto them a most certaine destruction nothing but delusion and synne whereby with their great affliction they draw vnto hell where they shall fully suffer the vexations and torments vnder the Abbat the deuell which being miserable and foolish men they haue here begon For all their life doth vtterly disagree with the fayth of the sonnes and that which belongeth onely to fayth to wit to iustifie and saue vs they attribute to their workes Wherefore these men can not both thus sticke vnto their ordinances and therewithall haue faith which suffereth it selfe to be addicted to no certaine workes but what thinges soeuer the Lord either sendeth or commaundeth or the necessitie and neede of our neighbour requireth it suffreth and doth them with great willingnes ioy These he that is endued with faith counteth his workes hauing in the meane season no regard of Masses or fasting which some appoint to certaine dayes of choise of apparell of meates of persons of places and such like yea he greatly disalloweth of these inasmuch as they trouble Christian libertie These thinges shall suffize to haue bin spoken concerning the exposition of this place of Paul where about the matter it selfe required to spend so many wordes forasmuch as the nature of faith is so vnknowen For vnles thou do well vnderstand the nature of faith thou shalt perceiue nothing or very litle in the writinges of Paul Verse 6. And because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts which cryeth Abba Father Here we see verie plainly that the holy Ghost commeth vnto the Saincts by no workes but by faith alone for Paul saith And because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit 〈◊〉 Sōnes beleeue when seruaunts onely worke sonn̄es are free from the Lawe seruaunts are held vnder the Lawe as appeareth plainly by those thinges that are before spoken But how commeth it to passe that he saith Because ye are sonnes A question God hath sent forth the Spirit c. seeing it is before said that by the comming of the spirit we are chaunged from seruaunts vnto the state of sonnes so that the spirit must be first sent vnto vs before we are sonnes But here as though we could be sonnes before the comming of the spirit The answer he sayth Because ye are sonnes c. To this question we must aunswere that Paul speaketh here after the same sort that he
of fasting it teacheth by the example of Christ Two sorts of fasting which are allowable to be commended The Scripture commeÌ„deth vnto vs two sorts of fasting which are laudable one which is taken vpon vs of our owne accord to tame the flesh whereof the Apostle speaketh 2. Cor. 6. where he exhorteth vs to behaue our selues as the ministers of God by labours watchings fastings among the rest An other which in deede is not taken vpon vs willingly yet is willingly borne of vs when by reason of neede and pouertie we haue not whereon to feede Whereof Paule speaketh also in the first Epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter Vnto this houre we both hunger and thirst And Christ Matth. 9 VVhen the bridegrome shal be taken from them then shall they fast This fasting Christ teacheth vs by his present example who being alone in the desert and hauing no meat did suffer that neede and hunger patiently The first of these two fastes may when we please be left and broken with eating of meat but this last must be suffred vntill the Lord ende and breake it Now the cause why the Euangelist did so diligently first declare that Iesus was led aside of the spirit into the wildernes that he should there fast and be tempted is this lest that any taking vpon him to fast of his owne mynde and for his owne commodities sake should in vaine endeuour to follow this example of Christ For he must looke for the leading asyde of the spirite he will cause fasting and tentation enough We must not procure tentation to our selues but patiently suffer it when it pleaseth the Lord to send it for he that without the leading asyde of the spirit should voluntarily bring himselfe into daunger of hunger or any other tentation when by the blessing of God he hath what to eate and drinke and whereby to liue quietly he I saye should plainly tempt the Lord. We must not procure to our selues pouertie and tentation they will come soone enough of themselues onely when they are sent of the Lord we must endeuour to beare them patiently Iesus as the Euangelist writeth was led aside of the spirite into the wildernes he did not choose to himselfe the wildernes They are led with the Spirite of God which are the sonnes of God Romans 8. The good thinges which the Lorde giueth he giueth for this that we maye enioye them with thankes giuing not that we should neglect them tempting him Moreouer this history is written vnto vs both to instruct The historie of Christes tentation coÌ„taineth both instruction exhortation and also to exhort To instruct that we may learne hereby that Christ by this his fasting hunger tentation and victorie against Satan did serue vs furthered our saluation that whosoeuer beleeueth in him may neuer neede or be hurt by any tentation but rather shall abound with good thinges in the middes of pouertie and be safe in the middes of tentation for that his head and Lord Christ hath ouercome all these thinges for him whereof by fayth he is most certain according as the Lord himselfe sayth Ioh. 16 Be ye of good comfort I haue ouercome the world And if God could without meat nourish his Christ fortie dayes so many nights so he câ—â— also Christians We are exhorted also here that according to this example of Christ we suffer hunger tentation and other necessities wheÌ„ they come and when the case so requireth to the glorie of God profit of our neighbours And surely if we do earnestly confesse and sticke to the word of God these thinges will vndoutedly come vnto vs. The present text therefore containeth a meruelous consolation and strengthening of faith against the filthie and incredulous bellie which being diligeÌ„tly and faithfully weyed our conscience shal be verie much comforted and streÌ„gthened that we may not be carefull for liuing but trust with a full confidence that God will giue vs plentifully those thinges that be necessarie Now that this tentation also is incident vnto vs it is manifest For as Christ was led aside into the wildernes that is was left alone of God Angels men and all creatures which might helpe him How we are sometime led aside into the wildernes so also falleth it out with vs. We are led aside into the wildernes we are forsaken and left alone And this in deede is it which especially grieueth vs to feele or perceiue nothing whereunto we may trust or from whence we may looke for helpe As when it lyeth vpon me to prepare sustenance for me and mine and I haue nothing at all of my selfe neither perceiue any helpe comming from any man neither know where to looke for any This is to be led aside into the desert and to be left alone I being in this case am in the true exercise of faith then I learne how I my selfe am nothing howe weake my faith is how great and rare a thing sounde faith is and howe deepe abominable incredulitie is setled in the harts of all But he that hath as yet a purse heauie with money a seller ful of wine a garnar replenished with graine he is not yet led aside into the wildernes or left alone and therefore can not feele tentation while these thinges remaine Satan tempteth Christ with care for the belly and diffidence of Gods goodnes Secondly Satan commeth and tempteth Christ with this care for the bellie and diffidence of the goodnes of God saying If thou be the Sonne of God commaund that these stones be made bread As if he should say according to the Dutch prouerbe Trust in God and in the meane season neglect to bake bread Tarie till a rosted chicken flie into thy mouth Go now and say that thou hast a God who is carefull for thee Where is now that thy heauenly Father who hath so great a care of thee Hath he not goodlily forsaken thee Eate now and drinke of thy faith and let vs see how thou shal be suffised it were well wiâ—â— thee if thou couldest feede on stones What a goodly sonne of God art thou How fatherly doth he behaue himselfe toward thee He sendeth thee not so much as a peece of breade but suffreth thee here to be pined with hunger Go now and beleeue yet that thou art the sonne of God and he thy Father Surely with these and such like cogitations he tempteth all the children of God which Christ also vndoutedly felt for he was not a blocke or stone but verie man although pure from synne as he also continued which is not giuen vnto vs. Now that the Deuel tempted Christ with care of the bellie diffidence and wicked desire the aunswere of Christ doth sufficiently declare Man liueth not by breade alone Which is as much as if he had said Thou wilt haue me haue regard to bread alone thou dealest with me as though I ought to haue no other care but of meate and foode
But he loueth vs also after an other speciall maner in that he hath giuen his sonne for vs. Ioh. 3. For he hath aboundantly bestowed vpon vs all temporall and also eternall good things yea his owne self and hath as it were poured him selfe with all that he is hath and can into vs who were sinners vnworthy enemies and seruaunts of Satan so that he could not doe and giue vnto vs more greater thinges Now he whom this diuine fire of loue which filleth heauen and earth and yet is not comprehended doth not kindle inflame to loue likewise his neighbour whosoeuer he be friend or enemy he I say wil neither by law precepts doctrine threatnings and force be euer moued to godlines loue VValke sayth the Apostle in loue whereby he signifieth that our life should be nothing els In what kind of loue we must walke but meere loue Howbeit he will not haue vs walke in the loue of the world which in loue seeketh those things which are his owne and loueth so long as there is any thing wherby it looketh for commoditie and lucre Therefore he sayth Euen as Christ hath loued vs who neither sought nor could looke for any profit or commoditie of vs and yet he loued vs so greatly that he gaue him selfe for vs and not onely his other good things which he giueth vs daily and he so gaue him selfe for vs that he might be an oblation and sacrifice to obtayne the good will and fauour of the father toward vs and to bring to passe that we might now haue God a mercifull and fauourable father being become his true children and heires c. So also it behoueth vs to giue and lend not onely to our friendes but also to our enemies neither to count this sufficient but to be ready also euen to dye both for friendes and foes thinking nothing else but that we may serue and profit our neighbours both in body and goods as long as we shall be in the pilgrimage of this life seeing that we possesse all thinges being giuen vnto vs by Christ To be an offering and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour to God This maner of speech Paul borowed out of the old Testament wherein those corporall sacrifices are written eftsoones to haue yeelded to the Lorde a sweete sauour that is to haue bene acceptable vnto him The sacrifices of the olde Testament accepted for Christes sake who was to come Christ the onely sacrifice which God accepteth wherby we are acceptable vnto him Notwithstanding that was not because of the worke and sacrifice in it selfe as the Iewes falsely thought therefore were very often reproued of the Prophets but for Christes sake who was to come the one and onely sacrifice of a good sauour whom all those sacrifices of the lawe did shadow forth and represent Wherefore that which Paule here sayth is as much as if he had sayd All the sacrifices of the olde Testament haue an ende they can nowe be of no price Christ him selfe is the onely sacrifice which yeeldeth vnto God a sweete smelling sauour that is is pleasing and acceptable vnto him whereby we are assured that we are acceptable vnto God and do please him Wherefore there is no other sacrifice in the Church which may be offered for vs beside this onely sacrifice which being once offered hath at once satisfied for the sinnes of all the elect And although we after the example of this sacrifice doe offer our bodies to God as Paule teacheth Rom. 12 yet we offer them not either for our selues or for other forasmuch as that is proper to Christ the onely sacrifice whereby the saluation of all is obtayned Wherefore those thinges smell moste stinkingly before God whatsoeuer men offer with this mind as though they would satisfie for their own sinnes or for the sinnes of other whereof we both haue and will elsewhere speake more But fornication and all vncleannes or couetousnes let it not be once named among you Vncleannes By the name of vncleannes beside fornication he vnderstandeth all lust lecherous filthines which is committed out of matrimonie which for the filthines of them he doth not vouchsafe to rehearse by name as Rom. 1. he speaketh very grossely of them Although in matrimonie also a meane may be exceeded it is the dutie of Christians so to moderate the vse of mariage that they require performe due loue beneuolēce only for auoiding fornication but we are fallen so farre that they are most rare which come togither onely for procreation of children and to auoid fornication which surely were best and should very well become vs. Nowe the Apostle sayth let it not be once named among you that is be so farre from these euils that they may not so much as be spoken of of you There is often falling among Christiās through infirmitie how true Christians deale in this case Albeit it will neuer come to passe in this exile that none among Christians be weake do not oftentimes fall yet true Christians will neuer winke at those things they will reproue amend put away couer cure whatsoeuer such thing shal burst forth amongst them that the heathen may not be offended and say See what vices the Christians suffer among them selues howe vncleane and lewde a life doe they leade thinking that all their whole life is defiled with like vices as is their owne We must needes confesse that among Christians some doe eftsoones fal which we must needes beare it is wel if onely the better part liueth well winketh not at their sinnes neither teacheth them but rather reproueth and amendeth them So Paule exhorteth Gal. 6. that they which are spirituall wil restore them that offend with the spirit of meekenes And he sharply reproueth the Corinthians for that they did lightly passe ouer many sinnes of certaine persons For sinne being reprehended punished is now counted as no sinne neither can the Church be blamed because of it After the same sort heede must be taken that couetousnes be not named among Christians that is that they become not infamous by the name thereof which they shal bring to passe if when it chaūceth that couetous mē be amongst them or one vseth deceit toward an other in their busines and affaires or some contend in iudgement for those outward things if I say they doe not winke hereat but do reproue correct such that the sinceritie of the doctrine of the Gospell may obtaine due estimation among the people there may be no cause opēly to dispraise our ministerie 2. Cor. 6. These things I haue spoken because of them who as soone as they see that all thinges do not resemble shew forth a holines among Christians that some doe stumble fall do thinke that there is no Christian left that the Gospel is to no purpose that all things are taught and done in vaine As though the life of
them of my self forasmuch then as they are Gods I will commit them vnto him he shal best preserue them For euen otherwise I must leaue them wherfore I will refuse to suffer no perill and to leaue whatsoeuer I haue for his sake if the case so require If he will haue me so to doe he can giue me other thinges for he hath promised that he will giue sufficient to them that beleeue both here and in the time to come If he will not haue me to liue here I owe death vnto him when he shall require me I will be ready for his wordes sake He that shall not doe thus denieth God and is notwithstanding compelled to lose both this fraile life and eternall life The stinking belly which we make our god is the cause Immoderate care for the belly the cause of diffidence and distrust of Gods care prouidence that we doe not cleaue to the word of God for I will first be certaine howe I may feede my selfe and where my goods be The Gospell sayth Trust in God but I prouide for my belly and if I haue one noble in gold I thinke I haue sufficient to sustaine nourish me for ten daies trusting vnto that which I haue layd vp I trust not in God that as he hath hitherto fedde me so he will nourish me still Is not this a detestable thinge that I trust to one peece of coyne onely whereby I looke to haue my foode and sustenance to morrow Fy what a cursed thing is such care for the belly Shall a vile peece of coyne be more esteemed of me then God him selfe in whose power are heauen and earth who giueth vnto vs ayer and water maketh graine to growe vnto vs and sendeth all thinges necessary It is more detestable then that it can be expressed by the voice of man that God is not esteemed of vs so much as a litle money Why doost thou not thinke God who hath made me will well nourish me if he will haue me liue If he will not well then shall I haue no neede But sayth the belly I finde no god in my chest Thou foolish asse who can assure thee that thou shalt liue till tomorrow It is vncertaine whether thou shalt keepe thy belly till to morrow and desirest thou to know where foode and sustenance is If this did pearse our hart we should see how deuilish a thing incredulitie is Is it not a horrible thing that I doe not make so greate account of God who feedeth so many mouthes as to trust in him that he will nourish me yea that I do make more account of one noble in golde then of God him selfe who poureth forth his good things so aboundantly The world is full of the blessings and workes of God he is on euery side with his good thinges notwithstanding we doe not yet commit our selues to him or receiue his visitatiō O cursed world which can not trust to God euen one day and yet trusteth to a peece of gold Thus we see as I thinke of what sort the world is how it despiseth God for the bellies sake which notwithstanding it is compelled to lose O how great contemners of saluation are we we ought rather to detest the world but we are too deepely drowned in olde Adam The world is as it were a figure of hell yea a very deuilish kingdom an entrance to hell Wherefore Christ with weeping eyes exhorteth vs to knowe our saluation and to receiue his visitation lest that a plague scourge follow which vndoutedly shall come vpon them which thinking them selues in safetie doe not beleeue and trust in God God giue vs his grace whereby we may knowe him It followeth moreouer in the text He went also into the temple and beganne to cast out them that soulde therein and them that bought saying vnto them it is written Mine house is the house of prayer but ye haue made it a denne of theeues This is the second part of this text wherein is declared how the Lord going into the temple beginneth to driue out the byers and sellers therein The former part was nothing else but an exhortation and inuiting to faith but here the Lorde insinuateth what the temple of God is and bringeth a place out of the Scripture hereunto appertaining namely out of Esai Esai 56.7 where he sayth Myne house shall be called an house of prayer for all people This is a stronge saying whereas the Prophet sayth for all people against the Iewes who trusting vnto that temple at Ierusalē thought that this house made with hand should continue for euer supposing it to be vnpossible that God would either destroy this temple or leaue the citie desolate because the word of God can not lye Wherefore they stoned Steuen for that he spake against that holy citie and affirmed that Iesus woulde destroy it and chaunge the ceremonies giuen of Moses For they sayd The Prophets haue greatly praysed this house and doe you Apostles preache that it shall be destroyed Howbeit this saying is thus to be vnderstood that the citie Ierusalem the Temple and the People should continue vntill the time of Christ whereunto all the Prophets tend which referred all thinges vnto Christ that as he should doe so it should be and so it should continue Wherefore the place of Esai extendeth no farther then to the comming of Christ which all the Prophets also witnes affirming that there should come a kingdom which should extend farre and wide ouer the whole worlde as it is in Malachie Mal. 1.11 From the rising of the sunne vnto the going downe of the same my name is great among the Gentiles and in euery place incense shall be offered to my name and a pure offering for my name is great among the very Heathen sayth the Lorde of hostes Here the Prophet speaketh of the spirituall kingdom of Christ who would builde vnto him selfe an house of prayer in the whole world It is true that God him selfe did confirme and sanctifie the temple at Ierusalem not because it was furnished with precious stones and goodly buildings or halowed of the Priestes which maner of trifles and dotages we vse at this day but because he had consecrated and halowed it with his worde when he sayd This house is my house The true house of God for his word was preached in it Wheresoeuer the worde of God is preached there is his true house where the worde of God hath his course and proceeding there vndoutedly God dwelleth with his grace where his Gospell is there is the holy house of prayer there prayers both may and ought to be made vnto God God also will heare vs as Christ sayth Ioh. 16 VVhatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you hitherto haue ye asked nothing in my name aske ye shal receiue Contrariwise where the word is not there is Satan wholy Now whereas we imitating the Iewes haue builded
bodely seeing but he spake of the spirituall seeing whereby all Christian heartes did behold him before he was borne For if Abraham saw him vndoutedly many other of the Prophets in whom the holy Ghost was saw him also And although this seeing saued the holy Fathers and Prophets yet did they alwayes with most inward and heartie affection desire to see Christ in the flesh also as is commonly shewed in the Prophets Wherefore the Lord sayth here vnto his disciples which sawe him both in the flesh and in the spirit Blessed are the eyes which see those thinges that ye see As if he said Now is the acceptable yeare and time of grace The matter which is now in hand is so weightie and precious that the eyes are worthely said to be blessed which see it For now was the Gospell preached openly and manifestly both by Christ himselfe and also by his Apostles whereupon he here calleth them all blessed which see and heare such grace Of which grace I haue preached much a long time vnto you I would to God ye did keepe that which I haue spoken thereof fresh in memorie When the Lord spake these thinges a certaine Lawyer start vp shewing himselfe as though he had bin some thing who tempting the Lord sayth Maister what shall I do to inherit eternall life This lawer was endued with wisedome and not vnskilfull of the Scriptures which euen his aunswere doth declare yet in this place he is proued a foole yea he is brought vnto shame and ignominie For Christ taketh awaye all his glorying euen in one worde He was of this mynde that he had obserued the whole Lawe and that he was a certaine chiefe one in respect of other as vndoutedly he was and thought himselfe sufficient worthy by reason of his godlines and learning to be conuersaunt with the Lord. But what doth the Lord in this case the text folowing declareth And he said vnto him what is written in the Lawe how readest thou And he aunswered and said Thou shalt loue thy Lord God with all thine heart and with all thy soule and with all thy strength and with all thy mynde and thy neighbour as thy selfe Then he said vnto him Thou hast aunswered right do this thou shalt liue Me thinkes that the Lord gaue this good mā a hard lesson he dealeth verie straitly with him it may seeme to some that he should haue spared him a litle he putteth him to shame opēly before all he proueth that he had done nothing who notwithstanding thought that he had done all thinges He asked what he should do but I thinke he had enough and ouermuch to do if he had bin able to do more then he was If I had time manie things might be spoken of these two commaundements For they are the chiefe and greatest commaundements in Moses on which the whole Lawe and all the Prophets do hang as Christ himselfe sayth in Matthew Matth. 22.40 Notwithstanding we will entreat somewhat of them If we consider all the commaundements of Moses they haue respect altogether vnto loue For this commaundement Thou shall haue none other gods in my sight we can no otherwise declare or interpret then Thou shalt loue God alone Deut. 6.4.5 so Moses expoundeth it in Deuteronomie where he sayth thus Heare O Israell the Lord our God is Lord onely And thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy might from whence the Lawer tooke his aunswere But the Iewes vnderstand this commaundement so that they thinke it to extend no further then that they should not set vp nor worship idols And if they can say and witnes in mouth that they haue one God onely and do worship none but him they thinke they haue obserued this commaundement After the same sort did this Lawer vnderstand it but that was an euell and a wrong vnderstand thereof How the first cōmaundement is to be vnderstood and obserued Howbeit we must otherwise consider vnderstād this precept Thou shalt haue none other gods in my sight Thou it sayth with all that thou art but especially it requireth all thine heart soule and strength It speaketh not of the toung not of the hand not of the knees but of the whole man what soeuer thou art and hast That no other God may be worshipped of me it shal be necessary that I haue the true and only God in myne heart that is I must loue him frō myne heart so that I do alwayes depend on on him trust in him repose my hope in him haue my pleasure loue and ioy in him and daily remember him Euen as otherwise if we take pleasure of any thinge we say it doth me good inwardly at the heart And if any speaketh or laugheth and doth it not in good earnest neither from his heart we are wont to say Thou laughest in deede but it cōmeth not from thine heart The loue of the heart in the Scriptures signifieth a vehement speciall loue which we ought to beare toward God They which serue God with mouth hands and knees onely are hypocrites neither hath God any care of them For God will not haue part but the whole The Iewes did outwardly abstaine from idolatrie and serued God alone in mouth but their heart was farre remoued from him being full of diffidence and vnbeleefe Outward they seemed to be verie earnest in seruing God but within they were full of idolatrie Whereupon the Lord said vnto them Matth. 23 VVoe be to you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye are like vnto painted sepulchers which appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and of all filthines So are ye also For outward ye appeare righteous vnto men but within ye are full of hypocrisie and iniquitie These are those wicked ones which glorie of the outward thinge which go about to iustifie and make themselues good by their owne workes after the maner of this Lawer Consider how great the pride of this asse was he commeth forth as though he could not be blamed or rebuked of the Lord he thought yea it seemed vnto him that the Lord would here commend and praise his life before the people He thought not to learne any thing of the Lord but he sought onely his owne commendation he would willingly haue had Christ to set forth his praise toward whom the eyes of all were bent and who was an admiration to all So all hypocrites do outwardly they pretend excellent The qualitie of hypocrites great and weightie workes they say that they haue respect neither of glorie nor praise but within in their heart they are full of ambition and wish that their holines were knowen to the whole world shewing a goodly signe of their religion by the byting of their lippe if they heare any speake thereof But our Sauiour Christ sheweth here no kyndnes or gētlenes to this Lawyer inasmuch as he putteth him to shame
this place is inferred that we are all synners but especially they whose life hath a goodly outward shew onely This is the former part of this text namely the preaching of the law Now followeth the other part which is the preaching of the Gospell which declareth how we may fulfill the lawe and from whence that fulfilling is to be taken which we shall learne of that Samaritane What doth the Lawyer moreouer after that the Lord had thus delt with him He saith the Euangelist willing to iustifie himselfe spake vnto the Lord asked him as followeth Who is then my neighbour He asketh not Who is my God As if he sayd I owe nothing vnto God neither do I want any thing before God yea it seemeth vnto me that I do neither owe any thing to any man neuertheles I would willingly know who is my neighbour The Lord aunswering him bringeth forth a most goodly similitude whereby he declareth that we are all neighbours one to an other as well he that giueth a benefit as he that receiueth and needeth one although by the text it seemeth to appeare that he onely is a neighbour which bestoweth a benefit vpon an other But the Scripture maketh here no difference sometime calling him our neighbour which bestoweth a benefit sometime him that receiueth a benefite By this similitude the Lord inferreth in these wordes Go and do thou likewise so that that Lawyer had offended not onely against God but also against man and wanted not onely loue towardes God but also loue towardes his neighbour vnto whom he had not done that good which he ought This wretched felow is brought into such a case that he is found wholy euell euē from the head to the feete How came it to passe that he being most skillfull of the Scripture could not beware of this So fell it out he led a pharisaicall hypocriticall and counterfaite life which had not regarde vnto his neigbour and to succour and helpe others but sought thereby onely glorie and honour before men and so looked by negligent dissolute liuing to come to heauen But ye haue heard verie often that a Christian life consisteth in this A Christian life that we deale with faith and the heart in thinges that pertaine vnto God but vse our life and workes towards our neighbour and that I must not looke while my neighbour seeketh a benefite and requireth some thing of me but according to my duty must preuent his asking of myne owne accord offer my liberalitie vnto him Now we will see what the parable containeth in it The Samaritane in this place is without all doute our Lord Iesus Christ who hath declared his loue toward God and men The loue of Christ toward God men Toward God in that he descended from heauen and was incarnate and so fulfilled the will of his father Toward men for that by and by after baptisme he beganne to preach to worke miracles to heale the sicke neither was there any worke that he did which did concerne himselfe onely but all his workes were directed to his neighbour being made our minister when as notwithstanding he is aboue all and equall to God but he did all these thinges for that he knew that they did please God and that it was the will of his father When he had ascended to the heighth of the commaundement that he loued God with all his heart he left and committed the life of his body and whatsoeuer he had to the pleasure and will of his father saying Father behold all thinges that I haue my life and soule are readie at thy will I leaue for thy sake the glorie and honour which I haue had among men yea and all thinges how good soeuer they be that the world may vnderstand how greatly I loue thee My father let for thy sake my wisedome be contemned that the worlde may count me for the foolishest of all Now make I my selfe most cōtemptible of all other who was before praised of the whole world Now am I as a most wicked theefe who before was liberall profitable and beneficial to the whole world My father I make no account of all these thinges that I may be found obedient to thy will This is that Samaritane who being desired by no prayers came fulfilled the law with his whole heart he alone hath fulfilled it which praise none can take from him he alone hath deserued it and to him onely it appertaineth But whereas he is touched with care of the woūded man hath compassion on him byndeth vp his woundes bringeth him with him into an Inne The wounded man the theeues that spoiled him prouideth for him that pertaineth vnto vs. The man which lieth half dead wounded beaten spoiled is Adam yea and all we The theeues which spoiled vs wounded vs and left vs halfe dead as yet a litle pāting are the Deuels The horse and his sitter do here fall downe we are not able to helpe our selues and if we should be left lying so we should die through great anguish and distres our woundes would become festred and our affliction miserable and exceeding great This excellent parable is set before our eyes liuely painting forth vnto vs what we are what is the strength of our reason and free will If that wretched man had gone about to helpe himselfe his case would haue bene made worse he would haue hurt himselfe he would haue opened his woundes with rubbing so would haue fallen into greater calamitie Againe if he had bin left lying it had bin all one So it commeth to passe when we are left to our selues our studies and endeuour surely are nothing howsoeuer we set vpon the matter Hitherto sundrie waies diuers meanes haue bin inuented whereby we might come vnto heauen and amend our life this man found out this an other that whereupon haue increased innumerable sortes of Orders letters of indulgences pilgrimages to saincts which did alwayes make that state of Christianitie worse This is the world which is painted forth in this wounded man he being wholy laden with synnes fainteth vnder so heauie a burden and is not able to helpe him selfe But the Samaritane who hath fulfilled the Lawe and is perfectly sound and whole commeth and doth more then either the Priest or Leuite he byndeth vp his woundes poureth in oyle and wine setteth him vpon his owne beast bringeth him with him vnto an Inne maketh prouision for him and when he should depart diligently commendeth him to the host and leaueth with him sufficient for expenses none of which either the Priest or Leuite did By the Priest the holy Fathers are signified The Priest Leuite which passed by the woūded mā which flourished before Moses The Leuite is a representation of the Priesthood of the old Testament Now all these could do nothing by their workes but passed by like vnto this Priest and Leuite Wherefore although I had all the good workes of
Noe Abraham yea and of all the faithfull Fathers they would profit me nothing The Priest and Leuite saw that miserable man lie wounded but they could not helpe him any thinge they saw him lie halfe dead but what was that to the purpose they could not giue him any remedy The holy Fathers sawe men drowned and plunged in synnes euen vp to the eares they also felt the sting and anguish of synne but what could they doe hereunto they could make the case worse and not better And those were the preachers of the Lawe which shew what the world is namely that it is full of synne and lieth halfe dead and can not euen any whit helpe it selfe with his strength reason and free will But Christ is that true Samaritane Christ the true Samaritane which helpeth the wounded man Oyle who is touched with as great care of that miserable man as of himselfe Neither doth the Samaritane call him vnto him for he hath no merit but enioyeth the meere grace and mercy of Christ who byndeth vp his woundes and hauing great care of him poureth in oyle and wine that is the whole Gospell He poureth in oyle when grace is preached when it is sayd beholde O miserable man this is thy incredulitie this is thy condemnation thus art thou wounded and sicke but abyde I will shew thee a remedy for all this Behold ioyne thy selfe to this Samaritane Christ the Sauiour he will best helpe and succour thee and beside him nothing The nature of oyle as he know is to make soft and mollifie so the sweete and gentle preaching of the Gospell maketh my heart soft and tender toward God and my neighbour so that I dare bestow my body and life for Christ and his Gospell if God and neede so require Wine Sharpe wine signifieth rhe holy crosse or affliction which forwith followeth Neither is there any cause that a Christian should looke farre about and seeke the crosse for it sooner hangeth ouer his head then he is aware of as Paul witnesseth 2. Tim. 3 All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecutiō This is the cognisance and badge of this king He that is ashamed of this cognisance pertaineth not vnto him Moreouer that Samaritane putteth this wounded man vpon his owne beast this is our Lord Iesus Christ who beareth vs we ly vpon his shoulders vpō his necke body There is scarce a more amiable comfortable historie in the whole Gospell then where Christ compareth himselfe to a shepeheard which carieth againe the lost sheepe vpon his shoulders vnto the flocke The Inne whereunto the wounded mā is brought the host to whom he is committed The Inne is the state of Christianitie in this world wherein we must abide for a litle time The host is the ministers preachers of the worde of God and of the Gospell whose charge is to haue care of vs. This therefore is the summe The kingdome of Christ is a kingdome of mercy and grace where is nothing els but alwayes to be borne and to beare Christ beareth our defects and infirmitie he taketh our synnes vpon himselfe and beareth our fall willingly we daily lie vpon his necke neither is he wearied with that bearing of vs. It is the dutie of the preachers of this kingdome to comfort consciences to handle them gently to feede them with the Gospell to beare the weake to heale the sicke Moreouer they ought fitly to applie the worde according to the neede of euerie one This is in deede is the dutie of a true Bishop and preacher not to proceede by violence and iniurie as it is the custome of our bishops at this daye which vex torment and crie out goe to goe to he that will not willingly shal be compelled to doe it against his will We must in no wise doe so But a Bishop or preacher ought to behaue himselfe as a healer of the sicke who dealeth verie tenderly with them vttereth verie louing words vnto them talketh very gently with them and bestoweth all his endeuour about them The same must a Bishop or minister of any particular parish do and thinke no otherwise but that his bishoprike or parish is as an hospitall wherein are such as are combred with diuerse and sundrie kyndes of diseases If Christ be thus preached then faith and loue come togither which fulfill the commaundemēt of loue Now forasmuch as the knowledge of the Lawe and the Gospel and of the difference betweene them is verie necessarie I will intreat of them somwhat more at large Of the Lawe and the Gospell I haue verie oftē admonished your brotherly charitie The wlole Scripture diuided into the Lawe the Gospell that the whole Scripture deuideth it selfe into two parts into the Lawe and the Gospel The Law is that which teacheth what we must do what the will of God requireth of vs. The Gospell teacheth where that is to be receiued which the Lawe cōmaundeth Euen as if I seeke to take phisicke it is one art to tell what the disease is an other to minister that which is good and wholesom to remedie it So standeth the case here The Lawe reuealeth the disease the Gospell ministreth the medecine Which is manifest euē by the text whereof we haue already intreated The Lawyer commeth and being verie desirous of eternall life asketh what he must do The Lawe declareth it vnto him saying The office of the Lawe Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule with all thy strength and with all thy minde and thy neighbour as thy selfe He that readeth these workes after a bare and sclender sort onely as this Lawyer did vnderstandeth them not We must pearce into the Lawe and euerie one behold his face and heart therein God must be loued of me from the bottom of my heart Againe I must loue him with all my soule that is from the depth of my soule so that I throughly feele in my selfe that I loue him For to loue with the soule signifieth in the Scripture such loue as a yong man beareth toward a mayd which he feeleth throughly in his minde Moreouer with all my strength that is with all my members Also with all my mynde that is all my senses cogitations thoughts must be directed vnto God Now I finde in my selfe that I do none of these For if I must loue God with all my heart soule strength and minde it is requisite that myne eyes shew no angrie twinckling or motiō that my toūg speak no angrie word that my feete handes eares c. shew no signe of wrath that my whole body euen from the crowne of the head to the soles of the feete all things belonging thereunto do walke in charitie be as it were rauished with loue and pleasure toward God alwaies serue worship him Wherfore who is he which by the pleasure loue of vertue is chast righteous there cā not
be one such foūd in the earth For we alwayes finde our selues readier to wrath hatred enuie worldly pleasure c then to meekenes other vertues I finde in me not onely a sparke but euen a fierie fornace of wicked lust for there is no loue in myne heart no not in all my members Wherefore here in the Lawe as it were in a certaine glasse I see whatsoeuer is in me to be damnable and cursed For not one iote of the Law must perish but all must be fulfilled Matth. 5 18. as Christ saith Truly I say vnto you till heauē earth passe one iote or title of the Lawe shall not scape till all be fulfilled Now thou fyndest not this in thee that thou doest with all thy soule and heart with cheerefulnes and pleasure whatsoeuer the Law exacteth and requireth of thee Hereupon thou art damned and vnder the dominion of Satan The Lawe therefore serueth vs thus farre to teach vs that we are condemned for by it we fynde all wicked desyres in vs and yet not so much as a sparke of them ought to be in vs. Howbeit our Scholemen not marking this haue taught that if one do according to his abilitie God doeth giue his grace vnto him They are blynde guides They graunt themselues that a man is caried with no pleasure or cheerefulnes to that which is good and yet do they also teach if one worketh although it be with griefe difficultie and slouthfulnes that it is well with him before God But Christ hath taught otherwise in this place that we should worke that which is good with pleasure and loue readines and facilitie Whom therefore shall we rather beleeue Christ or the Scholemen but I leaue that to your iudgement Of such corrupt and euell vnderstanding of the Lawe Monasteries afterwardes came whereby entred in this opinion that it was thought to be sufficient to saluation to liue in a Monasterie and to follow the orders thereof although that were done euen with griefe of mynde We must worke with pleasure and cheerefulnes not with grudging or griefe So they taught But Christ will haue vs to worke with pleasure and cheerefulnes so that if any thinge be done with burden or griefe of conscience it is synne remoue thy selfe therefore quickly from such a worke Wherefore thus it might be said vnto them Behold O man thou miserable creature oughtest to be caried with a certaine delight to the doinge of the lawe of God but thou commest with no pleasure or cheerefulnes hereunto now see that thou shew thy pleasure and loue herein otherwise thou shalt be the enemie of God and the friend of Satan thus men leauing their owne rashnes might come to the knowledge of themselues and might then say Therefore O God am I condemned and that not vniustly Hereupon it followeth that we are all vnder Satan as long as we feele in vs this difficultie and hardnes to doe that which is good Wherefore if I should speake the trueth I should say thus I fynde in deede somethinge that is good in the lawe of God but it is my death and if it could be I would wish that it were not So are all men affected in their heart as S. Paule plainly teacheth Rom. 7. If we should remaine in such condemnation we must needes perish for euer There is therefore an other part that is the Gospell The office of the Gospell which sheweth comfort and saluation declaring where that is to be had whereby the Lawe is fulfilled When therefore I know by the Lawe that I am a condemned man then ly I halfe dead among theeues Satan hath spoiled my soule and hath moreouer in Adam taken away all faith all righteousnes and hath left nothing but bodily life which is also qulckly extinguished Then come Leuites and Priestes which teach this and that but can helpe nothing and so passe by But when the Samaritane commeth he helpeth that is when Christ commeth he sheweth his mercy vnto vs saying after this sort Behold thou oughtest in deede to loue God with all thine heart but thou doest it not now beleeue onely in me thou shalt enioy my obedience as thine owne this onely helpeth me Then he putteth me on his owne beast that is on himselfe and carieth me into the Inne that is into the Church of the faithfull then he by and by poureth his grace into me that is oyle that I may feele my selfe to be layd vpon his shoulder that at the last maketh me to be of a good cheere quiet well affected in conscience Afterward he poureth in wine also which with his sharpnes may abate tame the force of old Adam And yet am I not so wholy restored vnto health health is in deede poured in begon but not yet wholy finished then Christ hath care of me by his grace poured into me doth purifie me that frō day to day I may become more chast meeke gētle faithfull c vntill I wholy dy for then I shal be altogether made perfect So when we shall come to God the father and be asked of him whether we beleeued in God whether we loued him c the Samaritane Christ our Lord who hath layed vs on his owne beast will come forth and saye Loe Father although they haue not wholy fulfilled thy Lawe yet haue I fulfilled it suffer thou that to turne to the commoditie of them that beleeue in me So is it needefull that all the Saincts albeit verie holy be layed vpon the backe of Christ If so be that the holiest of all as the Priestes and Leuites could not satisfie the Lawe how shall we go about with our fained workes as with shauing habit c to fulfill the same O wretched miserable calamitie These things shall now suffize to haue bin spoken concerning this text Let vs pray vnto God that he will giue vs his grace **** A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER CONCERNING THE EXERCISE AND INCREASING OF FAITH Iohn 4. Verse 46. THere was a certeine ruler whose sonne was sicke at Capernaum 47. When he heard that Iesus was come out of Iudea into Galile he wēt vnto him besought him that he would go downe heale his sonne for he was euen ready to die 48. Then said Iesus vnto him Except ye see signes and wonders ye will not beleeue 49. The ruler said vnto him Syr goe downe before my sonne die 50. Iesus said vnto him Goe thy waie thy sonne liueth and the man beleeued the word that Iesus had spoken vnto him and went his waye 51. And as he was now going downe his seruaūts met him saying Thy sonne liueth 52. Then enquired he of them the houre when he beganne to amend And they said vnto him yesterdaye the seuenth houre the feuer lefte him 53. Then the father knew that it was the same houre in the which Iesus had said vnto him Thy sonne liueth and he beleeued and all his household 54. This second miracle
falleth out with many other men also that they haue their children sicke but that which he sayth afterward is to be marked VVhen he heard that Iesus was come out of Iudea into Galile he went vnto him and besought him that he woulde goe downe and heale his sonne for he was euen ready to dye Here faith beginneth and trusteth in Christ Nowe that he had faith the Gospell declareth for he heard of Christ how he healed the sicke thereupon his hart was set vpon him and he resorteth vnto him thinking thus If he helpeth all men he will also helpe me and will heale my sonne He counteth Christ for such a man as is able to helpe men and hopeth and promiseth to him selfe all goodnes from him and that in deede is a true Christian hart which cleaueth fast vnto God If that this ruler had stoode in a place or way hauing two pathes douting with him selfe he had not gone vnto Christ but his hart would haue bene thus affected He helpeth others in deede but who can tell whether he will help me also Howbeit he doth not thus dout of Christ but riseth and maketh hast vnto him This is the beginning of faith now ye shal see how Christ meeteth him on the other side and aunswereth otherwise then he thought for that his faith might be tried and thus he sayth vnto him Except ye see signes and wonders ye will not beleeue Christ sayd also to S. Peter Matth. 14 VVhy doost thou dout O thou of litle faith Peter vndoutedly had faith did beleue in Christ whereupon he committed him selfe to the water but when he saw the winde he was afraide and beganne to be drowned so in this place that good man heareth a good report of Christ that he helpeth euery man which he beleeueth and therefore resorteth vnto him But when he heareth that Christ denieth to come he stumbleth and his faith faileth fearing that Christ would not come vnto him This is as it were an assault sore blowe here his new begun faith beginneth to be tempted It was a hard saying except ye see signes and wonders ye will not beleeue which saying doth so tempt him and bring him into dout that he almost falleth Satan standing at his backe sayth vnto him get thee home and looke to thy busines for he will not helpe thee Notwithstanding the ruler did not by and by leaue of but prayed the Lorde moreouer Lorde come downe before my sonne dye Here his faith began to be in daunger to faile but God doth not forsake him but lifteth him vp againe and sayth vnto him Goe thy way thy sonne liueth If the ruler had not had faith he woulde not haue requested Christ to come to his sonne What therefore doth he want euen this he beleeued if Christ came to his house he coulde then helpe his sonne if he did not come he could not helpe him Neither did his faith extende so farre as to beleeue that Christ euen being absent could heale the sicke but it behoued that he should haue a higher faith Wherfore Christ lifteth him vp and setteth him in a higher state and sayth vnto him Goe thy way thy sonne liueth Here he first ascendeth from his former faith whereby he beleeued that Christ could heale being present and commeth to a higher faith so that now he beleeueth the word For if he had not beleeued the word he would not haue left Christ neither would haue departed from him vntill he had come with him to his house But hauing layd holde on the word he cleaueth vnto it by faith for his sonne is at home and Christ is with his father Wherefore the Father receiueth this word in his hart and thinketh with him selfe after this sort My sonne is sicke but I shall find him whole which faith was contrary both to reason experience Reason would haue thought thus When I came from my sonne he was sicke True faith leaueth all wisedom and reason and trusteth to the onely word of God as I did leaue him so shall I find him But faith sayth otherwise it resteth onely in the word trusteth wholy vnto it neither douteth it that any thing will fall out otherwise then the word speaketh Goe thy way thy sonne liueth This is a right and a stronge faith when as man leaueth sense wisedome reason and trusteth wholy to the worde of God Christ sayth thy sonne liueth And he sayth with him selfe without dout it is true I shall so find it So faith remaineth not idle nor resteth but increaseth and goeth forward Thus Christ dealeth with vs also he suffereth vs to be tempted that we may increase in faith if in the ende of our life when we must dye we shall haue but a sparke of such faith we shall be in a good case as Christ sayth vnto his Disciples Matth. 17 If ye haue faith as much as is a graine of musterd seede ye shal say vnto this mountaine Remoue hence to yonder place it shall be remoued and nothing shal be vnpossible vnto you A graine of musterd seede is but a small thing but he that hath faith agreeable to the smalnes of this graine shall be saued Neither must we so much cōsider this that our faith is litle but we must looke vnto this we must haue regard vnto this that the graine of musterd seede do remaine and be not eaten vp of the birdes that Satan plucke not faith out of our hartes We must not looke how litle the faith is but we must regarde and take heede that faith be not taken away Peter had faith vpon the sea and therefore was he caried of the water that he should not be drowned if he had so perseuered in faith he might well haue walked an hundred miles vpon the sea but when he fayled in faith he began to be drowned So Moses had a stronge faith but he fell from it It consisteth not in the strength or slendernes of faith that we doe stand but in perseuering and remaining faithfull It may be that he shall perseuer in faith which hath but a slender faith and he that hath a strong faith shall fall and dout Moses and Peter had an excellent faith so that Moses by faith did leade the people through the middest of the sea and death and Peter without douting went downe out of the ship into the sea but they fall from their faith howbeit God raiseth them vp quickly again But the Theefe on the crosse hauing once layd hold of faith continued constant Nowe God therefore suffereth it to be thus that he may bring down rash arrogancie that we doe not gloriously extol our selues but alwaies remaine in feare awe For when tentation commeth vpon vs we doe forthwith fal into errour if God do not assist strengthen vs of which thinge we may see a very goodly similitude in a tree A proper apt similitude which in the spring time buddeth and openeth it selfe so that it
doth as it were become white by reason of the blossoms A shower falling vpon it many of the blossoms are shaken of the frost also doth much more consume them Afterward when the frute beginneth to spring forth some great winde blowing much of it being newly come forth falleth downe and when it waxeth ripe the caterpiller commeth which with other wormes gnaweth spoyleth it so much that scarce the twentieth part yea scarce the hundreth part many times remaineth The same commeth to passe with the hearers of the Gospell in the beginning thereof euery one coueteth to be a true Christian euery one liketh of it very well and the first frutes thereof are very pleasant But when winde a shower or tentation commeth all fall away from it by companies afterwards sects and seditions arise which like vnto wormes and kankers gnaw and infect the frutes of the Gospell and so many false opinions spring vp that very few doe perseuer in the true profession of the Gospell We haue here thankes be giuen to Almighty God the worde of God plentifully taught we are deliuered out of deepe great darkenes but we forgetting the word are made weake we liue hauing no care of the word for it is not sauory vnto vs. But when as hereafter false prophets shall breake in with their corrupt opinions and Satan also shall violently assaile vs finding vs idle and the house swept and garnished he will bring with him seuen other spirits worse then him self and the ende shall be worse then the beginning Which thinges if they so fall out let vs not therefore be quite discouraged but let vs rather instruct one an other that we may learne to cleaue vnto God and pray vnto him and say Mercifull God thou hast giuen vnto me to become a Christian giue vnto me also that I may perseuer and become daily richer in faith Albeit the whole world did resist and euery one conspired to destroy the Gospell yet wil I be nothing moued but by thy diuine helpe will depend on the Gospell But to returne againe to the Ruler ye haue heard that his faith was very notable and excellent he heareth the worde thy sonne liueth They which beleeue shal assuredly obtaine al good thinges that they pray vnto God for he beleeueth it and goeth away giuing honour to God he receiueth the only word he trusteth wholy vnto it Hereupō God dealeth so graciously with him that he restoreth health vnto his sonne raiseth him vp and strengthneth him in faith neither suffereth him to sticke in dout or infirmitie but establisheth him and maketh him stronge and causeth him to goe forward increase Neither doth God delay vntill he commeth home but declareth vnto him being yet in his iorney the helth of his sonne sending his seruaunts to meete him that they might bringe him good newes and say thy sonne liueth For God can not differre or delay where there is a sincere hart which trusteth in him alone all other thinges being left looking onely vnto the word of God there God can not hide him selfe but reuealeth him selfe commeth vnto such a hart maketh his abode there as the Lord sayth Ioh. 14. Now what can be more ioyful thē for a mā to giue credit to the word of God to be plucked from it by no affliction or tentation but to shut his eyes against euery assault of Satan to lay aside humane sense vnderstanding reason wisedom and to say daily in his hart God hath spoken it he can not lye I say nothing is more ioyfull then such a faith For whatsoeuer we aske of God with such a faith we receiue it more aboundantly of him then euer we desired it and God is sooner present with vs then we had thought Hereupon the Euangelist vseth so many wordes euen vnprofitable as it appeareth vnto vs as these The man beleeued the word that Iesus had spoken vnto him and went his vvay And as he vvas novv going dovvne his seruaunts met him saying Thy sonne liueth Then inquired he of them the houre vvhen he began to amend and they sayd vnto him Yesterday the seuenth houre the feuer left him Then the father knevv that it vvas the same houre in the vvhich Iesus sayd vnto him Thy sonne liueth All which tende vnto this ende that we should know that if we beleeue in the Lord he will giue vs abundantly whatsoeuer we shall pray vnto him for The conclusion the Euangelist maketh as followeth And he beleeued and all his houshold He so increased in faith that he did not onely ascend from a low state to a higher but he brought others also vnto faith He had surely an effectuall faith which did not rest idle and slothfull in the hart but did breake forth so that whosoeuer were in his house were brought vnto faith The nature and qualitie of true faith For this is plainely the nature of faith this is the qualitie of it to drawe others vnto it to burst forth and apply it self euen vnto the worke of loue as S. Paule witnesseth Galat. 5 That faith which worketh by loue is effectuall For it can not keepe silence or be idle as Dauid sayth Psal 116 which place Paule applieth to the faithfull 2. Cor. 4 I beleeued therefore haue I spoken Faith can doe no other for it is enforced to speake neither can it keepe silence inasmuch as he that is endued with it endeuoureth to profit his neighbour This ruler had faith for him selfe but it doth not remaine in him alone but breaketh forth For without all dout he declared to his familie how he came vnto Christ and receiued comfort of him which they also beleued So we also when we beleeue must open our mouth and confesse the grace which God hath shewed vnto vs. The most excellent work of faith Which is the chiefe and most excellent worke of faith that one instruct an other in the worde For Paule sayth Rom. 10 VVith the hart man beleeueth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation If we be ashamed of this word it is a certaine argument of a very light vncertaine faith We see therfore that there is no difference with Christ betwene the strong and the weake in faith for a litle faith is faith also He therefore came into the world that he might receiue to him selfe beare and sustaine the weake If he were so impatient as we be he would by and by say vnto vs Get thee from me I wil none of thee because thou beleeuest not in me But this is a thing greatly to be cōmended when one can handle that weake gently and doth not deale rigorously with them and repell them by impatiencie For although they be weake to day the houre may come when they shall receiue the word more aboundantly then we Thus we ought to instruct and teach one an other that we may depend on that word of God For if we continue in sticking to the
what this is that the Lord sheweth to his Disciples his handes and his feete whereby is declared vnto vs what commoditie we haue by Christ whereunto he profiteth vs and what we must loke for of him It is engraffed in the harts of all men as it were by nature to haue a certen wil to be honest godly euery one thinketh how he may come to saluation wherby it hath come to passe that one hath inuented this thing an other that being verily persuaded that thereby he should make God fauourable vnto him and obtaine heauen but none such at any time hath stoode in the right way forasmuch as all haue had this drift that they might procure Gods fauour by deedes and good workes Notable Doctors also and holy fathers haue written taught many things how we might attaine vnto godlines About this they haue miserably troubled them selues but as we see and to our notable losse haue felt they haue done litle Wherefore it is exceeding necessary that some sound knowledge be had hereof wherby we must endeuour to true godlines forasmuch as it is a thing of no small importance For he that is deceiued here lozeth the summe and chiefe point of all Christianitie hereof therefore we must nowe speake somewhat True righteousnes is obtained not by our owne workes but by the works which Christ hath wrought for vs. True sound righteousnes consisteth not in our owne works but in the works of an other Take an example hereof One buildeth temples an other for religions sake goeth to S. Iames to Aquisgrane to Rome to the holy sepulcher the third pineth him selfe with fastings prayeth weareth a cowle goeth bare foote or worketh some other such worke whatsoeuer it be these are our owne workes God hath not commaunded them but men and hypocrites iustifiers of them selues haue inuented them and haue thought that they are precious good workes and greatly esteemed of God sweetely persuading them selues that they are by them deliuered from sinnes and that God is pacified towards them But these workes chosen of their owne proper will are nothing worth at all neither can stand forasmuch as they proceede not of faith yea they are sinnes as Sainct Paule saith Rom. 14 VVhatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne These our works therefore are defiled and vncleane in the sight of God yea he doth abhorre and loathe them Wherefore if we will haue to doe with God we must not ascend trusting to our owne workes but to the workes of an other But which are those workes of an other that are allowed of God Truely the workes of our Lorde Iesus Christ whom God the father sent downe from heauen that by his death and passion he might satisfie for our sinnes This satisfaction fel out vpon this occasion We were subiect to great daunger The miserable case wherein man was before he was deliuered by Christ grieuous tyrannes had power ouer vs which day and night without ceasing did vexe vs. The law which God gaue vnto man did vrge vs and required many thinges of vs which we were not able to performe and therefore it condemned vs. Sinne also did lye vpon vs as a heauy burden which the lawe did oft times make greater greater Death went about to deuour vs inasmuch as it is the wages of sinne Satan also endeuoured to throw vs downe headlong to hell inasmuch as he would punish vs for our sinnes committed all thinges were full of trembling and anguish God taking pitie vpon this so great calamity sent his only begotten sonne and that of his mere grace goodnes without our desert that he might deliuer vs out of so great tyrannie which he mightely did after this sorte He satisfied the law Christ hath fulfilled the law preuailed against sinne ouercome death and vanquished Satan and fulfilled it perfectly For he loued God with all his heart and with all his soule with all his strength he loued his neighbour also as him selfe in these the whole law and the Prophetes do consist Nowe whatsoeuer Christ did it consisted in these two He loued God inasmuch as he obeyed his will he tooke vpon him the nature of man and performed in all obedience those thinges that were enioyned him of the father as Paul saith Phil. 2 He became obedient to the father vnto the death euen the death of the crosse Secondly he loued his neighbour for all the workes which he did in the earth tended vnto this end that he might therby profit his neighbour and therefore he so loued his neighbour that he euen died for him as he saith himselfe to his disciples Ioh. 15 Greater loue then this hath no man when any man bestoweth his life for his frends S. Paul doth more set forth this saying for his enemies when he writeth thus Rom. 5 But God setteth out his loue towards vs seeing that while we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. Forasmuch then as Christ hath so fulfilled the law it could not accuse him neither was sinne of any force with him He set vpon it and did preuaile ouer it and swallowed it vp it was enforced to be extinguished of him no otherwise then a sparke of fire in the most wide sea For in him was nothing but mere righteousnes Death also came and went about to deuour him it deuoured him in deede but it could not digest him it was enforced to yeeld him vp againe yea and this deuouring was an vtter discommoditie to death for the case being quite altered Christ deuoured death it selfe For it had set vpon him against whome it had no right forasmuch as not a whit of sinne did appeare in him Where sinne is not there death hath nothing to doe as Sainct Paule sayth 1. Cor. 15 The stinge of death is sinne with this it killeth otherwise it should be dull and haue no strength Satan also made a triall of his strength in him but in vaine and to his owne griefe for he layde handes on him with whome he had nothing to doe The wretch was ouercome in this conflict and went away with shame as Christ sayth Ioh. 14 The Prince of this world commeth and hath nought in me Hell also did open his mouth and would haue deuoured Christ but contrariwise it was deuoured of him And so in this conflict the Law Sinne Death Satan and hell were vanquished ouer all which he triumphed gloried with great pompe as Paule sayth Col. 2. The beleeuers by faith enioy the workes of Christ as their owne All these thinges were not onely done for our commoditie but also if we beleeue in this Lorde Christ they are giuen vnto vs. For whatsoeuer he hath it serueth for vs yea he him selfe is ours as Paule sayth Rom. 8. God spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shall he not with him giue vs all thinges also So that I may boldly glorie of all victorie which he obtained ouer the law sinne
hearde more here we will now make an ende and call for the grace of God A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER VPON THE GOSPELL ON SAINCT MATTHIAS DAY Matth. 11. Verse 25. AT that time Iesus aunswered and said I giue thee thankes O Father Lord of heauen earth because thou hast hid these thinges from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them vnto children 26. It is so O Father because thy good pleasure was such 27. All thinges are giuen vnto me of my Father no man knoweth the Sonne but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne wil reueale him 28. Come vnto me all ye that are wearie laden I will refresh you 29. Take my yoke on you and learne of me for I am meeke and lowlie in hart and ye shall find rest vnto your soules 30. For my yoke is easie and my burden is light The summe of this Gospell 1 REason is not capable of the Gospell For as Paul 1. Cor. 2. sayth The natural man perceiueth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Wherefore when reason seeketh saluation in worldly wisedome and foolishnes it fyndeth it not 2 Christ calleth them children here which trust not to their owne wisedome and righteousnes but do beleeue onely 3 As children onely do obtaine saluation so the Father also can not be knowen vnles he be reuealed by Christ that is our wisedome doth not know God the father But when as through fayth we are taught and instructed in bearing the crosse then the power of God becommeth known vnto vs. Therefore also he afterward comforteth them vpon whom the crosse is layd saying My yoke is easie and my burden light The exposition of the text THis text toucheth as it were the verie pith and marrow of the Gospel Other places of Scripture wherein the miracles and doinges of Christ are rehearsed haue not so much cōfort as those in which those sermons of Christ to the people are conteined wherein he doth so louingly teach vs and allure vs to himselfe I am not so certaine of the fauour which I see shewed to others in working miracles as if I haue the plaine wordes before myne eyes It is a farre greater comfort also vnto me to heare such louing admonitions and allurements then the preaching of miracles Albeit they also confirme my fayth and are examples that as he hath holpen them so also he will helpe me Moreouer this Gospell entreateth of the knowledge of God the father and of Christ his sonne shewing also whereof such knowledge doth consist Now that the meaning thereof may be well knowne it is requisite to vnderstād aright these two words wisemen and children or babes But lest when we heare it we say this pertaineth nothing to vs it is spokē to others as the Iewes said to the Prophets which referred all thinges to the Gentiles the wordes going before do sufficiently shew vnto whom or of whom these wordes of Christ are spoken For before he speaketh of them that contemne the Gospell not vouchsafeing to embrace it whose dutie notwithstanding especially was to embrace it inasmuch as they would seeme alone to be them that were occupied in the word of God and were to be counted for the people of God Of such he sayeth thus Whereunto shall I liken this generation it is like vnto litle children which sit in the markets and call vnto their fellowes and say we haue piped vnto you and ye haue not daunced we haue mourned vnto you and ye haue not lamented Which the Lord applieth to himselfe and vnto Iohn the Baptist as if he would say we haue preached vnto you the Gospell Iohn with a certaine seueritie and austeritie but I with verie great clemencie and gentlenes But ye cōtemne our preaching and will not receiue it ye shall at the last feele without dout to your great euell what it is to despise the word of God This is verie true howsoeuer thou preachest to the people whether thou be fayre spoken or seuere gentle or vngentle they will alwayes seeme to haue some cause or other to complaine of thee These the Lord calleth here wise and men of vnderstanding to these the Gospell is hyd He meaneth not here those wise men which are truly wise in diuine matters For it is a great commendation if one be worthy to be called wise and prudent True wisedom is nothing els but the knowledge of God True wisedome what it is Prudence to wit when as I know what we must thinke of God and do vnderstand his will But prudence signifieth abilitie and knowledge to iudge of worldly thinges what is right or wrong which Paule often ioyneth togither especially in his Epistle to the Ephesians chap. 1. and in his Epistle to the Colossians chap. 1. Of such wisedome Christ speaketh not here but of worldly wisedome which puffeth vp men and excludeth the true wisedome of God We are all of this disposition by nature eftsoones to rise against the wisedome of God Humane or worldly wisdome That is called good by the instinct of humane wisedome which bringeth pleasure honour and profite but those thinges that are contrarie to these as affliction dishonour losse those are called euill For mans nature can seeke nothing els at all but those things that are his owne that which pleaseth and profiteth him that he doth especially like But that which displeaseth him he counteth the worst of all thinges although it be the best Wherefore as I haue saide the Lord speaketh here of those wise and prudent men which with their owne wisedom striue against the wisedome of God Worldly wisedome seemeth to it selfe to be so great that is it not content to rule onely these worldly and temporall thinges but taketh also vpon it selfe to haue the ouersight of heauenly things it alwayes sercheth out and imagineth some new thing euen in spirituall and diuine matters So mans owne wisedome hath inuented shauen crownes and cowles almost all that wherein the papacie consisteth euerie one hath chosen his proper worke to himselfe this man hath inuented this an other hath inuēted that and if this be abolished and doth not greatly please byandby they fynde out some other thing as alas we haue seene and do as yet see neither is there any measure in these trifles whereupon it commeth that we can hardly away with the word of God and the truth but are alwayes delighted to inuent some new thing For truly this is certaine as often as we ordaine a new worship of God contrarie to the word of God we are byandby blynded and fall from errour to errour then which calamitie none greater can come vnto vs. Wherefore Paule 2. Thess 2. sayth Therefore God shall send them strong delusiō that they should beleeue lies that all they might be damned which beleeued not the truth but
had pleasure in vnrighteousnes Yea and at the last they become so blynde that they vnderstand nothing at all of God as it is in the 14. Psal The foole hath sayd in his heart there is no God For it can not be that the naturall man which consisteth of flesh blood and is not instructed by the spirit of God should iudge and vnderstand those thinges which are of God as Paule 1. Cor. 2. witnesseth The naturall man perceiueth not the thinges of the Spirite of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually decerned He which wil reade more hereof let him peruse the first chapter of the Epistle of Paule to the Romanes there shall he plainly enough perceiue what blyndenes is and what punishment doth ensue if the word of God beinge neglected we folowe our one inuentions and counsels All which we see in our spirituall monkes nunnes and sacrificing pristes and do too truly trie it God graunt that they may at the last repent and giue vnto God his glorie S. Paule sayth there of the Gentiles that they turned the glorie of the incorruptible God to the similitude of the image not onely of a corruptible man but also of birdes and foure footed beastes and of creeping thinges So do our Papists also yea and much more foolishly and madly then the Gentiles for they make vnto themselues a good which is delighted with a shauen crowne with towels with eating of flesh and fish c. Wherefore God hath giuen them vp through their hearts lusts vnto vncleannes as he did the Gentiles and that so filthily that it is better to conceale it then to rehearse it For if such filthie and wicked thinges were committed among the Gentiles which had many wiues and many concubines what would not these spirituall men com-Briefly which haue forbidden the vse of women and matrimonie mit so is it wont to come to passe where Satan beareth the swaie and the word of God is wrested to serue mens affections which euerie man may assuredly perswade himselfe to be so yea these thinges are so knowen and vndoutedly true that children in the stretes speake and sing of them Now this is not to be vnderstood of spirituall men onely but euen the vulgar sort and common multitude do liue so when the word of God is not admitted As we see citizens to vtter counterfet wares marchants to deceiue in selling marchandice and so many craftie practizes so many deceits in subtill dealing so much regard of vsurie and priuate profit that it can not be rehearsed As yet they endeuour againe to bring in the Masse to set vp their tapers c being perswaded that God is pacified with such trifles reuoluing this onely in their myndes that their fame may remaine vntouched and vnhurt in the world howsoeuer they agree with God Of such wise and prudent men Christ speaketh here in the Gospell which heare the Gospell in deede and see miracles but it profiteth them nothing forasmuch as their heart is not touched Now Christ sayth thus Verse 25. I giue thee thankes O Father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these thinges from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them vnto children Verse 26. It is so O Father because thy good pleasure was such Christ speaketh not here of verie children there may be some notable doctor whom he calleth a childe in this place Contrariwise there may be a rusticall felow whom he calleth here wise and prudent In the eight Psal Dauid also calleth these infants and children when he sayth Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies They surely by whom God ordained strength against his enemies which should extoll his glorie through the whole world were not babes or children in verie deede Those therefore the Lord calleth children here which compt their owne workes for nothing attribute nothing to their owne wisedome Whom the Lord calleth here childrē or babes make nothing of themselues but thinke God onely to be wise and of vnderstanding Wherefore they are humble and lowly and how great soeuer they are do submit themselues to God of whom onely they suffer themselues to be taught Now other be ouer wise and will learne nothing of God yea they presumptuously take to themselues iudgement and censure ouer the doctrine and workes of God whereof thou mayste read in the first and second chapter of the Epistle to the Corinthians Wherefore Christ sayth Luke 16 The children of this world are in their generation wiser then the children of light But the foolish children of light are of greater estimation before God then the wise children of this world Of these children the Lord speaketh Thou hast hid them from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hast reuealed them to babes For the wise and prudent know not these thinges but the children and fooles know them How commeth it to passe that the wise know them not because thou hast hidden them from them How do the children know them because thou hast reuealed them What he meaneth hereby we may gather of those thinges that were spoken before to wit that he had preached the Gospell of the kingdome of God in many cities of Iudea as in Chorazin Bethsaida and in his owne citie Capernaum which cities their owne wisedome being a hinderance and lette vnto them did not receiue the foolish preaching of the Gospell The Gospel is a good and ioyfull message which teacheth me to know the glorie of God by which knowledge I obtaine pardon of my synnes and life eternall The Gospell a ioyful message As Christ sayth to his father in the Gospell of Iohn chap. 17 This is life eternal that they know thee to be the onely very God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent He saythe also in this Gospell No man knoweth the Sonne but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne will rereueale him Here he speaketh of the knowledge both of the Father and of the Sonne To whom this is reuealed he knoweth and obtaineth eternal life But the Father hath hid these thinges from the wise and prudent that they may not know neither the Father nor the Sonne and hath reuealed them to children they haue the knowledge both of the Father and the Sonne and so do obtaine euerlasting life Moreouer if these thinges be thus as they be in deede what shall become of free will Seeing thou seest such hainous and wicked thinges to be committed in the bodies as it is written Rom. 1. go thy wayes now and glorie of free will But this is a goodly free will to liue in such a filthie life which is altogether vnworthy of a man which is vnknowen euen among beastes that are without reason Howbeit it is wont so to come to passe when God forsaketh vs. What state they come into whom God forsaketh As
comfort these weake dismayed and troubled consciences sayth Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden and I will refresh you What soeuer burden we are laden with we may finde ease comfort in christ if we flie to him for succour Here are we called vnto comfort Here forget all thy merit and worthines for that he plainly sayth ye that are wearie and laden to wit with the burden of the lawe the anguishe and affliction of synne and wherewithall soeuer the conscience maye be troubled Therefore he dothe not expresse it by name for he saythe not ye that are troubled with this or that calamitie but simplie ye that are wearie and laden Neither will he haue any here excluded forasmuch as he saythe All which is a singular and speciall comfort if any thinge trouble vs what kynde of tentation soeuer it be Who soeuer therefore is striken with the feelinge of his synne and knoweth his one weakenes to fulfill the lawe of God let him come hither with a cheerefull and bold corage and he shall certainly receiue comfort I will refresh you sayth Christ as those that are pressed and burdened with sore labour and griefe Let this onely be thy care that thou beleeue such a louing bidding and promise After this sorte Christ cryed in the temple at Hierusalem at a certaine feast If any man thirst Ioh. 7.37.38.39 let him come vnto me and drinke He that beleeueth in me as sayth the Scripture out of his bellie shall flow riuers of water of life This spake he of the Spirit which they that beleeued in him should receiue Which so commeth to passe He causeth the Gospel to be preached vnto vs which he that beleeueth is endued with the holy Ghost and obtaineth pardon of all his synnes This is truly to refresh him whose conscience is troubled to wit when he feeleth that his synnes be forgiuen and that he is become heire of the kingdome of God Neither doth he refresh vs onely in the anguish and tentation of synne but he will also be present with vs in other calamities and miseries in famine warre dearth of victuals and whatsoeuer such like can come in all these he will not leaue vs destitute of his helpe as he cared for the Patriarke Ioseph euen in a straunge countrie with whom he was continually present as well in prosperitie as in aduersitie Nowe synne is a grieuous burden whereof no man is eased but he whom Christ the sonne of God deliuereth and that by the holy Ghost whom he hath merited for vs of the Father which maketh our hearts cheerefull and readie to do all thinges which God requireth of vs. But what is this that he sayth Take my yoke on you Is this to refresh if I take one burden from one and lay vpon him an other The yoke of Christ why so called This is that whereof we haue oftentimes spoken the Gospell doth first make astonied and discourage and is grieuous to the flesh for it telleth vs that all our owne thinges are nothing that our owne holines and righteousnes are of no importaunce that all thinges which are in vs are damned that we are the children of wrath and indignation This is verie hard and an intolerable burden to the fleshe and therefore he calleth it a burden or yoke But lest he should terrifie or make afrayde any for that he is of great authoritie high and mightie and therefore can not suffer synneful and wretched men or for that he may seeme to be tyrannicall and vngentle he before cutting of this suspicion sayth Learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart Christ will here louingly allure vs to his doctrine for he had spoken before of the knowledge of the Father as if he would saye fleshe and a fearfull nature compteth me for an austere seuere and rigorous man but I am not of such a nature yea I am humble and meeke in heart Christ humble meeke I do not terrifie men as Moses dothe I doe not preach doe this or that but I preach forgiuenes of synnes neither doe I preach that they should giue any thinge but rather that they may receiue There is not in me ambition and loftines as is in the Pharises which desire to be magnified but I am altogither gentle and lowly in heart ready to receiue synners If so be that they fall againe into synnes notwithstanding I doe not yet cast them from me if they flie vnto me for succour and doe with a sure confidence looke for comfort and helpe of me I doe not curse men as the Pharises doe which curse them euen for their owne ordinaunces and for mens deuises and will sooner suffer all the commaundements of God to be neglected then one of their decrees and ordinaunces not to be obserued As we see in the Papacie where it is counted a greater offence to eate flesh on the frydaye or for a sacrificing Priest to marie them to commit twentie adulteries or ten homicides But here thou seest that God doth abrogate euen his owne lawe that he may so much the sooner procure synners vnto him Christ in a singular signification sayth here that he is meeke as if he saide I knowe how synners are to be handled I haue tryed what a fearefull and an afflicted conscience is as the Epistle to the Hebreues chapter 5. witnesseth that he was in all thinges tempted in like sort except synne Wherefore let no man be afrayd of me I will handle all easily and gently I will saye nothinge with a sowre contenaunce I make no man afrayde so as they come boldly vnto me they shall fynde rest to their soules with me To their soules he sayth They that beleeue in Christ finde rest to their soules though in their bodies they suffer affliction as if he would saye outwardly in the bodie there maye be affliction and trouble and calamities may ouerwhelme you but ye ought to beare all these thinges lightely as he also sayth to his disciples in the Gospell of Iohn In me ye shall haue peace but in the world ye shall haue affliction Wherefore although outwardly all thinges fall out against vs as though they would suppresse and deuour vs yet are they nothinge to be esteemed of For we haue the feelinge of peace inwardly in our conscience And this is the first frute of fayth as Paule saythe Rom. 5 Therefore being iustified by fayth we haue peace toward God through our Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe when our conscience is quieted and we haue peace with God nothinge is able to moue vs no nothing shall hurt vs albeit it be euell and against vs. Let no man thinke thus and saye this is not to amend ones state or case if I take one burden from his necke and laye on an other as it is before sayd For Christ sayth My yoke is easie and my burden is light as if he would saye the yoke of the law vnder which ye liued before was
grieuous to be borne but my burden is not so grieuous it is light and tolerable ye may easily beare it Our wisemen saye now that the yoke of Christ is more grieuous then the yoke of the Lawe was and they alleage the fift chapter of Matthewe But Christ dothe there interprete the Lawe how it ought to be vnderstood he doth not make lawes but sayth that murders and adulteries proceede from an euell and vncleane heart And so he doth onely expounde the Lawe of Moses and prescribeth not any lawes there Why the yoke of Christ is saide to be easie But the yoke of Christ is therefore easie and his burden light because he taketh awaye not onely ceremoniall and mans lawes but euen the whole lawe the curse synne death and what soeuer maye come vnto vs from the Lawe all this Christ taketh awaye from me and endueth me with his spirit by the motion and instinct whereof I doe gladly willingly and with pleasure performe all the duties of the Lawe It is therefore also called easie sweete and light for that he himselfe helpeth vs and taketh part of the burden if we be not of strength sufficient It appeareth in deede grieuous and intolerable to the world but it is otherwise when there is one ready to ease the burden It is a common saying it is good to sing with a fit compainō you two will easily beare the burden although one alone were not of strēgh sufficiēt to beare it Thus much shall suffize for the exposition of this Gospell **** A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER VPON THE GOSPELL ON THE FEAST OF S. PHILIP AND IAMES Iohn 14. Verse 1. IEsus said vnto his disciples Let not your heart be troubled ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me 2. In my Fathers house are manie dwelling places if it were not so I would haue tould you I go to prepare a place for you 3. And if I go to prepare a place for you I will come againe and receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there may ye be also 4. And whither I go ye know and the waye ye knowe 5. Thomas said vnto him Lord we know not whither thou goest how can we then knowe the waye 6. Iesus said vnto him I am the Waie the Truth and the Life No man commeth vnto the Father but by me 7. If ye had knowne me ye should haue knowne my Father also and from hence forth ye know him and haue seene him 8. Philippe said vnto him Lord shew vs thy Father and it suffiseth vs. 9. Iesus said vnto him Haue I bin so long time with you and hast thou not knowne me Philip he that hath seene me hath seene my Father how then sayest thou Shewe vs thy Father 10. Beleeuest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father is in me The wordes that I speake vnto you I speake not of my selfe but the Father that dwelleth in me he doth the workes 11. Beleeue me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me at the least beleeue me for the verie workes sake 12. Verely verely I say vnto you he that beleeueth in me the workes that I do he shall do also and greater then these shalhe do for I go vnto my Father 13. And whatsoeuer ye aske in my Name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Sonne 14. If ye shall aske any thing in my name I will doe it The summe of this Gospell 1 IN this Gospell is contained a comfort against offence that tempteth vs through the crosse and persecution 2 Without the merit of Christ no man commeth to glorie Therefore he sayth In my Fathers house are many dwelling places For many are elect frō euerlasting of God the Father which notwithstanding can not come vnto glorie without Christ 3 The Disciples beleeued in Christ yet did they not vnderstād that he should come vnto glorie by death Wherein we must marke that fayth being vnperfect in the Apostles and Disciples of Christ is a comfort vnto vs if we rest vpon the foundation Christ 4 In Philip we see a verie grosse fayth for he will see and know by experience Wherefore Christ sayth If ye will not beleeue my wordes at the last beleeue the workes that the Father is in me and I in the Father 5 These wordes I say vnto you he that beleeueth in me the workes that I do he shall do also c. shew that Christ shall reigne in vs when he is glorified with the Father 6 And thus we see that in all this Gospell Christ requireth nothing els of them that be his but fayth The exposition of this Gospell IN the beginning of this Gospell Christ declareth wherefore he came and what office he executeth which is properly the preaching of the Gospell to wit that he is he which prepareth dwelling places with the Father and wil when he commeth againe receiue vs vnto himselfe Moreouer he sayth that he is the way the truth and the life which he afterward more plainly expresseth when he sayth No man commeth vnto the Father but by me Also when he sayth If ye had knowne me ye should haue knowne my Father also Hereunto moreouer pertaineth that which he sayth vnto Philip He that hath seene me hath seene my Father This is the chiefe and the greatest thing in this Gospell vnto which all are to be referred Hereof we ought to learne that we are not iustified by our owne strength neither saued by our owne merits but are sanctified by the spirit of Christ and saued by grace that Christ is the way leading to saluation We will discusse and examine this Gospell throughout as God shall giue vs grace These wordes the Lord spake vnto his Disciples after his Supper when he was now about to depart from them Forasmuch as he had said many thinges vnto them of his departure and passion they were after a sort troubled and terrified wherefore the Lord beginneth louingly to comfort thē saying Let not your heart be troubled As if he would say I perceiue that my departure dothe grieue you and that ye are therefore troubled But seeing it can not be otherwise be not discomforted there is no cause why ye should therefore be troubled I will come againe vnto you Notwithstanding ye shall see many thinges in me before whereat ye wil be offended they shal crucifie me and vnworthely handle me But be not ye troubled because of these thinges be not afrayde it wil be better shortly after the will of the Father is such Howbeit flesh can not do otherwise but be offended if it seeth Christ to be crucified it byandby reuolteth from him it beleeueth him not neither counteth him for a Sauiour Which also it doth when it seeth holy men suffer persecution to be afflicted and tormented for then it thinketh that God hath no care of them Against this offence Christ aforehand confirmeth his Disciples and sayth Ye beleeue in God beleeue also in
me That is ye beleeue that God loueth you and will glorifie you beleeue that he will do it after that sort that ye see me glorified and beleeue that this my death is life to the glorifying both of me and of my whole body that is of all Christians and that this death satisfieth for the synnes of the world as the Apostles afterward witnessed of him in their writinges 1. Iohn 2.2 Thus Iohn sayth Christ is the reconciliation for our synnes and not for ours onely but also for the synnes of the whole worlde Wherefore thou seest that Christ here will haue heartes confirmed by faith and by no other outward thinge He sayth moreouer In my Fathers house are many dwelling places These dwelling places haue bin prepared from euerlasting neither is there any neede that they should be prepared of him Why therefore doth he say I go to prepare a place for you This is nothinge els but that he goeth and is made Lord of all whereby he may prepare vs vnto such dwelling places For as long as we are not prepared neither are the dwelling places prepared for vs although they be ready by themselues Wherefore Christ meaneth thus much There are dwelling places but not yet prepared rightly and as they must be Howbeit then shal they be rightly prepared and appointed whē as I haue taken away the kingdome of death by my death and am now gone to reigne and that by the holy Ghost which by fayth shall prepare and wholy make ready you also vnto such dwelling places So that this is the simple and plaine meaning of these wordes There are dwelling places to wit where the Father glorifieth but those dwelling places are not yet prepared for that the kingdome of death is not yet taken away This Christ signifieth when he sayth If it were not so I would haue told you I go to prepare a place for you And if I go to prepare a place for you I will come againe and receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there may ye be also In these wordes the Lord declareth how these dwelling places be prepared namely by the death of Christ as it is sayde by which he came vnto glorie and ruleth ouer all thinges which are in heauen and earth By which death he hath obtayned the holy Ghost for vs which as is before sayde may prepare vs vnto these dwelling places For through his operation and working in vs he maketh vs beleeue the Gospell by which beleeuing or faith we are prepared Which could not be done if Christ should not depart and dye and so possesse a kingdome ouer all This therefore is the summe of this text They are foreseene whome the Father will glorifie but they can not be glorified but by Christ who vnles he take away death and sinne all shall be in vaine Here thou seest that all tend vnto this that Christ is he which prepareth the dwelling places and that we can not be glorified but by Christ so that the whole drift of this text is that we are not iustified by mans strength nor by our owne merits but by Christ which the whole Epistle to the Romanes effectually declareth as also that which is written to the Galathians almost all that Paule doth in his Epistles tendeth to the same ende It followeth moreouer And whither I goe ye knowe and the way ye knowe For ye beleeue in me and haue shewed signes in my name whereby ye ought nowe to be certaine who I am and what I doe and wherefore I am come Ye haue also seene and heard the testimonie of the Father of me Wherefore ye may nowe knowe that the Father will glorifie me and beleeue that I and the Father are one it shoulde be therefore superfluous to speake more of these thinges But the Disciples albeit they were well instructed of the Lorde him selfe and had seene his miracles yea and they them selues also had preached the Gospell and wrought miracles were notwithstanding as yet somewhat grosse in vnderstanding neither did they perceiue whereof he here spake and what was that way and whither the Lorde did prepare to depart Wherefore Thomas bursteth forth into open wordes and confesseth freely that he is ignorant hereof and sayth thus vnto the Lord Lord we knowe not whither thou goest hovve can we then knovve the vvay Here ye heare and see that albeit there was faith in the Disciples notwithstanding they were not as yet persuaded that Christ shoulde be crucified and by his death shoulde enter into his kingdome and that the same kingdom should be spirituall which they did not vnderstand euen after the resurrection of the Lord Act. 1.6 Lorde say they wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israell Those good men were as yet persuaded that it should be a carnall worldly kingdom Such grosse things may here and there be found in the Gospels by meanes whereof the Disciples did sometime notably stumble and erre Comfort for them that be weake in faith and sometime through infirmitie fall All which were committed to writing for our comfort confirmation that we should not be by and by discouraged when we haue sometime stumbled in faith and can not at the first apply our selues to the workes and word of the Lorde If this happened to these great mē which afterward shoulde become pillers of Christianitie there is no cause truely that any should meruell if we also sometime faint in faith yea and let no man be afrayd although it falleth out that sometime through infirmitie he so doe It is the worke and matter of the Lorde he will amend these thinges when it seemeth good vnto him Now of the wordes we mind to entreate somewhat at large Not much before when Christ would confirme his Disciples in faith he promised them that they should be glorified Here he addeth and declareth how and by what meanes they must be glorified affirming that that must be by his departure that is by his death that by that meane he must obtaine his kingdome This he had often repeated vnto them so that now it did become them to know and vnderstand it Therefore he sayth VVhither I goe ye know and the way ye knowe but they did not yet throughly vnderstand it as the wordes of Thomas doe declare Now it is certaine that there was faith in the Disciples which the wordes of Peter proue who aunswered Christ in steede of the rest when he asked them whether they also would goe away Peter sayd Maister to whom shall we goe Ioh. 6.68 Thou hast the wordes of eternall life and we beleeue and knowe that thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God This appeareth also by the wordes of the Lord which he had sayd to them a litle before at his supper Ye are cleane which he would not haue sayd if they had not beleued they knewe Christ therefore that he is the way to the Father So they knew the Father
also for that they had seene the miracles whereby he gaue testimonie of the Sonne and had heard the voyce of the Father from heauen This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him All these thinges did greatly increase faith in the Disciples hearts notwithstanding they did not yet vnderstand what they should doe and what ende concerning the matters of Christ was to be hoped for Set before you an example hereof in Abraham Although in faith a sonne was conceiued vnto him neuertheles he was yet ignorant that he must be offered Neither did faith manifestly shew it selfe when a sonne was giuen vnto him So was it also with the Disciples although they had faith notwithstanding they wanted as yet triall of their faith Now nothing trieth faith better then the crosse and persecution If Abraham had not bene commaunded to offer his sonne he had had no triall of his faith When as the Apostles did suffer persecution they then had a tast and triall of their faith As longe as we may liue without tentation we thinke that we are endued with a strong faith but if any aduersitie commeth to vs on any side we byandby trie what faith we rested vpon Wherfore S. Paul sayth Rom. 5 VVe reioyce in tribulations knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience patience experience experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed After the same sort Salomon also sayth in the Prouerbs As siluer is fined and golde tryed in the fornace Pro. 17.3 so doth the Lord trie the harts Such a triall is made by the crosse and persecution when we are as it were crucified according to our old Adam by which crucifying our faith is tried and according to this trial of faith our flesh mortified the spirit encreasing in the knowledge of Christ And then is our flesh truely mortified when we suffer the will of God to beare rule in vs which is then done when we submit our selues to his will howsoeuer he dealeth with vs renouncing our owne This S. Paule will haue vs to doe when he sayth thus Rom. 12 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that ye giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God which is your reasonable seruing of God And fashiō not your selues like vnto this world but be ye chaunged by the renuing of your minde that ye may proue what that good and acceptable and perfect vvil of God is When Thomas thus confesseth that he is ignorant whither the Lord goeth neither knoweth the way the Lord doth not rebuke him with a sterne countenance neither by and by casteth him of nor driueth him frō him he calleth him not either a grosse asse or oxe as we are wont to handle the weake but aunswering him very gently Christ the way the truth and the life sayth I am the vvay the truth and the life I sayth the Lord am the way by which the father is gone vnto albeit I be slayne I cary them that beleeue and are my sheepe on my shoulders to the Father no other way beside this leadeth vnto heauen He that walketh not this way goeth out of the way from the Father I also am the truth For I am the light which lightneth the worlde and I teach true doctrine and make true Christians Moreouer I also am the life for it is I that quicken he that beleeueth in me shall not dye This as I sayd before is to teach the Gospell rightly that is to shew the true and right way which leadeth vnto eternall life When the Disciples knew not the way that leadeth vnto glory the Lorde making no delay affirmeth vnto them that he is that way As if he should say If ye desire to know the way to glory seeke not the strength light and righteousnes of creatures but looke vnto me for I am the way the truth and the life although I must be put to death although I am vile and of no reputation according to the outward appearance neither let this offend you that they which be mine are subiect to persecutions The right way to the father is found in me let none remoue you from this perswasion Therefore he sayth moreouer No man commeth vnto the Father but by me As if he should say No man can come to the Father by his owne strength or merits The lawe terrifieth the conscience that it can not goe to the Father the word of Christ which iustifieth vs by the righteousnes of Christ bringeth vs to the Father Whereupon followeth that which he afterward sayth If ye had knovvne me ye should haue knovvne my Father also For as no man commeth to the Father but by the Sonne so no man knoweth the Father but by Christ the Sonne First the Fathers will is not knowne to wit that he wil saue vs vnles we see it in Christ He which is in the bosom of the Father hath reuealed it vnto vs. Secondly the Father is not beleeued For reason by it selfe doth not vnderstand that it receiueth any thing of God Wherefore it is needefull that Christ declare that bountifulnes and goodnes vnto vs. A troubled conscience flieth the Father neither can it abide to commit it self vnto him But they that are iustified by the word of Christ do not any more contemne the Father neither flie him as the Israelites did but stande before him as Moses and are enlightened with diuine light that they may know the power of God and mercie of the Father Hereupon commeth trust and confidence in him hereby we knowe that we receiue all thinges at his handes and looke for all as well spiritual as corporal things of him All these we must acknowledge to be receiued by faith reason can not attaine vnto them For it endeuoureth to obtaine God by her owne strength and merits but that endeuour is in vaine Wherefore when it is not able to come to the knowledge of God by her owne strength it vtterly denieth God and sayth that there is no God After when it seeth vncleannes in her workes it despeireth and is in most great distres But when we are iustified by foolish preaching we come to the knowledge of God the Father as soone as we beleeue the word of Christ and so we trie the power of the Father in afflictions and aduersities although they be euen great This was shadowed forth in that that the people of Israell could not abide to heare the voice of God but desired that Moses might speake vnto them Where Christ also was figured that he should make intercession for vs to the Father and be our mercy seat For nature is more weake fraile then that it can abide to talke with God Wherefore he hath giuen vnto vs this his Sonne a Mediatour in whom and by whom we must haue to doe with him When as the Lord so louingly and gently dealeth with Thomas and sheweth vnto him howe he must come to the Father to wit by the Sonne and that the
Father is knowne in the Sonne there doth yet happen a grosser thing in Philip who bursteth forth and will not be content with faith but will knowe the thinge assuredly by feeling and seeing Wherefore he sayth vnto the Lord Lord shew vs thy Father and it sufficeth vs. As though he would say if thou wilt also shew vnto vs a signe then will we beleeue Philip counteth it not sufficient to beleeue the worde but goeth about to come to the knowledge of the Father by an other meanes then by the word For seing that reason can not beleeue he requesteth to be certified by an other meanes and way By the interrogation therfore of Christ that followeth it is shewed that the conscience is made certaine and quiet by no other thing then by faith for that we must cleaue to the bare worde and looke for no other signe But Philip thought here that he should be much more certified if he did see the Father then if he beleeued the simple and bare word This incredulitie Christ reproueth somewhat sharpely and sayth Haue I bene so long time with you hast thou not knowne me As though he should say I teach and preach and yet thou knowest me not Doost thou not knowe that the Father will be knowne by me that my word is the worde and power of the Father by which alone he will be knowne and by nothing els For thou hast heard the voice of the Father from heauen after this sort This is my beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased heare him Doost thou not yet vnderstande howe the Father is knowne The Father is not seene with carnall eyes as Iohn in his first chapter sayth Ioh. 1.18 No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him Wherefore the Lord sayth to Philip Philip he that hath seene me hath seene the Father This saying is like vnto that former when he sayth If ye had knowne me ye should haue knowne my Father also That is forasmuch as the Father will be knowne by me seeke no other way to knowe him but beleue my word that I am he which sheweth vnto you the Father and will make you to know him in me Beleeue that by me thou hast accesse to the Father by this meanes thou shalt knowe the Father by faith thou shalt vnderstande the power and mercie of the Father and shalt feele him to be comfortable and gracious The Father will haue my word to be beleeued and them that beleeue it to be saued and obtaine eternall life Seeing therefore that these thinges be thus that we can not know the Father but in the Sonne and when we know the Sonne we know also the Father the Lord sayth moreouer vnto Philip How then sayest thou Shewe vs thy Father Beleeuest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father is in me As if he would say Forasmuch as there is no other way to know the Father but that which I haue shewed why I pray thee doost thou not beleeue my wordes seeing that I haue taught that I am the way the truth and the life Doost thou not beleeue that I am in the Father and the Father in me Beleeuest thou not that my diuinitie and the diuinitie of the Father is one and that the Father will be knowne by me But why is the Father knowne by the knowledge of the Sonne euen therefore for that the Sonne is in the Father and the Father in the Sonne For the word by which the Sonne is knowne is the power of the Sonne and of the Father Wherefore seing the Sonne is knowne by his word it necessarily followeth that the father also is knowne thereby Beleeue me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me at the least beleeue me for the very works sake Here he doth as it were appeale to workes that they may giue testimonie of the word As if he should say Seeing that ye can not be content to beleeue the word at the least beleeue the signes which beare witnes of the word and whereby the Father hath giuen testimonie of me For the works and signes are testimonies of the word By these words Christ meaneth nothing els but to confirme the consciences of his Disciples and of all vs against the offence of the crosse For consciences wil know and not beleeue the bare words of God but doe alwayes dout and say What if God careth not for thee and haue such like cogitations Holy godly men seeme for the most part to be neglected as abiects and most contemptible men inasmuch as the world according to the will lust thereof rageth and practizeth tyrannie against them and doth almost what it list Hereupon they are in anguish in daunger of faith desire to know the will of God toward them These Christ comforteth that they may seeke no other comfort but in him and in his death and beleue that he is life that he beareth rule and maketh aliue them that be dead And that they should nothing dout hereof he maketh them yet more certaine and sayth Verely verely I say vnto you he that beleeueth in me the vvorkes that I doe he shall doe also and greater then these shall he doe As if he should say Dout not any thing but that ye shall know the Father by me and that my word is the power of God that by my word ye shal be sustained although I be euen crucified Ye shall haue triall hereof in your selues for if ye beleeue in me ye shall not onely worke such workes and shew such signes as I doe but euen greater Which came to passe after the ascention of Christ when the Apostles wrought greater miracles as well among the Iewes as Gentiles then Christ him selfe But what is the cause hereof The Lord him selfe addeth it saying For I goe vnto my Father That is I will begin a kingdom where I will fulfill all thinges Here the Lord annexeth the conclusion of all the questions and consolations going before For a litle before Christ had taught that the Father is known by him and that is because he is in the Father he therefore is shewed by that worde by which the Father is shewed But that he might confirme this to wit that his worde is the power of the Father he added and sayd He that beleeueth in me the works that I do he shall doe also That is by faith in me ye also shall doe those works and know that my word is the vertue and power of God But why doth he say I goe to the Father I aunswere Because Christ is in the Father therefore doth he the workes of the Father but we doe them not also therefore but for that Christ who is in the Father is now in vs. For to goe to the Father is to fulfill all thinges as Paule according to the saying of the Psalme declareth to giue giftes vnto men to lighten and to sanctifie For this is the kingdom of Christ whereby he reigneth in earth in the hartes of the beleeuers and sitteth vpon the throne of his Father Dauid The Lord also speaketh these wordes I goe to the Father to comfort his Disciples For as he did before beginne to confirme them that they should not be troubled and offended although he should dye but courageously cleaue to him and beleue in him So here he promiseth them that they shall be glorified for he goeth to the Father who shall deliuer all thinges into his handes that he may mightely obtaine a kingdom ouer all things that are in heauen and earth Wherefore they ought nothing at all to feare He yet comforteth them more and sayth And whatsoeuer ye aske in my name that will I doe As if he should say As soone as I come to the Father there is no cause why ye should be carefull For those thinges that ye haue neede of and aske ye shall obtaine I wil doe this for you because I obtaine a kingdom And he peculiarly addeth in my Name whereby he excludeth all our merits For by Christ we are heard as also in Christ we are loued by whom also we are Priestes as Peter sayth to offer vp spirituall sacrifices and acceptable to God All these thinges sayth Christ I will doe for this cause That the Father may be glorified in the Sonne The Father is then glorified when glorie is giuen and ascribed vnto him not vnto vs. That is whē we acknowledge the we are saued not by our owne merits not by our owne wisedom and righteousnes but do put our trust in his mercie For he hath giuen his Sonne for our sinnes and whatsoeuer we purpose to aske we must aske it by this Sonne and we shall obtaine it Wherfore he repeateth these wordes and sayth If ye shall aske any thing in my Name I will doe it These wordes tend to this ende that he may make vs certainely beleue his wordes and cleaue vnto him This therefore is the summe of this conclusion He biddeth his Disciples and vs therefore beleeue for that he goeth to reigne Before he affirmeth that he wil shew forth a signe and testimonie of his kingdom so reigne that he will declare a notable token of his gouernment that we may feele and perceiue it to wit that he will doe so great works by vs as he him selfe hath done yea and greater also Also that he will heare vs when we pray and whatsoeuer we pray for vnto the Father in his name By these promises the hart must be confirmed made courageous against the gates of hell For Christ reigneth by his word wherefore it is needefull that we exactly know the vertue of the word for the kingdom of Christ is the power vertue of God These things I thought good to entreat of concerning this Gospell Let vs call vpon God for the ayde of his grace that we may be able to vnderstand them by them to strengthen our weake faith **** FINIS
sayth proueth If thou be a sonne thou art also an heire For it is sayd before that we become the sonnes of God by faith without any workes therefore heires also as this place witnesseth for by nature they that are sonnes the same also are heires But if this inheritance of the Father be nowe thyne by fayth surely thou art riche in all good things before thou hast wrought any thinge For howe should it be that by faith thou art the heire of God wtout any works through onely grace and that thou mayst againe first merit it by works Wherefore the case standeth as I often times say To a man that is baptized and beleueth in Christ the heauenly inheritance of the Father is already giuen at once that is all good thinges they are only hid as yet by faith for that the maner of the present life can not suffer that he shoulde enioye them being reuealed Whereupon Paule sayth Rom. 8 Ye are saued but by hope for ye doe not as yet see it but doe yet waite when the possession of your good thinges shall be reuealed And 1. Pet. 1. it is sayd Your saluation is reserued in heauen and prepared for you to be shewed in the last time VVhereunto the workes of a Christian ought to be referred Wherefore the workes of a Christian ought not to haue regard of merit which is the maner of seruaunts but onely of the vse and commoditie of his neighbours that he doe not liue and worke to him selfe but to his neighbour whereby he may truely liue to the glory of God For by faith he is rich in all good thinges and truely blessed Nowe the Apostle addeth through Christ lest that any thinke that so great inheritance commeth vnto vs freely Although we are saued frely with out all merit in respect of our selues yet Christ hath merited and with a deare price purchased saluation for vs. and without al cost For although it be giuen vnto vs without our cost and without all our merit yet it cost Christ a deare price who that he might purchase it for vs was made vnder the lawe and satisfied it for vs both by life also by death So those benefits which of loue we bestowe vpon our neighbour doe come vnto him freely and without any charges or labour vnto him notwithstanding they cost vs some thing inasmuch as we bestow vpon him although freely and of meere goodnes yet those thinges that are our owne whether it be labour or part of our substance euen as Christ hath bestowed those thinges that be his vpon vs. And thus hath Paule called backe his Galathians from the teachers of workes which preached nothing but the law peruerting the Gospell of Christ All which thinges are very necessary to be marked of vs also For the Pope with his Prelats and Monks hath now too long a time with intruding and vrging his lawes which are foolish and most pernitious inasmuch as they doe euery where disagree with the word of God seduced almost the whole world from the Gospell of Christ plainly extinguished the faith of sonnes according as the Scripture hath in diuers places very manifestly prophesied of his kingdom Wherefore let euery one that desireth to obtaine saluation most diligently take heede of him and all his Apostles no otherwise then of Satan him selfe and his chiefe and most pernitious Apostles A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER CONCERNING FAITH AND DIFFIDENCE IN daunger and trouble Matth. 8. Verse 23. WHen Iesus was entered into the ship his Disciples followed him 24. And behold there arose a great tempest in the sea so that the ship was couered with waues but he was asleepe 25. Then his Disciples came and awoke him saying Maister saue vs we perish 26. And he sayd vnto them Why are ye feareful O ye of litle faith Then he arose and rebuked the windes and the sea so there was a great calme 27. And the men merueiled saying What man is this that both the windes the sea obey him ACcording to the historie this text setteth before vs an example of faith and diffidence wherof we may learne both what a stronge and inuincible thinge faith is and that it must be exercised tryed euen in great matters and full of perill and also howe desperate a thing on the other side diffidence is and howe full of feare and trembling which can neuer doe any thinge rightly or wel This doth experience most liuely set forth in the Disciples How desperate fearefull a thinge diffidence is it appeareth by the example of Christes Disciples They when they entered into the ship with Christ and whilest there was calmnes in the lake were nothing disquieted in mind neither felt any feare Then if one should haue asked them whether they beleeued they would haue aunswered without dout that they did beleeue For they did not know that their hart did trust in that quietnes for that all troubles were absent and therefore did rest vpon a thinge visible and not vpon the inuisible grace of God Which then was made manifest as soone as the tempest was risen and the waues did couer the ship for by and by all their trust and confidence ceassed for that the quietnes and calmnes whereunto they trusted was taken away and diffidence which before when al things were prosperous did lurke in their minds did then appeare For this is the nature of diffidence that it beleeueth or knoweth no more then it feeleth Forasmuch therefore as it had possessed the brestes of the Apostles they felt nothing now but the fearefull tempest and the waues couering the ship they saw the sea swelling and greatly raging to threaten nothing but death These thinges onely did they thinke vpon these onely did they consider and therefore could there be no measure or ende of feare and trembling in their mindes the more they weyed in their mind the perill so much more were they terrified and seemed euen now to sticke in the very iawes of death hoping for no life or deliuerance And as they could not so much as thinke any thing els because of their vnbeliefe so all comfort also was farre from them For diffidence or vnbeliefe hath nothing whereunto it may trust or flee wherfore when outward aduersitie commeth it admitteth nothing into the mind but it and therefore it can neuer feele any peace or quietnes while this remaineth So in hell where diffidence exerciseth full tyrannie there can neuer be any intermission of desperation trembling and terrour What faith doth in trouble daunger But if the Disciples had bene then endued with a sound faith and if it had ruled in this daunger it would haue remoued from the mind the wind and all this tempest in steede of these would wholy haue thought vpon the power of God and his grace promised whereunto it would no otherwise haue trusted then if it had sate vpon a most stronge rocke farre from the
often tymes doe notably excell and it is a practize of the deuill eftsoones to fayne him selfe ouercome in the first and third tentation that he may reigne victour by the second He can be content that they that be his doe often tymes suffer pouertie patiently and doe also contemne the world although they do neither of both with a simple hart and sincere faith Euery one therfore of these three tentations is grieuous and very hard but the middle one is most perilous of all for it assayleth the doctrine of faith and is spirituall and wont to deceiue in spirituall thinges The other two also doe assayle faith howebeit in these outward thinges as aduersitie prosperitie although they doe also vrge vs very sore For it can not be a litle grieuous to suffer pouerty to want bread and such other thinges necessary Agayne it is no lesse grieuous to neglect wholy to denye fauour glory riches friendes companions and other commodities which we haue But an entire and sound faith in the worde of God can performe both notably and if it be a strong faith An entire sound faith can both patiently beare aduersitie contemne the vaine glory delights of the world they seeme very easie and delectable vnto it We can not certainly know the order of these tentations which happened to Christ for that the Euangelists haue not described them after one order For Luke hath set that last which Matthew hath set in the middes that which Matthew hath set last Luke hath placed in the middes But there doth not so much consist in the order Notwithstanding when any wil teach the people concerning these tentations it were better to follow the order of Luke For he may fitly say and thus rehearse that Satan doth first tempt vs with pouertie and aduersitie wherby if he preuaile not that he tempteth vs with prosperity and glory which if he do in vaine that he assaileth vs with all his might and tempteth vs with errour lyes delusion and other spiritual suttleties Yet neither is this order alwayes obserued of Satan but he tempteth Christians sometime with the first sometime with the third tentation as he hath and seeth occasion Matthew was not careful to rehearse them in that order which they haue almost by their own nature and which may be commodious for him that shall teach of them Yea it may be that they happened not vnto Christ by any certain order but that he was assailed of Satan one day with this an other day with that during the space of those forty daies as Satan thought it most conuenient and meete for his purpose And behold the Angells came ministred vnto him This I thinke was done corporally that they hauing taken bodies appeared and ministred vnto him meate and drinke as his seruiters at the table and Ministers of all other thinges necessary for his life Yea and I thinke that the deuill also appeared vnto him in a corporall forme perhaps as an Angell For in that he tooke Christ and set him on a pinnacle of the temple also wheras in a moment he shewed him all the kingdoms of the world he sufficiently declared that he was more then a man such a one surely he shewed him selfe openly when he offered that he would giue vnto him those kingdoms and required that he would worship him And vndoutedly he did not appeare like a deuill when he did these thinges for he loueth to appeare after a fayre sort especially when he will lie and deceiue 1. Cor. 11.14 for then he transformeth him selfe into an Angell of light as Paule witnesseth Now this is written chiefly for our consolation In the time of tentation we must nothing dout of Gods help and deliuerance that we may not dout that many Angells shall minister vnto vs when one deuill tempteth vs if we fight valiantly For if we stand fast in faith it is so farre of that God will suffer vs to be troubled and pinched with pouertie more then is meete that he will sooner send his Angells to minister vnto vs to be our Butlers our Cookes and to helpe vs with their ministerie in all necessitie Neither are these thinges written for Christes cause whome they can not profit but they are written for vs that we may learne to beleeue that if the Angells ministred vnto him they shall also when the case so requireth minister vnto vs his brethren and members The Lord giue vs faith to beleeue this A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER CONCERNING THE LEADING OF A GODLY LIFE Ephes 5. Verse 1. BE ye therfore followers of God as deare children 2. And walke in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs and hath giuen him selfe for vs to be an offering a sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauour to God 3. But fornication all vncleannes or couetousnes let it not be once named among you as it becommeth Sainctes 4. Neither filthines neither foolish talking neither iesting which are things not comely but rather giuing of thankes 5. For this ye know that no whoremonger neyther vncleane person nor couetous person which is an idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God 6. Let no man deceiue you with vaine words for for such thinges commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience 7. Be not therefore companions with them 8. For ye were once darkenes but are now light in the Lord walke as children of light 9. For the frute of the Spirit is in all goodnes and righteousnes and truth THis text is exhortatorie wherein Paule according to his maner and accustomed care for the brethren exhorteth Christians not to leaue or slack the study and care of godlines and giue them selues to slothfulnes but to declare by their worke the word that they haue learned of him that is to shew it forth by the frutes of faith and make it plausible and honorable to the edifying of the Heathen lest that by the vices of them which professe the doctrine of the Gospell they take occasion to hate that doctrine and so be offended by them whom it did behoue to winne them vnto Christ Be ye therfore followers of God as deare children First therfore he exhorteth vs forasmuch as we are by Christ made the sonnes of God to imitate such a father as deare children Meruelous gently alluringly he speaketh vnto vs calling vs deare children that by the loue of God our father toward vs he may prouoke vs to loue him again and them whom he commaundeth vs to loue The loue of God toward vs. euen as he hath loued vs first But howe hath he loued vs Surely not after that common sort alone wherby in this life he nourisheth and sustaineth vs being vnworthy togither with al the vngodly making his sunne to arise on the good and on the euil and sending rayne on the iust and vniust wherof Christ speaketh Matth. 5 Be ye perfect as your Father is perfect