longâ— seeing wee were forlorne and damned in Adams fall How happeneth it that he hath not remedied it rather Surely S. Paule doth not altogither satisfie mens appetites but cutteth it quite off by the waste And in good sooth if God mente too content vs hee shoulde bee fayne too feede vs with many needelesse things but he intendeth too tâ—ye the obedientnesse of our fayth And Sainct Paule also dooth barre vs of that thing in saying that the fulnesse of time was not yet come And what meaneth he by the fulnesse of time He meaneth the time that God hath appoynted in his owne purpose and not according as men might haue iudged of it for they bee no competent iudges of that matter but muste submitte them selues to God and allowe of that whiche he hath stablished Thus yee see what S. Paule ment by saying that the full time was then come when God sente his onely sonne into the worlde Therefore let vs learne that our cheefe wisdome is this sobernesse of submitting our selues vnto God too accept for good and rightfull what soeuer thing he dooth knowing that on our owne part though wee haue neuer so muche vnderstanding it is but folly for vs too thinke our selues aught woorth or too take vppon vs the skill of any thing and that wee must learne too humble our selues to our God and not doo as many men doo who are so hastie as to say VVhat I thinke thus and thus is mine opinion For there is not any thing more contrarie to Gods doctrine than when men presume so much vpon them selues as too say thus must the matter go and so and so do I thinke or suppose Truely it becommeth vs too behilde as captiues as S. Paule sayth in the seconde too the Corinthians Let vs holde our selues in such awe as wee may not once lifte vp our heades too dispute agaynst God nor make any estimation of our selues as though we were of some abilitie Let vs holde vs contented with the libertie that he hath giuen vs and not abuse the grace that he hath graunted vs in preferring vs before those that were as Angels in this worlde and yet notwithstanding were not aduanced to the libertie which wee haue by the Gospell Furthermore S. Paule doth heere bring vs back to the thing which we ought to consider aboue all others which is that our beeing at the time of full age in these dayes is not in respect of any vertue that is in vs but in respect of our Lord Iesus Christ The difference betweene vs and the fathers of olde time is as I haue sayd already that they were led as vnder awe and wee bee nowe set free into 〈…〉 why are wee 〈◊〉 â–ª Is it bicause wee bee of more value thaâ— they◠〈◊〉 for that there is any worthinesse in vs No but bicause it pleased God too honor vs with the presence of his only Sonne VVill we then inioy the libertie of the Gospell Let vs go right foorth too our Lorde Iesus Christ who as he is glorified in him selfe wyll also bryng vs intoo the heauenly glory whereinto hee is gone before vs. This is the thing that Sainct Paule ment purposely too tell vs. As touching that it is added that he was made of woman and put vnder the Lawe it can not be dispatched at this time and therefore we will reserue it tyll an other time And nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowlegement of our faultes praying him to make vs so too feele them as wee may mourne and bee sory for them with true repentance and goo thither as he calleth vs that is too wit be so rightly bereft of our flesh and of all the corruptions therof as we may come to the ioy whereto he dayly calleth vs and vnto that vncorruptnesse wherein it behoueth vs to go forwarde all the time of our life That it maye please him too graunt this grace not onely too vs but also too all people and Nations of the earth c. The .xxv. Sermon which is the seconde vpon the fourth Chapter 4 But vvhen the tyme vvas fully come God sente hys sonne made of vvoman and made vnder the Lavve 5 Too the intente too redeeme those that vvere vnder the Lavve that vve might receyue the adoption of children 6 And forasmuche as you bee children God hath sent the spirite of his sonne into your hearts crying Abba that is to say father 7 VVherfore now thou art not a seruant but a sonne and if thou bee a sonne thou arte also an heyre vvith Christ I Haue tolde you already why S. Paule speakes heere of the fulnesse of time namely to abate meÌ„s curiositie who by their good willes would seeke to farre into Gods secretes yea and take vpon them so boldly as to reply against God if he behaue not himself after their fancie To the intent therfore that the faythfull may content theÌ„selues with the order that God hath kept in sending of our Lord Iesus Christ he sayeth that the due season was not before for that matter dependeth vpon the only good pleasure of God and vpoÌ„ his vnchaungeable purpose wherevnto it behoueth vs too submit our selues And now S. Paule sayeth that our Lord Iesus Christ was made of woman and put vnder the lawe to acquite those that were vnder the lawe First he sayeth that he was clothed with our nature for else he could not haue yeelded obedience to God in our behalfe that wee might be set free Howbeit for asmuch as he was conceyued after a woÌ„derfull maner therefore doth S. Paule say he was made or begotten of a woman It is true that he was of the seede of Dauid neuerthelesse I haue told you already that there was a secrete working of the holie Ghost in his conception But how soeuer it was our Lorde Iesus Christe tooke our nature vppon him too the end he might yeeld obedience to God his father as it were in our persone And that was the cause why he tooke our nature vppon him And this subiection whereof he speaketh was not of constraint but of good will For wee know that the Sonne of God hath all superioritie and soueraintie in so much that euen the Angelles and all the principalities must bowe their knees before him too doo him honour How then could he bee subiect too the Lawe seyng that the Lawe is such a bondage This doth no whit deface the Maiestie of Gods sonne for asmuch as he abaced himself of his owne good will Therefore as it is sayd in the second too the Philippians there is no contrarietie in that he might make himselfe equall with God without robberie and yet that he abaced himselfe also So then for asmuch as this doing of his proceeded of his owne meere and vnconstreyned goodnesse he continued alwayes in his owne state not withstanding that before men he had the shape and fashion of a seruant as S. Paule also specifieth in the same place
too finde fauour at his hande by the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and there withal sent vs the Gospell to put vs in possession of the same benefite his so doing is to the ende that he onely may appeare to be righteous and be glorified therefore so as we should yeeld him all prayse and acknowledge our selues beholden to him for all things Neuerthelesse the glorifying of God consisteth not onely in our confessing with our mouth that he is the authour of our saluation and that the same commeth of him alonely and of his mere goodnesse and free grace but also in becomming newe men through his holy spirite so as his image shineth forth in vs and we indeuer to giue ouer our selues wholy to his seruice It is sayde that God hath not called vs to filthinesse and vncleannesse but that his meaning is too make vs holy to himselfe Nowe then seeing the cace standeth so it is not for nought that Saint Paule addeth heere that Iesus Christ hath deliuered liuered vs from this wicked world by offering himselfe for vs and that he hath wyped out the remembrance of our sinnes before God his father to the ende we should not lie any longer plunged in our owne filth and vnclennesse but be as it were separated from the world ▪ to the intent to become the heritage of God and to dispose our whole life to such obedience as it may be seene that like as hee hath adopted vs to be his children so we also haue loued and honored him as our father And out of all doubt when as it is sayde that we must be taken out of this wicked world it is a benefit which we ought to be abashed at For vnder the word World is comprehended all that belongeth to man in his owne nature The worlde of it selfe hath in it neither vice nor corruption but al the euilnesse of it commeth of the sinne that dwelleth in vs. So then whereas it is said that the worlde is wicked according also as S. Iohn in his canonicall Epistle sayth that all the world is saped and plunged in naughtinesse that wickednesse is neither in the Sunne nor in the Moone nor in the earth nor in the water nor in any of all the things that are conteined in them but in that we be so peruerted that we haue infected all things heere bilowe with our vnclennesse and that as long as men continue in themselues and in their owne nature they bee but filthinesse so as they must of necessitie displease God For surely there can be none agreement betweene righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse But in vs there is nothing to be found but vnrighteousnesse Therefore we must either be withdrawne from our selues or else we shall neuer be able to come nie vnto God VVhat shall then become of all the blinde wretches which beare themselues in hand that they be able to worke wonders with their free will theyr vertues their wisdome and I wote not what else According as we see that men do always like well of themselues although they be conuicted to haue nothing but filthinesse in them that they be so lothsome as it is pitie to see it and they themselues ought to be ashamed of it yet they will still chalenge somwhat to themselues alwayes deceyue thēselues with their owne fond imaginations And yet notwithstanding when men haue well tried themselues all that they can find in them shal be condemned vnder the terme of naughtinesse or wickednesse insomuch that it is shewed therby that there is nothing but corruption in vs and that if wee presume too preace vnto God as we be of our selues hee must needes driue vs a great way of Therefore marke this for a grounde that heere all pride is beaten downe too the intent that men may learne too leaue their boasting in any thing saue in the free goodnesse of God and bee so abashed in considering their owne shame that they may condemne themselues with their owne mouth and not tarie til God giue sentence against them but become their owne iudges This is it in effect which we haue to marke And now we see how it behoueth vs to walke warely and carefully that we may be assured that the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ belongeth to vs. For if we will needes giue bridle too our Iustes it is certaine that our Lorde Iesus Christ will disclayme vs. True it is that our Saluation resteth alwayes vpon the onely goodnesse of God and that we must not intermeddle our owne workes when we intende too haue the certaintie of fayth but rather renounce our selues Neuerthelesse howsoeuer the cace standeth our Lorde Iesus Christ is not come to giue vs occasion too abuse the grace that he hath purchased vs for that were a mocking of him to his face If we shoulde go wallow againe in our owne filthinesse after that hee hath washed vs in his bloud were it not a wilfull defyling of the thing that is most holy ye a and which maketh all the whole world holy Now forasmuch as we are all of vs corrupted and the whole world is subiect to cursing and all of vs are condemned there is not any thing to sanctifie vs againe but onely the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ And how great and intollerable a trecherie were it if we as much as in vs lieth should fall to beraying of our selues again in our own filthines Thē let vs marke wel that to inioy the frute of the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ we must not take libertie to do euil nor to liue after our owne appetites and lustes but we must alwayes come to the separation wherof S. Paule speketh here which is to be withdrawne from this wicked world not to breake asunder the things that are knit togither with so holy a band nor to disanull the order of God The faythfull therefore must giue themselues to all purenesse of life and consider that the redeeming of them by our Lord Iesus Christ and by the sacrifice of his death and passion is vppon condition that they should forsake themselues according also as we heerehow our Lord Iesus Christ telleth vs that those which wil be his disciples must abace thēselues folow him What haue we thē to do and what ought to be our trauel all the time of our life VVe must do our indeuer to withdraw our selues from the defilementes of this world that we may cleaue vnto our God in purenesse of life True it is that this thing is not perfected in vs vntill wee bee quite withdrawne from the world but yet that is the marke that we must ame at and whervnto it behoueth vs to draw more more Then like as the faythfull resort continually to Gods mercie grounding themselues therevpon and are not otherwise righteous than by the forgiuenesse of their sinnes so also behoueth it them to kepe on to the end which S. Paule setteth down to vs
see anon how he rebuketh them as sharply as may be insomuch that he calleth them witlesse And how can these things agree togither It is for that on the one side he intendeth to aduaunce the grace of God which had bin opened in that Church and that on the other side he was faine to scoure away the vices that were in it as neede was VVe see then hereby that when God hath planted his Church in any place it followeth not by and by therefore that all things are to be commended there and that there is nothing but all godlinesse in it as the Papistes imagine who vnder the name of the Church would faine couer all their abhominations yea euen the most horrible and diuelishe abhominations in the whole worlde As howe The Church say say cannot erre she is the bryde of Iesus Christ she is the piller of truth Yea but in the meane while looke vpon the Churches of Galatia VVhat sayth the holy Ghost of them by the mouth of S. Paule Among them there were Renegates that had renounced the Gospell there were as foule and outrageous heresies among them as could be Then let vs vnderstand that we must neuer bee so tyed to men as not to condemne their faultes when they come to the scanning but that all things must be made subject to Gods worde and euerie thing be condemned that is not agreable thervnto so as nothing may hinder God from hauing his authority continually and from putting all things vnder foot which agree not with his word but that men do condemne them vtterly abhorre them Furthermore let vs not ceasse to draw those continually vnto God which haue any enterance alreadie And although we perceiue them to be weake or stepped aside out of the way yet let vs alwayes set forth Gods grace that it may growe and bee strengthned more and more in them vntill we be all gathered thither as we bee dayly called that is to wit to our Lorde Iesus Christ Now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs perceyue them more and more and that we may be so touched to the quicke as we may mistyke of them and so imbrace his grace as it may be more and more increased in vs and we be hilde vp and susteyned in our weaknesse by his hande vntill he haue brought vs to the holy perfection of the heauenly kingdome which is purchased for vs by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ And so let vs all say Almightie God our heauenly father c. The. 3. Sermon vpon the first Chapter 6 I maruell that you are so sodenly caried avvay from him that had called you through the grace of Christ vnto another Gospell 7 VVhich is none other thing but that there are some vvhich trouble you and vvould ouerthrovv the Gospell of Christ 8 But if I my selfe or an Angell from heauen tell you othervvise than I haue tolde you cursed be hee WEe see here more openly the thing that I haue touched alreadie this morning that is to wit that Saint Paule spareth not the Galathians although he mind not too shet them out of the gate of saluation For inasmuch as his meening is to bring them backe to repentance it is good reason that he should set the grace of God before them as a thing common to them But yet for all that he flattereth them not but rather rebuketh them for their faults and specially for the ouergreat lightnesse that was in them in giuing eare to deceyuers which came vnto them to disguize the doctrine of the Gospell And to make them perceyue their owne vnthankfulnesse the better he sayth that he wondereth to see them caryed away so soone and so easily from the heauenly calling and how it cōmeth to passe that they could be so quickly thrust out of the way continue yet stil in their doing seing that they had already felt tried Gods grace in our Lord Iesus Christ For inasmuch as he labored to bring thē back againe he sayth not at the first dash that they had turned away from the Gospell but that they had bin ouercome by that temptation And afterwarde he addeth that the same was nothing else but that those buzibodies intended to ouerthrow the truth of God For ther is but one pure doctrine of the Gospell like as there is but one Iesus Christ vpon whom the same is grounded so as it is not in vs to forge a newe Gospell but whensoeuer any bodie goes about too mingle any thing with the pure seede which we haue of our Lorde Iesus Christ it is nothing else but an ouerthrowing of Gods building This in effect is the thing which is conteyned in this first sentence of S. Paules But here he might seeme to bee ouer sharpe and rough in finding fault with the feeblenesse of the Galathians seeing they neuer ment to forsake the gospel nor yet Iesus Christ who had bin preached amōg them Howbeit S. Paule passeth not for their opinion but hath respect to the matter in it self which is that as sone as men turne aside from Gods truth by and by they forsake Iesus Christ and make themselues strangers to him Many men woulde thinke this strange according as we see there are many that woulde faine mingle the light and darknesse togither And specially the confusion that is in Poperie is a very notable example hereof for ther ye shall heare men make wonderfull protestations of holding still the Christian faith wherin they haue bin baptised But yet for al that it is apparant that al is turned vpside down for al superstitions reign there and besides that there is too manifest Idolatry yea and that as grosse as euer was any among the heathen By reason wherof al reuerence of God is as good as quite abolished there bicause euerie man makes himselfe a Sauiour in steade of our Lorde Iesus Christ But now will the Papists lustily replie that they be no backsliders nor haue forsaken Christ Yea but our Lorde Iesus Christ is no Ghost he cannot transforme himself after the appetites of men To be short he cannot be separated from his Church VVhensoeuer the Papistes vtter this saying they robbe Iesus Christ of all authoritie For say they if there were but one Mediator what shoulde become of the Heesaintes which are patrones and of the Sheesaintes which are our Aduocates ▪ if any man speake to them of the sacrifice wherby our Lord Iesus Christ hath once purchased perfect righteousnesse for all the faythfull VVhat say they and must not Masse be sayde euery day and Christ be offered vp newe againe there too appeaze Gods wrath If a man tell them of the free forgiuenesse of sinnes and what shall become say they of our owne satisfactions whereby we deserue to haue pitie at Gods hand Againe if a man say too them that all our goodnesse commeth of our regeneration through Gods spirit and that
Christe And therevppon S. Paule sayeth that it is nothing else but that there bee some among them which trouble them and would ouerthrowe the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christe Heere S. Paule sheweth that what soeuer men bring besides the Gospell is euery whit of it but starke smoke and that in the end it will bee perceyued that the Diuell did cast gewgawes in their wayes too couzen sillie fooles that could not rest wholly vppon Gods truth It is none other thing sayeth hee but that some trouble you Truely this woord Other importeth that it is nothing else or nothing at all Neuerthelesse Sainct Paule declareth that the Galathians may well pretend that they whiche came from Ierusalem and from the countrie of Iewrie had tolde them that they ought not too separate the Lawe from the Gospell No no sayeth hee there is no more but one Iesus Christe nother is there any more than one doctrine that leadeth vs vntoo him and holdeth vs in the faith where through wee obtayne saluation by his meanes So then all such as intend too cleaue vntoo the pure knowledge of the Gospell and to continue in the same muste not seeke any other perfection than that as for them that go any further they be troublers that ouerthrow and disorder all things And this saying is well woorthie too bee marked too the ende wee may knowe that when our Lorde hath done vs the grace too teache vs in his schoole wee muste no more haue a wauering fayth too reele too and fro but a resolute iudgement and determination too say this is the thing wherein wee must liue and die But ye shall see many that will not speake openly agaynst the doctrine of the Gospell but will suffer the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ too be preached If a man aske them what it is that they finde fault with nothing say they But let an Altar bee neuer so soone set vp and puppets vpon it and by and by they runne to it they must needes go heare Masse and see al the rest of the Popish trash they care not which way the world go and when all those disorders are set afore them they thinke not that there is any difference at all But let vs marke that such beastlinesse bewrayeth that there is no fayth in them And why For the thing wherein we may shewe yea and as in respect of our selues feele whither wee bee faythfull is too haue suche skill of the Gospell as to conclude that it is Gods infallible truthe and that it cannot leade vs amisse if wee followe it Contrarywize the Papistes haue deuized an Implicate fayth as they terme it and that is ynough for them and although the wretched soules wote not what they meane themselues yet notwithstanding beholde say they I referre my selfe too our mother the holy Churche I beleeue as shee beleeueth But such folke shewe openly that they haue no fayth at all ne knowe by what meanes too bee saued Neuerthelesse it is sayd that wee obtayne rightuousnesse and saluation by fayth namely for that wee imbrace Christ as the partie by whom all good things are imparted vnto vs. Then if our Lord Iesus Christ bee vnknowen it is no longer fayth but a grosse Illusion of Satan who hath bewitched the Popish doctors too speake after that sorte and thereby we see that they haue no knowledge of God but are vtterly giuen ouer too a lewd minde VVherefore let vs marke well that whereas S. Paule sayeth heere that there is none other Gospell it is too hold vs still in such stedfastnesse that after we haue once learned what our Lord Iesus Christ is wee may continue in him and vtterly giue ouer all things that are contrarie too the doctrine of the Gospell Haue wee once such skill it will serue vs too fight agaynst Satan and all the diuersitie of opinions that are at this day in the worlde so as wee shall not bee shaken downe what trouble soeuer happen nor finally bee turned aside from the certaintie of our fayth But if wee wauer after such a sorte that wee become like little children who if one man offer them an apple at one side they runne thither and if another man offer some other pleasant thing atother side they runne thither likewize and leauing the first go too yeeld themselues too the second I say if wee bee so fickle minded it is a token that there is nothing but mere vnbeleefe in vs. Then let vs assure our selues that there must bee such a mutuall agreement betweene our fayth and the Gospell that wee must giue our selues wholly therevnto and neuer bee plucked from it and our knowing of the things that are conteyned in it muste bee too rest our selues vppon them as I haue sayd already heretofore Not that all men can bee teachers a like for it is very certayne that the most parte of those whom our Lord Iesus Christ hath in his flocke comprehend not the tenth part of the vnderstanding of the holy Scripture but that how soeuer the world go it behoueth vs all to be grounded in these poynts namely that there is but one God the father of whom we haue al things and who hath adopted vs of his owne mere mercie That there is but one onely Iesus Christe by whose meanes wee be made parttakers of all good things And that wee bee begotten new agayne by the holy Ghost And as touchyng our Lord Iesus Christ it standeth vs on hand too bee well assured that he is our aduocate and that without him wee cannot come vnto God nor durst once open our mouthes to call him our father saue in respect that we be members of our Lord Iesus Christ and that he beareth woorde for vs as our spokesman and patron guyding vs as it were by the hand too bring vs vnto God his father If wee knowe not these things it is certayne that wee can obtayne no Saluation And that is the cause why S. Paule blameth the Galathians for that they considered not that there is but one onely Gospell whiche could not bee altered without doyng of wrong too our Lord Iesus Christe who all onely ought too haue all audience Therewithall also he warneth vs that when soeuer there come any busie bodies to turne vs from the pure simplicitie which wee ought too hold vs too concernyng God and our Lord Iesus Christ wee ought too holde them accursed For as shall bee sayd more fully hereafter they ouerthrow the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ And it is a right horrible thing that the Gospell which is the foundacion of our fayth and the key too open vs the gate of Paradice should bee ouerthrowen For that is all our welfare that is the kingdome of God from whence we after a sort are banished and wee can by no meanes come vntoo him vntill he haue made vs way by meanes of his Gospell to the end wee may be his people and he our king and wee bee guided and gouerned
openeth vs the gate of Heauen too shewe vs that he holdeth vs all for his children and that he is our father and when our Lord Iesus Christ is so knit vnto vs that by his meanes wee bee already made sure of the endlesse lyfe Can we say that we haue any thing of our owne when God maketh vs parttakers of suche a treasure Yee see then that the thing which wee haue too gather vppon this streyne is that God hath so reserued too himselfe the dispozing of mans lyfe that it is his peculiar office to guyde our steppes and he knoweth wherevntoo he hath ordeyned vs. And therefore it becommeth vs too magnifie his mercie in that he hath vouchsafed too inlighten vs by beleeuing his Gospell too the intent wee might knowe him too bee our father and rest vppon him and pray vnto him with full trust Let vs assure our selues that the hauing of this commeth not of our owne freewill but of his touching of vs too the quicke by his holy spirite For our Lord Iesus Christe who hath all wisedome in him cannot bee knowen of vs except he bee reueled according as he himselfe auoucheth that noman commeth vnto him except the father drawe him Beholde Iesus Christ was conuersant in the worlde at that time he preached the Gospell and published it with open mouth and yet notwithstanding he sayeth that noman shall come vnto him that is too say noman shall frame himselfe too his obedience except the father haue wrought in his hart by the power of his holy spirit Now that Iesus Christ is separated from vs as in respect of distance of place and as in respect of humane nature so as wee see him not heere beneath too haue any visible knowledge of him how shall wee come vntoo him if wee bee not drawen by the grace that is spoken of heere And if fayth bee a speciall gifte of God and wee cannot come too our Lorde Iesus Christe except we bee led vnto him by the hande of God his father howe can they that should drawe others doo it of their owne abilitie Needes then muste God vtter yet a second woorking And that is the cause why Sainct Paule setteth downe bothe twayne of them that is too wit firste that he had bin inlightened himself and secondly that he had bin ordeyned and stablished as a Mayster and teacher too drawe othermen to the good way of Saluation wherein God had set him VVherefore let vs assure our selues that God graunteth a singular grace too such as haue charge too preache the Gospell when he voutchsafeth too apply them therevnto And that is not onely too the end that wee which are in that state and office should walke in the feare of God and not chalendge aught too our selues but also too the intent that euery man should in that behalf haue a record of the loue that God beareth too his Churche If men should thrust in theÌ„selues on their owne heads it might be sayd that wee were taught at all aduenture But when as we know that nomaÌ„ is of sufficient abilitie too open his mouth to speake of Iesus Christ as he ought too be spoken of but that it is Gods doyng to send forth those of whom it behoueth vs to be taught thereby wee perceyue the care that he hath of vs finde much better that he is our father and hath not forgotten vs. And moreouer this serueth to ingraue the truth of the Gospell in our hartes to the end wee may know how it is not a doctrine that proceedeth of men but as of Gods sendyng And that although he be serued by his creatures yet notwithstaÌ„ding he maketh them as instruments of his spirit and it is he himself that gouerneth them Yee see in effect how we may make our profite of this doctrine But yet doo wee vnderstand Gods grace the better in that it is sayd that he hath chozen vs and kept vs too himself euen from our moothers wombe And yet is this no let but that he hath also moreouer reserued vs from before the creation of the worlde according as Sainct Paule speaketh in other textes howbeeit it is ynough that in this place he excludeth all that euer commeth of men VVhen a childe commeth out of his moothers wombe what bringeth he with him VVhat woorthinesse hath he Surely he is a poore carkesse full of filth and vncleannesse Now then if God marke vs out at the time when there is nothing in vs woorthie too bee accepted of him or whiche deserueth any loue or lyking wee may perceyue thereby that if he apply vs too any honorable seruis afterwarde it is by reason of his owne mercie accordingly as they whome God gathereth too bee of his flocke are called instruments of his goodnesse Thus yee see that the cause why Sainct Paule speaketh purposely of his birthe is too shewe that there was no preparation on his owne behalfe when God drewe him but that God had respect too his owne eternall election the which he continued in that it was his will that the same creature shoulde come into the worlde and had alwayes guyded it too that ende Then let vs assure our selues that when soeuer God bestoweth any of his benefites vppon vs wee muste alwayes come backe too this principle namely too mount vp too his euerlastyng purpose Not that wee bee able too comprehende howe or why hee hath chozen vs for that passeth all capacitie of man But for that wee muste conclude that Gods preferring of vs before those whom he leaueth as of castes is not for that hee findeth vs woorthie or capable of suche a benefite but bycause hee had so ordeyned before he had created vs and put vs intoo the worlde yea and euen before there was eyther heauen or earth And that is the cause why it is sayd that it behoueth vs to be giuen to our Lord Iesus Christ before we can come vnto him And who is it that maketh that gift It is not euery mans offering of himself of his owne meere motion True it is that wee ought to do so for our fayth importeth obedience sacrifize so as it becoÌ„meth vs to dedicate our selues to God willingly to make a present bothe of our bodies and of our soules vnto our Lord Iesus Christ as to him that hath bought vs. Neuerthelesse this as I sayd is not of our owne meere motion but God must be fayne to bowe vs therevnto And why so Euen bycause wee were his afore And how belong wee too him not by inheritance nor by any title that wee can alledge on our owne behalf but only bycause he choze vs. Now then wee see what this texte importeth But let vs come backe â—oo the cheefe poynt that Sainct Paule treateth of heere For the things that I haue discoursed hithertoo are but too shewe that our adoption serueth not too bereeue God of his glorie whiche thing they doo that bragge of their owne free will vertues and merites
fayth which we hold by his teaching And although there be not nowadayes any such shamelesse persons that labor to deface him or to abolish the authoritie of his Apostleship yet doth not that doctrine cesse to be for our profit As how VVee haue seene already howe Sainct Paule hath sayde that if the Angelles of Heauen should steppe vp too preache a Gospell contrarie to the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christe we should hold them accursed And euen at this day the same is good for vs. For wee may defie Satan and all the misbeleefe and wylinesse of menne and all the trashe and subtileties which they haue to thrust vs from the singlenesse of our fayth I say wee may defie euerywhit of it And why For Gods woorde hath suche a Maiestie in it selfe that all things that can bee set vp agaynst it are but smoke leazing and filthinesse Nowe then if wee take it for a generall rule that nother Peter nor Iohn may diminishe the Maiestie of the Gospell it will serue vs for a buckler too warde all things that can bee alledged in these dayes too shake vs withall according also as wee see that diuerse weakelings are thrust out of the way by that it is sayde vntoo them howe nowe wee see that the wyzest menne of the worlde the men of greatest skill the Prelates and suche as haue the gouernement of the Churche toogither with the Kings and Princes sticke too the fayth that hath bin receyued of long tyme and too the olde accustomed maner of liuyng Thus the poorer sorte haue their eyes bleared and their wittes vtterly dulled and their hartes discouraged by meanes whereof Gods truthe is forsaken so as it hath nother credite nor reuerence among them and in the meane season these maskers gette the vpper hande and flaunt it as who woulde say that men shoulde make Idolles of them and woorship them in despyte of God Then sith it is so wee see it standeth vs on hande in these dayes too bee armed with the doctrine that is contayned heere in Sainct Paule which is that God will haue vs too receyue his woorde without gaynesaying and that when our Lorde Iesus Christe came downe intoo the world he was ordeyned too bee our Mayster with condicion that euery of vs shoulde herken too him and sticke too the things that he speaketh without adding aught too or diminishing aught from that whiche it pleased him too shewe bycause the full perfection of all wisedome is in him VVhen wee once knowe this wee may despyze all the gewgawes that menne can lay before vs. And if menne tell vs that the greatest men the wyzest men the richest men and the men of authoritie of this worlde doo liue so or so â—ee may answer yea marie but when all comes too all what are they in comparison of God VVhen creatures come before him they muste all vanishe away for when soeuer there is that Maiestie giuen too Gods woorde whereby he intendeth too trie whither wee honour him or no it is certayne that wee will receyue all that proceedeth out of his holy mouthe Nowe that woorde is conteyned in the Gospell in so much that when we haue once graunted that God is too bee obeyed wee muste no more runne ouer sea or lande too seeke what his will is for wee haue a sure and infaâ—lible warrant of it in the Lawe Prophetes and Gospell Sith the cace standeth so wee see it is not without cause that the holy Ghost woulde haue this doctrine too continue too the worldes ende And furthermore wee bee warned therewithall too reste vppon God without wauering at euery blast of winde according as wee see how the Diuell stirreth vp much varietie of opinions whiche are as whirlewindes and tempestes too dryue vs too and fro But let vs learne too bee settled vppon God and then shall wee stande out too the laste brunt For if wee hilde our fayth of Iohn or Peter it woulde bee but a leane fayth bycause they were frayle creatures and wee knowe that man is subiect too leasings and vanitie Therefore it standeth vs on hand too haue a much substantialler and surer groundwoorke and foundation than all that is too bee found in this worlde And so for asmuch as wee knowe that God hath taught vs in the persone of our Lorde Iesus Christe and that men haue bin no more but the instrumeÌ„ts thereof it behoueth vs too mount vp vnto God That is the way for vs too apply this doctrine too our owne instruction where Sainct Paule sayeth that the Apostles added not any thing vntoo him Neuer the later it is not ment that he deâ—pyzeth them or that he intended not to profite with them for he liked very well of that yea and imployed himselfe by all meanes therevnto and hild no skorne too bee taught euen of the meanest sort as wee haue seene But his intent was that Gods woorde which he had preached should abyde firme and thervpon he putteth the wisest men in subiection too it and the men of greatest countenance in the world and such as bare greatest shewe and reputation in the Churche to the end that Iesus Christe should keepe his preheminence still and men haue an eye vntoo him and not vnto men but ground themselues altogither vpon one selfsame fayth and say that for asmuch as the Sonne of God is sent vnto vs to shewe vs the will of God his father it is not lawfull for vs in any wyze too doubt of the thing which wee receyue of him Thus yee see what wee haue too doo at this day And whereas Sainct Paule sayeth that he passeth not what the Apostles were bycause God regardeth not mennes persones thereby he sheweth that he ought not too bee counted inferiour too Iohn or Peter for that he had bin an infidell and not beleeued in Iesus Christ at such time as the other Apostles did already preach the Gospell For the manner of the world is that they which come firste should bee first serued Sainct Paule therefore perceyuing that the same might bee some preiudice too his doctrine sayeth that men must not looke what a one he had bin afore or what the other had bin afore And yet his meening is not that he ought not too looke backe too humble himselfe continually or that the giftes of grace which God had bestowed vppon Iohn and Peter should not bee esteemed and commended as they were prayse woorthie for we see that in other places he termeth himself a poore thing borne out of time and confesseth himself too bee vnwoorthie to be counted in the number of the Apostles â–ª Sainct Paule then did not as a number of hypocrites or rather shamelesse persones do who all their lyfe long haue bin eyther whoremongers or drunkardes or looce liuers and of a beastly coÌ„uersation and yet for all that doo but wring their mouth at it and say tush men must not inquyre what I haue bin But surely men must not looke too haue any other
haue a parting of stakes and a mingle-mangle made and that euery man shoulde bowe on his syde But in the meane while will God gyue ouer his right at the pleasure of men Or may wee confederate our selues too his preiudice So then seeing that wee nowadayes haue too incounter agaynst the wilfull Papistes who haue peruerted corrupted and falsified all the truth of the Gospell although they face vs with these honourable tytles of holy Catholike Churche holy Sea Apostolike Prelacie Christendome and holy Supremacie which yet notwithstanding are but vizors in verie deede let vs not be abashed awhit at them For why wee haue God on our side and besides that the truth of the Gospell is so precious in his sight as hee will not haue any creature to bee spared for it according as we haue seene how Saint Paule himselfe telleth vs that if it were possible for the Angelles to turne vs away from the pure doctrine wee shoulde holde them accursed and refuze and abhorre them And why then shall wee seeke too please mortall men when they woulde disguize the purenesse of the Gospell and mingle their owne inuentions wyth it and in so dooing make our Lorde Iesus Christ their vnderling that they mighte still keepe possession of theyr errours Is it meete that wee shoulde yeelde vp our places to them A mischiefe light vpon such concorde for it shall alwayes be cursed of God VVherfore let vs haue such stoutnesse and constancie of minde that when we be once sure that the quarell which we mainteyne is Gods wee stagger not for any greatnesse or loftinesse of the worlde Thus ye see in effect what we haue to beare in minde And heere withall we see also what the fondnesse of the Papistes is and howe shamelesse that vilane the Pope hath bin in exempting himselfe from all correction VVhen the Pope intendeth to magnifie himself greatly he calleth himselfe the Successor of Peter and yet in the meane while hee will by no meanes submit himselfe too any chastizements Hee sayth that it belongeth to him to correct all the world and that it is not lawfull for any man to meddle with him And whence commeth that exemption For if he pretend to hold the place of Peter we see here the contrarie Peter was rebuked and bare it yea and hee willingly graunted himself to be giltie when he saw he was ouercome Seeing it is so wee must needes conclude that there is no dignitie in this worlde how much so euer men colour it which shoulde not alwayes bee subiect too Gods worde For what a thing were it if it were otherwise so as our Lorde Iesus Christ shoulde haue sette vp dumbe Idols in his Church vnder the title and shadow of shepherds and that it should be lawfull for them to finde fault and rebuke yea and too marre and falsifie all things and in the meane while no man shoulde open his lyppes agaynst them Gods Churche shoulde become as it were a Swynes stye infected with all filthinesse and there shoulde bee no remedie to helpe it Let vs marke well then that God will not haue any such preeminence to bee in his Church as shoulde hinder the continuall course of his worde so as it should not be able to bridle all such as are in any superioritie aboue others For it behoueth vs to giue eare to our Lorde Iesus Christ and hee must haue the maystership that is gyuen him of God his father so as euery man must yeelde himselfe therevntoo and none of vs pretend to haue any exemption That is the thing which is shewed vs in the person of Saint Peter On the other part we see also after what sort the faultes that are committed ought to be rebuked that is to say openly before all men and not only in secrete which thing is well worthie too bee marked For there are many that can fynde in theyr heartes too giue cause of offence who after they haue set all in a broile woulde haue a man do no more to them but tel them softly in their eare that they haue done amâ—sse For the common diuinitie is this VVhat I pray you Is it not sayde that eche shoulde reproue other secretely Is it meete that a man shoulde bee so diffamed when hee hath done amisse No verily if hee haue not offended in suche wize as hys faulte ingendereth trouble in the whole Church For euen our Lorde Iesus Christ doth expressely set downe the same differeÌ„ce so that if any man haue done amisse and I knowe it I must rebuke him betwixt him and me But if the fault be notorious and open and an occasion too bring in euill example if hee were not tolde of it then must I not any more keepe that order of rowning him secretely in the eare but condemne the fault as it deserueth that others may take warning by it And this is ment not onely of priuate persons but also of suche as are in highest degree for it becommeth them too leade the waye according also as in another place too Timothie Paule commaundeth expressely that suche as haue done amysse thoughe they bee the Sheepeheardes whiche haue the charge too teache and gouerne the flocke shoulde bee rebuked openly The same thing hath hee put presently in practize in the person of Peter For in as muche as the fault was ouergreate and too farre out of square and might ingender greater trouble in the Churche bicause it was as yee woulde say an ouerthrowing of the Gospell for that there was as yet some infirmitie in manie men Saint Paule sawe well it was requisyte that Peter shoulde bee rebuked and therevppon did it That therfore is the thing which we haue to remember concerning that processe On the otherside we see also the mildnes of Peter It had bin said vnto him by the mouth of our Lord Iesus Christ that besides his ordinarie name of Simon he should be called Peter for the steddinesse of his fayth He was excellent among the rest of the Apostles and yet neuerthelesse he stoupeth with his head and boweth downe his necke when he seeth that he hath done amisse and maketh no buckler of the honourable state wherein he was but onely considereth that sith Gods worde is giuen vs too correct vs it becommeth vs to submit our selues too it except we will bee rebels against him who in the ende will beate downe all the pride of the world Therefore S. Peter perceyuing that nothing is better for a man than to receiue chastizements when hee hath done amisse yeeldeth to that which was told him by S. Paule Now if we consider all these things well wee haue heere a verie profitable storie For on the one syde wee see howe euerie man desyreth too holde in with the worlde and that is an occasion too blinde vs continually in our misdoings For there is nothing with vs but flattering and to our seeming we cannot be friends except euery of vs beare with his fellowe Surely there
the bottome of hell Yee see then what I haue wonne by abyding in the lawe And S. Paule speaketh of him selfe rather than of any other body to the ende that the things which he speaketh may bee the better receyued as of a man of experience And it is after the same maner that he speaketh in the fore alleaged seuenth Chapter too the Romanes For there he setteth not foorth thys man or that man for an example but saythe I my selfe was sometymes alyue that is too saye at suche time as he was a Pharisie and accounted an holy man yea euen for one of the excellentest in all Iewry in so muche that he was a myrrour of all perfection and as a lyttle Angell then saythe he I was alyue howebeeit but by hypocrisie For he made him selfe too beleeue wonders and he was so puffed vp with pride that he hilde scorne of Iesus Christe Lo in what blindnesse Sainct Paule acknowledgeth hym selfe too haue beene And he addeth anone after that he wyst not what was ment by Thou shalte not couet It might bee thoughte straunge that a man whiche had not onely bin at schoole but also bin a great teacher of others and thereto a very zealous man as he him selfe affirmeth should bee so dulled as not to knowe his owne faultes But S. Paule sheweth the reason of it For sayth he I looked no further than to the outwarde honestie that there might no faulte bee founde in me before the worlde nor any man know any euill by me But when I vnderstoode what this saying Thou shalt not luste ment and perceyued that God condemneth all the affections thoughts of men then I perceyued that the worst was behind as the common Prouerbe sayth for it is the last cōmandement of the law wherein God maketh so liuely and deepe a searche as nothing can be excepted from it VVheras it is sayd in the lawe Thou shalte not haue any straunge goddes Thou shalt not make any image too worship it Thou shalte not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vayne ▪ Thou shalt keepe holy the day of rest Thou shalt honor thy father mother Thou shalt not kil Thou shalte not commit aduoutrie Thou shalte not steale All this is well will we thinke we must absteyne from all whordome violence and extortion we must absteyne from deceipt and robberie we must liue soberly Heretoo we must absteyne from blasphemie and we must honor God All this will easily be graunted But there is a backenooke that we perceyued not whiche is Thou shalt not couet or luste that is a priuie nipper Truely it seemeth not too bee very bigge or greate but yet for all that it is suche a stinger as passeth all the rest in byting For by the ende and wynding vp of hys Lawe God searcheth out all that euer is in man Hee setteth downe that commaundement too trie out the things that were hidden and when he sayth thou shalte not couet it is a percing euen into the marie of mens bones So then S. Paule confesseth that he knewe not what sinne mente till he vnderstoode what was mente by the commaundement that forbiddeth men too couet or luste And therfore in this texte he chargeth not the Gospell but the Lawe with it VVherefore let vs remember vpon this text that all they whiche deceyue them selues by any opinion of their owne merites neuer tasted what the Law of God is nor what it meaneth I speake of the greatest doctors that are in moste estimation as in good fayth it is too bee seene in the Popedome For euen those that are taken too bee the pillers of the Churche notwithstanding that they professe Diuinitie knowe not one worde of Gods lawe too apply the same too his true and naturall vse For they haue nothing in them but hypocrisie and they beare them selues in hande that they shall please God with a rattle as if he were a little babe They doo but toye with him and yet yee shall see them stande so muche in their owne conceites as they can not abide to be condemned And if a man tell them that wee must seeke our saluation in Iesus Christ yea say they and what shall become then of our freewill what should become of our owne merites and satisfactions Too their seeming it were much better too plucke the sunne out of the sky yea and God out of his seate too than too bereeue man of that prerogatiue or of the thing that he can bring of him selfe to cōpound with God and yet for all that it is certayne that there is nothing in thē but starke filthinesse For men see that there is neyther feare of God nor vprightnesse nor equitie nor ought else that good is in their lyfe They be so full of pride that they be readie to burst agayne and they be full of enuy rancour and all maner of loocenesse And yet for all this they will needes holde God bound vnto them but that is bicause they neuer knewe the law So then when our Lorde teacheth vs and sheweth vs how we ought to walke in this world let vs learne to lay the doctrine that he setteth foorth and our life togither and there we shall finde the right perfection of the law and that in our selues there is nothing but horrible confusion wee shall see hell readie prepared for vs. By that meanes it will be easie for vs to giue ouer all the deseruing whiche wee shall haue fancied in our selues so as it shall be soone beaten downe and our mouthes stopped and we become like poore dead folke without any breath bicause we shall perceyue well inough that we can not come vnto God but must needes thunder agaynst vs if wee bring any foolishe imagination of our owne deseruings Lo howe the lawe sleaeth vs. But when we haue passed through suche death that is to say when we be alreadie rightly humbled and vtterly dismayde then here is a remedie which S. Paule setteth downe saying I was crucified with Iesus Christ euē to liue vnto God Now he sheweth here that our Lorde Iesus Christ not only bringeth vs remission of our sinnes but also sanctifieth and regenerateth vs by his holy spirite in so muche that whereas there was nothing but stubbornesse in vs before now we be giuen to serue God and to please him And for the better vnderstanding of that which S. Paule telleth vs let vs marke that we receyue two principall graces of our Lorde Iesus Christ The one is the forgiuenesse of our sinnes whereby we are assured of our saluation and haue our consciences quieted and wherevpon it behoueth vs to be grounded so as we cal vpon God as our father VVho giueth vs the boldnesse to lift vp our heads to heauen and to call God our father Agayne what maketh vs so bolde as to glory that we be companions and brothers to the Angels It is bicause our sinnes come not to account for we must alwayes haue recourse to
should seeke it in him yea euen al wholy and not by peeces Thus then ye see why S. Paule reasoneth that for asmuch as we haue receiued Gods spirit by meanes of the Gospell it behoueth vs to hold vs therevnto and not go to the Ceremonies of the law nor to any other thyng one or other but be contented with that perfection seing it is gyuen vs and we may enioy it without geinsaying For although thys matter was written to the Galathians yet is it common to vs also at this day as well as to them Let vs marke I say how our Lorde Iesus Christ wrought in vs. And first of all let vs practise that which is shewed vs in the second to the Corinthians whiche is that it behoueth vs to be wholly new fashioned againe and to haue Goddes spirit dwelling in vs. So then the true marke whereby we may discerne whither we bee Gods children or no is Gods spirit But bring we that spirit with vs from our mothers womb Alas no. Nother commeth it any whit the more by our owne deseruings as I haue told you already but bycause it pleaseth God of his graciouse goodnesse to giue vs it thereby to draw vs to him If we haue any desire or willingnesse to walke in the feare of our God or if wee would fayne be able to call vpon him with a pure conscience it is a token that Gods spirit dwelleth in vs. VVe neede not to seeke any other witnesse nor to make any longer scanning of the matter But nowe haue wee gotten and obteyned this spirit by our owne merites No surely Then must we needes conclude that seeyng wee haue it of gyft it was gyuen vs by meanes of the Gospell For in the Gospell God vttereth hys myghtye power and working too the saluation of men as it is sayde in the firste too the Romanes Now if the Gospell bee the instrumente whereby we receyue Goddes spirite shall we go seeke other meanes VVere not that a renouncing of the power whyche is apparantly knowen too vs It is all one as if we would wilfully leaue the way that is shewed vs of our God too seeke bywayes after our owne fancie And if the Galathians were without excuce for theyr turning away from the Gospell too the lawe what shall wee bee in these dayes if wee will needes bee wrapped in the superstitions that men haue forged in their owne shoppes As for example the Papistes thinke too bee iustified not by the Ceremonies that God had commaunded in olde time but by the dotages and gewgawes that they them selues haue deuised For as for the thing whiche they doo nowe a dayes terme Gods seruice what else is it than a certayne hotchpotche whereinto euery man hath cast his owne peece and collop Seeing then that the caâ—e standeth so it is not a despising of God and a withdrawing of our selues from him by reiecting of his grace too the ende he shoulde not haue any accesse at all vnto vs when wee will needes mingle mens inuentions with the purenesse of the Gospell Must we not needes be worse than mad in so dooing Then let vs know at one worde that wee can not bee Christians but the holy Ghost muste holde vs in such humilitie as to make vs confesse that al our welfare commeth of Gods meere grace and so cleaue to our Lorde Iesus Christ as wee not onely take him for a peece or portion of our trust but bee fully satisfied with him as hauing drawne of his fulnesse assuring our selues that he is the full perfection not only of all wisedome but also of all righteousnesse and happinesse that in him lieth and consisteth all our welfare which welfare wee possesse when wee haue the Gospell and the preaching of faythe and when wee be cast downe in our selues and vtterly bereft of all presumpteousnesse which keepeth vs backe from comming vnto God Furthermore let vs be so rauished seeing that our Lord Iesus Christ hath so bountifully giuen vs all that was requisite for our saluation I say let vs bee so rauished with it as all things else that can be layde before vs may be but as smoke too vs and we vtterly despise and abhorre them too shewe how well we haue profited in the Gospell and therewithall bee so constant and stedfast in our selues as neuer to bee thrust out of the way whatsoeuer the diuell whisper in oure care And moreouer for as muche as wee bee so weake grosse and heauie that although God doo daily prouoke euery of vs to come vnto him wee come but as it were halting and creeping let vs inforce our selues more and more to beseech God too strengthen vs with his holy spirite and too make vs profite more and more in the knowledge of his Gospell And let vs not doo as those doo which imagine them selues too bee come to full perfection at the first day â–ª but let vs labour to go forwarde more and more in the hope of the heauenly life to gather such streÌ„gth as our fayth may grow from day to day till we come to the blessed stop wherof S. Paul speaketh in the fourth to the Ephesians which iâ— that we cleaue fully to our Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs so to feele them more and more as the same may cause vs bothe too mislike them and also too aske forgiuenesse of them at his hande that by that meanes he may bee glorified by vs and wee so confirmed by his holy spirite as we may not doubt but that he dwelleth in vs and that as he hath once adopted vs for his children so he will holde vs still for the same And so let vs all saye Almightie God heauenly father c. The .xvj. Sermon which is the second vpon the third Chapter 3 Are yee so vnvvise that vvhen yee haue begonne by the spirite novv yee ende in the flesh 4 Haue yee suffered so muche in vayne At leastvvise if it bee in vayne 5 He therfore that giueth you the spirite and vvorketh mightily in you doth he it by the vvorks of the lavv or by the preaching of the fayth WEe know that all the doctrine of the Gospell tendeth to draw vs out of this worlde and to make vs come vnto God But that is impossible vnlesse wee bee lifted vp continually more and more Therfore if wee intende too profite in Gods schoole wee muste so labour to correct the infirmities that are in our nature as if wee were alwayes at the poynt too bee taken out of the world True it is that God of his goodnesse stoopeth downe vnto vs but that is not too holde vs heere beneath Likewise when he sendeth vs mortall men too bee as his messangers and exhorteth vs to come vnto him by such meanes as are fittest for vs and therto giueth vs his Sacraments which are earthly and visible signes therein wee see
all the faithfull to all his children But yet doth he graunt vs other speciall graces besides as when he giueth vs men that teach vs his woord faythfully or that gouerne the common welth wisely or whiche haue other giftes for in so doing he giueth vs certayne tokens that he dwelleth among vs and thereby also he bindeth vs so much the more vntoo him Let vs marke the reason that S. Paule setteth downe heere He blameth the vnthankfulnesse of the Galathians for that they considered not how it came vnto them by the preachyng of the Gospell And he sayeth it purposely bicause men will alwayes make fayre protestations ynow that they meene not to reiect Gods grace and yet doo shew the cleane contrarie in their dooyngs As howe They that are loth too suffer themselues too be taught and would driue away all the ministers of Gods woord if they could they which through enuie spitefulnesse could find in their harts to abolish the remeÌ„brance of al those whom God hath stablished too maynteyne the welfare of his people they say I doo shew well ynough that they would haue God too holde himselfe a farre off from them and that they bee loth to come at him For he setteth before them the meanes to come too him and they voutchsafe not too take it but do thrust it from them So then whereas S. Paule findeth fault with the GalathiaÌ„s it was not for that they protested openly with full mouth that they woulde none of Gods spirit or that they hild skorne of his giftes but too shewe them that they had very ill regarded Gods vttering of the giftes of his spirite in their Churche VVhat ought wee then too gather vppon this Text. That if God giue vs meanes too come vntoo him wee must take them awoorth euen by fashioning of our selues vnto them For if the Gospell bee preached among vs and wee wilfully forget what is told vs it is all one as if wee reiected God and turned our backe vppon him of purpose too stray away from him VVherefore if wee intend that God should continue his grace towardes vs let vs hold vs too the meanes that he hath ordeyned for vs that is to say let vs suffer our selues to be taught by such as he sendeth vnto vs let euery of vs exercyze himself alone also in reading the holy scripture let such as haue done good in edifying the Church haue roome place among vs and let vs not shet the gate against the holy Ghost This in effect is the thing that wee haue to beare in minde Furthermore for asmuch as S. Paules intent here is to bring backe the faithfull to the Gospell let vs assure our selues that if we swarue neuer so litle from it we be streyght in the high way to destruction And so there is none other knitting of God vnto meÌ„ than by meanes of the Gospell which must go as a chayne that cannot bee broken betwixt theÌ„ And Paule doth purposely once againe call it the preaching of faith to shewe vs how great neede wee haue that God should preuent vs. For vntil such time as he haue reached vs his hand in our Lord Iesus Christe and drawne vs out of the gulfe of confusion wherein wee bee by nature what are wee Moreouer wee see howe bountifull he sheweth himselfe towardes vs in that he giueth himselfe fully to vs in the persone of his only Sonne surely it is much more than if he gaue vs heauen and earth and all the goodes that are in them For what are all other things in coÌ„parison of our Lord Iesus Christ VVherfore let vs marke that seing that God hauing declared vntoo vs that wee bee vtterly vnfurnished of all goodnesse addeth that he will not keepe backe any thing from vs nor shew himselfe a nigard towards vs if wee seeke too him for all things that wee want wee must be contented with it and if wee swarue neuer so little one way or other we deserue well to bee vtterly bereft and dispossessed euen of that which wee haue receyued alreadie And therevppon S. Paule bringeth vs backe too the example of Abraham bycause he is the father of all the faythfull and moreouer bycause that in his person it pleazed god to shew how we may become rightuous to be saued for there is none other way to bring vs to the kingdome of heauen than the same that he went There is but onely one way and that is set foorth too vs in the example of Abraham S. Paule therefore sayeth that Abraham beleeued God and the same was reckened too him for rightuousnesse and therefore that if we will be Abrahams children wee must beleeue Heere we haue too call too rememberance the thing that hath bin declared alreadie heretofore that is too say what this woorde fayth or beâ—eefe importeth It is not a single beleeuing that there is but one God which gouerneth the worlde but an assuring of our selues that he taketh vs for his children and that wee may fully and freely call vppon him as our father bycause he accepteth vs for our Lord Iesus Christes sake Then if wee bee sure of the fauour and fatherly loue of our God and take suche warrantize of it by his promises that wee haue our looke wholly fastened vppon our Lord Iesus Christe in whom wee finde meanes too come vnto God and too go freely vntoo him that is the very thing whiche S. Paule ment by that woord Fayth And so when he sayeth that too bee Ahrahams children wee must bee faythfull it is all one as if he sayd that wee cannot bee faythfull Christians nor members of the Church but by fayth that is to say except we be bereft of all opinioÌ„ of our owne deseruings moreouer so beaten downe and dismayed in our selues as we may not wote where too become nor seeke any other meanes of saluatioÌ„ than in the free goodnesse which God offereth vs when he telleth vs that wee be fordone damned in our sinnes and yet notwithstanding that we must not ceasse to haue full hope and trust of saluation in Iesus Christ Thus yee see what it is for a man to bee a Christian that is too wit to be vtterly out of hart in himself in coÌ„sideration that he bringeth nothing with him but sin and cursednesse and yet vpon the feeling of himself to be so vtterly voyde of all well deseruing to come vnto God to be clothed with the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ For it is not ynough for vs to be out of hart in our selues as we see that Cain was who beyng as it were vpon the racke confesseth his fault howbeit that was but through despayre and so consequently there was nothing in him but murmuring and blasphemie against God in like cace is it with all reprobates or cast awayes but wee must so taste of the loue of our God as wee may be able to settle our selues vpon it and be out of all doubt that he will
than angelicall conformitie too all his commaundementes Howbeit although he holde vs in awe although he chaunge vs and fashion vs newe agayne althoughe he reyne vs backe to the obedience of his will yet is there no full perfection in vs. And why For he intendeth to holde vs still vnder the bridle of humilitie he wil haue vs to know our owne weaknesse and to grone for it before him and he will haue vs to passe iudgement and to know that wee be alwayes inâ—etted vnto him Forasmuche then as God doth not in this present life giue vs such perfection as were requisit to the ful performance of his whole law therfore we can neuer do throughly the things that he coÌ„maÌ„deth vs. And forasmuch as we be not able to performe theÌ„ therfore this iudgement is huÌ„dred down vpon our heads that he is cursed which fulfilleth not al the things It behoueth vs to marke well that saying for it is not sayd Cursed bee he that reiecteth the Lawe or which keepeth no poynt at all of it but Cursed be he that dischargeth not himselfe of it poynt by poynt and through stitche as I sayd afore And for that cause also S. Iames too the ende too beate downe mens pride sayth that he which fayleth in any one poynt is giltie of the whole VVee will think this to be very rough dealing at the first sight VVhat say we will God forget al the good that a man hath done for the committing of some one onely fault That would be counted crueltie among men Yea but S. Iames addeth a reason saying He that forbad to murther forbad also to coÌ„mit whordome and he that forbad to steale forbad al the residue too Then if I thinke my selfe to haue satisfied God in forbearing thefte and in the meane while am a whoremaster haue I not offended the maiestie of God And therfore wee must leaue all these peecings for if wee bring God some one peece let all the rest alone what a dealing wil that be â–ª VVe see that one man is giuen to one vice another to another and so euery man would bee priuiledged and dispenst with vnder colour that he had done this or that notwithstaÌ„ding that he missed in some other poynt But God hathe not separated his commaundements asunder He hath not sayde too one man thou shalte not steale and to another Thou shalte not commit aduoutry but he sayth to al men without exception Absteyne yee from whordome absteyne ye from theft absteyne yee from murther Therefore wee must examine our life not by any one commaundement alone but by all the whole law togither But now let vs see if we can find any man that is faultlesse Yee see then that wee must needes bee confounded so long as we stande to be iudged by the law For if Abraham who was the excellentest that euer could be picked out amoÌ„g men should be driuen to enter into account by that it is certayne that he shoulde not misse too bee damned Seeing it is so let vs beare well in minde that it is not for vs too dispute any more for when the Papistes speake of the righteousnesse of faythe they doo but dally and skoffe with God as if he were a lyttle babe Let vs keepe our selues from suche scornfulnesse and when God pronounceth this horrible sentence that all they bee cursed which fulfill not all that is written let vs conceiue such a terrour of it as we may quake before his maiestie yea and euery of vs become his owne iudge and willingly yeeld himselfe giltie and beeing so conuicted of our wretchednesse bewayle our vtter fayling in all things and therevpon imbrace the rightuousnesse that is offered vs in our Lord Iesus Christ taking all our contentment and rest there Now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs so to feele them as we may not only aske him forgiuenesse with true repentance but also pray him to hold vs vp all the tyme of our lyfe till he haue taken vs hence into his owne kingdome and in the meane while to reforme vs more and more by his holy spirit to the end we may haue sure record that we be of the number of his children by gouerning ourselues after that manner in feare and seeke nothing else but to giue ourselues wholly vnto him And so let vs all say Almighty God heauenly father c. The. 18. Sermon which is the fourth vpon the third Chapter 11. That no man is iustifyed by the lavve before God it is manifest for the rightuous shall liue by faith 12. And the lavve is not of saith but the man that doeth those things shall liue in them 13. Christ hath raunsomed vs froÌ„ the curse of the lawe in that he became accursed for vs for it is vvritteÌ„ cursed is he that hangeth on tree 14. That the blissednesse of Abraham myght come vppon the Gentils through Iesus Christ to the end that vve myght receyue the promis of the spirite by fayth WE haue seene that if men be not worse than mad they must needes for all that euer they haue seeke their saluation in our Lord Iesus Christ For if they sticke to the law they shall find nothing there but damnation as hathe bin shewed alreadye and that doth euery man fynde sufficiently by hys owne experience And certesse when as Sainct Paule goeth about in the Epistle to the Romanes to shew that men beguile themselues too grosly by trusting in their owne merites he fayth that the law can worke nothing but Gods wrath and vengeance For although wee bee already sufficiently condemned ere God open his mouth to gyue sentence againste vs yet notwithstanding our naughtinesse is yet deeper ingrauen by the law when he saith that if wee transgresse but some any one point we become enimies to God and his wrath must needes be kindled against vs. VVhat shall we gaine by disputing when the determinate sentence is pronounced by the heauenly iudge There is nother appeale nor pleading that will stande vs in sted So then let vs vnderstand that to haue the true knowledge of the Gospell we must hold vs wholly to our Lorde Iesus Christe that we put not our hope of saluation in any other thyng than in his only mercie and for the performance thereof let euery of vs haue an eye to his owne life For if men sift themselues thoroughly without hipocrisie or feyning surely all cause of pleading will soone be rid away The Papistes will not in any wise graunte that only fayth should make vs acceptable to God and that is bycause they neuer felt throughly what it is to come before Goddes iudgement seate but haue alwayes as it were played with the shadow of it And therefore no maruell though they pardon themselues in all things But the very way to bring vs to the truth and to the pure and right religion is for euery of vs to
promise of it as wee haue seene Heere yee see also why wee bee called Abrahams ofspring For wee belong no whit at all to him in respecte of the fleshe But fayth is a sufficient bonde too knit vs vnto him Furthermore wee see that our Lorde Iesus Christ who is the pledge of mens welfare is nowe reuealed vnto vs too the ende that wee shoulde haue the better assurance that wee bee ▪ hys and that hee wyll holde vs for the members of hys body And that is the cause why Christ sayde that Abraham sawe his daye and was glad of it The Iewes alledged the worthinesse of the Patriarke yea saith Christ as though your father Abraham had not rested vpon the things that were spoken too him concerning mee Therefore he sawe my day and it was the thing wherein he tooke all his comforte in so muche that he had not any other hope of saluation than by the beleefe which he had in the doctrine which is preached vnto you at this day by the Gospell That also is the very same thing that is spoken of Iohn Baptist by the Prophet Malachie namely that he was sent to knit the hearts and mindes of the fathers to the children And this is not spoken only of the person of Iohn Baptist but it belongeth also to the doctrine of the Gospell Yee see then that the thing wherevnto our Lorde calleth vs is that although Abrahā be rotten in the earth so long tyme ago yet wee may assure our selues that there is none other promise than that for vs too trust vnto so wee be knit vnto him by fayth and doo so agree togither as wee can call vpon God with the same minde wherewith he was gouerned according as in very deede he had his minde fixed vpon our Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe then for so muche as wee bee vnited vnto Abraham let vs tende to our Lorde Iesus Christ and let him be our aming marke and our shoote anker till wee be all assembled togither and gathered vp into the heauenly kingdome Lo what wee haue to consider when mention is made of the promise that was made before the lawe Yea and wee ought to bee greatly prouoked to constancie when wee perceyue that our father Abraham did alwayes wayte for our Lorde Iesus Christ althoughe it were so long ere he should be discouered to the world and it was tolde hym that hys seede shoulde bee hilde prisoners in a straunge lande After that God had tolde him that all the worlde should bee blissed in his seede he addeth and yet for all that thinke not that this shall bee performed within these twoo or three dayes or a hundred yeeres hence for thou thy selfe muste first die thou thy selfe muste firste bee conueyed hence intoo a straunge countrie where thyne ofspring shall bee oppressed with all tyrannie and crueltie Assure thy selfe I will be reuendged of it but yet must thy seede smart in the meane while Abraham herde all this Againe after that the lawe was giuen there passed other twoo thousand yeeres more ere our Lorde Iesus Christe came Nowe coulde Abraham neuer haue trusted too that which was spoken too him if he had not bin armed with heauenly power for he himselfe could not inioy the benefite that was offered him nother should his children inioy it that were too come Yee see then that two thousand and foure hundred yeeres were then to passe and yet notwithstanding Abraham repented him not that he had forsaken his fathers house as the Apostle declareth in the eleuenth too the Hebrewes but hilde on his race still albeit that God intended too trie his patience too the vttermoste Of much more reason ought wee now adayes too go on stedfastly whither soeuer God calleth vs and too hold vp our heades till we come too the crowne of glorie not withstandyng that as now it bee hidden from vs and that wee must bee fayne too beleeue and hope for things that surmount all our capacitie and which wee cannot perceyue Thus yee see how wee ought too put this text in vre Nowe herevpon S. Paule concludeth that if the inheritance come by the lawe it shall not come by fayth But God gaue Abraham all things in respect of fayth and therefore it is too bee concluded that the Lawe must needes ceasse when men go about to get fauour at Gods hand and the prayse of our saluation muste bee yeelded all wholly vntoo him S. Paule in speaking here of inheritance meeneth two things The one is that what soeuer God hath at any time promised vs is of his owne meere free goodnesse for an inheritance is not a wages or hyre True it is that a father in giuing his children their heritage may well say See how I take paynes for you Marke what shall come of it Yee shall haue my goodes among you But yet howe soeuer the father deale with them he hath none other respect than too his owne kinship He laboreth and taketh great paynes too prouide for such as are so alied vnto him Seing then that heritages are things of free gifte among men wee must not take eternall lyfe as a deserued wages or hyre at Gods hand For why it is an heritage Marke it for a sure grounde that heere all woorthinesse of men is excluded For when a man makes his children his heires he passeth not whither they haue done any greate woorke or no or whither they bee fayre or foule or whither they bee one thing or other but it is ynough for him that they bee his children and that his minde is too prouide for them Another poynt is that Sainct Paule in so saying giueth vs an incling that wee bee all of vs vtterly reiected of God so as wee cannot no not euen in this transitorie lyfe inioy any thing at all but by the onely meere grace of God True it is that the Sunne shyneth as well vppon the faythlesse as vppon the faithfull and all men are nurrished alike with the things that God giueth and graunteth vnto them but yet howsoeuer they fare the vnbeleeuers possesse not any thing by iust tytle They are but theeues and muste yeelde account of the benefites and goodes whiche they haue receyued of God euen too the last droppe of water bycause they were not sanctified but defiled them asmuche as in them lay bycause they had no fayth whiche as sayeth Sainct Paule is the thing whereby the benefites that God giueth vntoo vs are made cleane That is the way for vs too vse them lawfully but lette fayth bee away and there shall be nothing else but vnclennesse For why if my handes be foule and I handle the preciousest things in the worlde with them they shall bee rayed with the filthinesse of my handes Euen so is it when wee abuse Gods benefites The vnbeliefe that is in vs defileth all and in the ende all creatures muste crie out for vengeance vppon vs bycause wee abused them if we possessed them not with faith
Christ who is the fountayne and welspring of all blissednesse Nowe let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him too make vs perceyue them more and more so as we may mislike of them and not onely confesse them with our mouth but also lay open our hearts before him and submit our selues wholly to his holy word and that in suche wise as wee may bee comforted by his free goodnesse as it is shewed vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ and he reforme vs also by his holy spirite too the ende that whereas wee of our selues be full of rebelliousnesse we may by his gouerning become teachable and readie to follow his holy will and to giue our selues ouer all wholly vnto him And let vs pray vnto him for all these things saying Almightie God heauenly father c. The .xxij. Sermon which is the eyght vpon the third Chapter 21 Is the lavv then agaynst the promises of God God forbyd For if the lavve vvere giuen too iustifie truely ryghtuousnesse shoulde come by the Lavve 22 But the Scripture hath shut vp all vnder sinne to the intent that the promise by the saythe of Iesus Christ should begiuen to those that beleeue 23 Novv before that fayth came vve vvere kept vnder the lavve shut vp to come to the fayth that vvas to bee reuealed 24 By meanes vvhereof the Lavv vvas our scholemaster to leade vs vnto Christ that vvee might bee iustified by fayth 25 But novv that fayth is come vvee bee no more vnder the Scholemaster WE haue alreadie this morning dispatched this poynt that the Law was not giuen in vayne though it coulde not bring vs too righteousnesse to make vs acceptable to God SecoÌ„dly it was shewed you that Gods giuing of hys Lawe was not to the intent we should seeke our righteousnesse and saluation there as though his grace had bin weake and vnsufficient but for a farre other respect that is to wit to giue men suche knowledge of their sinnes as they might be ashamed of them in theÌ„ selues for otherwise they could not be touched to the quicke to flee to our Lorde Iesus Christ for refuge as we see too much And now S. Paule moueth another question namely whether the lawe bee agaynst the promises For surely when it is sayde that the lawe promiseth vs saluation vpon condition that wee deserue it and the promise of the Gospell telleth vs that wee shall bee taken into Gods fauour without any deseruing a man would thinke there were some contrarietie in the matter As if a man shoulde offer mee a house so I would pay wel for it and did set me a price of it and another man should say vnto me no thou shalt haue it for nothing There is great contrarietie in these sayings And it seemeth that in speaking after that fashion God vnsayeth that which he had spoken in hys law where he sayth Serue me and keepe my commaundements you shall not misse of your wages For in the Gospell he speaketh another language saying I require nothing of you for yee bee so wretched that ye can giue me nothing but I receyue you into my kingdome frankly and of mine owne free goodnesse without any desert of yours your heritage is assigned to you euen bicause it is my good pleasure to doo it Heerevpon S. Paule declareth that although God speake after another maner and fashion in the lawe than in the Gospel yet notwithstanding when we haue well considered the marke that he shooteth at wee shal perceyue there is no contrarietie in the matter For as I haue tolde you this morning Gods promising of rewarde to our works is not to beguyle vs but to stop our mouthes that wee might not repine agaynst him as we see that the world doth which is alwayes ready to carpe at him with diuelish malapertnesse wheÌ„ he handleth them not after their owne will and liking God then cutteth off all occasion of grudging when he telleth vs that wee shall not be disappoynted of our wages for our wel seruing of him Furthermore let euery of vs examine him selfe well and he shal finde that that is not the match wherby we must obteyne saluation for there is none of vs all but he may condemne him self by his own life if he iudge without flattering But after that God hath spoken after that fashioÌ„ he offereth vs remedie in the Gospell and telleth vs that for as much as we be damned and can not hope to attayne any saluation by our works he him selfe offered it vs of his own free goodnesse bicause it pleaseth him so to doo And for that cause S. Paule answereth If the law had bin giuen to iustifie I coulde wel inough graunt that righteousnesse should be giuen vs by it But let vs see whether God ment that or no. It is certayne he ment it not Then sendeth he vs to Gods purpose as if he should say that the Hypocrites which are so puffed vp with pride ouerweening that they think they be able to iustifie them selues to win heauen are il expounders of Gods law yea falsifiers therof For men must alwayes haue an eye to the intent of the speaker Now God ment not to set men a gog with any trust in their own wit deseruings for we be too much giuen to that of our own nature VVe see it hath bin a common error through the whole world in all ages Therfore we nede no scholing to persuade vs that we be able folke that we can bind God to vs by our vertuous doings But contrariwise God hath giuen vs his lawe to the intent we should be wounded with it as with a sword the stripe be so deadly as we might be constrayned to flee to him for succor Seeing then that Gods will it to slea vs by the Law it is not giuen vs to make vs righteous And therfore they that seeke their life welfare there beguile them selues and there is no reason why they should alledge for theÌ„ selues yea how so God hath promised me it No but they must consider to what end he saith so Now we see how S. Paul hath discussed this question that there is no contrarietie betweene the Law the Gospel though God alter the maner of his speech at the first blush Now he addeth afterwarde That the Scripture hath shut vp all â—â—â—der sinne that we might obteyne the promise by the fayth of our Lorde Iesus Christ. VVhen he sayth that the scripture hathe shutte vp all vnder sinne he sheweth that men are too-too blockishe too thinke that God ment too assigne them a due wages or hire when he dyd set them downe this condition He that dooth these thinges shall liue in them Lette them reade the whole lawe let them searche the contents and substance of it let them looke well vpon the whole holy Scripture and they shall finde that it accuseth and condemneth all men from the moste to the
they be both one thing as I haue sayde afore But in this text the word Faith hath yet a more peculiar signification which is the reuelation or discouerie which wee haue by the Gospell For it is very certaine that the forefathers had the spirit of faith or beleefe according as I haue shewed you alreadye that Abraham was iustifyed bycause he beleeued God that wee also must be fashioned like to his example in that behalfe as whereby we be made his children to come to the kingdom of heauē Then had faith his full strength at all times and there neuer was any other meanes to set God and men at one but yet was not the fayth reueled in Abrahams time bycause our Lorde Iesus Christe who is the very pledge and substance therof was not yet come intoo the world Thus ye see how we be iustifyed freely at this day and without any desert of our owne And why is that For he that beleeueth that Iesus Christ died for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification hath all the whole And as it is sayd in another place our beleeuing with our hart maketh vs ryghtuouse and our confessing with our mouth maketh vs safe But now had Abraham had oure Lord Iesus Christ discouered vnto him as we haue him at this day in somuch that he is as good as crucified among vs as Sainct Paule hath sayd heeretofore his fayth had bin all one with ours But it was yet after a sort ouercouered that is to say although Abraham trusted in Iesus Christ hoping for saluation at his hande and although he vtterly distrusted himselfe knowing that there was vertue in him that might go for payment before God yet was he hild still vnder shadowes was fayne to looke at Iesus Christ a far off For he was not yet named the day sunne of rightuousenesse as hee is called in Malachie Now then we see what Sainct Paul meant by saying that faith was not yet come namely that the cōuenient time of the reueling of it to the world as it is nowadayes by the Gospel was not yet come so that the fathers were shet vp vnder the lawe So therefore heere is some peece of difference and some peece of likenesse in somuch that if it bee demaunded what the state of the fathers wer that liued vnder the law it is to be answered that partly it differed from ours and partly was al one How were they both one In this that God had shewed himselfe mercifull to our father howbeit for our Lord Iesus Christs sake and that Abraham perceyuing how it stoode him on hand to put his whole trust in the meere grace of God gaue ouer himself and so his beleeuing was reckened to him for rightuousnesse as we haue seene afore In lyke cace was it with all the Patriarks and Prophets So then their taking was all one with ours in that they grounded themselues vppon our Lord Iesus Christ and boasted not of any thing saue onely Gods mercy and had the promises of the inheritance of the heauenly life as we haue Yet was there also a diuersitie bycause they were fayne to haue Sacrifises washings and such other like thinges till the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ And when the law was giuen so as there was a Preest that entered into the Sanctuarie to be an intercessor and the people stoode aloofe a great way of and a veyle or Curtayne was drawen in the middes of the Tabernacle to make a darkening of things ye see they were thinges wherein the state of the fathers differed from ours for during the absence of our Lord Iesus Christ they had Ceremonies figures whereas we haue the very body substance of them as saith S. Paule to the Colossians For God biddeth not vs to offer any mo Calues Sheepe or Oxem to wipe out the spots of our sinnes But he telleth vs that we must be sprinkled with the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ through the power of the holy Ghost that in our Lord Iesus Christ we shall find all that is requisite for our saluatiō Ye see thē that as now faith reigneth in ful power that is to say whereas the fathers had but a little tast of it according to their mesure it is fully opēly reueled vnto vs. And for this cause S. Paul saith that the fathers were after a sort restreined or shut vp so that he likeneth the law to a bōdage in very deede so was it he will hereafter shew what maner of bōdage it is It is not ment that the fathers obteined not the euerlasting life which we hope for or that we shal not be crowned all togither at the last day but that God was fain for a time to weeld thē like little babes And for that cause also doth he vse the similitude of a scholemaster wil againe set down a third similitude of Tutors gouerners Howbeit for asmuch as this shal be handled in his due place let it suffise vs as now to vnderstād that whereas S. Paul likeneth the law vnto a bōdage it is to shew far greater fauor to vs thā he did to the fathers that died before the cōming of our Lord Iesus Christ bicause he vseth vs now after a freer fashiō And the secōd similitude doth yet better expresse that the Iewes were as children we now are as mē growē For this word Scolemaster betokeneth a master of childrē he saith thē that the law executed the office of a Scolemaster to traine vp the childhood of the people in old time And herevpon it may be cōcluded that the faithfull which beleued in Iesus Christ before he was manifested to the worlde were Gods children as wel as we And if they were children then were they also heirs Herin we see that we must not make thē like brute beasts as some fantasticall heads do which thinke that the Iewes contēted themselues with the possession of the plentifull land that was promised thē cared for no more but to be wel nurrished sed ther for that is too cursed a blasphemie But Iesus Christe serueth not to fil mēs bellies to feede their paunches he serueth to bring vs to the heauenly life It is said that Abraham saw his day that then was the thing wheron he rested his cōscience And wee see how Dauid did always looke vp higher thā the world Iacob at his death euē though he was giuing vp the last gasp and looked not to liue any longer in the world said he would trust in the saluatiō of God The aunciēt fathers thē were not little childrē after such a sort that they were not marked with Gods holy spirite nor called by him to the inheritance of the endlesse life but onely in the measure of faythe which was the differēce betwene thē vs. And how was that Euē bicause the law whiche they had was yet wrapped in figures shadowes whereas now Iesus Christ
that lyued vnder the Lawe Howbeit heerewithall let vs take good heede that this benefit and prerogatiue turne not to our double condēnation for our vnthankfulnesse in not making account of so great a good turne so offered vnto vs. Nowe although Abraham were still hilde vnder after the maner of a childe as I haue sayd alreadie yet forsooke he both his kinsfolke and natiue Countrie and went as a poore wayfayrer into a straunge lande where he was hunted and tossed from post to piller in continuall languishing And if he had repented him could he not haue returned into his owne Countrey againe Yes but the Apostle in the eleuenth to the Hebrewes telleth vs that he had such a trustfulnesse and so constant a fayth that he hilde out euen to the last push insomuch that hee shewed by effect that his minde was wholy set vpon the kingdowme of heauen and not intangled with this worlde and yet notwithstanding for all that both hee and the rest of the holy fathers walked after that maner before vs yet tary they still for vs at this day and receyued not the promises which are manifested to vs in the Gospell For while they liued they had but a small taste of that which is reueled to vs nowadayes which is layde open before vs. VVo be to vs therfore if we be not warned and inflamed to receyue Gods offer whē he vttereth the infinite riches of his goodnesse to winne vs and to draw vs in such wise from this worlde as we may come to yeelde our selues freely vnto him Then if suche gracious dealing moue vs not too come vntoo him nowe that wee bee menne growen notwithstanding oure rawnesse and infirmitie and too take the yoke whiche hee layeth vppon vs and too suffer hym too gouerne vs vnder hys obedience yea and too take courage and stoutnesse too vs to defye Sathan and the whole worlde and all the allurements thereof say if we ouermayster not all these conflictes surely wee shall pay right deerely for the grace that is offered vs in the Gospell And therefore lette euerye of vs bestyrre hymselfe and take oportunitie whyle God allureth vs and whyle the tyme of saluation and daye of fauour is present And seeing wee bee so feeble that wee doo but dragge oure legges after vs let vs praye God too strengthen vs and too redresse oure lazynesse and coldenesse Also let euerie of vs streyne and inforce hymselfe and sythe wee bee so hemmed in with the snares that Sathan hath layde for vs let vs walke so muche the more in the feare of God that wee may ouercome all Sathans lettes and wyles and go forwarde in the way that God hath set vs in and followe the fathers that are gone afore vs which tarie still for our companie that we might be gathered vp all togither intoo the heauenly lyfe at the blessed comming of oure Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of oure good God wyth acknowledgement of oure faultes praying hym that wee maye so mislyke of them as wee maye not onely bee sorye and seeke forgyuenesse of them but also bee renued by true repentaunce and go forwarde and bee confyrmed in it more and more tyll wee bee cleane ridde of all vyces and bee so fashioned lyke too hys Image as hys glorie maye shyne foorth in vs euen tyll we enter into the full possession of the inheritance that he hath promised vs. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people c. The. 23. Sermon which is the ninth vpon the third Chapter 26 For all of you are Gods children through the fayth vvhich is in Iesus Christ 27 Surely as many of you as are baptised haue put on Christ 28 There is neyther Ievve nor Greeke there is neyther bonde nor free there is neither male nor female For yeare all one in Iesus Christ 29 Novv if ye be Christs thē are you Abrahams seede and heyres according to the promise WE haue seene heretofore to what dignitie we be aduaunced by the Gospell For not only we be called to be of the felowship company of the holy fathers whom God honored so highly but also our state is yet more woorthie and noble bicause we be deliuered from the bondage of the Lawe whervnder they were hilde And for the better confirming of this doctrine S. Paule addeth that we be al made the children of God by beleeuing in our Lord Iesus Christ according also as it is sayd in the first Chapter of S. Iohns Gospell For there this dignitie is commended to vs as it deserueth namely that we haue preeminence and prerogatiue to be counted Gods children through fayth verely for our Lorde Iesus Christs sake who is his only and naturall sonne For that tytle belongeth alonely to him by right and is cōmunicated to vs but only by grace inasmuch as God hath voutsafed to adopt vs for his sake So thē Iesus Christ is the hed of the Church howbeit for his sake god acknowledgeth auoweth vs for his children And here we see that the word Beleefe importeth more thā mē cōmōly take it to do according also as I haue declared before For they that are not exercized in the holy Scripture thinke it straunge that God should honor vs so highly for beleeuing to their seeming fayth is not so great a vertue that it ought to obteyn so great a benefite But I haue shewed you heeretofore that our beleeuing in Iesus Christ is not as the crediting of some storie when we heare it or reade it but a receyuing and conceyuing of him inwardly with full assurednesse as hee is offered vs by God hys father Therefore when wee imbrace our Lorde Iesus Christ as the partie that hath made amendes for our sinnes too reconcyle vs too God so as wee repose the whole trust of our welfare in him not doubting but that hee hath brought vs all that is for the inheriting of heauen I say if wee bee once assured of that it is no maruell though God acknowledge vs as his children for our beleefes sake Howbeeit therewithall we must call to our remembrance what we haue discoursed before namely that this benefite of God in acknowledging vs to bee his children commeth not of any desert of fayth neyther must wee wey it heere in the balance what maner of vertue it is for wee bee made Gods children by free adoption If a man demaunde the cause I answere that the verie well spring and foundation is not too bee sought elsewhere than in Gods onely goodnesse inasmuche as it pleased him too pitie vs. Neuerthelesse it is brought to passe by the meanes of fayth as I haue saide alreadie bycause that beeing rid of all fonde ouerweening and acknowledging our selues to be damned in our owne nature wee flee for refuge to our Lorde Iesus Christ Thus you see in effect what S. Paule ment to say And he goeth on still with the matter to
deede wee muste not bee separated from him This in effect is it that wee haue too consider vppon this text Now herevpon S. Paule cōcludeth that there is nother Greeke nor Iew bond nor free male nor female but that Iesus Christ is one in vs all and all wee are one in him And by this sentence S. Paule ment to expresse yet better that only fayth ought to suffyze vs and that we must exclude all other meanes for else it were a derogacion as well to the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ as to the working of his holy spirite If any man alledge that circumcision was alwayes a recorde too the fathers of the same thing that wee haue at this day in baptisme the doubte is assoyled in the second too the Colossians where S. Paule sayeth that in being baptized wee bee circumcized howbeit not with mans hand nor with visible circumcision but that it ought to suffize vs that God acknowledgeth vs to bee partakers of the spirituall circumcision namely for somuch as baptisme is ordeyned too the same end now adayes And let vs marke that circumcizion serued to put a difference betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles It was as the Scripture termeth it a wall betwixt them too fence in the Iewes as the people whom God had chozen But nowe the blissing is published euerywhere so as there is no more diuersitie Now then baptisme being in these dayes succeeded in the place of circumcisiō supplieth the want of that old signe which was a figure and shadowe of things too come And that should not needed too haue bin if our Lord Iesus Christ had not bin away But nowe that he is manifested vnto vs ▪ we haue baptisme ordeyned in steade of it Notwithstanding let vs marke as I haue sayd already that we cā bring nothing of our owne wherwith to purchace fauour before God all that we can do is but simply to confesse our sinne which were ynough too drowne vs in despayre Furthermore wee haue fayth whereby wee recouer that whiche is requisite for our saluation I say wee recouer it by seeking it in our Lord Iesus Christ Nowe then if wee say yea but wee bee weake and rude wee cannot mount so high as too the secretes of heauen let vs looke vpon the baptisme that is giuen vs as though God reached out his hande too vs. There he sheweth vs to eyesight after what maner he plucketh vs out of the curse wherin we were plundged and couereth vs with our Lord Iesus Christe to the end that all our misdeedes should be buried by the perfection of his rightuousnesse For wee knowe he yeelded suche obedience too God his father that if wee come grounded therevppon we cannot but finde fauour at his hand Thus yee see how that on the one side God wil haue vs to rest vpon him and on our Lord Iesus Christ his sonne to the end we should draw out of the fulnesse of that foūtayne and yeelde the whole prayse of our saluation to the woorking of his holy spirite and on the otherside giueth vs baptisme as a help of our rudenesse and infirmitie Seyng wee haue all this what seeke we any more Is it not a wilfull robbing of God if wee will needes haue other helpes and put too other opinions and fancies as they come in our heades VVhereto serueth all this But suche minglings are Diuelish corruptions Therefore S. Paule telleth vs that wee must be so vnited too our Lord Iesus Christ as none of vs must aduaunce himself as though he were better worth than his fellowes but acknowledge our selues beholden too Gods meere grace for all things and bothe great and small muste indeuer the same togither and with one cōmon consent confesse that in our Lord Iesus Christ they haue all that is to be wished for and therefore giue ouer all the inuentions and deuices that can come in their owne brayne Yet not withstanding S. Paule ment not too say that there is no diuersitie of degrees as in respect of worldly policie For wee knowe there are maysters and seruants Magistrates and subiectes in a householde there is the good man which is the head and the good wyfe whiche ought to bee subiect VVee know then that this order is inuiolable and our Lord Iesus Christ is not come into the worlde to make such confusion as to abolish that which was stablished by God his father But when S. Paule sayeth that there is nother mayster nor seruant man nor woman he meeneth that too bee sure of their saluation men muste not set vp theyr tayles lyke Peacockes and stand gazing vppon their owne fethers but looke what woorthinesse so euer we weene too bee in our selues wee muste wipe it away and cast it vnder foote and acknowledge all to bee but hinderances that turne vs aside from comming to our Lord Iesus Christ Therefore when both great and small doo acknowledge that they cannot bryng aught of thēselues but must receyue all things of Gods only free goodnesse Then is our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe alone is all in all in vs that is to say we wil not go about to adde aught to the grace that he hath purchaced for vs and which he offereth vs dayly by his Gospell too the end wee should be partakers of it and inioy it too our saluation Thus yee see in effect that on the one side wee must keepe the ciuill orders of this world Let such as are great men and men of authoritie aboue others knowe that God intendeth too be serued by them in that state As for example let the Magistrates consider that they be so much the more bound to do their duetie seyng that God hath done them the honour too aduaunce them after that fashion aboue others Agayne they that are priuate persones and ought too obey the Magistrates must looke that they submit thēselues vnlesse they purpose to striue with God and to make warre against him Yee see then that S. Paule holdeth vs in sobrietie and modestie and vnder a bridle which was not deuized by men but dedicated of God too our vse bycause mankind could not continue without it And truely we ought too honour and reuerence the state of gouernance as a thing ordeyned of the Lord. And yet for all that when wee come too the heauenly life let vs assure our selues that all worldly things passe and vanish away as the world and the fashion thereof passeth sayeth Sainct Paule but the kingdome of God indureth for euer Then as touching our being children vntoo God and as touching our beyng his heires we come not to it by riches noblenesse or dignitie or by any power or vertue of our owne How then By Gods meere grace and goodnesse For the great ones must be fayne to stoupe and to humble themselues and the little ones muste needes wonder at the sight of Gods so inestimable goodnesse who hath vouchsaued to lift them vp after that forte aboue the heauens whereas
How soeuer the cace stand let vs marke well that he which was Lord of heauen and earth tooke that subiection vpoÌ„ him to set vs free from it For we see how our Lord Iesus Christ was circumcyzed and when he came to mans age he kept diligently all that belonged too the lawe of Moyses not that he was bound to do it but to put away the bondage and to breake the bond wherewith wee were as it were pinched and fettered Therefore as oft as the Gospell speaketh to vs of libertie whereof S. Paule doth also treate in this text let vs come backe to our Lord Iesus Christ assuring our selues that he became not bonde after that fashion for nothing Now there is nothing in him which coÌ„teyneth not the performance of our saluation Then must we needes conclude that wee be not any more subiect to the bondage of the lawe or else it would turne too the dishonour of our Lord Iesus Christe For what a thing were it if after his yeelding of himself to subiectioÌ„ for our sakes we should still hold scorne of libertie It were more conuenient that heauen and earth should chaunge their nature than too say that the sonne of God is come downe here bylow and hath abaced himselfe in maner aforesayd and yet that we should esteeme it but as a play or trifling thing For what a dealing were that Now theÌ„ let vs learn that we may now serue our God freely and come directly vnto him without being hild any more so streitly vnder the yoke of the law as the auncient fathers were bicause Iesus Christ is come hath set vs free I haue told you already heretofore in what wise we be deliuered from the law It is not for that it remayneth not still as a rule to frame our life by so as God may gouerne vs haue all superioritie ouer vs. For what a thing were it if we should be worse theÌ„ the Heathen folke vnbeleeuers But it is certaine that they haue the law ingraued in their hartes as sayeth S. Paule He that neuer went too schoole ne hath had any teaching at all nor euer hath herd or red any thing may notwithstaÌ„ding discerne betweene good euill Not that he hath a perfect skill but bicause that howsoeuer the world go with him God to take away all excuce of ignorance would that men should haue that euidence printed in their hartes that theft whoredome extortion deceyt periurie drunkennesse and such other like things are vices to be condemned Also it was his will to haue men know that to blaspheme his name is an irksome thing The Heathen folke knew all this without any teaching Now then if we should be lawlesse vnder pretence that our lord Iesus Christ reigneth ouer vs and hath set vs at libertie what a thing were it There woulde bee greater coÌ„fusion in the Church than there is where Satan hath made a minglemangle and put al things out of order so as there is no bridle at all But whereas it is sayd that we be no more vnder the lawe it is in the same respect whereof mention hath bin made heretofore namely that the Lawe shall not execute any more this sharpnesse and rigour vppon vs too say vnto vs cursed shall he bee that fulfilleth not all things For so long as the threatening remayneth and standeth in force we must needes be as men out of their wittes and as folke vpon the racke ready to be torne in peeces To be short we can haue no rest except the sentence of the law be abolished which is that they which performe not all that is coÌ„tayned in the law shall be accursed But coÌ„trarywise let our consciences beare vs record that God pitieth vs and beareth with our infirmities as a father doth towardes his children and passeth not vpoÌ„ the vyces that are in vs but hideth burieth them so as our seruis is acceptable to him though there be many things amisse in it then are we no more subiect to the law Not that we should be quite without rule nor that the commaundements ought not to be preached continually vnto vs to the end we may know what God hath ordeyned be hild in awe by it but that we should not be out of hart if we fall or halt or make any false steppes or that if we cannot discharge our selues of al things so perfectly as were requisite yet we should not bee vtterly dismayed knowing well that God will alwayes hold vs vp by the hand not enter into accouÌ„t with vs to sift our life rigorously moreouer bycause the Ceremonies that were before the coÌ„ming of our Lord Iesus Christe are no more in vse as they were towardes the fathers of old time who were trayned by them as in their childhood For wheÌ„ the brute beasts were offered in sacrifize euery maÌ„ behild there his owne death as though the bottomlesse gulfe of hell had bin opened too swallow vp the whole world At this day wee knowe that the Sonne of God hath by his offering vp of himselfe in sacrifize and by his sheading of his bloud for vs purchaâ—â—d vs euer lasting redeÌ„ptioÌ„ so that we come with our heads vpright before God not doubting but that we obteyne life by the death of him that was not subiect too it but of his owne good will made himself subiect too it as our suretie to the end that we might be quit and discharged by his death passion Thus ye see that at this day the law is abolished towardes vs that we be deliuered froÌ„ it euen to obtayne the adoption Howbeit in speaking so S. Paule meeneth not that the Patriarkes Kings Prophets and other faythfull folkes that liued vnder the old TestameÌ„t were not the children of God as well as wee or that they knew not themselues to be adopted by fayth as well as wee but that the sayd adoption was not yet so reueled as it is now adayes For as we haue seene the lawe was a Tutor too rule little children But we be come to the age of men bicause the sonne of God hath shewed himselfe and brought vs all perfectnesse by his comming Then seing it is so wee do now inioy the adoption which the fathers did but as it were taste of afore bicause the tyme was not yet come Not that God wrought not in them with such measure of his spirite as he thought good but bicause the cace coÌ„cerneth the order of gouernment that God hild not the persones themselues as I haue sayd already For in those dayes there were shadowes and figures so that it was as a chayne of bondage but now that our Lord Iesus Christ calleth vs to him and that the veyle of the temple is rent asunder he hath prepared vs a Sanctuarie not buylded with mans hand but of a heaueÌ„ly making whereinto wee may boldly enter in asmuch as he is gone in thither before vs. Ye see then that we be receyued fully into
foorth all the treasures of his mercie in our Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe this must needes comes of Gods spirite according as it is sayd in the first to the Corinthians that we do not now by our naturall wit comprehende that God loueth vs for that passeth all the power of man God then must be faine to lift vs vp aboue the worlde for it lieth not in our owne power to certifie our selues of Gods loue Therefore the spirit giueth it vs that is to say we haue it not by nature nor by inheritance neither do we purchace it by our desertes but God of his owne mere goodnesse assureth vs of it to the intent wee might resort vnto him familiarly in all our needes But contrariwise the Papists after their own imagination deeme that we cannot be sure of Gods loue And these wretches are so blinde that they say it is presumption if we desyre to haue any certentie of it yea and so is it if we would haue it of our selues For if a man woulde vpon his owne conceyte beare himselfe in hande that God is his father he shoulde be but a fantasticall childe and a foole at all assayes like one of these dizardes that gad vp and downe the streetes and play the Kings and Princes But if we haue the sayde recorde of our God should wee then doubt of it still Is it a presumptuousnesse to do God so much honour as to beleeue him to be faythfull and to rest our selues vpon his worde Againe on the other syde when we go to pray is it not a good forwardnesse that hee gyueth vs when hee sayeth come too mee If wee had no commaundement to pray vntoo God surely it were too great a rashnesse to preace into his presence But seeing that hee calleth vs yea and taryeth not till wee seeke hym but preuenteth vs and telleth vs that he requireth nothing but that we should come to him and giueth vs both the motion and mynde too pray vnto him if we take him for our God let vs yeelde him his deserued prayse by seeking all our welfare at his hande Seeing say I that he hath so preuented vs shoulde we dispute whither we ought to follow him or no Is it not a blasphemie that tendeth to the defacing of all Gods promises Thus yee see what wee haue too remember when mention is made of this worde Crie But yet for all this howsoeuer the worlde go with vs though wee bee fayne too hacke it out lyke folke that haue halfe forgone theyr speeche and bee straytened with so many ouerthwartes that wee cannot fashion out one sillable or iote aright yet whatsoeuer come of it let vs not leaue goyng vnto God vpon this grounde that he will succour vs at our neede and redresse the infirmities that plucke vs backe To be short when the spirite worketh in vs to stirre vs vp to the gronings whereof I haue spoken let vs seeke God and though we be at our wittes ende and knowe not whereat to begin let vs alwayes go forward to the marke that is set before vs here And Saint Paule sayth purposely that we crie Abba father to signifie that it is not the Iewes onely whome God will haue to call vpon him and to flee to him for succor nowadayes but that he will haue the whole worlde to do it And forasmuch as the Gospell which is the key to open vs the gate of Paradice is published euerie where nowe he will haue all men to inioy the right which heeretofore had bin as the speciall priuiledge of the linage of Abraham Thus ye see after what maner we crie Abba father Nowe the first worde Abba signifieth a father howbeeit Saint Paule vseth the language that was hilde still as most common among the Iewes For the Hebrewe tongue was not so pure after the captiuitie of Babilō as it was before but was mingled with the Chaldey tongue Howbeeit Saint Paules meening heere is to shewe that vnder the Gospell all men in common ought to cal vppon God with open mouth bicause his adoption was offered to all Nations and the wall was broken downe which deuided the Iewes and Gentiles asunder so that henceforth he will haue vs to be equall and in lyke state Ye see then that wee may call vpon God in all languages as it were with one mouth and we must not doubt but that God receiueth vs and giueth vs leaue to preace vnto him inasmuch as we haue the doctrine of the Gospell to leade vs which is an infallible guide for vs. Now by this meanes we see that euery mans praying vnto God ought to bee with vnderstanding For if a man that vnderstandeth no more but his owne mother tongue shoulde pray vnto God in Greeke or Hebrew surely it were but a daliance and an vtter peruerting and marring of the rule of praying aright and there coulde be nothing but hypocrisie and feyned deuotion in it I haue tolde you alreadie that we cannot pray vnto God without fayth too bee sure that he will heere vs. And what a thing is it if wee knowe not what we haue to aske at his hande Is it not a defiling of so holy a thing as prayer is VVe knowe that to call vpon God and too flee to him alone for succour is the Sacrifize that hee requireth at our handes bicause that therein we confesse him to bee our father and the verie welspring of all welfare Nowe then it is meete that wee should resort vnto him which is the rewarder according as the Apostle sayth in the .xj. to the Hebrewes that hee disappoynteth not those that seeke him but that they shall alwayes finde that there is nothing better than to flee vnto him Therefore when we pray vnto God we must haue vnderstanding to know what wee craue of him Marke that for one poynt Moreouer whereas it is sayde that wee crie Abba father thereby we be done to vnderstande that the diuersitie of languages hindereth not the vnitie of faith Esay seemeth to vse a cleane contrarie maner of speaking when hee sayth that all men shall speake the language of Canaan that is to say the Hebrew tongue Nowe to be Christians and faythfull beleeuers it is not of necessitie that we must haue skil of that language but he meaneth that God shall be worshipped in all languages And hee speaketh of the tongue of Canaan bicause the Hebrew was a holy tongue wherin Gods secretes were conteyned Forasmuch then as that language was after a sort consecrated vnto God he sayth that God shall bee honoured of all men and all men shall renounce their blasphemies superstitions and abuses and there shall be one conformitie of faith among men and being instructed both in the Law and the Gospell they shall all make one selfe same profession so as there shall be one tunablenesse and good agreement among all men Howbeit S. Paule ment to expresse here more clearely after what maner we call vpon God namely that euery man
prayeth to him as now in his own language and he heareth vs all For God needeth not to go to schole to learne this mans or that mans language And we knowe that in praying speech serueth too no other purpose than too styrre vs vp the more vnto it Also it serueth vs too witnesse before men with our mouthes that we repose all our trust in God Moreouer it serueth to helpe our infirmitie and bycause we bee lazie and colde our tongue had neede to driue forth our heart and to helpe our weaknesse and slouth which are ouergreat in vs. But God hath no neede of none of all this we neede not to crie out alowde when we would be heard at his hande for he knoweth the secrete thoughtes of our heartes Thus ye see in effect what we haue to marke And herein we see howe great sway the Diuell beareth in Poperie so that there is neyther prayer nor fayth To their seeming there is neyther deuotion nor holinesse except men babble in an vnknowne language and mumble it vp without knowing what they say And although the Preestes Monkes and Hypocrites say they vnderstande latine men knowe well inough what their vnderstanding is Besides this they make euen a rule of their iangling without knowing what they say and it is ynough with them to haue a finall intent for so do they terme it so they haue that finall intent before they babble their Domine labia to say we go to pray and to serue God although their minde be vpon their kitchin or vpon things much worse and much more shamefull they beare themselues in hande that all theyr prayers and supplications are acceptable to God The poore people haue their eyes bleared at it for they be made to beleeue that it is not lawfull for them to pray in a common language and therefore they shunne that as a bugge VVe see then that the Diuell hath besotted these wretches yea and vtterly bewitched them seeing they be so loth to receyue the foode of life that in stead of good bread and wholsome meate they receyue poyson and burst with it But for our owne part wee see the rule that is giuen vs heere and which wee ought to kepe which is that when wee pray vnto God wee must not step to it vnaduysedly without bethinking of vs what wee should demaunde or without knowing how wee shoulde behaue our selues towardes him And when wee call him our father let vs consider well that it is not for any woâ—thinesse of our own persons nor for any desert or worke of our own but bicause he hath vnited vs to our Lord Iesus Christ and gathereth vs altogither in him and bycause we be his bodie and God accepteth vs to fauour in his person And for that cause also doth Saint Paule adde that if wee bee children we be beyres also As if he should say that we inioy our inheritance euen now not that we bee entered into the possession of it to be partakers of the glorie that is promised vs but as in respect of the fathers of olde tyme which were shet out into the bodie of the Temple and had a veyle or Curteyne drawne before them with other figures and shadowes Nowe wee bee not lyke them in that cace but we repayre vnto God in such wise as wee bee franke and free And so is the adoption otherwise in our heartes nowadayes than it was in theirs in the time of the Lawe For we bee heyres after such a sort that yet notwithstanding wee bee also as pilgrims in this worlde and as sayth Saint Paule in the seconde to the Corinthians must be fayne to be absent from God till he haue ridde vs of this mortall bodie and haue taken vs out of this earthly pilgrimage and transitorie life Howsoeuer the cace stande wee muste magnifie Gods grace and seeing hee hath adopted vs to be his children let vs vnderstande that therein lyeth all oure happinesse and ioy Therefore let vs glorie in that yea euen so farre forth as to reioyce in the middes of the troubles and aduersities which wee haue too suffer Let vs not ceasse to haue an inwarde ioy continually in vs in as muche as God calleth vs and hath tolde vs that all the aduersities which wee indure shall bee turned to our welfare and saluation so wee holde on to the marke that is set before vs that is too wit so we go on still forwarde to our Lorde Iesus Christ and forsake all other things Nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our sinnes praying him to make vs so too feele them as it may humble vs before him and yet we not bee discouraged but that seing he vouchsafeth to accept well of vs hath also bounde himselfe to vs of his owne good will to heare our requestes when wee come too him with assured trust in him it may please him to graunt vs the grace to ouercome al distresses and lets â–ª and all debates and controuâ—â—â—es that Satan can put in our heartes so as we by experience feele the auaylablenesse of this promise that whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lorde shall be safe And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. The. 26. Sermon which is the third vpon the fourth Chapter 8 At such time as yee knevve not God you serued them that by nature are no Gods 9 But novv that you knovv God or rather are knowne of God hovv is it that you turne back againe to the vveake and beggerly Ceremonies vvherevnto ye vvoulde faine be in bondage againe as before 10 Ye obserue dayes monethes and times yeares 11 I am afrayde of you least I haue laboured in vaine about you WEe haue seene heretofore howe that after the GalathiaÌ„s had bin faithfully taught by S. Paul who had taken much paine among them they shrunke back againe not that they vtterly renounced Iesus Christ and the Gospel but that they had bin to easy in suffering themselues to be deceyued in folowing diuerse opinions as we see it is come to passe through the whole worlde For the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and baptisme as a marke of faith do in deed continue still but yet for all that wee see that all things are marred with superstition and Idolatrie So the Galathians pretended still to be of Gods Church and yet in the meane while they were bewrapped in many follies as specially in this that they should partly purchace grace and soule health at Gods hande by keeping the Ceremonies of the Law But that was to great a defacing of our Lorde Iesus Christ For it is impossible for him too bee our Sauiour vnlesse wee lay away all selfe weening and put oure whole trust in him VVee see then that the fault of the Galathians was that they were not so well grounded in the Gospell as to be firme stedfast and to shake off all errours but rather were
I sayde at the beginning that is too wit that whereas our Lord Iesus Christe hath tolde vs that he will haue vs too heere those that come in his name as if he spake in his owne persone he ment not thereby too make them idolles among men too the ende that such as haue charge to speake in his name should be exalted too haue any tirannie but he ment that his woord should be receyued reuerently and without gaynsaying And whereas S. Paule sayeth heere that he was receyued as an Angell or rather as Iesus Christ it is as much to say as he came not in his owne name but indeuered too preach Gods grace purely and too make men too followe Iesus Christ to frame themselues wholly vnto him that he might haue his due preheminence that the Gospell might be receyued without gaynsaying and that it might bring foorth such frute as it ought too doo that is to wit that it might be the power of God too the saluation of all beleeuers as it is sayd in the beginning of the Epistle too the Romanes Now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs so to feele them as we may be moued more and more to amendment and that it may please him to beare with our infirmities till he haue ridde vs quite and cleane of all and so renewed vs according too his owne image so as all may bee pure and cleane in vs and his glory shewe it self there and we more and more fight in such wise agaynst our own sinfulnesse as it may bee vtterly emptied out of vs and he so fill vs with the grace of his holy spirit as we may draw others therevnto so as all of vs may with one common consent indeuer to serue to his glory and giue ouer our selues wholly therevnto And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. The. 28. Sermon which is the fifth vpon the fourth Chapter 15 VVhere is then your blissednesse for I beare you vvitnesse that if it had 〈◊〉 possible you vvoulde haue plucked out your eyes and giuen them vnto mee 16 Am I then become your enemie bicause I tell you the truth 17 They be ielous ouer you hovvbeit not for any good Nay rather they meene to shet you out too the end you should be fond of them 18 It is good too bee alvvayes earnest minded in good things not only vvhē I am present vvith you 19 My little children of vvhom I trauell in birth again till Christ be fashioned in you 20 I vvould I vvere vvith you novv could chaunge my voyce for I stand in doubt of you WEe neede no teaching to seeke the thing which we thinke to be good and profitable for vs for euery man is inclined to that by nature yea too much giuen vnto it But the mischief is that we know not the true profite frō the thing that is harmfull but are oftentimes so blinded with our foolish lusts that euery of vs ouerthroweth himself wilfully Not that we forget the thing which I said to be imprinted in our hartes but for that we be caried away by our vnruly lustes or else so bleared with the vanities of this world that we haue no discretion at all to iudge rightly And therfore we ought to flee vnto God continually so much the more that he may giue vs skill to discerne what is good for vs to the intent we may serue him and haue our mindes so wholly set vpon him as we may neuer be remoued specially for somuch as it oftentimes falleth out that suche as are taken to be very wise to the worldward become lyke little children according to the alteratiō of their desires giuing vp the things which they had set much store by and gadding after some pelting trifle that cōmeth in their sight so as there is no stay at all in them Sometimes we shall see a chiefe runne after three or foure at once and if there come a thing that he fought for he catcheth at that by and by and anon after if he spie an apple or a cherrie or some other thing that likes him he leaues all the residue too runne after that Euen so play wee no doubt but we alwayes thinke our selues wise ynough and wee take scorne too bee taught at any mannes hande or too bee warned what is good for vs for it seemes too vs too bee an offering of wrong too vs but yet experience sheweth that wee want bothe wit and reason For what is the cause that men doo so tosse and turmoyle themselues out of measure and yet runne astray all their lyfe long As I sayde afore all of vs with one common accorde holde this principle that wee desire too seeke our owne profit there is nother greate nor small but he is inclined vntoo that But lette vs see wherevntoo men apply their mindes there is not that man whose affections boyle not within him in somuch that ye shall see the greatest number as yee would say racke themselues and their mindes neuer ceasse day nor night too runne still vppon the things that come afore them whereby they hope for any profite And when they haue well tormented themselues a man shall scarsly finde one among a thousande that hath his affections well ordered in somuch that it were much better for them too bee a sleepe all the time of their lyfe than too take so much trauell without knowing why or wherefore Nowe then seyng that the moste parte of vs are proued not to discerne betwixt good and euill as were requisite and expedient wee haue neede to submit our selues vnto God praying him too guyde vs by his holy spirite And specially when the souerayne felicitie or welfare commeth in question surely whereas wee shoulde bee caried away and rauished in loue with it wee bee haled another way and doo nothing but fiske too and fro and there is so greate inconstancie and lightnesse in vs that the thing whiche wee loue more deerely than our lyfe too day shall bee as good as despyzed too morrowe And that also is the cause why Sainct Paule dooth in this texte vpbrayde the Galathians with their forgetting of their owne happinesse For this saying of our Lord Iesus Christs that looke where a mannes treasure is there is his harte also is taken of the cōmon order of nature He termeth that thing our treasure which we set most store by and whervpon we do wholly repose our selues for there are many things which men do well like of the which neuerthelesse they can easly finde in their harts too forbeare Though a man see a fayre and costly thing yet can he content himself quietly with his owne state still if he haue wherewith too maintayne himself But if wee esteeme our life vnhappie or vnfortunate without the inioying of any welfare at all surely we shall bee tossed with continuall vnquietnesse till wee haue
all the faythfull ones that haue bin since Abell to this day or which shall be to the worldes ende No doubt but the Papists will bragge ynough of their multitude yea but wee see that the Prophete laugheth all of them too scorne And why VVee must alwayes discerne which are the true children For what else we are all the Churches of the Papistes than Brothelhouses of Satan All things are infected nothing is there but fylthynesse Gods seruice is there vtterly marred and too bee short there is no soundnesse at all in them The Papists therefore for all that euer they can pretende too make themselues Gods Churche are but misbegotten Bastardes as they that are tyed too the Brotherlhouse wyth theyr mother that Sinagog of hell Ye see then how the cace standeth and it is not I that doth say it but it is the Prophete Esay that speaketh so and Saint Paule who is a faythfull expounder of Gods meening confirmeth the matter VVherefore let vs learne too ioyne with the true children of God which haue the infallible recorde of the holy Ghost and not follow the greater throng but let all these wretches go whiche cast themselues wilfully into Satans snares wander like brute beasts without any discretion But by the way wee haue to marke that such as are the children of the Church ceasse not to bee our fathers insomuch that besides the common brotherhood that is betwixt them and vs there is this moreouer that by their meanes we be begotten in the worde of God according as it is sayde that we bee Abrahams children and the true Israell of God as if we were discended of Iacobs race Therefore wee haue those for our fathers which are our brothers too and all of vs togither are the children of God and his Church For whereas our Lorde Iesus Christ is in verie deede the onely sonne of God he is to this ende called our head that we being knitte togither in him and becomming members of his bodie might be hilde and taken for Gods children becomming that thing by free adoption which we be not by nature And Saint Paule telleth vs that this befalleth vs by promise after the example of Isaac too expresse that wee must not haue any vaine confidence in our owne desertes or in any vertue that is in our persons but be vtterly voyde of all pryde knowing that all the woorthinesse which wee haue commeth of Gods mere grace and free gift Thus ye see that the thing wherein we differ from the bastard children which boast themselues falsly of Gods name is that whereas they be puffed vp with selfelyking and delight in their hypocrisie and are alwayes prating of their free will of their meritorious woorkes of their satisfactions and of their vertues as well cardinall as theologicall as they terme them and to be short haue nothing in them but pride VVe on our side sticke to the promise that is to wit that God hauing looked vppon vs with mercie hath drawne vs out of the dungeon of destruction wherein wee were and by his Gospell tolde vs and assured vs that he will be our father and that an heritage taryeth for vs which is purchased for vs not by our selues or by any mortall creature but by Iesus Christ who being verie God became man to the intent we might obteyne the thing in him which is not to bee found in all the world Yee see then in effect that the ende wherevnto S. Paules conclusioÌ„ tendeth is that if we mind to be well grounded in the doctrine of the Gospell and to be sure of a good stud and ankerholde of our saluation we must not intermedle any opinion of our own deseruings with it nor surmise that we be able to bring any thing of our selues but simply receiue that which God offereth vs and suffer Iesus Christ to be our sauiour wholly not by halues That is the thing whervnto the word promise tendeth as I haue declared more at large already But the law had also his promises howbeit with condition as I haue declared The promise that S. Paule speaketh of presently is the thing that abolisheth all mans pride and disgraceth the men them selues shewing them that there is nothing in them but vtter confusion and that all their welfare lieth inclosed in our Lord Iesus Christ so as we cannot come by it nor inioy it but by meanes of the Gospell Nowe the Gospell telleth vs that we must holde all of God and do him homage for our saluation bicause he giueth it vs and it is not a wages due vnto vs that he should by any meanes be bound vnto vs. And heerevpon S. Paule sayth that it is so euen yet still at this day according as Moyses declareth vnder the figure whiche he dyd set foorth this morning For in Abrahams house sayth he there was an elder some called Ismaell and he persecute â— Isaac which was the lawfull sonne Now then it behoueth vs to be so handled and delt withal that such as haue nothing but dissimulation hypocrisie in them which are but as bastardships and which are vtterly corrupt become strangers may neuerthelesse crake boast their fill set vp their bristles ageinst vs as though we were vnworthy to kisse their feete Suche maner of men then must perke vp in all pride and persecute vs but yet let vs be constant sayth S. Paule and let not our fayth bee shaken downe by such loftinesse nor by the wiles that are cast in our way by those hypocrites and falsifiers which haue peruerted Gods doctrine For in the ende the fame will happen too them sayth he which is reported of the house of AbrahaÌ„ namely driue out the sonne of the bonde woman for he shall not be â—â—ire All they then that vaunt them selues to bee faythfull and win needes bee taken to bee of Gods housholde shall be cut off as rotten members and not haue any part or peece of inheritance there And it is moreouer a righte excellent lesson which conteyneth a very profitable admonition euen to confirme the thing which I haue touched already which is that the pompes of this world must not bleare our eyes to carie vs away at a gaze when wee see great solemnities and gorgeous deckings If a man should beleeue no further than he sees when the Pope were in his Pontificalibus he might bee taken for a God he hath so many knicknacks glistering about him And no maruell though many be amazed at it as thoughe one had knocked them on the head with a club and become as good as brute beastes For why men are so giuen to iudge fleshly that they bee worse than little children in things that concerne Gods kingdome But yet for all this â—eholde Sainct Paule sayth that they whiche haue the primacie and are al in all and are dreaded of euery man and finally which beare the title of first begotten are oftentimes but Ismaelites so as they be but bastards alledge they their
coÌ„maunding of the Ceremonies was but for a time that we must alwayes haue an eye wheretoo he tended namely that he ment to mainteyne the people in hope bycause Iesus Christe was not yet appeered too the world For if they had not had washings and Sacrifizes and such other like things they would haue bin dismayed and the frayltie of man is such that they would haue quite quayled a huÌ„dred thousand times And therfore although they saw not yet fully how they should be saued yet notwithstanding they had therein as it were liuely pictures lookingglasses where they might behold the grace of god Thus ye see how the shadowes and figures serued but for a time So then S. Paule declareth that he wil not in any poynt diminish the authoritie of God who had stablished that Law among the Iewes nor also say that all those things were frutelesse and vnauaylable but that wee nowe after that our Lord Iesus Christe is manifested are come to the fulnesse of time and therefore that wee muste haue no more veyles to keepe vs froÌ„ beholding him face to face according as he is set foorth to vs in the Gospell For whensoeuer the Gospell is preached vnto vs it is all one as if we saw Gods sonne crucified presently before vs or as if wee sawe his bloud streaming downe for so much as wee be besprinkled with it by the power of the holy Ghost as sayeth S. Peter in his first Epistle So then seing that our lord Iesus Christ hath by his death and passioÌ„ opened vs the way whereby wee may come to God his father it is not for vs to buzie our selues any more about the things that were apointed for the time of his abseÌ„ce It is true that he dwelleth not now adayes in the world but yet haue we his Gospel which is the accoÌ„plishmeÌ„t of al things that are needefull to our saluatioÌ„ therfore it is as good as if he were crucified amoÌ„g vs as S. Paule hath sayd already Now that we haue the vnderstanding of these wordes in Iesus Christ that is to wit that the Gospel is preached let vs come to this addition of his that there is nother circumcizion nor vncircumcizion that is too say that those things must hencefoorth ceasse and men muste reste onely vppon charitie And wherefore doth S. Paule add the woord charitie Too shewe that Christenfolke will not be idle and that they haue ynough too occupie themselues about though they keepe not the figures of the Lawe For albeit that it was Gods meening to leade the people vnto Iesus Christ in ordeyning the Sacrifizes circumcizion and all the residue yet notwithstanding men beyng of themselues corrupt marred all And truely the Iewes were of opinion that they bound God too them in offering vp sacrifize but it was cleane contrarie For he that offered sacrifize did there passe a recognissance to binde himself solemnly to cursednesse as if he shoulde say I am woorthie of death in token whereof a poore beast is heere killed and hath his throte cut and is it the beast that hath deserued it no it is I. Yee see then that a man might there behold his owne sinfulnesse like as also it behoued him to seeke his saluation els where than in himself Lo I pray you how the figures ought to haue brought folke too such a lowlinesse that all men from the greatest too the least should haue condemned themselues and therevpon imbracing the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ haue rested themselues wholly vppon that But now adayes in the Popedome there is a like deceytfulnesse vsâ—ed in so much that men do falsifie all that God hath ordeyned As how Looke vpon Baptisme looke vpon the Lordes Supper which were instituted to the end that wee should come and protest before God that wee holde all things of him VVhat is there in Baptisme It is shewed vs there that wee must die in our selues And why so euen bycause there is nothing but frowardnesse and cursednesse in vs so as we bee the children of wrath and vtter straungers vnto God Yee see then in Baptisme a man is vtterly ridde of all his trust in himself In the Supper wee come to seeke our life in Iesus Christ and so are wee starke dead both the wayes Yet for all this the Papistes weene these things too bee meritorious workes And that is the cause why they by the Hellish abhomination of their mischieuous Masse haue falsified yea vtterly defaced all things that our Lord Iesus Christ had appoynted For such a woorke euen as it is done by man or the very working of the deede that is too say the very doing of it as it commeth and proceedeth of man muste say they of necessitie bee meritorious But therein wee see a manifest falshood Howbeit S. Paule ment to go yet further in â—â—buking the hypocrisie of suche as are so much giuen too these outwarde things the lyke whereof is still at this day in the papacie It is true that these miserable wretches take great peynes too serue God they trotte vp and downe without ende or measure but what doo they They martyr themselues in vaine things and such as God neuer required but vtterly mislyketh and yet in the meane whyle there is nothing but hypocrisie in all their dooyngs For what doth the deuoutest person among them but only make much babling and mumbling He must heere Mattins in the night and two or three Masses in a day He must gad on pilgrimage and fast the Lent and Sainctes euens He must keepe all the apes toyes that haue bin appointed at the deuise of men And what are all these things Surely if men put their trust in them they bee diuelishe deuises but although there were none other harme in theÌ„ sauing that euery man followeth his own imaginacions yet are they but gewgawes and Apes toyes before God And why For he loueth obedience better than all sacrifices But if wee will obey God wee must serue hym after a spirituall manner and not with these chyldishe playing toyes Nowe let vs come too that which S. Paule sayth Circumcision sayth he is nothing but faith that woorketh by charitie Hereby he betokeneth that although Ceremonyes bee layd aside wee haue ynough too occupie our selues with in dooyng the things that God commaundeth that is to wit that all the perfection and holinesse of the faythfull consisteth in charitie That is the fulfilling of the Lawe that is the ende and shooteanker wherevntoo God bringeth vs. Therefore if wee haue charitie let vs not thinke that wee bee vnoccupyed But nowe a dayes if a man rebuke the superstitions of Poperie and skorne them saying Go too yee haue much baggage amongst you when yee come at Churche yee besprinckle your selues with holiwater yee kneele down before a puppet yee skud from alter to alter ye do this and that and to be short there is an endlesse hotchpotch of al maner of gewgawes among you and poore soules
vnlesse our Lorde Iesus doo dwell in vs and reygne in vs and that wee bee inflamed with the loue of hym too gyue ourselues wholly vntoo him The Papists therfore neuer wist what faith meaneth notwithstanding that they chatter of it not altogither so well as Pyes in a Cage which doo yet vnderstande some woordes heere and there but they shewe so shamefull a beastlinesse as they may bee gazingstockes of Gods horrible vengeance in that they haue so forgotten the whole Phrase of the holy Ghost and haue no more skill of the holy scripture than a Paynim or a Turke that hath bin alwayes in â—â—â—athennesse and neuer herde of God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe Lo in what taking the Papists are Now then let vs marke well that S. Paule hath not here imagined a shapelesse or vnfashioned fayth as they doe nor ment too set downe charitie as the cause of our righteousnesse but onely intended to shew that we haue inough to serue God with without snarling of our selues in a sort of pelting trifles Howbeit that wee may fare the better by this texte for wee must nowe come too an ende and the tyme wyll not suffer vs too proceede any further if the Papistes nowe adayes doo make their bragges that they haue a more apparant seruice of God than wee and a seruice that hath a gayer glosse let vs on our side bee well aduised that we despyse euerywhit of it For why God will not bee serued after meÌ„â— lykings Marke that for one poynt Besydes this the things which the Papistes call Gods seruice are pelting trifles imagined and forged in their owne brayne so that it is all reiected notwithstanding that men doo greatly delight in them and lyke well of them And therefore let vs haue an eye too serue God as he commaundeth VVherin wil he haue vs to be occupyed Not in needelesse things but he will haue a true tryall of vs which deceyueth not And what shall that bee To walke vprightly and faithfully with our neyghbors euery of vs to helpe where neede is according to his abilitie that no man be giuen wholly to himselfe that wee be trustie that we deale soundly and faithfully that wee liue peasably and that if wee see any man destitute of succor and too stand in neede of our helpe wee in that case doe as it were offer a sacrifice vntoo God knowing that he calleth vs too it to shew what loue we beare towardes him For if we loue not our neybours which are as it were visible groundes too worke kyndnesse vpon howe shall wee loue God sayth S. Iohn in his Epistle whom wee see not and which is absent from vs and hath no neede of any thing Therefore if wee wyll serue God well let vs learne too yeelde him such obedience as he lyketh of that is too saye let vs walke in suche faythfulnesse and freendlinesse as none of vs beguyle fleece or ouerreach hys neyghbour and moreouer that wee not onely absteyne from all wrongfull or wicked dealing but also that all suche as are called Christians do well bethinke them of our Lord Iesus Christs saying which is Cursed bee you that haue your seuerall deuotions alone by your selues and occupy your heads about small trifles making conscience of euery thing and yet in the meane whyle leaue the principall poynts of the lawe vndone that is too wit faithfulnesse Iustice rightuousnesse and mercie As if he should say Is it not a straunge thing that meÌ„ should so mocke with God making a countenance to honour him as though they tooke him but for a babe God wil haue meÌ„ to walk faithfully and vprightly he wil haue euery maÌ„ to pitie to succor the needie he wil haue no man to do his brother wrong and behold they on the contrary part will needes buzie themselues about Mooneshine in the water and things of no valew They will bee full of crueltie craft and maliciousnesse and yet thinke to pacifie God with things of nothing Therefore let vs learne to serue God with charitie that is to say let vs learne to giue ourselues to the things that he calleth vs to to hold ourselues as it were at a stay too the rule which he giueth vs by his woord Furthermore wheÌ„ we walk vprightly after that fashion we must not for mens sakes forget God For as I said afore that is the thing wherin he trieth our charitie and by that meanes we shew the reuerence loue that we beare towards him And therfore we ceasse not to call vpon God when we loue our neyghbors nother intend we to displease God vnder colour of doyng them seruice but he is alwayes our marke on whom we haue our eyes fastened Neuerthelesse too conclude like as wee indeuer to liue as God commaundeth by his word and passe not for the gawdies gewgawes and Ceremonies of the hypocrites but walke rightly in purenesse of life and in al faithfulnesse and vpright dealing as I said erst knowing neuerthelesse that when we haue done all it serueth not to iustifie vs or too purchace vs fauor in his sight and that although wee be sure that he taketh in good worth the willingnesse which we haue to honor hym yet his so dooing is but bicause he accepteth vs in our Lord Iesus Christ as I haue declared heretofore bicause we repose the trust of our saluatioÌ„ in him Euen so also shal we walk in charitie labor to discharge our duetie knowing that by reason of our feeblenesse we be not able to come neere that which God pointeth vs to but yet that we be in the way thitherward that he must be faine too take vs to mercy wherupon we doubt not but that all our workes do like him wel when they be so dedicated too him by the blud of our Lord Iesus Christ for he is the true preest that offereth vp our oblations maketh theÌ„ acceptable to God he must be faine to step in to make our works pleasant to God his father specially seing that eueÌ„ our prayers the very prayses which we yeeld vntoo him should be but filthinesse if they were not purified by our Lord Iesus Christ according also as the Apostle sayth that it is he by whoÌ„ we offer vp vnto God the Calues of our lippes that is to say the sacrifices of praise wherby he is glorified But now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him to make vs perceiue theÌ„ more and more that we may be so touched with theÌ„ as it may bring vs to true repentance and that wee may seeke all our wants in our Lord Iesus Christ that there may be such humilitie in vs that being vtterly brought downe hauing put away al false presumptuousnesse wherewith wee may bee deceiued wee may not tend to any other end than to be receiued through the mere mercie of our God so as we may come
to our God and to frame our selues more and more in his feare yet notwithstaÌ„ding that in the meane while we shall not haue any towel of flatterie before our eies to blind our selues withall but we shal be hartily sory coÌ„fessing our selues to be excedingly indetted vnto him and yet neuerthelesse aspiring stil to the perfection wherevnto we must go onward all the time of our life and therwithal acknowledging that we are all forlorne and damned vnlesse that he of his infinite goodnesse do beare with vs for our Lorde Iesus Christes sake But now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknoledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them more and more so as wee may not onely confesse them with our mouth but also be touched with such true repentance and pure zeale as we may indeuer to giue our selues wholly vnto him and to cut off all the superfluities that are in vs and as the same may cause vs to frame our selues to his holy wil and to serue him in such vnion and concord that we may be giueÌ„ to magnifie him with one hart and with one mouth thereby shewing that we be rightly knit vnto him in the adoption which he sheweth vs by his Gospel wherby he sheweth himselfe to be our father as faine as we would be his true children And therfore let vs al say Almightie God our heaueÌ„ly c. The .xxxvj. Sermon which is the sixt vpon the fifth Chapter 19 The vvorkes of the fleshe are manifest vvhich are these Aduoutrie vvhoredome vncleannesse loocenesse 20 Idolatrie poysoning enmitie strife spiting vvrath quarelling sedition â—â—ectes 21 Enuie murther drunkennesse gluttonie and such like of vvhich I tell you aforehande as I haue tolde you heretofore that they vvhich doo suche things shal not inherit the kingdome of God 22 But the fruit of the spirit is loue ioy peace patientnesse gentlenesse goodnesse faythfulnesse 23 Meekenesse temperance agaynst such things there is no lavve WEe haue seene this morning that men are condemned before God so as there commeth nothing of them but vtter filthinesse infection Now if God bee the rule of all perfection then of necessitie all that is contrarie to his nature word must needs be starke naught But it is certain that the flesh is at coÌ„tinuall war agaynst the spirit Therfore therein it is declared that so long as meÌ„ follow their owne swinge they be deadly enemies too God all theyr lyfe long Seeing it is so we must needes conclude that there is nothing in vs but vtter lewdnesse and sinfulnesse Nowe when we heere such sentence giuen of vs we ought to be vtterly abashed For it is the definitiue senteÌ„ce of the heauenly iudge against which there lieth no appeale and againe Gods speaking is with effect Therefore seeing he hath pronounced that we be wicked and froward by nature he will immediatly do his office So then we must come to account before him but we see that men are so sotted either in their hypocrisie or in their selfweening that they passe not of prouoking Gods wrath agaynst them For euerie man flattereth and fodeth himselfe in hys vices insomuch that we caÌ„ neuer be drawne to a true acknowledgement of our sinnes but by force And it is euident that our doing of it is with windlasses and bystarts and which more is we become so shamelesse that wee seeke fonde shifts and excuses as though they could help vs before God Therfore it is not ynough for vs to heere generally the sentence of condeÌ„nation vpoÌ„ vs but God must be fain to discouer our lewdnesse that wâ—â—â—ay be ashamed of it â— and moreouer to specifie point with his finger the vices that are apparant and notorious before meÌ„ And that is the cause why S. Paule hauing said this morning that men in all their thoughts affectioÌ„s do fight against God addeth this declaration which we haue now presently heard as though he brought forth the fruites to the ende that men might thereby iudge what the tree is bicause the roote which is the cheef thing lieth hid TheÌ„ like as the tree is knowne by his fruits so also the sinfulnesse that reigneth in vs and in our nature is founde out by the workes that come of it And so we see why S. Paul addeth here that the workes of the flesh are manifest As if he should say men shet their eies that they may not perceiue their owne naughtinesse and beare themselues in hande that there is nothing but vertue in them when notwithstanding their vices are so huge and excessiue as they be readie to burst with them when they haue pleaded their best sought al the starting holes that caÌ„ be wheÌ„ they haue wrung their mouth awry turkined things neuer so much yet must they in the end come to this point that our life crieth out loude shirle what we be Therfore the works of the flesh are all manifest So then this is inough to disproue such as would faine cloke theÌ„selues vse painting as though they were not giltie before God Truth it is that S. Paul doth not make here a ful beadrol of al the vices that god coÌ„demneth in his law but only setteth forth some examples wherby a maÌ„ may easily iudge of al the rest For he must haue made a loÌ„g processe if he had intended to haue made such a reckning vp of theÌ„ but this was inough that such as wene to gain by their hipocrisie might be coÌ„uicted here as ye see they be And for the better vnderstaÌ„ding hereof we haue to mark breefly which is the rule wherby to walk in obedience towards god according to the. 2. of Tit. wher it is said that gods grace appeered to the ende we should lead a holy conuersation here beneath in this world in modestie rightuousnes wayting for the hope of the life that is promised vs for the comming of the great Sauior which must gather vs vp to himselfe into the kingdom of heaueÌ„ Ye see theÌ„ that the thing wherein christians must exercise themselues wherto they must wholly apply themselues is first to know that they haue not their euerlasting rest heritage here but that the worlde is but as a strange Countrey wherethrough they must passe and therefore that they must alwayes haue their eyes lifted vp to heauenwarde That is the chiefe poynt But that cannot be done but the faythfull must needes therewithall call vpon God and resort wholly vnto him And as touching theyr life Saint Paule sayeth that it hath three things in it namely holynesse that wee serue God soundly and substancially with a pure heart vtterly renouncing all the vnclennesse of this worlde That is the first point The seconde is that wee must not bee wanton and vnhonest but that we must leade an honest life The thirde is that we wrong no man nor vse any deceyte or crueltie but that we indeuer to do our neighbor good
vs from the corruptions wherein wee be plunged so as wee may atteine too the kingdome of God wherevnto he calleth vs. Ye see theÌ„ what we haue to beare in mind Now as touching that S. Paule saith that they which haue sowed in the spirit shall reape euerlasting lyfe he meaneth not that wee in so doyng deserue so woorthie and excellent a thing as the kingdome of heauen is but he sheweth that the faithful hauing knowen their owne calling shall neuer fynd themselues deceyued though they seeme wretched too the worldward VVee know that God adopteth vs of his owne free goodnesse that is the groundworke of our saluation He forgyueth vs our sinnes and that is our ryghtuousnesse For if he shoulde consider vs in our owne nature he coulde not but cast vs away as lothsome and accursed So can we fynde no grace at his hande excepte he admitte vs of hys owne free goodnesse And wee knowe also that our workes are euermore vnperfect and blemished with some vyce so as they cannot be accepted of God VVee are sure that when we should go about too serue him and to doo good oftentymes wee go cleane backeward so that we are euermore in his daunger But howsoeuer the world go when God hath once adopted vs to bee his children buried all our sinnes and shewed that he lyketh well of our seruice though it be vnperfect then declareth he further addeth as an ouerplus that we shal not be deâ—â—â—ed in dedicating our 〈◊〉 vnto him and in laboring for the heauenly life It is true that men wyll laugh vs to scorne Behold these fondlings say they see how they martyr themselues And wherfore for the kingdome of heauen And who hath brought them tydings of that It is I wote not what a kinde of Religion that beguileth these folke and in the meane while they be poore outcastes in whom there is neither corage nor any thing else According whereuntoo wee see now adayes that such as stand vppon their reputation do rayle vppon vs saying as for these wretched sillie soules what thinke they to doo Lo how wee bee scoffed at bycause wee couet not too aduaunce ourselues nor too bee in reputation of the world Although then that wee bee so scorned let vs gyue eare too the promise that is made vs heere which is that if wee followe our vocation simply wee shall perceiue that God who hath begonne is faythfull and that hys intent of winning vs vntoo him is our souereyne welfare and that he not only seeketh our profit in al respectes but also will through his infinite goodnesse shewe himselfe a father and Sauiour towards vs. VVherefore let vs streyne our selues too the vttermost too come vntoo him let vs dedicate ourselues wholly to him and let vs giue ouer all worldly things that may hinder our comming vnto him I say let vs giue them all quite and cleane ouer seeking continually the things that may guide vs vpward let vs continue in them to the end And if we do so surely our Lord Iesus Christ will shewe that there is a haruest prepared for vs not of these worldly riches which are subiect to corruptioÌ„ for the costlyest richest apparel deckings of this world shal be eateÌ„ with mothes worms and there is neither gold nor siluer nor any thing else but it perisheth in the end And moreouer wheÌ„ meÌ„ will needes take of theÌ„ vnmeasurably they shal burst with the goods which they haue heaped togither they shal not only become vnprofitable to theÌ„ but also they shal turne to their vtter destruction In sted of this theÌ„ we shal find that we haue hoorded vp a good treasure which shal be laid vp safe for vs in the hand of God to receiue the fruite of it when wee shall haue finished our course in this world and continued the sowing of our seede that is to say when wee shall haue proceeded in the 〈◊〉 of our God without wearinesse looking alwayes vp to heauenwarde and withdrawing ourselues from the world as much as is possible for vs. And nowe let vs cast downe our selues before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him too make vs so too feele them as it maye bring vs too true repentance and yet notwithstandyng wee not ceasse too comforte and cheere vp our selues wyth his goodnesse not doubting but that he receiueth vs too mercie at leastwise if wee repaire too him too bee reformed by his holie spirit till he haue rid vs quite and cleane of all the imperfections and vices of our fleshe and renued vs after his owne image to bring vs to the perfect rightuousnesse wherevntoo we trauell And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. The. 41. Sermon which is the fourth vpon the sixth Chapter 9 Let vs not bee vveerie of vvell dooyng for in conuenient season vvee shall reape vvithout vvearinesse 10 Therefore vvhile vve haue time let vs doo good too al men but cheefly to them that are of the household of faith 11 Yee see hovve large a letter I haue vvritten too you vvith mine ovvne hand WEe haue seene the similitude whereby Sainct Paul exhorted vs to do good so long as God giueth vs tyme in this world For whyle wee bee heere wee ought to apply all Gods giftes too the seruice of him and of all his yea and generally of all men For after as God bestoweth any abilitie or gifte vppon any 〈◊〉 vs he byndeth him too suche as haue neede of him and as he is able too helpe Therefore wee must bee fully resolued of this that none of vs must bee ydle or vnprofitable but haue an eye too the meane that God hath gyuen vs too the ende that euery of vs maye make as it were a sacrifice of it vntoo hym And herevppon too gyue vs the better corage Sainct Paule saythe that in so dooyng wee doo sowe and God will not suffer vs too bee disappoynted when wee shall haue indeuered too occupie our selues about the things that he commaundeth VVee are of opinion that all is loste if euery man seeke not his owne profit and bee giuen wholly too himselfe But it is cleane contrarie For althoughe that he which succoureth his neyghbor forgo the thing that he bestoweth vppon him yet he putteth it in good keepyng as he doth which layeth his seede intoo the ground that is to reape fruite of it in conuenient season Contrarywise there is a way for all to perishe namely if we be too gripple of the riches of thys worlde so as wee haue no care nor regarde but of our owne profite wee shall gather corruption that is too say all shall perishe as in very deede the worlde and the fashion thereof muste needes passe and vanishe awaye Thus yee see what all the treasure is which they can scrape together that indeuer too make their hand in this worlde For as their lyfe is flyghtfull and transitorie so are all the goods
our selues too set more by that grace and honour than by all the goodes in the worlde And in proofe thereof let vs shewe also that wee haue a brotherly affection too doo good too such as haue neede of vs according to such oportunitie as God shall giue vs and according too the measure of our abilitie Nowe herevppon Sainct Paule sayeth that the Galathians ought too consider that he hath written them a large letter with his owne hande And this serues too make them the more attentiue when they see what care he hath of their saluation For his commending of the largenesse of his letter was not too bee payed for it by the pounde as they say but too the end that the Galathians might knowe that he ment too open his hart vnto them and that for asmuch as he sawe them thrust out of the way into a wrong trade and was lothe that they shoulde perish therfore he had not only warned them in a woord or twaine but also coÌ„firmed his doctrine so as they might perceyue themselues to haue bin misledde before Lo in effect whereat Sainct Paule amed And by this text we ought all to take warning to confirme our selues the more according too the meanes and helpes whiche our Lorde giueth vs to come to him withall If God had but incled his minde vntoo vs in one woord yet had there bin no excuce for vs if we could not beleeue him to submit our selues with such obedience as becommeth vs. But when wee see that besides his giuing of the Lawe he hath also added an exposition of it and moreouer sent his Prophets too the ende that the doctrine should alwayes bee of the more authoritie the things be made cleere which else would haue bin darkesome and after his Prophetes sent his onely Sonne who hath brought vs the full perfection of all wisedome and finally his Apostles so that he thought it not ynough too giue the Lawe but also willed the Gospell too bee published and that the same shoulde continue to the end and stirreth fit men still to instruct vs sith 〈◊〉 I say that God doth so much for vs and that he hath such a care of our welfare quickening vs vp continually without ende or ceassing must we not needes be so much the more blameworthie if wee be negligent and all this stande vs in no stead Therefore let vs not looke at Sainct Paule here how the Galathians had little regarde of him but let vs consider that God had raysed him vp and ment too shewe how deere we be vnto him and how great store he setteth by our soules in that he would haue his doctrine so confirmed True it is that there are not past a sixe or seuen leaues in this Epistle and at the first it should not seeme to be so great a letter But if wee marke the substance and contents of it surely wee shall finde heere wherewith to confound the Diuell and all the wyles that he can bring with him so as Gods truth whiche is our saluation shall haue the vpper hand In somuch that if we had no more but this Epistle we might be sufficiently fenced and armed to fight against all the lies deceytes abuses which the Diuell can alledge to bleare our eyes with But we haue not this Epistle alone but we haue also so many other of Gods testimonies as are sufficient as yee would say to put out our eyes if we list not to looke vpon them And therwithall wee haue so many confirmations to help vs that although we were the stubbornest wildest creatures in the world yet might wee be drawen too some knowledge seing that God trieth so many wayes to winne vs to him To be short he maketh vs too come vnto him though wee would not come by our good will And if wee go backe wheras we should come forward must not the rebelliousnesse that is in vs bee tootoo intolerable So then whensoeuer and as oft as wee reade this text although it seeme not to touche vs but too haue bin spoken only to the Galathians yet let vs vnderstand that god casteth vs in the teeth that his labour should be lost as vnauaylable among vs except we were furthered coÌ„tinually by the doctrine more more confirmed Howbeit he had much leuer that we came with a cheerefull corage For he intendeth not to blame vs nor too go to law with vs coÌ„dicionally that we be so well aduized as to say Go too I see now that my God deserueth well that I should hie me to him if he did but becken too mee a farre off But he calleth mee wonderous familiarly and is noâ—â—â—â—tented with opening his mouth once for all and away but he hath also sent Moyses and all the â—â—â—phetes he hath sent teachers without number he hath sent his Apostles yea his owne only sonne which is his euerlasting wisedome woord Seing then that God is so friendly to me yea and aduaunceth me to excellent dignitie seing that by all meanes possible he sheweth mee his wisedome wherby he seeketh to win mee to himself coÌ„tinueth in the same without end or ceassing early and late should I lie stil as asleepe without any more vnderstaÌ„ding or feeling than if I were a blocke So much the more then doth it stand vs on hand to take a better tast of Gods woord to apply all our indeuer therevnto And seing there is nothing superfluous in it and that wee haue neede to bee prouoked to giue ourselues to it Let euery of vs be moued too apply our selues thereto not say that the repeating of one selfsame thing is needlesse but let vs vnderstaÌ„d that although men bring vs no noueltie yet must we coÌ„tinually beate vpoÌ„ the self-same lesson namely that in asmuch as God hath sent Moyses the Prophets Apostles ouermore vouchsafed to haue his doctrine put in writing all this was done for our instructioÌ„ and that wheÌ„ our Lord Iesus Christ was sent at the full time he vttered all that is requisite for our saluation and moreouer raysed vp men to bee the instruments of his spirit to shewe vs his will and too bring vs the tydings of saluation as he doth still at this day who are witnesses too vs of the things which otherwise should haue bin vnknowen too vs. For asmuch therefore as it is so let euery of vs agree therevnto and whither wee reade it euery man alone by himselfe or whither wee be taught it publikely let vs bee stablished in the woord which it hath pleased God too bestowe vppon vs. Thus yee see in effect what wee haue too beare in minde too the ende wee may haue so much the greater good will too giue our selues wholly too this holy woord and that it may be receyued with the greater reuerence according also as it is well woorthie too bee But now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God and father acknowledging him as our iudge except
he burie our faults through his infinite mercie and let vs pray him too take vs to mercie for our Lorde Iesus Christes sake and in the meane whyle too graunt vs the grace too walke in suche wyse as wee may â—â—â—de a true proofe that we 〈◊〉 his children and that his calling of vs hath not bin in vayne and also to cause the same grace too auayle in such wise in our hartes that wee may growe in it and bee strengthened more and more too serue and worship him all our lyfe long in true obedience to his holy woord And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. The. 42. Sermon which is the fifth vpon the sixth Chapter 12 As many as desire vvith outvvard apparance to please in the flesh constreyne you too bee circumcized onely to the ende they may not suffer persecution for the crosse of Christ 13 For euen they themselues vvhiche are circumcized keepe not the Lavve but vvoulde haue you circumcyzed that they mighte glorie in your fleshe IT is not for nought that God hath so often warned the Preachers of his woorde not too seeke the well liking and fauour of men but as it were too shet their eyes against all worldly respects to the end that they gaze not heere there nor be hindered to do their duetie rightly For wee see it is impossible for vs too discharge our selues aright vnlesse wee looke vp vntoo God and turne away our looke from men bycause wee shall bee easly corrupted when wee bee so ledde whereas nothing ought too bowe vs one way or other Howbeeit this constancie is cheefly requisite in suche as shoulde beare abrode Gods woorde namely that they bee not ledde nother by ambition nor by couetousnesse too speake in fauour of men or too please them and that they bee not abashed at any threatening or perill For experience sheweth that so soone as a man is afrayde of his â—inne or hath respect of 〈◊〉 owne profite he will bee chaunged in the turning of a hande True it is that such as couet mennes fauour after that fashion will not at the first dash shew themselues to be wicked enemies of the truth according as our Lord Iesus Christ also putteth a differeÌ„ce betwene the hyrelings and the woolues After he hath spoken of the good and faythfull sheepeherds which seeke the coÌ„mon welfare of the flocke he sayeth there are also rauening woolues or theeues whiche seeke nothing else but too put all too spoyle ruine and confuzion And these are they which fight openly against God laboring and indeuering to ouerthrow the pure doctrine of the Gospell Neuerthelesse there are also which rowe betweene twoo streames who do make a countenance to serue God And truly some men builde howbeit not for any zele for there is no soundnesse of hart in them Notwithstanding so long as it is not to their coste they set a good face vpon the matter so that the world is oftentimes deceyued by them and taketh them too bee the ministers of Iesus Christ but yet their seeking is but for wages they bee wholly giuen too their bellies For proofe whereof if yee do but threaten them by and by they be dismayed and they will turne the cat in the pan so that wheras yesterday they seemed too maynteyne Gods woord too day they bende crooked and a crosse And why For they see it is the way to please the world and to profite themselues And for the same cause doth Sainct Paule nowe warned the Galathians to marke well that such as had troubled them and thruste them out of the right way were men giuen too their owne profite and by that meanes had brought their doctrine in suspicion Heeretofore he hath already sufficiently discussed and shewed by reason that if wee put our whole trust in Iesus Christe the Ceremonies of the Lawe are henceforth superfluous for they serued but for a time too shewe that it is not for vs too mingle any merite of their owne or any fonde opinion of purchacing rightuousnesse before God if wee bee well settled vpon the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christe Sainct Paule then hath handled and layde foorth that matter as much as needed And now too the end that the simple sorte may bee the more moued he turneth his â—ale too the persones themselues saying Consider what is the 〈◊〉 that these men against whom I striue heere make such a minging of the Ceremonies of the law with our Lord Iesus Christ Is it zele that moueth theÌ„ therevnto or is it for that they be desirous to serue God No it is rather for that they bee lothe too put themselues in daunger of persecution Seyng then that feare causeth theÌ„ too misfashion Gods woorde yee neede not too make any long inquirie too knowe what maner of men they bee and whither they bee to be credited or no for yee see that their chaunging and transforming of themselues after that fashyon is bycause they would fayne shunne the battell Nowe then seing that they bee such traytours vnto God through their cowardlinesse deserue they too bee beleeued or to haue any reuerence yeelded to their sayings Thus yee see Sainct Paules meening But heere all Ministers of Gods woord are taught to haue such constancie and stedfastnesse as they may not passe whither the doctrine that they bring bee hated or beloued of the worlde but go on still in their race and not strike sayle at euery winde nor be shaken like wauering reedes that bowe too and fro but alwayes hold on in seruing of God what turnings and chaunges so euer happen and what troubles and disorders so euer befall To bee short wee must practize the thing that we haue seene before which is that if wee will please mennes fancies wee must giue ouer the seruis of the Sonne of God Marke that for one poynt And heerewithall also all the faythful may receyue a good and profitable lesson in this text that is too wit that they muste looke well vppon such as seeke their owne profit and aduauntage and are desirous to winne fauour with the worlde and woulde fayne be prayzed for a man shall neuer haue any holde of such folke They will not shewe themselues too bee such at the firste brunt as I sayd afore for there are that play the Popeholy hypocrites in somuch that it seemeth that but for them the woord of God woulde growe odious and so long as it is well lyked they cast out fire at their mouthes and yet in the meane whyle yee shall see them chaunge their minde from day too day If any perill happen and they see that they muste witnesse with our Lord Iesus Christ in good earnest then shew they their cowardlinesse and in the end turne quite away chauÌ„ge their coates as it is sayd in the Prouerbe But howsoeuer they fare let vs staâ—â— vpon our gard continually that wee may beleeue such as walke vprightly and start not out when they see the
shewed it in another Epistle heretofore where he sayth that he had bin often whipped that he had bin once stoned that he had bin cast in prison that he had suffered hunger thirst and finally that he had bin as an outcast and forlorne person True it is that such reprochfull things would bee shunned to the worldward But S. Paule saith that they be much better than all the honor and pompe that could be deuised to be done vnto him and that he caryeth those markes to the end that men should not stop him of his course nor hinder him of discharging his duetie Now then wee see how S. Paules meaning is first that if we bee Christians and 〈◊〉 true Church of God we must keepe this order namely that we bee vnited togither or that wee bee all as one And howe is that Not euery man after his owne fancie as wee see some doo who beyng of a froward minde cannot possibly frame themselues to others but will needes keepe alone by themselues like shrewde horses and it were too bee wished that there were Hermitages and Cloysters for such maner of people when they will not by any meanes ioyne with the order of the Churche Therefore when they doo so separate themselues from the companie of the faithfull through their owne pryde they must bee made the Diuelles Hermites and Cloysterers But howsoeuer the worlde go men see why they bee so hidden namely bycause the Diuell holdeth and possesseth them and their desire is nothing else but too haue I wote not what a separation too turne quyte and cleane away from God But Sainct Paule telleth vs that the rule which wee must go by is this namely that we make Iesus Christ our shooteanker laboring too fashion our selues lyke vnto him so that whensoeuer he speakes wee may yeeld our selues too his saying and euery of vs keepe his order and afterward that wee help one another For wee may well brag of perfection and of this and that but if wee indeuer not too further the buylding vp of the spirituall temple surely wee shall still serue Satan and bee as slaues vnder his tyrannie Therefore let vs learne to haue one conformitie among vs tending all togither too our Lorde Iesus Christ And furthermore let such as haue stoutnesse and coÌ„stancie to walke in Gods Lawe defie all these Cockerelles that mount vp in pryde after that fashion too bring in this or that For Iesus Christ will alwayes knowe his owne markes That is too say although wee bee despyzed too the worldward yet shall wee alwayes bee auowed too bee Gods children And therefore let vs go on forewarde still and let such as would stoppe vs be sure that God will beate them down as wee haue seene heeretofore Yea and it is good reason that they should bee scattered and confounded sith they breake the vnitie of the Churche and for asmuch as they will not imploy their seruice according too their abilitie too the furtherance of the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ Gâ—rt muste needes ouerthrowe them how glorious or prydefull so euer they bee Thus yee see what we haue too gather vppon this text if wee minde too continue in the inioying and possession of the benefites that haue bin purchaced for vs so deerely by the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ and are still dayly offered vs by the Gospell And now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faults praying him that wee may bee so wounded with them as they may make vs too bewayle them and too craue forgiuenesse of them and also too reforme them in such wise by true repentance as wee may fight manfully agaynst all the vyces and corruptions of our fleshe till he haue ridde vs quyte and cleane of them all too clothe vs agayne with his owne rightuousnesse And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. Thus ende the Sermons of Mayster Iohn Caluin vppon the Epistle of S. Paule too the Galathians All prayse glorie honour and thankes bee only vntoo God through his Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ Amen The prayer which M. Iohn Caluin made ordinarily before the beginning of his Sermons LEt vs call vppon our good God and father praying him too vouchsafe too turne away his face from the great number of faultes and offences wherby we ceasse not to prouoke his wrath agaynst vs and forasmuch as wee bee too too vnworthie to appeare before his maiestie it may please him to loke vpon vs in the countenance of his welbeloued sonne oâ— Lorde Iesus Christ accepting the desert of his death and passion for a full recompence of all 〈◊〉 sinnes that by meanes thereof he may like well of vs and vouchsafe to inlighten vs by his spirite in the vnderstanding of his word and graunt vs the 〈◊〉 to receyue the same in true feare and humilitie so as we may be taught thereby to put our trust in him to serue and honour him by glorifying his holy name in all our life and to yeelde him the loue and obedience which faythfull seruants owe to their maisters and children too their fathers seeing it hath pleased him too call vs to the number of his seruants and children And let vs pray vnto him as our good maister hath taught vs too pray saying Our father which art c. The Prayer that Maister Iohn Caluin made ordinarily before the beginning of his Sermons LEt vs fall downe before the face of our good God c. Here he addeth as the matter treated of in his Sermon giueth him occasion too require at Gods hande and bicause the same chaungeth almost in euerie Sermon it cannot here be specified That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth bringing backe all poore ignorant soules from the miserable bondage of errour and darcknesse to the right way of saluation for the doing whereof it may please him to rayse vp true and faythfull ministers of his worde that seeke not their owne profite and vainglorie but onely the aduauncement of his holy name and the welfare of his flocke and contrariwise roote out all sects errours and heresies which are seeds of trouble and diuision among his people too the ende we may liue in good brotherly concorde all togither and that it may please him to guide with his holy spirite all kings princes and magistrates that haue the rule of the sworde to the end that their raigning be not by couetousnesse crueltie tyrannie or any other euill and disordered affection but in all iustice and vprightnesse and that wee also liuing vnder them may yeelde them their due honour and obedience that by the meane of good peace and quietnesse we may serue God in all holinesse and honestieÌ„ and that it may please him to comfort all afflicted persons whom he visitâ—â— after diuers maners with crâ—â—es and tribulations all people â—â—om
he afflicteth with plague warre or famin or other his rods and all persons that are smitten with pouertie imprisonment sicknesse banishment or other calamitie of bodie 〈◊〉 â—exation of mind giuing them all good pacience 〈…〉 them full discharge of their miseries and specially that is 〈◊〉 please him too haue pitie vpon all his poore faythfull ones that are dispersed in the captiuitie of Babilon vnder the tyrannie of Antichrist cheefly which suffer persecution for the witnessing of his truth strengthening them with true constancie and comforting them and not suffering the wicked and rauening wolues too execute their rage agaynst them but giuing them such a true stedfastnesse as his holy name may be glorified by them both in life and death and finally that it may please him to strengthen all Churches that are nowadayes in daunger and assaulted for the quarell of his holy name and ouerthrow and destroy all the deuises practises and attemptes of all his aduersaryes to the intent that his glorie may shine ouer all and the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ bee increased and aduaunced more and more Let vs pray him for all the sayde things in such wise as our good maister and Lorde Iesus Christ hath taught vs to pray saying Our father which art c. ALso let vs pray our good God to giue vs true continuance in his holy fayth and to increase it from day to day whereof wee will make confession saying I beleeue in God the father c. The blessing of the people after the Sermon THe grace of God the father and the peace of our Lorde Iesus Christ through the felowship of the holy Ghost dwell with vs for euer Amen ¶ Imprinted at London by Henrie Bynneman for Lucas Haryson and Georgâ— Byshop 2. Tim. 3. d â–ª Rom. 1. b. 2. Pet. 1. d. Esa 40. b. 1. Pet. 1. d. 1. Pet. 5. c. 8. Iohn 17. c. 12. 1. Iohn 5. a. 4. Esay 11. a. 2 2. Ca. 11. a. 3 Gal. 2. d. 9. Heb. 5. a. 4. 1. Co. 1. c. 20 Act. 1. d. 24 2. Cor. 12. a. 2. Iohn 5. d. 23. Psal 2. b. 12. Coloss 1. c. 29. 2. b. 9. Luke 10. c. 16. Luk. 2. b. 13. Mat. 2. b. 2. Rom. 1. a. 4 2. Cor. 4. d. 14. Esa 65. c. 16 Psal 4. b. 8. Psal 106. a. 4. Psal 4. b. 7 Ephes 1. b. 6. Hebr. 1. a. 2 Psa 104. b. 14. 147. b. 8. Iohn 3. b. 16 Ro. 5. b. 10. Luc. 2. b. 14 Iohn 3. b. 16 Iohn 1. b. 12 Ro. 3. d. 25. 1. Thes 4. b. 7. 1. Iohu 〈◊〉 19. Marke 8 â–ª d 34. 1. Pet. 2. a. 1 Ro. 7. d. 19. Mat. 4. a. 5. 27. f. 25. 2. Tim. 4. d. 25. 1. Co. 1. d. 19 Deut. 27. d. 26. Act. 15. b. 10 2. Co. 1. d. 20 Rom. 2. b. 12 Luke 21. f. 33. Ierem. 2. c. 10. 2. Cor. 2. d. 14. Psalm 103. d. 20. 2. Pet. 2. a. 1 Deut. 13. a. 3 â–ª Ierem. 7. c. 22. Phil 2. b. 10 Esa 45. d. 23. Iohn 10. a. 5 Heb. 4. c. 12 Esay 30. 6. 10. 11. Heb. 4. d. 12 Math. 3. d. 17. 17. 5 Heb. 1. a. 2. 1. Pe. 4. c. 11 1. Co. 2. b. 6 Eph. 3. d. 18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Math. 11. b. 11. Iohn 3. d. 30. Ephe. 1. d. 20. Col. 1. c. 18. Eph. 1. d. 23 Esa 33. d. 22 2. Co. 3. b. S. Phil. 3. b. 8. Phil. 3. b. 6. Luc. 16. d. 15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esay 1. c. 12 2. Cor. 3. b. 6 Phil. 3. b. 8. 1. Tim. 1. c. 13. Eph. 1. a. 4. â— Cor. 1. d. 22. Eph. 1. c. 13. Esay 54. c. â—3 Iohn 6. e. 44. Eph. 1. a. 4. Iohn 6. d. 37. Exod. 24. c. 18. Iohn 1. b. 13 Math. 16. c. 18. Iohn â— a. 6. Mat. 16. c. 18. Ephe. 1. d. 2â— Esa 24. â— Esa 6 â–ª d. 16 Esa 11. c. 12 Ro. 12. d. 18 Act. 9. d. 26 2. Cor. 11. g 33. 2. Co. 12. a. 2 Act. 2. f. 39. Eph. 2. d. 17 1. Co. 15. a. â— Act. 26. c. 11 1. Cor. 11. d. 1â— Gal. 4. a. 1. Math. 27. f. 51. Coloss 2. c. â—3 Iohn 1. b. 17. Mala 4 a 1. 2. Co. 3 d. 18 Colo. 2. c 14 Colo. 2. c. 15. Act. 15. b. 10 Mal. 4. a. 2 Co. l2 c. 17. Eph. 2 c. 14 3. Kings 18. c. 17. 2. Cor. 11. a 3. Act. 16. a. 3 â–ª 1. Cor. 15. a. 8. 9. 1. Cor. 11. f. 28. Psa 14. â— 3. Act. 10. e. 34 1. Sam. 16. b. 17. Act. 13. a. 2. Mark 16. â— 15. Eph 2. c. 14 â–ª Exod. 30. b 10. Leu. 16. a. 2. Exo. 24. c. 8 â–ª Heb. 9. c. 19 â–ª Exod. 25. d. 40. Heb. 8. b. 5. Act. 7. f. 44 â–ª Math. 18. b. 15. 1. Tim. 5. d. 20. Math. 16. c. 18. Math. 23. a. 4. Iohn 22. c. 15. Act. 4. d. 19 5. c. 29. Esa 33. d. 22 Rom. 3. d. 27 Leui. 18. a. 5 Osee 6. b. 6. Micheas 6. b. 8. Ier. 7. e. 22. Ier. 1. e. 23. Ier. 31. f. 34 Iob. 15. b. 16 Leu. 18. a. 5. 1. Cor. 7. c. 14. Eph. 2. d. 17 Rom. 4. a. 6 â–ª Psal 32. a. 1. 2. Cor. 5. d. 21. Math. 3. d. 17. Esay 53. d. 11. Luke 1. d. 35. Iames. 2. d. 20. 1 Ezech. 14. b. 14. Math. 11. d. 28. Esai 61. a. 2 Leu. 18. a. 5. Deu. 7. a. 6. Ro. 5. b. 13. Col. 2. c. 14. Math. 23. c. 27. 1. Sam. 1â— b. 7. Ierem. 5. a. 3 1. Iohn 3. a. 8. Rom. 1. a. 2. 2. Cor. 3. b. 7 Rom. 7. b. 9 Rom. 7. b. 9 Rom. 7. b. 8 Exo. 20. a. 3 Rom. 12. a. 1 Rom. 6. a. 4 Mala. 1. b. 6 Rom. 8. c. â—â— Psa 103 a 5 2. Cor. 4. d. 16. Iohn 12. d. 24. Iohn 3. d. 33 Deu. 30. c. 12 Ro. 10. a. 6. 2. Cor. 4. d. 18. Ro. 8. e. 27. 2. Co. 12. c. 9 Col. 3. a. 3. Deu. 21. d. 23 Exo. 25. b. 8 Psal 17. b. 8 Rom. 1. a. 4 Iohn 3. b. 16 Rom. 5. a. 8 1. Iohn 4. d. 19. 2 Cor. 5. d. 20. Exod. 19. a. 4. Deut. 32. b. 11. Chap. 3. Ps 18. d. 26 2. Tim. 3. d. 16. Hereafter 4. b. 12. Coloss 2. b. 9. Malaâ—h 4. a. 2. Micheas 6. a. 3. Math. 13. c. 19. Eph. 4. c. 14 Iere. 2. c. 10. 2. Cor. 4. a. 3. Deute 30. c. 12. 2. Cor. 1. d. 22. Eph. 1. c. 14 Iohn 3. a. 6. Gen. 6. a. 5. Rom. 8. b. 7 Eph. 1. 14. 2. Cor. 3. d. 18. Rom. 1. b. 16 Eph. 4. c. 15 Esa 66. a. 1 Heb. 9. c. 11 Mâ—th 13. b 16. He. 5. d. 12. Gen. 15. a. 1. 17. a. 7. Ro. 10. c. 14 Ro. 10. c. 17 Gen. 12. a. 3 Ge. 17. a. 4 Rom. 3. c. 21 â–ª Rom. 4. a. 5. 1. Co. 13. d. 13 Iosu 22. a. 2 Deu. 27. d. 26. De. 27. c. 15 Ier. 17. b. 9 2. Co. 3. a.
folke theyr Apsie and that the Pope is come in aboue hym to bring in the state of perfection and yet notwithstāding it is sene how the Pope maketh a minglemangle or hotchpotch as men terme it of al things Then is the word Gospell villanously vnhalowed among the Papistes and these sticklers which would haue men to agree vnto many superstitions and too content themselues with a little of the Gospell and in the meane while let many abuses and errors continue still do likewise darken the pure doctrine of our Lord Iesus Christ That is the cause why S. Paule speaketh expresly of the truth of the Gospell to shew that we must go to it roundly and not by halues and that there must be no adding nor diminishing of the things which the sonne of God hath taught vs but that euery man must be cōtented to heare him speak and too let him haue his mouth open Let vs on our side open our eares and be heedfull to receiue whatsoeuer hee sayth and let no man presume to haue an ore in that boat to say this would be good or this or that should be done VVherefore let vs so reuerence the pure doctrine of the Gospell as none of vs presume too chaunge ought of it but all of vs yeeld to it without exception Thus much concerning the first reason that is set downe heere So to be short let vs keepe our selues true schollers vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ and if any man go about to make vs swarue neuer so little frō him or to gad after the doctrines inuentions of men let vs withstande them stoutly And why For Saint Paule had none other respect but that the Gospell might abide in his pure vncorrupted soundnesse VVherefore let vs followe him in the same nowadayes and we can neuer do amisse Marke that for one poynt Another is that we must also marke well that if an inconuenience should increase and spread abrode by our silence and forbearing wee must prouide for it aforehande For it were to late to shet the stable doore when the Steed is stolne Therefore when we see that such as labour too intangle Gods truth or too mingle their owne fancies with it doo drawe folke to them and begin too haue some traine and tayle following them then is it high time for vs too bee firie in fighting For if we beare it it is certaine that wee bee guiltie of the decay of the Church that shall come vpon it and whereas we thinke too shift it off God will not graunt vs that grace for as much as wee haue bin too colde and retchlesse Therfore when the mischeefe increaseth and that there breedeth any infection of it that is to say when one beginnes too marre another let vs bethinke vs too set our selues lustely agaynst it and not suffer the shrewd weedes too growe so farre as to choke the corne but let vs plucke them vp bytimes And this is too bee done not onely in the errours that marre the pure doctrine of the Gospell but also in all vices and corruptions of manners Truely if there bee any Heresies and wicked opinions which might set all things in a broyle it is all one as if a man should haue a stroke with a swoord or a dagger in his brest or in his throte For wherein is the lyfe and welfare of the Churche but in the purenesse of Gods woord If a man would come and put poyson in our meate whereof wee should take nurrishment should wee holde our peace at it No but wee should rather storme at it Now the self-same reason holdeth in the doctrine of the Gospell and wee muste haue our handes alwayes lift vp too maynteyne the pure doctrine and not suffer it in any wyse to be corrupted Also whē we see vices reygne wee must prouide for them and redresse them in due season For if wee beare with it and doo as most men doo whiche doo but laugh at it and prouide for it at leyzure wee shall afterward bee at our wittes end too see how God hath shet the gate and how Satan hath wonne the goale out of all krie And sure it is a iust reward of our rechlesnesse and coldnesse when wee bee not heedefull to cure the diseases as soone as wee see them infect and marre the bodie of the Churche after that sort Thus yee see what wee haue in effect too remember heere namely that wee must not bee so foolish and lightminded as too receyue the things that these Newters or dubblehanded men doo put vnto vs as who should say that if the great abuses bee amended it ought to suffyze vs. But let vs neuer leaue till the Gospell bee set agayne in his pure soundnesse and that wee haue it in the self same wyze which our Lord Iesus Christ deliuered it too vs without any mingling put thereto by men And secondly agayne thereafter as wee see the mischiefe preuayle let vs bryng these backe vnto God which are gone astray and labour too stoppe those that leade their neighbours after that fashion too destruction and seeke nothing but too turne all vpside downe let such men be repressed and let euery one that hath the zeale of God shewe himselfe their deadly enemie breaking asunder what soeuer may holde vs backe and whither there bee frendship or kinred betwixte vs ▪ or any other of the streyghtest bondes in the worlde lette vs burie euerywhit of it in forgetfulnesse when wee see the foules that were bought with the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ so led to ruine and destruction or when wee see things that were well settled ouerthrowen and nothing else sought but confusion so as menne might not know any more what Iesus Christ is and that by little and little the Diuell getteth full scope and carieth vs away headlong as though the brydle were layd looce in our necke VVhen wee see the mischiefe tende too this poynt let euery of vs streyne himself too stop it and shewe that wee had leuer too haue deadly foode for the seruing of God than too haue all the friendship in the worlde for pleasing and pleasuring of mortall creatures VVherfore let vs not play the blind men or blinkardes when wee see God offended but let vs set so muche store by his truthe and glorie that all other things may be nothing too vs in comparison thereof Thus ye see in effect how we ought to put this doctrine in vre The residue shall be reserued till the afternoone Then let vs nowe fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them more and more and that therewithall for asmuch as hee will haue vs to come to him with true repētance it may please him to draw vs by his holy spirite and to beare with our infirmities till he haue quyte and cleane purged and rid vs of them and brought vs to the perfection wherevnto he calleth and incourageth vs. And
so let vs all say Almightie God our heauenly father c. The. 11. Sermon which is the fifth vpon the second Chapter 14 But vvhen I savve that they vvalked not rightly after the truth of the Gospell I sayde too Peter afore them all if thou beyng a Ievv liuest after the maner of the Gentiles and not as the Ievves vvhy compellest thou the Gentiles to play the Ievves 15 VVee bee Ievves by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles 16 And yet for asmuch as vvee knovve that a man is not iustified by the vvoorkes of the Lavve but by beleefe in Iesus Christ vve also haue beleeued in Iesus Christe that vvee might bee iustified by the fayth of Iesus Christ and not by the vvorkes of the Lavve for no flesh shall bee iustified by the vvorkes of the Lavve IT hath alwayes bin a cōmon saying that looke what Law a man layeth vpon others he ought too keepe the same himselfe For it is nother right nor reason that a man should go scotfree himself and lay the burthen vpon other folkes shoulders And for that cause doth our Lorde Iesus Christ vpbrayd the Scribes and Pharisies that they passed not to lay heauy burthens vpon the poore people in the meane while tooke leaue to do what they listed themselues And commonly it falleth out through hipocrisie that he which is rough extreme in all rigour towards his neybours would haue other men to forbeare him and to dispence with him But if wee will needes presse our neighbours to do their duetie the true naturall order requireth that euery of vs should first begin at himself Ye see then how it is a most manifest hipocrisie when a mā will not a whit beare with his neibours but chalēgeth their dutie to the vttermost in the meane while offendeth grosly himself will not suffer any correctiō Yea somtimes also it falleth out that we would play the good fellowes at other mens cost Euen so fell it out heere in S. Peter For his inforcing of the Gentyles to keepe the Ceremoniall lawe came not of the foresayde hypocrisie of taking leaue too doo what he listed and of desiring too go quite and cleere before God for his constreyning of other menne too such a poynt but of dubblenesse for that hee was too desirouse too pleasure his owne countrymen He had already taken leaue too liue after the maner of the Gentyles that is to say too giue ouer the vsing of the Ceremonies of the Lawe For as I haue earst touched S. Paule speaketh not heere of the vnbeleeuers nor of the despyzers of God but of those Gentyles that had bin conuerted too the knowledge of the Gospell and were desirous to serue God yea euen without the old Ceremonies Now S. Peter had fashioned himself to their common trade and yet notwithstanding he was a Iewe and therfore he did the Gentyles too much wrong to put a streyter brydle vpon them than he receyued to himself as I sayd afore He did it not in respect of himselfe but playde on both handes as they doo whiche would feyne keepe fauour with all parties and are loth too mislike any man So wee see there was rightfull reason to rebuke him and too shame him before all the Church Now remayneth that he acknowledged his faulte by which example wee muste learne mildenesse That is to say for asmuch as there is none of vs all but he may step awry as they that haue not such perfect wisedome but that we may fall euen into grosse faultes and although we perceyue it not yet now and then we happen to swarue through infirmitie at leastwyze let vs not ieere at it when we be reformed as many proude stubborne folke do who eyther spew out their poyson or else rancle inwardly in their hartes when they bee rebuked Let vs learne first of all by S. Peters example that there is none of vs all so farre foreward in holinesse wisedome and vertue which may not ouershoote himself And therfore let vs patiently heare what is tolde vs that wee may fare the better by it and let vs not bee ashamed too caste downe our heades when we see our selues iustly accuzed and condemned Thus yee see what we haue to remember vppon the first part of this Text. Truely we haue seene already this mornyng how S. Peter had this honorable title to be called a chiefe piller in Gods Churche and in the spirituall Temple that was too bee buylded He was honored he and his fellowes had receyued the holy Ghost and although he had stumbled once afore yet had Iesus Christe set him vp againe and wiped away the remembrance of that fall in saying to him feede my Sheepe haue a care of my Lambes And yet for all this he walketh not the right way but steppeth aside VVherefore it behoueth vs too bee so much the warer that noman deceyue vs as though wee had profited so well in Gods schoole that wee were no more in daunger of doyng amisse Let vs beware of suche ouerweening and keepe continuall watch that wee bee not misledde by the wyles and traynes of Satan yea let it bee a suspicious matter with vs too desire too please men seyng that S. Peter fell intoo that extremitie True it is that his meening was too the contrarie and that his intent was too imploy himself wholly too the glorifying of Gods name He had stoutly withstoode it when he was forbidden too preache any more in the name of Iesus Christ It was the voyce of an Angelicall stoutnesse when he answered God must be obeyed and not men For he sawe there the rulers of his countrie he sawe them assembled with their pompe and there was the statelinesse of Magistrates which had bin able too amaze a poore man of no credite as he and his fellow Iohn were But not withstanding his stout answering that he woulde obey God maugre all those that pretended too haue preheminence ouer him yet he was deceyued in this cace whereof mention is made heere Therefore whensoeuer men doo the thing that may thrust vs out of the way and wee haue some fayre cloke so as it shall seeme too vs that wee doo not amisse too please them Let vs bethinke vs of this example that is set vs down heere and which is tolde vs too make vs euery of vs looke aboute him what his calling will beare and what God commaundeth without casting of our eye aside too purchace fauour in the worlde Let vs shet our eyes agaynst all that is about vs and looke onely at this marke that wee must in all caces and all respectes fashion our selues too the will of God And when wee shall haue looked rightfoorth too Gods ordinances and asked counsell at his mouth and prayed him too guyde and gouerne vs by his holy spirite and finally well considered the boundes of our vocation so as wee attempt not any thing otherwise than becommeth vs then shall wee bee able too
when all comes to all it is but flat mockerie it is apparaÌ„t that they wilfully corrupt Gods woord For there is such grosse and beastly ignorance in them that very children might iustly spitte in their faces for it So then the Papists are a fayre looking glasse too vs at this day for the things that are conteyned heere in S. Paule that is to wit that many of them vaunt themselues to be Gods children and householdmeynie of his Churche and yet notwithstanding are but bastard slippes and of a corrupted seede bicause that in stead of cleauing throughly to the pure doctrine which were able too beget them againe into the hope of the heauenly life they be so giuen to their owne minglings that there is not any more soundnesse in them But we neede not to go any further too shewe that the matter which S. Paule treateth of heere is verified too much of the Popedome For where aboutes is our greatest strife now adayes but for freewill for merites for satisfactions and for such other things The Papists say that we are able by our owne freewill to purchace grace at Gods hand not that we neede not too be ayded and succored by his holy spirit but bicause there is a certaine matching togither say they betweene God and vs so as God worketh one peece and wee another Thus doo they make vs Gods marrowes and like as our strength would be to weake if it were not succored on Gods behalf so should Gods grace say they be vnauaylable if we made it not of force by our owne mouing therevnto And herevpon agayne they forge build their merites there is none other talk among theÌ„ but of purchacing the realme of paradice by making God beholden too them then step forth their merites and satisfactions to raunsome all the faults that they haue coÌ„mitted Thus ye see in effect what the Papistes prate and iangle Therevpon they conclude that it is blasphemie too say that Gods Lawe is impossible and that wee bee not able too performe it saying that there is no man but he may fully discharge himselfe of it when he listeth It is an easie matter for them too prate after that fashyon in the shadowe but they that say so are naughtie ruffians drunkardes swearers and folke giuen too all villanie and outrage For menne knowe well ynough what the holynesse of the Moonkes of the shauelings and of all the whole rable of their rifraffe and Cankerwoormes is But wee on our side say that wee bee bâ—â—ne the bondslaues of sinne and are hâ—ld in so streyt bandes vnder the tyrannie of Satan that we cannot so much as thinke one good thought of well doing but go forward still vnto al euil like as if an Asse should alwayes beare his yoke or burthen with him and yet wee sinne not but willingly But how soeuer we fare we be so saped in sinne that naturally wee cannot do any thing but offend God and therfore that he must be fayne to inlarge vs and set vs at libertie by his holy spirite Moreouer wee say that the law of God is vnpossible to be fulfilled and that it sheweth vs our duetie to the end to condemne vs to stop our mouthes too make vs come before God as wretched offenders too obtayne grace at his hand for the sinnes which we haue coÌ„mitted and to confound vs with shame to the end we should graunt our selues to bee daÌ„ned and seeke to be saued at Gods hand through the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ Finally wee say that too iustifie our selues before him is a thing that passeth all our abilitie and that he supplieth our wants bicause he sifteth vs not with rigour nor entereth into accouÌ„t with vs that when we haue offended him there is none other satisfactioÌ„ for it than the sacrifize that was offered by our Lord Iesus Christ nor any other clenzing than to plundge our selues ouer head and eares in his bloud Thus ye see how the doctrine which is coÌ„tayned in S. Paule is to be put in practize in respect of the disputatioÌ„s of the Papists against vs. For it is certain that for all their bragging and false preteÌ„ding of the name of God and for all their saying that they be his children bicause they be begotten by the holy scripture they shew that their mother is Agar or Sinay and consequently that they be bondmen borne and do tie the rope about their owne necke bycause they haue no will to go vnto God too receyue the freedome that he offereth them but wil rather vsurpe to themselues the thing that beloÌ„geth to God only and wil needes iustifie theÌ„selues by their own merites and fulfill the lawe of themselues Therefore they bee bondchildren and continue slaues stil and in the end must be driuen quite out of the house As for vs wee shall see hereafter what proofe the doctrine hath which we holde what it bringeth with it which is that we haue none other freedome than is giueÌ„ vs by the doctrine of the gospell according also as our Lord Iesus Christ sheweth in the viij of S. Iohn that it is his peculâ—â—â— office to make vs free that the drawing of vs out of damnation is a speciall priuiledge giuen vnto him by God his father Therefore when wee come too our Lorde Iesus Christ and in him seeke for all things that wee want knowing that by his meanes we be deliuered from the yoke of the law which we are not able to beare and which not onely made vs too stoupe but also weyed vs downe to the bottome of hell if is the true seede that begetteth vs againe into full freedome too bee Gods children not onely to be bruted so in this worlde but also to bee auowed so at his hande before his Angels that in 〈…〉 wee may come too the heritage that is bought so dearely for vs and which wee cannot attaine to by our owne power but by the meanes of him to whome it belongeth who communicateth it vnto vs according as he offreth it vs dayly by his Gospell But nowe let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them better than we haue done so as it may make vs to growe and increase more and more in true repentance that our comming vnto him may bee in all lowlynesse without hypocrisie beeing ashamed of our wretchednesse and not seeking any other remedie than in our Lorde Iesus Christ and that forasmuche as our good God hath adopted vs and sealed the grace of his adoption in our heartes by his holy spirit we may stand stedfast in the purenesse of his Gospell without adding any thing of our owne and without marring it by our owne interpretations and that hee so holde vs in the obedience of fayth by his holy spirite that lyke as he hath begonne too shewe himselfe bountifull towardes vs so we also may go continually forward to the
sayd perfection without swaruing asyde at any time And so let vs all say Almightie God our heauenly father c. The. 30. Sermon which is the seuenth vpon the fourth Chapter 26 But the Ierusalem vvhiche is from aboue is free vvhich is the mother of vs all 27 For it is vvritten be glad thou barrein vvhich bearest no children breake forth and crie thou that trauellest not for the desolate hath many mo children than she that hath a husband 28 And vve my brethren vve be children of promise after the maner of Isaac 29 But like as then hee that vvas borne after the flesh persecuted him that vvas borne after the spirit euen so is it novv 30 Neuerthelesse vvhat sayth the scripture Cast out the bondvvoman and hir sonne for the sonne of the bondwoman shal not be heire with the sonne of the free vvoman 31 So then brethren vve be not children of the bondvvoman but of the free vvoman WE haue seene this morning that many do boast themselues to be faithfull pretending falsly to be Gods childrē are so taken to the worldwarde who notwithstanding are but bastards and God disclaymeth them bicause they haue corrupted the good seede whiche is the pure doctrine wherby we be begotten new again to be made partakers of the free adoption wherto God calleth vs. Thē all that we haue to do is not to be counted too bee of the Church except we be of the pure sound seed that is to say except we follow Gods worde without any corruption or mingling And for this cause doth S. Paule bring vs backe too the heauenly Ierusalem that we might know who is our mother Truly to speake properly such as peruert the naturall sense of the scripture are not the children of God and all their crying and calling vpon him as their father is but starke lying and hypocrisie Howbeit forasmuch as they be taken to be of that degree S. Paule discerneth them out by their mother too the end we might know which are Gods true and lawfull children and allowed of him For the 〈◊〉 of the Church is oftentimes pretended at al aduenture and in these dayes the Papists make a buckler of it to sheeld their errours withall And bicause the holy scripture is against them they thinke it may serue them for a couert that they as they wene haue the Church on their side Yea but S. Paule telleth vs that we must be wise to discern which is the true Church For the Iewes had colour ynough to shew that God had his abiding place in Ierusalem bicause hee had chosen it out with assurance that he woulde rest there for euer as we haue seene this morning And yet notwithstanding the very same Ierusalem became as a denne of theeues bicause our Lord Iesus Christ was crucified there and the Iewes were for their vnfaythfulnesse cut vtterly off from the house of God bicause they had indeuered to the vttermost of their power to abolish his truth Though the name of Ierusalē had earst bin honorable yet was it then had in reproch and disdein both before the Angels and before all the faithfull Euen so at this day wee ought to consider well which is the Church to the ende that we be not children of a bastarde seede and so God shake vs off and banishe vs out of his house for pretēding his name so falsly through hypocrisie before men In deede it is a verie excellent honor that God giueth to his Church in saying that she is the mother of all the faythfull and it agreeth with S. Paules report in another place where he sayeth that shee is as it were the piller that vpholdeth Gods truth in thys worlde Not that the truth hath any neede to be mainteyned by vs which are inclined to all lightnesse and inconstancie and which haue nothing in vs by nature but vntruth for what stedinesse is there to be found in vs to say that Gods truth shoulde stay vpon men But bicause that of his infinite goodnesse it is his will to haue his worde preached here beneath and hee hath committed the charge thereof to such as he calleth therto in respect where of the Church is called the mother of vs all For as our lord Iesus Christ telleth vs we haue but one father which is God yea and he is the father as well of our bodies as of our soules Howbeit God is our spirituall father without hauing any make yet notwithstāding he begetteth vs into the hope of eternall life and that is by the meanes of his Church wherinto he hath put the said incorruptible seed according as he saith by the Prophete Esay My worde sayth he shall be in thy mouth and continue with thy children from time too time and with all those that shall come of thy race Thus ye see how God intendeth to gouerne his faithfull ones namely by his worde which he maketh to bee as a pledge and inestimable treasure of saluation in his Church to the ende that we should be begotten and nurrished with it Therfore as I haue touched alreadie we had neede too bee so much the more skilfuller in discerning the Church For seeing it is the mother of Gods childrē the name of it ought not to be dishonored and trampled vnder foote nor yet defiled as it is seene to be nowadayes There is not a more common treacherie than to put forth the name of the Church to deface and darkē Gods truth For whereat do the Papists ame nowadayes in vaunting with full mouth and full throte that they be the Church but to stoppe Gods mouth and to thrust his worde vnder foote that it might no more be spoken of and that in the meane while the things that men haue forged after their own lyking should be receyued without any gainsaying and sticked to and obeyed VVe see then that men which are but earthwormes and rottennesse are put into the balance agaynst God and all vnder pretence of the Church But here Saint Paule warneth vs to seeke the Church which hath the pure doctrine whereby wee were adopted of God to be his children Nowe I haue tolde you heretofore that the whole matter lyeth in our being ingreffed into the bodie of our Lorde Iesus Christ and also in our acknowledging that wee be accursed by nature that all our workes are but filthinesse that the Diuell holdeth vs subiect to his tyrannie and that there is none other helpe for vs but that God should receyue vs to mercie and pitie Therefore let vs go into Gods house by the sayde gate that is to wit by acknowledging that there is none other way for vs to get in but by the onely mere grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ Thus ye see howe the Church doth breede vs and beare vs verely euen by the foresayde incorruptible seede Nowe that we may sore the better by this text wee haue two poyntes too marke The one is that we must not be like these