himselfe but that he is thy God Whiche will cause that with the spirite thou shalt at all times féele him and that he doth thee so great a goodnesse with his continuall benefites as cannot be done but of God whereof it groweth that thou trust in him loue him and giue him thanks committest thy selfe to his gouernement and order al thy life to his honour and glorie as of him thou feelest al the good things thou hast to come so to him alone thou dost render all thankes thou accountest him to be the first beginning and the last end and therefore to be God Thou must also liuely beléeue not onely that he is the father of Christ and of the elect whiche thorough Iesus Christ are adopted for to be the sonnes of God but that he is thy father Ephes 1 Rom. 8 Gal. 4. and that thou art one of the elect and sonnes of God and an heire a brother of Christ and coheire with him Thou must féele with the spirit that God is thy best father and that as a most déere father he loueth thee most perfectly and hath a great care of thée Consider now a little howe much thou louest him with what safety thou goest vnto him for fauour with Hope to obtaine it and with how great quietnesse peace and reast of minde soule and conscience thou liuest vnder his protection if with a liuely Faith thou beléeue that in truth he is thy father and that all the creatures together that be cannot pluck of one haire from thy head without his will It is necessary also to beléeue that he is almightie so that not onely the world dependeth vpon him but that he hath all creatures in his power and can dispose of them according to his pleasure that he can bring the worlde to nothing and prolong it into euerlasting if he will neither is there any that can withstand his will we must also beléeue that this omnipotencie of God is not idle but that he vseth it and that euery day so that it neuer sléepeth but alwayes worketh as Christ saide Ioan. ◠We must beléeue that it is euer watching strong and laborious It worketh in al creatures and without it nothing is done And further it is néedefull that liuely and with thy spirite thou beléeue that this almightines belongeth to thée and that thou féelest that God doth vse the same euery day with thee in giuing thée all the good thinges that thou hast Wherefore they be greatly deceyued which doe not acknowledge al to be of God but to come by chaunce Fortune Nature of the Heauens of Men Angels or Diuels Moreouer we ought to beléeue that he is the creatour of heauen and of earth that is of all creatures both celestiall and terrestriall those that he hath created them hée preserueth gouerneth ordereth and guydeth to the end and all with his high and infinite wisedome It is not sufficient that of necessitie thou liuely beléeuest how that God not onely hath giuen thée thy being and so to all other creatures but that he preserueth guydeth gouerneth and ordereth all to thy benefite with great wisedome Thou must also liuely beléeue not onely that GOD is God in himselfe and therefore most perfect but that he is thy God and such a father that he will doe to thée all good thinges which be possible and conuenient to bée done Mat. 1. that he is thy best father bicause he is omnipotent and that he knoweth how bicause he is infinitely wise as we see in his creation and gouernaunce of the world Thou must also beléeue in Iesus Iesus is the proper name of Christ Rom. 14 giuen vnto him thorough the will of God by the Angel and doth signifie a Sauiour Therfore thou shalt then beléeue truely in Iesus when with thy spirite thou shalt féele that he hath saued thée 1. Tim. 2 Heb. 9. It is also necessary not onely to beléeue in Iesus but in Iesus Christ Christ is to say annoynted And for because in olde time they annoynted high Priestes Kinges and Prophets therefore Christ being sent into the world from the father to do the office of a high Prophet Priest and King hath also béene ordayned and annoynted with a spirituall vnction filling a tunne full of his gyftes and graces for as much as he was the chiefest Prophete Priest and King and hath done the office of euery of them moste perfectlye there-fore hée is called Christ We must then beléeue in Christ Heb. 9. that is in Iesus Christ that he is the high Priest vndefyled and holye and that he hath done the office of the chiefe and most perfect Priest Moreouer that as an onely mediatour betwixt God and vs hath offered vp himselfe vppon the crosse to the father for the elect 1. Tim. 2. Heb. 9. and that he is accepted of GOD for such a diuine sacrifice that he pacifyeth his anger and reconcyleth him vnto them That he standeth also for their sakes before the father and hauing compassion prayeth for them and obtaineth them all grace and fauour Hier. 47 Rom. 8. Ioan. 11. and that he offereth them vnto GOD vnspotted and holy by being washed with his pretious bloude and that he enrycheth thée with his giftes and graces Thou must also beléeue that in as much as he is Christ the chiefe Prophete Therefore he came into the worlde sent from the father to make manyfest vnto his elect all the will of God for to teach Isaiae 45 Ioan. 15. Heb. 8. and to imprint in their heartes all thinges profitable and necessarie to their saluation Wherefore as the onely maister and light of the worlde which making all thinges manifest he hath fulfilled the Prophetes Thou must also beléeue that he is a King Mat. 23. Ioan. 8. Mat. 11. bicause that with his spirite he moueth raigneth ouer and gouerneth the electe whiche be giuen him of God there-fore he is a King in the spirituall kingdome of GOD whiche is righteousnesse peace and ioye in the holy Ghost It is not sufficyent that thou beléeue that Iesus is Christe the chiefe Prophet Priest and king of the elect Rom. 14 but also thou must liuely beléeue that he is thy Christ that is the chiefest Prophet Priest and king ouer thée And so if with thy spirite thou shalt féele that hée hath lightened thy minde with diuine things he shall be thy Prophet Also if thou shalt féele that for thy sake he hath offered him-selfe vppon the Crosse that he hath pacyfied the father that he prayeth for thée that hée is heard that he presenteth thée vnto God and that thorough him God doth accept thée for his sonne then he shall be thy high Priest And likewise if with a liuely Faith thou shalt beleeue that he hath taken charge of thée and that he inspireth thée moueth and gouerneth thee thou shalt haue him for thy king Thou shalt there-fore truely beléeue in Christ when with thy spirite thou
shalt féele that he illuminateth thée as a prophet gouerneth thée as a King and as an high Priest pacyfieth the wrath of God for thée and reconcyleth him offereth thée to the father acceptable holy and vnspotted Thou must also beleeue that Iesus Christ is the onely sonne of God we also be other sonnes of God but it is by adoption for that God by the meanes of Christ of straungers yea of his enimies hath thorough grace adopted and taken vs for his sonnes But Christ was neuer any enimie to God nor straunger but was alwayes full of light Ioan. 1. Coll. 1. Coll. 2. Ioan. 1. of perfection vertue treasures giftes and graces full of the spirite and of diuinitie he is a spring that euer floweth and all the graces whiche the electe haue they receiue of his fulnesse therefore in the holy Scriptures he is not onelye called the first begotten sonne Rom. 8. Ioan. 13. 1. Ioan. 4. but also the onely begotten sonne of God for bicause that GOD hath communicated vnto him all graces all vertues giftes and treasures as though he had no other sonnes but him he hath also communicated with him all his diuinitie with his deuine prefection Therfore thou must not onely beléeue that he is the onely sonne of God but that he is God Coll. 2. Thou shalt then euen lyuely beléeue that he is the onely sonne of God when thou shalt féele that thou by his meanes and not by any other hast receiued all those graces good things that thou hast It is also néedefull to beléeue that he is our Lord for that as it is written Ioan. 17. God hath giuen vs vnto Christ all the electe are his flocke hee maye order them as him listeth Mat. 28. The Father hath giuen him all power in heauen and in earth Then he which truly beleeueth that Christ is his Lord and head which féeling with his spirite his most full and totall dominion which renouncing to leane to his owne carnall wisedome to his owne strength and all other vertues that be in anye creature is wholly committed to the gouernaunce of Christ as of his lawfull and best Lorde And moreouer we must beléeue that he was conceiued in the Virgin Mary by a wonderfull operation of the holy Ghost First that hée was conceiued of the substaunce of the Virgin Mary therefore that he was very man of the séede of Dauid of Abraham as had bene prophecied before time Psal 131. Gen. 22. Heb. 2. also according to Saint Paul it was conuenient that taking in hande to sanctifie his bretheren he should become man lyke vnto them and of the same first father discended so might suffer and for obedience of his father might bée offered vppon the Crosse for their sinnes to the intent that as by the disobedience of one man we be made sinners Philip. 2 so by the obedience of one man we should be made righteous But forasmuch as he which sanctifieth others must of necessitie be without spot therefore to the intent hée might not be subiect to the vniuersall corruption of humane generation but full of puritie and holynesse it must néedes be that he was conceiued not naturally and by humane meanes but meruaylously and by the operation of the holy Ghost Thou must also beleeue that he was borne of the Virgin Mary for except thou beléeue this thou canst not beléeue the miracles which he did in this lyfe nor that he dyed vpon the crosse Thou must furthermore necessarily beléeue that he suffered vnder Pontius Pilate If thou héere demaund why ther is no mention made of the lyfe of Christ and wherefore it is not sayd in the Crede that we must beléeue that the wise men came to worship him that he was circumcised that he fled into Aegypt that he was lost and found againe in the Temple that he was baptised of Saint Ihon that he fasted fortie dayes and fortie nights that he called the Apostles that he preached wrought miracles and lykewise of all his other wonderfull workes I will aunswere that in the Crede there is no mention made but onely of those principall things which belong properly to the substance of our saluation the faith of the which is substantial and sufficient to a true Christian It also thou wouldest know wherefore Pontius Pilate is so named I will say that this was not onely to confirme the history of the passion of Christ but much more that we should beleeue lyuely that albeit he was innocent yet he with our sinnes thorough the wil of his father being attributed vnto him appeared before the iudgement seate of man whereas lyke a wicked doer he was willyng to be condempned that we thorough Christ as innocent might appeare safe before the Tribunall seate of God in whose sight we wer blame worthy It is also necessary to beléeue that he was crucified dead It is not inough to say dead but néede-full to declare the manner of his death bicause we might beléeue that he dyed vppon the Crosse and this as Saint Paul iudgeth was for that he was accursed which hanged on the Crosse and Christ for to delyuer vs from curses wherein we were thorough sinne incorporated chose that cursed death and for our sakes ouercame it and so delyuereth vs from his curse yea and from death it selfe inasmuch as to the Elect thorough Christ there is no more death but lyfe There be manye wicked or false Christians which haue a certeine dead opinion of all these things yea and the Diuells beléeue that he suffered that he was crucified and dead But that sufficeth not for thou must beléeue lyuely and féele with thy spirite that he suffered for thée that he was crucified and dyed for thée to thy benifite and for thy saluation Thou must féele with the spirite his passion and death his great loue and the fruite of his death that is that thou art saued there-by and then his death hath effect in thée It is néedefull also that as thou beléeue truly that hée dyed so that thou beléeue that he was buried It followeth immediately that he descended into Hell and for bicause these words be not found in the Crede written by the olde Doctors therefore some haue thought that they were afterward added to declare and make more manifest the words that goe before And bicause in the holy Scriptures Gen. 43. Num. 16 this name Inferno is taken for a Pit or Sepulcher and this name Geenna for the place of the dampned they haue expounded thus Descese a gl' inferi that is he was layd in in the graue but the matter it selfe doth make replye héere against Seing that both Paul and also Peter willing to proue the resurrection of Christ brought a saying out of the Psalme Thou shalt not leaue my soule in Hell Act. 2. 13. Psal 15. neither shalt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Where Dauid maketh mention of the soule and of
light of God and of his Iustice and therefore doe féele themselues accused as guiltie in the sight of God by their owne consciences wherefore all they which be not in desperation with Cain as those that feare the iudgemēt of God for to auoyd his wrathe and the tormenting of their owne consciences haue gone séeking remedyes to reconcile them to God the good men according to the word of God haue known and lyuely imbraced Christ for their onely refuge and Mediatour ready before the Father to pacifie his anger but those which haue bene blynde of these so great benefites of Christ and haue not knowen the Iustice of God the peruersenesse of their sinnes with their vnablenesse to arise out of them presuming of thēselues haue gone imagining after their own fantasie diuers wayes to pacifie the wrath of God and this with afflicting their bodyes with abstinence nakednesse fastings watching silence kéeping sackecloth beatings pilgrimages and other paynes with solytarines with chaunging of garments with diuers Idolatryes Sacrifices words and workes And forasmuch as such being without Christ coulde not tourne themselues to God with sinceritie purenesse rightnesse of heart therfore all their chaunging was in outward things in the which being singular and comming by them in admiration of the world as those which were proude and desired the glory and praise of men they beautified continually séeking newe extremities of lyuing so that in déede they haue bene more superstitious which being in loue of themselues more proude haue sought by one meane to flye the wrath of God and by an other meane to liue vnder a certeine false Image and masking shewe of humilytie pouertie straightnesse with honour credite and estimation of the world yea in greater riches and sensualitie Nowe from hence bée all superstitions growen And for bicause superstition is in it selfe most euill inasmuch as it crucifieth againe Christ a newe laboureth to subuerte his great benefite his grace and his Gospell And more-ouer is a pestilence verye contagious which thing is séene by experience for that it hath corrupted all the world therefore I haue iudged it good to shewe howe wée maye bée delyuered from it It is verye true that those men which haue bene nourished vp in superstition where-vnto they be most enclyned and therefore superstition séemeth vnto them very good so that not onely they doe not abhorre it as a pestilent thing and diuelish worthy of all reproofe and shame but they imbrace it as a holy and diuine thing worthy all prayse honour and glory wherfore it is a very hard matter for those which be plunged in superstition to depart from it But forasmuch as it is possible with God which is impossible with men therfore I would that we might sée by what waye we might be delyuered To heale men of this pestiferous disease it is néedefull to know the first cause where-off superstition procéedeth and by what waye it commeth and to haue knowledge of the first spring and beginning we muste vnderstande that there is but one onelye God Iacob 1. from whome procéedeth all our goodnesse so that ther is not neither was nor shall euer be anye person that had or could haue any good thing but onely from GOD therefore of him alone they must desire graces 1. Tim. 1 in him onely they must truste of him alone they ought to meditate him onely to thanke and to him alone to giue all prayse 1. Tim. 2 honour and glory Lyke-wise betwixt God and vs there is but one Mediatour Christ Iesus by whose meanes come downe to vs all giftes benefites and graces so that by no meanes in the worlde God euer had giuen will giue or doth giue any grace vnto men but by his meanes of Christ wherefore onely by his meane we ought to demaund of God onely by his meane we must looke to obtayne and they that haue obtayned must acknowledge it to come from God onelye by the meane of Christ And lyke-wyse by him alone they must render vnto God all thankes and all praise honour and glory Christ therefore and not the Angells or men is hée who alone and not with the helpe of anye creature in the whole and also in parte hath made satisfaction for our sinnes reconciled vs to the Father with pacifying his anger hée alone hath whollye opened Heauen to vs hath made vs to be adopted the Sonnes of God and made vs his heires with meriting for vs not onely heauen but graces giftes and spirituall benefits things corporal and temporal whatsoeuer we had haue and shall haue So that as from the heade onely by meanes of the necke descendeth nourishment and strength into the members lyke-wise onely from God thorough Christ descende into the worlde all graces And he onely doth know Christ aright which knoweth that all goodnesse commeth of God onely by Christ and thorough him alone doth séeke it This alone is the true pure cleane and sincere waye by the which a good Christian ought to walke and all the other wayes be full of superstitions Those then bée superstitious not onelye which fallyng from confidence in God doe craue and séeke their happinesse from some other creatures but also those that doe séeke and desire of God and not thorough Christ but either wholly or partly by meanes of some other vertue besides Christ As those which desire the graces of God by the meane of Angells of this Saincte or of that Sainct and beléeue that they shall obtayne that which they aske either in parte or in all for the worthinesse of them and for the excellencie of their vertues or for the preciousnesse of their owne workes All those in lyke manner bée superstitious which doe beléeue that they are hearde and shall obtaine any grace or good thing by vertue of woordes and more with these woordes then with them in as much as graces bée not obtayned but onely by the meere mercye of GOD and thorough Christ embraced of vs with a lyuely Faith The worde of God hath no other vertue but to expound vnto vs make manifest and giue lyght of the diuine willl of GOD with exhortinge vs to obeys him especially if it bée pronounced with the spirite Wherefore those which cary about their necks certeine Briefes albeit in them are written holy words they be altogether superstitious for that they think to haue some grace by vertue of those wordes God hath not giuen vs his woorde made his name knowne for that we should beare it about nor that we should painte the writinges vpon doores but that we might by meanes of his woord know him call vppon him giue him thankes obey him praise him honour him in such sort as in his sayd word he hath taught vs The word of God ought not to serue vs but in that manner and to that ende which God hath ordeined and reuealed to vs and then the worde of God doth worke according to the vertue which God hath giuen it and
Wherefore Christ wondering at the great charitie of the father sayd So god loued the world that he gaue his only begotten son for it And in an other place speaking of himself he sayd None hath any greater loue then to spend his lyfe for his friends Wherfore S. Iohn said In this we haue knowen the loue God for that he hath spent his own life for our sakes Man knoweth not neither can he imagine the God could shew any greater loue then that which he hath shewed with giuing vs his own son vpon the Crosse There be also some which say that the greatest signe of loue which God hath shewed vs hath ben in giuing vs his spirit forasmuch as although god had created vs and bestowed innumerable benefits vpō vs with giuing vs also Christ vpon the crosse we shold in no wise haue ben holpē if god with his spirt had not opened our mindes made vs féele in déede his great goodnes loue Other say that God shal then shew greater loue thē at any other time when at the day of iudgement he raysing vs again glorious both in respect of our soules also of our bodyes deliuering vs frō al euil of this present life of the life to come shal set vs in quiet restful peaceable possessiō of heauen of the most high perpetuall felycitie with making vs alwaies to inioy vse the most pleasāt fruits of the passion death of Christ of his diuine grace And I iudge that the greatest loue which God hath shewed vnto vs hath ben in purposing frō all eternitie in his diuine minde to saue vs with his most perfect felicitie high triumph of Christ and his most great glory forasmuch as this benefit includeth in it all other the which do depend on it alone Inasmuch as forbicause he determined to saue vs with our most high glory therfore he created vs so noble after his owne likenes capable of him the world for to serue vs for this cause he suffereth sin to this ende he chastiseth vs calleth vs biddeth vs tarrieth for vs dissimuleth himselfe tollerateth vs bestoweth innumerable benefits vpō vs for this cause he sent the Patriarches gaue a law by Moses sent the Prophets lastly his own son for this cause he appointed that they should preach worke myracles do all that which they did for this cause he sent Christ the lastly he should dye vpon the crosse And likewise bicause he had elected vs to most perfect felicytie therfore Christ arose againe ascended into heauen sent the holy ghost like as he sendeth it inuisibly alwayes vpō his elect And likewise also for bicause he hath predestinated vs to the glory therefore he sending Christ to iudge the quicke the dead we shal be by him thorough Christ takē vp to a most high perpetuall felicitie God therefore louing vs with an infinit loue hauing shewed his loue in so great excéeding meanes let vs besech him that he would giue vs a spiritual tast féeling of him to the intent that thorough Christ we may render vnto him all honour and glory Amen How Christ vpon the crosse draweth euery thing vnto him Sermon 9. HE that will duely beholde Christ vpon the crosse shal sée that with a most earnest violence by all meanes possible he draweth all things vnto him First for that words especially whē they be pronounced which eloquēce order pithy proprietie be most effectual to moue mens hearts to draw thē vnto it as hath ben is séene cōtinually in oratours wherfore Christ vpon the chaire of the crosse was not dumb yea he spake words that would moue draw vnto him any hardned faithles obstinate hart And although Christ had in his life time spoken and his words wer altogther diuine notwtstāding those words which he pronounced vpon the crosse wer of so much force aboue al other so much more effectual violent as that being the last pronounced by the son of God when alredy néere vnto death he was in great torments they are ful of exceding wisdom swetnes pitie goodnes righteousnes charity as euery one proueth which with the spirit doth tast them The iestures also doe helpe when they be fitly applyed vnto the wordes to moue greatly wherfore when a mother would haue hir young sonne come vnto hir she doth not onely call him but also proueth him the more with beckening hir head and with opening hir armes The which Christ also did for to drawe vs vnto him forasmuch as he stretched out his armes vpon the crosse as if he would say beholde that I open and offer my selfe vnto all men ready and prepared to receiue and imbrace euery sinner which by my meane doth thirst for his saluation Or if thou haddest seene with what how great firy teares burning sighes and excéeding loue he lifted vp his eyes to heauen to pray for vs with what sweete pitie he debased himselfe and behelde those which hadde nayled him on the crosse and others who were present if thy heart were a thousand times harder then an Adamant stone thou shouldest in any wise haue bene constrayned that it should not onely be mollyfied made féeble and pleasaunt but moulten chiefly séeing that for thy loue bloud guished out from euery part of him And if the wisdome of Salomon could worke so much in the Queene of Sabba that with causing hir to leaue hir rich and delicate kingdom drewe hir from so farre a country to trauaile euen to his presence for to heare him the wisedome of Christ excéedingly shewed vpon the Crosse ought so much the more effectuallly drawe vs from the world vnto him as that his is the greater without proportion Wherefore also in Christ vpon the Crosse are fulfilled al the Prophets are verified al the Scriptures all shadowes and figures are made manifest and all the treasures of the wisdome and knowledge of GOD are opened wherefore as the most high perfect open and manifest truth he draweth our mindes to beholde it in him And lykewise also for that lybertie especially of riches is most effectual in alluring chiefly the poore and such as be in necessitie therefore Christ for to draw vs vnto him vsed towardes vs vpon the crosse a most hygh and excéeding liberalitie forasmuch as by meere grace he not onely deliuered vs from sinne from the power of the diuell and from all euill of this present life and of the lyfe to come with making satisfaction for all our bonds but also moreouer giueth vs all his diuine treasures heauen and himselfe Yea he draweth vs to hym euen with his righteousnesse inasmuch as we be drawen and moued to haue compassion on him seeing that in him although he be most innocent the Father with most rigorous iustice punisheth all our sinnes Notwythstandinge albeit vppon the crosse he stirreth vs vp with wordes prouoketh vs with his déedes and diuine iestures calleth vs
not onely them and all that they possesse but also Christ with all his diuine treasures bicause Loue maketh all things common Now if with thy spirite thou shalt féele this thou shalt then beléeue the communion of Saincts Thou must beléeue the remission of sinnes that is not onely that God of his mere lyberalytie and gratious goodnesse thorough Christ crucified which hath made satisfaction for vs pardoneth the sinnes of his Elect but it is needefull for thée to beléeue and with the spirite lyuely to féele that he hath pardoned thée Then will the Gospel laugh vppon thée and shew it selfe amiable and thou shalt féele in Christ the great goodnesse of God It is néedefull also to beléeue liuelye the resurrection of the flesh which if it were so we would not accompt this world for our countrey we would not set our loue vppon it we woulde not feare death and with hope of the other lyfe with-out grounding our selues in prosperitie and with-out retyring or tourning back in aduersitie we would ioyfully runne to our heauenly countrey And lastlye it is néedefull for vs to beléeue euerlasting lyfe that is that the Elect shal be happy and shal lyue for euer and it is néedefull for thee with the spirite to féele that thou art one of them and if thou wilt say vnto me why is it not sayd that we should also beléeue the euerlasting death of the dampned I aunswere that héere is not spoken but onely of those things which must with a lyuely Faith be beléeued and felt with the spirit and this lyuely Faith and féeling is not but in the Elect and the Elect can-not lyuely beléeue nor féele in themselues any thing but those benefites which God hath promised them whereof the holy Ghost speaketh vnto them and witnesseth in their heartes Therefore in the Crede is nothing declared but onely those things which apperteine to the comforting of the consciences of the Elect and that moue them to loue Now these be the Articles which we are bounde to beleeue and they be so knit and lynked together that a man cannot beléeue one of them lyuely with-out the other and he that beléeueth the one with a lyuely Faith beléeueth all As for example no body can beléeue lyuely in God no nor yet know him sufficiently with-out the lyght of Christ which is supernaturall as Paul saith and lykewise Christ and he that beléeueth lyuely in Christ thorough Faith and the holy Ghost féeleth and accepteth his great benefite Gal. 4. Ephes 2. Mat. 11. beléeueth that God is the Father almightie Creator of all things beléeueth also the resurrection of Christ his ascention his sending of the holye Ghost and that he shall come to iudge vs and the effects of his death that there is a holye Churche the remission of sinnes the resurrection and euerlasting lyfe There be many which of their owne fantasie haue added other Articles and such as bée no other but their owne doctrines the which it is but lost time to consider off They woulde prophecie and vnderstande more then the Apostles excéeding the lymits of Faith and all is bicause they haue not a liuely Faith in the light supernaturall whiche if they had they shoulde sée wonderfull things reuealed by God which would content them and cause them to séeke not to vnderstand newe thinges but to growe in greater light of thinges reuealed that they might be able to render thankes more largely vnto God to whom be alwayes all praise honour and glory thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen If it be possible to be confirmed and stablished in Faith Sermon 5. THose which doe neuer sée the trueth supernaturall and reuealed with a light inspired and cleare of Faith but onely haue had in them a certaine opinion and a humaine and purchased Faith for their light being very obscure and imperfect they neuer haue béene cleare sure and certaine of those thinges which they beléeue And therefore they thinke that there is no other manner of Faith but of that sort which they haue wherefore they suppose that of diuine thinges there can no Faith be had which is cleare certaine sure stedfast yea they doe imagine that doubting is inwarde and a thing substancial to Faith in such sort that they thincke there can be no beliefe without doubting And to maintaine this their opinion with all they bring this reason The thinges which they beléeue Heb. 11. they doe not sée with corporall eyes no not if it hath also a cleare and euident vnderstanding as there is of the first naturall princyples of thinges this they may proue by reasons demonstratiue which doe binde fast and stablish the vnderstanding but in such a case it shoulde not bée Faith but a scyence The trueth which such men beleeue is onely perswaded theÌ„ by probable reasons the which bicause they make not any necessary conclusion bée very weake so that only they moue vs to thinck that it is so but they doe not force vs forasmuch as they shewe not clearely plainly the truth this therfore their Faith being bleareyed it must of necessitie be always suspecting in doubt for the nothing in them is cleare euident but euer totering wauering like those which haue the Palsy But they wold not say so if they had experienced to haue a true Faith for that the light therof is so great that euery one which hath Faith if it be perfect is safe sure clearly certified of the truth in it is stedfast firme So that as the light of a true Faith dymmeth in clearenes all other lights of this present â—â—fe so spiritual men those which by Faith be regenerated if they be perfect in the same Faith are more firme sure cleare certeine of the truth supernaturall reuealed then the carnal be of things which they haue before their eyes The light of a true Faith is so cleare that as loue cannot hate so caÌ„not a perfect Faith distrust stutter or doubt That therfore is not a true Faith which douteth but those are carnal men which being wtout Faith do wauer And although spirituall men also doe sometimes doubt this is bicause of their little Faith for that they giuing eare to carnall wisdome do locke the eyes of Faith against the trueth reuealed whiche resisting against the holy ghost and do follow the instigation of the Diuell wherefore if we doubt it is not so much for the little light which we haue of Faith as for that we doe not alwayes and continually behold the trueth supernaturall with the cleare light of a true Faith yea we would oftentimes sée discerne it with our blinde natural light and vnderstand that it doth not by and by appeare true which we sée alredy with the light of Faith And if those which haue but once séene with a cleare light of Faith the truth do proue afterwards of infidelity if they by chance do rise againe Gen. 15. Rom. 4. they
in the questions of your schoole Doctors ther is but a lytle Diuinitie and that most intricate full of erroures and Heresies and you will néedes haue them for your Masters Who doth not sée the obscure thicke palpable darkenesse in which we were and the great lyght which God hath giuen vs of himselfe within these few yeares Not with any new doctrine but with the verye same which Christ preached the Apostles the Prophetes and those which were true Saincts therefore olde although newe to those which had bene blinde for that it was a long while buried Know you not that the light of the Gospel is so great that it discouereth all deceipts errours and falshood And that all the false perswasions of the worlde can doe no hurt to such as be lyghtened with the truth that is to them which be illuminated Whereof are you then afraide if you with your people be in the truth together with the Gospell If you were in the lyght you would not flye it as ye doe but would desire and seeke for it not fainedly but in truth to come vnto the toppe But you as those which know that your doctrine consisteth in deceipts and falshoode fearing least you should be discouered with making your selues suspected doe not onely flye as hastely as you can all counsell but doe persecute those which preach Christ and his Gospel And it is manifest that in persecuting so grieuouslye the true Christians they are not moued by zeale of the honour of God séeing that in other things they shew no such sparkle of zeale They are moued for that they doubt their kingdome will be brought to nothing as a most vaine shadowe thorough the lyght of the Gospell And forasmuch as they saye that they cannot erre I say that they should say true if they were God himselfe or that they had his spirite but it is séene by their lyfe that they be carnall men whose propertie is to be lyers And suppose it could be that they did not fal into so great errors as not being defiled any more they could not erre Read with the spirite their decretalls and ordinaunces say they thou shalt be pure inough And withall this they would that the people leauing Christ should ground their faith vppon them hauing for their rule not the holy scriptures but their words They would also that men should haue in stéede of Christ of the Apostles albeit they haue not their spirit their zeale their doctrine their vertues their lyfe yea and their ceremonyes as sufficient But séeing that God doth let them alone being in such great blindenesse we haue to wonder of his so excessiue diuine goodnesse and bountie to force our selues with humble and feruent prayer with hearing the word of God with study of the holy scriptures to grow euery day more more in a greater light of God so that being lightened with the truth we may render to our heauenly and diuine Father all praise honour and glory thorough Iesus Christ our Lord Amen How euery one may be tryed whether he be in a true Faith or no. Sermon 7. THere be some which for to try themselues to be in a true Faith do say to themselues We beléeue in such sort as our forefathers haue taught vs and therefore it is not lykely that being their children they should haue deceiued vs wherefore we maye bée sure to be in a true Faith But tell me might it not be possible that your fathers and mothers would willingly deceiue you And much the rather vnwillingly they béeing deceiued in errour themselues might deceiue you Such manner of Faithes be all humane Faithes grounded vpon the loue and wisdome of parents therfore vpon probable reasons but they be not firme stedfast they haue so feeble a foundation that they do not only alwayes wauer but will faile in the children at all times when the parents doe denie Christ After that if when they would be tried to be in a true Faith it shuld suffice them to know those things which were taught them of their parents they should follow that which the heritikes the Turks the Idolaters and all those which beléeue according as their parents haue taught theÌ„ whether their faith be true or false thinking not onely to be excused before God but to be pure in the true Faith forasmuch as there-in they haue bene instructed of their fathers and mothâ—rs which opinion is most false Therefore some others going another way to worke to be tryed that they be in true Faith doe alwayes call to minde that they wer borne nourished and by their parents instructed in that Faith and moreouer that they sée a great multitude of people that beléeue as they doe especially those with whome they be conuersant Now this Faith also is altogether humane blinde full of darknesse weake grounded so féebly that if the multitude faile the Faith also will faile And if such as these be had bene in that time when the Apostles were when there were but a fewe that beléeued in Christ they would not had beléeued they will not beléeue that which they sée gain-said of others if also they had ben borne amongst the Turkes or had bene conuersant amongst them they would beléeue as they doe and so the Turkes should bée excused séeing they are such and lyke-wise all other Heretickes and Infidells which be a great multitude they also shoulde be proued to be in a true Faith And so it should of necessitie be sayd that euery Faith where ther is a multitude were true Now see if this be not a great errour Many other there be which for tryall of Faith do regard miracles and they thinke that bicause their Religion hath bene confirmed by many miracles therefore they suppose that it is manifest that their Faith is true But this their Faith is very weak féeble and vnperfect inasmuch as there be but a very fewe Christians which haue séene miracles the true Christians haue perceiued that it is but mens talke the which doe easelye beguyle them and bée lyes Psal 15. and for that theyr Faith is grounded vppon mens wordes it hath a féeble foundation But let vs graunt that they had séene such myracles they had not knowledge to discerne whether they were effects natural diuellish illusions or things wrought supernaturally by God Seing that Christ and also Sainct Paul haue shewed afore that in the kingdome of Antichrist false Christians and preachers shall arise and shall deceiue the worlde shewing signes and wonders Mat. 24. 2. Thess 2. Euen to the Romaines when they worshipped idols haue bene myracles shewed therefore they shoulde then be excused before God likewise with the Antichristians if these myracles were the foundation of Faith and that it sufficed to haue a certain humaine opinioÌ„ that in their religion haue ben wrought myracles For that it is manifest that the Scribes and Pharisées saw the myracles of Christ and yet beléeued not therefore
in euery other manner that it is vsed or to any other ende it is but superstition Wherefore all they are superstitious which beléeuing that prayers the psalmes of Dauid or other wordes of the holy Scriptures except the vertue which they haue to teach vs to liue to declare vnto vs the will of God and to moue vs to praise him haue any other singuler vertues to deliuer him which caryeth them about his necke or saith these or those words from this or that euill or to make vs haue some perticuler grace And if they would say vnto me it is séene yet sometimes by experience that they haue a singuler vertue I aunswere that these are altogether illusions diuelish workes for to nourish men in superstition withall Likewise also albeit when one baptiseth an other hée is bound to say I baptise thée in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost bicause that Christ hath so ordeined neuerthelesse it is a great superstition to beléeue that in these wordes is such a singuler vertue that he which is baptised with them is in any part saued thereby in as much as he is saued onely thorough Christ on whom alone dependeth all our saluation In like manner it is most wicked superstitiō to beléeue that in these wordes Hoc est corpus meum that is this is my body is any particuler vertue so that the Priest or Minister by vertue of consecration should as it were inchaunt it Forasmuch as Sacraments be Sacraments by the vertue of Christ and the consecrating like as the institution of Sacraments is the office of Christ the high Priest and our office is manifested in this that we doe that which Christ hath ordeyned and that we administer and vse the Sacramentes according to that which Christ hath appointed Christ hath not ordeined that we shoulde consecrate with saying these wordes yea he himselfe hath not consecrated with saying Hoc est corpus meum but hauing consecrated already he expressed with those wordes what we ought to take and eate Likewise those be superstitious which beleue that in the Letanie in the Procession in the ringing of the Bell in the exorcisme in the water of Baptisme in the holy Water in the holy Oyle or in any other méere creature is any singuler vertue supernaturall The lyke I say of those who to the same ende doe gather hearbes on Saint Iohns night doe make for Venus holy rings doe put confidence in reliques bodies of the Saintes wherefore they go to visite them do worshippe their Images and haue more deuotion to one then to an other They be also superstitious which praye or make supplications for the dead and much more if they beléeue that the torches and candells which are burned doe help them and so be also those superstitious which haue confidence in Indulgences Pardons remissions absolutions and blessings of the Pope and of his members The like also I say of all them which thinke at the least in some part to be companions of Christ in purchasing their saluation or do attribute vnto creatures more then the naturall vertue that they haue frō God some singuler vertue imagined of their owne heads without hauing witnesse of God and his woord therefore all obseruation of place time number or creature is superstitious if it bée with confidence to obtain by some supernaturall grace which is of man for as much as God in our acts whether wée be in this or that place or time if wée haue sayd these or those words done these or those workes hath respect onely to Christ and to our fayth with which we embrace him according to the measure that we be more or lesse happie Now he that openeth well his eyes shall sée that the worlde is altogether full of superstition chiefly the kingdome of Antechrist albeit they say that theirs is the church of Christ The first and chiefest cause then whereoff groweth all superstition is the ignorance or want of the the knowledge of Christ him we cannot know by any our righteousnes health treasures or goodnesse as he is Wherefore to deliuer vs from all superstition we must haue a true liuely light of Christ so that at the presence of Christ as was aforesaide we despise as earth all Idolls and superstititions Ezech. 30. Zach. 13 for that it is impossible that Christ should be exalted in any soule and knowen of it by any his righteousnesse as long as Idolatrye or superstition abideth therin Let vs praye God therefore that he woulde open our mindes and giue vs the cléere light of Christ so that thorough him we may render to him all honour and glorie Amen ¶ Of the meane how to haue all vertues Sermon .x. THere haue bene some which haue said that god hath powred into man the séede of vertues so that as in a Medowe the flowers doe growe of themselues if they bée not hindered and as the feathers do grow vpon Birds 1. Cor. 5. so doe vertues in men if they be not hindered by naughty examples wicked wordes the which corrupt good manners Mat 13. for looke as the tares béeing sowne while the master of the house slept by that his enemye ceased not to growe aboue the good corne so by wicked wordes and euill examples béeing sowen and imprinted by the wicked in the cleane tender mindes of young children whilest that theyr parents hauing no care doe sléepe so that they be letted and vertues in them choaked in such sort that they cannot become perfect Therefore according to the opinion of these it should bée néedefull most chiefly to beware of children that they kéepe no company with the wicked least they should applye themselues to their naughtinesse Other say that although all this is good Gen. 3. yet that sufficeth not to haue vertues for as much as since the sinne of our first parents the earth of it selfe bringeth foorth nothing but thornes bryers and naughtie wéeds and the good hearbs and plantes must bée sowen so that vices doe growe in vs by themselues lyke as a sedge or rush groweth in the Brooke they bée nourished without euer hauing any euill example neither in woorde nor in déede by anye meanes for that they haue in them the roote of sinne by their nature béeing corrupt in Adam there will spring and grow vp in them vnbridled lustes and immoderate affections bringing foorth the fruites of sinne wherefore man of himselfe will be wicked It is very true yet that he will not worke so much lewdenesse otherwise as if he were practised with the vngodly and haue had time and occasion to doe euill as much he would Wickednesse therefore doe growe of themselues and vertues must be sowen for oeher-wise wée shall deserue no praise by them Wherefore to haue vertuous children as they say it shall bée néedefull not onely to beware of euill examples but also to till continually their soules and spirites with sowing vertues and
hath pleased God of his grace to reueale it to mee I haue determined to giue lyght thereoff to his honour and glorye vnto those who be ignoraunt and blinde There is found in the fiue bookes of Moyses a name of such and so great vertue that who so knoweth it and beareth it vpon his backe may know how and doth obstaine whatsoeuer he desireth And this is that name to which euery knée must bow and doe reuerence Philip. 2 Mar. 16. Act. 3 Iohn 16. Rom. 10 Act. 2.4 1. Iohn 2 bicause it is aboue all other names and contayneth in it Princedome that is to saye IESVS Of this name had Moses knowledge likewise the Patriarches the Prophets the Apostles all the Saints both of the olde and new Testament By vertue of this name they had their so greate light wrought all their myracles and obtayned all that they desired and craued as afterward Christ promised to his Apostles Act. 10 4 He that calleth vpon the name of Iesus is safe we haue no other name vnder heauen in which we can be saued or haue any good thing but onely Iesus By which name alone our sinnes be forgiuen vs and we receiue of God all giftes benefites and graces But note that in the holy Scriptures by the name is signified the person named So that whereas it is written that by the name of Iesus we haue remission of sinnes and saluation power to become the sonnes of God to work miracles Ion. 1 Mat. 6 Ion. 14 and to obtayne all things by that name of Iesus it is vnderstoode of Iesus himselfe For the vertue consisteth not in the letter nor in the name as the superstitious Antechristians doe saye and beléeue it consisteth not in voice in writing no nor in conceite but in Christ himselfe If thou shalt reade the holy Scriptures thou canst not finde any obseruations of words in the Apostles whē they wrought myracles and lykewise in Moses and the other Saintes They therefore did not receiue grace by vertue of words but by vertue of Christ Wherefore we had néede to doe otherwise then to pronounce or carye the name of Iesus about our neckes We must carye Iesus thorough faith and spirite in our heartes And they that doe so possesse him be great Caballistes Rom. 16. Ion. 14. and so much the greater as with a greater Faith they imbrace him as their owne as were the Apostles Moses the Prophets other great Saints In Christ himself consisteth al vertue of the true Caball hidden from vs before time and thorough Christ cléerely and manifestly reuealed and there is founde no other true Caball besides this for if there were any other Christ who made knowen to his Apostles all that hée had heard from the Father would haue reuealed it and so woulde the Holy Ghost seeing that it doth teach all truth as Christ hath promised and the Apostles haue preached vnto others but we see manifestly that they neuer taught any other Caball then Christ The true Cabal therefore consisteth not in charecters in Images or letters wherefore Moses could not write it nor yet Christ but it consisteth in possessinge thorough fayth and in spirite Iesus Whereof bicause the Hebrewes are ignoraunt therefore they be without the true Caball And onely those which haue Iesus in their hearts be the true Cabalistes for that they first by knowing Christ doe know all shinges inasmuch as in him bée hidden al the treasures of the wisdome knowledge of God Christ reueleath vnto his friēds al the which he heard from the Father Col. 2 Ion. 15. that is all thinges néedefull and profitable for their saluation Those thinges which doe not appertaine vnto them to know as for the day when the sonne of god shal come to iudge the world Christ himselfe confesseth that the Father hath not reuealed to him Luc. 13. The holy ghost instructeth the elect of God them that haue Christ in their hearts of all the which is expedient for their saluation 1. Cor. 2. we ought to desire no more The spirit of Christ goeth séeking thorough all euen to the profound things of God as Paul did write 1. Cor. 1. therefore they which by faith do possesse him do know all the diuine secrets of God profitable therefore néedfull to serue to the glory of God for the health of the soule This is the true Cabal reuealed to Moses to the Prophets to the Apostles Saints 1. Cor. 2. This wisdome did Paul preach amōg those which were perfect that is Christ wisdome righteousnesse our sanctification redemption so did all the Apostles as they that were great Cabalistes Likewise Christ forasmuch as albeit he was crucified thorough infirmitie yet he is risen againe most mightie in vertue 2. Cor. 13 Mat. 28. yea all power hath bene giuen him both in heauen in earth therefore those which by fayth haue Christ in their hearts haue an high abundance of vertue power so that not only in the name of Christ they worke myracles Ephes 1. Mar. 16. such as be fit equal with the miracles of Christ but greater as he himself promised Other vertues haue their limits but vnto faith all things are possible Ion. 14. to him that beleeueth hath Christ in his heart all enterprises are small and this bicause he doth not take them in hande but to the glory of GOD and being moued by force of the spirite Ion. 18. wherevnto euery thing giueth place as the whole multitude fell downe before Christ He is safe that hath Christ in his heart there is none that can hurt him yea Rom. 8. euery thing serueth to his saluation He also which hath Christ in his heart obtayneth whatsoeuer he desireth being thereto moued by the spirite of Christ which is alwayes hearde He himselfe who is most faythfull hath promised vs Ion. 10. that if we aske anye thing in his name we shall be alwayes hearde and further haue whatsoeuer we desire Iohn 16. for that Christ the sonne of God and his heyre hath promised vs so vnto whome the father hath put all thinges in power and he that hath Christ hath all and that for bicause hée is ordered according to the good will of God and is contented with that which he hath Iohn 13. and which it pleaseth God to bestow vpon him without desiring anye more and for as much as God giueth not his owne sonne to any but that with him he giueth all good thinges therefore he which hath Christ by fayth in his heart as his brother the sonne of GOD heire and Lorde of all it is profitable inough for him in all thinges both in his saluation and to the glory of God Faith setteth vs in possession of all satisfieth our wil and maketh vs most happie Let vs praye therefore God that he would giue vs fayth so that we may yéeld vnto him all prayse
cancelled and raced out quite the remembraunce of Christ God by meanes of his Prophets refreshed it agayne And lastly when the Scribes and Phareses with all their humaine traditions and Ceremonies concerning the face of Moses had darkend the glorye of Christ then the sonne of God appearing vpon the earth the Angells the shepheardes the starre the wise men Anna Symion discouered him to bée the Sauiour of the world Herode persecuted him euen to the death and hée then in giuing spirituall lyfe to the innocent shewed himselfe to be the lyfe of the worlde Sathan deuised that Iohn Baptyst should be in great reputation and reuerence with the Hebrewes for to darken the glory of Christ and then it came to passe that not onely Saint Iohn magnified Christ with saying Ioan. 1 beholde the Lambe of GOD which taketh awaye the sinnes of the worlde and sayde Hee is Christ Mat. 3 not I neither am I worthy to vnbuckle his shooes but also his Father from heauen declared vnto all the worlde that he was his beloued sonne The Diuell sought in the wildernesse to make him fall but hée remayned with confusion and vanquished The Scribes and Pharesies laboured with false reportes and slaunders to spotte his innocencie and Christ with his pure doctrine and holy lyfe shewed himselfe euerye daye more cléere bright and pure The Scribes and Pharesies laboured to perswade the people that Christ not onely was not the true Messias but that he was contrarye to the lawe and the Prophets and Christ with verifiyng in himselfe all the prophecies and with hauing in the mounte Thabor the testemonie of Helyas and Moses shewed all the contrarye How much the more they sought to kéepe close the diuinitie of Christ so much the more with myracles he shewed foorth the same Also howe much the more they sought to put downe his myracles so much the more they came to lyght At last they deuised with murmurings backbitinges infamyes with slaunders false accusations and witnesses with wicked iudgements with abuses beatinges with settinge him at naught as rybalde and with hanginge him vppon the Crosse betwéene two théeues as the principal and last they thought with so shamefull a death to extinguishe all his fame Ioan. 8. name creadite and reputation and then didde he most singulerlye shewe himselfe the lyght of the world and more full of force and power then euer before They buryed him with sealing vp the Sepulchre and watchinge it but thereby they made his resurrection so much the more meruaylous and glorious They corrupted the Souldyers with money to the intent they might saye that hée was not risen agayne but that his Disciples had taken awaye his bodye and CHRIT shewed himselfe to his Disciples risen againe And lastly when they had sought with all theyr power to subdue him then was hée glorious ascended into Heauen And for that they coulde not persecute him any more in the flesh therefore they beganne to persecute him in his elect with whome hée was still abidinge with his spirite Mat. 28 but on the daye which wée call Pentecoste hée so filled them with lyght zeale strength and grace that without any feare they beganne to preach openly they were forbidden with many threates by the Princes of the Iewes to preach Christ any more Act. 2. but they coulde not refrayne from it Act. 4. they sayde that they coulde not holde theyr peace of that which they had hearde and séene and it was more méete they shoulde obeye GOD then men They were oftentimes imprisoned with many iniuries beaten scourged and they with reioycing suffered all and gaue thankes to GOD Act. 5 that they were made worthy to suffer for CHRIST they went forth preachinge more vehementlye then euer they dyd before And lastly when the Iewes bicause they woulde hide the truth of the Gospell chased the Apostles out of Iewrye then was it that they beganne to preache thorough out all the world And albeit in euery place they were gaynesayde and forbidden yet the worlde coulde not withstande the wisedome giuen by God to his Apostles And lastly howe much the more Tyrauntes dyd séeke to extinguish and deface the truth of the Gospell Act. 28 with sheddinge the bloude of Martyres so much the more it shewed it selfe cléere brighte glysteringe famous mightie and glorious So that not onely the godly do serue to the glory of Christ but also the wicked against their wills Finally the Antechristians as those which be aboue all others the greatest enemyes of Christ haue deuised with all possible craft subtiltie peruersnesse malice deceite and strength to hide and quench out the cléere lyght of the Euangelicall truth and this with their such false doctrines humayne inuentions and diuellish approued with wonders wrought therefore as Paul sayth by Sathan 2. The. 2 with wicked Ceremonies and religions with hipocrisies and fayned holynesse with superstitions and Idolatryes dissemblinges flatteryes promises giftes and not sufficiencie false reportes infamies threateninges persecutions tyrannies and great cruelties and all vnder a shewe of goodnes And furthermore they haue laboured to bring to naught the fayth of Christ with al dishonestie simonie extortion treasons hatreds partialitie warres and sinnes of the worlde So that not many yeares since there was none vppon earth that had a true fayth in Christ Notwithstanding Luc. 10. for as much as truth is so mightie pure that how much the more it is fought against and withstoode it shineth the more therefore it must néedes be sayd and beléeued that like as the persecution agaynst Christ made by Antechrist and by his members hath bene the most wicked cruell and diuellish of all others Euen so the truth of the Gospell is made manifest with greater vertue brightnesse cléerenesse and light as nowe in this our time is séene such a beginning that euery one ought to take courage in confessing Christ without feare openly and so much the more as by fayth we knowe that Christ who is truth is euer present with his vertue and grace to all them which suffer for his loue He strengtheneth theyr mindes comforteth them ayedeth and giueth them strength hée maketh their persecutions pleasaunt and making them safe at last they doe triumph ouer all the enimies of God Séeing then that Christ who is truth not onely is inuinsible in himselfe and in his elect but vanquisheth ouercommeth and triumpheth ouer all Let vs indeuour our selues to embrace him with a supreme fayth for our owne and to haue him continually in our heartes so that preuaylinge agaynst all the enimyes of GOD wée maye render to our eternall Father all honour and glorye thorough Iesus Christ our Lorde Amen ¶ Of the meane how to bring to a vnitie all Faithes Religions and Sectes and chiefly the Papistes with the Protestants Sermon xvi LIke as there is not founde in the worlde any thing which is in it selfe more honest rich mery and fortunate to God more acceptable and
with a Target or Buckler defended them all off thou mast perceiue that that is a good Buckler but if the arrowes passe thorough and goe into the mannes heart thou wilt say that the Buckler must néeds be made of paper or such like trash So lykewise those that haue the shield of Faith inspired are defended from all the arrowes of the iniuryes of the world they come not néere their hearts they know thorough Faith that so it pleaseth God to haue it Ephes 6 and that al is for their commoditie and beatitude but those which haue onely the shield of purchased Faith euery small iniury casteth them downe to the ground they blaspheme and would reuenge forbicause they do not féele through Faith in déede the goodnesse of God A purchased Faith also doth not make vs to forsake all worldly things and our selues yea if any of those be moued to follow Christ it is for his owne lucre for his profite pleasures honors satisfiyng commoditie appetites delycatenesse or earthly Paradise or els to shunne griefes the hellish paines both of this and of the other lyfe and this bicause a purchased Faith maketh not a man to féele the goodnesse of god in such sort that for thorough the very méere glory of God he forsaketh all Alwayes in such men the worlde can moue more then God They well may leaue the garment but it is for honour also for plesure but not wholly for God bicause they doe not féele with lyuely Faith his great goodnesse Ioan. 4. as the righteous doe who for the glory of God doe leaue with the woman of Samaria their pitcher of worldly pleasures the swéetenesse of this lyfe and themselues And lastly a purchased Faith doth not moue thée to the obseruance of Gods commaundements as the inspired Faith doth which neither offendeth God nor his neighbour but abhorreth all wickednesse And although a purchased Faith in the Hipocrites at sometime doth shew it selfe forth with certeine glistering workes yet being dead it cannot long time dissemble but a true Faith doth not onely continue for euer but getteth euery day more force Let euery one therfore examine himselfe and sée if in him be the effects of a true Faith or no to the intent that if he doe not finde them in him hee may know that he is no Christian and so may humble and recommend himselfe to God and if he finde them in him he may giue thankes vnto God To whome hée all praise honour glorie thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ If it be possible that in euery honest estate men may be perfect Christians or not Sermon 18. IT is not possible that a man should bée actuallye an adulterer vsurer a proude person an Idolater or any other sinne repugning against the diuine grace and holy Ghost and yet a perfect Christian but it is possible that a man in any estate not resisting agaynst a liuely Fayth Hope and Charitie and against other Christian vertues may be most perfect It is possible then that whether a man be young olde féeble strong hayle sick learned vnlearned man woman rich poore frée bonde marryed vnmarryed noble ignoble Prince priuate person Master Scholler prelate Captain Souldier Iudge Aduocate Procurator Notarie Gentleman Merchant Artificer Shepheard Plow-man lykewise in any other honest estate and a perfect Christian Which thing also I say of women and the reason is this for that goodnesse stubburnenesse and likewise the chiefest perfection vngodlynesse consist not in the lyke outward matters accidentall and indifferent which may bée found in the good and in the wicked in the perfect and in those which are most euill and be vsed in the honour and dishonour of God but consisteth in hauing a liuely faith in Christ in féeling liuely his great benefite and the excessiue loue of the father manifested vnto vs in the death of his déere only begotten sonne by whose meanes he hath saued vs adopted vs for his sonnes made vs his heires brothers members of Christ thorough his liuely faith supernaturall light spiritual knowledge of the goodnes mercy of God groweth in vs Fayth Hope Charitie humilitie patience loue of our neighbour mortifying of our selues all other true substantial Christian vertues wherefore it is necessary that according to the measure of faith of the light which we haue of god by the meanes of Christ we be more or lesse perfect in all vertues Rom. 6. In euery estate therefore not contrary to a liuely fayth in the which we may liue without sin raigning in vs we may be not onely good Christians but excellent and most perfect in all vertues I say not now but amongst honest estates are found some which be in themselues lesse daungerous then others likewise of those be some most apt to honour God but I say that in all estates may be some most perfect wherefore if a man be found in any estate honest let it be what estate it will hée cannot forsake his honestie as when one is marryed poore sicke a seruaunt ignoble and lykewise of all other estates he ought not to dispayre of habilitye to be perfect therein but to content himselfe and in this estate to serue God with takinge héede that they doe not offende but disposinge themselues rather to loose theyr liues then to agrée vnto sinne and they ought not onely labour to honour GOD in that estate which they are in with greate Fayth Hope Charitie but also to giue God thanks for his singuler grace séeing that whereas many doe not vnderstande and knowe their calling he is certeyne and sure that it pleaseth God that then it is profitable for him to be in that estate bicause he cannot honestly then chaunge it It is sufficient before GOD that he doe with heart and will those good woorkes which in that state he cannot do with power albeit in euery estate he ought to deale honestly there can be founde no exercise so simple if it be honest which may not make to the glory of God with a high Fayth and Charitie and therefore with a supreame acceptation allowed of God And so by the contrarye there is nothing so high so noble and famous in the sight of the world Rom. 1. Luc. 1. which béeing wrought without fayth is not abhominable before God If therefore for an example thou findest thy selfe to haue children thou oughtest bee contented with them and thinke that they bée the children of God which he hath giuen thée to the ende that thou shouldest gouerne lighten and teach them diuine manners this now is no small office Thou wilt say O I will goe into some Forrest for I know that there I may best serue God Doest thou not sée that this is a temptation of the Diuell which would bereaue thée of a true godly and very perfect Christian Religion woulde robbe thée of Charitie and of Christ and would cause thée to departe from thy
be moued to goe séeke for grace at Gods hande Lastlye he vsed with vs great mercy in sending Christ his onely begotten sonne who albeit for the space of thirtie and thrée yeares he shewed himselfe most pitifull vnto sinnners yet they alwayes persecuted him so that at last wyth very great ignominie and shame they crucified him And he of that death which they put him vnto wrought meanes to giue vs lyfe shewing himselfe still pitifull vnto man when man was most cruellye bent against him And besides all this arisinge agayne hée shewed himselfe oftentimes vnto his electe more amyable godlye and pacified hée lightened them with diuine matters with bestowinge on them many gracious benefites Hee ascended visibly into heauen that our hope might be lifted vp on high abiding therefore with his spirit vpon earth He sent the holy ghost vpon his Apostles visibly at the day of Pentecost like as he sent it vnto his alwaies inuisibly He prayeth for vs cōtinually bestoweth new graces vpō vs although we be most vnworthy There is no man that can deuise greater mercy then that which God hath vsed with vs. Séeing that we offend him he should haue vsed great mercy with vs if he should but once haue had remembraunce of vs but that he sent not a seruant but his sonne to heale our sicknes with his own bloud yea toke our infirmitie vpon him suffered the which of duetie we ought to haue suffered this was a very great mercifulnes that after sinne committed hath saued Adam all his posteritie Be our sinnes neuer so great innumerable that if we do hartely craue pardō at gods hand we shall immediately be pardoned His mercy it is that preserueth vs frō innumerabe sinnes and euills into which we should fall if that were not ready to helpe vs that preuenteth vs maketh vs riche deliuereth and saueth vs. If tenne onelye righteous men had bene in Sodome God woulde not haue destroyed the filthy citie so euer is his mercy Somtimes God punisheth euen to the third and fourth generation and sheweth mercy vpon a thousand The sin of Dauid was great therefore with his heart he sayd I haue sinned and immediately he was pardoned The holy Ghost doth extoll in the holy Scriptures no perfection of God so highly as his mercy to the intent that wée should not dispayre and nothing doth so much displease him as when we distrust in his goodnesse and mercy so that I would choose rather if it were possible to haue committed all sinnes to haue hope in God then to haue this one sin of desperation We al haue néede of the mercy of God therefore we all ought to gaspe after it chiefly marke that it is offered vnto all and he that hath the eyes of fayth shall sée that the works of god be full of mercy not only when he chastiseth vs but also when he suffereth vs to fall into any sinne He suffered as Paul did write euen the Iewes to fall that he might saue the gentiles Hauing then to bring vs vnto the mercye of god one so mighty pitifull an high Priest as Christ is who preuenteth vs with his mercye we ought in him put all our hope and forasmuch as he hath already deliuered vs from all sinnes therefore also from all miseries He as Ioseph the Patriarch although he had bene hurt by his brethren could not in any wise refrain but that with his mercy he would embrace vs. He alone was that Samaritane who truely had pitie vpon vs. He also hath bene and is that diuine shephearde which came downe from heauen for his lost flocke He together with the father of the prodigall sonne receiueth embraceth with great ioy the miserable sinner when he humbly turneth vnto him He without béeing many times requested rayseth againe the dead sonne of the Church militant as before time he raysed vp the widowes sonne And what néede I say more he hath turned all the world vp side down for to finde againe the groate that was lost Séeing thē that the mercie of God is so great let vs labour by al meanes possible to put all our trust in him so that we may render vnto him all praise honour glory thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Of the good Thiefe Sermon 7. WHo is it that is not astonied in considering the bottomelesse profunditie of Gods diuine Iudgement Séeing Christ vppon the Crosse altogether tormented next vnto deaths dore betrayed of Iudas denyed of Peter forsaken of the rest of his Disciples persecuted of the Iewes scorned of the Gentiles euery bodye fell from the Faith and euen then a poore Théefe opened his eyes and began to haue Faith when all the world had lost their Faith The others had talked with Christ heard the Gospell his doctrine seene his innocent lyfe his excéeding charitie his excellent wisdome profound humilitie and other his diuine vertues his so great wonders signes and miracles they had read the Prophets studied the Scriptures séene the figures and all to be fulfilled in Christ and yet for all this they beléeued not on him not onely whilest they sawe him hang vppon the Crosse but whilest he shewed himselfe glorious vppon the earth and on the other part a Thiefe or robber béeing blynde and ignoraunt without peraduenture euer hauing séene or read the holy Scriptures with out miracles being with such great paine and sorrow vpon the Cross euen ready to dye and séeing that Christ dyed vppon the Crosse beléeued that he was the Sonne of God and hoped for Heauen by his meanes who hanging on the Crosse said My God my God why hast thou forsaken me It cannot be sayd but that his conuersion was a singular lyght and grace which he had from God so that as his conuersion was the last miracle that Christ wrought vppon the earth so it was of all other the greatest He was a figure of al the elect who are saued onely thorough grace as he was He is set for an exāple to all the world to the intent that none shoulde euer dispayre of the grace of God seing that a Théefe who for his wickednesse was punished euen with death and for his vngraciousnesse was crucified is saued Was it not a great matter that in the same day when Christ with so great zeale shed his bloud that then he opened the windowes of his diuine treasures and rayned downe grace in such aboundaunce that a Théefe was illuminated and is saued The good Théefe perceiuing that Christ with great pittie prayed vnto the Father for those that crucified him more-ouer excused them with saying that they knewe not what they did wondering at this so great loue hée tourned his eyes vnto Christ and sawe that he suffered so great euills without any perturbation hée sawe such pitifull teares fall from him to the grounde and such feruent and kindeled groanings mount from him vp to the Heauen he heard his wordes so full of loue he behelde such his gestures
hated and he that should hate him but onely the twinkling of an eye should cōmit a most horrible sinne Also the creatures ought neuer to be more estéemed then God inasmuch as lyke as Christ sayd he that loueth his Father his Mother his sonnes his daughters or other thinges more then him is not worthy of him yea he is vnworthy He then which loueth and estéemeth more his parents rayment pleasures honours dignities himselfe or creatures then God although it were but a moment of time doth sinne inasmuch as God excéedeth in perfection the creatures in so much doth he offend in iudgeing him inferiour to them he sinneth then infinitly like as God in goodnesse doth excéede them infinitly We also ought neuer to account God equall with creatures yea he ought not onely be exalted aboue them all but he alone ought of vs to be loued and that with al our heart soule minde strength and vertue And if thou wouldest demaunde when we are bound to loue him so the Papistes do say with deceiuing therefore themselues and others and say that the commaundements negatiue do binde vs alwayes and for all times but the commaundementes affirmatiue doe binde alwayes but not for all times As for example for that not to steale is a commaundement negatiue we be alwayes bound with this commaundement and moreouer bound to obserue it thorough euery moment of time so that it is not lawfull for vs at any time to steale But on the other side forasmuch as the dooing of almes is a commaundement affirmatiue therefore albeit we be neuer frée from this precept but are alwayes bound to obserue it we be not therefore bounde to obserue it thorough all times forasmuch we are not bounde to giue almes at all times and continually but onely at certeyne times that is when we be able and sée our neighbours in néede Now they saye lykewise that séeing not to hate GOD is a a cōmaundement negatiue it bindeth vs alwayes and thorough all times in such sort that continually and for euer it shall not be lawfull by any moment of time to hate him but forasmuch as to loue God is a commaundement affirmatiue therefore albeit we shall neuer bée vnbounde from this commaundement we shall not bée therefore bounde to obserue it thorough euery moment of time but onely when it shall bée néedefull Then according to theyr saying we be not bounde to loue God but when it is néedefull And if this néede shoulde neuer happen yet in any wise they saye that we shoulde bée bounde to loue him sometimes for that a man could not be without the dispising of God without sinne if he did not once loue God all his lyfe longe And if thou wouldest aske at what time GOD ought to bée loued they will aunswere that on the Sabboth and festiuall dayes and this not onely to the intent that we dispise not GOD in not louing him at any time but also bicause we are bound to sanctifie the sabboth daye which we cannot doe béeing Gods enimyes wherefore on that daye we ought to reconcile our selues vnto God to be sory together thorough his loue for that wée haue sinned and therby we are bound to haue towards him an act of loue It is sufficient therefore to a Christian according to their diuinitie that for to obserue the chiefest cōmaundement of the law of the loue of God that onely the Sundayes holydaies had towards God an act of loue with exalting him aboue all other things albeit it were but for a smal momēt of time Thus they say that their most holy and innocent Church hath decréed But first whereas they saye that we are bound to loue God onely when it is néedful I would that they would tell me what they meane by this saying to be néedful If they meane that lyke as we are not bounde to giue almes but when our neighbours haue néede thereoff so that we be not bound to loue God but when God hath néede of our loue it is certeine that we should neuer be bound to loue him séeing that God shal neuer haue néede of vs nor of our loue Thou wilt say that albeit God hath in himselfe the fulnesse of all good things and is in himselfe most perfectly happy glorious wherfore hath not neither can haue néed of vs yet notwithstanding for to make manifest vnto thée our God his glorye to the intent that he may not be dishonoured it is néedful that we loue him and that with effectes we shewe vnto him our loue as if thou séest one that blasphemeth God then it is time and néedfull that thou loue him and that for his loue thou art moued to reproue and correct suche a one the lyke I say of all other iniuryes which thou séest done vnto god In lyke sort if that thou séest thy neighbour be in any necessitie then it is time also and néedful that thou loue God that for his loue thou be moued to prouide for him and so in other cases we are bound to loue God when such necessities doe happen And I say that forasmuch as God is alwayes most perfectly good pitifull righteous wise omnipotent and most excellent therfore he ought of vs to be most perfectly loued alwayes And so much the more as that continually at all times he loueth vs with an infinite loue bestoweth benefits vpon vs. And the cōmaundements affirmatiues in respecting the inward act doe binde alwayes thorough al times as wel as the commaundements negatiues do so that lyke as although we are not boūd to giue almes at al times but only when our neighbours haue néed thereff notwtstanding we are bound alwayes thorough all times to loue them inwardly In like sort also albeit we are not bound alwayes to praise GOD with voyce but onely when it should be expedient for to stirre vp our selues or others to giue glory vnto God yet notwithstanding we are bound to loue God alwayes continually with all our heart We ought also not only on the Sundayes holydayes but al the time of our life euery moment thereoff sanctifie him with making him shine in honour of his maiestie forasmuch as to this ende onelye it is graunted vs from God Neither is it without iniurye done vnto him when we faile of that high perfect loue which is fit for him And although that whilst we be in this present lyfe without a singuler priuiledge grace wée cannot loue God continually as also we cannot loue him with all our heart soule minde notwithstanding for this cause it is not fully set downe neyther can it be sayd that such loue is not conueniēt for God nor our duety to doe Wherefore if we would abide vnder the lawe we shoulde be alwayes as Paul did write subiect vnto malediction so that we could in no wise be iustified except by grace we go vnto Christ And héere it may bée séene how that the opinion of them
maketh easie euery difficultie maketh euery sharpnes bitternes pleasant therfore it must néedes be said that the way of heauen is most easie happy Al they therfore which work suffer either worke suffer by force of the spirit of Charitie so without difficultie or els they work suffer thorough humaine respects so they are not in the way of God séeing they are not moued vnto him but vnto the world It is a matter most difficult vnto carnal mē yea impossible although possible with God most easie it is to be regenerated to become spirituall to haue a liuely light spirituall féeling of the goodnesse of God to haue a liuely faith hope fixed in God to be in loue with God thus also after that they be regenerated to grow in Faith Hope Charitie but after that we be spirituall that hauing a liuely light of God be in loue with him to worke suffer according to the force mesure of the spirit of faith of loue that we haue to God it is a thing most easie most pleasant happy And if with humane prudence cunning we be forced to worke or suffer beside this motion in such a case although we had difficultie in working suffering it shold be no meruail this bicause we being moued by the loue of God should not be turned therby for then we should go backward not by the right way Al they therefore who are entred into the spirituall kingdome of Christ by the gate of Faith which is called strait forasmuch as it is graunted but to a few as vnto those which haue ben thorough grace drawn eleuated aboue al difficultie they do tast with the spirit in Christ the great goodnes of God they do walke easely with suffering for works done thorough loue to the glory of God Neither is it necessary for that ther is none the loueth God with al his heart his neighbor as himself to the intēt that we might be turned vnto God that we might walk by the perfect obseruation of Gods cōmaundemēts forasmuch as if it shold be so seing ther is none in this present life that perfectly obserueth thē none shold walk vnto God but in truth it is not so for like as if one walked by a narrow way on his side wer many briers thorns if they plucked him by the garmēt in any wise such a one whē he wer a lusty felow might preuaile go away although he were some-what staid hindered by the said thorns Euen so a Christian if he be regenerated that sin raineth no more in him but the spirit loue of God although he doth perfectly obserue Gods commaundemēts but not turning himselfe vnto God with a most zealous force vehemencie swiftnes as he is boūd to do shold be moued if a most perfect charitie being in him his cōcupiscēces wer wholly mortified so that in him were nothing which when he turned to God could draw him back yet notwithstanding for that in him be cōcupisences wherby is he holdē back on the other side the spirit is in him so might that it preuaileth so that in any wise he is tourned vnto God wherefore to haue a motion to séeke the glory of God the perfect obseruation of Gods commaundements is not necessary but it is néedefull that we féele throughly with the spirite Gods diuine goodnesse that God may draw vs vnto him more then the world Let vs pray therfore vnto the Lord that he would giue vs such light and that he woulde increase it in vs euery day more and more to the intent that with great zeale we walking by his pathes may render vnto him all praise honour and glory thorough Iesus Christ our Lord Amen What thing it is wherein God hath shewed vs greater loue then in all the other Sermon 8. FOrasmuch as to kindle in vs diuine loue it is very profitable to know what thing it is wherein God hath shewed vnto vs greater loue then in all other things I haue iudged that it woulde bée requisite to consider amongst all the signes of loue which God hath shewed which is the greatest Some say that the greatest signe of loue which God hath shewed vnto man was when he created him after his own similitude and likenesse capable of him and to beatitude And moreouer hauing giuen to him a being so noble enricheth him with many giftes and graces with making him Lord ouer all creatures So that when Adam opened his eyes and saw that God had created this worlde for him that he conserued and gouerned it for the seruice of him and that euery creature was obedient vnto him to the intent that he confessing all his beatitude to come of him might seeke to set foorth his glory seeing his excellencie he felt towards him a singular loue of God Other say that the greatest signe of his loue was in forbearing sinne And this inasmuch as man not knowing the great charitie and goodnesse of God perfectly by his so great benefites God suffereth him to fall and to iniury and dishonour him that he might haue occasion to shew him vnto him as to an enimy with greater superaboundance of loue to the intent that he might the better féele how greatly God loued him There haue bene also some which haue sayd that as when the father sheweth greater loue vnto the sonne when he chastiseth him then when he dandleth with him Euen so when God chastiseth vs for our benefit sheweth vnto vs greater loue then whē he giueth vs worldly prosperitie But those which be more néere vnto the truth haue sayd that the most high signe of loue which GOD hath shewed vnto vs hath bene that GOD béeing more high then he could come vnto vs which be vnworthy most vile lewde persons and his enimies more loue then he could descend vnto hath I saye not solde but thorough méere grace giuen a gift most high and worthy that could bee not a seruaunt or one of his friendes but his owne déere and onely begotten sonne a thing to him more déere and entirely beloued he could not giue vs not poore but the richest of all diuine treasures vertues and graces yea in Christ he hath giuen vs al things euen himselfe And moreouer he hath giuen him to vs to the intent that he might serue to wash vs from all our filthy and stinking sinnes with his owne bloud and to dye for vs vpon the crosse He hath also giuen him vnto vs for an example direction and rule for a pleasant friende spowse and brother for a Capitaine for a Shephearde Priest Alter Sacrifice foode rayment and for a reward But in giuing vs him vpon the Crosse he had shewed vs a most singuler loue chiefly for that he hath giuen him to vs with a most high and infinite charitie And lykewise the sonne with great loue offered vp himselfe vpon the crosse and altogether for our benefit