in an euell case And yet do not desire that thou maist feele nothing but this crie of the spirit thou must feele also an other terrible crie made whereby thou mayst be prouoked and vrged to this crie of the spirit which happeneth to all the saincts That is the crie of synnes which call most strongly and instantly vnto desperation but this crie must be ouercome of the spirit of Christ by godly calling vpō the Father and crying for his grace that the trust and confidence of grace may become greater then desperation The crie of the spirit Wherefore this crie of the spirit is nothing els but to be with all our heart touched with a very strong firme and vnmoueable trust of most deare sonnes toward God as our most tender and fauourable Father Hereby we may see howe farre a Christian life exceedeth nature which can doe nothing lesse then trust so in God A Christian life farre exceedeth nature The crie of them which trust in their owne works and not in Christ and call vpon him as a Father but is alwayes afraide and vttereth a voyce which is a witnes of exceeding feare Wo is me how cruell and vntolerable a Iudge art thou O God howe heauy is thy iudgement vnto me As Cain sayd Gen. 4 My iniquitie is more then that it may be forgiuen Thou hast cast me out this day from the vpper face of the earth and from thy face shall I be hid yea it shal come to passe that euery one that findeth me shall slay me c. This is a terrible and dreadfull crye which is necessarily heard of all such as be of Cains brood forasmuch as they trust to them selues and their owne workes and put not their trust in the sonne of God neither were and consider that he was sent of the Father made of a woman made vnder the lawe much lesse that all these thinges were done for their saluation They are continually tormented in their owne works the miserable men doe in vaine goe about by them to helpe them selues and to obtaine the grace of God And while their vngodlines is not herewith content it beginneth to persecute euen the sonnes of God as it is alwayes wont to doe yea at the last they growe vnto such crueltie that after the example of their father Cain they can not rest vntil they slay their righteous brother Abell in whome they doe also kill vnto them selues Christ Then the bloode of righteous Abel crieth vnto heauen against vnrighteous Cain neither ceasseth it to cry vntill the Lord hath reuenged it He asketh those Cains of their brother Abel yea of Christ but they deny all knowledge of Christ which labour not to become the sonnes of God and heires by Christ but to become righteous by their owne workes In the meane season the bloode of Christ continually crieth out against them euen nothing but punishment and vengeance when as for the elect it crieth by the spirit of Christ for nothing but grace reconciliation The Apostle vseth here a Sirian and a Greeke word saying Abba Pater For this word Abba in the Syrian tongue signifieth a Father by which name at this day the chiefe of Monasteries are wont to be called and by the same name Heremites in time past being holy men did call their Presidents at the last by vse it was also made a Latin word Wherefore that which Paul sayth is as much as Father Father or if thou hadst rather as My father Why the Apostle doubled the word Father But what is the cause why the Apostle doth double the word Father that is the crie of the spirit I will by your leaue bringe forth my iudgement and opinion hereof First I thinke that he would hereby shewe the force and straining of this holy cry For when as we cal any with great affection through no small necessitie we are wont eftsoones to double his name Nowe because that sinne and Cain doe alwayes goe about with desperation to stoppe this crie of the spirit for the grace of the father it is neede surely to crie most strongly and with a voice both doubled and exceedingly strained forth that is the trust of the grace of the Father ought to be most stronge and not able to be ouercome Againe such is the maner of the Scripture to witnes the certaintie of a thing sometime to double or iterate the words as Ioseph did to Pharao Gen. 41. So here also the spirit twise calleth vpon the Father whereby it may shewe the certaintie of his fatherly fauour and grace For the trust hereof ought to be no lesse certaine then great and vnmoueable Finally it is meete also to perseuer which againe this doubling of the name of father doth note vnto vs. For as soone as we begin to call God Father Satan with all his band moueth warre against vs and omitteth no meanes to wrest from vs this trust of sonnes toward God our Father wherefore thother Father must be diligently doubled that is our trust and confidence must be confirmed neither must we euer ceasse from calling vpon this Father but must most earnestly continue in this crie of the spirit whereby we may obtaine a certen sure experience of his fatherly goodnes by which our trust in him may be made most certaine and safe And perhaps Paul had respect hereunto when he first set downe Abba which is a word straunge to them to whom he wrote after adding Pater that is Father a familiar word and of their owne language meaning to signifie hereby that the beginning of so great trust in God is vnaccustomed and euen straunge vnto men but that when the mind hath a while exercised it and continued in it although assayled with tentations it becommeth euen familiar and almost naturall that we now enioy God as a domesticall Father and doe in euery thing most confidently call vpon him Verse 7. Wherefore now thou art not a seruaunt but a sonne if thou be a sonne thou art also an heire of God through Christ Nowe sayth he that is after the comming of the spirit of the sonnes after the knowledge of Christ thou art not a seruaunt For as it is sayd a sonne and a seruaunt are so contrary one to an other that the same man can not be both a sonne and a seruaunt A sonne and a seruaunt doe greatly differ We can not obtaine saluation by workes A sonne is free and willing a seruaunt is compelled and vnwilling a sonne liueth and resteth in faith a seruaunt in works And so by this place also it appeareth that we can obtaine no saluation of God by workes but before thou workest that which is acceptable vnto him it is necessary that thou haue receiued of him and possesse saluation and all things that thereupon works may freely flow forth to the honour of so gratious a father and to the profit of thy neighbours without any feare of punishment or loking for reward This that which Paule
Father is knowne in the Sonne there doth yet happen a grosser thing in Philip who bursteth forth and will not be content with faith but will knowe the thinge assuredly by feeling and seeing Wherefore he sayth vnto the Lord Lord shew vs thy Father and it sufficeth vs. As though he would say if thou wilt also shew vnto vs a signe then will we beleeue Philip counteth it not sufficient to beleeue the worde but goeth about to come to the knowledge of the Father by an other meanes then by the word For seing that reason can not beleeue he requesteth to be certified by an other meanes and way By the interrogation therfore of Christ that followeth it is shewed that the conscience is made certaine and quiet by no other thing then by faith for that we must cleaue to the bare worde and looke for no other signe But Philip thought here that he should be much more certified if he did see the Father then if he beleeued the simple and bare word This incredulitie Christ reproueth somewhat sharpely and sayth Haue I bene so long time with you hast thou not knowne me As though he should say I teach and preach and yet thou knowest me not Doost thou not knowe that the Father will be knowne by me that my word is the worde and power of the Father by which alone he will be knowne and by nothing els For thou hast heard the voice of the Father from heauen after this sort This is my beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased heare him Doost thou not yet vnderstande howe the Father is knowne The Father is not seene with carnall eyes as Iohn in his first chapter sayth Ioh. 1.18 No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him Wherefore the Lord sayth to Philip Philip he that hath seene me hath seene the Father This saying is like vnto that former when he sayth If ye had knowne me ye should haue knowne my Father also That is forasmuch as the Father will be knowne by me seeke no other way to knowe him but beleue my word that I am he which sheweth vnto you the Father and will make you to know him in me Beleeue that by me thou hast accesse to the Father by this meanes thou shalt knowe the Father by faith thou shalt vnderstande the power and mercie of the Father and shalt feele him to be comfortable and gracious The Father will haue my word to be beleeued and them that beleeue it to be saued and obtaine eternall life Seeing therefore that these thinges be thus that we can not know the Father but in the Sonne and when we know the Sonne we know also the Father the Lord sayth moreouer vnto Philip How then sayest thou Shewe vs thy Father Beleeuest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father is in me As if he would say Forasmuch as there is no other way to know the Father but that which I haue shewed why I pray thee doost thou not beleeue my wordes seeing that I haue taught that I am the way the truth and the life Doost thou not beleeue that I am in the Father and the Father in me Beleeuest thou not that my diuinitie and the diuinitie of the Father is one and that the Father will be knowne by me But why is the Father knowne by the knowledge of the Sonne euen therefore for that the Sonne is in the Father and the Father in the Sonne For the word by which the Sonne is knowne is the power of the Sonne and of the Father Wherefore seing the Sonne is knowne by his word it necessarily followeth that the father also is knowne thereby Beleeue me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me at the least beleeue me for the very works sake Here he doth as it were appeale to workes that they may giue testimonie of the word As if he should say Seeing that ye can not be content to beleeue the word at the least beleeue the signes which beare witnes of the word and whereby the Father hath giuen testimonie of me For the works and signes are testimonies of the word By these words Christ meaneth nothing els but to confirme the consciences of his Disciples and of all vs against the offence of the crosse For consciences wil know and not beleeue the bare words of God but doe alwayes dout and say What if God careth not for thee and haue such like cogitations Holy godly men seeme for the most part to be neglected as abiects and most contemptible men inasmuch as the world according to the will lust thereof rageth and practizeth tyrannie against them and doth almost what it list Hereupon they are in anguish in daunger of faith desire to know the will of God toward them These Christ comforteth that they may seeke no other comfort but in him and in his death and beleue that he is life that he beareth rule and maketh aliue them that be dead And that they should nothing dout hereof he maketh them yet more certaine and sayth Verely verely I say vnto you he that beleeueth in me the vvorkes that I doe he shall doe also and greater then these shall he doe As if he should say Dout not any thing but that ye shall know the Father by me and that my word is the power of God that by my word ye shal be sustained although I be euen crucified Ye shall haue triall hereof in your selues for if ye beleeue in me ye shall not onely worke such workes and shew such signes as I doe but euen greater Which came to passe after the ascention of Christ when the Apostles wrought greater miracles as well among the Iewes as Gentiles then Christ him selfe But what is the cause hereof The Lord him selfe addeth it saying For I goe vnto my Father That is I will begin a kingdom where I will fulfill all thinges Here the Lord annexeth the conclusion of all the questions and consolations going before For a litle before Christ had taught that the Father is known by him and that is because he is in the Father he therefore is shewed by that worde by which the Father is shewed But that he might confirme this to wit that his worde is the power of the Father he added and sayd He that beleeueth in me the works that I do he shall doe also That is by faith in me ye also shall doe those works and know that my word is the vertue and power of God But why doth he say I goe to the Father I aunswere Because Christ is in the Father therefore doth he the workes of the Father but we doe them not also therefore but for that Christ who is in the Father is now in vs. For to goe to the Father is to fulfill all thinges as Paule according to the saying of the Psalme declareth to giue giftes vnto men to lighten and to sanctifie For this is the kingdom of Christ whereby he reigneth in earth in the hartes of the beleeuers and sitteth vpon the throne of his Father Dauid The Lord also speaketh these wordes I goe to the Father to comfort his Disciples For as he did before beginne to confirme them that they should not be troubled and offended although he should dye but courageously cleaue to him and beleue in him So here he promiseth them that they shall be glorified for he goeth to the Father who shall deliuer all thinges into his handes that he may mightely obtaine a kingdom ouer all things that are in heauen and earth Wherefore they ought nothing at all to feare He yet comforteth them more and sayth And whatsoeuer ye aske in my name that will I doe As if he should say As soone as I come to the Father there is no cause why ye should be carefull For those thinges that ye haue neede of and aske ye shall obtaine I wil doe this for you because I obtaine a kingdom And he peculiarly addeth in my Name whereby he excludeth all our merits For by Christ we are heard as also in Christ we are loued by whom also we are Priestes as Peter sayth to offer vp spirituall sacrifices and acceptable to God All these thinges sayth Christ I will doe for this cause That the Father may be glorified in the Sonne The Father is then glorified when glorie is giuen and ascribed vnto him not vnto vs. That is whē we acknowledge the we are saued not by our owne merits not by our owne wisedom and righteousnes but do put our trust in his mercie For he hath giuen his Sonne for our sinnes and whatsoeuer we purpose to aske we must aske it by this Sonne and we shall obtaine it Wherfore he repeateth these wordes and sayth If ye shall aske any thing in my Name I will doe it These wordes tend to this ende that he may make vs certainely beleue his wordes and cleaue vnto him This therefore is the summe of this conclusion He biddeth his Disciples and vs therefore beleeue for that he goeth to reigne Before he affirmeth that he wil shew forth a signe and testimonie of his kingdom so reigne that he will declare a notable token of his gouernment that we may feele and perceiue it to wit that he will doe so great works by vs as he him selfe hath done yea and greater also Also that he will heare vs when we pray and whatsoeuer we pray for vnto the Father in his name By these promises the hart must be confirmed made courageous against the gates of hell For Christ reigneth by his word wherefore it is needefull that we exactly know the vertue of the word for the kingdom of Christ is the power vertue of God These things I thought good to entreat of concerning this Gospell Let vs call vpon God for the ayde of his grace that we may be able to vnderstand them by them to strengthen our weake faith **** FINIS
mine ovvne vvill but his vvill vvhich hath sent me Yea he obeyed his father euen vnto death and submitted him selfe wholy to his will We imitating this example which is written for our singular consolation ought to submit our will to God and his Christ and to rest confidently vpon him He knoweth howe to bringe the matter notably well to passe as it is sayd Psal 37. Commit thy vvay vnto God and put thy trust in him and he shall bringe it to passe And a litle after Hold thee still in God and suffer him to vvorke vvith thee Such sentences ought to prouoke vs patiently to suffer the will of God in vs whether sweete thinges or sowre commodities or discommodities come vnto vs for he knoweth with what temperature to lay them vpon vs. Blessed is he that beleueth these thinges from his hart Who being such a one can be troubled with sorow Such a man howsoeuer he be hādled whether he be burned or drowned cast into prison or otherwise grieuously delt with he taketh all in good part For he knoweth that these thinges shall turne to his commoditie After this sort doe we also offer golde with the wise men when we take away rule from our owne will and do suffer Christ to worke in vs accordinge to his will pleasure Wherefore they are hypocrites which knowe not to suffer the will of God but howsoeuer he dealeth with them haue alwayes whereof they doe complayne They forsooth suppose that whatsoeuer they thinke it shall haue successe according to their thinking If it fall out otherwise they are angrie they do not patiently suffer persecution and contempt they murmure they finde fault and vexe when those thinges happen no otherwise then horses being stirred vp with furie or rage So therfore by resisting they staye the kingdome of Christ from them and depriue Christ of gold which notwithstanding they ought to offer and present vnto him that is they them selues will beare rule doe not vouchsafe to acknowledge Christ for their king and Lord. Frankincēse what it signified and when we offer the same vnto Christ By frankincense they resembled diuine honour which we thē offer vnto him when we confesse that whatsoeuer we haue we must acknowledge it to haue come from God and that we haue it freely and without any merit of ours Wherefore all these thinges are to be ascribed vnto him as to the true Lord neither must we glorie one whitte in the good thinges receiued but his glorie is to be sought in them And if he take them from vs againe we ought to suffer him with quiet mindes and to blesse him with the beloued Iob in these wordes Iob. 1.21 Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shal I returne thither again the Lorde gaue and the Lorde hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. And so we ought to suffer all misfortunes and aduersities as if God him selfe did cast them vppon our necke so that none shall be able to offende vs vnles he take away Christ from vs. Not so muche as a heare of our heades shal perish as Christ sayth to his Disciples Luke 21. Wherefore whatsoeuer shal molest vs what aduersity soeuer shal come vnto vs we ought neuer to seeke any other God we ought no where to seeke any other helpe and comfort then of Christ alone This is he which is made vnto vs of God the father wisedom righteousnes sanctification and redemption Then onely we offer vnto Christ that right frankincense of Arabia when we flie vnto him alone in our calamities afflictions and anguishes But they that seeke after straunge helpes and comforts as of Sorcerers Witches and such like they doe not offer frankincense vnto Christ but stinking brimstone wherein they shall be burned for euer for that they haue not beleued and trusted in Christ Myrrhe what it signified By myrrhe they signified a mortall man for with myrrhe dead bodies were anointed that for certaine yeares they should not putrifie Now myrrhe is a stronge and bitter iuice which distilleth from the trees of Arabia like vnto gumme or as with vs rosen issueth out of the pine tree the firre tree c. But then we offer myrrhe vnto Christ When we offer myrrhe vnto Christ when we firmely beleeue that he by his death hath ouercome sinne Satan and hell And this is a speciall faith If we doe but a litle dout here it is not well with vs. But if I beleue from my hart that death sinne the deuill and hell are swallowed vp in and by the death of Christ I shall not be afraid of them all I shall easily be preserued from rottennes which death bringeth when I haue myrrhe that is the death of my Lord Christ in my body and soule this will not suffer me to perish So stronge and valiant a thing is faith vnto which euen all thinges are possible as Christ sayth Mar. 9. Here must we learne daily with our Lord Christ to bring vnder our old Adam and to mortifie his concupiscences by the crosse and tentations not that crosse which we doe chose but which Christ layeth on vs let vs beare it patiently and with a willing mind that so our body may be subdued and made subiect to the spirit that being so buried with Christ through baptisme we may be raysed vp againe with him and he alone may reigne and liue in vs. Hereunto vehemēt sighing is required which the holy Ghost doth make in vs for our sake as Paule sayth Rom. 8. that Christ will helpe vs to keepe vnder this vnruly and obstinate flesh that it presume not too licentiously thrust the noble soule into the myre This our baptisme doth signifie to wit no other thing then that that olde and stinking Adam be mortified and buried which we alwayes ought to reuolue in our minde seeing that as long as we liue here sinnes doe remayne in vs. Wherefore alwayes some thing must be repayred in vs without all intermission through the cogitation of baptisme as it were in a house decayed through oldnes euen vntill such time as we depart this life Whereof S. Paule entreateth in very goodly wordes Rom. 6. which are diligently to be marked of vs now he sayth thus Knovv ye not that all vve vvhich haue bene baptized into Iesus Christ haue bene baptized into his death VVe are buried then with him by baptisme into his death that like as Christ vvas raised vp from the dead to the glorie of the Father so vve also shoulde vvalke in nevvnes of life For if vve be planted vvith him to the similitude of his death euen so shall vve be to the similitude of his resurrection knovving this that our old man is crucified vvith him that the bodie of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth vve should not serue sinne For he that is dead is freed from sinne VVherefore if we be dead with Christ we beleue that we shal liue also with him knovving
reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome shall be none ende Wherefore Matthew thought good here to set Dauid first as the better knowne next vnto him Abraham vnto whom the promise was first made as Marie in her song sayth He remembring his mercy hath holpen his seruaunt Israell as he promised to our fathers Abraham his seede for euer And that promise is now performed and in this our text described as we shal see hereafter S. Matthew maketh a triple difference of fathers of whom Christ came foureteene Patriarkes foureteene Kings foureteene Princes For it behoued that the scepter kingdom should be taken from Iuda Gen. 49.10 according to the prophesie of Iacob which is thus The scepter shall not depart from Iuda and a lawegiuer from betwene his feete vntill Silo come and vnto him shall the gathering of the people be Here all thinges must be fulfilled and there are thrise foureteene generations euen as Matthew rehearseth them from Abraham to Dauid foureteene generations from Dauid til they were caried away into Babylon likewise foureteene generatiōs Howbeit there is a person omitted in Matthew that is Iakim it ought thus to be written Iosias begat Iakim Iakim begat Iechonias and his brethren this the Chronicles witnes And after they were caried away into Babylon vntill Christ foureteene generations Which triple distinction hath a great mysterie as we shall see The Iewes among other lawes were commaunded to obserue these three precepts namely to worship that God whom their fathers had worshipped Secondly to choose no Priest of any other stocke then of their owne that is of the tribe of Leui. Thirdly to choose no king but of their owne people These three precepts did very wel agree in our Lord Christ to wit that he is that one God that he is an eternall Priest of our flesh blood a King our brother who hath taken our nature vpon him Who by his diuine power is able to help saue vs being an eternal Priest continually maketh intercession for vs. He is a King also that he may defend preserue vs who is not to be feared of vs seing that he is a man as we are yea was made a most contemptible man that our hart might be wholy quieted appeased in him our Sauiour who can neuer forsake vs. Who were able to stand in the sight of God not be terrified if that Priest did not stand before God Who should defend vs if he were not a King Who should saue vs if he were not God How should he haue care of vs if he were not a man and our brother with whom we may speake as wel as we may one with an other among our selues O most gracious Sauiour how wisely hast thou done all thinges I knowe that thou art my brother as it is in the Psalme Psal 22.21 I will declare thy name vnto my brethren as it is alleaged in the Epistle to the Hebr. Albeit thou art God my Lord Christ and king of heauen and earth yet I can not be afraide of thee for thou art my friend and brother This is no hinderance vnto me that I am a sinner and thou holy For if I had not bene a sinner there had bene no neede that thou shouldest suffer punishment for me Why both good and euill are rehearsed in the genealogie of Christ I see also in thy genealogie that both good and euill are rehearsed of whose posteritie thou wouldest come that thou mightest comfort timorous and weake consciences that they should confidently cheerefully put their trust in thee which hast taken away our sinnes And that we might be certaine hereof thou hast left vnto vs thy word which assuredly declareth it vnto vs. Among the Kings Princes which Matthew rehearseth some were exceeding euil as we may read in the bookes of the Kings Yet God suffereth them to be rehearsed in his genealogie as if they were worthy that he should come of them But he suffered not so much as one honest woman to be rehearsed therin Fower women are named which all had an euill report and were counted lewd Gen. 38. As Thamar of whom Iudas the father of her husband begat Phares and Zara Ios 2.1 as in the first booke of Moses it is mentioned Rahab is called an harlot in the booke of Iosua Ruth was a heathen woman of whom although we read no euill written yet forasmuch as she was a heathen she was despised of the Iewes as a dogge and was detested of them Bethsabe the wife of Vrias was an adulteresse before she was maried to Dauid of her he begat Salomon Which women are vndoutedly therefore rehearsed that we may see how God hath set forth as it were a certaine glasse vnto all sinners wherein they may see that he would be borne of the posteritie of sinners that the greater sinners we be so much more certaine and greater refuge we might haue to so gracious a God Priest King who is our brother in whom onely and in none other we are able to fulfill the law obtaine the grace of God he came downe from heauen therefore neither doth he require any thing of vs but that we assuredly beleue that he is our God By faith in Christ we become the sonnes of God and heires of the heauenly kingdom Gal. 3.26 Priest King and then all thinges shal be wel with vs. By him alone we become the sonnes of God heires of the heauenly kingdom as S. Paule sayth to the Galathians Ye are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus Here the hartes of all sinners may leape for ioy that they are counted worthy of such a Sauiour Must not he needes be regenerate whose hart vnderstandeth and feeleth this yea he is caried with a most ardent loue to leade a newe life for he is inspired with the grace of God inasmuch as he layeth hold of the promise of remission of all his sinnes If we will count vppon our fingers the persons rehearsed in this text we shall finde them to be forty and two which were in time past figured by the two and forty mansion places which the children of Israell had before they came into the promised land as it is written in the fourth booke of Moses If we also will come into the promised land which our Lorde Iesus Christ hath prepared for vs by his natiuitie we must also occupie two and forty mansion places that is we must ceasse from our owne purpose be regenerate man by man vntill we come to Marie and Iesus there at the last we shall finde rest vnto our soules But this natiuitie is hard for our euill corrupt nature is very loth to leaue her owne wil and purpose And againe the case of nature is such that no natiuitie can be without griefe yet one hath more griefe tentation and affliction then an other The theefe
and manifest wordes declare Rom. 13 Let euery soule be subiect vnto the higher powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordained of God VVhosoeuer therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receiue to them selues condemnation For Magistrates are not to be feared for good workes but for euill VVilt thou then be without feare of the power doe well so shalt thou haue prayse of the same For he is the Minister of God for thy wealth but if thou doe euill feare for he beareth not the sword for nought for he is the minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill VVherfore ye must be subiect not because of wrath onely but also for conscience sake For for this cause ye pay also tribute for they are Gods Ministers applying them selues for the same thinge Giue to all men therefore their dutie tribute to vvhom ye ovve tribute custome to vvhom custome feare to vvhom feare honour to vvhom ye ovve honour And therefore also are Magistrats ordayned of God that they may defende maintaine publike peace which alone exceedeth all worldly good thinges we felt a litle in the last cōmotion of the common people what losse miserie calamitie and grieuous sorrow conspiracie and sedition bringeth in the world God graunt that it may so continue that we trie it no more Thus much shall suffize to haue bene spoken for the exposition of this text A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER TEACHING THAT SALVATION COMMETH by Christ alone Ioh. 6. Verse 44. NO man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him I will rayse him vp at the last day 45. It is written in the Prophets And they shall be all taught of God Euery man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father commeth vnto me 46. Not that any man hath seene the Father saue he which is of God he hath seene the Father 47. Verely verely I say vnto you He that beleueth in me hath euerlasting life 48. I am the bread of life 49. Your fathers did eate Manna in the wildernes and are dead 50. This is that bread which cōmeth downe from heauen that he which eateth of it shoulde not die 51. I am that liuing breade which came downe from heauen if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer and the breade that I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world The summe of this text 1 CHrist is knowne of none but of him whom the Father draweth that is except the Father teache vs that knowledge inwardly in the hart Therefore Christ sayth to Peter Matth. 16 Flesh and blood hath not reuealed it vnto thee but my Father which is in heauen 2 Christ is the wisedom of God which is of more price then precious stones and whatsoeuer can be wished is not to be compared vnto it Pro. 8.11 as Salomon sayth in the Prouerbs 3 The old heauenly bread that is the righteousnes of the lawe doth not iustifie But Christ if we beleeue in him iustifieth for euer The exposition of the text THis text teacheth vs nothing els but christian faith and stirreth it vp in vs as surely Iohn through his Gospel doth almost no other thing but instruct vs how we must beleeue in the Lord Christ And such a faith as is grounded on the true promise of God made vnto vs in Christ Onely faith in Christ saueth vs. shall saue vs as this text plainly declareth Also they are here all proued fooles which haue taught vs an other way and meanes to obtaine righteousnes Whatsoeuer mās minde cā inuēt although it be holy although it haue a fayre shew before men it must needes vtterly fal if that he wil haue saluation to come thereby For albeit that man is exercised with the duties of godlines he shall not be able to attaine vnto heauen vnles God preuent him with his word which may offer his diuine grace vnto him and lighten his hart that he may walke in the right way Now this way is the Lord Iesus Christ Christ the right way he that will seeke an other way as the most part of men with their outward workes commonly doe hath now erred from the right and high way For Paule sayth Gal. 2 If righteousnes be by the law that is by the workes of the lawe then Christ died without a cause Therefore I saye that a man must by the Gospell be as it were brused and broken humbled euen from the bottom of his hart as being fraile weake which can moue neither hands nor feete but onely lyeth prostrate and cryeth Helpe me O omnipotent God merciful Father I am not able to helpe my selfe Helpe O Lord Christ myne owne helpe is nothing That so against this corner stone which is Christ al may be broken as he saith of him selfe in Luke when he asked the Pharisees and Scribes Luke 20.17 VVhat meaneth this then that is written The stone that the builders refused that is made the head of the corner VVhosoeuer shall fall vpon that stone shall be broken on whomsoeuer it shall fall it wil grinde him to pouder Wherefore either let vs fal vpon it by our imbecillitie and weakenes by denying our selues so be broken or els he will breake vs for euer in his straite iudgement But it is better that we fall vpon it then that it fall vpon vs. Vpon this foundation Christ sayth here in this text No man can come vnto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him and I will rayse him vp at the last day Now he whom the Father draweth not shall surely perish It is also concluded that he which commeth not to this sonne shall be damned for euer He is the onely Sonne giuen vnto vs which may saue vs without him there is no saluation if he helpe not Without Christ there is no saluation our case is most miserable Of him Peter also speaketh to the same effect in the Acts of the Apostles chap. 4 This is the stone cast aside of you builders which is become the head of the corner neither is there saluation in any other for amonge men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby vve must be saued Whither would our Diuines and Scholemen turne them selues here which haue taught vs that by many workes we must attaine vnto righteousnes Here is that high Maister Aristotle confounded who hath taught vs that reason endeuoureth to doe the best things is alwayes ready to the better But this Christ doth here deny for vnles the Father possesse and drawe vs we shall perish for euer Here all men must confesse their imbecillity and slownes to good thinges If so be that any perswade him self that he is able to doe any good thing by his owne strength truely he hath reproued Christ of falshood and with great arrogancie presumeth
wherefore forasmuch as they bringe no commoditie at all neither is there any neede of them and they are cause of greater hinderance to a Christian common weale then can be thought and can not by any meanes be reformed what can be more profitable then that they be vtterly ouerthrowne and abolished Moreouer that we may admonish here concerning the ciuill Magistrate when he commaundeth or requireth any thing Obedience to the ciuill Magistrate doth not hinder Christian libertie yea if he compel thereunto we must obey for there commeth no losse of Christian libertie or of faith hereby forasmuch as they doe not contend that those thinges are necessary to saluation which they do ordaine or require but onely to maintaine outward rule publike tranquillitie and gouernment so the conscience remaineth free Wherefore forasmuch as it doth nothing hinder faith to do those things which the ciuill Magistrate commaundeth but doth also profit the common weale it shall be without dout a point of Christian obedience to endeuour to do them with a willing mind that we may be such as are pliant agreeable to all men willing to doe all things ready to deserue well of euery one to gratifie all Howbeit if any should contend that those commaundements of the ciuill Magistrate be necessary to saluation then as it is sayd of the traditions of the Papistes the contrary rather were to be done or at the lest it were to be witnessed that thou doost them onely for the common weales sake because so it is profitable to others and not that thou mayst obtaine saluation by them which we haue gotten by Christ Iesus alone as many of vs as beleeue in him According to this doctrine the examples before mentioned euery one ought to behaue him selfe in euery thinge toward all men as Paule here teacheth that he sticke not to his owne iudgement or right but that he shew him selfe pliant vnto others and haue regard of those thinges which he shall knowe will be acceptable and profitable to his neighbours When therefore it doth nothing hinder thy faith and profiteth thy neighbour to yeeld somewhat of thine owne right if thou doe it not thou art without charitie neglectest that Christian softnes patient mind that Paule here speaketh of Yea if thou hast regard hereof as he that truly beleeueth in Christ ought to haue thou must take it patiently euen when any man doth iniurie vnto thee or endamage thee and so interprete it in the better part and alwaies think on that A most worthy saying of a right Christian Martyr which that Martyr when all his substance was taken from him sayd But they shall not take away Christ from me So whatsoeuer chaunceth vnto thee say thou I haue as yet suffered no losse of my faith why shoulde I not take it in good parte which my neighbour hath done why should I not yeeld vnto him and apply my selfe to his will Thou canst scarce find a more manifest example hereof An example which Christians ought to follow in behauing them selues toward their neighbours then betwene two vnfeyned friendes for as they behaue them selues one toward an other so ought a Christian to behaue him selfe toward euery one Either of them endeuoreth to gratifie other either of them giueth place to other suffereth doth and omitteth whatsoeuer he seeth to be for the profite and commoditie of the other that freely without all constraint Either of them doth diligently apply him selfe to the will of the other neither of them compelleth other to follow his mind if one should vse the goods of an other that other would not be offended but would take it in good part and would not grudge rather to giue more and that I may speake briefly betweene such there is no exaction of lawe no grudging no constraint no necessitie but libertie fauour and good will Contrariwise such as be impatient and obstinate which take nothing in good part of any man but go about to make all things subiect to their owne will and to order all thinges according to their owne iudgement The impatient obstinate are cause of much euill such I say trouble the world and are the cause of all discordes contentions warres whatsoeuer discommoditie there is they say afterward that they did those thinges for the loue of iustice and for that they endeuoured to defend that which is right So that that heathen man sayd not amisse Extreme rigour is extreme iniurie And Salomon also sayth Eccles 7. Be thou neither too righteous nor ouer wise For as extreme rigour is extreme iniurie so too great wisedom is extreme folly Which also is meant by this common saying when wise men dote they dote beyond measure Surely if God should deale with vs according to right we should perish in a moment wherefore as Paule prayseth in him this moderation of right and incomparable patience and gentlenes saying 2. Cor. 10 I beseech you by the meekenes and gentlenes of Christ so is it also meete that we doe obserue a measure of our iudgement right wisedom prudence and in all thinges apply our selues to the profit commoditie of others But let vs weie the wordes of the Apostle for they are placed not without a spirituall skilfulnes he sayth Let your patient minde or softnes be knowne vnto all men Where thou must not thinke that he commaundeth thee to be made knowne vnto all men How our patient minde must be made knowē vnto all men or that thou oughtest to tell thy patient mind or softnes before all men For he sayth not tell it forth but let it be knowne that is endeuour to practize it toward men I doe not commaund that ye shoulde thinke or speake of it but that ye labour that it may be knowne in deede while all men doe trie and feele it that no man may say any other thing of you then that ye be of a patient minde and pliant applying your selues to all men being enforced so to say euen by manifest experience So that if any man were neuer so much bent to speake otherwise of you his mouth might be stopped by that testimonie of all other witnessing of your patient mind and meekenes So sayth Christ Matth. 5. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen And Peter sayth 1. Pet. 2. Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may by your good workes which they shall see glorifie God in the day of visitation It is not surely in our power that our patient mind should be knowne and acknowledged of all men but it shal be sufficient for vs if we endeuour that all men may haue triall thereof in vs and that no man may finde it wanting in our life Moreouer all men is not so to be taken that thou shouldest vnderstand thereby all men
sayth proueth If thou be a sonne thou art also an heire For it is sayd before that we become the sonnes of God by faith without any workes therefore heires also as this place witnesseth for by nature they that are sonnes the same also are heires But if this inheritance of the Father be nowe thyne by fayth surely thou art riche in all good things before thou hast wrought any thinge For howe should it be that by faith thou art the heire of God wtout any works through onely grace and that thou mayst againe first merit it by works Wherefore the case standeth as I often times say To a man that is baptized and beleueth in Christ the heauenly inheritance of the Father is already giuen at once that is all good thinges they are only hid as yet by faith for that the maner of the present life can not suffer that he shoulde enioye them being reuealed Whereupon Paule sayth Rom. 8 Ye are saued but by hope for ye doe not as yet see it but doe yet waite when the possession of your good thinges shall be reuealed And 1. Pet. 1. it is sayd Your saluation is reserued in heauen and prepared for you to be shewed in the last time VVhereunto the workes of a Christian ought to be referred Wherefore the workes of a Christian ought not to haue regard of merit which is the maner of seruaunts but onely of the vse and commoditie of his neighbours that he doe not liue and worke to him selfe but to his neighbour whereby he may truely liue to the glory of God For by faith he is rich in all good thinges and truely blessed Nowe the Apostle addeth through Christ lest that any thinke that so great inheritance commeth vnto vs freely Although we are saued frely with out all merit in respect of our selues yet Christ hath merited and with a deare price purchased saluation for vs. and without al cost For although it be giuen vnto vs without our cost and without all our merit yet it cost Christ a deare price who that he might purchase it for vs was made vnder the lawe and satisfied it for vs both by life also by death So those benefits which of loue we bestowe vpon our neighbour doe come vnto him freely and without any charges or labour vnto him notwithstanding they cost vs some thing inasmuch as we bestow vpon him although freely and of meere goodnes yet those thinges that are our owne whether it be labour or part of our substance euen as Christ hath bestowed those thinges that be his vpon vs. And thus hath Paule called backe his Galathians from the teachers of workes which preached nothing but the law peruerting the Gospell of Christ All which thinges are very necessary to be marked of vs also For the Pope with his Prelats and Monks hath now too long a time with intruding and vrging his lawes which are foolish and most pernitious inasmuch as they doe euery where disagree with the word of God seduced almost the whole world from the Gospell of Christ plainly extinguished the faith of sonnes according as the Scripture hath in diuers places very manifestly prophesied of his kingdom Wherefore let euery one that desireth to obtaine saluation most diligently take heede of him and all his Apostles no otherwise then of Satan him selfe and his chiefe and most pernitious Apostles A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER CONCERNING FAITH AND DIFFIDENCE IN daunger and trouble Matth. 8. Verse 23. WHen Iesus was entered into the ship his Disciples followed him 24. And behold there arose a great tempest in the sea so that the ship was couered with waues but he was asleepe 25. Then his Disciples came and awoke him saying Maister saue vs we perish 26. And he sayd vnto them Why are ye feareful O ye of litle faith Then he arose and rebuked the windes and the sea so there was a great calme 27. And the men merueiled saying What man is this that both the windes the sea obey him ACcording to the historie this text setteth before vs an example of faith and diffidence wherof we may learne both what a stronge and inuincible thinge faith is and that it must be exercised tryed euen in great matters and full of perill and also howe desperate a thing on the other side diffidence is and howe full of feare and trembling which can neuer doe any thinge rightly or wel This doth experience most liuely set forth in the Disciples How desperate fearefull a thinge diffidence is it appeareth by the example of Christes Disciples They when they entered into the ship with Christ and whilest there was calmnes in the lake were nothing disquieted in mind neither felt any feare Then if one should haue asked them whether they beleeued they would haue aunswered without dout that they did beleeue For they did not know that their hart did trust in that quietnes for that all troubles were absent and therefore did rest vpon a thinge visible and not vpon the inuisible grace of God Which then was made manifest as soone as the tempest was risen and the waues did couer the ship for by and by all their trust and confidence ceassed for that the quietnes and calmnes whereunto they trusted was taken away and diffidence which before when al things were prosperous did lurke in their minds did then appeare For this is the nature of diffidence that it beleeueth or knoweth no more then it feeleth Forasmuch therefore as it had possessed the brestes of the Apostles they felt nothing now but the fearefull tempest and the waues couering the ship they saw the sea swelling and greatly raging to threaten nothing but death These thinges onely did they thinke vpon these onely did they consider and therefore could there be no measure or ende of feare and trembling in their mindes the more they weyed in their mind the perill so much more were they terrified and seemed euen now to sticke in the very iawes of death hoping for no life or deliuerance And as they could not so much as thinke any thing els because of their vnbeliefe so all comfort also was farre from them For diffidence or vnbeliefe hath nothing whereunto it may trust or flee wherfore when outward aduersitie commeth it admitteth nothing into the mind but it and therefore it can neuer feele any peace or quietnes while this remaineth So in hell where diffidence exerciseth full tyrannie there can neuer be any intermission of desperation trembling and terrour What faith doth in trouble daunger But if the Disciples had bene then endued with a sound faith and if it had ruled in this daunger it would haue remoued from the mind the wind and all this tempest in steede of these would wholy haue thought vpon the power of God and his grace promised whereunto it would no otherwise haue trusted then if it had sate vpon a most stronge rocke farre from the
not refuse to receiue it Hereupon it moreouer foloweth If soe be that a Christian doeth good workes whereby he sheweth loue to his neighbour he is not therefore made a Christian or righteous but he must needes be a Christian and righteous before He doeth good workes in deede but they doe not make him a Christian The tree bringeth forth and giueth fruite and not the fruite the tree Soe none is made a Christian by workes but by Christ Hereof now ye may vnderstand what kynde of people Christians be namely that they be a company which cleaue vnto Christ Christians what they are and are of one spirit and gifte with him Hereupon it is that all Christians are alike neither hath one more of Christ then an other S. Peter is not better then the Theefe on the crosse Marie the mother of God doth not excell Marie Magdalen the synnefull woman There is in deede a difference in outward thinges and doinges so the worke of the holy virgin Marie was greater then the worke of Marie Magdalen Peter had a greater worke then the Theefe if thou consider the works but we are not therefore Christians The holy virgine Marie is not a Christian because of her great worke for that she did beare Christ so vnspeakeable a treasure in her wombe as Christ himselfe said to the woman which cried vnto him from among the people Luke 11 Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the pappes which thou hast sucked yea rather sayth he blessed are they that heare the worde of God and keepe it In which place thou seest that he preferreth the faithfull euen aboue his mother For Christians do therefore beare their name because they beleeue in Christ A virgine and a mother are two notable names howbeit they are nothinge being compared to the true name of the faithfull Wherefore we are all alike in Christ through faith albeit S. Peter haue a stronger faith then I yet myne is as well fayth in Christ as his For the same Christ is offered of God the father vnto all companies and people whom he that hath obtained hath him whole whether he be strong or weake for that skilleth not The woman mentioned in our text which was troubled so many yeares with her disease dothe receiue and apprehend Christ as well as the virgine Marie his mother Wherefore there is one Christian spirite one excelleth with an other in the noblenes of byrth S. Peter is enforced to call me his brother and I againe deare be bolde to call him my brother Yea Christ himselfe is touched with care of vs and counteth vs for his brethren as he saide after his resurrection to Marie Magdalen Ioh. 20 I ascende vnto my Father and to your Father and to my God and your God And S. Paule calleth Christ the first borne among many brethren Whereof also he writeth excellently in the first Epistle to the Corinthians where entreating of false brethren he speaketh thus 1. Cor. 8.9 Take heede lest by any meanes this power of yours be an occasion of falling to them that are weake For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sitte at table in the idols temple shall not the conscience of him which is weake be boldened to eate those thinges which are sacrificed to idols and so through thy knowledge shall the weake brother perish for whom Christ died Now when ye sinne so against your brethren and wounde their weake conscience ye sinne against Christ Here thou seest if a Christian be offended or euell be done vnto him the same is done vnto Christ This therefore is the summe of the whole Gospell The summe of the Gospell that we maye learne so to knowe Christ that the name onely doe not remayn◠but that we maye knowe that all that we haue we haue it from him If we be Christians we haue all thinges then God is our father and we are Lordes of all both heauenly and earthly thinges which is gotten of vs by no worke be it neuer soe great Thou seest nowe how farre they be from the name of Christ which be vnder the kingdom of the Pope They that will preach the Gospell must preach nothing els besyde the onely person which is Christ not Marie so farre must they be from preaching the Pope or any worke albeit precious they must preach offer Christ onely vnto vs none besyde him When now he is preached vnto thee as a iudge as he shall come in the last day and how that good workes are to be done of thee for which thou mayst be rewarded of him thou shalt so receiue it surely without all dout he shal be vnto thee a iudge and not a sauiour And if he be so set forth vnto thee as he was wont to be painted that his mother sheweth him her pappes that is properly to preach Satan and not Christ who giueth onely and receiueth not This is certaine when thou shalt haue receiued of him thē good workes do flow forth of their owne accord being not compelled as is set forth in this dayes Gospell wherein moreouer is declared that Christ preacheth the Gospell to the people now it is not a common worke to preach For it is a great benefit vnto vs that he is become our maister and instructer that he teacheth vs by what meanes we may come to the knowledge of him this is a parte of his great goodnes and grace For as long as he was here in the earth he cessed not to teach that we might altogether receiue him for the Messias and Sauiour and by his workes also did helpe and relieue euerie one when the case so required The exceeding gentlenes and boūtifulnes of Christ Thou fyndest no man in the Gospell to whom helpe was denied or which at any time asked any thinge of the Lord which was not giuen him For how many soeuer went vnto him that were blynde deafe lame sicke of the palsey had the dropsie he receiued all and helped them all according to their desire and healed them of all kindes of diseases Luke 6.19 as Luke sayth All the whole multitude sought to touch him for there went vertue out of him and healed them all So doeth he also to this woman The woman heareth him preaching and perceiueth him to be a bountifull and gracious man which sheweth himselfe gentle to the whole world whereupon she hath an affection both to loue him and to cleaue vnto him For she maketh accompt forasmuch as he putteth awaye none from him that he would not denie her his goodnes wherefore leauing all the Apostles she casteth both her hearte and confidence vpon Christ alone and thinketh thus with her selfe If I may touch but the hemme of his garment I shal be whole She thought no other thinge in her heart but certainly he will helpe me if so be that I shall touch his garment with myne hand yet hath she not so good a corage that she dare come before his face
what this is that the Lord sheweth to his Disciples his handes and his feete whereby is declared vnto vs what commoditie we haue by Christ whereunto he profiteth vs and what we must loke for of him It is engraffed in the harts of all men as it were by nature to haue a certen wil to be honest godly euery one thinketh how he may come to saluation wherby it hath come to passe that one hath inuented this thing an other that being verily persuaded that thereby he should make God fauourable vnto him and obtaine heauen but none such at any time hath stoode in the right way forasmuch as all haue had this drift that they might procure Gods fauour by deedes and good workes Notable Doctors also and holy fathers haue written taught many things how we might attaine vnto godlines About this they haue miserably troubled them selues but as we see and to our notable losse haue felt they haue done litle Wherefore it is exceeding necessary that some sound knowledge be had hereof wherby we must endeuour to true godlines forasmuch as it is a thing of no small importance For he that is deceiued here lozeth the summe and chiefe point of all Christianitie hereof therefore we must nowe speake somewhat True righteousnes is obtained not by our owne workes but by the works which Christ hath wrought for vs. True sound righteousnes consisteth not in our owne works but in the works of an other Take an example hereof One buildeth temples an other for religions sake goeth to S. Iames to Aquisgrane to Rome to the holy sepulcher the third pineth him selfe with fastings prayeth weareth a cowle goeth bare foote or worketh some other such worke whatsoeuer it be these are our owne workes God hath not commaunded them but men and hypocrites iustifiers of them selues haue inuented them and haue thought that they are precious good workes and greatly esteemed of God sweetely persuading them selues that they are by them deliuered from sinnes and that God is pacified towards them But these workes chosen of their owne proper will are nothing worth at all neither can stand forasmuch as they proceede not of faith yea they are sinnes as Sainct Paule saith Rom. 14 VVhatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne These our works therefore are defiled and vncleane in the sight of God yea he doth abhorre and loathe them Wherefore if we will haue to doe with God we must not ascend trusting to our owne workes but to the workes of an other But which are those workes of an other that are allowed of God Truely the workes of our Lorde Iesus Christ whom God the father sent downe from heauen that by his death and passion he might satisfie for our sinnes This satisfaction fel out vpon this occasion We were subiect to great daunger The miserable case wherein man was before he was deliuered by Christ grieuous tyrannes had power ouer vs which day and night without ceasing did vexe vs. The law which God gaue vnto man did vrge vs and required many thinges of vs which we were not able to performe and therefore it condemned vs. Sinne also did lye vpon vs as a heauy burden which the lawe did oft times make greater greater Death went about to deuour vs inasmuch as it is the wages of sinne Satan also endeuoured to throw vs downe headlong to hell inasmuch as he would punish vs for our sinnes committed all thinges were full of trembling and anguish God taking pitie vpon this so great calamity sent his only begotten sonne and that of his mere grace goodnes without our desert that he might deliuer vs out of so great tyrannie which he mightely did after this sorte He satisfied the law Christ hath fulfilled the law preuailed against sinne ouercome death and vanquished Satan and fulfilled it perfectly For he loued God with all his heart and with all his soule with all his strength he loued his neighbour also as him selfe in these the whole law and the Prophetes do consist Nowe whatsoeuer Christ did it consisted in these two He loued God inasmuch as he obeyed his will he tooke vpon him the nature of man and performed in all obedience those thinges that were enioyned him of the father as Paul saith Phil. 2 He became obedient to the father vnto the death euen the death of the crosse Secondly he loued his neighbour for all the workes which he did in the earth tended vnto this end that he might therby profit his neighbour and therefore he so loued his neighbour that he euen died for him as he saith himselfe to his disciples Ioh. 15 Greater loue then this hath no man when any man bestoweth his life for his frends S. Paul doth more set forth this saying for his enemies when he writeth thus Rom. 5 But God setteth out his loue towards vs seeing that while we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. Forasmuch then as Christ hath so fulfilled the law it could not accuse him neither was sinne of any force with him He set vpon it and did preuaile ouer it and swallowed it vp it was enforced to be extinguished of him no otherwise then a sparke of fire in the most wide sea For in him was nothing but mere righteousnes Death also came and went about to deuour him it deuoured him in deede but it could not digest him it was enforced to yeeld him vp againe yea and this deuouring was an vtter discommoditie to death for the case being quite altered Christ deuoured death it selfe For it had set vpon him against whome it had no right forasmuch as not a whit of sinne did appeare in him Where sinne is not there death hath nothing to doe as Sainct Paule sayth 1. Cor. 15 The stinge of death is sinne with this it killeth otherwise it should be dull and haue no strength Satan also made a triall of his strength in him but in vaine and to his owne griefe for he layde handes on him with whome he had nothing to doe The wretch was ouercome in this conflict and went away with shame as Christ sayth Ioh. 14 The Prince of this world commeth and hath nought in me Hell also did open his mouth and would haue deuoured Christ but contrariwise it was deuoured of him And so in this conflict the Law Sinne Death Satan and hell were vanquished ouer all which he triumphed gloried with great pompe as Paule sayth Col. 2. The beleeuers by faith enioy the workes of Christ as their owne All these thinges were not onely done for our commoditie but also if we beleeue in this Lorde Christ they are giuen vnto vs. For whatsoeuer he hath it serueth for vs yea he him selfe is ours as Paule sayth Rom. 8. God spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shall he not with him giue vs all thinges also So that I may boldly glorie of all victorie which he obtained ouer the law sinne
had pleasure in vnrighteousnes Yea and at the last they become so blynde that they vnderstand nothing at all of God as it is in the 14. Psal The foole hath sayd in his heart there is no God For it can not be that the naturall man which consisteth of flesh blood and is not instructed by the spirit of God should iudge and vnderstand those thinges which are of God as Paule 1. Cor. 2. witnesseth The naturall man perceiueth not the thinges of the Spirite of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually decerned He which wil reade more hereof let him peruse the first chapter of the Epistle of Paule to the Romanes there shall he plainly enough perceiue what blyndenes is and what punishment doth ensue if the word of God beinge neglected we folowe our one inuentions and counsels All which we see in our spirituall monkes nunnes and sacrificing pristes and do too truly trie it God graunt that they may at the last repent and giue vnto God his glorie S. Paule sayth there of the Gentiles that they turned the glorie of the incorruptible God to the similitude of the image not onely of a corruptible man but also of birdes and foure footed beastes and of creeping thinges So do our Papists also yea and much more foolishly and madly then the Gentiles for they make vnto themselues a good which is delighted with a shauen crowne with towels with eating of flesh and fish c. Wherefore God hath giuen them vp through their hearts lusts vnto vncleannes as he did the Gentiles and that so filthily that it is better to conceale it then to rehearse it For if such filthie and wicked thinges were committed among the Gentiles which had many wiues and many concubines what would not these spirituall men com-Briefly which haue forbidden the vse of women and matrimonie mit so is it wont to come to passe where Satan beareth the swaie and the word of God is wrested to serue mens affections which euerie man may assuredly perswade himselfe to be so yea these thinges are so knowen and vndoutedly true that children in the stretes speake and sing of them Now this is not to be vnderstood of spirituall men onely but euen the vulgar sort and common multitude do liue so when the word of God is not admitted As we see citizens to vtter counterfet wares marchants to deceiue in selling marchandice and so many craftie practizes so many deceits in subtill dealing so much regard of vsurie and priuate profit that it can not be rehearsed As yet they endeuour againe to bring in the Masse to set vp their tapers c being perswaded that God is pacified with such trifles reuoluing this onely in their myndes that their fame may remaine vntouched and vnhurt in the world howsoeuer they agree with God Of such wise and prudent men Christ speaketh here in the Gospell which heare the Gospell in deede and see miracles but it profiteth them nothing forasmuch as their heart is not touched Now Christ sayth thus Verse 25. I giue thee thankes O Father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these thinges from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them vnto children Verse 26. It is so O Father because thy good pleasure was such Christ speaketh not here of verie children there may be some notable doctor whom he calleth a childe in this place Contrariwise there may be a rusticall felow whom he calleth here wise and prudent In the eight Psal Dauid also calleth these infants and children when he sayth Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies They surely by whom God ordained strength against his enemies which should extoll his glorie through the whole world were not babes or children in verie deede Those therefore the Lord calleth children here which compt their owne workes for nothing attribute nothing to their owne wisedome Whom the Lord calleth here childrē or babes make nothing of themselues but thinke God onely to be wise and of vnderstanding Wherefore they are humble and lowly and how great soeuer they are do submit themselues to God of whom onely they suffer themselues to be taught Now other be ouer wise and will learne nothing of God yea they presumptuously take to themselues iudgement and censure ouer the doctrine and workes of God whereof thou mayste read in the first and second chapter of the Epistle to the Corinthians Wherefore Christ sayth Luke 16 The children of this world are in their generation wiser then the children of light But the foolish children of light are of greater estimation before God then the wise children of this world Of these children the Lord speaketh Thou hast hid them from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hast reuealed them to babes For the wise and prudent know not these thinges but the children and fooles know them How commeth it to passe that the wise know them not because thou hast hidden them from them How do the children know them because thou hast reuealed them What he meaneth hereby we may gather of those thinges that were spoken before to wit that he had preached the Gospell of the kingdome of God in many cities of Iudea as in Chorazin Bethsaida and in his owne citie Capernaum which cities their owne wisedome being a hinderance and lette vnto them did not receiue the foolish preaching of the Gospell The Gospel is a good and ioyfull message which teacheth me to know the glorie of God by which knowledge I obtaine pardon of my synnes and life eternall The Gospell a ioyful message As Christ sayth to his father in the Gospell of Iohn chap. 17 This is life eternal that they know thee to be the onely very God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent He saythe also in this Gospell No man knoweth the Sonne but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne will rereueale him Here he speaketh of the knowledge both of the Father and of the Sonne To whom this is reuealed he knoweth and obtaineth eternal life But the Father hath hid these thinges from the wise and prudent that they may not know neither the Father nor the Sonne and hath reuealed them to children they haue the knowledge both of the Father and the Sonne and so do obtaine euerlasting life Moreouer if these thinges be thus as they be in deede what shall become of free will Seeing thou seest such hainous and wicked thinges to be committed in the bodies as it is written Rom. 1. go thy wayes now and glorie of free will But this is a goodly free will to liue in such a filthie life which is altogether vnworthy of a man which is vnknowen euen among beastes that are without reason Howbeit it is wont so to come to passe when God forsaketh vs. What state they come into whom God forsaketh As
soone as we are forsaken of God byandby Satan commeth and erecteth his kingdome in vs wherein nothing els but such wickednesses are committed which notwithstanding are so craftely coloured and commēded with such a pretence of honestie that it seemeth to be a most holy yea and an angelike life What I pray you can mans strength do here whereby some go about to bring to passe many thinges sweetely perswading themselues that they shall ascend vp into heauen thereby But thou hearest here that Christ affirmeth that the Father doth reueale these thinges also that it is the good pleasure of the Father that it should be so Whereby truly he taketh away all the merits of man here no satisfactions profit here is no respect of workes it is done by the wil and good pleasure of the Father For he respecteth not the person as it appeareth before the world He doth not contemne and reiect the synner albeit he come laden with sinnes After the same sort Christ saith to his disciples Luke 12 Feare not litle flocke for it is the Fathers pleasure to giue you the kingdome This the hypocrites and iustitiaries can not abyde yea they are driuen vnto furie senssesnes and madnes when they see simple receiuers of custome and verie publicans to go before them into the kingdome of heauen they themselues with their holines goodly and plausible workes to the world being excluded whom would not this driue vnto madnes who would not take it grieuously that he himselfe and his thinges should be in such a case and nothing at all counted of But what shouldest thou do or what shouldest thou murmur The good pleasure of God is such to whom he vouchsaueth to open to him they shal be opened and from whom he hideth from him they are hidden which compt as vndoutedly true And marke well that Christ sayth here It is so O Father because thy good pleasure was such thy good pleasure I say before the world was made as S. Paule sayth Ephes 1 God hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundations of the world were layd that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue who hath predestinate vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the prayse of the glorie of his grace wherewith he hath made vs freely accepted in his beloued Here all merit is excluded wherefore let it not come into thy mynde that thou shalt obtaine any thing here by thy deserts neither let thy workes wisedome and merits puffe thee vp Here all reioycing is taken away that he that reioyceth may reioyce in the Lord as Paule sayth 1. Cor. 1. It followeth moreouer in the Gospell Ver. 27. All things are giuē vnto me of my Father no man knoweth the Sonne but the Father neither knoweth any mā the Father but the Sōne and he to whom the Sonne will reueale him Here thou seest the safetie which is in the kingdome of Christ by whom we haue knowledge and light If therefore Christ holdeth all thinges in his hand and hath power ouer all thinges as the Father hath no man can plucke any thing out of his handes which he himselfe also witnesseth in Iohn Ioh. 10.28 I giue eternall life to my sheepe and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hand my Father which gaue them me is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand I and my Father are one Christians haue cause to reioyce although they be diuers wayes assailed of Satan for that they be vnder the tuition of Christ who will defend and preserue them Wherefore euery Christian when he hath receiued the Gospell may worthely reioyce that he is now vnder the tuition of Christ and is not any thing troubled because of his synnes If he hath embraced the Gospell Christ vnder whom he fighteth will guide the matter excellently well Satan in deede will tempt him with this and that vice as with adulterie whoredome theft slaughter enuie hatred wrath and other like synnes But let him not therefore be discouraged he hath a king that is strong mightie enough of whom he shal be easily defended Notwithstanding it wil be verie hard to stand strongly and nothing to yeelde wherefore prayer in this case is verie needefull others also may by their prayers intreat for thee that a stout corage and manly heart may be giuen vnto thee to withstand Satan But it is certaine that thou shalt not be destitute Christ will easily preserue thee be not disquieted in mynde let it onely be thy care that thou fallest not from his kingdome Moreouer in this Gospell thou seest that Christ is both God man Man inasmuch as he prayseth God and giueth him thankes God inasmuch as all thinges are giuen vnto him of the Father Which ought to be great comfort vnto vs in all things that do trouble and afflict vs. Whereas he saith No man knoweth the Sonne but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne will reueale him he in these wordes ouerthroweth free will which will know God and Christ when and how it pleaseth it Here thou hast plainly from whence the knowledge of God and of Christ is the Father saith he knoweth the Sonne and the Sonne the Father but how do we know by this or that preacher no truly these are onely certaine midle instruments but he onely knoweth to whom the Sonne will reueale A litle before he saide that the Father doth reueale or open here he attributeth the same to the Sonne Surely both the Father and the Sonne do reueale and as the Father reuealeth so also doth the Sonne and Christ also sayth in Iohn chap. 14 The holy Ghost shall teach you all thinges Wherefore as the Father teacheth so teacheth the Sonne likewise also teacheth the holy Ghost And where God the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost do not teach there all thinges remaine voide of knowledge It followeth moreouer in the Gospell Verse 28. Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden and I will refresh you Verse 29. Take my yoke on you and learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart and ye shall finde rest vnto your soules Verse 30. For my yoke is easie and my burden is light Hitherto we haue heard how the Lord dealeth with the wise and prudent namely that he blyndeth them and hideth the Gospell from them Likewise how he is delighted in children and simple ones to wit that he endueth them with right knowledge of himselfe and openeth the Gospell vnto them But some man may here say and complaine If the matter be so surely my conscience shal be in great daunger before I heare and know that the Gospell dothe pertaine vnto me I am a wretched synner and perhaps the Gospell pertaineth not vnto me what if I be vnworthie Christ that he may