see anon how he rebuketh them as sharply as may be insomuch that he calleth them witlesse And how can these things agree togither It is for that on the one side he intendeth to aduaunce the grace of God which had bin opened in that Church and that on the other side he was faine to scoure away the vices that were in it as neede was VVe see then hereby that when God hath planted his Church in any place it followeth not by and by therefore that all things are to be commended there and that there is nothing but all godlinesse in it as the Papistes imagine who vnder the name of the Church would faine couer all their abhominations yea euen the most horrible and diuelishe abhominations in the whole worlde As howe The Church say say cannot erre she is the bryde of Iesus Christ she is the piller of truth Yea but in the meane while looke vpon the Churches of Galatia VVhat sayth the holy Ghost of them by the mouth of S. Paule Among them there were Renegates that had renounced the Gospell there were as foule and outrageous heresies among them as could be Then let vs vnderstand that we must neuer bee so tyed to men as not to condemne their faultes when they come to the scanning but that all things must be made subject to Gods worde and euerie thing be condemned that is not agreable thervnto so as nothing may hinder God from hauing his authority continually and from putting all things vnder foot which agree not with his word but that men do condemne them vtterly abhorre them Furthermore let vs not ceasse to draw those continually vnto God which haue any enterance alreadie And although we perceiue them to be weake or stepped aside out of the way yet let vs alwayes set forth Gods grace that it may growe and bee strengthned more and more in them vntill we be all gathered thither as we bee dayly called that is to wit to our Lorde Iesus Christ Now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs perceyue them more and more and that we may be so touched to the quicke as we may mistyke of them and so imbrace his grace as it may be more and more increased in vs and we be hilde vp and susteyned in our weaknesse by his hande vntill he haue brought vs to the holy perfection of the heauenly kingdome which is purchased for vs by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ And so let vs all say Almightie God our heauenly father c. The. 3. Sermon vpon the first Chapter 6 I maruell that you are so sodenly caried avvay from him that had called you through the grace of Christ vnto another Gospell 7 VVhich is none other thing but that there are some vvhich trouble you and vvould ouerthrovv the Gospell of Christ 8 But if I my selfe or an Angell from heauen tell you othervvise than I haue tolde you cursed be hee WEe see here more openly the thing that I haue touched alreadie this morning that is to wit that Saint Paule spareth not the Galathians although he mind not too shet them out of the gate of saluation For inasmuch as his meening is to bring them backe to repentance it is good reason that he should set the grace of God before them as a thing common to them But yet for all that he flattereth them not but rather rebuketh them for their faults and specially for the ouergreat lightnesse that was in them in giuing eare to deceyuers which came vnto them to disguize the doctrine of the Gospell And to make them perceyue their owne vnthankfulnesse the better he sayth that he wondereth to see them caryed away so soone and so easily from the heauenly calling and how it cōmeth to passe that they could be so quickly thrust out of the way continue yet stil in their doing seing that they had already felt tried Gods grace in our Lord Iesus Christ For inasmuch as he labored to bring thē back againe he sayth not at the first dash that they had turned away from the Gospell but that they had bin ouercome by that temptation And afterwarde he addeth that the same was nothing else but that those buzibodies intended to ouerthrow the truth of God For ther is but one pure doctrine of the Gospell like as there is but one Iesus Christ vpon whom the same is grounded so as it is not in vs to forge a newe Gospell but whensoeuer any bodie goes about too mingle any thing with the pure seede which we haue of our Lorde Iesus Christ it is nothing else but an ouerthrowing of Gods building This in effect is the thing which is conteyned in this first sentence of S. Paules But here he might seeme to bee ouer sharpe and rough in finding fault with the feeblenesse of the Galathians seeing they neuer ment to forsake the gospel nor yet Iesus Christ who had bin preached amōg them Howbeit S. Paule passeth not for their opinion but hath respect to the matter in it self which is that as sone as men turne aside from Gods truth by and by they forsake Iesus Christ and make themselues strangers to him Many men woulde thinke this strange according as we see there are many that woulde faine mingle the light and darknesse togither And specially the confusion that is in Poperie is a very notable example hereof for ther ye shall heare men make wonderfull protestations of holding still the Christian faith wherin they haue bin baptised But yet for al that it is apparant that al is turned vpside down for al superstitions reign there and besides that there is too manifest Idolatry yea and that as grosse as euer was any among the heathen By reason wherof al reuerence of God is as good as quite abolished there bicause euerie man makes himselfe a Sauiour in steade of our Lorde Iesus Christ But now will the Papists lustily replie that they be no backsliders nor haue forsaken Christ Yea but our Lorde Iesus Christ is no Ghost he cannot transforme himself after the appetites of men To be short he cannot be separated from his Church VVhensoeuer the Papistes vtter this saying they robbe Iesus Christ of all authoritie For say they if there were but one Mediator what shoulde become of the Heesaintes which are patrones and of the Sheesaintes which are our Aduocates ▪ if any man speake to them of the sacrifice wherby our Lord Iesus Christ hath once purchased perfect righteousnesse for all the faythfull VVhat say they and must not Masse be sayde euery day and Christ be offered vp newe againe there too appeaze Gods wrath If a man tell them of the free forgiuenesse of sinnes and what shall become say they of our owne satisfactions whereby we deserue to haue pitie at Gods hand Againe if a man say too them that all our goodnesse commeth of our regeneration through Gods spirit and that
was not lawfull to alter any part of it seeing that God was the Authour of it But they shoulde haue considered to what ende the Ceremonies were giuen to the people of olde time True it is that like as God is vnchaungeable so his worde also indureth stedfast for euer but yet doth it not follow therevpon that God should not appoynt men the things which he knoweth to be meete for theÌ„ Therfore the Ceremonies were ordeyned for a tyme too serue the necessitie of the Iewes Also there was this respect which I haue touched that before the comming of Iesus Christ it was requisite that there shoulde bee certaine shadowes too bring the faythfull more further forwarde that is that they might be confirmed in the hope of the redeemer that was promised them And therevpon wee may well gather that Gods inioyning of the Ceremonies was not too the ende they shoulde continue for euer and stande alwayes in theyr full and perfect state but to the intent they should continue for a time to serue to keepe that people in the hope that was giuen them of the things which wee now haue in our Lorde Iesus Christ who is the verie bodie and substance of the shadowes that were in the tyme of the lawe Ye see then to what poynt we must come And yet cannot a man argue that God is variable as some fantasticall persons do who haue alledged the same reason For shall wee say that God chaungeth his purpose bycause hee maketh Sommer and VVinter VVee see the sundrie seasons of the yeare wee see the earth wexe greene and the trees bud floures and afterward bring foorth frute and we see all things as good as dead in the VVinter time All this varietie commeth surely of God but yet doth it not therefore follow that he chaungeth his nature So likewyse as I sayde afore he gaue his lawe for mans behoofe and it was requisite that the Iewes who had not yet such manifest knowledge as is giuen vs by the Gospell should be helped by another meane that is to wit by the Ceremonies which no wadayes should be needlesse forasmuch as we haue the performance of the things that God shewed them then a farre off and our state is in that respect better than the state of the Iewes But nowe Saint Paule to shewe that his preaching of such libertie and that the law which God had layd vpon the necks of the auncient fathers was taken away at the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ was not without cause declareth that he rebuked Peter for the same matter Nowe if the Christians ought to haue bin hilde in like bondage as the Iewes had bin surely Peter woulde haue mainteyned the quarell to the vttermost But hee suffered himselfe to bee reproued and confessed his fault Seeing we haue such a president in the person of Peter it foloweth that our cace is good and that the Apostles knewe that all the olde shadowes and figures ought to ceasse and bee vtterly abolished by the coÌ„ming of our Lorde Iesus Christ Thus the thing that S. Paule setteth downe heere is that he rebuked Peter in the Citie of Antioche for beeing conuersant with the Gentiles not with the vnbeleeuing sort but with such as had bin conuerted to the knowledge of the Gospell He liued familiarly with them accounting them as members of the Church But beholde assoone as certaine Iewes came from Ierusalem sent of Iames Peter fearing least some misreport might bee rayzed of him shrunke away and made countenance as though hee had no familiaritie nor acquaintance with the Gentiles and notwithstanding that they had the same fayth of the Gospell which he had yet did he vse them as straungers bicause it was taken to be a kinde of defyling to bee in companie with them See here a wicked madnesse for by that meanes there was a diuision made in the Church For as it is sayde in another place the wall was broken downe when our Lord Iesus Christ was appointed to be a light from God not only for the Iewes but also for the saluation of the whole world VVherfore if it behoued those that had erst bin separated estraunged from the Church to be called into one flocke then doth Peter disanull Gods grace whereas yet notwithstanding we know there is not a more precious thing than the vnion of the Church Therefore he that varieth from it cannot by any meanes be excused But beholde the fault of Peter was that he brake this bonde of concord by separating the Iewes from the Gentiles notwithstanding that all belonged too the bodie of our Lorde Iesus Christ and were the verie children of God Againe they had all one selfesame head and one selfesame redeemer and therefore his deed was a diminishing of Gods house forsomuch as we be all gathered togither in his name and do become his houshold folke euen till we bee gathered vp into the heritage of heauen But there was yet one other fault which is that the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ was darkned For what fare we the better by his coÌ„ming vnlesse we know that in him we haue the fulnesse and performance of the things that were figured to vs in old time â–ª If we should offer sacrifize nowadayes as they did in the time of the law we should not know that we were clenzed by the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ and that the same was a sufficient payment for the satisfaction of all our sinnes and that we haue there a perfect righteousnesse purchased for vs. VVe should know none of these things Therfore S. Peter offended grosly in hanging vp that veyle againe which was as much as to stop Christ from being knowne as he ought to be Moreouer â—there was also a third fault which was that therby the Iewes were hardned in their error True it is that we ought to beare with the ignorant weak ones not grieue theÌ„ ouer much although they ouershoot themselues yet must they be brought back again by litle little rather than to break either bone or gristle of theÌ„ as the prouerb sayth but yet as for to nurrish their ignorance by soothing theÌ„ in it or by giuing any tokeÌ„ of alowance or welliking that is naught And Peter by withdrawing himself from the Gentiles to please his own Countrimen brought to passe that the Iewes might the better make their brags that they had won their spurs forsomuch as Peter had giuen an incling that the Gentiles were vnclean vnholy people and so his deed was an augmenting of the euill that was to great alreadie In respect wherof S. Paule sayd that Peter was blameworthy And it behoueth vs to marke this thing well and diligently bicause some haue thought in tymes past that it was done by agreemeÌ„t bytwixt them that S. Peter was sorie that some of his Countrimen were to hard to be pleased therfore had told S. Paul secretly that he was coÌ„tented to be rebuked of him But
all this is but a flimflam For S. Paule sayth expresly that Peter was worthie of blame that thervpon he had stepped vp when he saw he walked not aright VVe see then that there was not a secrete agreement or packing in this cace but rather that S. Paule vsed the libertie that was giuē him of God rebuked Peter would not bear with him in that cace although he reuerenced him as the Apostle of Iesus Christ And now vpō this text we haue to gather for our owne instruction how precious this libertie is as I haue declared heretofore For here the cace standeth not vpon the onely vse of things but vpon the hauing of our consciences quiet before God If the debate had bin whither it were lawful to eate swines flesh or no which was a thing comprehended vnder the ceremonies of the law it had bin a trifling matter and it might well haue bin passed ouer like as it may be nowadayes when the like Ceremonies are talked of But it behoued them too come to the wel head as I haue declared heretofore For the figures serued to holde the people of olde time as it were in wardship lyke yong children which are vnder gouernours and do not yet inioy their libertie But at the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ like as fayth grew great so it was meet that such maner of teaching should no more take place among the Iewes Then was not Saint Paules stryuing onely about the outwarde vse of things for hee woulde willingly haue forborne that but to the ende it might be knowne to what purpose the Ceremonies of the lawe had serued namely how it was not a bondage that should indure for euer but that they had stood in force only to the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ And herevpon it may be gathered that when the Iewes forbare the eating of Swines flesh or obserued any holy day or did this thing or that they did not a seruice to God that was of necessitie in it selfe but vsed it for the continuall exercising of themselues in the fayth of Iesus Christ VVhereby wee see that the Ceremonies had no vertue of themselues but that when they were referred too their due ende and spirituall paterne then it was perceyued that God had not ordeyned them but to the benefite of the Church Then let Iesus Christ be separated from the Ceremonies and they shal be but tryfles for little children to play with But if the end be considered wherevnto they ought too lead the faythfull then will it be found that they were profitable Yea and euen we at this day may fare the better by them Although the vse of them be abolished yet may we by them gather the things that are shewed vs in the Gospell As howe It was sayde that the Priest shoulde enter alone intoo the Sanctuarie and not without sacrifice VVell then therevppon wee haue to gather that there is neyther man nor Angell worthie too come vnto God but that we shoulde bee all of vs shet out if there were not a way opened for vs in the person of our lord Iesus Christ Marke that for one poynt Agayne we haue also to beare in minde that we can haue none attonement with God nor boldenesse and libertie to call vpon him except bloud go with it that is too say except the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ go with vs to get vs grace and fauour And all our prayers must be offered vp by that meane or else they shall be refused at Gods hade Moreouer it is sayde that the booke of the law was sprinckled with bloud as well as the Sanctuarie VVe see then that all things shoulde bee vnholy if they were not hallowed by the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ on all sydes ▪ and also that we shoulde haue no assurednesse of Gods promises nor be able to apply them to our welfare vnlesse they had seales continually at them Besides this when as it is sayd that God is our father and that our sinnes are forgiuen vs and wee accepted of him as righteous and giltlesse none of these promises should be of any force neither could they boot vs at all except the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ went before our eyes so as all the word of God were after a sort written vnto vs in red letters of the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ Thus ye see how we should profite our selues by the Ceremonies of the law But howsoeuer we fare the vse of them is abolished and if they continued still wee shoulde not haue so good teaching by them as we haue for we shoulde rest vpon these bace and corruptible things But in as much as we haue the heauenly pattern that was spoken of vnto Moses according also as the Apostle in the Epistle too the Hebrewes and Saint Steuen in the Acts do shew right well now we vnderstand wherefore God ordeyned such Ceremonies The thing then which wee haue too marke for one poynt is that we must vnderstand howe here is no speaking of matters of small importance but in knowing wherein the Ceremonies profited the fathers of old tyme and why it was Gods will to haue them abolished at the cōming of our Lord Iesus Christ And herewithal we see also that Saint Paul spared not Peter though he were his fellowe and were in as worthie and excellent an office as he was and seemed that of dutie he should haue bin borne withall Howsoeuer the cace stood with him he rebuked him sharply for that matter VVe may much better deeme that if it were a smal light thing S. Paule woulde not haue moued such debate and strife for it Needes therefore must it bee a matter of great importaunce But by the way we be warned that whensoeuer Gods truth is defaced or that any man turneth away from the pure simplicity of the Gospell we must not in any wise spare him but although the whole worlde shoulde set it selfe agaynst vs yet must we mainteyne the cace with inuincible constancie without bending for any creature For if any man ought to be borne with the same was Peter and seeing that our Lorde Iesus Christ had bestowed such giftes of grace vpon him as to giue him that name Saint Paule should haue yeelded somewhat vnto him yea but that matter was not to bee borne with Then ye see heere an example which sheweth vs that when the authoritie of men tendeth to the defacing of the truthe of the Gospell wee must fall too stryuing and not regarde any creature And this is greatly for our profite nowadayes For there are many that woulde fayne rowe betweene twoo streames and althoughe they perceyue the abuses and corruptions yet would they beare on both sydes and all to purchace peace as they themselues say wheras in the ende there must needes followe great confuzion when men doo so heaue one at another Therefore too appease all discorde they woulde fayne
vs expressely that the Sonne of God gaue himselfe And hee contenteth not himselfe too say that Christ gaue himselfe for the worlde in common for that had bin but a slender saying but sheweth that euerie of vs must applie too himselfe particularly the vertue of the death and passion of oure Lorde Iesus Christ VVhereas it is sayde that the Sonne of God was crucified we must not onely thinke that the same was done for the Redemption of the worlde but also euerie of vs must on his owne behalfe ioyne himselfe too our Lorde Iesus Christ and conclude It is for me that hee hath suffered Likewise when wee bee baptized as it is not for any one man alone so is not the water sprinckled vppon all men in common but euerie man is baptized seuerally in his owne behalfe too the ende that euerie of vs may applie it particularly too himselfe too saye that wee bee all members of our Lorde Iesus Christ Also when wee receyue the holy Supper euery man taketh his owne portion too shewe vs that oure Lorde Iesus Christ is communicated vntoo vs yea euen to euerie one of vs. S. Paule therefore dooth purposely vse that maner of speech too the ende wee shoulde not haue any colde imagination after the maner of diuerse ignorant persons which take themselues too bee Christians and yet in the meane while are as wretched beastes But when we once knowe that the thing which was done for the redemption of the whole worlde perteyneth to euery of vs seuerally it behoueth euery of vs to say also on his owne behalfe The sonne of God hath loued me so deerly that he hath giuen himself to death for me Furthermore the worde Loue is not superfluous here for Saint Paules intent is too magnifie the gracious goodnesse of our Lorde Iesus Christ as if he shoulde say that we be verie wretches if we accept not such a benefite when it is offered vs seeing that God in sending vs his sonne had none other respect but to our miseries which hee intended too relieue Also our Lord Iesus Christ did so neglect himselfe that he spared not his life for our welfare And what was the cause of it The loue that he bare vs. Seeing it is so must wee not needes be worse than out of our wittes if we accept not such a benefite But it is a verie common doctrine in the holy Scripture that God so loued the worlde that hee spared not his onely sonne but gaue him too death for vs and also that our Lorde Iesus Christ at such time as wee were his deadly enimies as sayth Saint Paule did confirme a maruellous loue towardes vs in that he offered himself in sacrifice to make attonement betweene God and vs and too doo away all our sinnes so as they might no more come to account Lo heere a warrant of our saluation so as wee ought to thinke our selues throughly assured of it Howbeit S. Paule ment purposely here too rebuke mens vnthankefulnesse in that they accept not the benefite which God graunteth them so bountifully yea and of hys owne free goodnesse For it behoueth vs too call to minde howe Saint Iohn in his Canonicall Epistle sayeth that we loued not God first as if shoulde saye wee did not preuent him as those thinke they doo which say I haue done him suche seruice and such For alas what is it that wee can do too him but that he loued vs yea euen at such time as we were his deadly enimies and came euen then to seeke vs out in the verie deepest of the bottomlesse Dungeons And therevppon Saint Paule addeth that hee dooth not dispize or shake off the grace of God This is the knitting vppe of the things that wee haue hythertoo seene For heere he ment too shewe that the Diuell must needes possesse those that make none accounte of Gods mercie that is vttered in our Lorde Iesus Christ and dayly offered vs in his Gospell For looke howe oft the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ is preached vntoo vs and the infinite goodnesse of our God talked of so oft is this message renued vntoo vs that our Lorde Iesus Christ calleth vs vntoo hym to the ende we should forsake the worlde and being out of all hope in our selues fasten and settle our whole trust in him Sith it is so it is good reason that we should not reiect the grace of God And S. Paule in saying so ment to call backe suche as had gone astray before and too shewe them the way as if he had sayde whereas the poore ignorant soules that neuer heard worde of the Gospel might be excuzed we must needes be worse than damnable seeing we refuze the grace of God when it is offered vs for it smelleth of such an vnthankefulnesse as can by no meanes be excused Saint Paule therefore dooth heere make mention of those whome our Lorde Iesus Christ calleth too the hope of saluation by his Gospell and yet doo still welter in their owne wretchednesse and become brutishe not knowing whither there bee a better lyfe or no◠or else of suche as are sufficiently tormented wyth inwarde heartbyting and yet seeke no remedie nor cōfort Yet notwithstanding all they too whome our Lorde Iesus Christ hath not preached his Gospell shall not fayle to perishe without mercie They cannot defende themselues by ignorance I say that all the heathen folke and Idolaters that euer were must haue their mouthes stopped And what shal become of vs then which haue had our eares beaten dayly with the message that God sendeth vs which is that hee requireth nothing but that we should be drawne vnto him wherevnto he incourageth yea and beseecheth vs as we haue seene in the second to the Corinthians It is not a great shame for vs that God should so farre abace himselfe in the person of his onely sonne that he should beseech vs Let vs fall to attonement sayth he And what hath he done on hys side VVhat hath hee offended vs Nay contrariwise wee ceasse not to prouoke him dayly agaynst vs and yet he commeth too say vnto vs I will fall too attonement with you whereas notwithstanding there is nothing but spitefulnesse in vs we be like little feends and to be short we bee damned and forlorne and yet commeth he to seeke vnto vs and desireth nothing but too haue th◠attonement made After that maner speaketh Saint Paule woorde for woorde But nowe what will become of vs if wee reiect such grace seing that God offereth it vs so freely This is it which is ment by that saying And therevppon hee concludeth in the ende that if wee seeke rightuousnesse in the Lawe Iesus Chryst dyed in vayne As if hee shoulde say that if wee iutende to inioy the grace that is conteyned in the Gospell wee muste vtterly gyue ouer the fonde opinion of our owne merites For men are deceyued by bearing themselues in hand that there is euer somwhat of value in
farre ouerseene as to take vpon him that he hath performed the whole Lawe Then if all of vs be found giltie of offence against God wee be as good as vtterly vndone till our Lord Iesus Christe reach vs his hand Therefore it followeth that wee must forget the rightuousnesse of the lawe and lay it vnder foote so as it may bee vtterly abolished and therevpon that wee go naked too our Lord Iesus Christe for remedie confessing our owne pouertie and not beyng ashamed too bee defaced with all reproche before God that we may be clothed againe with his glorie Thus ye see in effect what we haue too gather vpon this text where S. Paule sayeth that Iesus Christ is made vnprofitable if men hope to iustifie themselues by the Lawe For it hath bin too common an errour in all ages that at the first setting forth and first brunt men will needes pay God all that is due too him and in the end seeke startingholes when they see no power nor abilitie in them too doo it VVell say they though wee cannot doo all yet will wee do somewhat But in this cace it is not for vs to follow our owne imaginacions for God will iudge vs according too his owne woorde Therefore let vs not recken without our host as the Prouerb sayes by making our selues beleeue that God will accept what we think good but let vs vnderstand that Iesus Christ cannot boote vs at all except wee seeke the fulnesse of our saluation in him For it is not sayde in the Scripture that the father hath giuen vs him as a help to obtaine our saluation but that he is giuen vs to be our rightuousnesse and lyfe It followeth then that in our own selues there is nothing but wickednesse endlesse death til we haue recouered the thing in Iesus Christ which wee lost and were vtterly bereft of in Adam And these twoo things are ioyned here togither namely that Iesus Christ profiteth vs not at all and that wee be fallen from grace according as in very truth all the grace or fauour that we must finde at Gods hand is coÌ„municated to vs by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ And it is a very notable poynt For euery man will well ynough graunt that we must resort vntoo God bycause he is the welspring of all welfare But in the meane whyle the most part of men wander in their own windlasses and in stead of coÌ„ming vntoo God do go from him as it is too bee seene in the Papacie where wretched hipocrites the ignorant sort say that their gadding after their Sainctes and puppets their marâ—yring of theÌ„selues in their foolish deuotions is to get Gods fauour But in the meane whyle Iesus Christ is let alone and no man makes accouÌ„t of him but they rather hie theÌ„ to some stocke or stone which they call their Lady than to the Sonne of God And wherof coÌ„meth this Euen bicause they know not how God hath giuen vs his grace nor after what maner he will haue vs too seeke it nor what way and order it behoueth vs to hold Therefore when we be once throughly resolued that God is our father also know perfectly that what soeuer we haue neede of he will haue vs to draw it from out of our Lord Iesus Christ who is as a spring that was vnder the earth and afterward is opened and floweth abrode that euery man may take his fill of it then say I do we know that Gods grace cannot bee drayned drie but yet dooth it not come at vs but by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ Too bee short let vs marke that all that euer belongeth too our saluation is so put intoo the persone of Gods onely sonne that he alone must suffize vs and we go streyght vnto him and take all our contentation there And as I sayd afore let vs keepe our selues from this imagination of thinking to purchace any thing by our desertes for it separateth vs vtterly froÌ„ our Lord Iesus Christ Nowe herevpon S. Paule addeth that wee wayt for the hope of rightuousnesse by fayth in the spirite It serueth to confirme that which he hath sayd heretofore concerning the diuersitie that is betweene vs and the fathers that liued vnder the Lawe For howe was Abraham receyued intoo fauour but through fayth Yet notwithstanding he differed from vs in one thing For in asmuch as Iesus Christ was not yet discouered Ceremonies were giuen him and many mo were added at the publishing of the Lawe according too the neede which the people had too bee so led and guyded Too bee short the faythfull of all ages haue euer sought their whole rightuousenesse in the grace of God Neuerthelesse they were helped by the Ceremonies and shadowes bycause the Gospell was not yet so reueled vntoo them as it is vntoo vs nother was Iesus Christe who is the very pledge of rightuousnesse made yet so manifest But nowe lette vs come too that which Sainct Paule sayeth He setteth heere the spirite now adayes among the Christians to exclude all figures and shadowes as if he should say that it ought too suffize vs that the Sonne of God is appeered too vs for our rightuousnesse and therefore wee muste let go the Ceremonies bycause the shadowe were needelesse now adayes And not in this Texte alone dothe Sainct Paule match the woorde spirite agaynst the shadowes of the Lawe Truly when God in old time did ordeyne Circumcision Sacrifices and suche other things it was not too set folke at a gaze heere bylowe for all things that are contayned in the Lawe are in very deede spirituall There was a patterne of them shewed too Moyses on the Mountayne So then it is certayne that the fathers had a spirituall beleef as well as wee so as they knewe they were not washed and made cleane by three or foure droppes of water nor reconcyled too God by the sacrifizing of a Calfe or of some other brute beast but that oure Lorde Iesus Christe was their onely washyng and clenzing and that hee by the Sacrifyze of his deathe had discharged them quyte or at leastwyse should bycause the thyng was not yet done but the Fathers looked aloofe at the thing which was not yet disclozed And moreouer it is 〈◊〉 without cause that the sayde woord Spirit is set downe heere to shewe that the fathers could not imbrace the grace of our Lord Iesus Christe but by the meanes whiche our Lorde had ordeyned for the time Therefore when any man had done amisse he came with a sacrifice to acknowledge himself woorthie of death before God not too seeke his attonement in a Calfe or in a Sheepe or in any such other thing for that was too bee had in Iesus Christe but yet was it of necessitie that the figure of him should go before As much is to be sayd of the washings and of the residue of those things In these dayes we haue the body sayeth S. Paule and
to be condemned if they follow not Gods word but howsoeuer they fare we offend much more grosly wheÌ„ God hath once bin so gracious vnto vs as to call vs vnto him to shewe vs his will Then if wee turne head and forsake oure holy calling from heauen after we haue bin taught in Gods schole and entred into the way surely our fault is double we deserue much sorer punishment This is it that S. Paul ment in this text by saying how now You ran well Surely this forwardnesse of fayth is a great vertue namely when we be readie to answere God as soone as he speaketh the word to vs but yet is it nothing worth without holding out Then if we be so fickle and inconstant that when we haue gone forward a step or twayne we be readie to runne back ageyne or else to start out on the one side or on the other suche vnthankfulnesse is much more shamefull than if we had neuer harkened to God at all for we can not 〈◊〉 â—ore sheelde our selues by ignorance as they doo which are bred brought vp in errour and misknowledge who will say if we knew which is the truth we would not doo so as we should neede to be pulled by the eare but we be in doubt and we wote not on which side to turne vs. Then if they which haue begonne to followe God yea and haue had some certayne and infallible instruction by his worde doo afterward starte aside or go backe agayne doo they not shew that they doo it not of ignorance but of wilfulnesse and stubbornesse as though they mente of set purpose to spyte God Now it behoueth vs to marke well this thing specially for so muche as God is so gracious vnto vs as too shewe vs whiche is the waye of saluation whiche thing he dooth not too the rest of the worlde For wee see many blinde wretches that runne and trotte vp and downe and wote not what they doo but yet they shewe some desire of seruing God If a man aske them whether they thinke they doo well or no they answere yea howbeeit it is but a weening they bee not sure of it But wee on our side haue the warrant of the holy Ghost whiche oughte too bee sealed in our hearts that the doctrine whiche is preached vnto vs is not deuised by men but that God is the very author of it The holy Scripture is sufficiently proued wee know without adding of any thyng that God is oure guyde so that nowe a dayes there is not so very a dullarde or idiote but hee is iustly too bee condemned if hee receyue not the doctrine that is preached and set foorth and maye vppon hys owne knowledge iudge that hee dooth manifestly make wylfull warre agaynst God Seeing that oure Lorde hathe doone vs the prerogatiue too call vs too him and dooth still dayly allure vs and incorage vs to come forwarde till wee bee come to our races ende if wee bee weery to heare him and euery of vs would fayne take his owne scope to followe whatsoeuer his owne lust liketh what excuse or shift can wee hope to haue that we should not bee condemned with the Galathians for falling to our owne byasse after wee haue runne well and bin well forwarde on our way Yea and wee must also marke this saying which S. Paule interlaceth Who hath letted you sayth he He might haue sayde simply as he sayde in the begynning of the Epystle â–ª that they were quyte gone away yea and vtterly reuolted as Apostates or backslyders But he vseth the worde Let too shewe that it is not inough for vs not to turne quite and cleane away from God but that if wee doo but stoppe or linger that wee go not right foorth on still nor continue alwayes stedfastly in comming neerer and neerer vnto God it is alreadie a very dangerous matter So then let vs be ware of Satans wyles and not onely be afrayde of vtter reuolting from the obedience of oure God but also beare well in minde that when the Diuell shall once haue cooled vs and made vs too slake our pace so as wee fall to loytering in our gooing he shall haue gayned ouer much at our hands Thus ye see in effect what we haue to gather vpon this text Now to condemne the vnthankfulnesse of the Galathians the better he addeth that that counsell came not of him that called them In the first chapter he had sayde I maruell that yee bee so soone caryed away from Iesus Christ which called you to the grace of his Gospell For it is good reason that God should be heard when he openeth his holy mouth to teach vs. VVhat are wee VVretched wormes of the earth and rottennesse and yet notwithstanding our Lorde maketh his voyce to ring from heaueÌ„ to assure vs that if he inlighten guyde vs we can not do amisse and therefore that wee must depende wholly vpon him and reste vpon his truthe But if wee giue eare to this and that and when God speaketh wee be soaring in the ayre and hearken to one that whistleth and to another that singeth Is it not too shamefull an vnthankfulnesse If a Scholemaster see his scholers prattling togither while he speaketh to them or buylding of Castles in Spayne so as they heare not what he sayth the rodde must bee fayne too walke among them and good right it should so Verily a man can not abide that his mate or companion shoulde muse vppon other matters when he is talking with him but he will take it in scorne and derision But beholde God calleth vs and yet if there come any deceyuer to whisper vs in the eare wee hearken too him and followe his counsell which is a token that there was neuer any knowledge in vs too discerne the maiestie of oure God and too yeelde him the reuerence that he deserueth VVee knowe that the chief honor that he requireth 〈◊〉 is to haue our wittes minds bent to vnderstande what he commaundeth and appoynteth For that cause therfore S. Paule sayth that the sayde counsell came not of God who had called the Galathians Now it is certayne that he had called them long afore that time Neuerthelesse he thinketh it not inough to haue tolde vs once for all how wee should walke but also he holdeth on still according also as wee haue neede too haue the remembraunce of that doctrine to be renued dayly Then seeing it is so that God is alwayes at hande with vs yea as the Prophet Esay sayth both early and late that is to saye seeing he hath a continuall care to bring vs to him selfe and to draw vs neerer and neerer it is certayne that our fault is so much the haynouser if wee haue one of our eares in the fielde and the other in the towne as the Prouerbe sayth and that we be not wholly giuen too him and to his worde To be short we see heere that the true perfection of Gods children
should recouer their saluation according as we know that we be blessed of God for our Lord Iesus Christs sake And therefore Circumcision serued too humble the Iewes and too make them mislyke of themselues and to be ashamed when they sawe there was nothing but cursednesse in their nature That say I was the true and lawfull vse of circumcision Nowe what do they agaynst whom S. Paule speaketh They knowe that Circumcizion is no longer in vse that is to witte that Baptisme suffizeth euer since the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ but bicause the Iewes called all them Apostates or backsliders which were not circumcized therefore these rascalles will needes hold still the signe without the truth or substance VVe see then that they were verie falsaries and wrested the doctrine cleane contrarie too Gods meening when he ordeyned that spirituall Sacrament bicause their desire was nothing else but to please the worlde As much is done at this day And they that labour to ouerthrowe Gods truth are much worse than Saint Paules aduersaries For they had yet some cloke of honestie mainteyne Circumcizion and the figures of the Law bicause they were al ordeyned and stablished by God But as for these hypocrites which crie out vpō vs nowadayes with full throte saying ye must keepe the olde custome without chaunging of any thing whereon are they grounded They cannot say that God is Author of any of their stuffe Men haue contriued them after their owne fancie or rather Satan hath blowne them into their eares so that at a word all that is termed Gods seruice in Poperie is nothing else but a confuzed maze all is but dreames of mens setting forth and the diuell is euer the cheefe Authour of them And yet these naughtipacks say that nothing must be taken from them And wherevnto haue they respect Truly they will alledge that men muste purchase Gods grace by them and that they stirre folke vp to greater deuotion Againe they giue the title of Sacrament too all the foolish deuices of their owne heades saying such a thing must bee kept for it is a Sacrament But when all is iustly reckened a man shall see that theyr intent is to please the worlde and to mainteyne themselues stil For they be inforced spite of their teeth to confesse that it maketh neyther here nor there as in respect of God and that he passeth not for their kinde of seruice but vtterly dislyketh it bicause he will be serued with obedience But what There will bee horrible confusion say they if men cut off all after that fashion and speake plainly of things See I pray you how they woulde faine disguise themselues and in suche wise corrupt and falsifie religion as there shoulde bee made a mingled confusion of all or else that there shoulde no more be taken away but the grossest and fondest things and in the meane while such Ceremonies be let alone as may be any whit sufferable It is certaine say I that all they whiche speake so desire nothing else but to haue fayre winde and weather to the worldwarde Seing it is so let vs take warning at the holy Ghostes hande to flee suche plagues And although we cannot triumph in this worlde although we be nothing set by although men rayle vpon vs with opē mouth yet let vs not ceasse too holde oure owne for Gods truth and let it suffice vs to be allowed of the heauenly iudge though all the world abhorre vs. Although then that we see all these things yet let vs be pacient and tarie till our Lorde Iesus Christ shewe himselfe to bee our warrant and therewithall giue 〈◊〉 victorie in the behalfe of his truth so that all his enemies may bee put to shame and haue they◠mouthes stopped vp Nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him too touche vs with suche true repentance by his holy spirite that beeing vtterly cast downe in ourselues and quite cleane rid of all presumption we may be hartily sory for them and that moreouer it may please him so to increase the giftes of his holy spirite in vs as wee may no more be giuen to our flesh and the world to be hindred and hilde downe by them but that we may go forwarde to serue him and indeuer that his name may be glorified more and more and we beare suche a marke of his adoption as wee may bee so confirmed with it in our selues that other men may haue occasion to glorifie the name of this our good God for working so in vs. That it may please him to graunt this grace not only to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. The. 43. Sermon which is the sixth and last vpon the sixth and last Chapter 14 God forbid that euer I should glory in any thing sauing in the Crosse of our Lorde Iesus Christ vvhereby the vvorld is crvcified vnto mee and I vnto the vvorld 15 For in Iesus Christ neither Circumcision nor Vncircumcision auayleth any thyng but the nevv creature 16 And as many as vvalke according to this rule peace bee vpon them and mercy and vpon Israell that perteyneth to God 17 From hencefoorth let no man put mee to payne for I beare in my body the markes of the Lorde Iesu 18 Brethren the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ bee vvith your spirite Amen WE haue seene heeretofore howe Sainct Paule condemned such as sought altogither to row betweene two streames thereby too please the worlde and in the meane while to eschue persecution And that made them to disguise the Gospell whereof wee see too many examples yet still at this day For suche as see that the pure doctrine and truth of God can not be brucked of the world but that the wicked sort doo rage agaynst it they I say would fayne finde some meane way that they might not bee hated nor incurre any displeasure And that it is so if nowe a dayes yee aske it of such as haue but some little vnderstanding ye shal scarse finde one of them among a hundred whiche will not graunte that there are many abuses in Poperie but yet they will say that all must not be cut off by the quicke but that it is inoughe if some of the ouergrosse and excessiue superstitions bee taken away and so they would fayne still nourishe a great sorte of infections And why For as I haue sayde they woulde fayne bee in credite and estimation and it is no matter at all with them to betray the purenesse of the Gospell so they may saue themselues from persecutiō yea and euen among vs a man shall finde inowe that woulde haue bothe And what moueth them but that they would aduance them selues and get some reputation Forasmuche then as wee see that the Diuell which raysed those broyles in the time of Sainct Paule continueth the same vnto this day we ought to be armed with this doctrine And the
teeth with theyr lewdnesse in that they had so much the lesse excuse of their shrinking aside after that sort considering the goodnesse that God had shewed vpon them For if God call vs although it were too summon vs too our confusion yet ought wee too obey him bycause we bee his creatures It becommeth vs to bee subiect too his authoritie and howsoeuer hee dispose of vs it is alwayes our duetie too say beholde Lorde I am at thy pleasure so that too vse any shrinking away when God calleth vs is an vtter peruerting of all order Much more when God not onely calleth vs vntoo him but also setteth all the treasures of his goodnesse before vs in our Lord Iesus Christ and sheweth that hee seeketh nothing else but too make vs his owne by gyuing himselfe so wyllingly vntoo vs when God I say vseth such bountifulnesse towardes vs as ought too rauishe all our wittes vntoo woondering muste wee not needes bee too too lazie if wee shrinke backe Moreouer if wee fortune too wander too and fro after wee bee once come vntoo him wee shall haue so much the lesse excuce and feele the sorer and horribler condemnation as I haue touched alreadie Nowe then wee see what is imported in thys saying where Saint Paule maketh mention of the grace that the Galathians had bin called too And out of doubt wee in these dayes are muche more blame woorthie than the fathers that liued vnder the lawe if wee continue not in the pure doctrine of the Gospell without turning asyde from the things that are conteyned therein For albeeit that God called the Fathers too saluation vnder the lawe as well as vs now yet was not that calling with so open and abundant vtteraunce of the ryches of his mercie as wee haue it in our Lorde Iesus Christ Therefore let vs looke well about vs and seeing hee hath alreadie made vs too feele his grace let the same stirre vs vp and inflame vs too bee the bolder too haue an inuincible courage too continue in the same calling vntill wee bee come too the place wherevntoo God allureth vs. So then if wee compare our selues with the great number of misbeleeuing and ignorant soules it is certain that our vnthankfulnesse wil be so much the greater as Gods grace hath shewed it selfe larger and deepelier vnto vs. VVee shall see many sillie soules straying heere and there and yet ceasse they not for all that too be subiect too damnation For he that hath offended without lawe shall perish without Lawe Now for asmuch as God hath declared his will so freendly vnto vs and that togither with the vse of discretion wee haue also the doctrine of his Gospell which as I haue sayd heretofore serueth too shew vs that our damnation shall be more horrible if wee labour not too dedicate ourselues wholly vnto him by meanes whereof our bonde becommeth so muche the streighter S. Paule addeth another circumstance whiche is that it came too passe very hastely For certesse it was a horrible thing that the Galathians hauing bin taught by the holy Apostles own mouth should bee so corrupted as long as he was alyue Yee see then how it was the more too their blame that within three or foure dayes after their receyuing of the Gospell they were fleeted away and had mingled many false opinions with the truthe of God But although they had continued in the truthe some good whyle after Paules decease yet dothe it not followe that their so doyng might haue bin a sufficient discharge for them if they had fallen away afterward For as the truth wherevppon our fayth resteth is euerlasting although bothe heauen and earth doo passe away so must our fayth hold out too the end and not hang eyther vppon the lyfe or vpon the death of any man but haue hir ankerhold fastened in heauen Therfore if wee chaunge at any tyme whither it bee to day or too morrow wee shall bee the more too blame and our vnthankfulnesse shal be so much the shamefuller And truely the thing that S. Paule setteth downe heere in the persone of the Galathians is seene nowe adayes too much For such as haue gotten some smattering of the Gospell will bee wearie of it within a twoo or three yeares if there come no new chaunge in the meane tyme. For they haue itchyng eares and wee see many fantasticall persones become backesliders and bycause the truth of the Gospell liketh them not they would alwayes be fleeting haue I wote not what new stuffe brougtht in too feede them in their fond speculations VVe see othersome greeued bycause they perceyue that the Gospell aduauntageth them not too the worldward yea and there are some that turne away bicause they see it is an occasion too make them too be persecuted and too purchace them many enemies or else they starue as they thinke whyles other men prosper and fare well Thus yee see howe Iesus Christe is forsaken of many howbeit not from the father too the sonne but by reason that such as haue shewed him a fayre countenance are suddainely chaunged and fleete away from him within a twoo or three yeares or at leastwyze within halfe a score yeares after So muche the more then ought wee too marke well this doctrine bycause it is spoken too vs and also too thinke vppon the reproche which Ieremie layd vnto the Iewes Go your wayes intoo farre Countries sayeth he runne beyond sea see what other people doo euery man keepes him too his owne Idolles and yet there is no Godhead in them Satan beguyles them vnder colour of deuotion and they be so settled in the same as they cannot by any meanes bee turned away from it Now at leastwyze bee you as constant as they seyng that God hath shewed himselfe too you and you know his will fully and certainly Let vs beware that the lyke bee not sayd too vs now adayes for wee see the ouerearnestnesse of the Turkes in their Religion And although the Iewes bee no better than vncleane Dogges yet are they stiffe still in maynteyning the authoritie of their Lawe As for the Papistes they haue nothyng but dotages so beastly as it is horrible too see euen children are able too iudge of them and yet for all that wee see howe they burne with furious zeale too maynteyne their treacheries But as for vs the Diuell doth no sooner holde vp his finger but by and by wee gad after him it shoulde seeme that euery of vs watcheth too spie if there come any newe toy and the least occasion in the worlde will by and by shake vs and scare vs out of our way and thereof wee fee too many examples euen here without goyng any further So much the more therefore doth it behoue vs too marke the blame that is layd heere by the mouth of Sainct Paule agaynst the vnconstancie of suche as turne away from God specially so soone after he had called them to the grace of our Lord Iesus
too call him too preache the Gospell he did immediately fall in trayne and wâ—yted not at all for the aduice of man for it was ynough for him that God had sente him and that he was auowed by such a Mayster VVherevppon he did not in any wise spare himself nor stand scannyng of the matter but resolued himself fully to go foreward on his way and to hold out in such wyse as wee haue seene which is a sure record that God gouerned him by his holy spirite This is the thing which wee haue too beare in minde And therwithall we must also marke well how he sayeth that God had prepared him from his mothers wombe and in the end called him too publish his Gospell Here S. Paule sheweth that his calling after that maner was not for any forewardnesse or woorthinesse that was in his owne persone but bycause he had bin chozen of God euen before he was borne That is the cause why he purposely vseth this saying that from his moothers wombe he had bin as it were separated and dedicated vnto God How then could he bring any thing of his own power For what could he do when he was yet vnborne God therefore must needes bee the woorker in that behalfe Again he addeth that God called him True it is that he speaketh this coÌ„cerning his office but yet notwithstanding hee magnifieth Gods goodnesse in generall to shewe that too him onely we be beholden for all that wee haue not onely in respect of this flightfull lyfe but specially for the euerlasting saluation of our soules This cannot be layd out too the full at this time and therefore wee will leaue a peece of it till the next time Howbeit for a conclusion let vs marke how S. Paule sheweth vs as it were in a mirrour that our yeelding of our selues in obedience vnto God happeneth not through any mans putting foorth of himself but through Gods reaching out of his hand from aboue and through his drawyng of vs too himselfe euen at such time as wee could not seeke him No doubte but men will alwayes imagine somewhat too commend themselues withall Neuerthelater all is but illusion and the Diuell vseth that tricke to make vs too darken Gods grace too the intent wee might be bereft of it For it is good reason that God should leaue men in such plight as they bee when they will take vpon them that whiche belongeth vntoo him and not condemne themselues as they bee woorthie Therefore let vs marke well that all the goodnesse which wee perceyue in this world proceedeth of Gods meere grace and that there is not any thing that can bee graunted too our selues And that wee may the better perceiue this free goodnesse let vs vnderstand that wee must lay downe all worthinesse of our owne desertes and haue an eye first too Gods free election and afterward too his callyng VVherefore then are wee inlightened with the knowledge of the Gospell Is it for that wee haue deserued aught No but bicause God hath chozen vs before wee were borne yea and euen before the making of the world as it is sayd in another place Yee see then at what poynt wee must begin too the end wee bee not puffed vp with vayne pride whiche woulde make vs breake our neckes in the end but rather bethinke vs too walke in lowlinesse remembering how it is sayd in another place VVho is it that sholeth thee out or that maketh thee more excellent than others It is God sayth he who hath done it of his owne meere goodnesse VVhen S. Paule confesseth there that it is God which hath separated or sholed vs out it is to cut off all allegations of men beyng well assured that no man can say he is better than his fellowes saue onely bicause God hath chozen vs yea euen before we were borne And this choyze of God is secrete vntill he shewe by effect that he calleth vs too him And how doth he that By his Gospell and therein there is a double grace The one is when the doctrine is preached too vs. For we see the miserable state of the world how a number of sillie soules and a number of blinde wretches wander there in darknesse without succour or ayde when in the meane whyle our God offereth vs foode yea and putteth it intoo our mouthes and is not that a singular grace But yet further God muste bee fayne too call vs inwardely and too touch vs in such wise by his holy spirite as his doctrine may rightly haue authoritie with vs wee acknowledge that it comes of him and he seale the same in our hartes by his holy Ghost accordyng as he speaketh of it as well in the second too the Corinthians as also in the first to the Ephesians To be short according as it is sayd by the Prophete Esay that it behoueth vs too bee taught of God Let vs vnderstand that we must be throughly assured in our hartes by the holy Ghost that the doctrine whiche wee hold commeth not of men but is the infallible truthe of God and wee cannot but haue so sure record of it that if wee be not to leude and vnthankfull wee may perceyue by eye sight that it is the very same wherevnto we ought to sticke euen to the end and also which will bryng vs into the kingdome of heauen when wee shall haue finished our course in this mortall life But now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs perceyue them more and more to the end that beyng humbled to mislike of our selues and to renounce all our own wicked affections desires we may offer our selues to our Lord Iesus Christ and yeeld him the honour that he requireth at our hands not only for fashion sake but also in such wise that as he hath his mouth open too shewe vs the way of Saluation so wee also may haue our eares attentiue to submit our selues quietly vnto him â–ª and our hartes open so as there may be nother hardnesse nor sturdinesse in them but that wee may abide his yoke beyng readie too receyue the same and too dedicate our whole life too the obeying of him and too the framing of our selues vnto his holy will that when Gods name is so glorified in vs others may also be drawen therevnto and all of vs be gathered into his flocke to the end wee may woorship him with one common accord and our Lord Iesus Christ haue the due honour and seruis that belongeth vnto him And for the performance hereof it may please him to rayse vp true and faithfull ministers of his woord c. The. 6. Sermon vpon the first Chapter 15 But vvhen it pleazed God who choze me from my mothers vvomb and called mee by his grace 16 To reuele his Sonne by mee to the ende I shoulde preach him among the Gentiles I did not therevpon take counsell of flesh and
wretched it is nor also the remedie which wee must apply too it For to the intent we may put our trust in our Lord Iesus Christ wee must vnderstand that wee be vtterly forlorne as well by reason of the sinne of Adam as by reason of the infinite number of iniquities wherein we be saped yea and wee must fully beleeue it But we should neuer perceyue that our sinnes condemne vs curse vs before God except wee knew that wee haue neede of rightuousnesse And on the otherside wee should not know Gods rightuousnesse if we should singly say that we be saued by faith and by grace For God cannot once renounce himself bycause he is the soueraine rightuousnesse and there is nothing in him but purenesse and perfection by reason whereof he must needes hate euill Now it is so that wee be full of corruption there is nothing but euill in vs and therefore God must needes hate vs. And if he hate vs wo woorth vs for then are we damned Then standeth it vs on hand to be made rightuous before we can be in Gods fauour That is to say it behoueth vs to be purged of our faults and misdeedes for else as I sayd wee shall neuer be able to conceyue that God intendeth too shewe vs mercie But in acknowledging our selues too be sinners wee perceyue by and by that God muste needes hate sinne and that although he hate sinne yet not withstāding he findeth meanes to saue vs which is by forgetting our offences and by clenzing and purging them with the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ who is our spirituall washing God then purgeth vs in that wize too the ende wee should bee receyued of him and being made parttakers of his loue bee assured of our saluation Thus yee see why the Scripture vseth the woorde Iustifie But the Papistes descant vppon it like blinde buzzardes VVhat say they shoulde wee bee iustified by fayth Fayth is no such vertue as maketh men perfect and how then shall it make vs rightuous They consider not that this rightuousnesse whereof the Scripture speaketh is Gods couering of our sinnes as I declared afore and his taking of them quyte and cleane away for the sake and by the meane of our Lord Iesus Christe and by the vertue of the Sacrifize of his death and Passion How soeuer the cace standeth it is sayd that wee be counted rightuous before God bycause he releaseth and forgiueth our sinnes And after the same maner doth Sainct Paule speake of it in the fourth to the Romanes where he sayeth that Dauid hath well declared in effect howe wee bee iustified by fayth when he sayeth Blissed is the man whose iniquities God hath forgotten and whose sinnes he hath couered And in another place he sayeth that our Lord Iesus Christe who knewe no sinne nor had any spot in him was made sinne for vs that is too say receyued all the condemnation of our faultes too the end that wee should become Gods rightuousnesse in him that is too say too the end that being greffed into his persone and made one body with him wee might be taken for rightuous bycause there was such perfectnesse in his obedience that our sinnes were buried and rid quite and cleane away Thus much concerning the woord Iustifie ▪ Now as touching the woord Fayth or beleefe S. Paule addeth for a declation that they had beleeued in Iesus Christ. If a man aske an vnlearned persone what Fayth is he will perchaunce answere that it is too beleeue but he shall not be able too tell what is ment or imported by any of them both VVill wee then haue the vnderstanding of them according too the rawe capacitie of the vnskilfullest sorte VVee must alwayes marke that our Lord Iesus Christe is set too bee the butte of our fayth and beleefe Do wee obtayne saluation by fayth It is asmuche too say as wee beleeue in our Lord Iesus Christe But let vs now cōsider why our Lord Iesus Christ is set before our eyes for our fayth too ame at and too reste wholly vppon It is bycause wee shall finde in him what soeuer belongeth too the making of vs rightuous I haue tolde you already that wee bee taken for rightuous before God when he forgiueth our sinnes and calleth thē not too account any more And how shall wee obtayne that but by the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ which was shed to wash vs withall For in asmuch as he hath made full amendes for vs by his death and passion therefore God is appeazed towardes vs condicionally that we seeke not to pay him with any other thing than with the sacrifize that was offered vp to him by his only sonne our Lord Iesus Christ who is called Gods wel beloued sonne too the ende that wee should be beloued in him and the rightuous to the end we should be made parttakers of his rightuousnesse and the holy too the end we should be made holie in him Thus then yee see why wee muste haue an eye to our Lord Iesus Christ when wee intend too know what the woorde Fayth importeth But the Papistes stande wilfully in their owne conceyt bycause they neuer tasted what it is to beleeue and that do they shew well ynough by their allegacions How is it possible say they that a man should bee iustified by beleeuing seyng that the very Diuels doo beleeue It is true and S. Iames vseth the same reason How beit in that place he mocketh at suche as pretend a vayne and fonde cloke of Christianitie and fayth and in the meane whyle shewe no frutes at all of it But the Papistes beguyle themselues yet much more grosly in saying that Fayth is too beleeue in God and that God is the marke that fayth ameth at so as it seemeth too them that too make vp beleefe there needeth no more but to imagine that there is some one certayne God that made the worlde and which gouerneth all things And so they fall faste a sleepe in their ignorance and yet ceasse not too take themselues for good Christians and Catholikes as they themselues bable although they be altogither dulled in deede But it is no woonder that they fight so agaynst the doctrine of the holy Scripture and with suche vnamendable wilfulnesse denie that a man can bee saued by fayth seyng they haue nother discretion nor vnderstāding for they wote not what the matter meeneth So muche the more therefore doth it stande vs vppon too marke well what Sainct Paule telleth vs heere that is too witte that if wee looke not vntoo Iesus Christe wee knowe not what fayth is And the reason thereof is for that we know not what it is too haue forgiuenesse of sinnes to come vnto God to be able to put our trust in him and to call vpon him nother do we know any more what it is to haue our consciences quiet and to hope for the euerlasting life All these things we want till Iesus
Christ be set afore vs and till wee haue cast our looke vpon him so as all our senses be settled vppon him and as it were shet vp there Yee see then that the fayth whereby wee obtayne grace is that after we once know our selues to be wretched creatures and that there is nothing but loth somnesse in vs wee seeke the remedie of it in our Lord Iesus Christ and vnderstand that he was offered vp for vs to redeeme vs from the curse wherein we were plundged that he hath made vs cleane by his bloud that by his obedience he hath put away all our offences and that for the same we bee assured that God accepteth and receiueth vs for his children Thus ye see how this text is to be vnderstoode And whereas S. Paule sayeth that he himselfe and all the Iewes that were conuerted vnto Christianitie did looke too bee saued by the fayth of our Lord Iesus Christ he addeth also the reason why namely bycause no flesh shall be iustified by the works of the Lawe He had well vsed that woord if he had applied it but to his owne countrymen but heere he speaketh of all men in generall And whereas he sayeth no fleshe at all first he betokeneth that the Iewes differ nothing at all from the Gentyles in the meane of obtayning saluation VVherfore although the Iewes beyng circumcyzed were taken as it were for Gods heritage and sanctified vnto him yet not withstāding they could not haue any hope of saluatiō but by his mere grace Lo how they be matched with the Gentyles and raunged in like degree with them Again S. Paule ment heere to deface vtterly all the ouer weening that men conceyue of their own vertues There are many which know they haue ouershot thēselues so farre that they cannot chalendge any glorie too them as though they had deserued aught at Gods hand VVretched drunkardes vnthriftes and such as haue giuen themselues ouer to all naughtinesse will be ashamed to auaunce themselues and too brag that they can bind God by their deserts and well doings for euen before mē they be fayne too hide themselues bicause of their leudnesse But as for those that haue some cloke of hipocrisie and shew some signe of holinesse before men they by by become drunken with it so harden themselues that they beleeue they deserue Paradyse and that God is greatly bound vnto them Of which sute are these Popeholy ones who although they be ful of al filthinesse so as there is nothing in them but ambition couetousnesse crueltie and suche other like things yet how soeuer the world go for asmuch as they haue good store of their Churchstuffe other counterfettings they beare thēselues in hand that God seeth not a whit intoo their leudnesse but perswade themselues that God ought to accept them for their owne merites sakes Also such as heare Masse deuoutly such as rūne from the Tauerne or from the Alehouse to the Chappell specially such as buy pardons and such other like stuffe and such as keepe fasting-dayes and holydayes wil be puffed vp with such an ouer weening as to thinke they haue bound God vnto them But S. Paule in naming all flesh sheweth that men must not shole out themselues asunder as though one were righteous though another were not so but must all stoupe and humble themselues and passe condemnation assuring themselues that all their vertues yea euē of the excellentest men of all are but filthinesse before God For although a man bee perfectly rightuous to our opinion so as he doth noman harme but hath stedfastnesse in himself to withstand all vices and is chaste and sobre and to be short is taken and esteemed to be as an Angell yet not withstanding he hath nothing in him but corruption And how can that bee Bycause wee may not reste vppon the outward apparance for as the Prouerbe sayeth all is not golde that glistereth It is not for vs to iudge what is vice and what is vertue except wee could enter into a man For if a man yeeld not vnto God that which belongeth vnto him what is to be sayd of it He robbeth not men but he robbeth God of his honour Agayne though men giue him neuer so great prayse clap their hāds at him yet shall he but burst for vaynglorie and pride and nothing shal be able too frame him too humilitie saue the knowing of our Lord Iesus Christ So then they which make a goodly outward show in their life shall neuerthelesse be still condēned before God This is the thing whereby S. Paule intēded to forestall all the vaine trust that men can cōceyue or nurrish cōcerning their own deseruings But there is yet more For he speaketh not only of such men as were after a fort forsaken of God and were not renewed by his holy spirit but when he sayeth All flesh ▪ he cōprehendeth the faithfull also For although Gods holy spirit dwell in vs after he haue drawen vs to the knowledge of his Gospell and greffed vs into the bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ although say I that Gods spirit dwell in vs yet are we al comprehended vnder the woorde Flesh in respect of that which we haue of our owne S. Paule then giueth sentence heere that no flesh shall bee iustified bycause the faythlesse are condemned in Adam and abide in their condemnation and the faithfull are alwayes vnperfect so as they haue many vices and blemishes by meanes whereof they bee condemned as well as the other and so this condēnation is generall That he which will bee iustified by the woorkes of the lawe shall alwayes be found giltie yea euen the holiest men that euer were Let vs take Abraham who was a mirrour of all perfection let vs take Dauid who excelled in all vertue Let vs take Noë Iob and Daniell who are reckened vp for three rightuous men by the Prophete Ezechiell and let vs take such other like and yet neuerthelesse euen they also are raunged in the same aray that is too wit that they could not obtayne rightuousnesse before God but by Grace Nowe then I pray you what shall wee doo muste not the Diuell needes driue them headlong intoo terrible pryde which at this day doo stay still that they may bee iustified by their owne desertes or meritorious woorkes as they terme them For who is hee that can matche eyther Dauid Noë Abraham or Daniell Had not men neede too haue profited well in Gods schoole and to bee inflamed with a true zele of giuing themselues wholly vntoo him that they may bee vtterly conuicted that they bee yet very farre of from beyng come to the poynt whiche wee see Dauid Noe and Daniell too haue bin at ◠For asmuch then as wee knowe this lette vs marke that heere the holy Ghoste beateth downe suche as mount vp too highe too the ende wee should bee the more ashamed that wee haue not one drop of deserte of glorie and seeke all that pertayneth
appoynteth and ordeineth vs to be lawful witnesses for the aduancing in larging of his Gospel by vs hath he not iust cause to complayne if wee swarue aside from it after wee haue suffered for it Therefore let all suche looke narrowly to them selues as haue had any good beginning And there is not any warning better worthie too bee taken heede vnto than this For seyng that the least of the Church haue ynough too bind them to Godward for his chozing of them from out of the world for his directing of his Gospell vnto thē in somuch that he hath left the great ones such as take highly vpon thēselues by reason of their great excellencie preferred the lesser sort such as are despized too the worldward and shall surely haue the harder accoūt to make if they shrink away afterward what shall become of those whom God vouchsafed to haue to be his standerd bearers and whom he perferred in such wize as they ought too haue bin an exāple and looking glasse to others what excuse shall there be for thē if they giue the slip And specially if they that haue suffered for the name of Iesus Christ for the doctrine of his Gospell so farre forth as to haue bin kepte in pryson and too haue bin tormēted yea and to haue bin brought euen vnto deaths dore do afterward start aside is it not an abolishing of Gods grace so far forth as in them lieth So little then ought any mans suffering for the Gospell serue to excuze him or cause him to be borne withall that such as haue suffered most ▪ ought too brydle themselues shortest knowing that the honour which God doth them holdeth them so much the more bound vnto him and that it behoueth them to bee the more watchfull and warer that they giue none occasiō of stumbling to any bodie For when folke shall say how commeth this too passe such a one should haue bin a Martir of God he hath indured much for the mayntenance of the truth and now beholde he is become a renegate it is a putting of the Gospell to shame reproch and what a thing is that By that meanes the name of God shall be greatly misreported And therfore let vs marke well that if we haue for a time serued God and he hath made our labour frutefull so as the Church hath bin profited and edified by it wee muste walke in the greater carefulnesse and take good heede that wee play not the shrewd Cow that giues a good deale of milke and when shee hath done strikes downe the payle and spilles it For if we doo a hundred times more harme than wee did good what can we alledge for our defence how can wee say that wee haue suffered for the Gospell VVherfore if we purpose that God shoulde allow of our seruis let vs learne to be constant firme and fast settled that we neuer swarue aside from our callyng but continue and go foreward in it more and more Howbeit for asmuch as this vpbrayding was very rigorous S. Paule mitigateth it saying If at leastwize it be in vayne VVherin he giueth the Galathians an incling that he hopeth much better of thē and that although they were start aside for a tyme yet it would not indure long but that vpon warning and exhortation they would returne againe into the right way And in this text wee see that when wee bee rebuked by Gods spirit it is not too make vs fumish nor to driue vs too such a desperatenesse that wee shoulde take the brydle in our teeth and fall too chafing but rather too drawe vs to repentance God then intendeth not to make vs so dismayed as too leaue vs in the briers but after he hath shewed vs our faultes he calleth vs alwayes home againe too him and calleth vs to repentance and sheweth vs that he is readie too receyue and take vs too mercie as oft as wee bee touched with true lowlinesse to be sorie for our sins and too acknowledge them vnfaynedly and freely Sith it is so let vs on our side be well aduized that when we be told of the faultes that wee haue done wee play not the mad Bedlems nor go about to win any thing by starting aside or dragging backe but yeeld our selues giltie and bee so meeke and patient minded as too suffer our selues too bee blamed after as wee haue neede And when rebukings shall seeme somewhat with the sharpest pricking to vs let vs alwayes beare in minde too consider too what end they tend and what frute followeth them and that although God rebuke vs throughly yet he is readie too forget all our faultes afterward Yee see then what wee haue to remember as if S. Paule should say that although we to the vttermost of our power haue abolished the grace of God yet not withstanding he on his part is loth they should perish would faine make them to prosper And therevnto he rebuketh vs to the intent we should not cōtinue vnamendable Therfore whensoeuer we shall haue bin so far ouerseene as to stray from the right way yet let vs know that our Lord calleth vs backe too him and giueth vs a meane to returne againe if our fault be not matched with wilfulnesse Now after that S. Paule hath spoken so he addeth againe that God had delt foorth the giftes of his holy spirit among the Galathians yea that by meanes of the gospel in somuch that the same ought to haue bin ynough to hold them to the doctrine which they had receyued without turning aside or wandering away frō it VVhereas he speaketh here of Gods spirit he meeneth not the grace that was treated of this morning which is common to all the faythfull but vseth an other kinde of reasoning as we shall see by the sequele namely that besides Gods shewing of himselfe generally too all the Galathians that he had adopted them for his children he had also ordeyned Prophetes among them and men indewed some with the gifte of Tunges some with the gift of healing othersome with such other like But all this came to them by meanes of the Gospell and therefore their turning backe againe to the Ceremonies of the law was a burying of all the operacions of Gods spirit I haue told you already how we must beare in minde that God cōmunicateth his spirit to all his for without that we could not be Christians bicause there is nothing but euill in our nature God must be fayne to reforme vs bring vs backe to himself so as we may become as it were new creatures Yee see then that God doth make vs generally all parttakers of his holy spirit by meanes wherof we be touched with the feare of him inlightened with fayth to seeke our saluatiō in Iesus Christ and cheered vp to resort vnto God to cal vpō him to yeeld our selues obediently to his will to be short so ye see that Gods spirit is cōmon to
longâ— seeing wee were forlorne and damned in Adams fall How happeneth it that he hath not remedied it rather Surely S. Paule doth not altogither satisfie mens appetites but cutteth it quite off by the waste And in good sooth if God mente too content vs hee shoulde bee fayne too feede vs with many needelesse things but he intendeth too tâ—ye the obedientnesse of our fayth And Sainct Paule also dooth barre vs of that thing in saying that the fulnesse of time was not yet come And what meaneth he by the fulnesse of time He meaneth the time that God hath appoynted in his owne purpose and not according as men might haue iudged of it for they bee no competent iudges of that matter but muste submitte them selues to God and allowe of that whiche he hath stablished Thus yee see what S. Paule ment by saying that the full time was then come when God sente his onely sonne into the worlde Therefore let vs learne that our cheefe wisdome is this sobernesse of submitting our selues vnto God too accept for good and rightfull what soeuer thing he dooth knowing that on our owne part though wee haue neuer so muche vnderstanding it is but folly for vs too thinke our selues aught woorth or too take vppon vs the skill of any thing and that wee must learne too humble our selues to our God and not doo as many men doo who are so hastie as to say VVhat I thinke thus and thus is mine opinion For there is not any thing more contrarie to Gods doctrine than when men presume so much vpon them selues as too say thus must the matter go and so and so do I thinke or suppose Truely it becommeth vs too behilde as captiues as S. Paule sayth in the seconde too the Corinthians Let vs holde our selues in such awe as wee may not once lifte vp our heades too dispute agaynst God nor make any estimation of our selues as though we were of some abilitie Let vs holde vs contented with the libertie that he hath giuen vs and not abuse the grace that he hath graunted vs in preferring vs before those that were as Angels in this worlde and yet notwithstanding were not aduanced to the libertie which wee haue by the Gospell Furthermore S. Paule doth heere bring vs back to the thing which we ought to consider aboue all others which is that our beeing at the time of full age in these dayes is not in respect of any vertue that is in vs but in respect of our Lord Iesus Christ The difference betweene vs and the fathers of olde time is as I haue sayd already that they were led as vnder awe and wee bee nowe set free into 〈…〉 why are wee 〈◊〉 â–ª Is it bicause wee bee of more value thaâ— they◠〈◊〉 for that there is any worthinesse in vs No but bicause it pleased God too honor vs with the presence of his only Sonne VVill we then inioy the libertie of the Gospell Let vs go right foorth too our Lorde Iesus Christ who as he is glorified in him selfe wyll also bryng vs intoo the heauenly glory whereinto hee is gone before vs. This is the thing that Sainct Paule ment purposely too tell vs. As touching that it is added that he was made of woman and put vnder the Lawe it can not be dispatched at this time and therefore we will reserue it tyll an other time And nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowlegement of our faultes praying him to make vs so too feele them as wee may mourne and bee sory for them with true repentance and goo thither as he calleth vs that is too wit be so rightly bereft of our flesh and of all the corruptions therof as we may come to the ioy whereto he dayly calleth vs and vnto that vncorruptnesse wherein it behoueth vs to go forwarde all the time of our life That it maye please him too graunt this grace not onely too vs but also too all people and Nations of the earth c. The .xxv. Sermon which is the seconde vpon the fourth Chapter 4 But vvhen the tyme vvas fully come God sente hys sonne made of vvoman and made vnder the Lavve 5 Too the intente too redeeme those that vvere vnder the Lavve that vve might receyue the adoption of children 6 And forasmuche as you bee children God hath sent the spirite of his sonne into your hearts crying Abba that is to say father 7 VVherfore now thou art not a seruant but a sonne and if thou bee a sonne thou arte also an heyre vvith Christ I Haue tolde you already why S. Paule speakes heere of the fulnesse of time namely to abate meÌ„s curiositie who by their good willes would seeke to farre into Gods secretes yea and take vpon them so boldly as to reply against God if he behaue not himself after their fancie To the intent therfore that the faythfull may content theÌ„selues with the order that God hath kept in sending of our Lord Iesus Christ he sayeth that the due season was not before for that matter dependeth vpon the only good pleasure of God and vpoÌ„ his vnchaungeable purpose wherevnto it behoueth vs too submit our selues And now S. Paule sayeth that our Lord Iesus Christ was made of woman and put vnder the lawe to acquite those that were vnder the lawe First he sayeth that he was clothed with our nature for else he could not haue yeelded obedience to God in our behalfe that wee might be set free Howbeit for asmuch as he was conceyued after a woÌ„derfull maner therefore doth S. Paule say he was made or begotten of a woman It is true that he was of the seede of Dauid neuerthelesse I haue told you already that there was a secrete working of the holie Ghost in his conception But how soeuer it was our Lorde Iesus Christe tooke our nature vppon him too the end he might yeeld obedience to God his father as it were in our persone And that was the cause why he tooke our nature vppon him And this subiection whereof he speaketh was not of constraint but of good will For wee know that the Sonne of God hath all superioritie and soueraintie in so much that euen the Angelles and all the principalities must bowe their knees before him too doo him honour How then could he bee subiect too the Lawe seyng that the Lawe is such a bondage This doth no whit deface the Maiestie of Gods sonne for asmuch as he abaced himself of his owne good will Therefore as it is sayd in the second too the Philippians there is no contrarietie in that he might make himselfe equall with God without robberie and yet that he abaced himselfe also So then for asmuch as this doing of his proceeded of his owne meere and vnconstreyned goodnesse he continued alwayes in his owne state not withstanding that before men he had the shape and fashion of a seruant as S. Paule also specifieth in the same place
auaylable not onely in hydâ—â—◠〈…〉 which wee haue committed alreadie and in burying them out of remâ—â—â—â—aunce but also in clenzing vs dayly by hys holy spirite and in holding vs vp continually till we bee come to the perfection wherevntoo he calleth vs and be deliuered from the prison of sinne wherewith wee bee yet inclozed That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also too all people c. The. 40. Sermon which is the thirde vpon the sixth Chapter 6 Let him that is taught in the vvorde make him that teacheth him partaker of all good things 7 Deceyue not your selues God cannot be mocked For looke vvhat a man sovveth that shall he also reape 8 For hee that sovveth in the fleshe shall also of the fleshe reape corruption But hee that sovveth in the spirite shall of the spirite reape euerlasting lyfe WEe see well ynough that wheresoeuer S. Paule was knowne he could not be suspected to be a man much giuen too his owne profite For although it were lawfull for him to haue his finding bicause hee bare abrode Gods worde yet notwithstanding as we see he forbare that libertie to the end to preuent al occasions of stuÌ„bling And he protesteth that he was fain to labor day night with his hands to earne his liuing But yet was he so much the better able without suspition to call vpon the negligent sort to do their dutie as we see in this text He commaundeth men to find their teachers not to suffer them to want any thing Nowe if Saint Paule as I sayde had bin a couetous man in scraping too himselfe other mens goods or if hee had bin desirous too set out himselfe in pompe and superfluitie hee shoulde haue had his 〈…〉 haue bin tolde him that he spake for himselfe and that it had bin no giuing of himselfe to the seruice of God But forasmuch as he had shewed sufficiently by experience that forgetting himselfe and hauing no regarde of his owne persone he sought nothing else but to aduaunce the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ and to edifie his Church therefore he might rebuke the vnthankefulnesse of such as behaued themselues amisse towards their sheepherdes in abridging them of sustenance for their bodies whereas by their meanes they had food and sustenance for their soules Now it is a verie vnkinde dealing wheÌ„ a man considereth not that he which bringeth him the doctrine of saluation is as a fosterfather sent vnto him of God and at least wise findeth not in his heart to giue him bodily food Therfore when men are so retchlesse in that behalfe they bewray a contempt of Gods worde For nature ought to teach vs that when we be in any mans dette wee shoulde streyne our selues to the vttermost to requite him the like and if we be not able to do it then at leastwise to shewe that it is not for want of good will But in this cace lyke cannot bee requyted for lyke For Gods worde findeth not any thing in the worlde that may be layde in balance agaynst it Yet notwithstanding such as are taught ought at leastwise not to spare theyr temporall goodes for the finding of those at whose hande they receyue the inestimable treasure of the Gospell And verely we see howe it hath alwayes bin the pollicie of Satan too spoyle Gods Church of good Sheepherdes and ministers by after a sort staruing of them Satans vpholders shall alwayes haue ynough to cramme themselues withall according as wee see howe that in the Papacie these ydle bellyes which do nothing else but barke oute theyr Masses and Mattins are crammed too the full Though all the worlde shoulde hunger and thirst for it those kinde of people shall neuer feele penurie yea and they shall haue good store of prouision though all the worlde starue in the meane while But cleane contrarywise when such as serue God shall haue shewed the singular zeale and care which they haue for the health of mens soules men let them alone and thinke them greatly bound vnto them that they giue theÌ„ the heering VVell say they we haue heard him 〈…〉 him well he hath done his dutie And how many are there nowadayes that 〈◊〉 contribution when they come too heere a Sermon They could find in their hearts that God shoulde neuer be spoken of bicause it is a melancholike matter too them VVhereby wee see that the Diuell hath by that meanes gyuen a pushe too ridde away all teaching and too bring to passe that there might bee none but Idolles nor any man care howe hee behaued himselfe Then was it not without cause that Saint Paule was desirous to remedie such inconuenience saying that hee which teacheth ought at leastwyse to bee nurrished and mainteyned and that hee which receyueth the doctrine of saluation is bounde at leastwise to giue of his goodes and substance to him that hath ministred spirituall foode vntoo him And Saint Paule speaketh here expresly of Gods woorde For whereas humane sciences haue alwayes bin so highly esteemed that such as haue professed them haue bin mainteyned the woorde of God whiche surmounteth all other things is as it were cast downe Therefore Saint Paule blameth mennes naughtinesse saying See what a worthie thing it is to haue Gods worde brought vnto you See what fruite redoundeth vnto you by it For we be all miserable and cursed sauing that God calleth vs to him by meanes of his worde for that is the power which he spreadeth ouer vs to gather vs intoo his kingdome Sith it is so then howe can you bee nigardly of the transitorie goodes of thys worlde that such as trauell for your welfare and edifying shoulde not at leastwise bee so mainteyned as they might giue themselues wholly vntoo that and not bee drawne awaye by cares that might stoppe them and hinder them of doing their duties The woorde that Saint Paule vseth heere is Cathechise whiche signifyeth too teach traine or instruct and therof commeth our word Cathechisme which signifieth a Teaching Trainment or Instruction Then he that cathechyzeth sayth hee that is to say he that is a faythfull Teacher to edifie the people in Gods worde let him be mainteyned by such as are Cathechyzed that is too say by such as are taught or as are brought as scholers vnto God Now we see Saint Paules meening and therevppon we haue to gather first of all that we must not take any nowadayes for Ministers and Herdmen of Gods Church but such as bring his woorde Marke that for one 〈…〉 for our behoofe so to do For the Papistes boast that they haue the Church on theyr syde But it is certaine that it cannot be verified of Gods children that they shoulde bee a flocke without a guide Then what are the markes of the Churche That there bee a flocke gathered togither and that therewithall there bee a sheepeheard too leade the sheepe too our Lorde Iesus Christ And in good soothe the Papists alledge also that they haue
all the faithfull to all his children But yet doth he graunt vs other speciall graces besides as when he giueth vs men that teach vs his woord faythfully or that gouerne the common welth wisely or whiche haue other giftes for in so doing he giueth vs certayne tokens that he dwelleth among vs and thereby also he bindeth vs so much the more vntoo him Let vs marke the reason that S. Paule setteth downe heere He blameth the vnthankfulnesse of the Galathians for that they considered not how it came vnto them by the preachyng of the Gospell And he sayeth it purposely bicause men will alwayes make fayre protestations ynow that they meene not to reiect Gods grace and yet doo shew the cleane contrarie in their dooyngs As howe They that are loth too suffer themselues too be taught and would driue away all the ministers of Gods woord if they could they which through enuie spitefulnesse could find in their harts to abolish the remeÌ„brance of al those whom God hath stablished too maynteyne the welfare of his people they say I doo shew well ynough that they would haue God too holde himselfe a farre off from them and that they bee loth to come at him For he setteth before them the meanes to come too him and they voutchsafe not too take it but do thrust it from them So then whereas S. Paule findeth fault with the GalathiaÌ„s it was not for that they protested openly with full mouth that they woulde none of Gods spirit or that they hild skorne of his giftes but too shewe them that they had very ill regarded Gods vttering of the giftes of his spirite in their Churche VVhat ought wee then too gather vppon this Text. That if God giue vs meanes too come vntoo him wee must take them awoorth euen by fashioning of our selues vnto them For if the Gospell bee preached among vs and wee wilfully forget what is told vs it is all one as if wee reiected God and turned our backe vppon him of purpose too stray away from him VVherefore if wee intend that God should continue his grace towardes vs let vs hold vs too the meanes that he hath ordeyned for vs that is to say let vs suffer our selues to be taught by such as he sendeth vnto vs let euery of vs exercyze himself alone also in reading the holy scripture let such as haue done good in edifying the Church haue roome place among vs and let vs not shet the gate against the holy Ghost This in effect is the thing that wee haue to beare in minde Furthermore for asmuch as S. Paules intent here is to bring backe the faithfull to the Gospell let vs assure our selues that if we swarue neuer so litle from it we be streyght in the high way to destruction And so there is none other knitting of God vnto meÌ„ than by meanes of the Gospell which must go as a chayne that cannot bee broken betwixt theÌ„ And Paule doth purposely once againe call it the preaching of faith to shewe vs how great neede wee haue that God should preuent vs. For vntil such time as he haue reached vs his hand in our Lord Iesus Christe and drawne vs out of the gulfe of confusion wherein wee bee by nature what are wee Moreouer wee see howe bountifull he sheweth himselfe towardes vs in that he giueth himselfe fully to vs in the persone of his only Sonne surely it is much more than if he gaue vs heauen and earth and all the goodes that are in them For what are all other things in coÌ„parison of our Lord Iesus Christ VVherfore let vs marke that seing that God hauing declared vntoo vs that wee bee vtterly vnfurnished of all goodnesse addeth that he will not keepe backe any thing from vs nor shew himselfe a nigard towards vs if wee seeke too him for all things that wee want wee must be contented with it and if wee swarue neuer so little one way or other we deserue well to bee vtterly bereft and dispossessed euen of that which wee haue receyued alreadie And therevppon S. Paule bringeth vs backe too the example of Abraham bycause he is the father of all the faythfull and moreouer bycause that in his person it pleazed god to shew how we may become rightuous to be saued for there is none other way to bring vs to the kingdome of heauen than the same that he went There is but onely one way and that is set foorth too vs in the example of Abraham S. Paule therefore sayeth that Abraham beleeued God and the same was reckened too him for rightuousnesse and therefore that if we will be Abrahams children wee must beleeue Heere we haue too call too rememberance the thing that hath bin declared alreadie heretofore that is too say what this woorde fayth or beâ—eefe importeth It is not a single beleeuing that there is but one God which gouerneth the worlde but an assuring of our selues that he taketh vs for his children and that wee may fully and freely call vppon him as our father bycause he accepteth vs for our Lord Iesus Christes sake Then if wee bee sure of the fauour and fatherly loue of our God and take suche warrantize of it by his promises that wee haue our looke wholly fastened vppon our Lord Iesus Christe in whom wee finde meanes too come vnto God and too go freely vntoo him that is the very thing whiche S. Paule ment by that woord Fayth And so when he sayeth that too bee Ahrahams children wee must bee faythfull it is all one as if he sayd that wee cannot bee faythfull Christians nor members of the Church but by fayth that is to say except we be bereft of all opinioÌ„ of our owne deseruings moreouer so beaten downe and dismayed in our selues as we may not wote where too become nor seeke any other meanes of saluatioÌ„ than in the free goodnesse which God offereth vs when he telleth vs that wee be fordone damned in our sinnes and yet notwithstanding that we must not ceasse to haue full hope and trust of saluation in Iesus Christ Thus yee see what it is for a man to bee a Christian that is too wit to be vtterly out of hart in himself in coÌ„sideration that he bringeth nothing with him but sin and cursednesse and yet vpon the feeling of himself to be so vtterly voyde of all well deseruing to come vnto God to be clothed with the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ For it is not ynough for vs to be out of hart in our selues as we see that Cain was who beyng as it were vpon the racke confesseth his fault howbeit that was but through despayre and so consequently there was nothing in him but murmuring and blasphemie against God in like cace is it with all reprobates or cast awayes but wee must so taste of the loue of our God as wee may be able to settle our selues vpon it and be out of all doubt that he will
that poynt certaynely as I tolde you before wee shall indeuer too doo good to all men so as wee can not finde in our harts to breake the indissoluble bonde whereby God hath knit and vnited vs togither Therefore the furthest straungers in the worlde are neighbours neere inough vntoo vs though they bee neyther our parents our kinsfolke nor our acquayntaunce And why For wee bee all of one fleshe and wee beare all one marke which ought too persuade vs too doo what wee can possible one for another But how soeuer the cace stande Sainct Paule commendeth vnto vs cheefly the housholde folke of fayth And he vseth the worde Housholde folke too touche vs more to the quicke by that similitude For although nature teache vs that wee oughte too succour suche as are in necessitie â–ª yet notwithstanding they that are of one housholde are more inclined and willing to doo good one to another Yee see heere what degrees are among men how all knowe that there is a certayne mutuall bonde so as if they forsake euen the furthest straungers of the worlde therein they forget them selues yet notwithstanding forasmuche as it is harde for a man to reache out him selfe so farre and wide therefore men are not so muche inclined to doo good to vnknowen persons except it be in extreme necessitie For then howe hard harted so euer wee bee euery of vs is moued to put to his helping hande to succour a man when we see him in imminent daunger Yea and this pitifulnesse is so ingrauen in vs that it wyll extende it selfe euen to the brute beastes and therefore muche more reason it is that it shoulde extende to those that are created after Gods image as well as our selues But as I sayde if a man be in extreme necessitie then are we 〈◊〉 more earnest to helpe 〈◊〉 neede And when wee be of one countrey and language then wee see our selues somewhat neerer one another and that increaseth the affection whiche otherwise in generall woulde bee but colde But when there befalleth any freendlynesse and familiaritie of neiborhood that is yet more according as wee see that they whiche bee of one Countrey will say Seeing that God hath broughte vs thus neere togither let vs at leastwise indeuer too serue one anothers turne Agayne wee see that the neighbours whiche dwell in one selfe same streete and communicate familiarly togither are as kinsfolke and neere of alyance Nowe then it is muche more reason that they whiche are all of one house and are gathered as it were into one little corporation or bodie shoulde bee hilde as it were faste linked togither by God and that he shoulde imbrace them as if a father shoulde holde all his children about him For as muche then as wee oughte too bee so muche the more moued too imploy our selues with the better courage seeing that God hathe so knitte vs togither and brought vs so familiarly neere one another Sainct Paule sayth that all the faythfull all those that professe the same Gospell which wee doo are as housholde folke of one selfe same house And in very deede the Church is called Gods house and hee sitteth ouer in the middest of vs. VVhen the Scripture speaketh so it meaneth not that our vniting togither muste bee in suche a materiall Churche or Temple as thys is but that althoughe euery man bee at home in hys owne house yet God hathe in suche wyfe gathered vs togither too him selfe that wee bee as it were housholde fellowes one with another and wee bee not onely Countreymen of one Realme or kingdome but there is yet a certayne neerer alyance whiche oughte to holde vs more close togither Too bee shorte when as it is sayde that suche as intende too bee Gods children muste dwell all togither in one house it is too shewe that there is as it were one common brotherhood among vs. And althoughe earthly brethren go asunder one from another and euery man gettes him away by him selfe yet must wee alwayes continue in the vnitie whiche God hathe set among vs. Sithe wee heere this muste wee not 〈◊〉 bee worsse than 〈…〉 and crueller than the brute and wilde beastes if wee bee not moued too bestowe Gods giftes too the releefe of our neighbours I meane of the faythfull Nowe then wee see that Sainct Paules meaning in effecte is that seeing God hathe bounde vs too doo good too all men because they bee our owne fleshe no malice oughte too hinder any of vs from indeuering too discharge him selfe generally towardes all suche as God offereth too him and in whome it is hys wyll too trye our kindnesse And yet notwithstanding that for as muche as he hathe gathered vs into his flocke and knit vs togither in hys name and wee call vppon him as our father wyth one mouthe it behoueth vs of dutie too bee as brothers one too another So that if wee minde that he shoulde allowe vs for his children wee must so aduaunce the adoption whereby he hath chosen vs as wee maye declare vnfaynedly by oure dooings that wee mynde too shewe that wee take them for our brothers whome God hath so gathered into his house and Churche Thus yee see what we haue too remember vpon this Texte VVherefore let vs no more vse these fonde excuses too say I wote not who he is I know him not But he is not knowen of God yes and yet notwithstanding thou disdaynest too open thine eyes to looke vppon him that is thine owne image yea and whom God taketh for one of his children Thou knowest not him and yet beholde how God voutsafeth to cast his eye vpon vs which are most miserable yea euen he whiche hath so high and terrible a maiestie that the very Angels of heauen doo tremble before him with all humilitie Yee see then that God our soueraigne Lorde looketh downe vpon vs that are but wretched wormes of the earth filthinesse yea and he not only voutsafeth to say I know you but also protesteth I haue adopted you for my children yee be my workmanship yee be mine heires yee be after a sorte my members God voutsafeth too speake after that fashion and wee be so full of pride and statelynesse that wee despise suche as are as good as our selues and moste commonly muche better So then who can beare with such pride To be short they that are so straunge in withdrawing them selues from their brethren and will not in ony wise coÌ„municate with them deserue well to bee wiped out of the booâ—…â—f life so as God shoulde â—…we and scrape them quite out and deliuer them into the possessioâ— of the Diuell who is their sire for he was a murtherer and full of crueltie from the beginning Thus yee see in effect what wee haue too beare in minde and how it behoueth vs too practize this lesson wherein the household folke of faith are chiefly commended vntoo vs. And so seing that God hath vouchsafed too call vs too him let vs shewe
our selues too set more by that grace and honour than by all the goodes in the worlde And in proofe thereof let vs shewe also that wee haue a brotherly affection too doo good too such as haue neede of vs according to such oportunitie as God shall giue vs and according too the measure of our abilitie Nowe herevppon Sainct Paule sayeth that the Galathians ought too consider that he hath written them a large letter with his owne hande And this serues too make them the more attentiue when they see what care he hath of their saluation For his commending of the largenesse of his letter was not too bee payed for it by the pounde as they say but too the end that the Galathians might knowe that he ment too open his hart vnto them and that for asmuch as he sawe them thrust out of the way into a wrong trade and was lothe that they shoulde perish therfore he had not only warned them in a woord or twaine but also coÌ„firmed his doctrine so as they might perceyue themselues to haue bin misledde before Lo in effect whereat Sainct Paule amed And by this text we ought all to take warning to confirme our selues the more according too the meanes and helpes whiche our Lorde giueth vs to come to him withall If God had but incled his minde vntoo vs in one woord yet had there bin no excuce for vs if we could not beleeue him to submit our selues with such obedience as becommeth vs. But when wee see that besides his giuing of the Lawe he hath also added an exposition of it and moreouer sent his Prophets too the ende that the doctrine should alwayes bee of the more authoritie the things be made cleere which else would haue bin darkesome and after his Prophetes sent his onely Sonne who hath brought vs the full perfection of all wisedome and finally his Apostles so that he thought it not ynough too giue the Lawe but also willed the Gospell too bee published and that the same shoulde continue to the end and stirreth fit men still to instruct vs sith 〈◊〉 I say that God doth so much for vs and that he hath such a care of our welfare quickening vs vp continually without ende or ceassing must we not needes be so much the more blameworthie if wee be negligent and all this stande vs in no stead Therefore let vs not looke at Sainct Paule here how the Galathians had little regarde of him but let vs consider that God had raysed him vp and ment too shewe how deere we be vnto him and how great store he setteth by our soules in that he would haue his doctrine so confirmed True it is that there are not past a sixe or seuen leaues in this Epistle and at the first it should not seeme to be so great a letter But if wee marke the substance and contents of it surely wee shall finde heere wherewith to confound the Diuell and all the wyles that he can bring with him so as Gods truth whiche is our saluation shall haue the vpper hand In somuch that if we had no more but this Epistle we might be sufficiently fenced and armed to fight against all the lies deceytes abuses which the Diuell can alledge to bleare our eyes with But we haue not this Epistle alone but we haue also so many other of Gods testimonies as are sufficient as yee would say to put out our eyes if we list not to looke vpon them And therwithall wee haue so many confirmations to help vs that although we were the stubbornest wildest creatures in the world yet might wee be drawen too some knowledge seing that God trieth so many wayes to winne vs to him To be short he maketh vs too come vnto him though wee would not come by our good will And if wee go backe wheras we should come forward must not the rebelliousnesse that is in vs bee tootoo intolerable So then whensoeuer and as oft as wee reade this text although it seeme not to touche vs but too haue bin spoken only to the Galathians yet let vs vnderstand that god casteth vs in the teeth that his labour should be lost as vnauaylable among vs except we were furthered coÌ„tinually by the doctrine more more confirmed Howbeit he had much leuer that we came with a cheerefull corage For he intendeth not to blame vs nor too go to law with vs coÌ„dicionally that we be so well aduized as to say Go too I see now that my God deserueth well that I should hie me to him if he did but becken too mee a farre off But he calleth mee wonderous familiarly and is noâ—â—â—â—tented with opening his mouth once for all and away but he hath also sent Moyses and all the â—â—â—phetes he hath sent teachers without number he hath sent his Apostles yea his owne only sonne which is his euerlasting wisedome woord Seing then that God is so friendly to me yea and aduaunceth me to excellent dignitie seing that by all meanes possible he sheweth mee his wisedome wherby he seeketh to win mee to himself coÌ„tinueth in the same without end or ceassing early and late should I lie stil as asleepe without any more vnderstaÌ„ding or feeling than if I were a blocke So much the more then doth it stand vs on hand to take a better tast of Gods woord to apply all our indeuer therevnto And seing there is nothing superfluous in it and that wee haue neede to bee prouoked to giue ourselues to it Let euery of vs be moued too apply our selues thereto not say that the repeating of one selfsame thing is needlesse but let vs vnderstaÌ„d that although men bring vs no noueltie yet must we coÌ„tinually beate vpoÌ„ the self-same lesson namely that in asmuch as God hath sent Moyses the Prophets Apostles ouermore vouchsafed to haue his doctrine put in writing all this was done for our instructioÌ„ and that wheÌ„ our Lord Iesus Christ was sent at the full time he vttered all that is requisite for our saluation and moreouer raysed vp men to bee the instruments of his spirit to shewe vs his will and too bring vs the tydings of saluation as he doth still at this day who are witnesses too vs of the things which otherwise should haue bin vnknowen too vs. For asmuch therefore as it is so let euery of vs agree therevnto and whither wee reade it euery man alone by himselfe or whither wee be taught it publikely let vs bee stablished in the woord which it hath pleased God too bestowe vppon vs. Thus yee see in effect what wee haue too beare in minde too the ende wee may haue so much the greater good will too giue our selues wholly too this holy woord and that it may be receyued with the greater reuerence according also as it is well woorthie too bee But now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God and father acknowledging him as our iudge except