how goodly an order doth Paul here instruct a Christian man First he teacheth him to be glad and ioyfull in the Lord by faith secondly to shew himselfe meeke and gentle to all his neighbours And if thou say how can I do that without losse or hinderance he aunswereth The Lord is at hand If thou againe obiect But what if men persecute me and euen bereue me of that I haue He addeth be nothing carefull but let thy petitions be shewed vnto God Where if the flesh againe murmur what if in the meane season I be oppressed and spoiled he concludeth that there shal be nothing lesse the peace of God shall preserue and keepe thee whereof I must now entreat somewhat The peace of God By the peace of God is not meant here that peace whereby God is peaceable and quiet in himselfe but that which he giueth vnto vs and poureth into our heartes euen as also it is called the word of God which he giueth vs that we may preache it and beleeue it So when he giueth this peace vnto vs it is called the peace of God euen because we haue the same with him when in the world notwithstanding we suffer affliction Now this peace passeth all vnderstanding reason and knowledge of man which is not so to be vnderstood as though man can not at all perceiue or know it for if we haue peace with God truly it must be felt in our heart and conscience otherwise our heartes and myndes could not be preserued by it but it is thus to be vnderstood ▪ When tribulation commeth vpon them which know not to flie vnto God with prayer and supplication but trust to their owne wisedome and care whereby they seeke peace but that which reason is able to know which is that whereby tribulation taketh an end and is chaunged with outward tranquillicie this peace doth not passe reason but is agreable vnto it inasmuch as it is sought and found out of it Wherefore they that are voyd of fayth are exceedingly disquieted and troubled vntill according to the reason of the flesh they obtaine this peace by heardly deliuering or ridding themselues of aduersitie not regarding whether they bring that to passe by force or by crafte as he that hath receiued a wound seeketh to haue it healed The peace which the faithfull enioy c. But they that reioyce syncerely in the Lord it is sufficiēt for them that they know that they haue God fauourable vnto them and haue assured peace with him they abyde willingly in tribulation being nothing carefull for that peace of reason by the remouing of outward troubles but they endure them valiantly looking to be strengthned inwardly by faith taking no care whether the aduersities which they suffer shall remaine a short or a long time whether they shal be temporall or cōtinuing neither are disquieted with caring what ende they shall haue They cōmit all things to God seeking not to know when how where or by whom he wil giue them quietnes Wherefore God againe sheweth them this fauour that he maketh the end of their triall to be such and with so great commoditie as no man could either suspect or wish for Loe this is that peace of the crosse the peace of God the peace of conscience true Christian peace which maketh that a man outwardly also as much as is in him liueth quietly and peaceably with all men troubleth no man This peace reason is not able by any meanes to know or comprehend that a man vnder the crosse may haue quietnes of minde and ioy of heart and peace euen in the very inuasion of his enemies this is the gift and worke of God knowen to none but to him that hath it and hath tried it Whereas Paul said Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all ioy peace in beleeuing that which he calleth in these wordes peace in beleeuing he calleth in our present text the peace of God Moreouer Paul signifieth in these wordes that whosoeuer will reioyce in the Lord by faith and be meeke and of a patient minde toward all by loue the Deuell vndoutedly is against him The Deuell laboureth to hinder and stay the godly proceedings of the faithfull and will raise vp some crosse that he may driue him from so Christian a purpose wherefore the Apostle will haue euerie one to be prepared against this assault of Satan and to place his peace there where Satan can not trouble it namely in God and not thinke how he may cast of the crosse but suffer the aduersarie to take on and rage as he list he in the meane season patiently looking for the Lord that he comming may make an ende of aduersitie and trouble for by this meanes his mynde heart and conscience are preserued and kept in peace Neither can patience endure where the heart is not confirmed with this peace for that he only which hath this peace doth throughly perswade himselfe that God is fauourable vnto him carefull for him and maketh no accompt what chaunceth vnto him from creatures Moreouer let no man vnderstand here the heartes and mindes to be the will and knowledge of nature but as Paule himselfe interpreteth the heartes and mindes in Christ Iesu that is such as we haue in Christ of Christ and vnder Christ These are the heartes and mindes which faith and loue cause with which they that be endued do behaue themselues most godly toward God and most louingly and gently toward their neighbour Toward God they so behaue themselues that they beleeue in him and loue him with their whole heart and are also most ready with their whole heart and with all their cogitations to do those thinges which shal be acceptable to God and their neighbours as much as yea more then they are able Such heartes and mindes the Deuell goeth about with the feare of death and other troubles to terrifie and driue from this godlines erecting a false hope there against by the deuises and imaginations of men wherewith the minde is seduced that it may seeke to be comforted and holpen of it selfe or other creatures which if it do surely he hath drawne such a man from the care of God and wrapped him in his owne vaine care Thus hast thou godly reader out of this short text a most plentifull instruction of Christian life how thou must liue toward God and thy neighbour namely that thou must beleeue that God is all thinges vnto thee and thou againe must be all thinges vnto thy neighbours that thou must shewe thy selfe such a one to thy neighbour as God hath shewed himselfe to thee that thou must receiue of God and giue to thy neighbour All which are contained in faith and loue the whole summe of all Christianitie A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER CONCERNING THEM THAT BE VNDER THE Law and them that be vnder Grace Gal. 4. Verse 1. THen I saye that the heire as long as he is a childe
take away from the conscience her ioy and comfort whereby he may drawe man into desperation that he may not be able cheerefully to lift vppe his hart and heade before God For this is the arte of Christians whom it behoueth to knowe and learne moe thinges Christians must knowe how to fight against the deuill and to beare his assaults then that prophane and blockishe common sorte knoweth and vnderstandeth that we may knowe well the maner how to fight with the deuill and to beare his assault as often as he shall set vpon vs dispute with vs out of Moses With whome when he goeth about such things we must not dispute in many wordes but must forthwith appeale from Moses to Christ and cleaue to him For all his trauaills deceits tend vnto this end that he may craftely plucke vs from Christ and draw vs vnto Moses For he knoweth full well the matter being brought to that point the victorie shal be on his side Wherefore thou must againe and againe take heede that thou suffer not thy selfe to be plucked out of this hauen We must take most diligent heede that the deuell plucke vs not from Christ to Moses neither to be entised out of this circle And although he shall lay many things against thee out of the lawe euen inasmuch as it is the word of God whereunto it is meete that thou do obey yet maist thou aunswere him and say doest thou not heare that I will now know or heare nothing concerning the lawe for we are now in that circle and hauen wherein it is not enquired what I must do or leaue vndone but by what means we obtaine to haue God gentle and fauourable vnto vs and how we get remission of sinnes Here I will abide in the armes of Christ cleauing vnseparably about his necke and creeping into his bosome whatsoeuer the lawe shall say and my heart shall feele neuertheles so that we keepe the principall part of our faith syncere and the chiefe point safe outwardly I will willingly do and suffer what burden soeuer it shall lay vpon me Beholde he that vnderstood this art well should be a right and perfect man as Christ was so farre aboue all lawes that he might be bold to call Peter Satan and the Pharisees fooles and leaders of the blynde and put Moses himselfe to silence and so liue altogether without the lawe and yet in the meane season fulfill all lawes furthermore be obstinate and stout against all that will enforce and constraine him and yet notwithstanding of his owne accord profite and obey all But truly herein consisteth all the defect that we do neuer fully and perfectly learne this arte the deuell so letting and hindering vs that we go preposterously to worke being too ready and willing to heare all things whatsoeuer the lawe sayth At whose threatnings also we are not a litle astonied which it had bin better for vs not to haue heard Againe in outward things also we giue our selues to libertie more then is conuenient whereas the body should be kept vnder bridled with workes whereby it might be compelled to beare what soeuer should be grieuous vnto it when as yet it oftentimes sinneth yet so that sinne abide without where it must abide haue his Moses who alwaies may be nere vnto it with his exactiōs Howbeit inwardly let no sinne or law beare rule or reigne but let Christ alone rule and reigne by mere grace ioy and comfort So all thinges should be done rightly and man should be apt and fit to all good thinges both to do and also to suffer with a glad and obedient heart by faith not feyned in the grace of God through Christ Wherefore let the conscience beare rule ouer all lawes let the flesh be subiect to euerie law Now he that is skilfull of this arte let him giue thankes to God and take heede that he be not too wise in it and that he conceiue not a false persuasion of knowledge For I and my like do not yet vnderstand it as we ought to vnderstand it although we be most expert of all and haue bin longest exercised therein For as I haue said it is such an art as no man knoweth but they which are Christians to the learning wherof notwithstāding they are compelled to be scholers all there life longe Wherefore most farre of from the knowing hereof are those secure spirits who alone know all things but who in very deed beside that false perswasiō of knowledge know nothing at all and by this verie perswasion they are farthest of all drawne from this art and from the whole Gospell Neither is there any thing more grieuous no nor a greater hurt can be brought vnto Christianitie then by these pettie doctours and maisters which seeme vnto themselues to haue some wisedome For they fill all corners of the world with sects and factions being such men as serue neither God nor men heare neither the lawe nor the Gospell but contemne the lawe with a secure mynde and loath the Gospell with hearing it alwayes seeking after new doctrine But truly we teach nothing for their sakes inasmuch as they are not worthie of our doctrine and are so punished of God that they can neuer learne it bring forth any frute thereby although they heare it Therefore let vs only keepe it whereof they do take away nothing at all from vs but that they heare a vaine noyse and sounde of it And thus much for the first part of this sermō in which Christ teacheth by his owne example how euery man ought to keepe his conscience free from all disputation of the lawe and terrour of the wrath of God and of sinnes Nowe consequently I thinke it good diligently to consider this excellent and goodly parable of Christ Luke 15.3 where he beginneth and sayth What man of you hauing an hūdreth sheepe if he lose one of them doeth not leaue ninetie and nine in the wildernes and go after that which is lost vntill he find it Christ is not onely of a stout mynde who will not follow the wordes and maistership of them but he bringeth probable causes also of his stoutnes with great cunning refelling their obiections and stopping their mouthes so that they can murmure nothing against him Moreouer he conuinceth them by their owne example and deede and concludeth that they ought for good cause to be vtterly ashamed being bold to speake vnto him reprehēd that in him in so great a matter which they themselues do in a much lesse For by what meanes could he better and more readily aunswere them then if he should say How Christ aunswered the Scribes and Pharisees when they murmured for that he receiued sinners vnto him Will you O excellent and most wise maisters commaund this thing and teache me to driue away and alienate from me miserable sinners which long after me and come to heare me when as there is nothing that you your selues
other of litle and therefore is it meete that euery one haue regard of him selfe and gouerne his owne body according to the present doctrine of Paule whereas he sayth Take no thought for the flesh to fulfil the lustes thereof that is obey the wisedom therof so farre that ye deny not the necessary things which it requireth but graunt it not those things which it requireth to the fulfilling of the lustes thereof more then necessitie to pleasure onely If a better rule of moderation could haue bene giuen beside this Paule would not haue concealed it Hereby thou seest that the popish ordinaunces Popish ordinaunces forbidding the eating of flesh contrary to the Gospell which forbid the eating of flesh and certaine meates are quite contrary to the Gospell Which Paule hath plainly foretolde 1. Tim. 4 The Spirit sayth he speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith shall giue heede vnto spirits of errour doctrines of deuils which speake lyes through hypocrisie forbidding to mary and commaunding to abstaine from meates which God hath created to be receiued with giuing thankes No man surely can deny that these wordes doe briefly reproue the orders of Monkes and sacrificing Priestes so cleare and manifest are both these wordes and also their preposterous religion Moreouer thou seest here also godly Reader that Paul doth not teach that dotage womanly holines of certaine which choose vnto them selues certaine dayes wherein to fast to certaine Sainctes one to this an other to that all which are blinde proceedings and builded vpon their owne workes True religion is without choyce of meates and dayes all the life long to vse modestie and sobrietie For seeing that these must be the armour of light and it is requisite that all our life be vndefiled and chast it behoueth vs surely neuer to put of this armour but we must be found alwayes sober temperate watching labouring and praying But those doting holy ones one day tast nothing but bread water afterward three whole moneths they daily be drunken and eate excessiuely euen vntill they be not well in their wits Others fast so that at the euening they eate no meate but in the meane season they make them selues drunke with drinking Who is able to rehearse all their dotages and all their works of darkenes all which proceede from hence for that foolish men consider regard the worke not the vse of the worke they make of armour a glasse they are altogither ignorant whereunto it is profitable to fast and abstaine they are like vnto him which caried a sword to this ende that he might looke vpon it and knew not how to vse it when he was beaten These thinges may suffize to haue bene spoken for the exposition of this text A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER WHEREIN IS TAVGHT HOW THE FAITHFVLL ought to reioyce in God let their patient mind be knovvne vnto men Philip. 4. Verse 4. REioyce in the Lord alway againe I say reioyce 5. Let your patient mind be knowne vnto all men The Lord is at hād 6. Be nothinge carefull but in all thinges let your requests be shewed vnto God in praier supplication with giuing of thanks 7. And the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding shall preserue your harts minds in Christ Iesus THis text in deede is but short neuertheles it doth most plentifully abound with right Christian doctrine instructing first howe we ought to behaue our selues toward God secondly how toward our neighbours saying first Reioyce in the Lorde alway Ioy in the Lord a frute of faith without which there is no true ioy but sadnes feare This ioy is a frute of faith most certainly following it as Paule witnesseth Gal. 5 where he sayth The frute of the Spirit is loue ioy peace longe suffering gentlenes goodnes faith meekenes temperancie c. Neither can it be that that hart should reioyce in the Lorde which hath not yet beleeued in him Whereupon it commeth to passe that where no faith is there can be nothing but feare trembling horrour and sadnes as often as such either remember God or heare him named yea hatred and enmitie of God remaineth in such harts the cause whereof is for that the hart voyd of faith findeth it selfe defiled with sinnes wherby it douteth not but that it hath deserued the vengeance of God that sinnes can not but be hated of God which is iust so when it doth not beleeue that God will be mercifull and fauourable vnto it how can it not but detest all memorie of him so farre is it of that it can reioyce in the Lord the reuenger of sinnes These two things the knowledge of sinne and of the vengeance of God prepared for sinnes are in the hart of the vnbeleeuer which hart as it is vnbeleeuing so hath it no hope of pardon and therefore what other thing can these thinges worke in it but cause it to be troubled cast downe and alwayes fearefull and greatly terrified and to thinke that the vengeance of God doth euery moment hang ouer it that so that may be verified which Salomon sayth Pro. 28.1 The vngodly fleeth when no man pursueth him And that which is sayd Deut. 28 The Lord shall giue thee a fearefull hart and thy life shall hang in dout before thee If a man will much perswade such a hart to haue ioy in the Lord he shall doe euen as if he perswaded the water that it should burne like vnto the fire for it can cast none of this ioy it alwayes feeleth in conscience that the reuenging hande of God is heauie vpon it Whereupon the Prophet sayth Psal 32. Be glad O ye righteous and reioyce in the Lorde and be ioyfull all ye that are true of hart for this ioy in the Lorde can not be but in the righteous and them that are vpright in hart And therefore it is manifest that this part of Scripture was writtē not to sinners but to the righteous Saincts Sinners must first be shewed how they may be deliuered from sinnes and may obtaine God to be fauorable vnto them which when they haue learned and so obtained it followeth that they do of their owne accord reioyce in the Lorde being deliuered from remorse of conscience But if any demaund how one may be deliuered from remorse of conscience and haue God mercifull vnto him that is declared before at large and shall hereafter be copiously spoken of How a man may be deliuered from remorse of conscience and be assured of Gods fauour He which seeketh to haue a free and glad conscience and God gentle and fauourable let him not begin at his owne workes as the deceitfull Papists teach onely tormenting consciences and increasing the wrath of God but let him despeire of him selfe and of all his owne workes let him embrace God in Christ hauing a sure faith in the Gospell that he shall receiue whatsoeuer it promiseth But the
fayth And this is the cause why Christ is of all the Euangelistes set forth to be so louing and gentle for although the doings and workes described of them doe oftentimes varie neuertheles the simplicitie of fayth remayneth alwayes alike Moreouer this text doeth so liuely set forth Christ vnto vs in his colours that it may be manifest and well knowen vnto euerie one of vs what we ought to promise our selues concerning him to wit that he is mercifull bountifull gentle who succoureth all that flie vnto him for helpe And such ought to be the image of fayth By the Lawe we are terrified and cast downe but by the Gospell we are comforted raised vp For the Scripture setteth before vs a double image one of feare which representeth to our eyes the horrible wrath of God before which no man is able to stand but rather we are all enforced to be cast downe in minde when we see it vnles we be strengthned by fayth Howbeit against this is sette the other image namely of grace which fayth doeth attentiuely behold and taketh from hence principles of comfort and conceiueth trust and confidence in the fauour of God hauing this hope that man can not promise to him selfe from God so manye good thinges but that he hath infinite moe treasures in a readines for him Ye haue now oftētimes heard The temporall and outwarde blessings of God ought to be as meanes to make vs hope and trust in him that he will also bestow vpon vs spirituall and eternal good thinges that there are two sorts of good thinges spirituall and corporall The Gospell by these temporall and corporall good thinges teacheth vs the faith of children and they are vnto the weake as a certaine meane or helpe whereby they may learne the goodnes of God how bountifull he is in bestowing his riches vpon vs and that we ought in spirituall thinges also to place all our hope and trust in him For if we be now instructed by the Gospell that God will giue foode to our bellie we may thereupon account with our selues that he will nourish cloath our soules with spirituall good thinges If I can not commit my body vnto him that he may feede it much lesse can I commit my soule vnto him that he may alwayes preserue it Or if I can not be brought to beleeue that a crowne of golde shal be giuen vnto me of him how I pray you shall I hope for tenne of crownes of golde of him from whom I dare not promise to my selfe so much as a peece of bread truly much lesse shall I be perswaded to beleeue that he will giue a fearme vnto me or his whole inheritaunce Now he that is not able to atteine vnto this tender and as it were as yet sucking faith to him surely it is verie hard to beleeue that God will pardon his synnes or preserue his soule for euer Forasmuch as we are perswaded that the soule is by infinite degrees to be preferred before the bellie toward which notwithstanding he is touched with compassion as this our present text teacheth Wherefore Saint Peter hath righly admonished 1. Pet. 2. Beloued brethren as new borne babes desire that sincere milke of the word that ye may grovv thereby For it is not enough that the infant being put to the teate doe sucke but he must also wax greater and gather strength that he may accustome himselfe to feede on breade and stronger meate Now to eate milke is to tast of the fauour and grace of God which is then tasted of when a triall thereof is had in our life For although I should preach an hundred yeares of the bountifulnes fauour liberalitie and gentlenes of God toward vs it would profit me nothing vnlesse I haue a triall and taste of those commodities neither could I learne rightly to trust in God thereby Hereof also thou mayst coniecture how rare a Christian man is There are many which say that they commit their bellie to God but that sticketh onely in the tounge and lippes when as rather it ought to perce to the heart Let vs nowe consider an example teaching vs the qualitie and nature of faith The qualitie and nature of faith The Apostle Heb. 11. hath written thus Faith is the ground of thinges which are hoped for and the euidence of thinges which are not seene which is thus much in effect faith is the foundation whereby I looke for that good thinge which is neither seene with the eyes nor heard with the eares but which I must onely hope for Euen as in our present text it plainly appeareth wherein we reade that there were about foure thousand men who togither with their wiues and children had now suffred hunger three dayes was not this a notable kynde of fasting yet were not famished with hunger being farre from their houses and destitute of those necessaries whereby the bodie is susteined Now Paule sayth that faith is a thinge whereby a man hopeth for those thinges which appeare not to the eyes Such a fayth had this multitude which although they see no meate neuertheles they trust in God that he will feede them What doeth Christ here he is moued with compassion he demaundeth of the disciples with what vittailes or with what thinge their hunger may be taken away To whom his disciples aunswere whence can a man satisfie such a multitude here in the wildernes Here ye see how mans reason and fayth agree togither that the wiser reason is so much lesse can it submit it selfe to the workes of God For this cause therefore did he aske his disciples that euerie one of them might trie their owne reason and learne how much the capacitie of man and faith do differ one from an other Here it appeareth vnto vs how reason is blynde and how Reason must giue place to faith when faith commeth it ought to giue place Whereof let this be as an example If I were a maried man hauing a wife and a companie of children and had nothing wherewith to nourish them neither would any man giue me any thinge yet should it be my dutie to beleeue and hope that God will prouide for me But when as I see my hope to be in vaine and that I am not succoured by and by with nourishment and cloathing then if I be faithles I yeeld vnto desperation and goe and purpose an other thinge with my selfe I applie my mynde to vnhonest trades that I may get somewhat thereby as theft deceit and other such practizes and by all meanes that I am able I passe through the stormes of aduersitie See what filthie incredulitie bringeth vnto man But if I be endued with faith I shut mine eyes and say Most gentle father I am thy creature and thy worke it can not be denied but thou hast created me I will put all my trust in thee which hast greater care of my welfare then I my selfe Thou wilt well nourish feede cloath and
be borne or had but that onely shepeheard Christ who neither vrgeth it with the lawe nor is eger vpon it but most sweetely and gently handleth it and layeth the miserable and sinfull sheepe vpon his shoulders doing that of his owne accord which was to be done of the sheepe as we shall heare by and by more at large But surely in this place the doctrine of both as is before also sayde at large or the voice of Moses and of Christ must be well discerned The differēce betwene the doctrine of Moses and of Christ must be throughly knowne of Christians For Moses ought to haue no entraunce to the lost sheepe no nor by any meanes is to be admitted to it although he preach best of all other For if confounding these we will comfort and erect the troubled conscience by the lawe after this sort be of a good cheere for thou hast not committed homicide neither hast thou defiled thy selfe with adulterie neither hast thou perpetrated any other haynous offence or done it with a good will c. This also is a comfort but which can endure a verie small time neither can it sustaine the assaults and violence of the enemie neither bringeth it or containeth any thing els but confidence of it selfe wherewith the miserable sheepe is holpen nothing For it remayneth as much wandring and lost as before neither can it helpe it selfe or come to his owne shepeheard But if we will helpe succour it we must shew vnto it the true shepeheard who commeth to seeke it that hauing found it he may bring it home againe and exhibit his voice vnto it to be heard Hereby it may obtaine true and effectuall consolation and be bold to aunswere Moses and say Now truely I haue not any care either of thy comfort or terrour and if it please thee amplifie my synnes as much as possibly thou canst make me a man-slayer and parricide or the worst man of all men For now I will neither heare thee with an astonied minde nor follow thee But this is the summe of my comfort and saluation whereunto also I do confidently trust that I haue such a shepeheard as seeketh me of his owne accord and hauing layd me on his shoulders carieth me Let vs enter disputation hereof if thou art so disposed not how righteous or vnrighteous I am but how I haue come vnto Christ Wherefore we must alwayes preach according to the capacitie and qualitie of the hearers For I haue sayd that this doctrine is not fit for a blockish and vntractable man As it is not meete that a laborious thresher should be fed with delicates wherewith the sicke are to be strengthened and refreshed but the hyreling is to be fed with broune bread and chese with water The other dainty meates and easy of digestion thou must reserue for the sicke or children which are able to digest no grosse meat Vnto whom Moses lawe must be preached So in this thing also thou must obserue the same differēce that thou do rightly distribute these things and giue vnto euerie one his portiō as a prudēt householder For thou must keepe the doctrine of Moses and of the Lawe vntill thou light vpon vnruly hardened and vntractable men which lead their life securely and without feare set before these onely strong and common meates of threshers to be eaten that is offer angrie Moses vnto them to be heard who lighteneth and thundreth from the mount Sina who terrifieth the people of Israel bringeth them into the desert and drowneth king Pharao in the red sea How weake and afflicted consciences must be preached vnto But when thou shalt light vpon troubled hearts and weake and afflicted consciences which are now become lost sheepe then speake not a word concerning Moses and all the workes of God done in the lawe but let thy talke be only of the workes done by Christ in the time of grace well and diligently repeate to the miserable conscience how he sheweth himselfe toward the lost shepe to wit that he is the gētle good shepeheard which is exceeding careful for the lost shepe so that leauing all the rest he traueleth to fynde that one and to bring it againe into the way neither doth he leaue of till he hath brought it home For it is a verie great griefe vnto him that any man should be in synne and therefore be troubled and feare neither would he that any should remaine therein and so perish Wherefore he doth most louingly allure prouoke thee by his sweete Gospell to come vnto him suffer thy selfe to be layd vpō his shoulders and caried and to be called his welbeloued sheepe As for them that liue securely and pleasauntly haue no regard whether God be angrie or pleased they are not to be called lost sheepe The lost sheepe but rather wilde goats which suffer not themselues either to be fed or ruled But he to whom his synnes are a burden who fighteth in the fight of faith where he is not in daūger to lose Moses but Christ himselfe and the principall article that is where the conscience is in anguish and feare whether it hath God gentle and fauourable this is that verie man who with groning and sighes seeketh out and crieth for his shepeheard desireth to be holpē as Dauid doth Psal 119. I haue gone astray like a sheepe that is lost oh seeke thy seruaunt c. In the mouth of these this suger these pleasaunt delicates haue a good tast with which the heart is refreshed that it fall not into desperation but being againe recreated with such a consolation is lifted vp not by Moses but by Christ Not that it hath Moses a freind or is able to pacifie him but because it hath God fauourable through Christ wheresoeuer Moses remayneth with his comfort Although it be very well as also it is meete that we do not cōtrary to the lawe practize theuerie that we steale not that we commit not homicide or otherwise do iniurie and hurt to our neighbour Howbeit that is not the right comfort of the heart No true comfort of conscience to be had by the lawe but onely a momentane tickling of the vtmost skinne not during pearsing For the deuell comming setting vpon the heart all comfort is vtterly taken away And although in some point thou hast done well and rightly he neuertheles againe bringeth ten fold more wherein thou hast done amisse yea euen in the most pure workes he can finde much impuritie and turne all into sinne Wherefore we must in no wise trust vnto such comfort We must not trust to the comfort of the law but must resort and cleaue fast vnto Christ but must rather refuse it and say whether I be good or euell at this present I do not dispute but wil reserue it rather vnto that place where it shal be taught and entreated concerning workes But in this circle wherein I
now stand there is no place to entreat of workes and integrity of life but of Christ and his workes which he dooth toward me a lost sheepe Wherefore if thou demaund whether I be good or honest I aunswere plainly no but if thou demaund whether Christ be good and righteous that vndoutedly I am able to confirme and him I set for my goodnes and righteousnes vnto whom also alone I couragiously appeale For in his name I am baptized of which thing I haue a seale and testimonie to wit that I am his shepe that he is that good shepeheard seeking his lost shepe dealing with me without all lawe exacting nothing of me neither as Moses vrgeth troubleth and forceth me but sheweth vnto me his meere most sweete grace while he submitteth himselfe to me layeth me on his shoulders and carieth me Why therefore should I feare the thundrings of Moses and of the deuell whē as I rest in his safe custody which hath giuen vnto me his righteousnes and all other things which holdeth and carieth me so that there is now no more daunger lest I perish I remaining a sheepe and denying not my shepeheard but reposing my selfe wholy in him Thus hast thou Christ most louingly set forth vnto thee Now onely faith is required whereof there is great neede A hard thing to feele true comfort of conscience For this doctrine is excellent replenished with most sweete consolation and comfort but this is wanting that the vse thereof is not felt where it ought to be felt For when the shepe goeth astray that is when a man feeleth himselfe grieued with his synnes and can not tell where to abyde and is cast of the deuell into a great feare of minde then he alwayes runneth vnto the contrary neither can he comprehend or conceyue in minde that this is true all things falling out of his minde which he heard here because of the present feeling and feare For the deuell hath daseled his eyes neither can he perceiue any thing els but the wrath and indignation of God Wherewith his heart is so burdened that he is not able to raise vp himselfe in minde and to turne his eyes any other where Nay he lyeth so drowned in it that Christ appeareth no otherwise vnto him but as an angrie iudge as he hath hitherto beene painted out and is so beaten into the hearts of all by the wicked Papists sitting on the rayne bowe with a sword comming out of his mouth For this is one of the most decietfull crafts of the deuell yea and of his mischiefes which he practizeth against the miserable shepe to dasle his eyes that he may not know any more his owne shepeheard vnder a pretence of Christ to leade a man to Moses disputing as much of Christ as he had accustomed to do before of Moses Wherefore we haue neede of a strong firme faith that we may beleeue these things to be true when a man himselfe must dispute euen against himselfe For the sense is vehemēt of it selfe whereunto the deuil also commeth maruelously amplifying synne terrour the greatnes and anguish whereof is able to consume euen the marrow in the bones yea and the heart in the body It can not therefore be perfectly learned so soone as some thinke In prosperitie it is easilie beleeued that Christ is sweete and amiable but anguish and terrour comming vpon ouer whelming the minde man is blinde and without good vnderstanding and will iudge only according to the sense and vnderstanding of his owne heart which he followeth and confirmeth himselfe in his owne errour For he is taken therein and can thinke no otherwise but that it is true and neuertheles it is not true Now it were a point of this art for a man thus to say vnto his heart How a Christian must speake vnto his owne heart if thou confes thy selfe to be a lost sheepe thou sayest right but that thou wilt therefore runne from Christ and so thinke of him in thy minde as though he were a man which would chase and terrifie thee it is a suggestion and tentation of the deuel For if thou didst rightly consider him and confes him as thy true shepeheard then wouldest thou not flie from his sight neither wouldest conceiue terrour in thy minde but with all cheerefulnes and boldnes wouldest runne vnto him For surely he is not therefore ready at hand that he may condemne thee but he commeth to thee seeking thee that hauing layde thee on his shoulders he may carie thee and exempt deliuer thee from sinnes errours the deuill and his power yea and from all perill Thou perceiuest therefore that thou art a sinner and hast deserued indignatiō so much more earnestly is that shepeheard to be sought and called for of thee that he may deliuer thee from it of whom consider no otherwise in thy minde then the shepe doth of his owne shepeheard whome it can not feare but seing and hearing him becommeth glad and cheereful although it hath runne from him so that for this deede it hath a sufficient cause to feare The whole matter therefore consisteth onely in this that thou do perfectly learne Christ aright We must cōsider Christ according to the word of God cōsider him according to the word of God and not according to the proper cogitatiōs of thy minde and thine owne senses For the cogitations of men are false and lying but his wordes are true and can not deceiue Wherefore the worde alone is to be engrauen in our heart and we must cleaue vnto it with a constant mynde whereby we may reproue our owne heart of lying For it alone must be true and all things els that are contrarie to it false and vaine But truly this is an arte whereof I am ignoraunt but much more those other light spirites who boaste many thinges of it as they that know all things when as they haue euen once heard any thing thereof and neuertheles they do not a litle perceiue or trie so much as any whit of it For it is an easie thing to speake and preach of it but how hard a thing it is to proue it in deede they onely haue experience who earnestly make triall thereof This is a most amiable demonstration of our Christ described by himselfe in this Gospell wherein he hath most aboundantly poured forth the flames of his most feruent heart and affection toward vs shewing that he hath exceeding great care and regard to recouer his shepe which alone leauing ninety and nine he seeketh and enquireth diligently for not to terrifie it and beate it but that he may helpe it and hauing found it may bring it home and with his louing and sweete voice and speaking vnto it may chere it being miserable and afflicted in conscience By all which thou seest how acceptable a thing thou shalt do vnto him if thou truste and cleaue vnto him with thy whole heart and promise to
prayer consisteth the Psalmes and other prayers of the Scripture For commonly in the Scripture vessels signifie wordes for that our meaninges are contained in wordes as in a vessel and by wordes are vttered and receiued as out of a vessell as wine water burning coles and such like are contained in vessels and taken out of vessels So by the cuppe of Babylon Apoc. 17. the doctrine of men is vnderstood and by the cuppe wherein the blood of Christ is dronke the Gospell Furthermore burning coles What is signified by the burning coles whereon the incēse was layde whereupon the frankincense was layde signifie giuing of thankes and rehearsing of benefites in prayer which we are wont to do in making supplication For that by fierie coles benefites are signified it is manifest euen out of the 12. to the Rom. where the Apostle reciteth the saying of Salomon Prouerb 25 If thine enemie hunger feede him if he thirst giue him drinke for in so doing thou shalt heape coles of fire on his head And benefits may be rightly called coles of fire forasmuch as they inflame the heart with loue although it be cold In the Lawe it was prohibited to laye the frankincense vpon any other coles but them that were of the altar of the Lord which signifieth that we must not rehearse our own good deedes in prayer as that Pharise did Luc. 15 but onely the benefits of God bestowed vpon vs in Christ He is our altar We must giue thankes to God by Christ by him we must offer for the benefits receiued by him we must giue thākes and make mention of them in prayer for the increasing of our faith This Paule teacheth Coloss 3. where he sayth Do all thinges in the name of the Lord Iesus giuing thankes to God the Father by him For God can not suffer that thou shouldest glorie of any thing els in his sight which he declared in a type or figure Leuit. 10 where we read that Nadah and Abihu the sonnes of Aaron were taken and consumed of the flame from the altar of God because they burned incense taking other fire then of the altar of the Lord. The workes of Christ only are acceptable to God wherefore for these onely we must both giue thankes and reioyce in prayer The petitiōs made in prayer signified by the incēse layd on the burning coles The incense signifieth the petitions made in prayer For petitions are whereof prayer consisteth and which ascend vnto God according as Paul sayth Let your petitions be shewed vnto God wherein he seemeth to haue considered and interpreted them as a sauour ascending from the censer As though he had said when ye will burne incense sweete and acceptable vnto the Lord make that your petitions be shewed vnto God with supplication and giuing of thankes this incense and this sauour as it is most sweete vnto God so doth it ascend straight vnto heauen like vapoures of smoke and entreth euen vnto the throne of God And as burning coles do giue a strong sauour and make it ascend vpward so the memorie of the benefites of God which we rehearse by giuing of thankes and whereof we do as it were aduertize God and our selues doth make prayer stedfast and bold which cheerefully and gladly ascendeth into heauen without which truly prayer fainteth is cold and of no force Wherefore whosoeuer thou art before thou pray with faith and effectually they heart must be inflamed with the memorie of the benefits which God hath bestowed vpon vs in Christ But perhaps some man will demaund how our petitions be shewed or become manifest vnto God seeing that they be not onely knowne vnto him before we praye but he also doth send vs that which we aske Whereunto I aunswere the Apostle adioyned this that he might teach of what sort true prayer ought to be We must not praye at aduenture but be certainly perswaded that we shal be heard of God to wit assured and hauing confidence and trust in God which passeth not away into the winde neither is made at aduenture as their prayer is which pray and haue no regard whether God heareth or not yea rather beleeue that he doth not heare which vndoutedly is not to praye or to aske of God but to tempt and mocke God For if any man did desire money of me whom I certainly knew not to perswade himselfe that he should receiue it I could not suffer such an asker of whom I might assure my selfe to be mocked how much more is God offended at our much crying out and babbling when we do continually babble much crie out do not thinke at all whether he heareth vs. Learne therefore here How our petitions are shewed vnto God that they petitions must be shewed vnto God that is that thou must so aske that thou dout not that they petitions be knowne and accepted of God and beleeue certainly that thou shalt obtaine what soeuer thou doest aske with which faith if thou be endued it shall so come vnto thee in deede For as we belteue so it commeth vnto vs. Wherefore as the smoke carieth the sauour vpward from the censer so faith carieth the petitions of the beleeuers into the sight of God whereby we assuredly beleeue that our petitions shall come vnto God and that we shall vndoutedly obteine those thinges that we aske Paul by these wordes be shewed did vndoutedly meane that which is eftsoones in the Psalmes God hath heard my petition Giue eare Lord vnto my prayer and such like Hereof Christ speaketh Matth 21 and Mar. 11. Whatsoeuer ye shall aske in prayer if ye beleeue ye shall receiue it And Iames saith chap. 1 Aske in faith and wauer not for he that wauereth shall receiue nothing of the Lord. Who may not now hereof perceiue that that much babbling and crying out which is made commonly through the world in monasteries is a mocking and deluding of God The prayers of these if they may be called prayers are aboundantly shewed before men for they crie out and babble too much but there is no regard of them with God they are not knowne of him neither come they vnto his eares that is he doth by no meanes heare them for that they do not beleeue or are assured that their crying out or much babbling is heard of God wherefore as they beleeue so do they receiue It was time therefore long since that those mockinges and blasphemies of God should be abolished But if we praye as we are here taught there shal be nothing surely which we may not obtaine Why we oftētimes praie and receiue not Now we praye for many things continually and receiue nothing neither is it any meruell seeing we praye so that our petitions be not shewed vnto God for that we do not beleeue that they be manifest vnto him Wo to our diffidence and incredulitie And the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding shall preserue your hearts and myndes in Christ Iesus In
And when consciences were vrged in confession they would not sticke to say Whatsoeuer was enioined vs we haue omitted nothing of it yea we haue giuen more then we were commaunded Miserable men reioyced that by this meanes they might prouide for them selues and therefore they pyned and afflicted them selues that they might be vnburdened of their sinnes yet did it preuaile them nothing For the conscience remained in dout as before that it knewe not how it stoode before God But if it were secure and quiet it fell into that which is worse to thinke that God hath respect vnto workes neither can reason doe any other but depend of works The Lord therfore is touched with affection of mercy toward that misery wherew t the seruaunt so entangled snared with sinnes is holden taking pitie vpon him doth forgiue and dimisse him Here is now set forth vnto vs what is the special office qualitie of the gospel how God dealeth with vs. When thou art so drowned in sinnes weariest thy self that thou mayst deliuer thy selfe from them the Gospell commeth to thee The preaching of the Gospell sayth Doe not so deare brother it preuaileth nothing although thou afflict and torment thy selfe euen til thou be mad thy works do not profit but the mercy of God shall deliuer thee who is touched with thy miserie for he seeth thee wrapped in calamitie wearying thy self that thou mayst deliuer thy selfe out of the myre yet art not able he I say hath regard vnto this that thou art not able to pay wherupon he forgiueth thee all and that of his meere mercie For he doth not forgiue thee the dette eyther for thy workes or merits but for that he taketh pittie vppon thy crie complainte and mourning and thy falling downe before his knees that is God hath respect to an humbled hart as the Prophet sayth Psal 51 The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit a broken contrite hart O God shalt thou not despise Such a hart he saith as is broken and humbled which is not able to helpe it selfe but craueth the helpe of God and reioyceth in it such a heart is an acceptable sacrifice to God and he that hath it is in the right way to heauen Now God hauing shewed this mercy vnto him and taken pitie on his miserie ceasseth to followe his right and abrogateth it and sayth no more Sell whatsoeuer thou hast and pay the dette although he might go forward and say Thou must paye for this my lawe requireth which I will not haue abrogated for thy sake yet will he not deale with him by the lawe but chaungeth the lawe into grace and fauour taketh pittie on him and dimisseth him with his wife children and all his substance and doth also forgiue him the dette This is that which God suffereth to be preached by the Gospell vnto him that beleeueth is remitted not onely the fault but also the punishment and that of meere mercy not for any works sake For he that preacheth that by workes the fault and the punishment may be put awaie hath euen then denied the Gospell Mercy and merit cā not agree togither forasmuch as these two can not agree togither that God hath mercy on thee and yet that thou doest merit some thinge For if it be grace it is not merit but if it be merit then shall it not be grace but dette for if thou pay thy dette he sheweth thee no mercy but if he sheweth thee mercy thou doest not make payment Wherefore we must needes acknowledge his mercie toward vs we must receiue of him and beleeue in him which the Gospel here requireth After therefore that this seruaunt is thus humbled with the knowledge of his synne the word is exceeding comfortable vnto him wherein the Lord pronounceth him free and forgiueth him both the fault and the punishment Whom the preaching of the Gospell profiteth Whereby is also declared that it toucheth not sluggish hearts that feele no synne neither those that are caried with rashnes but onely such afflicted consciences as are pressed with the heauie burden of their synnes which do greatly desire to be deliuered from them of them God hath mercy and forgiueth them all Wherefore it behoued this seruaunt to receiue the word for vnles he had receiued it forgiuenes had profited nothing nay there had bene no forgiuenes at all It is not therefore enough that God suffereth remission of synnes and a golden yeare full of grace to be preached vnto vs but it is necessarie that we receiue and beleeue it in heart If thou beleeue thou art free from synnes This is the first part of a Christian life which both this place and diuers other in the Gospels do teach vs which consisteth properly in faith which alone hath to do before God whereby also is shewed that the Gospell can not be receiued but of a troubled and miserable conscience Herupon now may be inferred that they are plaine delusions whatsoeuer thinges are any otherwise taught concerning our workes and free will to wit that they put away sinnes and obtaine grace For the diuine maiestie alone beholding our miserie hath pittie vpon vs for the text sheweth manifestly that God pardoneth and forgiueth them that haue nothing and concludeth that we haue nothing left wherewith we may pay God Howsoeuer therefore thou hast free will in temporall matters yet thou hearest here that it is nothing before God Wherefore if thou desire to be deliuered from thy synnes thou must ceasse to trust in any of thy workes and must plainly despeire concerning them and flie vnto Christ pray vnto God for grace finally receiue the Gospell by faith Now followeth the other part wherein the felow seruaunt also is delt with This seruaunt now hath enough he saueth his body goods wife children c. and hath his Lord fauourable vnto him Wherfore he should surely be very foolish if he should now depart and do what he is able for the reconciliation of his Lord for his Lord might worthely say that he is mocked of him He hath neede therefore of no worke but that he receiue such grace fauour as is offered him so may he be of a good cheere giuing thankes to his Lord and dealing so with others as his Lord hath delt with him After the same sort is it with vs for when we beleeue we haue God fauourable mercifull vnto vs neither do we neede any thing more We must endeuour by our workes to profit our neighbour not seeke to obtaine Gods fauour but now it were time that we should forthwith die Notwithstanding if we must as yet liue still in the earth our life ought to be ordered so that we seeke not to obtaine the fauour of God by workes For he that doth this doth mocke dishonour God as it hath bin hitherto taught that God is to be sollicited so song by good workes prayers fastings such like vntill we obtaine
soone as we are forsaken of God byandby Satan commeth and erecteth his kingdome in vs wherein nothing els but such wickednesses are committed which notwithstanding are so craftely coloured and commēded with such a pretence of honestie that it seemeth to be a most holy yea and an angelike life What I pray you can mans strength do here whereby some go about to bring to passe many thinges sweetely perswading themselues that they shall ascend vp into heauen thereby But thou hearest here that Christ affirmeth that the Father doth reueale these thinges also that it is the good pleasure of the Father that it should be so Whereby truly he taketh away all the merits of man here no satisfactions profit here is no respect of workes it is done by the wil and good pleasure of the Father For he respecteth not the person as it appeareth before the world He doth not contemne and reiect the synner albeit he come laden with sinnes After the same sort Christ saith to his disciples Luke 12 Feare not litle flocke for it is the Fathers pleasure to giue you the kingdome This the hypocrites and iustitiaries can not abyde yea they are driuen vnto furie senssesnes and madnes when they see simple receiuers of custome and verie publicans to go before them into the kingdome of heauen they themselues with their holines goodly and plausible workes to the world being excluded whom would not this driue vnto madnes who would not take it grieuously that he himselfe and his thinges should be in such a case and nothing at all counted of But what shouldest thou do or what shouldest thou murmur The good pleasure of God is such to whom he vouchsaueth to open to him they shal be opened and from whom he hideth from him they are hidden which compt as vndoutedly true And marke well that Christ sayth here It is so O Father because thy good pleasure was such thy good pleasure I say before the world was made as S. Paule sayth Ephes 1 God hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundations of the world were layd that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue who hath predestinate vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the prayse of the glorie of his grace wherewith he hath made vs freely accepted in his beloued Here all merit is excluded wherefore let it not come into thy mynde that thou shalt obtaine any thing here by thy deserts neither let thy workes wisedome and merits puffe thee vp Here all reioycing is taken away that he that reioyceth may reioyce in the Lord as Paule sayth 1. Cor. 1. It followeth moreouer in the Gospell Ver. 27. All things are giuē vnto me of my Father no man knoweth the Sonne but the Father neither knoweth any mā the Father but the Sōne and he to whom the Sonne will reueale him Here thou seest the safetie which is in the kingdome of Christ by whom we haue knowledge and light If therefore Christ holdeth all thinges in his hand and hath power ouer all thinges as the Father hath no man can plucke any thing out of his handes which he himselfe also witnesseth in Iohn Ioh. 10.28 I giue eternall life to my sheepe and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hand my Father which gaue them me is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand I and my Father are one Christians haue cause to reioyce although they be diuers wayes assailed of Satan for that they be vnder the tuition of Christ who will defend and preserue them Wherefore euery Christian when he hath receiued the Gospell may worthely reioyce that he is now vnder the tuition of Christ and is not any thing troubled because of his synnes If he hath embraced the Gospell Christ vnder whom he fighteth will guide the matter excellently well Satan in deede will tempt him with this and that vice as with adulterie whoredome theft slaughter enuie hatred wrath and other like synnes But let him not therefore be discouraged he hath a king that is strong mightie enough of whom he shal be easily defended Notwithstanding it wil be verie hard to stand strongly and nothing to yeelde wherefore prayer in this case is verie needefull others also may by their prayers intreat for thee that a stout corage and manly heart may be giuen vnto thee to withstand Satan But it is certaine that thou shalt not be destitute Christ will easily preserue thee be not disquieted in mynde let it onely be thy care that thou fallest not from his kingdome Moreouer in this Gospell thou seest that Christ is both God man Man inasmuch as he prayseth God and giueth him thankes God inasmuch as all thinges are giuen vnto him of the Father Which ought to be great comfort vnto vs in all things that do trouble and afflict vs. Whereas he saith No man knoweth the Sonne but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne will reueale him he in these wordes ouerthroweth free will which will know God and Christ when and how it pleaseth it Here thou hast plainly from whence the knowledge of God and of Christ is the Father saith he knoweth the Sonne and the Sonne the Father but how do we know by this or that preacher no truly these are onely certaine midle instruments but he onely knoweth to whom the Sonne will reueale A litle before he saide that the Father doth reueale or open here he attributeth the same to the Sonne Surely both the Father and the Sonne do reueale and as the Father reuealeth so also doth the Sonne and Christ also sayth in Iohn chap. 14 The holy Ghost shall teach you all thinges Wherefore as the Father teacheth so teacheth the Sonne likewise also teacheth the holy Ghost And where God the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost do not teach there all thinges remaine voide of knowledge It followeth moreouer in the Gospell Verse 28. Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden and I will refresh you Verse 29. Take my yoke on you and learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart and ye shall finde rest vnto your soules Verse 30. For my yoke is easie and my burden is light Hitherto we haue heard how the Lord dealeth with the wise and prudent namely that he blyndeth them and hideth the Gospell from them Likewise how he is delighted in children and simple ones to wit that he endueth them with right knowledge of himselfe and openeth the Gospell vnto them But some man may here say and complaine If the matter be so surely my conscience shal be in great daunger before I heare and know that the Gospell dothe pertaine vnto me I am a wretched synner and perhaps the Gospell pertaineth not vnto me what if I be vnworthie Christ that he may
hearde more here we will now make an ende and call for the grace of God A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER VPON THE GOSPELL ON SAINCT MATTHIAS DAY Matth. 11. Verse 25. AT that time Iesus aunswered and said I giue thee thankes O Father Lord of heauen earth because thou hast hid these thinges from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them vnto children 26. It is so O Father because thy good pleasure was such 27. All thinges are giuen vnto me of my Father no man knoweth the Sonne but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne wil reueale him 28. Come vnto me all ye that are wearie laden I will refresh you 29. Take my yoke on you and learne of me for I am meeke and lowlie in hart and ye shall find rest vnto your soules 30. For my yoke is easie and my burden is light The summe of this Gospell 1 REason is not capable of the Gospell For as Paul 1. Cor. 2. sayth The natural man perceiueth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Wherefore when reason seeketh saluation in worldly wisedome and foolishnes it fyndeth it not 2 Christ calleth them children here which trust not to their owne wisedome and righteousnes but do beleeue onely 3 As children onely do obtaine saluation so the Father also can not be knowen vnles he be reuealed by Christ that is our wisedome doth not know God the father But when as through fayth we are taught and instructed in bearing the crosse then the power of God becommeth known vnto vs. Therefore also he afterward comforteth them vpon whom the crosse is layd saying My yoke is easie and my burden light The exposition of the text THis text toucheth as it were the verie pith and marrow of the Gospel Other places of Scripture wherein the miracles and doinges of Christ are rehearsed haue not so much cōfort as those in which those sermons of Christ to the people are conteined wherein he doth so louingly teach vs and allure vs to himselfe I am not so certaine of the fauour which I see shewed to others in working miracles as if I haue the plaine wordes before myne eyes It is a farre greater comfort also vnto me to heare such louing admonitions and allurements then the preaching of miracles Albeit they also confirme my fayth and are examples that as he hath holpen them so also he will helpe me Moreouer this Gospell entreateth of the knowledge of God the father and of Christ his sonne shewing also whereof such knowledge doth consist Now that the meaning thereof may be well knowne it is requisite to vnderstād aright these two words wisemen and children or babes But lest when we heare it we say this pertaineth nothing to vs it is spokē to others as the Iewes said to the Prophets which referred all thinges to the Gentiles the wordes going before do sufficiently shew vnto whom or of whom these wordes of Christ are spoken For before he speaketh of them that contemne the Gospell not vouchsafeing to embrace it whose dutie notwithstanding especially was to embrace it inasmuch as they would seeme alone to be them that were occupied in the word of God and were to be counted for the people of God Of such he sayeth thus Whereunto shall I liken this generation it is like vnto litle children which sit in the markets and call vnto their fellowes and say we haue piped vnto you and ye haue not daunced we haue mourned vnto you and ye haue not lamented Which the Lord applieth to himselfe and vnto Iohn the Baptist as if he would say we haue preached vnto you the Gospell Iohn with a certaine seueritie and austeritie but I with verie great clemencie and gentlenes But ye cōtemne our preaching and will not receiue it ye shall at the last feele without dout to your great euell what it is to despise the word of God This is verie true howsoeuer thou preachest to the people whether thou be fayre spoken or seuere gentle or vngentle they will alwayes seeme to haue some cause or other to complaine of thee These the Lord calleth here wise and men of vnderstanding to these the Gospell is hyd He meaneth not here those wise men which are truly wise in diuine matters For it is a great commendation if one be worthy to be called wise and prudent True wisedom is nothing els but the knowledge of God True wisedome what it is Prudence to wit when as I know what we must thinke of God and do vnderstand his will But prudence signifieth abilitie and knowledge to iudge of worldly thinges what is right or wrong which Paule often ioyneth togither especially in his Epistle to the Ephesians chap. 1. and in his Epistle to the Colossians chap. 1. Of such wisedome Christ speaketh not here but of worldly wisedome which puffeth vp men and excludeth the true wisedome of God We are all of this disposition by nature eftsoones to rise against the wisedome of God Humane or worldly wisdome That is called good by the instinct of humane wisedome which bringeth pleasure honour and profite but those thinges that are contrarie to these as affliction dishonour losse those are called euill For mans nature can seeke nothing els at all but those things that are his owne that which pleaseth and profiteth him that he doth especially like But that which displeaseth him he counteth the worst of all thinges although it be the best Wherefore as I haue saide the Lord speaketh here of those wise and prudent men which with their owne wisedom striue against the wisedome of God Worldly wisedome seemeth to it selfe to be so great that is it not content to rule onely these worldly and temporall thinges but taketh also vpon it selfe to haue the ouersight of heauenly things it alwayes sercheth out and imagineth some new thing euen in spirituall and diuine matters So mans owne wisedome hath inuented shauen crownes and cowles almost all that wherein the papacie consisteth euerie one hath chosen his proper worke to himselfe this man hath inuented this an other hath inuēted that and if this be abolished and doth not greatly please byandby they fynde out some other thing as alas we haue seene and do as yet see neither is there any measure in these trifles whereupon it commeth that we can hardly away with the word of God and the truth but are alwayes delighted to inuent some new thing For truly this is certaine as often as we ordaine a new worship of God contrarie to the word of God we are byandby blynded and fall from errour to errour then which calamitie none greater can come vnto vs. Wherefore Paule 2. Thess 2. sayth Therefore God shall send them strong delusiō that they should beleeue lies that all they might be damned which beleeued not the truth but
had pleasure in vnrighteousnes Yea and at the last they become so blynde that they vnderstand nothing at all of God as it is in the 14. Psal The foole hath sayd in his heart there is no God For it can not be that the naturall man which consisteth of flesh blood and is not instructed by the spirit of God should iudge and vnderstand those thinges which are of God as Paule 1. Cor. 2. witnesseth The naturall man perceiueth not the thinges of the Spirite of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually decerned He which wil reade more hereof let him peruse the first chapter of the Epistle of Paule to the Romanes there shall he plainly enough perceiue what blyndenes is and what punishment doth ensue if the word of God beinge neglected we folowe our one inuentions and counsels All which we see in our spirituall monkes nunnes and sacrificing pristes and do too truly trie it God graunt that they may at the last repent and giue vnto God his glorie S. Paule sayth there of the Gentiles that they turned the glorie of the incorruptible God to the similitude of the image not onely of a corruptible man but also of birdes and foure footed beastes and of creeping thinges So do our Papists also yea and much more foolishly and madly then the Gentiles for they make vnto themselues a good which is delighted with a shauen crowne with towels with eating of flesh and fish c. Wherefore God hath giuen them vp through their hearts lusts vnto vncleannes as he did the Gentiles and that so filthily that it is better to conceale it then to rehearse it For if such filthie and wicked thinges were committed among the Gentiles which had many wiues and many concubines what would not these spirituall men com-Briefly which haue forbidden the vse of women and matrimonie mit so is it wont to come to passe where Satan beareth the swaie and the word of God is wrested to serue mens affections which euerie man may assuredly perswade himselfe to be so yea these thinges are so knowen and vndoutedly true that children in the stretes speake and sing of them Now this is not to be vnderstood of spirituall men onely but euen the vulgar sort and common multitude do liue so when the word of God is not admitted As we see citizens to vtter counterfet wares marchants to deceiue in selling marchandice and so many craftie practizes so many deceits in subtill dealing so much regard of vsurie and priuate profit that it can not be rehearsed As yet they endeuour againe to bring in the Masse to set vp their tapers c being perswaded that God is pacified with such trifles reuoluing this onely in their myndes that their fame may remaine vntouched and vnhurt in the world howsoeuer they agree with God Of such wise and prudent men Christ speaketh here in the Gospell which heare the Gospell in deede and see miracles but it profiteth them nothing forasmuch as their heart is not touched Now Christ sayth thus Verse 25. I giue thee thankes O Father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these thinges from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them vnto children Verse 26. It is so O Father because thy good pleasure was such Christ speaketh not here of verie children there may be some notable doctor whom he calleth a childe in this place Contrariwise there may be a rusticall felow whom he calleth here wise and prudent In the eight Psal Dauid also calleth these infants and children when he sayth Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies They surely by whom God ordained strength against his enemies which should extoll his glorie through the whole world were not babes or children in verie deede Those therefore the Lord calleth children here which compt their owne workes for nothing attribute nothing to their owne wisedome Whom the Lord calleth here childrē or babes make nothing of themselues but thinke God onely to be wise and of vnderstanding Wherefore they are humble and lowly and how great soeuer they are do submit themselues to God of whom onely they suffer themselues to be taught Now other be ouer wise and will learne nothing of God yea they presumptuously take to themselues iudgement and censure ouer the doctrine and workes of God whereof thou mayste read in the first and second chapter of the Epistle to the Corinthians Wherefore Christ sayth Luke 16 The children of this world are in their generation wiser then the children of light But the foolish children of light are of greater estimation before God then the wise children of this world Of these children the Lord speaketh Thou hast hid them from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hast reuealed them to babes For the wise and prudent know not these thinges but the children and fooles know them How commeth it to passe that the wise know them not because thou hast hidden them from them How do the children know them because thou hast reuealed them What he meaneth hereby we may gather of those thinges that were spoken before to wit that he had preached the Gospell of the kingdome of God in many cities of Iudea as in Chorazin Bethsaida and in his owne citie Capernaum which cities their owne wisedome being a hinderance and lette vnto them did not receiue the foolish preaching of the Gospell The Gospel is a good and ioyfull message which teacheth me to know the glorie of God by which knowledge I obtaine pardon of my synnes and life eternall The Gospell a ioyful message As Christ sayth to his father in the Gospell of Iohn chap. 17 This is life eternal that they know thee to be the onely very God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent He saythe also in this Gospell No man knoweth the Sonne but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne will rereueale him Here he speaketh of the knowledge both of the Father and of the Sonne To whom this is reuealed he knoweth and obtaineth eternal life But the Father hath hid these thinges from the wise and prudent that they may not know neither the Father nor the Sonne and hath reuealed them to children they haue the knowledge both of the Father and the Sonne and so do obtaine euerlasting life Moreouer if these thinges be thus as they be in deede what shall become of free will Seeing thou seest such hainous and wicked thinges to be committed in the bodies as it is written Rom. 1. go thy wayes now and glorie of free will But this is a goodly free will to liue in such a filthie life which is altogether vnworthy of a man which is vnknowen euen among beastes that are without reason Howbeit it is wont so to come to passe when God forsaketh vs. What state they come into whom God forsaketh As