He that sleepeth naturally neither seeth nor feeleth any of those good thinges that are in the world but lieth among those thinges which are euen next adioyning vnto him as it were dead seruing to no vse neither regarding any thing at all For albeit he liue in himselfe yet is he as dead to all other Againe in stede of true thinges he is in dreames wholy occupied with vaine images and formes of thinges which appeare true and is so foolish that he embraceth those vaine formes and thinketh them to be true thinges But when he waketh those images do togither vanish awaye and the man beginneth to be occupied with true thinges After the same maner almost it is when one is as it were swallowed vp of vngodlines for he sleepeth and is like a dead man before God neither seeth he neither feeleth any of the good thinges which are good thinges in deede namely those spirituall good thinges which are promised offered him by the Gospell albeit they be iust by him For those thinges are seene and felt by faith alone otherwise they are remoued from all sight and feeling Wherefore as long as by reason of the sleep of his vnbeleefe he can haue neither any regard or sense of true good thinges which are verie neere him through the Gospell he busieth himselfe with the false good thinges of this world as riches promotions and pleasures which being compared vnto eternall life vnto heauenly ioy and that perfect saluation which commeth to the godly are altogither as dreames and as those vaine visions compared to naturall thinges whereof they are onely representations But when man awaketh and hath receiued faith all regard and desire of those false good thinges of this present life vanisheth awaye and he acknowledgeth that they are nothing els but meere vanitie and falshood euen as those visions do quite fade away as soone as a man awaketh out of naturall sleepe Hereof the 76. Psalme speaketh They haue slept their sleepe and they whose handes were mightie haue found nothing And Psal 73 Like as a dreame when one awaketh so shalt thou make their image to vanish out of the citie And Esay 29 As whē a hungrie mā dreameth that he is eating yet whē he awaketh his soule is emptie or as when a thirstie man dreameth that he is drinking and when he awaketh he is yet faint and his soule hath appetite euen so shall the multitude of all nations be that fighteth against mount Sion See how contemptuously and disdainfully the Prophet speaketh of the chiefe power riches pleasures and promotions of the world and likeneth them to dreames and most vaine visions wherewith they which are asleepe are deluded What other durst say that the good thinges riches and power of these Kings Princes and rich men are nothing els but dreames when as for them men mingle earth with heauen fyer with water raging without measure and ende in the world But the cause hereof is for that they yet sleepe therefore they do yet see nothing hereof as they want fayth so also are they destitute of this light For now is our saluation neerer then whē we beleued What meane these wordes did we beleeue before The promise of God concerning saluation by his Sonne and do we not beleeue now Here we must call to minde that which Paul writeth Rom. 1 that God promised the Gospell by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures cōcerning his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord that all should by him be saued according to that which was said vnto Abraham Gen. 22 In thy seede shal all the nations of the earth be blessed This blessing promised to Abraham in his seede is nothing els but grace and saluation in Christ offered to the whole world by the Gospell which Paule so interpreteth Rom. 4. and Gal. 3. For Christ is that seede of Abraham that is as he is man his flesh and blood by whom and in whom shal be blessed as many as beleeue in him and call vpon him This promise was afterward by the Prophets continually more and more declared and preached for they did all write of the comming of Christ of the grace which he should bring and of the Gospell which Peter also witnesseth Act. 4. This promise of God all the faithfull beleeued which died before Christ was borne who by this faith were saued and obtained saluation in Christ and through Christ Hereunto Paul now had respect when he said Our saluation is now neerer then when we beleeued For that which he saith is thus much in effect We beleeued in time past that the promise made vnto Abraham should be fulfilled now is it fulfilled and those thinges that we beleeued should come to passe are now present Christ is come the Gospell is reuealed and published and the blessing which we looked for is spred ouer the world all thinges which we taried for and beleeued being promised are come And hereby the Apostle signified the spirituall daye whereof he speaketh afterward which is properly the beginning and manifestation of the Gospell whereof we will hereafter speake Now by this that those thinges which we beleeued should be fulfilled are now fulfilled our faith is not any whit made voide or frustrate but much more sound and perfect For as they of the olde time before Christes incarnation beleeued the promise of God which should be fulfilled so do we beleeue that the same is fulfilled The faith of them which liued before Christes incarnation theirs which liue after it all one in it selfe and the faith is altogether the same in it selfe but that our faith followed theirs as the fulfilling followeth also the promise For either faith trusteth in the seede of Abraham that is in Christ theirs before his incarnation ours after it Wherefore he that should at this day beleeue with the Iewes that Christ is to come should make God a lyer as though he had not yet fulfilled his promise which he hath fulfilled and being fulfilled would haue it published and preached So also should saluation be yet farre from the beleeuers which we should looke for being as yet to come in the time that shall hereafter follow Of this double faith Paul speaketh Rom. 1 By the Gospell righteousnes which God giueth is reuealed from faith to faith What meaneth this from faith to faith nothing els but that albeit the faith of the Fathers and our faith is the same whereby it is beleeued in Christ either to come or which hath already appeared yet the Gospell doth lead from their faith to ours so that it is now necessarie not onely to beleeue the promise that was to be fulfilled but also that it is fulfilled which it did not behoue Abraham and the other Fathers to beleeue although they had the same Christ which we haue For there is one faith one spirit one Christ one communion of all Saincts this difference onely there is betweene vs that they went before Christ we follow him We haue
thinke how Christ was taken and bound and led vp downe When pride tempteth thee consider with thy self how thy Lord was mocked and reputed among theeues When lust pleasure pricke thee thinke with how great sharpenes the tender flesh of Christ was torne with whippes and pearsed through When anger enuye desire of reuenge moue thee thinke with how great teares and cryes Christ did praye euen for his enemies toward whom he might more iustly haue shewed him selfe sharpe and rigorous When sadnes or any aduersitie whatsoeuer either corporall or spirituall troubleth thee strengthen thy hart say well why should not I also suffer a litle sorrowfulnes when as my Lorde did sweat blood in the garden for anguish heauines Surely he were a sluggish and an ignominious seruaunt who his maister lying at the poynt of death would be held from him with a soft and easie bed Lo thus a man may find strength remedie in Christ against all crimes and offences This is truely in deede to meditate vpon the passion of Christ these are the frutes of the Lordes passion in which he that doth after this sort exercise him selfe doth surely without comparison better then if he heard all passions or all superstitious Masses Such also are called true Christians which doe so represent the life and name of Christ in their life as S. Paule sayth Gal. 5.24 They that are Christes haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lustes with Christ For the passion of Christ is not to be handled in wordes and outward shewe but in deede and veritie Heb. 12.3 So S. Paule admonisheth vs Consider him that endured such speaking against of sinners least ye should be wearied and fainte in your mindes And S. Peter sayth 1. Pet. 4.1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh arme yourselues likewise with the same minde But such meditation is now growen out of vse and begon to waxe rare wherewith notwithstanding the Epistles of Peter and Paule are most aboundantly replenished A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE FRVTE AND VERTVE OF CHRIST HIS RESVRRECTION WE haue heard in the treatise of the Lordes passion It is not enough to know the historie of Christes passion and resurrection but the vse and frute of them must be preached and knowen that it is not sufficient to know onely the bare historie thereof After the same maner it is not enough here to know how and when Christ rose againe but both the vse and the profit as well of his passion as of his resurrection must be preached and knowne to wit what Christ obtained for vs by them For where the onely deede of the historie is preached it is a friuolous preaching and without all frute which both Satan and the wicked doe as well know reade and vnderstand as we doe But when as the vse of them is preached and whereunto they profit that in deede is a frutefull and wholsom Sermon and full of sweete consolation Wherefore Christ him selfe hath declared the vse and profit of his passion and resurrection when he thus talked with the women Matth. 28 Be not afraid Goe and tell my brethren that they goe into Galile and there shal they see me And this is the first word which they heare of Christ after his resurrection from the dead whereby he confirmeth all his sayinges also all his benefits shewed vnto them before to wit that they should come vnto vs also that should beleue in him and pertaine onely to the beleuers for that here he calleth not onely the Apostles his brethren but also all them which beleue in him although they doe not see him visibly as the Apostles did He doth not differre vntill we pray vnto him and call vppon him that we may be made his brethren Let any of vs now come forth and boast of his merit or of the strength whereby he is able to merit any thing The Apostles merited nothing at all that Christ should call them his brethren What had the Apostles merited Peter denied Christ thrise All the rest of the Disciples did flie away from him they did perseuer and stand by him euen as the hare tarieth with her yong ones he might haue called them runawayes and forsakers of their standing in the middest of their conflict yea traitors and wicked men rather then brethren Wherefore of meere grace and mercy this worde was brought vnto them of the Matrones which the Apostles themselues did then well perceiue and we also doe throughly feele when we are set in the middes of sinnes and are ouercome of damnation This word therefore is ful of all consolation and comfort that Christ careth for such wretched men as we are yea and that he doth call vs his brethren If so be that Christ be our brother surely I would fayne know what good thing we shall want As therfore the case standeth among carnall brethren so doth it stand here They that are germane brethren by consanguinitie do vse goods common among them selues hauing the same father the same inheritance otherwise they were not brethren So we also possesse common good thinges with Christ enioying the same father the same inheritance which inheritance is not diminished by parting it as worldly inheritances are but is alwayes made more aboundant for it is a spirituall inheritance A corporall inheritance when it is distributed into diuers parts is made smaller but in this portion of the spirit the case is such that he that hath gotten part thereof hath obtained the whole The inheritance of Christ What is therfore the inheritance of Christ In his power are life and death sinne and grace and whatsoeuer is contained in heauen and in earth his are eternall veritie strength wisedom righteousnes All power is giuen vnto him he hath rule ouer all thinges ouer hunger and thirst prosperitie and aduersitie c. he reigneth ouer all thinges that can be thought whether they be in heauen or in earth spirituall or corporall and that I may speake at once all thinges are in his power as well eternall thinges as temporall Now if I shall cleaue vnto him by faith What they enioy that cleaue to Christ by faith I shall be made partaker of all his good thinges and shall not obtayne a part of the inheritance onely but I shall possesse euen with him euerlasting wisedom eternall strength My belly shall not be grieued with hunger sinnes shall not oppresse me neither shall I be afraid of the face of death neither shall I dread the sight of Satan neither shall I want the plenty of any thing that is good euen as he wanteth it not Hereby now we may easily vnderstand the sayinges vttered commonly in the Prophets especially in the Psalmes as where Dauid sayth Psal 34 The Lions doe lacke and suffer hunger but they that feare the Lorde shall want no maner of thing that is good and where he sayth in an other place The
wherefore forasmuch as they bringe no commoditie at all neither is there any neede of them and they are cause of greater hinderance to a Christian common weale then can be thought and can not by any meanes be reformed what can be more profitable then that they be vtterly ouerthrowne and abolished Moreouer that we may admonish here concerning the ciuill Magistrate when he commaundeth or requireth any thing Obedience to the ciuill Magistrate doth not hinder Christian libertie yea if he compel thereunto we must obey for there commeth no losse of Christian libertie or of faith hereby forasmuch as they doe not contend that those thinges are necessary to saluation which they do ordaine or require but onely to maintaine outward rule publike tranquillitie and gouernment so the conscience remaineth free Wherefore forasmuch as it doth nothing hinder faith to do those things which the ciuill Magistrate commaundeth but doth also profit the common weale it shall be without dout a point of Christian obedience to endeuour to do them with a willing mind that we may be such as are pliant agreeable to all men willing to doe all things ready to deserue well of euery one to gratifie all Howbeit if any should contend that those commaundements of the ciuill Magistrate be necessary to saluation then as it is sayd of the traditions of the Papistes the contrary rather were to be done or at the lest it were to be witnessed that thou doost them onely for the common weales sake because so it is profitable to others and not that thou mayst obtaine saluation by them which we haue gotten by Christ Iesus alone as many of vs as beleeue in him According to this doctrine the examples before mentioned euery one ought to behaue him selfe in euery thinge toward all men as Paule here teacheth that he sticke not to his owne iudgement or right but that he shew him selfe pliant vnto others and haue regard of those thinges which he shall knowe will be acceptable and profitable to his neighbours When therefore it doth nothing hinder thy faith and profiteth thy neighbour to yeeld somewhat of thine owne right if thou doe it not thou art without charitie neglectest that Christian softnes patient mind that Paule here speaketh of Yea if thou hast regard hereof as he that truly beleeueth in Christ ought to haue thou must take it patiently euen when any man doth iniurie vnto thee or endamage thee and so interprete it in the better part and alwaies think on that A most worthy saying of a right Christian Martyr which that Martyr when all his substance was taken from him sayd But they shall not take away Christ from me So whatsoeuer chaunceth vnto thee say thou I haue as yet suffered no losse of my faith why shoulde I not take it in good parte which my neighbour hath done why should I not yeeld vnto him and apply my selfe to his will Thou canst scarce find a more manifest example hereof An example which Christians ought to follow in behauing them selues toward their neighbours then betwene two vnfeyned friendes for as they behaue them selues one toward an other so ought a Christian to behaue him selfe toward euery one Either of them endeuoreth to gratifie other either of them giueth place to other suffereth doth and omitteth whatsoeuer he seeth to be for the profite and commoditie of the other that freely without all constraint Either of them doth diligently apply him selfe to the will of the other neither of them compelleth other to follow his mind if one should vse the goods of an other that other would not be offended but would take it in good part and would not grudge rather to giue more and that I may speake briefly betweene such there is no exaction of lawe no grudging no constraint no necessitie but libertie fauour and good will Contrariwise such as be impatient and obstinate which take nothing in good part of any man but go about to make all things subiect to their owne will and to order all thinges according to their owne iudgement The impatient obstinate are cause of much euill such I say trouble the world and are the cause of all discordes contentions warres whatsoeuer discommoditie there is they say afterward that they did those thinges for the loue of iustice and for that they endeuoured to defend that which is right So that that heathen man sayd not amisse Extreme rigour is extreme iniurie And Salomon also sayth Eccles 7. Be thou neither too righteous nor ouer wise For as extreme rigour is extreme iniurie so too great wisedom is extreme folly Which also is meant by this common saying when wise men dote they dote beyond measure Surely if God should deale with vs according to right we should perish in a moment wherefore as Paule prayseth in him this moderation of right and incomparable patience and gentlenes saying 2. Cor. 10 I beseech you by the meekenes and gentlenes of Christ so is it also meete that we doe obserue a measure of our iudgement right wisedom prudence and in all thinges apply our selues to the profit commoditie of others But let vs weie the wordes of the Apostle for they are placed not without a spirituall skilfulnes he sayth Let your patient minde or softnes be knowne vnto all men Where thou must not thinke that he commaundeth thee to be made knowne vnto all men How our patient minde must be made knowē vnto all men or that thou oughtest to tell thy patient mind or softnes before all men For he sayth not tell it forth but let it be knowne that is endeuour to practize it toward men I doe not commaund that ye shoulde thinke or speake of it but that ye labour that it may be knowne in deede while all men doe trie and feele it that no man may say any other thing of you then that ye be of a patient minde and pliant applying your selues to all men being enforced so to say euen by manifest experience So that if any man were neuer so much bent to speake otherwise of you his mouth might be stopped by that testimonie of all other witnessing of your patient mind and meekenes So sayth Christ Matth. 5. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen And Peter sayth 1. Pet. 2. Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may by your good workes which they shall see glorifie God in the day of visitation It is not surely in our power that our patient mind should be knowne and acknowledged of all men but it shal be sufficient for vs if we endeuour that all men may haue triall thereof in vs and that no man may finde it wanting in our life Moreouer all men is not so to be taken that thou shouldest vnderstand thereby all men
helpe where and when thou shalt know best So faith is a sure foundation whereunto I trusting No maner of thing that is good shal be wanting to the faithfull doe looke for those thinges which I see not and that I may speake at once it shall not want those thinges that be necessarie Surely the Angels themselues should come downe from heauen giue bread digged euen out of the earth vnto such a faithfull man that he might be nourished rather then he should be pined with hunger yea heauen and earth shall passe before God will suffer a man endued with such faith to want either clothing or any other necessarie thinge This singular trust and confidence in God the comfortable and effectuall worde of the diuine promise doeth require Whereof Dauid glorieth Psal 37 I haue been young and nowe am olde and yet sawe I neuer the righteous forsaken nor his seede begging bread And againe God knoweth the dayes of the righteous their inheritaunce shall continue for euer They shall not be confounded in the perilous time and in the dayes of dearth they shall haue enough But if we shall aske counsell of reason it will forthwith say as the disciples did before this thinge is vnpossible for it looketh for nothing it trusteth to nothing when nothing is present Of like diffidence were the disciples who thought thus with thēselues how can it be that such a great multitude of men should be here refreshed with meate truly it exceedeth our capacitie If they had seene an heape of money store of breade and shambles full of flesh they could then haue easily relieued this present necessitie they could haue put all in a good hope and fitly haue disposed all thinges according to the capacitie of their reason And thus much shall suffize to be spoken concerning the faith of temporall good things now we will entreat of spirituall good thinges which shall come vnto vs when we shall die Then shall we see death set before our eyes when as notwithstanding we would willingly liue then shall hell appeare vnto vs when we rather desire for heauen then shall we behold the iudgement of God notwithstanding his grace would be much more acceptable vnto vs. In a summe whatsoeuer we would desire to see shal be taken out of our sight yea and no creature shall helpe vs against death Faith ceasseth not to truste in God euen in greatest extremitie and distresse hell and the iudgement of God But if I beleeue I saye thus vnto my selfe well faith is a sure foundation herewith I being stayed vp shall attaine vnto those thinges which are verie farre out of my sight albeit those thinges be horrible which be in my sight yet shall they not hurt him that beleeueth Although therefore I doe presently see nothinge but death hell and the iudgement of God yet must I consider none of these but rather my mynde is to be confirmed with an vndouted trust that God by the vertue of his promise not in respect of my merites or workes will giue vnto me life blessednes and grace This in deede is to cleaue vnto God by syncere fayth which is here verie well painted forth in this grosse and bodily image of foure thousand men who cleauing to God onely by faith did not doute that they should be refreshed of him If they had iudged according to the capacitie of their reason they would haue murmured and said after this sort surely we are a verie great multitude we are here in the wide wildernes we haue emptie and hungrie stomackes here is nothing that is able to fill thē Howbeit they murmured of none of these things but conceiuing a sure confidence reasoning nothing against God after the affection of men they commende them selues wholy to the good will of God and commit vnto him this vrging necessitie of hunger they them selues being quiet from all care Then God before this care commeth vpon them and before they begin to aske of him is present being more carefull for them then they are for them selues sayth on this sort I am moued with compassion toward the multitude if I send them away fasting it is a daunger lest they faint by the way Behold how gentle bountifull we haue God toward vs who hath euen a care to feede the vncleane belly Here now our hope is erected and the wordes of Christ are comfortable to a man when he sayth They haue now continued with me three dayes it now behoueth me to giue sufficient vnto them to eate Here we may see that all that doe sticke diligently to the word of God are fed of God him selfe Wherefore let vs dearly beloued at the last begin to beleeue Incredulitie the mother of sinne for onely diffidence and incredulitie is the mother of all sinnes vices which at this day reigne in all sorts of men How commeth it to passe that euery where whethersoeuer we turne vs there are so many harlots and baudes such plenty of deluders and deceiuers so many theeues pillers vserers robbers Simonists as they call them and sellers of benefices All these diffidence toward God bringeth forth vnto vs. For such kind of men do iudge onely according to humane reason and reason looketh vnto that which is present but that which it seeth not it is not able to comprehend wherefore while it doth not repose her trust by faith in God it is enforced to despeire which desperation afterward causeth such naughtie and wicked men Behold thus it goeth out of frame with vs when we cōmit our selues to be ruled not to faith but to our owne reason Moreouer as ye haue now learned faith so must ye also learne loue For Christ is sette forth vnto vs in a double forme in one of faith that we should not be ouer carefull in an other of loue Christ an example of loue that we may learne that as he hath care of vs giuing vs meate drink apparel that of meere bountiful loue not for his owne commodities sake or because of our merits so also we ought to doe well to our neighbour and that freely onely loue mouing vs thereunto that as Christ is to vs so we may be to our neighbour Hereupon now we may perceiue that all works of Monks and Nunnes are vaine and to be vtterly disallowed when they are not directed to that end that they may serue their neighbour but are ordeined onely vnto this ende that they may merit much at Gods handes by them For the true workes of Christians which they desire to be accepted of God must be done so that they tend to the profit of our neighbour and not to this ende that we shoulde thinke that we shall merit many thinges of God by them they must be cheerefully and freely bestowed vpon all euen as Christ hath done who hath spred abroad and freely bestowed his goodnes vpon all These thinges haue I briefly spoken concerning this text that ye may thereby learne that
childe Ioseph also and Marie obeyed this commaundement of Cesar and submitted them selues as other honest and obedient men and went to Bethlehem which was the chiefe and head citie of the house of Iuda and suffered themselues to be taxed Marie inasmuch as she was with child neare her deliuerie might haue excused her selfe that she should not take this iorney vpon her but she doth not so they will not be an offence to others Moreouer it ought thus to be that they should come to Bethlehem because of the prophecie of the Prophet Micheas chap. 5. which foretolde that Christ shoulde be borne in Bethlehem of Iuda Marke I pray you how that taxe must serue hereunto which neither Cesar nor his Lieuetenant did knowe Thus God dealeth in his workes in which he vseth the meanes of heathen and euill men whereby he may make vs which are miserable wretched men and so deepely drowned in flesh and blood certaine of our faith which the Euangelist Luke here specially setteth forth inasmuch as he eftsoones declareth in the historie the places and times least that we should be deceiued concerning this Christ The maner of his birth the Euangelist sheweth moreouer saying And so it was that while they were there the dayes were accomplished that she should be deliuered and she brought forth her first begotten sonne and wrapped him in swadling clothes layd him in a manger because there was no roome for them in the Inne Let it nothing moue vs or be any offence vnto vs that the Lorde commeth into the world in so great pouertie and miserie For it ought to be a great ioy and comfort vnto vs rather then in any wise to discomfort discourage vs. It may seeme a straunge thing and hard and strait dealing that a Virgin which was new maried and that yeare ioyned to her husband might not be permitted to bring forth her childe at Nazareth in her owne house but was enforced in poore estate to goe almost three daies iorney being great with child And when she came at her iorneyes end she had not so much place in the Inne as that she might be deliuered in some parlour or chamber The Inne being full there was none that would vouchsafe to giue place to this woman being great with childe that she might haue the vse of their chamber but she was enforced to go into a stable that there she might bring forth the Creator of all creatures Here may be plainly perceiued what is the knowledge and wisedom of the world concerning diuine matters namely that it is blinde and vaine in vnderstanding that it seeth not the works of God and if it be so that it seeth them that it knoweth not what they meane Comfort against worldly miserie contempt Hereof let vs learne not to be moued or discouraged if we be poore and miserable and forsaken of the world for we haue here great comfort If Christ the maker of all thinges with his beloued mother was cast into so great miserie and so contemned of the worlde why may not the same also come vnto vs or why should not we being in miserie and compassed about with all calamities beare them patiently yea if God will at any time kill vs with aduersitie and distres But this thing is to be lamented that we doe exclude such an example from our eyes but much farther from our hart We should easily suffer aduersitie and contempt if so be that we beleued and had a sure trust and confidence in God when as we see that the Lord Christ suffered this miserie pouertie and calamitie Wherefore this is first throughly to be marked and considered of vs how Christ came into the world in so great pouertie and found not so much as one in so great a citie which was dutifull and beneficial toward him Thus this natiuitie was receiued in the earth ouer which notwithstanding all the heauenly souldiers did exceedingly reioyce as it followeth And there were in the same contrey shepeheards abiding in the field and watching their flocke by night And loe the Angel of the Lorde came vpon them and the glory of the Lorde shone about them and they were sore afraide Here is declared How God setteth forth the natiuitie of his sonne how God in heauen setteth forth this natiuitie which the world contemneth yea knoweth not neither seeth This ioy is so great in heauen that it can not be contained therein but bursteth forth that it may be declared and communicated to the world For the Angell here bringeth tydings of great ioy to the shepeheardes which to them is great comfort which the worlde notwithstanding contemneth and reiecteth but is of the Angells had in greate admiration yea and if they might they would with greater prayses and more goodly pompe haue sette forth so wonderful a thinge But it was not meete it should be so For God would set forth an example in this his Sonne that the ostētatiō glorying of the world might at the last be neglected and that it might be knowne what the world is Mans reason semeth alwayes very wise vnto it selfe it alwayes looketh vnto thinges that are aloft it considereth onely high matters it humbleth not it selfe to those thinges that are below This now is an excellent comfort that the Angels and all the heauenly souldiers doe esteeme him so much whom the world contemneth whereby we may learne that albeit we be outcasts in the worlde there be notwithstanding that haue regard and care of vs. Howbeit we do hardly beleeue this we doe not fasten our eyes thereupon but looke vnto great precious and high thinges according to the example of the world and are dismayed as soone as a litle misfortune commeth neither thinking nor knowing if any aduersity assaileth vs that it is done by the will of God Beleue thou this vndoutedly if it had not so pleased God he would not haue suffered this his beloued sonne to be layd in a manger he would not haue permitted him to be borne in so great pouertie miserie and contempt But the poorer and more despised that he is before the world so much greater care and regard God and all the heauenly souldiers haue of him so that we may conceiue comfort hereby and beleeue assuredly that the more we are reiected of the world the more we are esteemed before God The blind vaine deuotion of many Thou mayst finde many which doe here thinke thus and are touched with such deuotion as this O if I had bene there then with howe great diligence woulde I haue serued this childe and done for him yea I woulde haue washed euen his swadling clothes O if I had bene so happy as the shepeheards that I also might haue seene the Lord lying in a maunger Nowe in deede thou wouldest be ready to doe those duties when thou knowest Christ to be so high and noble Surely thou wouldest haue bene as slacke in thy dutie at that time as the Citizens
that Christ being raysed from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion ouer him For in that he died he died once to sinne but in that he liueth he liueth to God Likevvise thinke ye also that ye are dead to sinne but are aliue to God in Iesus Christ our Lord. Thus much concerning the first appearance Now we will speake somewhat of the second that is of the baptisme of Christ Three thīgs to be considered in Christes Baptisme In the baptisme of Christ three thinges are to be considered The first that the heauens were opened when he was baptized The seconde that the holy Ghost was seene in the likenes of a doue The third that the voice of the father was heard which sayd This is my beloued sonne in vvhome I am vvell pleased Whereas Christ vouchsaued to be baptised with water he hath hallowed baptisme made the water thereof holy that he which is baptized in his name might become likewise holy and cleane from sinne and might haue the heauens open Now Christ was not baptized for him selfe for he was not infected with the spot of any sinne as S. Peter sayth 1. Pet. 2. He behaued him selfe like vnto a good Phisitian which before the sicke doth first drinke some bitter potion that the sicke may more gladly and boldly doe the same afterward For we in baptisme drinke a bitter potion namely the mortification of the olde Adam which with the bitternes thereof doth greatly trouble vs. For that dipping into the water or sprinkling with it doth signifie nothing els but that that old Adam should perish die This is greatly furthered by the crosse which God according to his diuine will layeth vpon vs which we ought not to cast from vs but beare it willingly with a patient mind But that this might be easier for vs to doe euen Christ hath taken it vpon him selfe he suffered him selfe to be baptized and tooke his crosse and caried it nothing resisting or gaynesaying and so was obedient to his father vnto the death euen the death of the crosse as Paule sayth Philip. 2. that he might deliuer vs from sinnes and might againe appease his heauēly father which surely he did of his mere grace without any desert of ours whereof we haue baptisme a signe pledge as Paule sayth vnto Titus But vvhen that bountifulnes and that loue of God our Sauiour tovvard man appeared not by the vvorks of righteousnes vvhich vve had done but according to his mercy he saued vs by the vvashing of the nevve birth and the renuing of the holy Ghost vvhich he shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour that vve being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life Secondly the holy Ghost appeareth here in the likenes of a doue when Christ is baptized The second thing to be considered in the baptisme of Christ whereby is signified that we also doe receiue the holy Ghost in our baptisme which ruleth and guideth vs according to the will of God which is present with vs helpeth vs in bearing the burden of the holy crosse which exhorteth vs is instant vpon vs enforceth vs and when we yeld to the burden of the crosse is present and helpeth vs if we fall rayseth vs vp againe and is with vs as a certeine faithfull companion in our iorney He also maketh the burden of the crosse light which we were very vnable to beare if he did not put to his helpe If so be that thou fall into sinne remember to goe backe vnto thy Baptisme for this is the onely ship wherein we passe ouer Wherefore take heede of them which make two tables wherby we passe ouer the sea of sinnes namely baptisme and repentance Beleeue them not whatsoeuer they handle it is mere delusion baptisme is the beginning of repentance As often therefore as thou fallest into sinne haue recourse vnto thy baptisme there thou shalt againe obtaine the holy Ghost who may be present with thee For repentance is nothing else but a displeasing of him selfe a detesting of his wicked life and a renuing of the man which is represented in baptisme After such a renuing of the life followeth the prayse of God and thankesgiuing vnto him for the grace receiued then such a man bursteth forth behaueth him self friendly toward his neighbour doth good to him in all thinges This is signified by that that the holy Ghost appeared vpon Christ in the likenes of a doue for a doue wanteth the gall Such they also become which receiue the holy Ghost in baptisme to witte they are gentle and without all bitternes toward all Thirdly The third thing to be considered in the baptisme of Christ the voyce of the father is heard in the baptisme of Christ which sayth This is my beloued Sonne in vvhom I am well pleased This is that Sauiour which deliuereth vs from the tyrannie of sinne death Satan and hell And here we must learne how we must come vnto God He that desireth to be the grations deare childe of God the father must attaine vnto this through Christ through him alone the beloued sonne who sitteth in the bosom of his father vnto whom alone the father looketh without whom he alloweth nothing and whatsoeuer pleaseth the father it pleaseth him in respect of this his sonne Wherefore he that desireth to goe to the father must cleaue to this beloued sonne must lay him selfe vpon his backe For by this voice all titles albeit they seeme very goodly and holy are taken away nothing is of value or estimation with the father but onely this his beloued sonne he is in his especiall fauour Now he that desireth to be in fauour with the father and to be beloued of him let him flie into the bosom of the sonne by whom afterward he findeth accesse to the father as Paule sayth Ephe. 1. that through Christ we are adopted without this Christ we are the enemies of God Whosoeuer therefore cleaueth to Christ through faith he abideth in the fauour of God he also shall be made beloued and acceptable as Christ is and shall haue felowship with the father and the sonne But where this is not done there is nothing but wrath there no honestie no vertue no free will neither prayer nor fasting nor other workes shall profit thou shalt but trifle with all these For this is a most mighty and most excellent voice This is my beloued sonne in whom all thinges consist and are comprehended which are extant in the whole Scripture Euen as all things are deliuered into the handes of Christ and gathered into one that they may obey him as S. Paule sayth For when God sayth This is my beloued sonne by shewing Christ only and shewing and naming no other he maketh it plaine enough that none is his beloued sonne beside him If so be that other are not beloued sonnes it is certaine that they are the children of wrath
will not therefore cast of all hope but wil flie vnto thee that thou mayst succour me For thou onely art the shepeheard the good shepeheard such a one I am perswaded that thou art wherfore I will not despeire or be discouraged although I come vnto thee being voyde of workes We must therefore bestow our diligence that we may wisely well know Christ that in his kingdom onely the weake and diseased are conuersant and that it is nothing else but as it were an hospitall wherein onely the sicke and feeble doe lie of whom a care must be had But few men haue this knowledge for this wisedom is exceeding hard to be attayned vnto so that it is wanting euen vnto them sometime who haue the Gospel and the spirite neither can any wisedome come vnto men which is greater then it Wherfore albeit men looke into the Scripture which setteth forth the kingdome of Christ affirming it to be most precious neuertheles they haue not such a care what the wordes signifie neither doe they marke that true wisedom is hidden therein which excelleth our wisedom by many degrees For it is not Christian wisedom to haue to doe with men which are accounted wise and skilfull and to make mention and talke of them Christian wisedom is occupied among the vnwise but to be occupied among the vnwise and them that lack vnderstanding not that delight pleasure should be taken thereof but that they may come from sinne and foolishnes to righteousnes and sound vnderstanding Hereof it appeareth that Christian wisedom doth consist in this not that we looke aloft consider those thinges which are high and wise and behold and see our selues in thē as it were in a glasse but that we looke to those things that are belowe marke that which is humble foolish He which knoweth this let him giue thankes vnto God For by this knowledge he becommeth such a one as is able to prepare and apply him selfe to euery thing which is in the world But ye shall finde many yea euen among them that preach the Gospell which are not yet come thus farre Hitherto we haue bene so instructed accustomed that none must come vnto Christ before he be altogether cleane thou must therefore forsake that opinion that thou maist attaine to true vnderstanding that thou maist knowe Christ aright howe he is the true and good shepeheard whereof we haue heard sufficient Nowe he compareth the good shepeheard with the euill or hireling and sayth A good shepeheard giueth his life for the sheepe but an hireling he which is not the shepeheard neither the sheepe are his owne seeth the wolfe comming leaueth the sheepe the wolfe catcheth scattereth the sheepe So the hireling fleeth because he is an hireling careth not for the sheepe It is true in deede that Christ is properly the onely shepeheard euen as the name of Christ doth belong to him alone yet he communicateth the same vnto vs that we also may be called Christians So although he be the onely shepeheard yet he imparteth the same name to them that be of the ministerie After the same maner Matth. 23. he forbiddeth that we call no man father vpon the earth forasmuch as there is one onely our father which is in heauen notwithstanding Paule calleth him selfe the father of the Corinthians 1. Cor. 4. when he sayth In Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the Gospell So therefore it seemeth as though God alone would haue the name of a father and in the meane season notwithstanding he graunteth the same name to men that they also may be fathers howbeit that they haue not of them selues but by Christ Euen as we are called Christians because we haue nothing of our selues but for that all thinges are giuen vnto vs through Christ Moreouer the hireling sayth Christ which is not the shepeheard neither the sheepe are his owne when he seeth the wolfe comming leaueth the sheepe fleth c. The hireling when the wolfe commeth leaueth the sheepe This surely is a hard saying that they which truely preach the Gospel and strengthen heale the sheepe neuertheles at the last doe suffer the sheepe to be caught and torne in peeces and doe then flie away when the sheepe haue neede of greatest helpe As long as the wolues doe not appeare they do their dutie carefully diligētly but as soone as they see the wolfe breake in they forthwith leaue the sheepe If they then haue fed them well that they be fat strong whole they are the better liked of the wolues for whome they haue fed them But what is the hiddē meaning of this parable The meaning of Christ is this In my kingdome which consisteth in nothing else but that the weake be strengthned the sicke healed the faynt harted encouraged the holy crosse shall not be wanting The crosse accompanieth the preaching of the Gospell For when it is preached that Christ only whose silly sheepe we are hath care of vs strengthneth healeth and helpeth vs that our owne strength and our owne workes are of no importance at all whereby all workes of the world and the diuerse sortes of worshipping God which it inuenteth are vtterly disallowed the world cā not abide such maner of preaching so that it is a natural propertie of the Gospel to bring the crosse with it as vnseparably accōpanying it he that will vnfeinedly profes it before the world must needes yeld him selfe to beare persecution Forasmuch as the case standeth thus it is not hard to perceiue how great difference there is betwene the true shepeheards and the hirelinges He that is an hireling preacheth the Gospell as long as he is reported among men to be a learned The hireling how he behaueth him selfe godly holy man But when as he is reproued or set vpon as an heretike and wicked fellow or moued to make a recantation then he either recanteth or taketh him selfe to his feete leauing the miserable sheepe alone without a shepeheard then their case becommeth worse then it was before What doth it then auaile the sheepe if they were wel fed before What the true shepeheard doth If they were true shepeheardes they would spend their life before they woulde so leaue the sheepe to the iawes of the wolues and would be ready alwayes to offer their necke to the axe for the Gospells sake They therefore are neuer good shepeheards which so preach the Gospell that they may thereby get vnto them selues honour riches and profit without all dout they are hirelings who seeke after their owne thinges euen in sound doctrine yea and in the word of God Wherefore they abide no longer then while they may haue honour praise commiditie thereby but as soone as the wolfe commeth goe backe denye the worde and get them selues away leauing the sheepe which very earnestly seeke for pasture and their shepeheard who may keepe them from the iniurie of
which goeth of him Where doth there appeare so much as any thing like vnto those thinges which men haue told me of him They were deceiued them selues and deceiued me also He sheweth him selfe an enemie rather then a friende Why doth he not so much as speake a word and friendly denie me helpe if I be vnworthy thereof He holdeth his peace like vnto a blocke vouchsafeth not to speake a word neither offereth his help Here surely Christ gaue a grieuous blow to the minde of the silly woman So it is an incomparable torment to them that beleeue being in distres when God sheweth him selfe such a one at their prayers like vnto one that is angrie and whom they pray vnto in vayne hiding so deepely his grace that they now perceiue nothing els but that he will not performe those thinges which he hath promised and that so he will shew his owne wordes to be false That truely hapned to the Israelites at the red sea and to many other excellent holy men The constācie of this woman of Canaan But what doth this woman to these things She remoueth out of her sight mind that Christ shewed him selfe so vngentle and hard to be intreated she being constant and nothing moued hereat perseuereth in the trust of his goodnes whereof she had heard and which she had conceiued in her minde suffering her selfe in no wise to be turned from it We must not ceasse to trust in God though he seemeth at the first not to heare our prayers nor to fulfill his promise So also must we do we must trust vnto the word alone although God him selfe and all creatures pretende otherwise then the worde preacheth But this is thrise most hard to nature reason to be so vtterly destitute and to depend on the word of God without any feeling of comfort euen when a man feeleth and trieth all things to be contrary God giue vnto vs such a mind and faith that we may so doe especially at the point of death and in extreme necessities Secondly whereas the cry and faith of this woman seemeth to haue suffered repulse the disciples come with their faith douting not but that they shal entreat the Lord but when they thinke that they shall make him more easie to be entreated they find him to be much more harde repelling as it appeared and as they thought the faith and prayers both of the woman also of them selues Neither doth Christ here hold his peace and leaue them in doubte as before but he seemeth plainely to deny that which they aske saying I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel This stroke is much more grieuous then that former where not onely the person of the intreater is repelled but al hope also which is wont to be left is cut of namely the comfort of the intercession of all the other Saintes and elect For it is almost the last refuge to them that suffer distres and feele the indignation of God to get them selues to godly holy men seeking for comfort and helpe whereunto as charitie requireth they find them ready and willing but euen they also some time doe in vaine aske helpe and succour for neither are they heard and so the case of them that be in distres becommeth worse and more lamentable So the afflicted and desolate may truely obiect vnto Christ all those wordes wherein he hath promised that he will heare his Sainctes as Matth. 18.19 If two of you shall agree in earth vpon any thing whatsoeuer they shall desire it shall be giuen them of my Father which is in heauen Againe VVhatsoeuer ye shall aske Marke 11.24 beleeue and ye shall receiue it And many such like But if to him that obiecteth these thinges and asketh him howe he can goe from his wordes and promises he aunswere thus I goe not from my promises I haue not promised that I will heare all prayers but the prayers of them that be myne which are of the house of Israell not of all whatsoeuer What thinkest thou may the hart then thinke hauing taken such a repulse Such an aunswere is as it were a flash of lightning wherewith the hart and all trust is seuered and broken in a thousand peeces For what trust can there be left when he heareth that that doth not pertaine vnto him which because of the word of God he trusted to haue obtayned but vnto others Here not so much as a worde can be left if one doe according as he feeleth But what doth this woman She doth not so fall from hope The great constancie faith of this woman of Canaan she still sticketh to the wordes which she had heard of Christ albeit he went about by this other repulse as with a certaine force to wrest them out of her hart she suffereth not her self to be fraied away neither with that vngentle silence neither with this hard aunswere shee continueth stedfastly in a sure confidence beleeuing that vnder this difficultie which Christ did pretend that grace was as yet hidden and layd vp for her which she had heard reported of him shee can not be brought as yet to iudge Christ not to be bountiful and gracious and that he can deny the helpe which shee desireth This was to perseuer strongly in faith Moreouer she followeth Iesus euen into the house as Marke writeth she is instant vpon him falleth downe before him and sayth Lord helpe me Here the Lorde giueth a deadly the last blow saying vnto her face that she is a dogge and vnworthy to be partaker of the bread of the children What may she aunswere hereunto For he seemed to signifie in these wordes that she is of the number of the damned and desperat which can looke for no part with the elect This word seemeth eternall and that can not be gainesayd For he which doth not pertaine to the companie of the elect by the ordinaunce of God what may he hope to be left for him This woman is not yet discouraged and past hope but yeldeth to this iudgement of the Lord she confesseth of her owne accorde that she is a dogge neither desireth she any thing but that which is wont to be giuen to dogges namely the crummes which fall from their maisters table Seemeth she not to haue vsed maruelous cunning She taketh Christ in his owne wordes He had made her like vnto a dogge she acknowledgeth it and desireth that he will onely suffer her to be a dogge according to his owne saying what should he here do how should he escape he was now as it were euen taken For the crummes vnder the table are graunted to the dogge for vnto dogges they are sayd to be due The frute of constant perseuerance trust in Christ Here therefore Christ being as it were ouercome doth open him selfe wholy and graunteth the desires of the woman and maketh that she is not now a dogge but a true Israelite
holde no water An other for that thou darest say I am without sinne and giltles tush his wrath can not come vpon me behold I will reason with thee because thou darest say I haue not offended First he sayth that his spouse is turned into an harlot and hath estraunged her selfe from God the fountaine of life from whom life saluation euery good thing floweth him they haue forsaken Secondly they set vp their owne traditions and digge vnto them selues a fountaine of their owne which can holde no water So our Papistes trust to their owne inuentions to their founding of Masses to their fastinges prayers and such like things Which appeare to be as a fountaine out of which they would draw life and blessednes or saluation when as notwithstanding it is able to hold no water they forsake God the fountaine of life Afterward he sayth they dare rise against me that I should not be angrie with them alleging that their workes be iust and they will goe to law with me Beholde this is an other sinne that they goe about to defende their workes Whereupon God also sayth I wil cōtend with thee in iudgment wil shew how thou gaddest hither and thither to change thy wayes So faith pertaineth to God alone Faith obtaineth all good thinges of God whereunto it belongeth to obtaine all whatsoeuer thinges are necessary as well temporall thinges as eternall and so to obtaine them that it thinke not that it hath merited in any thing Also it must againe apply it self downward toward our neighbour with out looking for any recompense not that blessednes consisteth in that deriuing of faith to wit charity for neither doth God require that who will haue the conscience to rest onely in him euen as the spouse must cleaue onely to her husbande and to no other so also God requireth of vs that we trust in him alone These things Christ declareth when he saith Be ye mercifull as your father is mercifull Wherefore I must so order my conscience toward God that I vndoutedly beleeue that I haue him a bountifull and mercifull father as I will afterward declare and that I also do shew mercy toward my neighbour Which faith must be inward and caried vpward vnto God but workes must be without and deriued downward to our neighbour After this sort Abraham did when at the mountaine in the countrie of Moria he ascended to God he left his seruaunts and asses below at the bottome of the mountaine taking onely Isaac with him The same must be done of vs if we will ascend vnto God that we may come to him with Isaac onely that is with faith seruaunts and asses that is workes are to be left below Thus much for the entraunce of this text concerning faith and workes to wit that faith must pearce inward and vpward but workes must go without and downeward whereby at the length it commeth to passe that we are righteous before God and men for that we giue due honour vnto God and beleeue according to his word and satisfie our neighbour in the dutie of loue Nowe let vs see the very wordes of the text in order Be ye mercifull as your Father is mercifull How our heauenly Father is mercifull toward vs. How therefore is our heauenly father mercifull after that sort that he giueth vs all good thinges corporall and spiritual transitorie and eternall freely and of his mercy For if he should giue vnto vs according to our desert he should giue vnto vs nothing but hell fire and eternall damnation What soeuer therefore good thinges he bestoweth vpon vs he bestoweth them of his meere mercy He seeth vs sticke fast in death therefore he hath mercy vpon vs and giueth vs life he seeth vs to be the children of hell therefore he taking pitie vpon vs giueth vnto vs heauen He seeth vs to be miserable and naked hungerie and thirsty it pitying him hereof he clotheth vs and refresheth vs with meat drinke maketh vs full of all good things So what soeuer we haue either in body or in spirit he giueth it vs of his meere mercy without any merit or desert of ours Whereupon Christ here saith Imitate your father be ye mercifull like vnto him This is not simple mercy What kinde of mercy reason teacheth vs to vse such as reason teacheth for that is greedy of her owne commoditie which giueth onely to great and learned men and to them that deserue it it loueth them that be fayre and beautifull it giueth vnto them of whom it looketh for profit and commoditie againe which is a mercy diuided begging and as it were torne and broken in peeces For if I shall giue to him that hath deserued or if I shall regard fayrenes or friendship it is a bargaine or det and not mercy Hereof Christ speaketh in the same chapter before this text in this wise Luke 6. If ye loue them which loue you what thanke shall ye haue and if ye do good for them which do good for you what thanke shall ye haue for euen the synners do the same and if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receiue what thanke shall ye haue for euen the synners lend to synners to receiue the like But the mercy of Christians must not seeke her owne but so behaue it selfe that it be indifferent that it regard all alike with open eyes both freinds and foes euen as our heauenly father doth Where true mercy is not neither is there any true faith And where soeuer this mercy is not neither is there faith also For thy heart being setled in faith so that thou knowest God to haue shewed himselfe thy God so gentle and bountifull without thy desert and of mere grace when thou wast as yet his enemie and the childe of euerlasting malediction thy heart I say being setled in this faith thou canst not containe thy selfe but that thou shew thy selfe againe so to thy neighbour that wholy for the loue of God and for thy neighbours commodities sake Take heede therefore what difference thou make betweene a friend and an enemie betweene the worthy and vnworthy for ye see all which are in this text rehearsed to haue otherwise deserued of vs then that we should loue them or do well vnto them And the same thing the Lord meaneth when he sayeth Luke 6 But loue your enemies do well vnto them lend looking for nothing againe and your reward shal be great and ye shal be the children of the most High for he is kinde vnto the vnkinde and to the euell An obiectiō But how commeth it to passe that a certain contrarie thing to that which we haue taught seemeth to appeare in this text where he saith Be ye merciful as your heauēly Father is merciful againe Iudge not and ye shal not be iudged condemne not ye shall not be condemned forgiue and it shal be forgiuen you All which authorities sound so that
they say or what they affirme For to what ende tendeth this thy immoderate cry He that will enter into life let him keepe the commaundements c. in which wordes thou shalt not shew the way to attaine righteousnes for descend a litle into thy selfe and examine thy selfe diligently then shalt thou fynde thy selfe to haue bin in time past conceiued and borne in synnes and to liue in the same nowe and not to be able to performe that which the lawe requireth Why therefore doest thou seduce other with vaine wordes saying be thou righteous and thou shalt be saued which is to no purpose neither foloweth there any frute thereof the waye being not shewed by which we attaine to iustification I heare the wordes well what things the lawe requireth but how shall we attaine vnto abilitie to fulfill them Then speakest thou to me againe and saiest thou must doe good workes But how shall I stand before the iudgement of God if I haue long and much wrought good workes and am righteous before men as thou teachest me howe shall I be certaine that I seeme such a one to God also For here my hearte and conscience be ready to witnes the contrarie against me True doctrin concerning Christian righteousnes Howbeit I should haue bin thus taught of thee as Paul commonly teacheth that righteousnes must proceede from faith vnfayned and before all thinges the mercy seate must be layd hold of from whence all thinges that are wanting in vs are to be taken And so in deede these wordes keepe the commaundements of God are rightly vnderstood For the lawe requireth perfect righteousnes in thee being of force as well before God as before men thou hauing obtained this goe forth into the companie and assembly of men and exercise loue and doe good workes By this order and meanes something is brought to passe and such sayinges of the Scripture are fulfilled For so man doth that which the lawe requireth first before God not by his owne strength or vertues How a Christian is perfectly righteous but by Christ without whom we can doe nothing before God and secondly by his owne endeuour before men And he is now perfectly righteous inwardly by faith in Christ and outwardly also by his workes yet so that there is place amōg men for mutuall pardoning of offences Therefore the righteousnes of Christians doth much more consist in forgiueing then in their owne workes Those vaine praters doe peruert the order of this doctrine and without preaching of forgiuenes doe teache that workes onely are to be vrged Loe thus Sainct Paul reprehendeth the errour and ignoraunce of them which speake much of the lawe and repete it in daily sermons Vaine teachers and yet they themselues doe not vnderstand or shew the waye how the lawe must be fulfilled knowing nothing so wel as to babble forth and often to repete these wordes that the lawe the commaundements are to be kept if thou wilt be saued good workes must be done c. As they do at this daye fill all bookes with such confusion of wordes and in all their sermons vtter nothing els then such vaine babbling which they themselues vnderstand not But they neuer saye worde of those thinges whereof Paul here speaketh namely of the summe of Christian doctrine how loue must flowe out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith vnfayned they say no more but keepe the commaundements They leueling at the true marke do neuer hit it therefore they corrupt and fulsifie all thinges loue the heart the conscience c. For the head of the fountaine is wanting that is syncere fayth which if it be not right and sound all thinges must needes be corrupt which shall flow and proceede from it And what soeuer they teach it is a conceit of their owne imagination and like to delusions not vnlike also to those thinges that are seene through a lattis or glasse which resemble the colour of the cleere glasse and yet in deede are not of that colour They thinke that God will regard them when they liue so before men as it seemeth good to their obscure opinion But if God were of that opinion he might then haue well kept still Christ and the Gospell For what neede or necessitie should moue him to send Christ from heauen who should purchase that vnto vs with his precious blood which we our selues haue before with vs He surely should be the foolishest of all men which would poure forth a precious treasure which no man needeth Thus thou seest how these men teach their owne dreames whereof they themselues know or haue tried no certainty neither doe any thing els but fill men with errours being not able to declare how that which they teach is to be attained vnto They draw men vnto workes whereby they confirme them in their olde nature and custome out of which they were to be drawen These truly are grieuous and odious men and not vnworthely verie sharpely accused and reprehended of Paul and it appeareth that they were of no small authoritie and estimation seeing that he pronounceth of them that they were called and would be counted doctours of the Lawe and farre greater and worthier then the Apostles themselues Wherefore we must endeuour to lay vp and print this text euen in the bottom of our heart for it is excellently well ordered and is pure and perfect doctrine teaching how we must be righteous before God and men as the Lawe requireth that these three maye be as it were conioine in vs namely a pure heart a good conscience and fayth vnfayned and that our life may flow out of all these and be occupied and led in them then haue we attained and fulfilled the meaning of the Lawe Howbeit we must most diligently take heede and endeuour to draw Christ vnto the Lawe who is the ende and fullfilling of the Lawe and our righteousnes and fulnes before God which we fynde not in our selues and without fayth shall neuer fynde albeit the Lawe be taught and often repeted without vnderstanding and knowledge And these thinges maye suffize to haue bin spoken at this present for the exposition of this place ⸪⸪⸪ ⸪ A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE QVESTION OF THE PHARISEES AND aunswere of Christ concerning giuing tribute to Cesar Matth. 22. Verse 15. THen went the Pharisees tooke counsell howe they might tangle him in talke 16. And they sent vnto him their disciples with the Herodians saying Maister we know that thou art true and teachest the waye of God truly neither carest for any man for thou considerest not the persone of men 17. Tell vs therefore how thinkest thou Is it lawfull to giue tribute vnto Cesar or not 18. But Iesus perceyued their wickednes and said Why tempt ye me ye hypocrites 19. Shew me the tribute mony And they brought him a penie 20. And he said vnto them Whose is this image and superscription 21. They said vnto him Cesars Then
labour but he himselfe would by meanes of their sword and labour ouercome and vanquishe the enemies Here also it might be said that the souldier doth slaie and ouercome the enemie not by his sword alone but by the word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God Whereupō Dauid sayth Psal 44 I will not trust in my bow it is not my sword that can saue me And againe He is not delighted in any mans legges Psal 147.10 a man of great might is not deliuered by much strength a horse is but a vaine thing to saue a man c. Neuertheles God vseeh men swordes horses and bowes howbeit not by the power and strength of them but by them as by certaine meanes or instruments he himselfe fighteth ouercometh This he hath sufficiently declared oftentimes when he hath ouerthrowen the enemies and deliuered his people which suerly he daily doth when the case so requireth After the same sort God vseth bread also by it forasmuch as it is made for that vse he feedeth vs howbeit when it is wanting he neuertheles feedeth them that be his euen by his word without bread as he doth at other times by bread so that bread doth as it were worke vnder God as the Apostles and preachers of the word in spirituall and euangelicall meat serue vnder him as it is mentioned 1. Cor. 3. For as God vseth their ministerie to teache men A similitude he himselfe by his spirit speaking in their hearts through it and doing all thinges alone which he both is able to do and often times wont to do without the ministerie of the preachers of his word although he will not in the meane season haue the ministerie of his to be despised and so himselfe tempted so to the nourishing of our outward man he outwardly vseth bread although he doth make by his word inwardly that we be nourished and strengthened which he can as well do and is wont to do when bread is awaye that all our nourishment may be attributed to the word and not to bread which he vseth as an instrument but yet of no necessitie That I may speake briefly all creatures do as it were serue vnder him and are his instruments without which notwithstanding he is able and often times wont to worke by this meanes prouiding that we may depend on his word alone neither trusting more vnto him when we haue breade and other thinges which our life vseth neither lesse when we want them but may vse them with giuing of thankes when he bestoweth them vpon vs when otherwise may patiently be without them being certain neuertheles that we shall liue and be nourished in both times both when we haue them and when we haue them not And by this faith that vain and vngodly care of the bellie greedie desire of thinges and carefulnes of life are ouercome Tentation whereby we are moued to tempt God with presūptuous confidence Then the Deuell tooke him vp into the holie Citie c. This tentation is quite contrarie to the former He assaileth vs with such tentation also whereby he goeth about to moue vs to tempt God euen as he willeth Christ to cast him self downe from a pinnacle of the temple and so tempt God when there were ladders by which he might descend And that this tentation prouoketh to tempt God it is manifest euen by the aunswere of Christ who aunswereth Satan in this maner It is written Thou shalt not tempt the Lorde thy God Hereby he signifieth that the deuill would prouoke him to tempt God Now this tentation doth not amis follow the former For when the deuil perceiueth the hart that in pouertie and necessitie it trusteth in God he by and by maketh an end of tempting by care of the bellie and desire of things as being weaker then that by it he may ouerthrow one so stronge in faith He thinketh therefore with him selfe If he professe him selfe to be of so religious and assured a minde I will on this side also giue occasion to sinne And so he setteth vpon him on the right side affirming that that is to be beleeued which the Lorde hath neither spoken nor commaunded to be beleeued As is this If he should bring thee to such madnes that whē thou hast bread at home giuen thee of God as he of his goodnes giueth vnto vs euery day thou wouldest not vse it but wouldest procure to thy selfe necessitie and hunger saying I must trust in God I wil not feede on this earthly bread I will tarye till God giue me other from heauen This were to tempt God For he doth not commaund thee to beleeue that that thing shal come vnto thee wherof thou hast neede if it be already come of his liberalitie For why shouldest thou beleeue that he will giue that which thou hast already of his gift Thou seest therefore that the deuill doth here obiect a certaine necessitie and neede vnto Christ where there is none For there was a sufficient meane to descende from the pinnacle of the temple neither was it reason to attempt this newe vnaccustomed and vnnecessary meane whereunto Satan persuaded Moreouer allegorically we may by this doing of Satan perceiue his craft and suttletie He tooke Iesus sayth the Euangelist into the holy Citie and set him on a pinnacle of the temple By this tentation he replenisheth men with cogitations that seeme most holy Satan tempteth men vnto hypocriticall holines that they may thinke them selues most plentifully endued with faith and to stande in a very holy place when as notwithstanding they are sette not in the temple but on the temple that is not in the synceritie of fayth but in a vayne outward shew of faith Neuertheles he is in the meane season in the holy citie because that this kind of men is wont to be no where but among Christians where the word of the Lord and the preaching of faith is daily heard who also like vnto Satan haue sentences of Scripture in a readines as concerning the wordes although they alwayes peruert wrest them to their owne errour and false imaginations So Satan recited here vnto Christ out of the 91 Psalme that God doth commaund his Angels concerning his children that they keepe them lifting them vp with their hands But the deceiuer concealed that which is added that is Psal 91.11 in their wayes For thus hath the Psalme He will giue his Angells charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes c. So that the custodie of Angells is not by the commaundement promised vnto vs vnles we walke in our wayes which he hath prescribed vs. If we walke in them we shal assuredly be kept of Angells Howbeit the deuill sayth nothing of the wayes of the Lord but promiseth by corrupting the saying of the Psalme that it is commaunded to the Angells to keepe vs in what wayes soeuer whereof the Lorde hath commaunded nothing And this is Satans seducing and persuasion to tempt God
all Germanie will fall togither vpon an heape which alas in part of the communaltie hath already had a lamētable beginning we haue lost a great multitude of people almost an hundred thousand men haue bene slaine onely betwene the feasts of Easter and Whitsontide It is a hard worke of God and I feare me the warre begon is not yet at an ende this is onely a forewarning and threatning wherby God would terrifie vs that we might diligently take heede to our selues it was nothing but the Foxes tayle if he come againe with his whippe he will scourge vs more grieuously But we will behaue our selues as the Iewes behaued them selues vntill there shall be place for no succour nor helpe Now we might preuent it now were the time to knowe what shoulde be best for vs and to receiue the Gospell with peace for at this day grace is offered vnto vs whereby we may liue peaceably but we suffer day to passe after day yeare after yeare applying our selues lesse to the Gospel then before No man doth now pray vnto God for the increase of his word no man receiueth it in his hart If so be that the time shall passe no prayers shal any more helpe We wey not this matter in our hart we thinke our selues safe we do not throughly perceiue the great miserie already come to passe neither doe we consider in our minds how miserably God punisheth vs with false prophets and sects which he on euery side sendeth vnto vs which preach so securely as if they had wholy receiued into their breast the spirit the comforter Those which we counted best of all doe goe away bring men into such a perplexity that they almost know not either what is to be done or not to be done But this is onely the beginning albeit sufficient horrible and cruell For there can not be greater affliction and miserie then if the Lord send amongst vs sects and false prophets which are so rash and bold that it is greatly to be lamented Notwithstanding the time of grace is nowe present Christ hath bene sent downe into the world hath bene borne man hath serued vs died for vs is risen againe from the dead hath sent vnto vs the spirit the comforter hath giuen vnto vs his word hath opened heauen so wide that al good things may be obtained of vs moreouer hath giuen vnto vs rich promises whereby he promiseth that he wil preserue vs both in this short and fraile time and in the eternal times in this life and in the life to come most plentifully pouring forth his grace vpon vs. God will not suffer the contempt of his grace and word to be vnpunished Wherefore the time of grace is now before our dores but we despise neglect it which God neither will neither can pardon For when as we contemne his word he threatneth punishmēt and will at the last punish vs although he should deferre it euen an hundred yeares but he will not deferre it so long And the more purely that the word is preached so much greater shal the punishment be But I feare greatly lest this punishment require the subuersion of all Germanie God graunt that in this thing I be a false prophet but I feare exceedingly that it wil come to passe God can not leaue this wickednes vnreuenged neither will he deferre long for the Gospell is so aboundantly preached that it was not so manifest euen in the Apostles time as it is at this day thankes be to Christ therefore Wherefore I feare much lest that all Germanie be spoyled yea and quite destroyed vnlesse we otherwise apply our selues to this matter We which haue long heard the Gospell ought to pray God from the hart that he would giue vs longer peace The Princes goe about to bring all thinges to passe by the sword whereby they goe too rashly and rigourously to worke Wherefore it is exceeding needefull that we should pray vnto God that his Gospell may spred farther abroad through Germanie euen vnto them which haue not yet heard it For if punishment come sodainly vpon vs our case shall be miserable then many soules shall be in daunger to be lost before the worde shall come vnto them I woulde wish therefore that we woulde not so cruelly despise the Gospell that precious treasure not onely for our owne sake but also for their sakes which are as yet to heare it A scourge is a litle begon God graunt that it may so stay that neither the Princes nor the communaltie be stirred vp to greater rage and furie For if that ciuill warre shoulde begin againe it were to be feared that it would haue none ende We doe like as the Iewes did who had a greater care of the belly then of God hauing more regard how to fill the belly then that they might be saued wherefore they lost both and that worthely For forasmuch as they would not receiue life God sent vnto them death so they lost both body and soule They pretended the same cause that we do We would willingly in deede embrace the Gospell if there were no daunger of body and goods wife children If we shall beleeue him sayd the Iewes the Romanes wil come and take away both our place and the nation which neuertheles came vnto them for that which the wicked man feareth falleth vpon him This was a lette and hinderance to the Iewes that they would not beleeue the wordes of God neither haue regard to the rich and large promises that he had made vnto them So also doe we we regard not the mighty and comfortable promises which Christ hath made vnto vs as where he sayth He shall receiue an hundreth fold more Matth. 19.29 and shal inherit euerlasting life Leaue thy wife and children I will preserue them I will restore them so as thou goest to work boldly in my name Thinkest thou that I can not build thee other houses countest thou me so simple who will giue vnto thee heauen wilt thou not put thy self in daunger for my sake if thy goods be taken from thee it is wel with thee heauen and earth are mine I will recompence thee aboundantly These and such like sayings we passe ouer yea and also contemne hauing diligent consideration only what we haue layd vp in our chest and that our purse may be full neither doe we see that euen that which we haue God hath giuen vnto vs will as yet giue vs more if we beleeue and trust in him neither doe we marke if that we lose God we shall lose the belly also The faithful refuse not to suffer perill and trouble for God his sake Howbeit they that beleeue in God doe not auoide perill if it come for his sake but commit all things to his diuine power that he may order them according to his will and thus they thinke The Lord hath giuen me both a house and the furniture thereof wife children c. I haue not obtained
Father is knowne in the Sonne there doth yet happen a grosser thing in Philip who bursteth forth and will not be content with faith but will knowe the thinge assuredly by feeling and seeing Wherefore he sayth vnto the Lord Lord shew vs thy Father and it sufficeth vs. As though he would say if thou wilt also shew vnto vs a signe then will we beleeue Philip counteth it not sufficient to beleeue the worde but goeth about to come to the knowledge of the Father by an other meanes then by the word For seing that reason can not beleeue he requesteth to be certified by an other meanes and way By the interrogation therfore of Christ that followeth it is shewed that the conscience is made certaine and quiet by no other thing then by faith for that we must cleaue to the bare worde and looke for no other signe But Philip thought here that he should be much more certified if he did see the Father then if he beleeued the simple and bare word This incredulitie Christ reproueth somewhat sharpely and sayth Haue I bene so long time with you hast thou not knowne me As though he should say I teach and preach and yet thou knowest me not Doost thou not knowe that the Father will be knowne by me that my word is the worde and power of the Father by which alone he will be knowne and by nothing els For thou hast heard the voice of the Father from heauen after this sort This is my beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased heare him Doost thou not yet vnderstande howe the Father is knowne The Father is not seene with carnall eyes as Iohn in his first chapter sayth Ioh. 1.18 No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him Wherefore the Lord sayth to Philip Philip he that hath seene me hath seene the Father This saying is like vnto that former when he sayth If ye had knowne me ye should haue knowne my Father also That is forasmuch as the Father will be knowne by me seeke no other way to knowe him but beleue my word that I am he which sheweth vnto you the Father and will make you to know him in me Beleeue that by me thou hast accesse to the Father by this meanes thou shalt knowe the Father by faith thou shalt vnderstande the power and mercie of the Father and shalt feele him to be comfortable and gracious The Father will haue my word to be beleeued and them that beleeue it to be saued and obtaine eternall life Seeing therefore that these thinges be thus that we can not know the Father but in the Sonne and when we know the Sonne we know also the Father the Lord sayth moreouer vnto Philip How then sayest thou Shewe vs thy Father Beleeuest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father is in me As if he would say Forasmuch as there is no other way to know the Father but that which I haue shewed why I pray thee doost thou not beleeue my wordes seeing that I haue taught that I am the way the truth and the life Doost thou not beleeue that I am in the Father and the Father in me Beleeuest thou not that my diuinitie and the diuinitie of the Father is one and that the Father will be knowne by me But why is the Father knowne by the knowledge of the Sonne euen therefore for that the Sonne is in the Father and the Father in the Sonne For the word by which the Sonne is knowne is the power of the Sonne and of the Father Wherefore seing the Sonne is knowne by his word it necessarily followeth that the father also is knowne thereby Beleeue me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me at the least beleeue me for the very works sake Here he doth as it were appeale to workes that they may giue testimonie of the word As if he should say Seeing that ye can not be content to beleeue the word at the least beleeue the signes which beare witnes of the word and whereby the Father hath giuen testimonie of me For the works and signes are testimonies of the word By these words Christ meaneth nothing els but to confirme the consciences of his Disciples and of all vs against the offence of the crosse For consciences wil know and not beleeue the bare words of God but doe alwayes dout and say What if God careth not for thee and haue such like cogitations Holy godly men seeme for the most part to be neglected as abiects and most contemptible men inasmuch as the world according to the will lust thereof rageth and practizeth tyrannie against them and doth almost what it list Hereupon they are in anguish in daunger of faith desire to know the will of God toward them These Christ comforteth that they may seeke no other comfort but in him and in his death and beleue that he is life that he beareth rule and maketh aliue them that be dead And that they should nothing dout hereof he maketh them yet more certaine and sayth Verely verely I say vnto you he that beleeueth in me the vvorkes that I doe he shall doe also and greater then these shall he doe As if he should say Dout not any thing but that ye shall know the Father by me and that my word is the power of God that by my word ye shal be sustained although I be euen crucified Ye shall haue triall hereof in your selues for if ye beleeue in me ye shall not onely worke such workes and shew such signes as I doe but euen greater Which came to passe after the ascention of Christ when the Apostles wrought greater miracles as well among the Iewes as Gentiles then Christ him selfe But what is the cause hereof The Lord him selfe addeth it saying For I goe vnto my Father That is I will begin a kingdom where I will fulfill all thinges Here the Lord annexeth the conclusion of all the questions and consolations going before For a litle before Christ had taught that the Father is known by him and that is because he is in the Father he therefore is shewed by that worde by which the Father is shewed But that he might confirme this to wit that his worde is the power of the Father he added and sayd He that beleeueth in me the works that I do he shall doe also That is by faith in me ye also shall doe those works and know that my word is the vertue and power of God But why doth he say I goe to the Father I aunswere Because Christ is in the Father therefore doth he the workes of the Father but we doe them not also therefore but for that Christ who is in the Father is now in vs. For to goe to the Father is to fulfill all thinges as Paule according to the saying of the Psalme declareth to giue giftes vnto men to lighten and to sanctifie For this is the kingdom of Christ whereby he reigneth in earth in the hartes of the beleeuers and sitteth vpon the throne of his Father Dauid The Lord also speaketh these wordes I goe to the Father to comfort his Disciples For as he did before beginne to confirme them that they should not be troubled and offended although he should dye but courageously cleaue to him and beleue in him So here he promiseth them that they shall be glorified for he goeth to the Father who shall deliuer all thinges into his handes that he may mightely obtaine a kingdom ouer all things that are in heauen and earth Wherefore they ought nothing at all to feare He yet comforteth them more and sayth And whatsoeuer ye aske in my name that will I doe As if he should say As soone as I come to the Father there is no cause why ye should be carefull For those thinges that ye haue neede of and aske ye shall obtaine I wil doe this for you because I obtaine a kingdom And he peculiarly addeth in my Name whereby he excludeth all our merits For by Christ we are heard as also in Christ we are loued by whom also we are Priestes as Peter sayth to offer vp spirituall sacrifices and acceptable to God All these thinges sayth Christ I will doe for this cause That the Father may be glorified in the Sonne The Father is then glorified when glorie is giuen and ascribed vnto him not vnto vs. That is whē we acknowledge the we are saued not by our owne merits not by our owne wisedom and righteousnes but do put our trust in his mercie For he hath giuen his Sonne for our sinnes and whatsoeuer we purpose to aske we must aske it by this Sonne and we shall obtaine it Wherfore he repeateth these wordes and sayth If ye shall aske any thing in my Name I will doe it These wordes tend to this ende that he may make vs certainely beleue his wordes and cleaue vnto him This therefore is the summe of this conclusion He biddeth his Disciples and vs therefore beleeue for that he goeth to reigne Before he affirmeth that he wil shew forth a signe and testimonie of his kingdom so reigne that he will declare a notable token of his gouernment that we may feele and perceiue it to wit that he will doe so great works by vs as he him selfe hath done yea and greater also Also that he will heare vs when we pray and whatsoeuer we pray for vnto the Father in his name By these promises the hart must be confirmed made courageous against the gates of hell For Christ reigneth by his word wherefore it is needefull that we exactly know the vertue of the word for the kingdom of Christ is the power vertue of God These things I thought good to entreat of concerning this Gospell Let vs call vpon God for the ayde of his grace that we may be able to vnderstand them by them to strengthen our weake faith **** FINIS