yet for all that for asmuch as our Lorde Iesus Christe appeared vntoo vs in the shape of man and was conuersant in this world and there despized yea and abaced euen too a most shamefull death wherein he receyued all the curses that were due vnto vs therefore it is sayd that if wee giue not eare too the Sonne of God the father is preiudiced therby accordyng also as our Lord Iesus himself declareth in that he sayeth He that despizeth you despizeth mee and he that reiecteth mee reiecteth the liuing God that sent mee Marke then whervnto the order tendeth which S. Paule keepeth namely that if we do not willingly honour our Lord Iesus Christ by accepting his doctrine for certain and infallible God is set at naught and we cannot say that our intent is too woorship him for he will reiect all our doyngs And why For as I sayd afore it is ynough too proue vs rebelles if wee separate the Sonne from his Father And S. Paule addeth expresly that Iesus Christe was rayzed from the dead too the end that his Apostleship should not be the lesse esteemed and also that men should match him with the number companie of the other Apostles according also as he was added too them after that Iesus Christe ceassed too bee any more vpon earth For as I haue touched already the thing wherwith the false Apostles which came too ouerthrowe all vpbrayded him was this How now sayd they He hath not bin the Disciple of the Sonne of God as Peter and Iohn were he is a thing borne out of seazon And how cā he shew that he hath receyued his doctrine of Iesus Christ S. Paule declareth that if they will needes inquyre of the authoritie of our Lord Iesus Christe his ryzing againe ought not too haue diminished it Surely though our Lord Iesus Christ were brought lowe whyle he had the veyle of mans nature vppon him whereby his glory was after a sorte hidden yet was he not abaced in himselfe For wee knowe that the Angelles acknowledged him for their souerayne king and although he were borne in a stable and layd vpon the ground as a creature destitute of all help yet we see that the Starres of the skie bare record of him To bee short the maiestie of our Lord Iesus Christe was alwayes sufficiently auouched as long as he was in this world But yet for all that there was a muche excellenter glory in his resurrection accordyng as it is sayd in the first too the Romanes that then he was shewed too bee the Sonne of God And wee also haue seene in the second Epistle to the Corinthians that as he suffered vnder weakenesse of the fleshe so he was rayzed againe through the wonderfull power of Gods spirite So then S. Paule sheweth that although our Lorde Iesus Christ bee not conuersant with vs nowadayes yet muste not his Maiestie therefore bee diminished nor defaced that we should not yeelde him his due and deserued obedience and receyue his woorde reuerently without all gaynesaying This warning is verie behooffull for vs. For what a number of lightheaded persones doo wee see which woulde haue Iesus Christe too be heere in visible shape Their saying is that they would fayne see Iesus Christ conuersant heere beneathe and that then they would at the first push accept what soeuer he spake to thē so as there should neede but one woord of his mouth to rauish them and there should neede none other teaching nor any other man to be much with vs. Yea but the Sonne of God which came downe hath performed his charge whiche was committed to him of God his father that is to say he hath preached the Gospell and sufficiently confirmed it by his death and passion Afterward beyng rizen againe he sent foorth his Apostles And nowe that he hath all soueraine dominion so as the Angelles bow their knees before him and that he hath suche a maiestie as surmounteth all glory both in heauen and earth ought not all that which he hath done to suffize vs throughly VVhen it pleaseth him too send vs mortall men and too send forth the message and inestimable treasure of his Gospell in brittle vesselles and yet notwithstanding will haue vs to receyue them is it not a mockerie to say that if Iesus Christ were with vs and in our companie we would obey him For if heauen and earth muste bee fayne too quake vnder him and his Maiestie bee knowen euen to the Diuels of hell and yet for all that wee continue blockish and pretend that he is to farre of from vs yet notwithstanding our Lord Iesus sheweth sufficiently that he hath not forsaken vs seing we haue the Gospell preached vnto vs And that although he dwell not with vs here by lowe in visible shape yet notwithstanding we shal bee continually ioyned with him and that forasmuche as he is our head hee will gouerne his bodie and there shal be one vnseparable bond betwixt him and vs. Now seing it is so we ought of right to yeeld him obedience and his resurrection ought to touch vs to the quicke to worke suche a reuerent awefulnesse in vs that whensoeuer the name of our Lord Iesus Christe is spoken of we may be sure that it is the name whereof the Prophet speaketh wherby all men ought to sweare and whereat they ought to bow their knees Thus ye see in effect that the thing which we haue to beare in minde is that we should not measure the Gospell after the respect and reputation of those that speake vnto vs for why they be frayle men Nother is that the thing whereon we ought to stay for that were as muche too say as we should settle our saluation vpon the credite of men which might cause vs too rest vppon the world but wee must vnderstand that it is Iesus Christ which speaketh And howe In the Maiestie that is giuen him by God his father for the power of the holy Ghost was then shewed too the full when he was raysed from the dead Then seyng our Lord Iesus Christ hath obteyned such authoritie when he was lifted vp into heauen as too haue superioritie ouer all creatures let vs learne too submit our selues too him and let the same serue to hold vs in awe that his woord may be receyued of vs and we assure ourselues that he gouerneth vs and that it becommeth vs too suffer our selues too be taught in his name and too vnderstand that although the woorde which is preached vnto vs proceede out of the mouth of men yet notwithstanding it is by the authoritie of God our saluation must be grounded thervpon as well as though heauen opened an hundred thousand tymes too shew vs the glory of God Lo say I how it behoueth vs to be taught in this world vntill God haue gathered vs into his euerlasting heritage And that is the thing which we haue to beare in minde concernyng that the glorie of our
see anon how he rebuketh them as sharply as may be insomuch that he calleth them witlesse And how can these things agree togither It is for that on the one side he intendeth to aduaunce the grace of God which had bin opened in that Church and that on the other side he was faine to scoure away the vices that were in it as neede was VVe see then hereby that when God hath planted his Church in any place it followeth not by and by therefore that all things are to be commended there and that there is nothing but all godlinesse in it as the Papistes imagine who vnder the name of the Church would faine couer all their abhominations yea euen the most horrible and diuelishe abhominations in the whole worlde As howe The Church say say cannot erre she is the bryde of Iesus Christ she is the piller of truth Yea but in the meane while looke vpon the Churches of Galatia VVhat sayth the holy Ghost of them by the mouth of S. Paule Among them there were Renegates that had renounced the Gospell there were as foule and outrageous heresies among them as could be Then let vs vnderstand that we must neuer bee so tyed to men as not to condemne their faultes when they come to the scanning but that all things must be made subject to Gods worde and euerie thing be condemned that is not agreable thervnto so as nothing may hinder God from hauing his authority continually and from putting all things vnder foot which agree not with his word but that men do condemne them vtterly abhorre them Furthermore let vs not ceasse to draw those continually vnto God which haue any enterance alreadie And although we perceiue them to be weake or stepped aside out of the way yet let vs alwayes set forth Gods grace that it may growe and bee strengthned more and more in them vntill we be all gathered thither as we bee dayly called that is to wit to our Lorde Iesus Christ Now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs perceyue them more and more and that we may be so touched to the quicke as we may mistyke of them and so imbrace his grace as it may be more and more increased in vs and we be hilde vp and susteyned in our weaknesse by his hande vntill he haue brought vs to the holy perfection of the heauenly kingdome which is purchased for vs by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ And so let vs all say Almightie God our heauenly father c. The. 3. Sermon vpon the first Chapter 6 I maruell that you are so sodenly caried avvay from him that had called you through the grace of Christ vnto another Gospell 7 VVhich is none other thing but that there are some vvhich trouble you and vvould ouerthrovv the Gospell of Christ 8 But if I my selfe or an Angell from heauen tell you othervvise than I haue tolde you cursed be hee WEe see here more openly the thing that I haue touched alreadie this morning that is to wit that Saint Paule spareth not the Galathians although he mind not too shet them out of the gate of saluation For inasmuch as his meening is to bring them backe to repentance it is good reason that he should set the grace of God before them as a thing common to them But yet for all that he flattereth them not but rather rebuketh them for their faults and specially for the ouergreat lightnesse that was in them in giuing eare to deceyuers which came vnto them to disguize the doctrine of the Gospell And to make them perceyue their owne vnthankfulnesse the better he sayth that he wondereth to see them caryed away so soone and so easily from the heauenly calling and how it cōmeth to passe that they could be so quickly thrust out of the way continue yet stil in their doing seing that they had already felt tried Gods grace in our Lord Iesus Christ For inasmuch as he labored to bring thē back againe he sayth not at the first dash that they had turned away from the Gospell but that they had bin ouercome by that temptation And afterwarde he addeth that the same was nothing else but that those buzibodies intended to ouerthrow the truth of God For ther is but one pure doctrine of the Gospell like as there is but one Iesus Christ vpon whom the same is grounded so as it is not in vs to forge a newe Gospell but whensoeuer any bodie goes about too mingle any thing with the pure seede which we haue of our Lorde Iesus Christ it is nothing else but an ouerthrowing of Gods building This in effect is the thing which is conteyned in this first sentence of S. Paules But here he might seeme to bee ouer sharpe and rough in finding fault with the feeblenesse of the Galathians seeing they neuer ment to forsake the gospel nor yet Iesus Christ who had bin preached amōg them Howbeit S. Paule passeth not for their opinion but hath respect to the matter in it self which is that as sone as men turne aside from Gods truth by and by they forsake Iesus Christ and make themselues strangers to him Many men woulde thinke this strange according as we see there are many that woulde faine mingle the light and darknesse togither And specially the confusion that is in Poperie is a very notable example hereof for ther ye shall heare men make wonderfull protestations of holding still the Christian faith wherin they haue bin baptised But yet for al that it is apparant that al is turned vpside down for al superstitions reign there and besides that there is too manifest Idolatry yea and that as grosse as euer was any among the heathen By reason wherof al reuerence of God is as good as quite abolished there bicause euerie man makes himselfe a Sauiour in steade of our Lorde Iesus Christ But now will the Papists lustily replie that they be no backsliders nor haue forsaken Christ Yea but our Lorde Iesus Christ is no Ghost he cannot transforme himself after the appetites of men To be short he cannot be separated from his Church VVhensoeuer the Papistes vtter this saying they robbe Iesus Christ of all authoritie For say they if there were but one Mediator what shoulde become of the Heesaintes which are patrones and of the Sheesaintes which are our Aduocates ▪ if any man speake to them of the sacrifice wherby our Lord Iesus Christ hath once purchased perfect righteousnesse for all the faythfull VVhat say they and must not Masse be sayde euery day and Christ be offered vp newe againe there too appeaze Gods wrath If a man tell them of the free forgiuenesse of sinnes and what shall become say they of our owne satisfactions whereby we deserue to haue pitie at Gods hand Againe if a man say too them that all our goodnesse commeth of our regeneration through Gods spirit and that
it is not for vs to bring in mens opinions in that cace to wrap our selues in any doubt as the Papists do now adayes who haue none other buckler agaynst vs but the traditions of the Church Councels and Antiquitie Howbeit when they haue thronged all the world togither will it bee able to counteruayle the Angelles of heauen No certainly Now then we may well mocke at their foolishnesse after the exaÌ„ple of S. Paule and say that if the Pope and all the rable of his stinking Clergie had the Angelles on their side it were nothing at all in coÌ„parison of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath all soueraine power and before whom all knees ought to bow not only of mortall creatures but also euen of things that are aloft in heauen according as it is said in the Epistle to the Philippians where this saying is applyed to his person in that God sweareth that al knees shall bow before him all tunges confesse that he only is to be glorified Yee see then that the way for vs to coÌ„mend the doctrine of the Gospel is to abide vnremoued by the authoritie of men when it is told vs that such a one is of this opinion or that to assure our selues that seyng God hath giuen vs the grace to be fully resolued in our minds it behoueth vs to hold vs alwayes to it without chaunging This is in effect the thing that wee haue to coÌ„sider in this sentence Now herevpoÌ„ S. Paule sheweth how it was not without cause that he speke so of his Gospell that he had preached For he sayeth that he teacheth not after the maner of men or that he doth not set forth men nor counsell them after the maner of men but that he setteth forth God and seeketh not to please meÌ„ but Iesus Christ Afterward he addeth that his Gospell is not of men but that it was reueled to him froÌ„ aboue as I haue declared already It had not bin ynough for S. Paule to haue spokeÌ„ of the Gospell in generall except he had shewed therewith that he had bin a true faithfull minister of it For the Diuell caÌ„ well ynough away that the name of the Gospell should be of very great estimacion among vs but in the meane while he would not haue vs to know what it meaneth nor ceasse to be intaÌ„gled in store of errours to haue our wittes rouing here there Then it is not ynough that the name of the Gospell be honored in the world but we must also know what maner of thing the Gospell is and what is contayned in it And that is the cause why S. Paule chalendgeth that faithfulnesse of teaching the Gospell in so much that if any whit of it be chauÌ„ged let the same be accursed And this yet againe is well woorthy to be noted For when the Papistes reade this place they do nothing but skoffe at it and God also hath dulled them so as there is lesse wit in them than in little chyldren For they vnderstand it thus namely that Paule ment that if a man should make another Gospel as if a man should write a booke and the same shoulde not bee the Gospell that was written by him then they shoulde vtterly reiect it bycause the Gospell was sufficiently proued already But in the meane whyle they thought not that all that was contayned in Paules Epistles was euery whit of it Gospell but they rather surmyzed that he had written some storie of the Gospell and that if any other had bin brought in vppon the refuzall thereof the same that had bin so brought in should haue had no credite nor reputation But wee see that in that cace these wretched beastes haue nother reason nor vnderstanding nor any taste at all So much the more therefore dothe it stande vs in hand too marke that S. Paule had good cause too speake of the Gospell which he had preached euen to shewe as it were with his fingar the doctrine which it behoueth vs to be fully perswaded of VVill we be of the flocke of our Lord Iesus Christ Then is it not ynough for vs too accept what soeuer is tolde vs in his name but wee muste put that thing in â—re which is spoken in the tenth of Sainct Iohn which is too bee able by herkening vnto his voyce too discerne his voyce from the voyce of straungers and too bee alwayes fully perswaded that there is not any other than he too whom wee ought too yeeld Thus ye see how the way to be vnder the guiding of our good shepherd is that we swarue not one way nor other when men assayle vs but euery of vs indeuer to drawe home to himself so as we become not like wauering reedes but staÌ„d stedfast in the doctrine which we shall haue learned In so doing our Lord Iesus Christ will auow vs to be of the coÌ„panie and number of his sheepe and alwayes do the dutie of a shepeherd towards vs. But if we play those men which care not which end go foreward in somuch that if a man tell theÌ„ that Iesus Christ is the only he vpon whom we must rest to haue any trust of Saluation it is well they can like well ynough of that doctrine and on the contrary part if a man set store of trumperie before theÌ„ and go about too trouble their wittes with this and that they can well ynough away with that too and all is one to them if there be no discretion in vs it is a token that we haue no certaintie of fayth For we must be out of all doubt that Iesus Christ is the only Mayster seyng that that charge is coÌ„mitted to him by God his father and also that he hath fully performed the same If wee bee not at that poynt it is certaine that wee shall alwayes bee caried away with opinion and imaginacion and that there shall be no fayth at all in vs. And that is the cause also why S. Paule declareth that the Gospell which he had preached is the same which our Lord Iesus Christ coÌ„maunded to be preached and published and wherof he is the author in the name of God his father Seing it is so it behoueth vs to hold vs to it and so consequently when S. Paule speaketh of another Gospell he meaneth the minglemangle and corruption that might bee put vnto it as if he should say VVhatsoeuer is added or patched to the doctrine of the Gospell by mans deuice so as they can not content themselues with the simplenesse therof but that they do varie from it is euery whit of it mere leasing And therfore let vs shun it as a poyson for surely no poyson can bee so deadly as a false doctrine And if men doo naturally keepe themselues from the things that may hurt this transitorie life ought not our soules to be much more precious too vs VVhat care ought wee to haue that they be not poysoned by any trumperie of men Too bee short
with him he had leuer to acknowledge his fault with al humilitie than to leaue the thing vnsought that might be to Gods glorie So then let vs learne with him too acknowledge simply the offences that wee haue committed when it standeth vpon the honouring of God and let vs not be loth to receiue some shaâ—e before men For that is the way for vs also too haue our sinnes buryed before God so as they may neuer come to account nor to remembrance more that is to wit if we be contented too susteyne some marke of infamie before men if neede be that God may haue his due This therefore is the thing whiche wee haue too remember in that it is sayde that the common reporte wente that hee had earst destroyed the fayth as hee had done in deede Truely the fayth of the Gospell shall euermore get the vpper hande of all the assaultes of Sathan and of all the wicked Therefore it lay not in Saint Paules power 〈◊〉 abolishe the fayth nor too ouerthrowe it at such tyme as hee was caryed with such furie as wee haue seene For the fayth is grounded vppon Gods truth whiche is inuincible it is not subiect too the opinions of men But Saint Paule had respect heere too the infirmitie of the simple sort whome hee had cast downe as muche as lay in him For it is sayde in the Actes that hee did not onely persecute the Christians but also made some of them too recant Lyke as nowadayes when any great number is persecuted some spare neyther theyr bloud nor theyr lyues for the confessing of the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ Othersome redeeme this wretched and flightfull lyfe by recanting so that they banish themselues from the Kingdome of heauen as muche as they can cast themselues intoo Satans snares and throw themselues headlong into endlesse death and all too escape the handes of Tyrantes and of theyr enimies Therefore Saint Paules crueltie is purposely condemned by the holy Ghost for that he not onely was full of pryde and stubbornnesse agaynst God but also had inforced many too recant and giue ouer the fayth of the Gospell Yee see then howe hee behaued himselfe and that must serue for our learning For although the worde abide still in his full state and wee preiudice it not at all by our weaknesse yet notwithstanding the fayth is cast downe in our persons For if I swarue too please Gods enimies or if I disguyze the truth or by any meanes dissemble then is my fayth defaced True it is as I haue sayde alreadie that Gods worde shall alwayes holde his owne and yet oftentimes the fall of one man shal draw a great hauocke after it If men see some one person recant at whose hande great constancie was looked for then are many poore soules shaken and they wote not what too say True it is that wee ought not to rest vppon men but yet for all that as wee shall declare agayne anon there are many that haue neede too bee confirmed by good example Nowe if a man cast a stumbling blocke in their way they bee as good as vtterly ouerthrowne or else they be so hartshaken as they wote not where to become VVherfore let vs lerne to coÌ„mit our selues vnto god seing that the diuel hath so many vnderlings whiche seeke nothing but too bring all too confusion and imploy themselues wholy to ouerwhelme the Christian fayth let vs pray God to strengthen vs with such constancie as our enimies may bee put too shame though we bee assayled neerelyer than we bee And let vs not onely care euery man for himselfe but also for the great number of poore soules whom wee see as it were in the VVoolues mouth for they shall bee tormented and threatned and finally laboured by flatteryes and allurements too recant Therefore when wee fee such assaultes gyuen too our brothers at leastwize let vs haue the heart too pray God too ayde them at theyr neede so as theyr fayth maye continue still inuincible and get the vpper hande and that they may neuer swarue for all that euer Satan and all his broode can practize So muche the more then behoueth it vs to marke this Text where it is sayde that Saint Paule did cast downe and destroy the fayth For although God will alwayes maintaine his truth yet doo not men ceasse too go too destruction bycause theyr fayth is shaken by swaruing and stepping asyde from the right way Furthermore wee haue wherewith too confirme oure selues so that althoughe men continue not in such constancie as were requisyte and too bee wyshed yet let vs not bee too muche abashed at it seeyng it is a thing that hathe beene common in all ages VVas Sainct Paules preaching of the lesse credite bycause there were manye renegates that in the ende shewed themselues too bee Hypocrites and full of vnfaythfulnesse Euen some of hys owne companions that had beene linked wyth him as twoo fingers of one hande gaue him quyte ouer in the ende And yet muste not Sainct Paules doctrine bee reiected for all that Also when hee persecuted the Christians before hee was conuerted althoughe that manye had renounced the saluation whiche they shoulde haue accepted as it was offered them in Iesus Christe yet ought not the fayth too bee defaced therefore Likewyse in these dayes when wee see manie wretched folke quayle and giue ouer all and othersome agayne holde oute at whose handes wee woulde not haue looked for any greate constancie let vs profite our selues thereby and bee oute of all doubt that although the whole worlde go too ruyne yet wee haue a good and sure foundation if wee rest vppon our God Nowe whereas Saint Paule addeth that the faithfull glorifyed God in him it is too shewe the better so as men might perceyue it euen by eysight that the chaunge whiche was made in him proceeded of the onely hande of God And all of it commeth too this poynt namely that hee had not thrust himselfe in and that it coulde not bee layde too his charge that he had preached at all aduenture nor that there was any rashnesse or presumption in him or that hee was dryuen wyth any worldly respect but that God had gouerned and guyded him For whereas the faythfull had glorifyed God in him it was by acknowledging that the renuing of suche a man after that fashion and the making of a rauening VVoolfe too become a Sheepe yea and a Sheephearde was his woorke and a verie miracle that proceeded from hym Marke that for a speciall poynt And heereby wee see briefly that they on whom God hath bestowed giftes of grace so as they excell and are farre aboue all others must not therefore aduaunce themselues but finde meanes that the prayse may bee yeelded too him that hath right too it and which hath deserued it VVherefore let vs keepe this rule of humilitie whiche is that wee seeke not our owne estimation nor too preferre our selues aboue oure neighbours for
the bottome of hell Yee see then what I haue wonne by abyding in the lawe And S. Paule speaketh of him selfe rather than of any other body to the ende that the things which he speaketh may bee the better receyued as of a man of experience And it is after the same maner that he speaketh in the fore alleaged seuenth Chapter too the Romanes For there he setteth not foorth thys man or that man for an example but saythe I my selfe was sometymes alyue that is too saye at suche time as he was a Pharisie and accounted an holy man yea euen for one of the excellentest in all Iewry in so muche that he was a myrrour of all perfection and as a lyttle Angell then saythe he I was alyue howebeeit but by hypocrisie For he made him selfe too beleeue wonders and he was so puffed vp with pride that he hilde scorne of Iesus Christe Lo in what blindnesse Sainct Paule acknowledgeth hym selfe too haue beene And he addeth anone after that he wyst not what was ment by Thou shalte not couet It might bee thoughte straunge that a man whiche had not onely bin at schoole but also bin a great teacher of others and thereto a very zealous man as he him selfe affirmeth should bee so dulled as not to knowe his owne faultes But S. Paule sheweth the reason of it For sayth he I looked no further than to the outwarde honestie that there might no faulte bee founde in me before the worlde nor any man know any euill by me But when I vnderstoode what this saying Thou shalt not luste ment and perceyued that God condemneth all the affections thoughts of men then I perceyued that the worst was behind as the common Prouerbe sayth for it is the last cōmandement of the law wherein God maketh so liuely and deepe a searche as nothing can be excepted from it VVheras it is sayd in the lawe Thou shalte not haue any straunge goddes Thou shalt not make any image too worship it Thou shalte not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vayne ▪ Thou shalt keepe holy the day of rest Thou shalt honor thy father mother Thou shalt not kil Thou shalte not commit aduoutrie Thou shalte not steale All this is well will we thinke we must absteyne from all whordome violence and extortion we must absteyne from deceipt and robberie we must liue soberly Heretoo we must absteyne from blasphemie and we must honor God All this will easily be graunted But there is a backenooke that we perceyued not whiche is Thou shalt not couet or luste that is a priuie nipper Truely it seemeth not too bee very bigge or greate but yet for all that it is suche a stinger as passeth all the rest in byting For by the ende and wynding vp of hys Lawe God searcheth out all that euer is in man Hee setteth downe that commaundement too trie out the things that were hidden and when he sayth thou shalte not couet it is a percing euen into the marie of mens bones So then S. Paule confesseth that he knewe not what sinne mente till he vnderstoode what was mente by the commaundement that forbiddeth men too couet or luste And therfore in this texte he chargeth not the Gospell but the Lawe with it VVherefore let vs remember vpon this text that all they whiche deceyue them selues by any opinion of their owne merites neuer tasted what the Law of God is nor what it meaneth I speake of the greatest doctors that are in moste estimation as in good fayth it is too bee seene in the Popedome For euen those that are taken too bee the pillers of the Churche notwithstanding that they professe Diuinitie knowe not one worde of Gods lawe too apply the same too his true and naturall vse For they haue nothing in them but hypocrisie and they beare them selues in hande that they shall please God with a rattle as if he were a little babe They doo but toye with him and yet yee shall see them stande so muche in their owne conceites as they can not abide to be condemned And if a man tell them that wee must seeke our saluation in Iesus Christ yea say they and what shall become then of our freewill what should become of our owne merites and satisfactions Too their seeming it were much better too plucke the sunne out of the sky yea and God out of his seate too than too bereeue man of that prerogatiue or of the thing that he can bring of him selfe to cōpound with God and yet for all that it is certayne that there is nothing in thē but starke filthinesse For men see that there is neyther feare of God nor vprightnesse nor equitie nor ought else that good is in their lyfe They be so full of pride that they be readie to burst agayne and they be full of enuy rancour and all maner of loocenesse And yet for all this they will needes holde God bound vnto them but that is bicause they neuer knewe the law So then when our Lorde teacheth vs and sheweth vs how we ought to walke in this world let vs learne to lay the doctrine that he setteth foorth and our life togither and there we shall finde the right perfection of the law and that in our selues there is nothing but horrible confusion wee shall see hell readie prepared for vs. By that meanes it will be easie for vs to giue ouer all the deseruing whiche wee shall haue fancied in our selues so as it shall be soone beaten downe and our mouthes stopped and we become like poore dead folke without any breath bicause we shall perceyue well inough that we can not come vnto God but must needes thunder agaynst vs if wee bring any foolishe imagination of our owne deseruings Lo howe the lawe sleaeth vs. But when we haue passed through suche death that is to say when we be alreadie rightly humbled and vtterly dismayde then here is a remedie which S. Paule setteth downe saying I was crucified with Iesus Christ euē to liue vnto God Now he sheweth here that our Lorde Iesus Christ not only bringeth vs remission of our sinnes but also sanctifieth and regenerateth vs by his holy spirite in so muche that whereas there was nothing but stubbornesse in vs before now we be giuen to serue God and to please him And for the better vnderstanding of that which S. Paule telleth vs let vs marke that we receyue two principall graces of our Lorde Iesus Christ The one is the forgiuenesse of our sinnes whereby we are assured of our saluation and haue our consciences quieted and wherevpon it behoueth vs to be grounded so as we cal vpon God as our father VVho giueth vs the boldnesse to lift vp our heads to heauen and to call God our father Agayne what maketh vs so bolde as to glory that we be companions and brothers to the Angels It is bicause our sinnes come not to account for we must alwayes haue recourse to
heauenly life that is prepared for vs and that although we do but glide away here below and be as straungers yet there is an euerlasting heritage which cānot fayle vs. According as the outward man decayeth saith S. Paule so the inward man renueth For the more that the faithfull see themselues decay the more are they warned and prouoked to looke vpward For we know that such as are strong and lusty do besot and forget themselues and therefore our Lorde is faine to tame vs in such wise as we may renue by decaying I say in such wise as we may be as ye wold say new cast in a mould again to the end that the hope of the heauenly life may be stablished in vs and we haue our sight cleered to behold the thyng which otherwise would be wrapped vp frō vs. Marke how gold and siluer do greatly wast when men make them to passe the furnace VVhē it is cast into the fire it is a great masse of metall but whē it is takē out again ther is but a small quantitie of it And yet the gold if it were not so fined would neuer serue to any purpose no more would siluer nother Euen so is it with vs we could neuer be renued to come to the kingdome of heauen except we dyed first VVe must euer go forward to that vtter defacement and not rest by the way vpon any thing that we see with our eyes For this earthly life is but a shadow and a smoke that slideth and vanisheth away yet neuerthelesse we be renued thereby within Not that all men haue that benefit For the faithlesse do well ynough finde their owne weaknesse and are inforced to feele the summonings of death specially when they be growen old for then they perceiue that any little blast is ynough to cast thē downe and therevpon they fall to storming and could find in their harts to fall out with God nature Howsoeuer the world go though they rotte yet are they not renued For one graine of corne may well rotte and yet not take roote to spring againe and to bring foorth frute and another grain shal rot likewise howbeit for asmuch as it is in good earth hathe takē roote it will bring foorth frute in seasonable time So thē the faithful come to decay and the rewithal are renued and gather new force and why For they rot in this world to the end to be restored and renued againe in the heauēly heritage The faithlesse also do go away to they rot likewise they slip aside they vanish quite away but they haue no vauntage by it bycause they be not restored to eternall life So then let vs marke well that whereas S. Paul sayth we liue by the faith of Iesus Christ it is to wakē vs so as nothing in the world may keepe vs from resting cōtinually vpon Gods promises VVhen we looke vpon al the things that are about vs there is nothing but death But what for that God hath giuē vs his word that being dead in our own nature we haue our life elsewhere namely in our Lord Iesus Christ in asmuch as he was purposely sent to bring vs from death to life Seing then that we haue that promise of god ye see how he may be honored at our hands And for asmuch as the cace standeth so that only saying ought to suffise vs. And if wee setle and resolue ourselues fully therevpon it is a token that we set our handes to Gods truth as faithfull witnesses thereof as sayeth Sainct Iohn Contrariwise when we doubt or be in a mamering then hath Gods word no authoritie nor reuerence among vs. For if we looke no further than to the things that are before vs and to the things that are neare at hand we cannot acknowldge that God is faithfull and that the things which God hath vttered wyth his owne mouth are vnfallible Moreouer in so doing we turne away from our Lord Iesus Christ who notwithstāding is the pledge of all that is conteined in Gods word Seeing we haue the worde we must no more aske as Moses saith who shall climb vp aboue the Cloudes or who shall go downe into the deepe or who shall go ouer the Sea The word sayth he is in thy mouth and in thy hart and we must content ourselues with it And moreouer seeing that we haue our Lord Iesus Christ for a larger confirmation we know that he went downe into the hells that is to saye bare the curse that was due to vs for our sinnes and answered as our pledge and suretie before the iudgement seate of his father and afterward went vp into heauen and in our behalfe tooke possession of the heritage that he had purchaced for vs. For he was exalted vp in our flesh and nature Seeing that we haue such an assurance must wee not needes be tootoo wretched if we cannot hold ourselues too it Agayne the matter willeth vs to looke still backe to that whych hath bin said namely that we hope not for thinges that are open and manifest but for the thinges that are vnknowen to worldly perceiuerance Then sith it is so let vs learne to liue by the faith of Iesus Christ that is to say although we be miserable in this worlde and be faine to indure neuer so many hartbitings greefes anguishes troubles and distresses yet notwithstanding let vs continue in this constancie of beleeuing that there is nothing but singular happinesse in all our miseries bycause God blisseth and halloweth them for our Lord Iesus Christs sake and all is turned to our helpe and welfare as it is said in the .viij. to the Rom. Therfore as we haue seene in another text God must vtter the perfectnesse of his strēgth in our weakenesse and we suffer him to make vs to stoupe in such sort as this world may not keepe vs backe from hauing the promises of the Gospell throughly printed in our heartes nor hinder vs to be glad and cheerfull in the mids of our miseries and afflictions nor boldly too dispyze all the slaunderings and mockages of the faythlesse when they offer vs reproch saying Godes you silly wretches thinke your selues to be princes when you beleeue the Gospell But alack poore soules where is the ioy and happinesse which you say is promised you of God VVhere is the inestimable benefit which you make so great account of For ye haue no more than those whō you call Gods enimies reprobates and cursed kaytifs But as I sayde all this geere must not thrust vs out of the way for we must come backe vntoo fayth Although then that heere beneath we perceiue not the things that are promised vs in the Gospell yet let vs assure our selues of them out of all doubt For as sayth S. Paule our life is hidden and the time of the discouerie thereof is not yet come And where is our life but in our Lorde Iesus Christ Now the
kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ is apparant inough howbeeit that is but in part we haue but a tast of it and things are so troubled disordered in this world that if we will iudge of our saluation by the outwarde apparance what would become of it Therfore let vs suffer our life to be hid till our Lord Iesus Christ come and then shall we perceiue that we haue not bin beguiled in putting our trust in him and in admitting the doctrine of his Gospell Yee see then after what maner we must liue by fayth that is to say wee must not be so nyce as to seeke a quiet life heere and too haue all our commodities and ease here For in so doing we should forgo the thing that God hath promised vs we shoulde forget him and it woulde be an vtter destruction of our fayth But let vs take the myrrour of Gods worde and there looke vpon the things that furmount all our wit and are set far out of this world and are vtterly inuisible and let vs lift vp our eies thither not so far forth as our own reason skill shal be able to guide vs for that is not inough but so as we may climbe aboue the world and forsake the present things to the end to holde our selues fast in Gods promises and to be pacient in all afflictions and miseries wherby we shal be exercized and against which we must befain to fight till we receyue the frute of our victorie whē we be cōueyed vp into the rest of heauen Thus ye see what haue we to gather vpon this saying of S. Paule which might seme darke at the first sight but whē we haue on the one side marked wel what our state is while we bee in this worlde and on the other side considered what the nature of fayth is we shall easily perceyue that there is no darknesse at all in it And now Saint Paule addeth expressely that Iesus Christ loued him and gaue himselfe to the death for him This is an exposition of that which we sawe erewhiles For men do oftentimes misconster the woorde Fayth bycause they consider not what the pithe of of it is And in deede euerie man will bee called faythfull and yet euen among those that make profession of Christianitie yee shall scarce finde one of a hundred that hathe so muche as one droppe of fayth For as I sayde afore it is neuer sought what is ment by fayth The worde is verie short but it draweth a long tayle after it as wee see by the addition that is set downe heere For Saint Paule declareth that hee liueth by fayth bycause Iesus Christ had loued him and deliuered himselfe to death for him As much must we do For inasmuch as wee see that the Sonne of God the Lorde of glorie the heade of the Angels hee by whome all things were made and by whome all things are still mainteyned yeeldeth himselfe to death yea and too so vile a death that hee tooke our curse vppon him and not onely was hanged vpon a Crosse which was an yrksome thing to all the worlde but also was pronounced accursed by Gods owne mouth seeing say I that wee haue such a price to raunsome vs from death and too purchase vs life and saluation haue we not cause if we thinke well vppon it to ouerleape all the lettes that Satan can cast in our wayes to make vs turne head or to retyre backe that wee might not continue in the certaintie of our fayth Surely the victorie will bee easie ynough for vs agaynst all remptations if we can consider of what value the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ is and what it importeth So then S. Paule armeth vs heere too the ende wee might holde out wyth inuincible constancie agaynst all the stoppes that Satan laboureth too lay afore vs to hinder vs from keeping on our course VVhen the faythfull are pinched with hunger or thirst they bee troubled with looking heere and there for the promise that they shall be heyres of the worlde and in the meane while do well neare starue for famin and penurie But if they looke to our Lorde Iesus Christ that will dispatche them of all their trouble and sweeten all the bitternesse that might haue put the promises of saluation out of tast with them Therefore whensoeuer the faythfull are in any perill or bee persecuted so as they haue many wrongs and iniuries done them and yet are not succoured of all that while they might thinke thus with themselues VVhere is God Hee hath promised to dwell in vs to keepe vs as the Apple of his eie and to be our sheeld and fortresse and yet in the meane while wee bee cast vp too the spoyle wherefore it is certaine that we shall be vndone at euery blow But when we come to the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ wee must conclude that the Sonne of God was not offered vp in vaine Seeing then that our Lorde Iesus Christ spared not himself but abaced himselfe so farre as too suffer so slaunderous yea and cursed a death and afterwarde also the paynes of Hell howbeeit but for a while too the ende too set vs free and cleare and too purchace vs grace before the iudgement seate of God his father should that dooing of his bee vnauaylable Is it possible that it shoulde bee No For if Heauen and earth were turned vpsyde downe it were not so great a confusion as too imagine that the Sonne of God hath suffered in vaine Then see wee nowe why Saint Paule telleth vs that hee liued by fayth For it behoueth vs to be settled vppon the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ assuring our selues that it is able ynough too drawe vs out of the dungeons of death And furthermore it behoueth vs ▪ too looke vppon our Lorde Iesus Christ not onely as deade in the infirmitie of his fleshe but also as ryzen againe through his diuine and heauenly power as is saide of him in another Text. And therefore when there is any speaking of the death of our Lorde Iesus Christ it standeth vs on hande too consider what the same importeth that is too wit that it is a sacryfice to make an attonement of Recōciliation betwene God man an obedience too couer all the naughtinesse that is in vs and a washing too scoure away all our vnclennesse and filthinesse For asmuch then as wee knowe that there is such power in the death and passion of the sonne of God and that therevpon wee marche further that is to wit too the glorie wherevntoo it leadeth vs let vs not any more imagine that man ought hereafter to continue still in hys owne nature but that hee ought too liue in the fayth of the Gospell assuring himselfe that he shall not be disappoynted in resting vppon the promises that are conteyned there Thus ye see in effect wherevnto we should referre this saying where Saint Paule telleth
all the faithfull to all his children But yet doth he graunt vs other speciall graces besides as when he giueth vs men that teach vs his woord faythfully or that gouerne the common welth wisely or whiche haue other giftes for in so doing he giueth vs certayne tokens that he dwelleth among vs and thereby also he bindeth vs so much the more vntoo him Let vs marke the reason that S. Paule setteth downe heere He blameth the vnthankfulnesse of the Galathians for that they considered not how it came vnto them by the preachyng of the Gospell And he sayeth it purposely bicause men will alwayes make fayre protestations ynow that they meene not to reiect Gods grace and yet doo shew the cleane contrarie in their dooyngs As howe They that are loth too suffer themselues too be taught and would driue away all the ministers of Gods woord if they could they which through enuie spitefulnesse could find in their harts to abolish the remeÌ„brance of al those whom God hath stablished too maynteyne the welfare of his people they say I doo shew well ynough that they would haue God too holde himselfe a farre off from them and that they bee loth to come at him For he setteth before them the meanes to come too him and they voutchsafe not too take it but do thrust it from them So then whereas S. Paule findeth fault with the GalathiaÌ„s it was not for that they protested openly with full mouth that they woulde none of Gods spirit or that they hild skorne of his giftes but too shewe them that they had very ill regarded Gods vttering of the giftes of his spirite in their Churche VVhat ought wee then too gather vppon this Text. That if God giue vs meanes too come vntoo him wee must take them awoorth euen by fashioning of our selues vnto them For if the Gospell bee preached among vs and wee wilfully forget what is told vs it is all one as if wee reiected God and turned our backe vppon him of purpose too stray away from him VVherefore if wee intend that God should continue his grace towardes vs let vs hold vs too the meanes that he hath ordeyned for vs that is to say let vs suffer our selues to be taught by such as he sendeth vnto vs let euery of vs exercyze himself alone also in reading the holy scripture let such as haue done good in edifying the Church haue roome place among vs and let vs not shet the gate against the holy Ghost This in effect is the thing that wee haue to beare in minde Furthermore for asmuch as S. Paules intent here is to bring backe the faithfull to the Gospell let vs assure our selues that if we swarue neuer so litle from it we be streyght in the high way to destruction And so there is none other knitting of God vnto meÌ„ than by meanes of the Gospell which must go as a chayne that cannot bee broken betwixt theÌ„ And Paule doth purposely once againe call it the preaching of faith to shewe vs how great neede wee haue that God should preuent vs. For vntil such time as he haue reached vs his hand in our Lord Iesus Christe and drawne vs out of the gulfe of confusion wherein wee bee by nature what are wee Moreouer wee see howe bountifull he sheweth himselfe towardes vs in that he giueth himselfe fully to vs in the persone of his only Sonne surely it is much more than if he gaue vs heauen and earth and all the goodes that are in them For what are all other things in coÌ„parison of our Lord Iesus Christ VVherfore let vs marke that seing that God hauing declared vntoo vs that wee bee vtterly vnfurnished of all goodnesse addeth that he will not keepe backe any thing from vs nor shew himselfe a nigard towards vs if wee seeke too him for all things that wee want wee must be contented with it and if wee swarue neuer so little one way or other we deserue well to bee vtterly bereft and dispossessed euen of that which wee haue receyued alreadie And therevppon S. Paule bringeth vs backe too the example of Abraham bycause he is the father of all the faythfull and moreouer bycause that in his person it pleazed god to shew how we may become rightuous to be saued for there is none other way to bring vs to the kingdome of heauen than the same that he went There is but onely one way and that is set foorth too vs in the example of Abraham S. Paule therefore sayeth that Abraham beleeued God and the same was reckened too him for rightuousnesse and therefore that if we will be Abrahams children wee must beleeue Heere we haue too call too rememberance the thing that hath bin declared alreadie heretofore that is too say what this woorde fayth or beâ—eefe importeth It is not a single beleeuing that there is but one God which gouerneth the worlde but an assuring of our selues that he taketh vs for his children and that wee may fully and freely call vppon him as our father bycause he accepteth vs for our Lord Iesus Christes sake Then if wee bee sure of the fauour and fatherly loue of our God and take suche warrantize of it by his promises that wee haue our looke wholly fastened vppon our Lord Iesus Christe in whom wee finde meanes too come vnto God and too go freely vntoo him that is the very thing whiche S. Paule ment by that woord Fayth And so when he sayeth that too bee Ahrahams children wee must bee faythfull it is all one as if he sayd that wee cannot bee faythfull Christians nor members of the Church but by fayth that is to say except we be bereft of all opinioÌ„ of our owne deseruings moreouer so beaten downe and dismayed in our selues as we may not wote where too become nor seeke any other meanes of saluatioÌ„ than in the free goodnesse which God offereth vs when he telleth vs that wee be fordone damned in our sinnes and yet notwithstanding that we must not ceasse to haue full hope and trust of saluation in Iesus Christ Thus yee see what it is for a man to bee a Christian that is too wit to be vtterly out of hart in himself in coÌ„sideration that he bringeth nothing with him but sin and cursednesse and yet vpon the feeling of himself to be so vtterly voyde of all well deseruing to come vnto God to be clothed with the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ For it is not ynough for vs to be out of hart in our selues as we see that Cain was who beyng as it were vpon the racke confesseth his fault howbeit that was but through despayre and so consequently there was nothing in him but murmuring and blasphemie against God in like cace is it with all reprobates or cast awayes but wee must so taste of the loue of our God as wee may be able to settle our selues vpon it and be out of all doubt that he will
abashed at his sinnes not for three or foure monethes but so as hee shall abhorre them all his life long forsomuch as hee seeth that hell is alwayes readie to swallow him vp at one chop if God supplyed not his wantes and drewe him not as it were out of the gulfe of death And therefore it is sayde that the righteous shall liue by fayth to the ende that the same should serue as a lesson not for a three or foure monethes onely nor for those onely whiche are not of so perfect life as other men but as a lesson that God speaketh euen to such as are the most excellent And surely that also is the thing wherevnto wee must referre the woord Liue so as wee may liue not for a litle while nor for a day nor for two or three monethes but cōtinually in Gods free goodnesse seeke the same from day too day euen to the end And although our life be hidden in this world as S. Paule sayeth and wee see nothing but death before vs yet let vs not ceasse too repose our selues vppon this promis that our life is sure for asmuch as God hath taken it intoo his custodie and will keepe it safely and therevnto hath left vs so good a pledge of it that is too wit our Lord Iesus Christe who died and is rizen againe for vs and therefore wee shall not neede too say any more who shall go vp into heauen or who shall go downe intoo the deepe or who shal passe ouer the sea For the woord is in our mouth and in our hart in asmuch as wee know that our Lord Iesus Christe went downe too hell that is too say as wee shall see in the next sermon by Gods leaue that he became accursed for vs whiche is the thing that muste content vs and afterward went vp intoo heauen whereof the gate is opened vnto vs euer since he entred in thither in our behalfe Therefore let vs take all our hold there and suffer our selues too be as poore dead men in this worlde wayting for the discouerie of the lyfe that is promised vs for no doubte but God will in due tyme discouer it and manifestly shewe it vntoo vs in such wyze as wee shall fully inioy it as it is preached too vs by his Gospell And now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them more and more and that wee may bee so touched with them as it may beate vs flat downe before him make vs sigh and grone vnder the burthen of our infirmities and vices wherewith we be hēmed in till he haue clenzed vs throughly of them and praying him also too beare with vs during this mortall lyfe till he haue fully deliuered vs from the bondage of sinne and from the bondes of Satan wherein wee bee hild as nowe till he haue set vs vtterly free from them That it may please him too graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people c. The. 19. Sermon which is the fifth vpon the third Chapter 13 Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the lavve in that he vvas made accursed for vs for it is vvritten Cursed is euery one that hāgeth on tree 14 To the end that the blissednesse of Abraham should come vpō the Gentiles through Iesus Christ that we might receiue the promis of the spirit by faith WEe haue seene alreadie that if wee hope not to bee saued by some other meanes than by discharging our duetie we should all of vs be accursed bycause wee bee all giltie before God in that wee are found too haue transgressed and done amisse many wayes For there was neuer yet any of the holiest men so perfect but that there was alwayes some blemish yea and store of infirmities in him Therefore it is to be concluded that if God should call vs too account wee should bee all damned and forlorne Lo in what plight men bee though they set neuer so much store by themselues But now it standeth vs on hand too haue some meanes too scape this cursednesse Else what shall it auayle vs to haue our eares beaten dayly with Gods woord For his will shall serue but to plundge vs still deeper in eternall death To the ende therefore that Gods woord may bee profitable too vs and auaylable to our saluation it lieth vs vpon to get vs out of the sayd sentence of damnation which is giuen and proclaymed vppon all mankinde And Sainct Paule sheweth vs here the meane namely that Christ hath redeemed vs euen by becomming accursed for vs. He sheweth vs that our Lorde Iesus Christ was not hanged vppon tree in vayne for he was fayne too beare the cursednesse of all suche as were too bee called too saluation Yee see wee are all accursed as I haue declared alreadie and therefore was our Lorde fayne too receyue in his persone the thing that was due vntoo vs. Now it was written in the Law of Moyses Cursed shall he bee hangeth on tree VVhen our Lord commaundeth the bodie too bee taken downe he addeth that it is a cursed sight too beholde a man so disfigured and therefore let it bee taken downe sayeth he And at suche tyme as God pronounced the sayde sentence that he which should bee hanged on tree should bee as it were accursed and banned he knew well ynough what he had determined of his owne onely Sonne For our Lorde Iesus Christe suffered not that kinde of death by chaunce nor at mannes pleasure or appoyntment It is true that the vnbeleeuers crucified him but that was bycause God had so ordeyned it by his owne purpose according as it is sayd that God so loued the world that he spared not his onely begotten Sonne but deliuered him too death for vs. And in good sooth if onely Iudassis betraying of our Lorde Iesus Christ had bin the cause of his death and that he had bin haled to that kind of death by onely violence it could not bee the foundacion of our welfare It behoueth vs to note that God had appoynted the matter after that sorte aforehand according also as Sainct Peter treateth thereof more fully in the fourth chapter of the Actes where he sayeth that our Lord Iesus was so crucified by the wicked as they attempted not any thing but that which had bin determined aforehand in Gods purpose Nowe then whereas it is sayde that our Lorde Iesus Christ was crucified wee muste come too this poynt that all was done for our saluation bycause it was Gods will too reconcyle vs too himselfe by that meane and that when he pronounced this sentence cursed is he that hangeth on tree so as it was his pleasure to haue it registred in the lawe of Moyses he was not ignorant what shoulde happen afterwarde for he had alreadie determined and ordeyned it Then muste wee match these twoo things toogither that is too witte that
God with his owne mouth sayd determinately that who soeuer hung vppon tree should be accursed and yet for all that that it was his will therewithall that his owne Sonne should bee hanged on tree And why so Too the end he shoulde beare our burthen according as he is our pledge ordeyned to be the principall detter in our behalf To the end then that wee might bee set free from the curse of the Lawe Iesus Christe became accursed Nowe at the first fight it might seeme hard and straunge that the Lord of glorie he that hath all soueraine dominion and before whose maiestie the verie Angelles of heauen do tremble and are abashed should be subiect too cursing But wee muste go backe too that whiche S. Paule hath treated of in the first to the Corinthians namely that the doctrine of the Gospell is foolishnesse too mankind yea euen too the wyzest of them and that it was Gods will too humble vs after that maner bycause of our vnthankfulnesse For we should haue a good instruction to leade vs vnto God yea euen in wisedome if we could profite our selues by the things that are shewed vs in the whole order of heauen earth But for asmuch as men are blinde and shet their eyes agaynst this wisedome that God setteth afore them therfore he is fayne too take a new way to the woode and too draw them to him as it were by folie So then let vs not iudge after our owne mother wit of the thing that is declared heere which is that the sonne of God was put vnder the curse but rather let vs bee rauished at such a secrete and giue the glorie vntoo our God seyng he hath so loued our soules as too pay so inestimable a pryce for the raunsoming of them And so little ought this thing to imbace the maiestie of our Lord Iesus Christ or to deface that which is giuen him in the holy Scripture as wee rather haue cause too glorifie him the more for it And for proofe thereof our Lord Iesus Christe as sayeth S. Paule committed no robberie when he shewed himselfe in his infinite glorie And yet notwithstanding he abaced himselfe willing and not onely clothed himself with our nature and became a passible mā but also submitted himself to a death that was both shamefull before men yea and accursed before God Then must it needes bee that we were very deere vnto him seing he yeelded himself too such extremitie for our redemption If wee could taste the meening hereof surely wee would giue our selues wholly too the magnifying of that grace which cānot be sufficiently expressed by woordes and surpasseth all wisedome of man Seyng therefore that wee comprehend it not nor can vtter the hundredth part of it let vs yet be as it were astonished at it in considering so much of it as we be able too comprehend But heere we see still the leudnesse and frowardnesse of men in that whereas S. Paule sayeth that our Lorde Iesus Christ became accursed for vs it passeth and slippeth away from vs. Yea and there are some so leud that they take occasiō of stumbling and of flinging out of the way and of estraunging themselues quite and cleane from the Churche when they heare this maner of our reedeming set afore vs. VVhat say they was it of necessitie that the sonne of God who is the fountayne of all goodnesse and ought too make vs all holy should be cursed It seemeth too them that God in so doyng ment too peruert all order and reason But as I haue declared alreadie it is certaine that God condemneth mens vnkindnesse by bringing them to such a kinde of foolishnesse bycause they came not too him by wisedome when he shewed them that way Neuerthe later howsoeuer the cace stande needes muste our wittes shrinke and our reason bee vtterly confounded so as wee may honour Gods secretes and wonder at them though they bee hidden from vs. And againe whensoeuer it is sayd vnto vs that the sonne of God became accursed for vs it would become vs to enter into the examinacion of our sinnes In so doing we shall perceyue how lothly wee be before God till our sinnes and offences bee washed away by the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ Had all the Angelles of heauen vndertaken for vs it had bin no sufficient bayle Then was there none other satisfaction than the persone of our Lord Iesus Christe And he came not into the world too discharge vs of the bonde of euerlasting death wherein we were bound by his diuine and heauenly power How then By weakenesse And not onely so but also he was fayne to bee counted accursed or else we should haue lien still ouerwhelmed with the burthen and haue perished all of vs in that gulf Therefore when wee see that the sonne of God who not only is the vnspotted Lambe and the mirrour of all rightuousnesse holinesse and perfection but also the very welspring thereof was hilde accursed for vs ought wee not at the sight thereof to conceyue such a terrour for our sinnes that wee should be as good as swallowed vp with despayre till we be plucked backe againe by the infinite grace and goodnesse of our God So then let vs marke well that when it is tolde vs that wee were raunsomed from the curse of the Lawe God intendeth thereby to bryng vs to true humilitie But that cannot bee vnlesse men be vtterly cōfounded in themselues so as they be ashamed too loke vpon themselues and therewithall also afrayd and dismayed knowing that Gods wrath wayteth readie for them till our Lord Iesus Christe doo remedie the matter Thus yee see that all our whole lyfe is lothsome before God and there is no way for vs too come too attonement with him till our Lord Iesus Christ take vpon him the cursednesse that is in vs and beare it in his owne persone And therefore as oft as wee reade this text let euery of vs awake and set himselfe before Gods iudgement seate that wee may feele there as it were a gulf to swallow vs vp quyte and cleane and thereat bee abashed for very shame of our selues and on the other side so much the more magnifie the grace that is purchaced for vs in the persone of the sonne of God and keepe our selues warely from diminishing his dignitie in that he is sayd to be accursed and rather thereby be the more prouoked to yeeld him his due and deserued prayse for that he hath shewed himself to esteeme our welfare so highly ▪ Furthermore let vs make our profit of that pledge of our saluation and of the loue that God beareth vs so as we doubt not but that God liketh well of vs when we come to him seyng he hath bought vs so deere that as S. Peter telleth vs in his first canonicall Epistle it was nother golde nor siluer nor any corruptible thing but it was our Lord Iesus Christ himself that was payd for our raunsome Therefore
fashion Let vs go forward with the whole processe VVe see that without faith there should be no bond to knit any Church togither nor any assurance whereby to know which is the seede of Abraham or to discerne it from the rest of the world but by resorting to the head that is too wit to our Lord Iesus Christ Ye see then that the vnion of the body dependeth vpon the head that is to wit vppon the Redeemer Seeing it doth so not without cause doth Sainct Paule say that it was not spoken of many seedes but that wee must come too one man if we will haue the spirituall people that is to say if wee will haue the Churche of God our Lorde Iesus Christ must bee the marke that we must begin to looke at and wee must bee gathered vnto him and those that are of his body and cleaue vntoo him by fayth are the folke that are reckened for Gods children and houshold and are verily the seede of Abraham as he discourseth more at large in the Epistle to the Romanes where he sayth that all they which come of the seede of Israell after the flesh are not therefore Israelites And why For there was but one promised chylde which was Isaac So then wee must come to our Lorde Iesus Christe in whome all Gods promises are Yea and Amen and in whome they haue theyr substance For without him there is nothing else but soattering And therefore it is said in the first Chapter to the Colossians that our Lorde Iesus Christs office is to gather togither all things that were scattered as well in heauen as in earthe and that without him al should go to wrecke But now we see more cleerely how Sainct Paules meening is that before the law was published to the world wherevpâ—â— was put and added this condition that it behoued vs to fulfill all that is conteined therein God had yeelded a record of his will before hand whiche was that bycause hee saw mankind damned and forlorne he inteÌ„ded to draw out a chosen sort to hymselfe and to be mercifull to them And that was not for one linage alone but for all nations as the scripture expresseth And there of the foundation was layd in our Lord Iesus Christ For asmuch then as our Lord Iesus Christe was already in the tyme of Abraham ordeyned to be a mediator to make attonemeÌ„t betweene God and vs so that if we go in his name to seeke fauour it is ready for vs and we cannot be disappointed of our hope seeing it is so stablished there is no chaunge but wee must assure ourselues that God accepteth vs at this day so we rest wholly vpoÌ„ our Lord Iesus Christ knowing that it was no vncerteine couenant whiche was so ratifyed in his name but that it shall endure for euer and be always of force Ye see then that we may come freely before God and call vpon him as our father bycause he hath adopted vs for his chidreÌ„ whiche thing he hath not done in respect of any worthinesse that was in vs but of his owne meere mercie and bycause we bee made one with our Lord Iesus Christ by faith And by the way like as we must reiect all opinion and imagination of obteyning fauour at Gods hand by our owne deseruings and of assuring our owne saluation so must we looke wel to that which is told vs heere namely that we cannot be partakers of such a benefite but by faith Now as I haue sayd afore faith importeth an imbracing of Gods mercy whiche thing cannot bee done except wee bee touched earnestly with our own wretchednesse for it is not for naught that our Lord Iesus Christ setteth our cursednesse before vs as it were in a glasse by taking vpon him to be accursed for vs. Faith therefore cannot be without repentance for it is vnpossible that we shoulde seeke our welfare in God or desire mercie at his hand till miserie touch vs to the quicke and make vs to mislike of it And so these skoffers whiche mocke God weltring still in their vyces and beeing as it were sotted in them must not looke that euer Iesus Christ shoulde recken them in the number of hys for they cannot by any meanes come at him nother doth he call any other than suche as are so ouerloden and forweeryed as they can no longer hold out and lye groning vnder the burthen of their sinnes Thus ye see how it behoueth vs to resort to our Lord Iesus Christe and that although we cannot bring any desert vnto him and that all the Ceremonies of the law and all the profers that we can make vnto him do nothing at all further our saluation yet we must be prepared to suche lowlinesse as we may perceiue our state to be right miserable till God haue taken vs to his mercy and we must be so beaten downe in ourselues as wee may feele the curse that should light vpon vs if we were not raunsomed with so high and excellent a price as I haue declared heeretofore Yee see then that by faythe wee receiue the promis of the spirite and thereby are linked to oure Lord Iesus Christ and too the spirituall seede of Abraham For although we be not borne of his linage yet is it ynough that wee be made atone with him by faith For then are wee begotten againe of that incorruptible seed wherof S. Peter speaketh that is to wit of Gods word such as it is conteyned in the Gospell And beeing so begotten agayne we know that God auoweth vs too be of the body of his only sonne And although wee come of the Gentiles yet fayle we not for all that to be ioyned to the Church whervntoo there needeth no more but only fayth and as for all merites and vertues of men they must vtterly ceasse in that behalfe and men must acknowledge that they cannot bring any thing but confusion so as they must be faine to seeke all at Gods hande and that by the meanes whiche hee hymselfe hath appointed Now sith it is so let vs learne to leaue our wandering heere and there as we see lightheaded men do whiche are neuer contented with that which God telleth them but are euer adding somewhat of theyr owne deuice Let vs beware of such mingling as shall be treated of more at large after dinner by Gods will And let Iesus Chryste alone suffise vs seeyng that our welfare dependeth wholly vppon hym alone and wee shall want nothing if wee bee partakers of hym as we see how Sainct Paule bringeth vs backe too that poynte Furthermore let vs learne also too holde vs too Gods truth assuring ourselues that hee cannot abyde too haue any adding vntoo it bycause that were a marring reuersing and falsifying of his couenant wherein oure welfare consisteth But when we haue once imbraced our Lorde Iesus Christ let vs abyde fast in him and let hym suffise vs for all and then maye wee call vppon GOD with full mouth
lowlinesse seeke the mercie that is profered them in Iesus Christ and by his meanes bee able to receyue it and inioy it And heerevpon Saint Paule addeth that the Lawe was ordeyned or deliuered by the hande of Angelles and in the hande of a Mediator Here he authoriseth the Lawe too shewe that it ought to bee receyued with all reuerence but yet not be applyed too any other ende than God hath appoynted For proofe hereof he speaketh of the Angels as if he had sayd that God had witnesses ynow to giue authoritie to his Law and therewithall shewed how it ought to be taken herd But the cheefest matter is in his setting downe of the Mediator that is to wit our Lord Iesus Christ True it is that many men haue taken this saying to be ment of Moyses as though he had bin called the Mediator betwene God and men as in respect of doctrine but that can by no meanes stande For Paule dooth first set downe the Angels and afterward addeth the Mediator as cheefe and he is here in higher degree than they which cannot bee verified of the person of Moyses Moreouer we see what Saint Paule discourseth He sheweth that there was no diuersitie betweene the Lawe and the Gospell in the free promise of saluation For the confirming thereof he bringeth in our Lorde Iesus Christ and sayeth that when the Lawe was gyuen it was done by his hande and direction Truely this woorde Hande in the holy Scripture dooth oftentymes import force power or strength but heere wee see howe Saint Paule maketh comparison betweene Iesus Christ and the Angelles He setteth downe the Angels that were assembled there to make his Law to bee heard among men and too bee receyued of them wythout gainsaying Therefore they were as witnesses of Gods Maiestie but hee setteth downe the Mediator as the greater The hande therefore importeth direction as if he had sayde that hee had highest place and was cheefe Commissioner in setting out the Lawe And we must not thinke this strauuge for when the Angell appered vntoo Moyses hee sayde I am the Euerlasting There hee is named an Angell Therefore is hee Gods messenger as the worde betokeneth and yet notwithstanding hee sayeth I am the Euerlasting that haue my beeing of my selfe which saying could not be verified of any creature and as for the Angels they were made of nothing as well as we Then had it bin highe treason for an Angell too haue taken vppon him the tytle that agreeth to none but God alone Therefore must wee conclude that that Angell was Iesus Christ who executed the office of Mediator aforehande accordingly as Saint Paule treateth thereof in the first too the Corinthians where he speaketh of the Iewes rebelliousnesse and of their prouoking of God to displeasure by their murmuring and wicked lusts He sayeth that they tempted Iesus Christ which led them and guided thē through the wildernesse No doubt therfore but that our Lord Iesus Christ was euen thē the Mediator yea euen to reconcile men to God his father after diuerse maners And heere ye see why the Apostle in the Epistle too the Hebrewes sayeth that the same Iesus Christ whiche is too day was yesterday and shall bee still tomorrowe euen too the worldes ende too the intent that men shoulde holde themselues too him and not wander any more in straunge doctrines But nowe hee addeth Iesus Christ then hathe bin a meane betwixt God and men to the intent that poore sinners might find some releefe and that although they had some hartbytings by beeing troubled with Gods iudgements yet neuerthelesse they might also be cōforted seing that God offered thē a Mediator by whom they might obteyne grace to come vnto him Howbeeit Iesus Christ is our Mediator after another fashion also which is that by him God hath alwayes communicated himselfe to men For there is suche a distance betwixt God and vs so long as wee bee estraunged from him by sinne that wee cannot come at hym And hee will not come downe too vs for his part except it bee by the Mediator according also as it is shewed in Iacobs vision in Genesis For there it is sayde that Iacob sawe a Ladder vpon the toppe whereof sate God in his Maiestie and the Angels went vp and downe vpon that ladder And no doubt but that in that figure or Image our Lord Iesus Christ was represented vnto Iacob to shewe that men are banished from Gods kingdome till there be a meane that reacheth vp from beneath as our Lorde Iesus Christ doth who being on the one side God manifested dooth surmount all the heauens and on the other side being ioyned vnto vs in that hee is clothed with our nature and is become a man yea euen a frayle and mortall man sinne excepted hath taken vpon him and borne our infirmities though he himselfe were without spot So then ye see howe the lawe was giuen long ago by the hande of our Lorde Iesus Christ VVherevpon it followeth that there is no contrarietie betwene the Lawe and the Gospell For Iesus Christ is alwayes one without any variablenesse Nowe let vs see what Saint Paule addeth namely that the Mediator is not of one but that God is one In saying that the Mediator is not of one he meeneth that our Lorde Iesus Christ came too gather toogither againe all things that were scattered bothe in heauen and earth accordingly also as hee speaketh of it in the first too the Collossians Truely some haue taken the meening of this text to bee that Iesus Christ was of mo natures than one or that although hee were the Mediator betweene God men yet did it not follow that there was diuersitie betwene the Lawe and the Gospell But doubtlesse Saint Paules meening heere is to gather againe the Iewes and the Gentiles as if hee had sayde Iesus Christ was the Mediator in giuing of the Lawe as the partie by whose meanes god ment to humble men that they might be partakers of his grace Howbeit let vs marke that our Lorde Iesus Christ who was the continuall Mediator in giuing the Lawe too the Iewes had therewithall a Commission that stretched yet further that is to wit to gather and knit togither againe the Gentiles which were estraunged from God For although God did for a time preferre the lynage of Abraham before all the rest of the worlde yet notwithstanding in the ende our Lorde made vs parttakers of the saluation wherevnto we were straungers and it behoued vs that were farre off to be gathered togither againe as those that had bin neere neighbours afore And therefore Saint Paule in another text calling Iesus Christ our peace sayth that he hath ioyned and knit vs vnto God euen vs that had bin neere him before as well the Iewes which had the Lawe as those that had bin vtterly deuided from them They that earst had none acquayntance with God were in the ende gathered togither agayne into the body
of the Church at the comming of the anoynted and so were they also which had heretofore bin separated a great way off not only from God but also one from another Now wee see S. Paules meaning Howbeit that we may profite the better by this text let vs marke that as God hath giuen vs his Lawe by the Angels so shall they beare witnesse agaynst vs if the Lawe beare no sway with vs and that wee make none account of it but doo as it were treade it vnder our feete Then shall the Angels bee armed too aske vengeance at Gods hande agaynst our wickednesse and rebellion For it was no babes play when God willed his Angels too bee present and assisting at the publishing of his Lawe Therefore it was to the ende it should bee receyued with all reuerence Nowe it is true that wee can not perfourme all that the Lawe commaundeth and if wee should stande vpon that poynt wee should bee plunged into euerlasting death and vtterly ouerwhelmed in dispayre But first of all seeing that God is so gracious too vs as too teache vs his will too the ende wee should discerne betweene good and euill let vs bowe downe our neckes and receyue the yoke that God layeth vpon vs to make vs subiect vnto him Let that serue for one point And for as muche as the Lawe dooth quicken vs and cheare vs vp when wee bee hartfrosen and when there is suche slouth and slownesse in vs as wee can not come vnto God Let euery of vs looke well too him selfe and early and late call too minde Gods commaundements to reproue our selues withall Then let vs bethinke our selues better seeing that the Angels keepe watch and warde about vs will not now after that God hath giuen them in charge to authorise his Lawe suffer vs to despise it and misuse it as if it were a thing of nothing Furthermore as touching that the Lawe curseth vs let vs assure our selues that although men commende vs and clap their hands at vs for ioy yet shall we be put to shame before the Angels of heauen Then if 〈◊〉 whole world fauour vs it is nothing For to what ende was it Gods will that all his Angels should appeare togither at the publishing of his law but to teach vs to be ashamed of our sinnes and therby to humble vs in good earnest that wee might seeke all our welfare in our Lord Iesus Christ And moreouer where as it is sayd that our Lorde Iesus Christ was the mediator of the Lawe let vs assure our selues that if we resort wholly to his grace wee shall not neede to feare that the law shall haue any more power to condemne vs yea or to reigne ouer our sinne For we must beare in minde howe S. Paule in the first to the Corinthians sayth that the law is the strength of sinne and doth so sharpen sinne as it woundeth vs deadly Seeing it is so then surely if we had not the thing that is shewed vs heere for our comfort we should be striken with such feare as wee could not bee sure of our saluation though the promises were offered vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ For wee would alwayes matche the contrarie things agaynst them and lay the Lawe in balance with them saying VVhat was not the Lawe giuen of God But God condemneth vs by it Therefore although our Lorde Iesus Christ steppe in too helpe the matter yet doothe it not seeme that wee bee escaped So shall wee alwayes bee in trouble But if we consider howe our Lorde Iesus was the mediator in the publishing of the lawe it sheweth vnto vs that if he bee our aduocate at this day it will bee a good and sufficient discharge for vs in so muche that although God haue pronounced his sentence of cursing agaynst vs yet wee must not be dismayde at it nor so ouerpressed with hartgreefe and anguishe of mynde as though the mishiefe were incurable but assure our selues that our Lorde Iesus Christ wyll very well agree too doo bothe twayne that is too wit bothe make vs ashamed that wee may learne humilitie and therewithall also make vs sure of our saluation And therefore let vs learne that whensoeuer wee bee beaten downe there is none other meanes too rayse vs vp aâ—gayne but too know that the selfe same person which was ordeyned to bee the mediator for the publishing of the lawe is now manifested vnto vs at this day with the same commission and will make vs too perceyue it by experience Further let vs marke that he is not a mediator for 〈◊〉 one nation alone but for al the whole worlde in as muche as all of vs are the creatures of God True it is that wee were after a sorte cut off from him by the sinne of Adam But our Lorde Iesus Christ is come too make vp the breache agayne that was both in heauen and in earth as I haue alledged already out of the first chapter to the Colossians Seeing it is so then let vs not doubt but that God accepteth vs as heires of his promise in asmuch as he acknowledgeth vs for the spiritual children of Abraham And although there bee great diuersitie betweene our dayes and the time of the ceremonies whiche serued too separate the one from the other yet let not that hinder vs from comming vnto God For why God is one Although then that there bee bothe Iewes and Gentiles although there bee many diuers Nations among men although their languages bee diuers their maners and trades of liuing contrarie and euery of vs hath so muche varietie and inconstancie in himselfe that we haue no holde of our selues yet let vs rest vpon God for he is alwayes one He hath giuen vs his law he hath giuen vs his Gospell and let not vs think that there is any contrarietie in that cace but that all agreeth very well Only let vs suffer our selues to be ruled by him that we may come to our Lorde Iesus Christ And howe may that bee doone By beeing cleane ridde from all pride by beeing abashed and ashamed by misliking of our selues and by perceiuing that there is nothing in vs but death Then shall wee come too our Lorde Iesus Christ knowing that God the father accepteth vs if we holde that way VVhy so For he is alwayes one and his giuing of the lawe was not too disanull or impeache the promise that he had made afore Likewise his reuealing of his grace more fully vnto vs in his Gospell was not for that he wist not how to make his law of force towards vs and to put it to the right vse and purpose of it that we might haue a rule wherby to liue well but that whereas wee were accursed by it wee might knowe howe there is none other remedie for vs but by beeing blissed agayne in the seede that was promised from time to time in whose hande our welfare was stablished that is to wit by comming to our Lord Iesus
the end we shoulde knowe that onely fayth ought to suffice vs to the atteyning of saluation without seeking any other meanes one way or other too helpe vs. VVhat shoulde wee desyre more than that God shoulde acknowledge vs for his children VVill we needes haue an ouerplus added too so inestimable a benefite Ye see then that our full felicitie and perfect glorie is that we haue leaue to call vppon God as our father not doubting but that seeing he hath receyued vs into his fauour hee will also handle vs as his owne children But howe shall we come by that Saint Paule sayth it is onely fayth that maketh vs parttakers of that dignitie Then let vs conclude that the Lawe can nothing aduauntage vs or else it must needes bee that wee bee woonderfull couetous yea and as good as out of our wits to desire more than too be the children of God The Angelles are greatly honoured in the holy Scripture and yet the cheefe tytle that is giuen them is that they be the children of God Now seeing that we we I say poore wormes of the earth in whom there is nothing but filthynesse no nor aught but corruption of sinne bee matched with the Angelles insomuch that God openeth vs the kingdome of heauen and intendeth too haue vs fellowes with them who bee vertues are nere about him seing I say that we be made partakers of that glorie shall we be so presumptuous to seeke I wot not what moreouer Truely it is not onely fayth that maketh vs to obteyne that benefite VVherfore lette vs learne to renounce all other meanes that may bee set before vs for when men offer vs any other helpes as though the fayth that we haue in him were not sufficient it is but a turning of vs away from our Lorde Iesus Christ That then is Saint Paules meaning But wee shall neuer conceyue the frute that is conteined in this texte except we alwayes beare in minde that by this worde Fayth S. Paule meaneth to exclude all the desert worthinesse that men suppose or imagin thēselues able to bring with thē vnto God VVhen they will needs go through with the matter by their owne power and vertues It is all one as if they would cut off a peece of the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ But he cannot be rent in peeces or deuided Therefore all the working of our saluation must come of him alone and we must not skulk heere and there nor seeke bywayes but come right forth vnto him by the streyte way of fayth Herevpon S. Paule addeth that beeing baptised in Iesus Christ we haue put him on And this is too take away a doubt that might be cast heere namely howe it is possible that we should become the children of God seeing that that dignitie is peculiar to our Lorde Iesus Christ For whereas he is called the Sonne of God the Apostle sheweth that that tytle cannot be verified of the verie Angels of heauen True it is as I haue sayde heretofore that they be named the children of God howbeeit that is not without an addition So is it out of doubt that there is not any creature to whom that dignitie belongeth But nowe seeing that Iesus Christ is the only sonne of God howe doth the same extende vntoo vs S. Paule declareth that it is by reason of the vnion that is betwixt him and vs according as it is sayd in the .xvij. Chapter of S. Iohn Then if we were not one with our Lorde Iesus Christ surely wee should haue none acquaintance at all wyth God for we be quite cutte off from all hope of lyfe by sinne Yea and wee must needes be as deadly enimies vnto him and he vnto vs till hee haue altered and renued vs. Howsoeuer the worlde go beeing separated from Iesus Christ and considered in our owne nature we bee vnworthie too be called men and therefore much lesse can we boast that God is our father But here as I sayde Saint Paule intended to assoyle that question saying that by Baptisme we be clothed with our Lord Iesus Christ And this similitude of clothing is verie ryfe in the holy Scripture and it betokeneth in effect that Iesus Christ is our apparell or rayment whereby all is couered and buryed that might make vs to be reiected at Gods hand and grace is purchased vnto vs so as he doth not any more sift vs and search vs in our selues but accepteth vs as if we came in the very person of his owne Sonne To be short Saint Paule ment to shew here the vnion that is betwene our Lord Iesus Christ and all the faythfull which are the members of his body And like as all the substance of a tree commeth from the root and al the powers and abilities of a natural bodie come from the head euen so is it betwene the sonne of God and vs. For as I haue sayd alredy we haue not so much as one drop of the heauenly life but of his inspyring or breathing into vs. Therefore if we will come vnto God and be partakers of the holy Ghost and of the giftes that belong to the endlesse life let vs be in Iesus Christ and not thinke our selues to be any thing or aught worth of our selues And for the same cause our Lorde Iesus Christ in the sayd text which I alledged out of the xvij of S. Iohn setting out the true and perfect happinesse of his fayeth Father I pray thee that they may bee made one with vs. Ye see then that the way for vs to get out of the dungeon of death wherein we were drowned is to be vnited to our Lord Iesus Christ by the bond of fayth Now S. Paule sayth that that is done in Baptisme Not that all they which are baptized are true members of Iesus Christ in deede for we see the cleane contrarie insomuch that there are some which vnhallow and defile all the holinesse of Baptisme and are giltie of high treason too God bicause that whereas they professe to holde of Iesus Christ they despyze and spyte him and are as dung and filthinesse too marre all things Baptisme then maketh vs not all Christians and againe wee knowe that too bee made the childe of God is too great a benefite to bee fathered vppon a corruptible Element VVhat is the water Too say that the water begetteth or regenerateth vs againe and that thereby we be deliuered from death and obteyne the glorie wherein God lyfteth vs vp too himselfe as say I a peruerting of all order But first of all let vs marke here that when Saint Paule speaketh of Baptisme he presupposeth that we receyue the thing that is offered vnto vs in it Many that are baptised do wype away the grace of God and notwithstanding that it be offered them yet they make themselues vnworthie of it through their vnbeleef lewdnesse and rebellion Thus yee see that the power of baptisme is disfeated in many men But when there happeneth
they be fearsly counted worthie to dwell vpon earth Furthermore let vs haue the skill to profite our selues hereby Truely the chiefe poynt is that we go foreward and trauell still to the inheritance of the heauēly kingdome and that our studies thoughtes and desires be chiefly applied therevnto But yet therewithall wee muste also in passing through this world haue regard of the degrees which our Lord hath set too be kept And when any are to be chozen to the state of gouernment to weeld Gods swoord and too sit in the seate of Iustice let euery man bethinke himself well and pray to God for such as are too bee chozen that they may be found to be good and faithful Magistrates and imploy themselues too doo their duetie And let vs on our side walke peaceably in their obediēce and subiection let vs feele there as it were the first frutes of the kingdome of heauen and let vs cōsider that our Lord Iesus Christ doth by that signe shew vs aforehād that he hath a care of vs and ouerlooketh vs and watcheth ouer vs vntill we may feele it to the full when he shall haue gathered vs vp to himself And to the intent we may the more cherefully and with the better courage beare the yoke which he hath appoynted let vs vnderstand that it is acceptable too him and a sacrifize whiche he liketh well of when wee walke according to the order which he hath stablished and when wee proceede to liue not onely without doing any man wrong or without offering any violence or deceyt but also doo walke in all godlinesse and honestie as S. Paule sayeth that is to say when we first feare and reuerence God aboue all thyngs and labour to dedicate ourselues wholly vnto him and secondlye liue after such a sober manner as we do well shewe that we be not giuen to the world though we dwell in it but that we take it as a straunge countrie through the which wee trauell continually towards the heauenly rest till we see the thing in very deede whyche is taught vs heere that is to wit that we haue not bin knit vnto our Lord Iesus Christ in vaine And now let vs fal downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to make vs so to perceiue them as we may continually seeke him euen with as earnest zele as may possibly be and giue ourselues wholly to oure Lord Iesus Christ to the ende that being ioyned to him wee may giue ouer all the cares of this worlde and still more and more go forward to the felicitie of the heauenly kingdome till we be fully come thither And so let vs all say Almightye God heauenly father c. The .xxiiij. Sermon which is the first vpon the fourth Chapter 1 I say that vvhyle the heire is a chyld he differeth nothing from a seruant although he be the Lord of all things 2 But is vnder Tutors and gouerners till the tyme appoynted by the father 3 VVe also lykewyse vvhen vve vvere children vvere kept in bondage vnder the ordinaunces of the vvorld 4 But vvhen the accomplishment of tyme vvas come God sent his Sonne made of vvoman and made vnder the Lavve IT is out of all doubt that there was neuer yet any mo meanes than one whereby men might atteine too saluation And whereas many men beare thēselues in hand that they shall by their owne merites obteine the thing that they hope for it is but a mockerie and a beguiling of thēselues For as hath bin shewed heeretofore we are all of vs reiected of God cursed and the children of wrath On our owne part we be not able to recouer that which wee haue lost in Adam but God must of his infinite goodnesse be fayne to worke in that behalfe for all other helps are vayne and vnauaylable But now hath God stablished one only meane whereby men may get out of the dungeon of cursednesse wherein we be all hild Therfore it must needes be that the fathers of old time were saued by Gods meere grace euen as we be which hope for the like at this day For it is too be seene in the second Epistle to the Corinthians that all the promises which God hath giuen in al ages were grounded vppon our Lord Iesus Christ and that he is the pledge of them which maketh them auaylable and giueth them effect and force towards vs. Then to be short it must needes be that there is but one saluation common to all the faithfull both whiche are at this day and which haue liued at any time since the beginning of the world and it must needes be also that God hath gathered vs togither in one accord to the intent we should be reconciled to him by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and by that meane be counted rightuous and enioy the inheritance of heauen Yet notwithstanding wee see great difference betweene the Church that is now adayes and the Church that was vnder the law For the fathers were subiect to many Ceremonies They were circumcised from their childhoode Besides this they had their Sacrifises washings and such other lyke things At this day all those things are abolished and none of them is in vse How then shall we say that the substance of faith is all one among vs and the fathers and yet that the gouernment was diuers and that God hathe vtterly chaunged it If it bee alledged that this diuersity proceedeth of God it would seme that he is variable And if it bee sayd that it commeth of men then must we conclude that we hold two sundry ways and that there was great oddes betwene them and vs. I haue answered already too the firste obiection that may be made namely that there is no variablenesse in God though he haue altered the order of gouernment in his Church For when he sendeth faire wether or foule heate or colde and disposeth the seasons of the yeere diuersly shall we say therefore that he chaungeth his mind and that he is mutable in himselfe No but contrariwise we must say that he hath ordeyned the things that were conuenient for mankind and yet notwithstāding doth by those changes and turnings warne vs that wee must not seeke our rest heere beneath but passe away as wayfarers and as they that vndertake a long iourney to come to the kingdome of heauen As touching the seconde obiection Sainct Paule sheweth that if there be any difference betwixt vs and the fathers that liued vnder the Lawe it is not in that our religion is not all one it is not in that wee haue not all one God it is not for that the promises which we receyue belong not to vs nowadayes or for that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath not at all times had the power to make attonement among al men euen from Abell to those which shal be found in the last end of the world but he sayth that the diuersitie is in the
vs now shall wee be wiser than he Howsoeuer the cace standeth the very cause why mens wits haue bin so tickelishe to deuise store of Ceremonies in the Christen Churche was that they sawe so much rudenesse among the common people Yea mary say they it is good reason that there should be this that Baptisme were to simple a thing if there were nothing else to bee seene in it but water and that water would not bee sufficient For there are a great number of lay folke which are so dull that they vnderstande not what that misterie meaneth that is to wit that we be renued by our Lorde Iesus Christ Therfore there needeth oyle and creame to represent the holy Ghost as it were in a visible figure Besides this there needed light and a white Chrisome and salte and eft one thing and eft another Very well thus was baptisme dayly decked yea in the opinion of men but all of them are but defilings for did not our Lorde Iesus Christ who is the incoÌ„prehensible wisdome of God his father knowe well inough what should be for our profit Shal men come creeping like little todes and seeke I wot not what and beare them selues in hande that the things which our Lord Iesus Christ hath ordeyned are vnperfect and that they will take in hande to make them perfect As muche is to be sayd of all the rest Specially the Supper of our Lorde Iesus Christ hath not only bin corrupted and maymed but also vtterly defaced by the diuelishe abhomination of the hellishe masse For they make it to be but an ordinarie matter to take a bit of bread to drinke three sippes of wyne Gods word willeth vs to looke to the promise namely that wee be made partakers of the body and bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christ when wee receyue his holy Supper with true fayth and obedience and that in him onely lyeth the foode of our soules But contrariwise men haue bin fayne to apparell themselues like players in an enterlude therwithall to vse so many murlimewes as it was a shame to beholde them and what was the ende of al Mary â—ir it was a sacrifice for the remission of sinnes both of quicke and dead VVherin yee see howe our Lorde Iesus Christ is berefte of his priestly dignitie which was giuen him of God his father eueÌ„ with solemne oth that he should neuer haue any successor but yet for al that the Papists make him a thousande thousande successors And what maner of men I pray you Surely if they were Angels of heauen yet ought they to bee taken for diuels But their choyce is of al the vermin of the world of all the rascals and of all naughtipackes and shall wee say that suche a rable are the successors of our Lorde Iesus Christ And yet neuerthelesse yee see what the Papistes alledge for their couert namely that men must needes haue some helpes bicause of their infirmitie And thereof came all the residue of their superstitions as for example when they did set vp their Idols and puppets they termed them the lay mens bookes But wee see that all their malapertnesse is confounded heere when S. Paule bringeth vs backe to the order that God hath set bicause wee must all wholly holde vs too it and there rest So then will wee not disclayme the heritage of heauen whiche our Lorde Iesus Christ hath purchased for vs Let vs followe the gouernement which God hath set downe in his Church and assure our selues that God will supply al wants Howe rude or rawe soeuer wee be he can well skill too drawe vs to him Yea so we keepe the beaten way for as for them that haue so mingled and turmoyled things and pyled vp suche a heape of Ceremonies they haue so little remedied their infirmities therby that they haue rather estraunged themselues quite and cleane from our Lorde Iesus Christ For wee know that men are of their owne natures too muche inclined to visible things Therefore by taking vp many ceremonies men are so intangled so snarled so depely drowned in them that afterwarde they forsake God and our Lord Iesus Christ If any man alledge why so Had not the fathers of olde time many ceremonies also too helpe their infirmities Yes but all theirs were reuealed too them by God For first it was tolde them that the patterne of all those things was heauenly as it is sayde in the .xxv. of Exodus And it was shewed too Moyses in the mountayne too the intent they should not muse vppon these present and corruptible things And when God sawe they were too muche giuen vnto them wee see howe he rebuked them sharply by his Prophets saying away with your sacrifices fye on them for thinke yee that â—â—ake pleasure in your cutting of the throtes of beastes in hope too pacifie mee thereby as thoughe I were an hungred or a thirst Thinke yee that I haue neede of suche helpes Yee see then that God dyd alwayes drawe his people from superstition notwithstanding that there were many ceremonies ordeyned which was done for the necessitie of the time For it was requisite that there should be figures and shadowes in the absence of our Lorde Iesus Christ according too S. Paules saying who telleth vs that the fathers of olde tyme were by that meanes directed too seeke Christ but nowe that he is come wee haue no more neede of any suche thing As for example if a man bee away from mee so as I can not come too the sight of him and I would fayne haue a representation of him too finde him out by I must at leastwise haue an Image that may resemble him but if I see his body present and may beholde him face too face I neede no more any Image or counterfet too paynte him or expresse him more liuely vnto mee Euen after the same maner the fathers of olde time had many figures and shadnwes bicause our Lorde Iesus Christ was not yet reuealed But nowe that he shineth vpon vs and sheweth him selfe as the daysonne of rightuousnesse so brightly vnto vs were in not a wilfull burying of him agayne if wee woulde needes haue figures still And for that cause also was the vayle of the Temple rente a sunder at hys death For now a dayes wee may enter in familiarly vntoo God and offer him our spirituall Sacrifices that is too wit our prayers and petitions and that is bicause wee haue the very body and substaunce as Sainct Paule sayth in another texte to the Collossians Now then wee see that all they which haue forged new deuises after that sort haue vtterly corrupted and falsified the Gospell and haue tied towels and napkins before mens eyes too keepe them from the seeing and knowing of Iesus Christ as they ought to haue done and as was requisite for their saluation And therfore it is certayne that all they which busie them selues about such gewgawes do in steade of seeking Christ
How soeuer the cace stand let vs marke well that he which was Lord of heauen and earth tooke that subiection vpoÌ„ him to set vs free from it For we see how our Lord Iesus Christ was circumcyzed and when he came to mans age he kept diligently all that belonged too the lawe of Moyses not that he was bound to do it but to put away the bondage and to breake the bond wherewith wee were as it were pinched and fettered Therefore as oft as the Gospell speaketh to vs of libertie whereof S. Paule doth also treate in this text let vs come backe to our Lord Iesus Christ assuring our selues that he became not bonde after that fashion for nothing Now there is nothing in him which coÌ„teyneth not the performance of our saluation Then must we needes conclude that wee be not any more subiect to the bondage of the lawe or else it would turne too the dishonour of our Lord Iesus Christe For what a thing were it if after his yeelding of himself to subiectioÌ„ for our sakes we should still hold scorne of libertie It were more conuenient that heauen and earth should chaunge their nature than too say that the sonne of God is come downe here bylow and hath abaced himselfe in maner aforesayd and yet that we should esteeme it but as a play or trifling thing For what a dealing were that Now theÌ„ let vs learn that we may now serue our God freely and come directly vnto him without being hild any more so streitly vnder the yoke of the law as the auncient fathers were bicause Iesus Christ is come hath set vs free I haue told you already heretofore in what wise we be deliuered from the law It is not for that it remayneth not still as a rule to frame our life by so as God may gouerne vs haue all superioritie ouer vs. For what a thing were it if we should be worse theÌ„ the Heathen folke vnbeleeuers But it is certaine that they haue the law ingraued in their hartes as sayeth S. Paule He that neuer went too schoole ne hath had any teaching at all nor euer hath herd or red any thing may notwithstaÌ„ding discerne betweene good euill Not that he hath a perfect skill but bicause that howsoeuer the world go with him God to take away all excuce of ignorance would that men should haue that euidence printed in their hartes that theft whoredome extortion deceyt periurie drunkennesse and such other like things are vices to be condemned Also it was his will to haue men know that to blaspheme his name is an irksome thing The Heathen folke knew all this without any teaching Now then if we should be lawlesse vnder pretence that our lord Iesus Christ reigneth ouer vs and hath set vs at libertie what a thing were it There woulde bee greater coÌ„fusion in the Church than there is where Satan hath made a minglemangle and put al things out of order so as there is no bridle at all But whereas it is sayd that we be no more vnder the lawe it is in the same respect whereof mention hath bin made heretofore namely that the Lawe shall not execute any more this sharpnesse and rigour vppon vs too say vnto vs cursed shall he bee that fulfilleth not all things For so long as the threatening remayneth and standeth in force we must needes be as men out of their wittes and as folke vpon the racke ready to be torne in peeces To be short we can haue no rest except the sentence of the law be abolished which is that they which performe not all that is coÌ„tayned in the law shall be accursed But coÌ„trarywise let our consciences beare vs record that God pitieth vs and beareth with our infirmities as a father doth towardes his children and passeth not vpoÌ„ the vyces that are in vs but hideth burieth them so as our seruis is acceptable to him though there be many things amisse in it then are we no more subiect to the law Not that we should be quite without rule nor that the commaundements ought not to be preached continually vnto vs to the end we may know what God hath ordeyned be hild in awe by it but that we should not be out of hart if we fall or halt or make any false steppes or that if we cannot discharge our selues of al things so perfectly as were requisite yet we should not bee vtterly dismayed knowing well that God will alwayes hold vs vp by the hand not enter into accouÌ„t with vs to sift our life rigorously moreouer bycause the Ceremonies that were before the coÌ„ming of our Lord Iesus Christe are no more in vse as they were towardes the fathers of old time who were trayned by them as in their childhood For wheÌ„ the brute beasts were offered in sacrifize euery maÌ„ behild there his owne death as though the bottomlesse gulfe of hell had bin opened too swallow vp the whole world At this day wee knowe that the Sonne of God hath by his offering vp of himselfe in sacrifize and by his sheading of his bloud for vs purchaâ—â—d vs euer lasting redeÌ„ptioÌ„ so that we come with our heads vpright before God not doubting but that we obteyne life by the death of him that was not subiect too it but of his owne good will made himself subiect too it as our suretie to the end that we might be quit and discharged by his death passion Thus ye see that at this day the law is abolished towardes vs that we be deliuered froÌ„ it euen to obtayne the adoption Howbeit in speaking so S. Paule meeneth not that the Patriarkes Kings Prophets and other faythfull folkes that liued vnder the old TestameÌ„t were not the children of God as well as wee or that they knew not themselues to be adopted by fayth as well as wee but that the sayd adoption was not yet so reueled as it is now adayes For as we haue seene the lawe was a Tutor too rule little children But we be come to the age of men bicause the sonne of God hath shewed himselfe and brought vs all perfectnesse by his comming Then seing it is so wee do now inioy the adoption which the fathers did but as it were taste of afore bicause the tyme was not yet come Not that God wrought not in them with such measure of his spirite as he thought good but bicause the cace coÌ„cerneth the order of gouernment that God hild not the persones themselues as I haue sayd already For in those dayes there were shadowes and figures so that it was as a chayne of bondage but now that our Lord Iesus Christ calleth vs to him and that the veyle of the temple is rent asunder he hath prepared vs a Sanctuarie not buylded with mans hand but of a heaueÌ„ly making whereinto wee may boldly enter in asmuch as he is gone in thither before vs. Ye see then that we be receyued fully into
with great terriblenesse and the old fathers were driuen too feele that they were hilde in awe vnder it and had not yet the libertie that is purchaced vs in these dayes by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ They were as little children who although their fathers trauell for them knowe not what is layd vp for them For although their fathers loue them yet must the rod bee walking now and then and they stand alwayes in awe And bycause they haue no discretion to gouerne themselues they know not how their fathers will deale with them Euen so was it in the tyme of the Lawe There was a kind of fearefulnesse in so much that they which were Gods children were yet vnder the streit bondage afore sayd But Sainct Paule sayeth that we be no more as it were at Mount Sinai where God thundred where the lightenings flashed where trumpets sounded and where the ayre rored in suche wize that all menne were so amazed as they durst not come neere God according as it is sayde let not God speake vntoo vs for then are wee all dead and vndone VVee bee not nowe in that feare sayeth Sainct Paule but God hath giuen vs full libertie bycause our Lord Iesus Christe is come And we know that he is gone into heauen to the intent that the heaueÌ„ly 〈◊〉 one should not thensforth haue such terrible Maiestie as to make vs shrinke backe from it and that we might find fauour grace to talke familiarly with our God Thus ye see in effect what this woord cry importeth Now it is true that the faythfull oftentimes shall not feele so franke free a mind in themselues but that they shall be distressed when they open their mouthes and 〈◊〉 â—artbitings and cast doubtes whither God will heare them or no. Heauinesse wil so ouerpresse vs as we shal hardly know how to dispoze our prayers or whereat to begin This then is a thing that might seeme contrarie to that which S. Paule speaketh heere and to the text which I am about to alledge For it will follow that we be cut off from the aray of the faithfull if we doubte in our selues whither â–ª we may pray vnto God or no and that our hartes be as it were locked vp in those doubtings If wee bee at that poynt in what cace are we then where is the trust that S. Paule speaketh of heere He dischargeth that doubt immediatly saying that Gods spirite supplieth our wantes infirmities For there are certaine vnutterable gronings which God heareth although they be not perceyued of meÌ„ Therfore let vs first marke that if we haue profited in the Gospel we must beleeue assuredly that God taketh vs for his children and that he calleth vs gently vnto him and that we may boldly come vnto him According wherevnto he sayeth in the third to the EphesiaÌ„s that by our beleuing in Iesus Christ we by and by coÌ„ceyue trust boldnesse to offer our selues vnto God Then if we haue not trust and boldnesse it appeereth that wee haue no fayth Howbeit for asmuch as our fayth is neuer perfect but indureth brâ—â—ts wherby it is as good as beaten downe too outward seeming sometimes wee bee so dismayed at it through the ouerpressing of our miseries and afflictions that God seemeth too bee estraunged from vs and wee cannot vtter one woord of prayer vnto God And therefore let vs receiue that which S. Paule sayeth namely that the spirit helpeth our infirmities And so let vs holde out still and pray vnto God without ceassing and if wee bee speechlesse or do stutte and cannot vtter any one peece of our minde to the purpose but bee intangled with many impedimentes well howsoeuer wee fare let Gods spirite thrust vs foreward still and let vs sticke fast to this ground that God is neuerthelesse our faâ—â—â— and let vs flee too him for refuge and though wee do it not so frankly as were requisite but be ouerweyed with the heauinesse of our greefes yet whatsoeuer come of it let vs go on forwarde still and not shet our selues out of the gate through our owne default but holde on still in praying to our God assuring our selues that he will haue pitie vpon vs in the ende Thus ye see what we haue to consider here when mention is made of the spirite of boldenesse or trustfulnesse whereby wee may crie vnto God bicause we bee sure of our adoption Let vs not think that this can bee fully in vs for there are many vyces which we bee not yet ridde of Againe there remayneth vnbeleefe which if it bee not throughly rooted in vs hath notwithstanding many strings too holde vs backe with so as wee must be faine to striue agaynst them But yet in the meane while we must be fully resolued that God is our father and afterwarde according too oure measure and abilitie let vs keepe onwarde to the marke that is set forth here And it is one of the greatest controuersies that we haue with the Papists in these dayes For they say we cannot be sure that God loueth vs and that it is a cace which ought to hang in suspence whether he loue vs or hate vs. But by this meanes they vtterly deface the true maner and fashion of praying For wee knowe howe the Scripture sayeth that we cannot pray without fayth and S. Iames sayeth let not such a man thinke that euer he shall bee heard that is to wit such a one as commeth like a wauering reede that is shaken too and fro wyth euerie winde For we must beleeue that God is faythfull in his promises and that we shall not be disappoynted in comming vnto him bycause he hath bidden vs come VVee must be thus minded in all our prayers and petitions or else all is nothing worth Againe what Christianitie is there in vs if wee haue not Gods spirite as sayeth Saint Paule in the .viij. to the Romanes And for for the same cause also doth he say in the fifth Chapter that wee shall neuer bee ashamed of our hope bycause Gods loue is sheaded into our heartes by the holy Ghost which is giuen vntoo vs. For if wee haue no hope surely then are we banished out of Gods kingdome and cannot bee named Christians And what maner of hope is it It is sayeth Saint Paule that Gods loue is sheaded into our heartes that is too say that we be fully settled and contented bycause we know our selues to be in Gods fauour And howe knowe wee that By the spirite And he setteth downe purposely the worde Sheade too doo vs too wit that Gods making of vs too feele his fatherly goodnesse and loue towardes vs is not with a wette finger and away as they say and then afterwarde too leaue vs hungrie and needie but that hee sheadeth or poureth it out vpon vs that is to say that he giueth vs a sufficient ful warrant that he acknowledgeth and auoweth vs for his owne seeing he hath layde
that Satan hathe layde too catche them withall Are they not al of them illusions trumperies Yes surely bee they Seeing it is so then let vs learne too set nothing by the worlde and too bee fully persuaded and resolued in oure selues that God is our freende that he acknowledgeth vs for hys children and heires and that he blisseth vs and that without those things wee bee miserable By this meanes then yee see wee maye passe lightly through the world and not be stayed not pulled back by any thing for wee will alwayes looke still to that marke VVee knowe wee ought to make hast too come too the place that God calleth vs too and if the affections of this world intangle vs wee shall be estraunged from our God by that meanes Thus yee see in effect what wee haue to remember vpon this streyne Now heerevpon S. Paule addeth that in Iesus Christ neyther Circumcision nor Vncircumcision auayleth any thing at all but the newe creature As if he should say that they which dyd then trouble the Church had nothing to moue them therto but their owne vayngloriousnesse For to stirre vp great troubles when the Church is not furthered nor fareth the better by them surely it sheweth that men seeke nothing else but to set vp them selues in the roume of our Lorde Iesus Christ For what should be all our drift but that the sonne of God might reigne among vs and we be ruled by the worde of his Gospell and that his power might bee knowen to the ende that bothe great and small might put their whole trust in him And therefore according heerevnto let vs bee resoâ—â—ed in our whole life to obeâ— God and to submit our selues to his word For like as Gods spiritual teÌ„ple consisteth in fayth newnesse of life so faith importeth that we should do homage vnto God for all his benefites that wee should haue our recourse vnto him that we should blaze abrode his praises and that his holy name should bee called vppon among vs. That is the way for vs to be aduaunced to be Gods temple Ageine on the other side we must also be renued in our life by patience learne to renounce ourselues and to dedicate ourselues vnto God Lo what all teachers and preachers ought too procure They then which shoote not at that marke do shew well ynough that their intent is not to serue our Lord Iesus Christ So then S. Paule declareth that nothing auaileth in Iesus Christ but the new creature that is to say that wee must come too that poynt according as wee haue seene how he sayd heretofore in the second to the Corinthans that whosoeuer will bee esteemed in Iesus Christ must become a newe creature For if one man boast of his eloquence another of his wit another of his great learning and another of his trim behauiour or goodly personage all this is but vanitie Therfore let vs learne too forsake our selues quite and to forsake the world and to gyue our selues to him that hath bought vs to the end that wee bee no more looce For it is good reason that Iesus Christ hauing bought vs so deerly should possesse vs and fully inioy vs. But that cannot bee done except euery of vs renounce himselfe and all things else that may hold vs among men Lo what we haue to marke Now Sainct Paule speaketh of Circumcision vncircumcision bycause that as yee haue seen afore the disputation and controuersie which he had was about the Ceremonies of the Lawe which he comprehendeth heere vnder the particular terme of Circumcision For the Iewes would needes haue men to reteine still all the shadowes figures which serued but for a time And therfore S. Paul scorning all those things saith that our Lord Iesus Christ is not come to holde vs still in the old forworne figures but that for as much as the veyle of the temple is rent asunder and he hath in himselfe the body and substance of all the shadowes that were in the Lawe men must holde themselues contented with him and therfore Circumcision was no 〈◊〉 any thing worth VVee shall profit our selues the more by 〈◊〉 text if we apply it to that which we saw yesterday For in pope 〈◊〉 they haue many pelting tryfles wherin they put all the trust of holinesse And if a man aske the Papists how they caÌ„ deserue fauor at Gods hand purchace remission of their sinnes as they make their boast They will clap you in the mouth with their holywater their Tapers their Sencings their Organplayes their chauntings their Pilgrimages with a nuÌ„ber of other things Agein they haue their foolishe deuotions of trotting from altar to altar froÌ„ chappell to chappell Moreouer they must buy good store of Masses To be short all Gods seruice which is so termed in the popedome is but a maze gulfe of superstitions inuented of their owne heades But let vs consider what those things may auaile God hath not made mention of any of theÌ„ but men haue deuised them of themselues yea or rather SataÌ„ hath whispered them into their eares too trouble Gods seruice withall And yet notwithstanding the papists imagin that there is neither ReligioÌ„ nor faith nor seruice of God nor zeale except a man be rauished with their foolesbables But S. Paule speaking euen of the ceremonies that God had ordeined in his law saith that they be hensforth as nothing And why For God thinketh it ynough that we serue him with a pure coÌ„science that hauing put our trust in him we call vpoÌ„ him knowing that we hold all things of him and therwithal that we liue vprightly faithfull one with another knowing that charitie is the fulfilling of the law the end of the law finally that we be so dedicated to our god as we may liue chastly in all holinesse waiting for the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ as it is said in the epistle to Titus That theÌ„ is the first poynt of the holinesse perfection which God sheweth vs by his worde But the Papistes will on the contrary parte saye how so what shall become of so many goodly deuotions Shall they all bee abolished Nay it were better that God shoulde bee plucked out of Heauen Lo what the doltishnesse of the Papistes is But wee see howe Sainct Paule telleth vs that if men bee so sore drowned in their owne fancies as too surmize that they can woorke woonders with God and bee hild downe too their owne pelting trashe all of it is nothiâ—g woorthe VVho hath pronounced it God by the mouth of Sainct Paule VVhat auaileth 〈…〉 n The newe creature And what is ment by the new creature Tâ—â—â— wee shoulde fall too examining of our lyues after suche a sorte as wee myght bee vtter abaced in our selues and therevpon offer vntoo God the spirituall sacrifyces whyche wee owe vntoo him euen offering ourselues too him to the end he may haue pitie and mercie vppon our
meanes thereof coulde not suffer God too guide them nor giue him leaue too lay hys yoke vpon theyr necke Ye see then that the meanes for vs to bee prepared too receyue the doctrine of the Gospell and to bee edified by the same is that wee bee not wedded too our owne lykings but suffer our Lorde Iesus Christ to speake the things that are expedient for our instruction Howbeeit besydes this wee must also bee as it were wounded to the heart by the worde that is preached to vs or else wee shall neuer fare the better for it For as I declared this morning it is not without cause that the Gospell is lykened to a sharpe swoorde and it behoueth vs verely too bee made true sacrifizes by renouncing all our owne lustes and all other things which God condemneth and too indure the same paciently too the intent too bee wholly brought backe too the obeying of his will And heerewithall we must also call to minde what hath bin treated of heeretofore that is to wit that all men as wel great as small must stoupe and the sonne of God muste haue the preeminence and maysterhood in such wise as there may be no mo Sheepherdes but hee and wee all of vs bee his sheepe True it is that suche as haue the charge too preache the Gospell may well bee called Sheepheards howbeeit that is not for that they maye doo any thing in theyr owne name and authoritie or that the same shoulde impeache the superioritie of the sonne of God For as for mee whiche doo speake heere nowe I muste not bring ought of mine nor aduaunce my selfe aboue others for my speaking vnto all this companie is in such wise as my doctrine must first be applied to my self and afterwarde beare sway ouer all other men without any exception For there is no highnesse in the worlde which can exempt it selfe from the subiection whiche all of vs owe too the sonne of God according as wee haue seene heeretofore howe it is the propertie of the Gospel to bring downe all the glorie of the world so as men may not presume too set vp theyr bristles nor too chalenge ought to themselues but that such as weene themselues too bee most excellent maye be vtterly abaced and made nothing and all things bee made captiue to the obedience of the Gospell And that is the cause why Saint Paule too confirme his doctrine declareth that it came not of men nor was learned in their scholes but that hee had it of our Lorde Iesus Christ concerning whom the father gaue commaundement that men shoulde heare him For that prerogatiue is giuen peculiarly vnto him and ought not to be communicated neither to any man nor to any Angell of heauen Good reason it is that men which speake as instruments of our Lorde Iesus Christ shoulde be heard but as I tolde you before that is not to impeach the authoritie which he hath ouer vs. But howsoeuer the cace stande the certaine and infallible rule to attaine to saluation is that our Lorde Iesus be the onely master and teacher and that we be teachable to receyue his worde without gainesay or replying And Saint Paule thinkes it not ynough that he holdeth the things of Iesus Christ which he hath published but also he vtterly reiecteth excludeth men in that behalfe to shew that the authoritie of them were not sufficient to ground and settle our fayth vppon For wee shall neuer leaue staggering till we bee come vntoo God and vntoo that person whom hee hath stablished as heade and cheefe teacher ouer vs. Nowe whereas Saint Paule sayth that hee telleth it them it is not for that the Galathians and others had not heard the like afore but bicause they had bin vnthankfull so as they had bin intangled in many errours and paltryes Therefore hee bringeth them backe againe too the well head as if he should say vntill such time as men haue full concluded with themselues too suffer themselues too be gouerned simply by the pure woorde of God they shall bee alwayes in a mamering and the Diuell shall no sooner rayse vp any trouble agaynst them but they shall bee so dismayed as they wote not which way too turne them For it behoueth vs too bee first of all sure that as touching the doctrine wherevppon our fayth is settled wee holde it of God and not of men True it is that all men shall not haue the like reuelation that Sainct Paule had but it ought too suffize vs that our Lorde Iesus Christ hauyng ratyfied the Gospell wyth his owne bloud and also commaunded his Apostles to publish it abrode hath giuen them such proofe that the doctrine which wee receyue of them is of full authoritie and vtterly out of all doubt this say I ought to suffize to holde vs as it were in prison and too keepe vs from admitting anie of all the things that men can alledge But let vs also call to minde what the Apostle telleth vs in the first too the Hebrewes namely that God hath lastly spoken to vs by the mouth of his owne sonne to the intent we shoulde haue all perfection of doctrine in him Ye see then that the thing which we haue to beare away is that the reualation whereof Saint Paule speaketh here shall not bee common to al other men but serueth to warrant the doctrine which we haue receyued by his meanes so as wee see it is our Lorde Iesus Christ that hath spoken And whereas hee excludeth men after that sort it is to shewe vs that our Lorde Iesus Christ doth not giue vs some bare enterance as if a man shoulde teache a childe his Apcie and afterwarde sende him to a better learned mayster Our Lord speaketh not so by halues vntoo vs but in full perfection insomuch that both in lyfe and death we must alwayes stand stedfast in the things that we receyue of him and forsake whatsoeuer commeth of men for all mingling will bee but corruption as I tolde you thys morning And that also is the cause why he exhorteth those that speake in the Churche too holde fast continually the Maiestie of God and not too bring in ought of their owne nor too put foorth any thing whiche breedeth of theyr owne brayne For in what cace shoulde wee bee if men myghte intermeddle themselues wyth our Lorde Iesus Christ and euery man caste in his morsell and coluppe as they say and that wee mighte haue a Gospell stuffed with mens dreames and fancies It woulde bee nothing else but a horrible confusion Yee see then that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath not his authoritie among vs vntill men bee put downe and all other creatures with them and that all giue eare vntoo him fro the least too the moste This in effect is the matter which wee haue to beare in minde And in deede wee see howe that in another Text too the Corinthians Saint Paule declareth that he had preached the perfect wisedome
yea euen in the Church that like well of the thing that is done of a pure and right meaning zeale insomuch that some backbyte it through enuie others are so squeymish as a man cannot by any meanes content them and other some are full of wicked slaunderousnesse and lying Therefore forasmuch as we see howe men doo oftentymes cause vs to swarue one way or other let vs learne to giue our selues in suche wise vntoo God as we may stedfastly continue in the way which hee sheweth vs and not excuze our selues by our owne weaknesse seeing that Saint Paule goeth before vs and reacheth vs his hande He was a fraile man as we be and yet did God strengthen him in such wise by his holy spirite that he ouerpassed suche lettes VVherefore seeing wee perceyue our selues to bee weake let vs beseech God to arme vs with such constancie as wee may not ceasse to discharge our duetie towardes him though some misreport vs some blame vs and othersome mocke vs and make none account of all our labour when we indeuer to doo well Although then that our labour seeme to bee lost and mispent yet let it suffice vs that God lyketh and alloweth of it And so yee see what wee haue too gather vppon that Text. Aboue all things let vs not couet to be renowmed and too get great fame in this worlde for let vs streyne our selues as muche as may bee possibly and yet shall wee neuer bee better than Saint Paule was After he had preached the Gospell in such wyse yea euen as a man continually rapt vp intoo heauen insomuche that although the reuelation whereof he speaketh in the seconde too the Corinthians was exhibited too him but for one tyme yet the frute of it shewed it selfe all the tyme of his lyfe yet notwithstanding hee was vnknowne in the meane while yea euen in all the Churches of Iewrie And so it might seme well that hee had not greatly profyted seeing that all his labour was buryed But it was ynough for him that God edified the furthest straungers by his meanes VVee see then that hee sought not too bee muche renowmed nor too purchase credite and authoritie among men As concerning that hee sayeth the Churches of Iewrie that were in Christ hee addeth that worde of purpose bicause there was yet still some seede of God among the Iewes and the promises were so giuen too them as they were not vtterly cut off vntill such time as they renounced Iesus Christ quite and cleane and thereby were vtterly bereft of the inheritance of the life that was assigned vntoo them For like as God had chosen the lyne of Abraham so our Lorde Iesus Christ came intoo the worlde too bee the minister of those whome God had so adopted and to performe the promises that had bin giuen to their fathers Our Lorde Iesus Christ reiected not the Iewes too whome the promises belonged according also as it is sayde in the seconde of the Actes but the Church of God abode among them still and their Circumcision was not a thing deuised by man And although they were al growen out of kinde and many errours and wicked opinions were crept in among them so as Gods seruice was turmoyled and Religion corrupted yet notwithstanding that people was acknowledged for Gods householde flocke The Sinagoges therefore that had not yet bewrayed their vnbeleefe by withdrawing themselues from Iesus Christ are reckened heere by Saint Paule for Churches howbeeit not for perfect Churches for they were not yet regenerated in Iesus Christ For then was the renuing of the whole worlde when Iesus Christ was sent too bring home vntoo God both those that were neare hande and those that were farre off neare hande as the Iewes which had the lawe still and a farre off as the heathen men who had no likelihood of the heauenly kingdome bicause God had left them like poore wilde beastes and they were strayed away in their owne superstitions and Idolatries But Iesus Christ came to gather all togither and to knit all things togither again that were scattered afore And thereby we see how the law ought to haue led the Iewes to the Gospell as it is sayde throughout all the holy Scripture And it is very needfull for vs to knowe the same least wee surmize that none of all the things that are conteyned in the law can stand vs in any stead in these dayes For it is certaine that although the Ceremonies be no more in vse yet the truth and substance of them remaine alwayes vntoo vs so as wee cannot euen at this day be faythfull but we must also be the children of Abraham and the disciples of Moyses Not that we must be hilde still vnder the olde shadowes but that wee must match things togither which cannot be put asunder that is to wit the Law and the Gospell But yet further let vs vnderstande that we cannot at this day be counted for the Church before God that is to say all the companies of men in the worlde cannot obteyne that honourable tytle â–ª except we bee in Iesus Christ For that head must knitte vs vnto God his father and by that meanes must we haue enterance into the kingdome of heauen And therefore as for all them that knowe not Iesus Christ although they bee marked with baptisme and beare the name of Christians yet are they but as â—otten members vtâ—erly cut off notwithstanding that they pretende too bee of the troupe and number of Gods children Thus yee see still what wee haue too marke vppon this Text. Furthermore Saint Paule addeth that thâ— common report was that hee which had earst persecuted the fayth dyd preach the same and that God was glorified by that meanes Heere once agayne wee see that Saint Paule preacheth not his owne prayses for hee condemneth himselfe too haue beene an enimie and persecuter of the Church True it is that hee speaketh of the common report but yet doth hee rehearce the verie thing as it was done in deede So then hee cloketh not the thing that was too hys owne reproche and shame Aâ—man might haue cast him in the teeth that hee had persecuted the poore faythfull ones that hee had too the vttermost of his power shed innocent bloud yea and that hee had compelled the weaklings to blaspheme But yet for al this he granteth to this inditement of his owne accord and speaketh not as most men do who make as it were a glorie of it that they haue bin enimies of the Gospell It is certaine that Saint Paule in making suche rehersall was touched with earnest sorinesse for that misbehauiour of his according as in another Text hee sayth that hee is not worthie to bee called an Apostle Nowe then yee may bee sure he felt alwayes some pricking in his heart for that hee had earst so rebelled agaynst God and bin so euill myndeâ— yea and altogither spitefull agaynst the Gospell â–ª Neuerthelesse howsoeuer the world went
practyze that which is shewed vs by S. Iames which is that the brother which is greate and noble shoulde glorie in his smalnesse knowing that he hath all things of Gods onely meere goodnesse and that the brother which is poore and of lowe and meane degree should glorie in that God hath adopted him and giuen him suche a state as passeth all the kingdomes of the worlde seyng it pleaseth him too auow vs after that fashion for his children True it is that where as men gaze vppon the outward apparance and fayre shewe of things God accepteth a good conscience God looketh at the vncorruptnesse of the hart But yet must he be fayne too put the same before into it for at the first he shall not finde it in vs. Let God looke vppon all the children of Adam and as it is sayde in the Psalme hee shall fiude nothing but vtter corruption They bee starke rotten in their wickednesse See what our nature is Then is there not any thing that coulde moue God too accept vs and too preferre vs before others but wee muste become vesselles of his goodnesse and acknowledge that his accepting of vs is not for our owne woorthinesse but that when he choze vs too himselfe and set vs intoo the way by his holy spirite euen then he knew what soundnesse was in vs. Not that wee haue any at all of our owne but bycause he doth as it were beholde himselfe in vs. For looke howe many good things there are in the faythfull so many recordes are there of Gods goodnesse in that he hath shewed himselfe bountifull towardes them That is the cause why that in the tenth of the Actes and in other places this accepting of persones is put for the deckings and vizors whiche are as false illuzions of whiche sorte are riches credite dignitie nobilitie and suche other things whiche serue too make menne too set store by themselues and too stande in their owne conceytes But it is sayde that God doothe looke into mennes hartes and not gaze vppon the outside of them so they submit themselues too him obediently as I haue declared alreadie This is in effect the thing that wee haue too beare in minde Now S. Paule addeth immediatly that the Apostles auowed him too be their fellowe and gaue him their hande as it were too warrant that the Gospell which he had preached was in all poynts conformable to their doctrine that all of them had serued our Lord Iesus Christ Herevnto S. Paule addeth that he was by common consent receyued as the Apostle of the Gentyles ▪ that is too say of such as had not bin brought vp vnder the lawe nor were Iewes by birthe and auncitrie Heere wee see that S. Paules stryuing was not with the Apostles for they auowed him too bee their fellowe nother did he disdayne them for wee haue seene before that although his comming to Ierusalem was with assured knowledge that God had appoynted him and vppon sure and infallible reuelation after he had bin caught vp intoo the thirde Heauen yet notwithstanding hee was not caried with pryde nother vndertooke he that iourney to Ierusalem to common with the Apostles for feare least he had already or should thereafter runne in vayne For his desire was too haue all menne knowe that he chalendged not any speciall thing too himself but that his onely seeking ▪ was that the Sonne of God might bee published all the worlde ouer and that menne shoulde woorshippe him and rest vppon him so as he brought not a newe Iesus Christe but was conformable in all poyntes too Peter and Iohn and too all their fellowes If Sainct Paule had shrunke aside by himselfe it woulde haue bene sayde that his meening was not too haue any consent of doctrine with the rest of the Apostles But nowe seyng he commeth after that sorte too agree with them he sheweth that he was not caried away with any pryde or presumptuousnesse and that is it whiche he meeneth by saying newe agayne that the Apostles auowed him too bee their fellowe ▪ Then dothe he not take vppon him too bee aboue them but will haue men knowe that the Apostles serued our Lord Iesus Christ that he was one of their number and that the Gospell which he had preached muste not bee taken as a doubtfull thing but as certaine as if Peter or Iohn had spoken it in somuch that when Sainct Paule treateth thereof hee sayeth not it is I but he sayeth it is Iesus Christe VVhither it bee Peter Iohn or Iames that speaketh let vs looke that the Sonne of God haue euer the maysterhood aboue vs and lette the thing that commeth of him bee receyued whither it bee by mee or by an other Sainct Paule will not haue men too gaze after him any more than after the least man in the worlde The thing which wee haue in effect too remember in this texte of Sainct Paules is that he had no minde at all of himselfe ne sought any whit of his owne but was contented that Iesus Christe shoulde haue the prayse that he deserued and that his woord should be receyued with all reuerence and as for all other things he cared not what became of them As touching the other poynt that he was accepted for the Apostle of the Gentiles it is agreeable too that whiche Sainct Luke also rehearceth namely that Paule and Barnabas were ordayned Apostles bycause God had sholed them out for the same purpose too preache the Gospell among the Gentyles Then dyd not that matter come of menne but God had pronounced his vnreuocable sentence of it and Sainct Paules treating after that sorte of himself dooth no whit diminish the commission of the other Apostles But seeing he was sent of God in deed and that his calling was not grounded vpō men nor he had preaced in vnmeasurably nor thrust himselfe in vpon a geerishnesse but was chosen thereunto of God the Apostles shewed that they woulde not in any wise speake agaynst such a calling bicause it was of sufficient authoritie as comming from God And heere we see yet better howe all men ought to frame themselues to obedience too the intent that nothing may let the worde of God to bee a brydle and yoke too holde vs so in awe as none of vs may follow his owne fancies lustes and affections but suffer our selues to be guided and gouerned by the hand of our Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe if it were not lawfull for the Apostles to refuze Saint Paule bicause he was sent from heauen what shall we do Shall it not bee a diuelish pryde if wee cannot indure that the gouernment and order whiche God hath stablished in hys Church shoulde continue vnimpeached but would chaunge callings at our owne pleasure to set vp and pull downe according too the deuice of our owne foolish brayne Then if wee go about too make such trouble in the Church is it not all one as if wee woulde plucke the
them and to be short they cannot finde in their heartes to come as poore beggers before God but wyll alwayes bring some present with them And yet notwithstanding all that euer wee thinke our selues too haue is but abhomination Therefore Saint Paule sheweth vs that there is none other meanes for vs too receyue lyfe at our Lorde Iesus Christes hande and too bee made partakers of his death and resurrection and so to attaine too the heritage of heauen by his meanes than to be vtterly voyded of all the foolishe ouerweenings which the children of this world conceyue when they imagin with themselues ô as for mee I haue some vertue in mee I haue some towardnesse and to lay it all downe and cast it quite away For vntill wee haue forgotten our owne desertes surely wee shall neuer be able to conceyue the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ Do wee then come vntoo him Let vs come vtterly emptie For if wee make any countenaunce of hauing aught it is nothing else but winde Truely whensoeuer men are puffed vp with pryde they become so full that they are readie too burst howbeeit all of it is but wynde But yet howe so euer wee fare that wynde holdeth vs backe from receyuing the benefites that are purchaced and brought vntoo vs by the Sonne of God and which he communicateth to vs by his Gospell Thus ye see wherevnto the conclusion tendeth which Saint Paule maketh heere Now the Papistes will graunt well inough that wee bee not able to purchase saluation except we bee helped by our Lorde Iesus Christ howbeeit they imagin that men may halfe saue themselues and that looke what wanteth is supplied by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ c so they suppose thēselues to haue a good auailable startinghole But in saying so they shew thēselues deadly enimies of the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and vpholders of the cace and quarell of the false Apostles and deceyuers that had corrupted defloured and falsfied the pure truth in the Church of Galatia For those sort of men coulde well inough confesse that Iesus Christ was the Sauour of the world and they would haue bin ashamed too say that Iesus Christ was nothing nay rather they professed Christianitie And what deemed they of Iesus Christ That he came too help mens infirmities bycause they were not able to discharge the lawe too the full and that for asmuch as they could not haue so great and large perfection as was requisite therefore it behoued them too bee helped by Iesus Christ and euen as much doo the Papistes say at this day But S. Paule concludeth on the contrarie part that then Iesus Christ had died in vayne If any man replie no not so for there should come some frute of his death and passion by helping vs too the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and although we haue meanes to satisfie God withall yet would not the same suffyze vnlesse Iesus Christ should worke therewith I say if any man make such replie let vs marke that S. Paule hild this for a certaine and vndeceyuable principle that doo the best we can there is nothing but cursednesse in vs till God haue receyued vs of his meere grace Lo wherein the Papists beguile themselues and not they onely for it hath bin a common errour among the Turkes and among all the Heathen men that euer were The Turkes can confesse well ynough that they haue neede of Gods mercie that hath alwayes bin an opinion through the whole world but they haue intermingled their own satisfactions with Gods grace as if they should say although God be pitifull towardes vs yet muste we procure fauour in his sight by our owne deseruings After that maner were the Heathen folke woont too speake And what say the Papistes now adayes All one thing For after they haue once graunted themselues too be wretched sinners and to haue neede to be succored by our Lord Iesus Christ and that his death and passion are auayleable to make them way vnto God they interlace their owne freewill and their preparations and thervnto say that they deserue on their side and that although Iesus Christ help them yet he dooth not all himselfe And in very deede that is the flat doctrine of the Papistes woord for woord For they say wee cannot deserue aught except Iesus Christ go before vs and shewe vs the way for they say that he hath purchaced vs the firste grace and that it lieth in vs to follow on and too attayne to the second And if a man aske them what is ment by that first grace they say it is the occasiō of meriting or deseruing for that is their terming of it and their maner of speache And this occasion of meriting is nothing else with them but that men are able of themselues too binde God too them by their owne satisfactions But S. Paule telleth vs that it is to outrageous yea and too Diuelish a trayterousnesse too haue such pride and therefore he cōcludeth that Iesus Christ should haue died in vayne if wee should seeke rightuousnesse in the lawe VVill wee then possesse our Lord Iesus Christ It behoueth vs too know wherefore wee come vnto him namely bycause that by the Lawe we are already condemned cursed of God cut off from hope of life and full of all corruption so as God must be fayne too clenze vs by his holy spirit and for asmuch as there are many infirmities in vs we must alwayes come to our Lord Iesus Christe and to confesse that there is nothing in vs but all cursednesse and miserie wee must needes come too this conclusion of S. Paules that Christ had died in vaine if it behoued vs to obtayne rightuousnesse by the law whither it were wholly or partly VVee must needes confesse that and the veriest idiotes are able to perceyue it in so much that if we receyue not Iesus Christ with that condition it is certayne that his comming shall profite vs nothing at all It will be but as a winde to blow vs away together so as wee shall be no more able to take hold of Gods mercie that is offered vs in Iesus Christ Now seyng it is so let vs learne to leaue such maner of mingling and acknowledge our selues beholden too our Lord Iesus Christe for all things for when we go about too interlace our owne merites with the free remission of our sinnes it is but a falsifying of Gods truth Besides this when we haue learned to rest our selues after that maner vppon him let vs bee taken in loue with the spirituall benefites which he bringeth vs and let not the afflictions and aduersities of this world hinder vs from holding on our course and from the ouer comming of all temptations and distresses but that we may haue full ioy in the middes of all our sorrowes and troubles assuring our selues that al that euer wee can suffer in this world is nothing in comparison of that which is prepared
from the rightuousnesse of fayth is too shewe that they bee vnmatchable and can no more bee ioyned togither than fyre and water True it is that there is no contrarietie betwixt the Lawe and the Gospell as I haue sayde afore for wee knowe that both twaine of them doo come of God But heere it behoueth vs too take Gods meening in such wise as he declareth it to vs which is that by setting the rightuousnesse of the Law before vs he intendeth to humble vs and to make vs condemne our selues when we come before him which thing wee woulde neuer do if he should not bewray our wretchednesse Therfore when he sayth that wee shall be iustifyed by keeping of the Lawe it is all one as if hee should say wretched wightes what woorthinesse or valure weene you to be in your selues VVey my commaundements and consider what they import and therewithall bethinke your selues how euery of you hath liued and ye shall be as good as drowned in despayre VVhen God hath sayd so he addeth the remedie Come saith he to the doctrine of the Gospell And what a maner a one is that Saint Paule alledgeth heere the saying of Abacucke how that the rightuous shall liue by fayth And in the same place which I haue alledged he openeth himselfe howe that it behoueth to resort wholy to our Lorde Iesus Christ For the worde that ought too bee in our mouth and in our heart to bring vs vnto God and too open vs the kingdome of heauen is not a worde that serueth to holde vs downe heere beneath nor too make men beleeue that God will allowe of our owne desertes nor too puffe vs vp with pryde no but too holde vs fast to our Lorde Iesus Christ Therefore when we knowe that our sinnes are wyped out by the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ and that by his resurrection suche rightuousnesse is purchased for vs that in stead of beeing damned too the gulfe of hell which is the heritage that belongeth to vs and whereof we be worthie we be made heyres of the kingdome of heauen and when we know that in Iesus Christ we recouer all that we had lost in Adam and the cursednesse wherein we be wrapped is taken from vs and God hathe sette vs free that is Gods iustifying of vs by fayth And in good fayth when wee haue well considered the circumstance of the text that Saint Paule alledgeth out of the Prophete Abacucke wee shall see plainly that that is the thing wherevnto the holy Ghost leadeth vs. For the Prophete had spoken of the chastizements and corrections which God would send vpon the people so as to looke vnto all shoulde seeme too bee confounded Now therevpon hee sayth that the wicked shall but swell more and more in their pride howbeit that they shall haue no sure footing but shal stūble with all their sway bicause they wil nedes exalt themselues they shall the more cast thēselues down with so much the sorer fouler fal That thē is the thing which the prophet vttereth against the wicked And he addeth on the cōtrarie part but the rightuous shal liue by faith Now wheras he saith that the rightuous shal liue it is all one as if he had said that gods children shal not find their life neere at hand in themselues but that euen when they shall haue traueled ouer all the world vp down it shal seme to thē that there is nowhere any thing else thā the very dungeons of death yet notwithstāding that missing of a presēt life they shal find a life to come when they shall haue nurrished it in their harts mindes by fayth VVe see thē that the Prophets intent is to draw Gods chosen both from the world and frō thēselues to the end they may cleaue wholy vnto him and not seke any other meanes to be saued than by his only grace But S. Paule hath spoken more breefly here bycause he was fully resolued of all that I haue declared heretofore and which hee himselfe hath discoursed that is to witte That fayth teacheth vs too seeke all oure welfare in God But the Lawe teacheth vs the contrarie I say it teacheth vs it to the ende too shewe vs that to seeke it throughly wee must acknowledge that there is not so much as one drop of lyfe in vs. The Lawe then sayth vnto vs go to take yee paynes and do yee so much as ye may winne heauen by it And why doth the Lawe say so Not too feede men in their vaine self trust of weening still that they can deserue well at Gods hād it is not for that but to prepare thē to receyue the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ with lowlinesse For as I haue sayd alreadie when we keepe our selues aloof from God and euery man beares himselfe in hand that he is well worthie to be accepted of him our Lorde will surely be aduenged of such presumptuousnesse and sayth Go to let me see what ye haue done come on and let vs fall to reckening and let him that oweth aught to other pay it Ye shal not be disappointed by me I haue your wages in my hande it is readie for you and if ye shall haue done all that I haue commaunded you feare not but you shall be well payde for your labor Therefore hie you apace and let me see how you will serue me But as I sayd our Lord in saying so prepareth and dispozeth vs to know in what plight we be For when we once perceiue our owne neede then will wee seeke our wantes at his hand Thus ye see how the Lawe leadeth vs to fayth but it is a straunge kinde of leading Howsoeuer the cace stand there is alwaies this cōtrarietie which S. Paule setteth down here namely that we cannot be iustified by fayth except we haue first knowne and acknowledged vnfeynedly that we be damned in our selues and that the groūd of our welfare is to know that there is nothing but damnation in vs. Now at the first sight it might be sayd that S. Paule hath stretched this saying of Abacucks too farre seing he spake there but of the afflictions of this transitorie life The rightuous shall liue that is to say he shal holde out and although God afflict him scourge him yet shall he not quayle if he ground himselfe vpon Gods promises And here the cace concerneth not Gods comforting and deliuering of vs from the miseries wherevnto wee bee subiect in this world but it concerneth our euerlasting saluation which farre passeth all the state of this transitorie life It seemeth therefore that S. Paule applyeth not this Text of the Prophete aright Howbeeit let vs marke that if the Prophet had looked no further than too thys worlde that saying of his had bin very vaine seeing that afflictions are common both to good and bad Againe howe is it that we lyue by fayth Seeing we bee continually subiect to fall into the same daunger
whereoutof God hath deliuered me once twice or thrice before and that if God haue pitied me in some affliction to day so as I haue felt his fauor he afflicteth me to morrow with some other affliction what were my life if I rested vpon the worlde So then the Prophet mēt to declare that although the faithful be miserable and do but pyne away in this worlde yet notwithstanding they be blessed of God euen in this worlde and all the miserie which they indure here shall turne to their welfare for why they rest themselues vpon their God VVherfore we must vnderstand that there is a better heritage than this and that we seeke the true and euerlasting happines so as we may haue a stedfast continuance of our state But the woorde Rightuousnesse ought also to be well marked For if Abacucke had sayde the wretched sinners shall liue by fayth it would haue seemed that hee had spoken but to a fewe folke For it wil well ynough bee graunted that wretched sinners shoulde flee for refuge vnto God but as for those that excell in vertue ought they not to be exempted from the common aray and to be exalted too a higher degree at Gods hande and finally too bee iustified by prerogatiue Accordingly as we see nowadayes that although there bee nothing but al maner of filth in the Popish Ceremonies and Clergie as they tearme it so as they ought to be abhorred both of God and man yet notwithstanding vnder colour of their Coules and all other their trumperie they ceasse not to chalenge God too bee greatly in their det And besides this when these dotardes haue made muche babling and trotted and scudded vp and downe from altar too altar and from Chappell to Chappell and gadded on pilgrimage to their seeming God ought not to forget any of these doings but all of it ought to passe for good payment in their account besides an hundred thousande other Items which they haue too set downe before him And that is the cause why our Lorde Iesus Christ sayth that the wretched loce liuers yea euen the verie whooremongers shall much sooner come too the kingdome of heauen than 〈◊〉 any of all these foule toades that are so puffed vp with the vaine trust of their own deserts that although their whole life be wicked and they thēselues are full of all lothsomnesse yet they will nedes bind God vnto thē vnder the shadow of their hypocisie Now to the entēt to cut off all occasion of such imaginations the Prophet saith purposely that the rightuous shall liue by faith At the first sight there should seeme to be some contrarietie in these two sayings How so Must we to the intēt to be rightuous liue by faith yea for if we liue not by faith we be not rightuous For what is the rightuousnesse of the Gospell It is Gods free giuing vs a cōuenient remedie whereby to come vnto him and to be in his fauor through our Lord Iesus Christ bicause we cannot obteyne rightuousnesse by the law Therfore whosoeuer liueth by fayth is out of doubt not rightuous of himselfe But the Prophet saith that those notwithstanding are rightuous which are saued by Gods only and free mercie Therfore it is as much as if he had sayd that although God giue vs the grace to imploy our selues to his seruice and haue by his holy spirit imprinted in our harts the true feare and honor which we owe vnto him so as we fight against the lusts of our flesh to the vttermost of our power striue against the sin that is in vs and in our nature yet must we shet our eies at all the things which wee woulde fayne find in our selues too please God with and rest wholy vpon our Lord Iesus Christ If the rightuous must be faine to be iustified by fayth who shall bee iustified by his owne deseruings None will take vpon them but Diuels wicked wightes and enimies of God Ye see then that the Papistes euen at this day coulde not deuize to shewe betten that they intende not to be rightuous than by theyr stryuing for the rightuousnesse of their owne woorkes and desertes as they doo For it is an vtter fighting euen with a spyte agaynst God and nature You Papists say you seeke too bee rightuous and howe euen by your selues and by your owne workes and deseruings VVell let vs consider what the Prophete sayth he sayth not that the rightuous shall liue by their workes but that they shall bee saued by the onely grace of God Now if the righteous giue ouer all selfe trust of their owne merites as of force they must needes do it is certaine that such as thinke to make God indetted vnto thē by bringing any vertue of their own vnto him do wipē raze thēselues quite cleane out of the register of rightuousnesse Thus ye see that the Papists so long as they dwell in theyr errour are reiected of God according to the sentence which hee gyueth vpon them heere by his Prophete And vndoubtedly when as Saint Paule alledgeth this saying of Dauid Happie is he to whome God imputeth not his sinnes hee sheweth well therby that those men are most righteous which do most condemne themselues and are most striken downe yea and are vtterly out of all hope of themselues till God haue succoured them by his goodnesse Now when Dauid cryed out happie is the man to whom God imputeth not his sinnes he was not a naughtipacke nor an vnthrifte nor a dispiser of God that had neuer tasted what it was too enter into his owne conscience and too ransacke his sinnes too the quicke but contrariwise God had chosen him and annoynted him by Samuell he was an excellent Prophete his reigne was a figure of our Lorde Iesus Christ and finally God wrought so in him that he was as an Angell dwelling among men And yet for all this he confesseth and acknowledgeth his sinnes and in confessing of thē doth sorrow and mourne and is in such vnquietnesse as if hee were tormented vpon a racke or torture till God was so gracious to him as to make him taste of his goodnesse and he knewe no ease till God had receyued him to mercie Then if God vouchsafe too forbeare the examining of our workes that is all our happinesse the onely way for vs to become happie is to haue our sinnes couered and too be in Gods fauour howbeeit not in respect of aught that is in our selues but by his turning away of his countenance frō vs damned wretches so as he consider vs not as of our selues but accept vs for his onely sonnes sake accordingly as wee see howe Dauid speaketh of it in another text saying Lorde enter not intoo iudgement with thy seruant for I knowe that no man liuing shall bee found righteous in thy sight VVherefore let vs marke well that according as eche man shall haue profited in the feare of God so also will he be the more
foote And for as much as we be so contrarie to God and to his will it must needes be that wee are his enimies for he can not be vnlike him selfe Then if God be our enimie we can not come to him to hope for any fauour or grace at his hande excepte Iesus Christ be as a meane to reconcile vs agayne Thus yee see that the fathers of all ages preaced not vnto God but by the guyding of the mediator And that is the cause why S. Paule in this texte sayth that the couenant was made too Iesus Christe Truely Iesus Christ had no neede of any of the promises that were made to the fathers of olde time and are continued still by God euen vnto this day towards vs but yet did he receyue them as head of the Churche So wee see that God had not an eye simply vnto Abraham nor too the worthinesse that was in him but that Abraham was a member of the Churche whereof Iesus Christ was alwayes the head Also when God chose Dauid too bee King and tolde him that his seate shoulde endure as long as the Sunne and the Moone in the skye it was not for any woorthinesse that was in Dauids owne person but it was all done in respect of our Lorde Iesus Christ And likewise at this day when God telleth vs that he will be fauorable too vs if wee seeke him yea and that he will haue vs come boldely vnto him it is not in any other respect than for that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath gathered vs togither to bee of his body And this serueth vs too two purposes The one is too bring vs to humilitie For if euery of vs marke well what he is wee bee Gods enimies By reason whereof the gate is shutte agaynst vs so as wee can not hope for any fauour at his hande but rather feele and conceyue him too bee our iudge alwayes readie too thunder downe vpon our heades and too ouerwhelme vs. Therfore whereas it is sayde that the promises are made vnto vs by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ we must shrink down our heads and acknowledge that Gods only begotten sonne is his only derling and that the fauour which we haue is only in him and for his sake Let that serue for the one poynt The other is that the promises haue so much the more certentie in that respect For if suche troubles as these doo come in our minds so as we think with our selues what art thou thinkest thou that God voutsafeth too stoupe downe vnto thee Thou art but a worme of the earth dust cinder and rottennesse Moreouer thou hast a Sea of vices in thee and therfore what a presumptuousnesse were it for thee to thinke thy selfe to be one of Gods children till he come to seeke thee If wee bee tempted after this maner to distrust let vs bethinke vs of that which is spoken to vs in this text that is to wit that the promise was made on the behalfe of Iesus Christ Although then that there be nothing in vs but all wretchednesse yet it ought to suffise vs that there is worthinesse power and righteousnesse inoughe in the sonne of God and that he also is the person in whome wee receiue the promises Nowe remayneth for vs too knowe by what meanes wee come vnto God namely by the promised seede which is but only one as S. Paule addeth For if men turne neuer so little from our Lorde Iesus Christ by and by they be cut off frō the kingdome of heauen And if this was spoken too beate downe the pride and false presumption that was among the fleshly children of Abraham what is to be sayde to vs whiche are but after-birthes borne out of time in comparison of them as S. Paule termeth vs in the tenth to the Romanes VVherefore let vs vnderstande that all such as content not them selues with our Lorde Iesus Christ do vtterly renounce al hope of their saluation For there are not two or three but onely one Mediator sayth S. Paule like as it is not sayde that there is any more than one seede I haue told you alreadie that many come of Abrahams linage which yet notwithstanding were not heires of the promise Then if we come not to Iesus Christ to be gathered vnto him surely God disclaymeth vs and telleth vs that wee bee none of his and that he will haue none acquayntance at all with vs. Therfore although the world go astray to be tossed too and aad fro according as we see how on the one side the Papists haue infinite meanes to come vnto God lykewise on the other side the Turkes and the Iewes all whiche haue quite forsaken our Lord Iesus Christ yet let vs leane wholly vnto him and assure our selues that if we be once ingreffed into his body by fayth and made one with him the promises belong vnto vs. VVhy so For they were giuen vnto him not for his owne cōmoditie as I haue sayd alreadie for he had no neede of them but for our behoofe that we might be made partakers of them Thus yee see in effect how wee ought to make our profite of this texte But wee haue too marke also concerning the antiquitie which S. Paule treateth of heere that the doctrine of the Gospell is no new deuised thing nor a thing that had bin vnknowen of before but that God hathe continually euer since Abrahams tyme vnto this day called vs to be his adopted children proued him selfe to be our father Truely it was euen before Abraham was borne neuerthelesse it must suffice vs that as then there was made so full discouerie of it as wee knowe that God did then beginne to publishe the things that are conteyned in the Gospell at this day and that the fathers had none other way wherby to come to saluation than the same that is shewed vs at this day And this is very needefull for vs. For many busie bodies doo now vnskilfully imagine that the Gospell was neuer heard of before yea there are of these scorners of God and heathenishe felowes who to imbrace the authoritie of God of his Gospell say it came vp within these sixteene hundred yeres and that it was neuer heard of in the world before VVhat say they had God forsaken the world quite and cleane As who should say we saw not with our eyes and might not feele with our fingers that God neuer varied but that euen at such time as it pleased him to adopt Abraham then were we also included in him and the gate of saluation was opened vnto vs ▪ howebeit that the accomplishment therof came not till the full time was expired as I haue declared this morning and shall declare more at lengthe in time conuenient And heere yee see why S. Paule saythe that the preaching of the Gospell was a secrete that had bin kepte hidden from the beginning of the worlde But yet had God determined it before and made sufficient
that lyued vnder the Lawe Howbeit heerewithall let vs take good heede that this benefit and prerogatiue turne not to our double condēnation for our vnthankfulnesse in not making account of so great a good turne so offered vnto vs. Nowe although Abraham were still hilde vnder after the maner of a childe as I haue sayd alreadie yet forsooke he both his kinsfolke and natiue Countrie and went as a poore wayfayrer into a straunge lande where he was hunted and tossed from post to piller in continuall languishing And if he had repented him could he not haue returned into his owne Countrey againe Yes but the Apostle in the eleuenth to the Hebrewes telleth vs that he had such a trustfulnesse and so constant a fayth that he hilde out euen to the last push insomuch that hee shewed by effect that his minde was wholy set vpon the kingdowme of heauen and not intangled with this worlde and yet notwithstanding for all that both hee and the rest of the holy fathers walked after that maner before vs yet tary they still for vs at this day and receyued not the promises which are manifested to vs in the Gospell For while they liued they had but a small taste of that which is reueled to vs nowadayes which is layde open before vs. VVo be to vs therfore if we be not warned and inflamed to receyue Gods offer whē he vttereth the infinite riches of his goodnesse to winne vs and to draw vs in such wise from this worlde as we may come to yeelde our selues freely vnto him Then if suche gracious dealing moue vs not too come vntoo him nowe that wee bee menne growen notwithstanding oure rawnesse and infirmitie and too take the yoke whiche hee layeth vppon vs and too suffer hym too gouerne vs vnder hys obedience yea and too take courage and stoutnesse too vs to defye Sathan and the whole worlde and all the allurements thereof say if we ouermayster not all these conflictes surely wee shall pay right deerely for the grace that is offered vs in the Gospell And therefore lette euerye of vs bestyrre hymselfe and take oportunitie whyle God allureth vs and whyle the tyme of saluation and daye of fauour is present And seeing wee bee so feeble that wee doo but dragge oure legges after vs let vs praye God too strengthen vs and too redresse oure lazynesse and coldenesse Also let euerie of vs streyne and inforce hymselfe and sythe wee bee so hemmed in with the snares that Sathan hath layde for vs let vs walke so muche the more in the feare of God that wee may ouercome all Sathans lettes and wyles and go forwarde in the way that God hath set vs in and followe the fathers that are gone afore vs which tarie still for our companie that we might be gathered vp all togither intoo the heauenly lyfe at the blessed comming of oure Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of oure good God wyth acknowledgement of oure faultes praying hym that wee maye so mislyke of them as wee maye not onely bee sorye and seeke forgyuenesse of them but also bee renued by true repentaunce and go forwarde and bee confyrmed in it more and more tyll wee bee cleane ridde of all vyces and bee so fashioned lyke too hys Image as hys glorie maye shyne foorth in vs euen tyll we enter into the full possession of the inheritance that he hath promised vs. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people c. The. 23. Sermon which is the ninth vpon the third Chapter 26 For all of you are Gods children through the fayth vvhich is in Iesus Christ 27 Surely as many of you as are baptised haue put on Christ 28 There is neyther Ievve nor Greeke there is neyther bonde nor free there is neither male nor female For yeare all one in Iesus Christ 29 Novv if ye be Christs thē are you Abrahams seede and heyres according to the promise WE haue seene heretofore to what dignitie we be aduaunced by the Gospell For not only we be called to be of the felowship company of the holy fathers whom God honored so highly but also our state is yet more woorthie and noble bicause we be deliuered from the bondage of the Lawe whervnder they were hilde And for the better confirming of this doctrine S. Paule addeth that we be al made the children of God by beleeuing in our Lord Iesus Christ according also as it is sayd in the first Chapter of S. Iohns Gospell For there this dignitie is commended to vs as it deserueth namely that we haue preeminence and prerogatiue to be counted Gods children through fayth verely for our Lorde Iesus Christs sake who is his only and naturall sonne For that tytle belongeth alonely to him by right and is cōmunicated to vs but only by grace inasmuch as God hath voutsafed to adopt vs for his sake So thē Iesus Christ is the hed of the Church howbeit for his sake god acknowledgeth auoweth vs for his children And here we see that the word Beleefe importeth more thā mē cōmōly take it to do according also as I haue declared before For they that are not exercized in the holy Scripture thinke it straunge that God should honor vs so highly for beleeuing to their seeming fayth is not so great a vertue that it ought to obteyn so great a benefite But I haue shewed you heeretofore that our beleeuing in Iesus Christ is not as the crediting of some storie when we heare it or reade it but a receyuing and conceyuing of him inwardly with full assurednesse as hee is offered vs by God hys father Therefore when wee imbrace our Lorde Iesus Christ as the partie that hath made amendes for our sinnes too reconcyle vs too God so as wee repose the whole trust of our welfare in him not doubting but that hee hath brought vs all that is for the inheriting of heauen I say if wee bee once assured of that it is no maruell though God acknowledge vs as his children for our beleefes sake Howbeeit therewithall we must call to our remembrance what we haue discoursed before namely that this benefite of God in acknowledging vs to bee his children commeth not of any desert of fayth neyther must wee wey it heere in the balance what maner of vertue it is for wee bee made Gods children by free adoption If a man demaunde the cause I answere that the verie well spring and foundation is not too bee sought elsewhere than in Gods onely goodnesse inasmuche as it pleased him too pitie vs. Neuerthelesse it is brought to passe by the meanes of fayth as I haue saide alreadie bycause that beeing rid of all fonde ouerweening and acknowledging our selues to be damned in our owne nature wee flee for refuge to our Lorde Iesus Christ Thus you see in effect what S. Paule ment to say And he goeth on still with the matter to
deede wee muste not bee separated from him This in effect is it that wee haue too consider vppon this text Now herevpon S. Paule cōcludeth that there is nother Greeke nor Iew bond nor free male nor female but that Iesus Christ is one in vs all and all wee are one in him And by this sentence S. Paule ment to expresse yet better that only fayth ought to suffyze vs and that we must exclude all other meanes for else it were a derogacion as well to the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ as to the working of his holy spirite If any man alledge that circumcision was alwayes a recorde too the fathers of the same thing that wee haue at this day in baptisme the doubte is assoyled in the second too the Colossians where S. Paule sayeth that in being baptized wee bee circumcized howbeit not with mans hand nor with visible circumcision but that it ought to suffize vs that God acknowledgeth vs to bee partakers of the spirituall circumcision namely for somuch as baptisme is ordeyned too the same end now adayes And let vs marke that circumcizion serued to put a difference betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles It was as the Scripture termeth it a wall betwixt them too fence in the Iewes as the people whom God had chozen But nowe the blissing is published euerywhere so as there is no more diuersitie Now then baptisme being in these dayes succeeded in the place of circumcisiō supplieth the want of that old signe which was a figure and shadowe of things too come And that should not needed too haue bin if our Lord Iesus Christ had not bin away But nowe that he is manifested vnto vs ▪ we haue baptisme ordeyned in steade of it Notwithstanding let vs marke as I haue sayd already that we cā bring nothing of our owne wherwith to purchace fauour before God all that we can do is but simply to confesse our sinne which were ynough too drowne vs in despayre Furthermore wee haue fayth whereby wee recouer that whiche is requisite for our saluation I say wee recouer it by seeking it in our Lord Iesus Christ Nowe then if wee say yea but wee bee weake and rude wee cannot mount so high as too the secretes of heauen let vs looke vpon the baptisme that is giuen vs as though God reached out his hande too vs. There he sheweth vs to eyesight after what maner he plucketh vs out of the curse wherin we were plundged and couereth vs with our Lord Iesus Christe to the end that all our misdeedes should be buried by the perfection of his rightuousnesse For wee knowe he yeelded suche obedience too God his father that if wee come grounded therevppon we cannot but finde fauour at his hand Thus yee see how that on the one side God wil haue vs to rest vpon him and on our Lord Iesus Christ his sonne to the end we should draw out of the fulnesse of that foūtayne and yeelde the whole prayse of our saluation to the woorking of his holy spirite and on the otherside giueth vs baptisme as a help of our rudenesse and infirmitie Seyng wee haue all this what seeke we any more Is it not a wilfull robbing of God if wee will needes haue other helpes and put too other opinions and fancies as they come in our heades VVhereto serueth all this But suche minglings are Diuelish corruptions Therefore S. Paule telleth vs that wee must be so vnited too our Lord Iesus Christ as none of vs must aduaunce himself as though he were better worth than his fellowes but acknowledge our selues beholden too Gods meere grace for all things and bothe great and small muste indeuer the same togither and with one cōmon consent confesse that in our Lord Iesus Christ they haue all that is to be wished for and therefore giue ouer all the inuentions and deuices that can come in their owne brayne Yet not withstanding S. Paule ment not too say that there is no diuersitie of degrees as in respect of worldly policie For wee knowe there are maysters and seruants Magistrates and subiectes in a householde there is the good man which is the head and the good wyfe whiche ought to bee subiect VVee know then that this order is inuiolable and our Lord Iesus Christ is not come into the worlde to make such confusion as to abolish that which was stablished by God his father But when S. Paule sayeth that there is nother mayster nor seruant man nor woman he meeneth that too bee sure of their saluation men muste not set vp theyr tayles lyke Peacockes and stand gazing vppon their owne fethers but looke what woorthinesse so euer we weene too bee in our selues wee muste wipe it away and cast it vnder foote and acknowledge all to bee but hinderances that turne vs aside from comming to our Lord Iesus Christ Therefore when both great and small doo acknowledge that they cannot bryng aught of thēselues but must receyue all things of Gods only free goodnesse Then is our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe alone is all in all in vs that is to say we wil not go about to adde aught to the grace that he hath purchaced for vs and which he offereth vs dayly by his Gospell too the end wee should be partakers of it and inioy it too our saluation Thus yee see in effect that on the one side wee must keepe the ciuill orders of this world Let such as are great men and men of authoritie aboue others knowe that God intendeth too be serued by them in that state As for example let the Magistrates consider that they be so much the more bound to do their duetie seyng that God hath done them the honour too aduaunce them after that fashion aboue others Agayne they that are priuate persones and ought too obey the Magistrates must looke that they submit thēselues vnlesse they purpose to striue with God and to make warre against him Yee see then that S. Paule holdeth vs in sobrietie and modestie and vnder a bridle which was not deuized by men but dedicated of God too our vse bycause mankind could not continue without it And truely we ought too honour and reuerence the state of gouernance as a thing ordeyned of the Lord. And yet for all that when wee come too the heauenly life let vs assure our selues that all worldly things passe and vanish away as the world and the fashion thereof passeth sayeth Sainct Paule but the kingdome of God indureth for euer Then as touching our being children vntoo God and as touching our beyng his heires we come not to it by riches noblenesse or dignitie or by any power or vertue of our owne How then By Gods meere grace and goodnesse For the great ones must be fayne to stoupe and to humble themselues and the little ones muste needes wonder at the sight of Gods so inestimable goodnesse who hath vouchsaued to lift them vp after that forte aboue the heauens whereas
this adoption bicause the law hath no more power ouer vs as it had in the time of the figures and shadowes Nowe too confirme this matter S. Paule addeth that God sheweth that he taketh vs for his children bycause the spirit of his sonne is in vs crying father Speaking of the holy ghost he doth by a circumstance terme him the spirite of our Lorde Iesus Christ For by what title can we be Gods children but bycause wee be meÌ„bers of his onely sonne to whom that right honour and dignitie belongeth by nature For in that our Lord Iesus Christ is called the only sonne of God not only men but also the very Angelles of heauen are excluded from that dignitie so that it belongeth to none but onely to Iesus Christ Howbeeit for asmuch as we bee ioyned vnto him and he will not be separated from vs but sheweth himself to be our head and we haue such vnion with him as the meÌ„bers haue with the head therfore he sayth that eyther we must haue the spirite of our Lord Iesus Christ or else we can haue no familiar accesse to our God too call vpon him as our father and it were too great a presumption for vs too take that honour vppon vs. For if a begger would make himself a riche mans sonne folke would laugh him to skorne and he should be shaken off with al the shame that might be And how then should wee sillie woormes of the earth yea and full of all infection and filthinesse go match our selues with the Angels of heauen to say that God is our father Truely the very Angelles themselues cannot chalendge suche nobilitie but by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ bycause he is their head Then were it greate pryde in vs if wee would take vppon vs too stie aboue the Angelles without coÌ„ming in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ or without hauing his spirit that we might be accepted as members of his body and bee intertayned as it were in his persone And therefore also it is sayde that he maketh intercession for vs and that wee call vppon God in his name For if he were not our spokesman how could we hope too haue our petitions receyued Let vs a little consider the feeblenesse that is in vs when wee intend too pray vntoo God Although wee sigh vnfaynedly and although wee haue good motions to lift vs vp yet do wee faynt and they that thinke too come vnto God with a perfect zele beguile themselues yea euen to grosly But they that humbly acknowledge themselues to be as they bee doo perceyue themselues too halt and stumble euen in the very vertue and streÌ„gth that is giuen theÌ„ Howbeit for asmuch as our Lord Iesus Christ is in the middes staÌ„deth there in our behalf and maketh vs to come neere therfore we may boldly pray And for the same cause did the high Priest in the time of the lawe beare twelue precious stones vpon his brest and other twelue behind vpon his shoulders wherein were written the names of the twelue tribes of Israell For although the people were present in the porche or outter tabernacle yet was there a veyle betwixt him and theÌ„ so as the Sanctuarie was hiddeÌ„ nothing was seene of the things that were done within for a witnesse of Gods presence It wâ—â—â— ynough that the high priest went in in the name of them al hauing in his hand the bloud wherwith Gods wrath was to bee appeazed Then had he the sayd tablet at his brest wherein the names of the twelue trybes that is too say of Gods people were ingrauen Also he had them vppon his shoulders that it might bee sayd howe he was there in the name of the whole Churche Thus yee see how wee crie euen by the spirite of our Lord Iesus Christ vntoo God his father with full assurance that he knoweth and auoweth vs for members of his sonne by whose meanes he receyueth vs into his heauenly kingdome and setteth open the gate vntoo vs so as wee haue accesse vntoo him familiarly And this is expressed yet better by the woord Crie S. Paule coulde well haue sayd wee say but he goeth further as neede was For as I haue touched heretofore here he compareth the old fathers with vs and sheweth that our state is better than theirs bicause God hath shewed himselfe more bountifull towardes vs than he did towardes them that were vnder the lawe That is the cause why he sayeth that we in these dayes do crie out that God is our father yea euen with open mouth and ful libertie and that we come boldly to him glorying that we be taken for his childreÌ„ True it is that the fathers vnder the lawe did also vse the same maner of speeche as when they sayd Lord what shall become of vs if thou receyue vs not to mercie Abraham knoweth vs not no more doth Iacob VVee bee borne of them as touching the flesh howbeit all this naturall kinred is nothing in comparison of the spirituall kinred whereinto thou hast ingreffed vs in the persone of thy sonne Therfore thou art our father After that maner did the whole Churche pray vntoo God as Esay reporteth it And there are many such textes And out of doubte it had bin impossible for the fathers too haue offered vp good petitions and prayers vnto God without that ground that is too wit vnlesse they had bin fully resolued that God tooke them for his children For that is the thing wherein the faythfull differed from the Heathen and vnbeleeuers in all ages The Heathen menne did in deede pray vntoo God howbeeit that was but at all aduenture not knowing whither they should bee herd or no. But our prayer muste bee grounded vppon fayth And Sainct Paules saying shall alwayes bee true namely that wee cannot pray vntoo God except we first know and vnderstand his good will towardes vs. Therefore it must needes followe that they whiche liued vnder the Lawe were fully assured in their consciences that God accepteth them for his children Howbeeit this was shewed them as yee woulde say but with half face so that they prayed beyng wrapped in many shadowes and figures whiche taught them grosly It is true that they offered not themselues without fayth for then had it booted them verie little and that it stood them on hand to ouer come all the lettes that were set before their eyes but yet were they not able too call vpon God with the full certeintie whiche is communicated too vs vnder the Gospell And this is yet better expressed in the eyght too the Romanes where Sainct Paule sayeth that wee haue not now receyued the spirit of fearfulnesse and bondage but the spirit of boldnesse so as we bee able too crie Abba father And by the contrarie member he inlighteneth the matter that might bee darksome in this Texte by reason of the shortnesse of it For he setteth downe the spirite of bondage bycause the Lawe was giuen
shadowes bicause that nowe a dayes wee haue the body and the substaunce Seeing it is so if a man should set foorth the ceremonies of the Lawe he should separate them froÌ„ our Lord Iesus Christ and what should they be then They would be of no force For as I sayd afore if a man separate them for our Lorde Iesus Christ surely they shall bee but pelting trash Therefore when men kept the ceremonies so as they were applied to their lawful vse they were good exercises and the old fathers mispente not their time bicause they were confirmed by them in the hope of their saluation and they were vntoo them a warrante of Gods fatherly loue towardes them and they led them to oure Lorde Iesus Christe the fountayne of all welfare But if men busie themselues in keeping the ceremonies without knowing why or wherfore surely it is but flat mockerie For the Heathen men dyd make sacrifice also and some of them had no Idols thinking that they offered too God the maker of heauen earth and yet whereto did al their Sacrifises serue them but to their condemnation For they had ouerthrowen Gods order bycause they ameÌ„d not at our Lord Iesus Christ Now then Sainct Paul doth not without cause say that when the Ceremonies of the law tend not to the seeking of all our welfare in our Lorde Iesus Christe they are but beggerly Ceremonies that is to saye corruptible thinges of this world and consequently things of no force and vnprofitable bycause that Iesus Christ who is the quickner of all things is not ther. And this is yet so much the better to be marked to the ende we be not beguiled It is said that in old time all men offered Sacrifise and thought they worshipped God and yet notwithstanding that the seruis of all such as had not their beleefe settled in Iesus Christ was reiected For the Apostle in the eleuenth to the Hebrues saith that the only thing that made Abels Sacrifise acceptable was faith Now then for asmuch as the heathen men did in their sacrifising imagin God to be fleshly and that they could make their attonemeÌ„t with him by such meanes they buzied themselues about outwarde things and considered not that in asmuch as we be faultie it standeth vs on hand to haue an excellenter raunsome than we caÌ„ bring any If we had a hundred worlds to giue they were not ynough too redeeme any one misdeede that we haue done against God Therfore the Sacrifise that should answer for all our sinnes must of necessitie be heauenly The heathen men coÌ„sidered not this but stood poring vpon the shadow of it as the Turkes and Iewes do yet still at this day who by their often washing of themselues both euen and morne and at noone and by theyr other Ceremonies confesse themselues to be defyled and to haue neede to be clenzed by some others and yet do renounce our Lord Iesus Christ who is the very cleannesse whereby we must be made cleane according also as in very deede it is he that hath wiped away all our spottes Seeing it a so then all they that keepe any Ceremonies in hope to get any fauour at Gods hand by them do not only beguile and martir themselues in vayne without any profit but also do certeinly prouoke Gods wrath still more and more Now we on our side are taughte that our Lord Iesus Christ hath shed his bloud too wash our soules withall Then if we seeke any other â—â—nzing or purgatory besides surely it is an intollerable trecherie And if Sainct Paule spake so of the Ceremonies of the lawe what shall wee say of all the toyes and gewgawes that are nowadayes in poperie For beholde the Papists weene to win much by taking of holywater by babling this and that by keeping of holidayes by tyring themselues in gadding on some pilgrimage by setting vp a waxcandle before some puppet by chaunting masse by note and by saying of thus many or thus many tymes their beads ouer I say they hope well to make attonement with God by such meanes But it is certeine that they plunge themselues the deeper in hell and cast themselues further intoo Satans snares by it as though they had confederated themselues with him to their owne destruction To bee shorte all the Ceremonies of poperie are vtter renouncings of our Lorde Iesus Christ and of the pure truth which hee hath purchaced for vs by his death and resurrection and of the grace that is offered vs at this day in the Gospell For they may well bring what shrowding-sheetes they list but they cannot disproue the holie Ghost who hath vttered the sayd sentence by the mouth of Sainct Paule Then do we see in effect what is shewed vs heere Now as touching the particular whiche Sainct Paule alledgeth heere concerning dayes mooneths and yeeres he meeneth not the seasons of winter and sommer nor the discerning of one day from another nor that men shoulde not recken yeeres and mooneths but hee speaketh of the feasts that were commaunded in the Lawe and which those deceiuers would needes haue to bee kept still euen as of necessitie In which cace there was a kind of binding and thraldome and it was an abolishing of the fredome that was purchaced for vs by our Lord Iesus Christ Lo heere the cause why Sainct Paule vseth such vehementnesse howbeit that hee did it also in respect of the foresayde falshood for it was requisite that our Lord Iesus Christ should haue bin knowen in all those figures and that men should haue amed at that marke But they that had beguiled the Galathians had bound them to the cleane contrary seeing that by holding still the feast of Passeouer and other feastes they intended to bring them backe agayne to the olde forworne figures which ought to be abolished In olde time when men kept 〈◊〉 Easter day vnder the lawe it was to the end that the people beeing put in minde of their deliuerance out of the thraldome of Egypt should looke for the great redemption that was promised them And for that cause Sainct Paule saith that our Easter lamb that is to wit Iesus Christe is offered vp already He sheweth that the thing which had bin figured by the pascall lamb that was offered in the law was now fulfilled in the person of our mediator In like cace was it with the feast of Tabernacls or Tents whereby God did put the Iewes in rememberance that they had dwelled in the wildernesse where there was nother house nor building and yet had continued there a long time traueling too and fro And that was also a warning too them that thys lyfe is but a wayfaring where through we must passe in hast As muche is too be sayde of the firstlings when men came to offer vp theyr firste frutes vntoo God Agayne when the Iewes made solemne confession of their sinnes it was a figure to leade them too Iesus Christe whych was promised to them But
to be condemned if they follow not Gods word but howsoeuer they fare we offend much more grosly wheÌ„ God hath once bin so gracious vnto vs as to call vs vnto him to shewe vs his will Then if wee turne head and forsake oure holy calling from heauen after we haue bin taught in Gods schole and entred into the way surely our fault is double we deserue much sorer punishment This is it that S. Paul ment in this text by saying how now You ran well Surely this forwardnesse of fayth is a great vertue namely when we be readie to answere God as soone as he speaketh the word to vs but yet is it nothing worth without holding out Then if we be so fickle and inconstant that when we haue gone forward a step or twayne we be readie to runne back ageyne or else to start out on the one side or on the other suche vnthankfulnesse is much more shamefull than if we had neuer harkened to God at all for we can not 〈◊〉 â—ore sheelde our selues by ignorance as they doo which are bred brought vp in errour and misknowledge who will say if we knew which is the truth we would not doo so as we should neede to be pulled by the eare but we be in doubt and we wote not on which side to turne vs. Then if they which haue begonne to followe God yea and haue had some certayne and infallible instruction by his worde doo afterward starte aside or go backe agayne doo they not shew that they doo it not of ignorance but of wilfulnesse and stubbornesse as though they mente of set purpose to spyte God Now it behoueth vs to marke well this thing specially for so muche as God is so gracious vnto vs as too shewe vs whiche is the waye of saluation whiche thing he dooth not too the rest of the worlde For wee see many blinde wretches that runne and trotte vp and downe and wote not what they doo but yet they shewe some desire of seruing God If a man aske them whether they thinke they doo well or no they answere yea howbeeit it is but a weening they bee not sure of it But wee on our side haue the warrant of the holy Ghost whiche oughte too bee sealed in our hearts that the doctrine whiche is preached vnto vs is not deuised by men but that God is the very author of it The holy Scripture is sufficiently proued wee know without adding of any thyng that God is oure guyde so that nowe a dayes there is not so very a dullarde or idiote but hee is iustly too bee condemned if hee receyue not the doctrine that is preached and set foorth and maye vppon hys owne knowledge iudge that hee dooth manifestly make wylfull warre agaynst God Seeing that oure Lorde hathe doone vs the prerogatiue too call vs too him and dooth still dayly allure vs and incorage vs to come forwarde till wee bee come to our races ende if wee bee weery to heare him and euery of vs would fayne take his owne scope to followe whatsoeuer his owne lust liketh what excuse or shift can wee hope to haue that we should not bee condemned with the Galathians for falling to our owne byasse after wee haue runne well and bin well forwarde on our way Yea and wee must also marke this saying which S. Paule interlaceth Who hath letted you sayth he He might haue sayde simply as he sayde in the begynning of the Epystle â–ª that they were quyte gone away yea and vtterly reuolted as Apostates or backslyders But he vseth the worde Let too shewe that it is not inough for vs not to turne quite and cleane away from God but that if wee doo but stoppe or linger that wee go not right foorth on still nor continue alwayes stedfastly in comming neerer and neerer vnto God it is alreadie a very dangerous matter So then let vs be ware of Satans wyles and not onely be afrayde of vtter reuolting from the obedience of oure God but also beare well in minde that when the Diuell shall once haue cooled vs and made vs too slake our pace so as wee fall to loytering in our gooing he shall haue gayned ouer much at our hands Thus ye see in effect what we haue to gather vpon this text Now to condemne the vnthankfulnesse of the Galathians the better he addeth that that counsell came not of him that called them In the first chapter he had sayde I maruell that yee bee so soone caryed away from Iesus Christ which called you to the grace of his Gospell For it is good reason that God should be heard when he openeth his holy mouth to teach vs. VVhat are wee VVretched wormes of the earth and rottennesse and yet notwithstanding our Lorde maketh his voyce to ring from heaueÌ„ to assure vs that if he inlighten guyde vs we can not do amisse and therefore that wee must depende wholly vpon him and reste vpon his truthe But if wee giue eare to this and that and when God speaketh wee be soaring in the ayre and hearken to one that whistleth and to another that singeth Is it not too shamefull an vnthankfulnesse If a Scholemaster see his scholers prattling togither while he speaketh to them or buylding of Castles in Spayne so as they heare not what he sayth the rodde must bee fayne too walke among them and good right it should so Verily a man can not abide that his mate or companion shoulde muse vppon other matters when he is talking with him but he will take it in scorne and derision But beholde God calleth vs and yet if there come any deceyuer to whisper vs in the eare wee hearken too him and followe his counsell which is a token that there was neuer any knowledge in vs too discerne the maiestie of oure God and too yeelde him the reuerence that he deserueth VVee knowe that the chief honor that he requireth 〈◊〉 is to haue our wittes minds bent to vnderstande what he commaundeth and appoynteth For that cause therfore S. Paule sayth that the sayde counsell came not of God who had called the Galathians Now it is certayne that he had called them long afore that time Neuerthelesse he thinketh it not inough to haue tolde vs once for all how wee should walke but also he holdeth on still according also as wee haue neede too haue the remembraunce of that doctrine to be renued dayly Then seeing it is so that God is alwayes at hande with vs yea as the Prophet Esay sayth both early and late that is to saye seeing he hath a continuall care to bring vs to him selfe and to draw vs neerer and neerer it is certayne that our fault is so much the haynouser if wee haue one of our eares in the fielde and the other in the towne as the Prouerbe sayth and that we be not wholly giuen too him and to his worde To be short we see heere that the true perfection of Gods children
that wee muste put away all opinion of our owne wisedome and of all the vertues that wee can imagine our selues too haue For it is sayde heere in one word that wee must thinke our selues to be nothing And in very deede the saying that is set downe heere muste bee layde foorth thus Seeing that men are nothing at all they that presume vpon their owne vertues and glory of them beguile them selues willingly Therefore let vs take this parte namely that wee bee nothing It is true that God hath lefte still some markes in vs whereby it may bee perceyued that hee hath exalted vs in worthinesse and excellencie aboue the brute beastes in as muche as it was his wyll to create vs after his owne image Then if wee haue respecte too the thing that God dyd put into vs the same oughte too bee esteemed still â–ª but yet for all that in respecte of oure owne persons wee bee nothing For wee bee wholly bounde vnto him 〈…〉 that wee haue receyued haue wee receyued it for our owne â—â—â—thinesse sake Is it giuen men too make them owne estimation and prayse of it â–ª No but rather too increase our shame bicause that all the vnderstanding iudgement and discretion that is in vs is corrupted and marred by our owne naughtinesse Too bee shorte wee bee like a stinking and rotten vessell and Gods giftes are as good wine that is put into the vessell and so by that meanes all is marde Euen so is it with vs. VVe bee vessels And what maner of vessels Vessels infected wyth the corruption of sinne God putteth of his giftes into vs too the ende he mighte bee glorified by it Nowe maye wee deserue too haue any prayse thereby before men No but rather blame bicause that wee by our sinfulnesse doo marre the good thyngs that God hathe put intoo vs. Moreouer where as it is sayde that wee bee nothing it is bicause wee can not but apply all oure vnderstanding and reason vntoo euill and for that wee wyll needes bee counted wyse when as notwithstanding God auoweth that there is nothing but naughtinesse in vs and that all oure thoughtes are but vanities leasings illusions and deceiptes Agayne where as too our seeming wee haue a wyll wherby wee choose bothe good and euill the same will is a bondslaue too sinne so as wee doo nothing else but fighte agaynst God As muche is too bee sayde of all oure affections And if we haue any thing else that seemeth commendable God distributeth it too euery man as it pleaseth him selfe and moreouer he is fayne too continue the thing that he hath begonne as wee see by experience VVhat cause then hathe he too boast whiche hathe a sharpe and suttle witte seeing it is not he that hath made him selfe to excell as though he had bin his owne maker Therefore wee must holde all things of God and doo him homage for them Agayne we see that euen they which take them selues to bee iollyest fellowes eueÌ„ they that are most honored in the world who must not be replied agaynst when they haue once spoken the worde I say wee shall see euen them made brutishe when it pleaseth God So then let vs conclude that Sainct Paule dooth iustly abolishe heere all the power that men presume to haue to the ende that they maye bee rightly humbled that is to wit to 〈…〉 our selues to bee aught woorth Marke 〈◊〉 or one poynt Now herevpon he mocketh the fonde vaynegloriousnesse whiche rauisheth their wittes bicause there is not any man that would willingly bee beguyled And in very deede it is a greefe to vs when wee see any man go about to winde vs in by wylynesse and dissimulation and we can by no meanes brooke it and yet for all that we shall finde no greater deceyuers in the worlde too vs than our selues Euery man deceyues himselfe euery man ouerthrowes him selfe yea and that in a manner willingly and what a follie is that Nowe then wee see S. Paules drifte and also the lesson that wee haue too gather of that sentence For as much as euery of vs will needes aduaunce him selfe by abacing his fellowes therefore S. Paule telleth vs that if wee make a good and righte tryall of the things that are in vs there will not bee founde so muche as one drop of vertue that deserueth prayse at leastwise in respecte of our owne persons For wee bee nothing and there needed but one blast too make cleane dispatche of vs. Therefore it is but a foolishe ouerweening that letteth vs too walke in simplicitie And so let vs vnderstande first of all that wee can not chalenge any thing too our selues without treason to God bicause it is a robbing of him of the right that belongeth to him and which ought to be reserued vnto him and that is to our owne destruction For in good fayth what shall we gayne by it when we shall haue abused men and when we shall haue bin taken for other than we be To be shorte when we shall haue bin as Idols what will bee the ende of it but our owne decay and confusion Then seeing it is so let vs learne too bee cast down layde flat vpon the ground that we may be throughly grounded in our God And to bring that to passe let vs learne to magnifie him only And in the meane while if it please him to exalte vs let vs not ceasse to keepe our selues in continuall awe with sobernesse and modestie knowing that wee haue nothing of our owne and that whatsoeuer God hath giuen vnto vs he muste be fayne to preserue it in vs from time to time and that wee must so holde all things of him as to make a willing sacrifice and oblation of them vnto him indeuoring to imploy ourselues in the seruice 〈…〉 the measure of grace which wee haue receiued of him yeelding the prayse thereof too him vnto whom it belongeth This is in effect the thing that wee haue too remember vppon this streyne Truely it is harde too bring vs too this reasonablenesse And in good soothe wee see the great contentions that are nowe a dayes about Freewill and mens owne vertues as though men were able to aduaunce them selues and to take the grace of God and by that meane to deserue well But all this proceedeth of this that men are forepossessed with such diuelishe pride as they wyll euermore needes bee somewhat of them selues And therefore it standeth vs so muche the more on handâ— too put this doctrine in practise Certaynely wee can not profite at all in Gods schole nor in the holy Scripture till we haue knowen that wee bee nothing at all too the ende wee may come too drawe out of the fulnesse of our Lorde Iesus Christ But that can wee not doo excepte wee bee first vtterly dryed vp in our selues and confesse with Dauid that wee bee as the earth that is scorched and clouen with heate and haue no whit of wetting or moysture other than it may receyue from heauen Herevpon
that which S. Paule tolde vs heretofore that is to wit to beware that wee deceyue not our selues wilfully when we would shew our selues hardie and bolde in correcting rebuking and amending one man or other Let vs not bee so foolish as to iustifie our selues by comparison as who should say that God ought to hold himselfe contented with our rebuking of others after that maner and for that there is some shewe of vertue in vs. Let vs not stay vpon any of these things as is told vs vs heere but let vs marke also by the way that whereas it is sayde that euery man shal beare his own burthen we haue right great need of our Lord Iesus Christs helpe and that he should take all our burthens vpon him according as in very deed hee hath borne all our sinnes vpon the crosse as sayth S. Peter in his first Epistle True it is that the matter which S. Paule handleth here is none other than the same that I haue declared alreadie that is to wit that we must not imagin that men are able to warrant vs for the rightuousest man aliue is combered ynough with himself And furthermore that if our Lord had not regard to hold vs vp wee shoulde be oppressed vnder our burthen Yet notwithstanding euery man must answer for himselfe and Gods word must haue the maistrie as I said afore Thus ye see what S. Paule intended to tell vs. But yet further let vs thinke a little vpon our selues If euery man should be faine to beare his own burthen who were able to indure it VVe should needes be borne downe For if a man had but some one sinne in him behold hel were readie too swallowe him vp Surely the weight of one sinne is heauier than a stone that were able to crush all our limmes and bones a peeces Nowe it is no talking of any one nor of a hundred the multitude of them is infinite How then shall we stande in iudgement before God when he bringeth vs to account VVho can say that hee commeth franke and free To be short we see that if there were not a remedie in the matter that S. Paule telleth vs heere we shouâ—◠〈…〉 we must repayre to our Lorde Iesus Christ for it is hee that hath borne all our burthens as I haue alledged alreadie Truly the redeeming of vs did cost him deere and if we seeke heauen and earth throughout for the price of a ransome we shall not finde any other than him that is able too pacifie God Then had we neuer bin sanctified except the sonne of God had giuen himselfe for vs. And in very deed the prophete Esay sheweth how hee bare our burthens Namely that he felt the paynes of death and that the father was faine to wreake himselfe vpon him as though hee had bin an offender and giltie of all the sinnes of the worlde Now therefore we must resort vnto him according also as he allureth vs to him And by the way if any man alledge that here seemeth to be some contrarietie considering how Saint Paule saith that euery man shall beare his owne burthen the answere thereto is easie VVhen the Scripture speaketh too vs of Gods iustice it sayth that euery man shall bee recompenced according to his owne workes After which maner Saint Paule speaketh in the .xiiij. to the Romanes According as euerie man shall haue walked in his conuersation in this world sayeth he and according as hee shall haue wrought in his bodie so must he receyue his rewarde That is the order which the scripture keepeth in speaking of Gods iustice Yea but in the meane while it excludeth not the remedie that is giuen vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ whereby men are succoured Lo how God succoureth his elect and such as hee hath reserued too saluation that is to wit after he hath chastized them he reacheth them his hande and lyfteth them vp againe when hee hathe cast them downe And truly we shoulde not knowe of what value the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ is neyther coulde wee taste of it neyther coulde wee euer bee partakers of it vnlesse wee were vtterly confounded in our selues Therefore let vs learne to feele our burthen in such wise as too bowe vnder it as hathe bin declared this morning and let the same leade vs too true humilitie And afterwarde when wee haue felt the burthen more than wee are able too beare let vs repayre too oure Lorde Iesus Christ who promiseth too ease vs so wee seeke oure whole rest in hym So then wee see that Gods grace is not excluded when hys iustice is spoken of For it standeth vs in 〈…〉 â—â—ayes too his mercie VVhereas it is sayde that hee whiche shall haue beene a cruell and mercilesse persone shall haue iustice withoute mercie thereby Saint Iames dooth vs too vnderstande that oure Lorde hath his iudgement against the wicked and the reprobates to recompende them according to their misdeedes and againe that he measureth his owne otherwise that is to wit that after he hath condemned them in themselues and made them to feele their diseases thereby to bring them to true lowlinesse then he setteth them vp againe Then must we first be striken downe with Gods hande and afterwarde be lifted vp againe by his gracious promises in that hee telleth vs that in our Lorde Iesus Christ wee shall find all that wee want Thus ye see in summe after what maner we must practize this text namely that in admonishing our neighbours with a gentle and meeld spirit and being also humble mâ—ke our selues without presuming any thing vpon our selues wee must examin well our owne liues so as we may dayly bewayle our sinnes and be sorie for them to the ende that we be no more deceyued with hipocrisie but labor to withdraw our selues from the worlde to the intent we surmize not that we shall scape Gods iudgement by our shiftes So then let vs beare all these things in minde that we may submit our selues to the pure worde of God And whatsoeuer men do to turne vs away from it let vs not suffer our selues too be seduced And for the bringing hereof to passe let vs flee to our Lorde Iesus Christ knowing that howe desirous so euer we bee to giue our selues wholly to the seruing of God yet wee be so ouerloden with sinnes and imperfections that they were able to sinke vs downe to the bottome of hell if wee had not one to holde vs backe that is to wit our Lorde Iesus Christ who hath borne all our sinnes and set vs vtterly free from them too the intent wee might hereafter come before God with our faces vpright Now let vs acknowledge our sinnes with such humilitie as euerie of vs may confesse yea euen vnfeynedly that we are all forlorne and paste hope except this oure good God haue pitie vppon vs praying him neuerthelesse too make the fruite and vertue of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ
that poynt certaynely as I tolde you before wee shall indeuer too doo good to all men so as wee can not finde in our harts to breake the indissoluble bonde whereby God hath knit and vnited vs togither Therefore the furthest straungers in the worlde are neighbours neere inough vntoo vs though they bee neyther our parents our kinsfolke nor our acquayntaunce And why For wee bee all of one fleshe and wee beare all one marke which ought too persuade vs too doo what wee can possible one for another But how soeuer the cace stande Sainct Paule commendeth vnto vs cheefly the housholde folke of fayth And he vseth the worde Housholde folke too touche vs more to the quicke by that similitude For although nature teache vs that wee oughte too succour suche as are in necessitie â–ª yet notwithstanding they that are of one housholde are more inclined and willing to doo good one to another Yee see heere what degrees are among men how all knowe that there is a certayne mutuall bonde so as if they forsake euen the furthest straungers of the worlde therein they forget them selues yet notwithstanding forasmuche as it is harde for a man to reache out him selfe so farre and wide therefore men are not so muche inclined to doo good to vnknowen persons except it be in extreme necessitie For then howe hard harted so euer wee bee euery of vs is moued to put to his helping hande to succour a man when we see him in imminent daunger Yea and this pitifulnesse is so ingrauen in vs that it wyll extende it selfe euen to the brute beastes and therefore muche more reason it is that it shoulde extende to those that are created after Gods image as well as our selues But as I sayde if a man be in extreme necessitie then are we 〈◊〉 more earnest to helpe 〈◊〉 neede And when wee be of one countrey and language then wee see our selues somewhat neerer one another and that increaseth the affection whiche otherwise in generall woulde bee but colde But when there befalleth any freendlynesse and familiaritie of neiborhood that is yet more according as wee see that they whiche bee of one Countrey will say Seeing that God hath broughte vs thus neere togither let vs at leastwise indeuer too serue one anothers turne Agayne wee see that the neighbours whiche dwell in one selfe same streete and communicate familiarly togither are as kinsfolke and neere of alyance Nowe then it is muche more reason that they whiche are all of one house and are gathered as it were into one little corporation or bodie shoulde bee hilde as it were faste linked togither by God and that he shoulde imbrace them as if a father shoulde holde all his children about him For as muche then as wee oughte too bee so muche the more moued too imploy our selues with the better courage seeing that God hathe so knitte vs togither and brought vs so familiarly neere one another Sainct Paule sayth that all the faythfull all those that professe the same Gospell which wee doo are as housholde folke of one selfe same house And in very deede the Church is called Gods house and hee sitteth ouer in the middest of vs. VVhen the Scripture speaketh so it meaneth not that our vniting togither muste bee in suche a materiall Churche or Temple as thys is but that althoughe euery man bee at home in hys owne house yet God hathe in suche wyfe gathered vs togither too him selfe that wee bee as it were housholde fellowes one with another and wee bee not onely Countreymen of one Realme or kingdome but there is yet a certayne neerer alyance whiche oughte to holde vs more close togither Too bee shorte when as it is sayde that suche as intende too bee Gods children muste dwell all togither in one house it is too shewe that there is as it were one common brotherhood among vs. And althoughe earthly brethren go asunder one from another and euery man gettes him away by him selfe yet must wee alwayes continue in the vnitie whiche God hathe set among vs. Sithe wee heere this muste wee not 〈◊〉 bee worsse than 〈…〉 and crueller than the brute and wilde beastes if wee bee not moued too bestowe Gods giftes too the releefe of our neighbours I meane of the faythfull Nowe then wee see that Sainct Paules meaning in effecte is that seeing God hathe bounde vs too doo good too all men because they bee our owne fleshe no malice oughte too hinder any of vs from indeuering too discharge him selfe generally towardes all suche as God offereth too him and in whome it is hys wyll too trye our kindnesse And yet notwithstanding that for as muche as he hathe gathered vs into his flocke and knit vs togither in hys name and wee call vppon him as our father wyth one mouthe it behoueth vs of dutie too bee as brothers one too another So that if wee minde that he shoulde allowe vs for his children wee must so aduaunce the adoption whereby he hath chosen vs as wee maye declare vnfaynedly by oure dooings that wee mynde too shewe that wee take them for our brothers whome God hath so gathered into his house and Churche Thus yee see what we haue too remember vpon this Texte VVherefore let vs no more vse these fonde excuses too say I wote not who he is I know him not But he is not knowen of God yes and yet notwithstanding thou disdaynest too open thine eyes to looke vppon him that is thine owne image yea and whom God taketh for one of his children Thou knowest not him and yet beholde how God voutsafeth to cast his eye vpon vs which are most miserable yea euen he whiche hath so high and terrible a maiestie that the very Angels of heauen doo tremble before him with all humilitie Yee see then that God our soueraigne Lorde looketh downe vpon vs that are but wretched wormes of the earth filthinesse yea and he not only voutsafeth to say I know you but also protesteth I haue adopted you for my children yee be my workmanship yee be mine heires yee be after a sorte my members God voutsafeth too speake after that fashion and wee be so full of pride and statelynesse that wee despise suche as are as good as our selues and moste commonly muche better So then who can beare with such pride To be short they that are so straunge in withdrawing them selues from their brethren and will not in ony wise coÌ„municate with them deserue well to bee wiped out of the booâ—…â—f life so as God shoulde â—…we and scrape them quite out and deliuer them into the possessioâ— of the Diuell who is their sire for he was a murtherer and full of crueltie from the beginning Thus yee see in effect what wee haue too beare in minde and how it behoueth vs too practize this lesson wherein the household folke of faith are chiefly commended vntoo vs. And so seing that God hath vouchsafed too call vs too him let vs shewe
S. Paule say that for as muche as he had setled his glory in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ he had quite forsaken and giuen ouer the worlde Nowe by the worlde he meaneth all that is delightsome to the fleshe as when men think neyther vpon God nor vpon the lyfe of heauen so as one is giuen to couetousnesse another to ambition and euery man is driuen by his owne naturall sway and there is not any that passeth further than this world VVhen men followe their owne swinge and God hath not yet touched them with his holy spirite to draw them too him surely although they doo all fling ouer the feelds and runne astray yet is there great diuersitie in their affections so that if the matter come to triall one drawes one way and another another way cleane contrarie and to be short men seeme to differ quite cleane one from another But yet they be all alike in one thing that 〈◊〉 wit that they would aduaunce thēselues to the worldwarde that they be giuen to their owne priuate profite or pleasures At a worde they be so intangled here that they could find in their harts too be separated from God But S. Paule sayth that when wee shall haue set all our glory in our Lorde Iesus Christ knowing that by the meanes of his Crosse he hath dedicated vs vnto his father and purchaced vs the kingdome of heauen then it will be easie for vs to withdraw our selues from the world and to be as it were cut off from it And why For it is certayne that whosoeuer hath bin touched and wounded to the quicke with the feeling of his sinnes will so pursue the grace that hath bin giuen him in our lord Iesus Christ as the world shall be nothing with him And in good sooth wee shew that al the spirituall benefites which God offreth vs whervnto the calleth vs are as things of nothing vnto vs in that wee esteeme them not in comparison of the trumperie and inticements of Satan VVhat is this world if a man view it in it selfe There is no man but he seeth howe frayle our life is and howe it is but as a smoke that passeth and vanisheth away and yet wee see men frye still in their affections and howe they bee vtterly caried away and rauished with them God on his side crieth out Ye wretched folk ye be more destitute of wit than little children For ye buzie your heads about mooneshine in the water and about pelting trifles wherein there is nothing but foolishnesse ye be wholly wedded vnto thē and yet in the meane season whē I offer you perfect happinesse ye make none account of it all is one to you Yee see then that the cause why we be so cold negligent now a dayes in receiuing the benefites which God offreth vs by his Gospel is for that the world hath gotten the possession of vs aforehand and on the other part we also do set too much store by the world And why do we so Bicause we know not the inestimable benefites that God offereth vs. Therefore let vs ioyne these two togither that is to wit that we be crucified to the world and the world to vs bicause we haue our glory in our Lord Iesus Christ crucified But this is easier to be sayd than to be doone and therfore euery man must strayne himselfe in his owne behalfe when he vnderstādeth this lesson he must put it in practise For if we couet to be taken auowed for Christians before God his Anger 's we must be conformabl◠〈◊〉 the holy Ghost in the thing that he setteth down here And in very deede if we were not too farre ouerseene wee haue occasion of it inough as hath bin said afore For they that doo but only enter into themselues to consider what they be and what their state is so long as they be separated frō Iesus Christ must needs be scared with the feling of gods wrath which they haue deserued whē they perceiue thēselues to be plūged in such cursednesse that it were much better for thē if the earth had swallowed thē vp a hundred times than to haue liued in that plight but one day being in the meane while enimies to their God frō whose hands they can not scape Therefore let vs lerne to looke to our selues Such as intend to deck thēselues to the worldward specially women will looke in a glasse that shal be done with as much curiositie warenesse as may be But in the meane while we looke not vpō our selues to spie our own wāts and filthinesse to the end we might humble our selues truly before God seeke our glory where it is to be had Now it is certen that he which knoweth his own reproch shame wil seeke to come to the remedie of it at leastwise of Gods spirite worke liuely in vs that we be not sotted by Satā as I haue said afore Let vs lerne let vs lerne to looke vpō ourselues both without feining without flattery And whē we shall haue knowē our own wāts miseries let vs resort to our lord Iesus Christ And forasmuch as al loftinesse statelinesse vaunting must be beaten down by meanes of the Crosse Let vs be truly crucified to the world and let the world also be nothing vnto vs. Now whereas S. Paule sayth that the world was crucified to him he to the world it is true that he meeneth another thing than playn crucifying For therby he intended to shew yet more strongly how we may renounce the world and be separated frō it namely by beeing crucified to ourselues as in respect of the world that is to say by mortifying al the lusts that fight one against another within vs haue too much force inflame vs al wholly like a burning fire cast vs heere there bicause wee see that the son of God was fayne to suffer so reprochful a death for vs. VVho would now make his triumphes braueries in the world when he seeth that he which is the head of the Angels vnto whō belōg all maiestie glory dominiō 〈◊〉 hāged vpō tree made accursed abhominable for vs Thus ye see by what meanes al our lusts may be mortified and the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ worke so in our hearts as our lusts may be no more so ticklishe as they haue bin And that is for one poynt Agayne the world must be crucified vnto vs. As howe By esteeming all worldly thinges as chaffe and corruption according as in very deede there is not any thing in them whiche is not corruptible in comparison of the spirituall benefites whiche Iesus Christe hathe brought vs and whiche wee inioy by this meanes For in very deede all worldly things are corruptible And moreouer what else are all the things whiche men couet so sore and so vehemently that they bee vtterly intangled in them but snares
to the worldes end For the Apostles were not chozen by election of men nor by the common policie of the Church but by the very mouth of the Sonne of God In somuch that when it behoued the Apostles too put another successor in the roome of Iudas too make vp the full number of twelue againe although they themselues were there present and a greate multitude of Disciples with them yet durst they not make any election VVhen there was any choozing of a Shepeherde for the Churche of Ierusalem or of Antioche or of any other people this fashyon was vsed that is too say firste they prayed snto God and therevppon choze suche a man as was found meete and conuenient for that office But as for the other they referred it wholly too the will of God and caste lottes for it as for a thing that passed their witte The cause as I sayd was for that it behoued the Apostles too bee chozen by speciall priuiledge from aboue bycause they were the persones by whome the Gospell was too bee published ouer the whole world Nowe as for S. Paule he was chozen afterwarde But howsoeuer it was he had equall priuiledge with the residue bycause there came a reuelation from heauen too shewe that he was admitted too the executing of that office he was rapted vp intoo the third heauen and wee haue seene that he was well lyked of in all things Finally that it might appeare too bee Gods will too giue him a larger commission and too haue marked him out for the Apostle of the Gentyles he had the holy Ghoste immediatly whiche spake and vttered the woorde from aboue Yee see then that S. Paule was not chozen by meanes of men And yet notwithstanding this maner of choozing as I sayd afore is no faulte in those that are Shepeherdes and Ministers of the Churche But it was requisite that S. Paule should bee priuiledged too the intent he might bee comparable with Peter and Iohn and with all those that had bin conuersant and kept companie with the sonne of God while he dwelled in this worlde and was in this mortall lyfe Now wee see in effect whereat S. Paule amed And hereby wee bee taught that the reuerence whiche wee owe too such as carie abrode Gods woorde and beare the name of Shepeherdes serueth not too barre God from beyng herd continually nor to barre our Lord Iesus Christe from being the onely Schoolemayster of the Churche It behoueth vs too beare this schoole point well in minde or else our fayth will alwayes bee subiect too many varieties and he that is cunningest among men shall euer go away with the gole and so shall wee haue nothing certaine but we shall be still chaungyng from day too day yea euen euery minute of an howre VVherfore let vs marke well that if men alledge the names of the Churche of Prelates or of Bishoppes wee muste alwayes come backe too this poynt that they cannot climbe any higher than too be the seruants of Iesus Christe and to bee allowed of him And how shall we know that they be allowed of him First if they haue bin chozen by lawfull order with calling vppon the name of God And secondly if suche be chozen as are meete that haue in them wherewith to execute their office Lo heere the markes whereby we may know and be well assured that they be suche Shepeherdes as God alloweth and accepteth And herewithall it is not ynough for a man too be called too that vocation but he must also execute the charge that is committed too him according as S. Paule sayeth not singly that he was ordeyned an Apostle but in taking that name too him he sheweth that he is sent to beare abroade the message of saluation and too preache the Gospell too the world Therfore they that wil be taken for Bishops and Prelates must teach and if they be Idolles and dumbe dogges it is certaine that as they doo shamefully mocke Gods name and abuse his maiestie so also men may reiect them and despize them yea and that they ought too be hild as accursed bicause they pretend Gods name falsly Thus yee see what we haue to marke vpon this streyne Now S. Paule sayeth purposely that â—e was sent of Iesus Christe and of God his father who rayzed him from the dead VVhereas he sayeth that he was sente of Iesus Christe it is too bring vs backe too the thing whiche I haue touched already that is to wit that if we couet too obey God and to be subiect to him wee muste imbrace our Lord Iesus Christ and giue eare vnto him as too the only schoolemayster and both great and small must submit themselues to him and too his doctrine for he that honoreth not the Sonne honoreth noâ— the father as it is sayd in the fifth of Iohn And this is well woorthie too be marked for euery man will needes be thought to honour God and to desire nothing so muche as too hold himselfe vnder his yoke But in the meanewhyle we see that the worlde fighteth against the Gospell and noman can willingly finde in his hart to yeeld too it VVhen it commeth to the poynt that Iesus Christ calleth vs to him euery of vs playes the rebell we be so wilde that he cannot tame vs wherby our faythlesnesse is to playnly proued and we shewe ourselues to despize God how goodly protestatioÌ„s soeuer we haue made before For he sendeth vs back to his Sonne willeth vs to stoupe to him to doo him homage Yet notwithstanding as wee see and as experience sheweth too much euery man would shrinke away from subiection too our Lord Iesus Christe S. Paule therefore sheweth what a maiestie there is in Iesus Christe that is too wit that wee ought too tremble at his woorde and to hold our peace when soeuer he speaketh and too receyue without any gainsaying whatsoeuer he teacheth or procedeth from him And without that it is certaine that God reiecteth all the protestations that wee can make of our desirousnesse too serue and honour him Thus are wee exhorted in this streyne to giue our selues wholly ouer vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ seyng he is our only Shepeherd thereby to shew that wee be his true sheepe and that wee herken too his voyce and discerne it from the voyce of straungers Now seyng that God sheweth himself in suche wise vnto vs as wee know that our Lorde Iesus Christ calleth vs too him let euery of vs follow him and shew that wee be of his flocke in deede Thus yee see what we haue too beare in minde Howbeit for asmuch as there is such vnthankfulnesse in a great number that they cannot finde in their hartes too submit themselues euen too the Sonne of God Sainct Paule doth heere set downe the name of God the father as an Ouerplus True it is that the whole fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth in Iesus Christe and cursed bee he that seeketh any other God But
teeth with theyr lewdnesse in that they had so much the lesse excuse of their shrinking aside after that sort considering the goodnesse that God had shewed vpon them For if God call vs although it were too summon vs too our confusion yet ought wee too obey him bycause we bee his creatures It becommeth vs to bee subiect too his authoritie and howsoeuer hee dispose of vs it is alwayes our duetie too say beholde Lorde I am at thy pleasure so that too vse any shrinking away when God calleth vs is an vtter peruerting of all order Much more when God not onely calleth vs vntoo him but also setteth all the treasures of his goodnesse before vs in our Lord Iesus Christ and sheweth that hee seeketh nothing else but too make vs his owne by gyuing himselfe so wyllingly vntoo vs when God I say vseth such bountifulnesse towardes vs as ought too rauishe all our wittes vntoo woondering muste wee not needes bee too too lazie if wee shrinke backe Moreouer if wee fortune too wander too and fro after wee bee once come vntoo him wee shall haue so much the lesse excuce and feele the sorer and horribler condemnation as I haue touched alreadie Nowe then wee see what is imported in thys saying where Saint Paule maketh mention of the grace that the Galathians had bin called too And out of doubt wee in these dayes are muche more blame woorthie than the fathers that liued vnder the lawe if wee continue not in the pure doctrine of the Gospell without turning asyde from the things that are conteyned therein For albeeit that God called the Fathers too saluation vnder the lawe as well as vs now yet was not that calling with so open and abundant vtteraunce of the ryches of his mercie as wee haue it in our Lorde Iesus Christ Therefore let vs looke well about vs and seeing hee hath alreadie made vs too feele his grace let the same stirre vs vp and inflame vs too bee the bolder too haue an inuincible courage too continue in the same calling vntill wee bee come too the place wherevntoo God allureth vs. So then if wee compare our selues with the great number of misbeleeuing and ignorant soules it is certain that our vnthankfulnesse wil be so much the greater as Gods grace hath shewed it selfe larger and deepelier vnto vs. VVee shall see many sillie soules straying heere and there and yet ceasse they not for all that too be subiect too damnation For he that hath offended without lawe shall perish without Lawe Now for asmuch as God hath declared his will so freendly vnto vs and that togither with the vse of discretion wee haue also the doctrine of his Gospell which as I haue sayd heretofore serueth too shew vs that our damnation shall be more horrible if wee labour not too dedicate ourselues wholly vnto him by meanes whereof our bonde becommeth so muche the streighter S. Paule addeth another circumstance whiche is that it came too passe very hastely For certesse it was a horrible thing that the Galathians hauing bin taught by the holy Apostles own mouth should bee so corrupted as long as he was alyue Yee see then how it was the more too their blame that within three or foure dayes after their receyuing of the Gospell they were fleeted away and had mingled many false opinions with the truthe of God But although they had continued in the truthe some good whyle after Paules decease yet dothe it not followe that their so doyng might haue bin a sufficient discharge for them if they had fallen away afterward For as the truth wherevppon our fayth resteth is euerlasting although bothe heauen and earth doo passe away so must our fayth hold out too the end and not hang eyther vppon the lyfe or vpon the death of any man but haue hir ankerhold fastened in heauen Therfore if wee chaunge at any tyme whither it bee to day or too morrow wee shall bee the more too blame and our vnthankfulnesse shal be so much the shamefuller And truely the thing that S. Paule setteth downe heere in the persone of the Galathians is seene nowe adayes too much For such as haue gotten some smattering of the Gospell will bee wearie of it within a twoo or three yeares if there come no new chaunge in the meane tyme. For they haue itchyng eares and wee see many fantasticall persones become backesliders and bycause the truth of the Gospell liketh them not they would alwayes be fleeting haue I wote not what new stuffe brougtht in too feede them in their fond speculations VVe see othersome greeued bycause they perceyue that the Gospell aduauntageth them not too the worldward yea and there are some that turne away bicause they see it is an occasion too make them too be persecuted and too purchace them many enemies or else they starue as they thinke whyles other men prosper and fare well Thus yee see howe Iesus Christe is forsaken of many howbeit not from the father too the sonne but by reason that such as haue shewed him a fayre countenance are suddainely chaunged and fleete away from him within a twoo or three yeares or at leastwyze within halfe a score yeares after So muche the more then ought wee too marke well this doctrine bycause it is spoken too vs and also too thinke vppon the reproche which Ieremie layd vnto the Iewes Go your wayes intoo farre Countries sayeth he runne beyond sea see what other people doo euery man keepes him too his owne Idolles and yet there is no Godhead in them Satan beguyles them vnder colour of deuotion and they be so settled in the same as they cannot by any meanes bee turned away from it Now at leastwyze bee you as constant as they seyng that God hath shewed himselfe too you and you know his will fully and certainly Let vs beware that the lyke bee not sayd too vs now adayes for wee see the ouerearnestnesse of the Turkes in their Religion And although the Iewes bee no better than vncleane Dogges yet are they stiffe still in maynteyning the authoritie of their Lawe As for the Papistes they haue nothyng but dotages so beastly as it is horrible too see euen children are able too iudge of them and yet for all that wee see howe they burne with furious zeale too maynteyne their treacheries But as for vs the Diuell doth no sooner holde vp his finger but by and by wee gad after him it shoulde seeme that euery of vs watcheth too spie if there come any newe toy and the least occasion in the worlde will by and by shake vs and scare vs out of our way and thereof wee fee too many examples euen here without goyng any further So much the more therefore doth it behoue vs too marke the blame that is layd heere by the mouth of Sainct Paule agaynst the vnconstancie of suche as turne away from God specially so soone after he had called them to the grace of our Lord Iesus
by his authoritie Yee see then that the inestimable benefites whiche are comprehended in the Gospell are these namely that men are reconciled vnto God that the gate of Paradice is opened vntoo vs and that our Lord Iesus Christ is giuen vs for our heritage so as we bee made pattakers of all the benefites that he hath powred vpon vs and that he hath warranted our endlesse Saluation Now were it not better that the whole world should sinke and perish than that all this should bee ouerthrowen That therfore is the cause why S. Paule telleth vs that all such as come too set troubles after we haue bin faithfully taught and that all such as bring in any curiosities or foyst in this or that of their owne brayne do turne men away from the kingdome of God and from his royall seate too the intent that they should not any more be gouerned by him nor the Scepter of our Lord Iesus Christ be any more lifted vp among them too their saluation Nowe if wee set so much store by Gods honour as wee ought to do or esteeme it a precious thing too bee parttakers of all heauenly benefites or if wee make account of our owne welfare ought not euery of vs too shunne those troublers and too cast them out as deadly plagues of the world when they come among vs and fall too abolishing of the whole Maiestie of God and of the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and consequently of our saluation also Thus yee see in effect that the thing which wee haue too marke heere is that wee must sticke with so earnest a minde to the Gospell as wee may not suffer our selues too bee thrust out of the way by any meanes nor abide that any man should trouble our wits by bringing in any new thing more than was afore Although the men bee neuer so skilfull suttle sharpwitted and eloquent yet let vs shake it off euery wit as accursed if it go about to turne vs from the purenesse of the Gospell That is the thing whiche Sainct Paule teacheth vs heere And when he hath spoken so he addeth that if he himselfe or an Angell came too preach any other Gospell than that which the Galathians had heard and vnderstoode they shoulde shake them off hold them as accursed excommunicate them and take them too be as Diuelles Heere wee see that S. Paule is as yee would say whote to mayntayne the stedfastnesse of the fayth to the intent we should not by any meanes bee shaken from it and that is not without cause For we see what frayltie is in vs and not only frayltie but also fondnesse and rebelliousnesse which are yet woorse At the first blush if a man teach vs Gods woord and that wee be not touched with it in good earnest we will thinke it the straungest thing in the worlde for the doctrine will alwayes seeme foolish too mannes wit as wee haue seene heretofore And what is the reason Euen our fondnesse bycause our wittes are wandering and rouing and wee bee naturally bent and foreward too leasing and desire as it were wilfully too bee beguyled Now then seyng that our wittes are so marred it is no maruell though wee lyke not the woord of God or though it haue no enterance intoo vs for all our lustinesse is but rebelliousnesse and whereas we thinke our selues to haue reason we be stark blind and to be short it is not for nought that the scripture sayeth that men are nothing but vanitie and leasing yea and rebelles too God so as they draw alwayes backe from that wherevnto God calleth them But put the cace that God had done so much for vs as too draw vs too him and to make vs taste that his truth is the thing wherevnto it behoueth vs too hold our selues and that we were so tamed that there were no more wilfulnesse in vs but that wee were ready to yeeld him all obedience yet is there such a fraylnesse and vnconstancie in vs that the Diuell shall easily thrust vs out of the way euery minute of an howre And hereof wee see experience euen in those that had bin as mirrours of holinesse so as yee would wonder to see them sodainly chaūged and gone from the right way And what is the cause of it As I sayd afore although we be in a good forewardnesse yet can we not hold our owne long but that we shall by and by go cleane awrie except God worke in vs and amend our frayltie Thus ye see why S. Paule doth with such maiestie maintaine the doctrine of the Gospell and the occasion therof was giuen him by the Galathians for they were thrust out of the way by reazon that they were borne in hand that it behoued them too keepe the ceremonies of the lawe S. Paule therefore beholding suche an example and image of mens infirmitie and ouer great lightnesse sayeth that the beleefe of the Gospell must surmount all that wee can conceyue and that wee must not bee remoued from it nother by the knowledge nor by the great cunning nor by the eloquence of men in somuch that euen though the Angelles of heauen shoulde deale with vs in that cace wee shoulde take them too bee but Diuelles But howe soeuer the cace standeth this were verie straunge VVhat The Angelles of heauen And agayne what is it that Sainct Paule speaketh of His owne preachyng Hee fayeth not singly the Gospell of Christe but the Gospell which I haue preached vnto you And ought that too haue preheminence aboue all the Angelles of heauen First and formest we see that it is too no purpose too magnifie the doctrine of the Gospell in generall and vndistinct termes but wee muste also therewithall bee sure which is the same doctrine To be short there are many among vs that can well ynough mocke at the fondnesse of the Papists but if a man poze thē in the principles which euen yong children ought too know perfectly they can no skill of them and so that one of them bee talking of one man and another of an other all is one too them they haue no discretion they make such a hotchpotch of the matter as if a man should iumble salt and water and mustarde and verie wee all togither Yee see then that they can well ynough confesse in generall termes that the Gospell ought too bee preached but in the meane whyle they know not what the Gospell is Nowe too correct such faults S. Paule sayeth Namely the Gospell that I haue preached vnto you And hereby as I sayd he sheweth vs that wee ought too know what substance is contayned in the doctrine that is set foorth vnto vs in the name of God to the intent that our faith may bee fully setled vpon it so as wee may not bee fickle minded to bee tossed with euery winde nor go at all aduenture too alter our purpose an hundred times a day but that wee may stand out too the end This is in effect
the thing that wee haue too beare in minde But by the way it ought too make Paules doctrine of the more authoritie that he speaketh so boldly in the mayntenance of it and that not through humane rashnesse and presumption but in the name of God For in very deede he standeth not heere vppon the praysing of himselfe in his owne persone and that doth he shewe right well in that he sayeth If I my self He setteth himself formost as if he had sayd Let mee euen mee my selfe I say bee taken for a Diuell if I chaunge the doctrine or if you finde me to haue swarued in any maner of wize Heere S. Paule sheweth that he ment not too purchace reputation too himselfe ne fought in his owne quarell to haue it sayd of him that he was a fineheaded fellow or a wyze and excellent man no but he raungeth himself in aray with the faythfull and sayeth let vs all imbrace the doctrine of that Mayster too whose charge God hath cōmitted vs and vnto whose gouerment we ought too bee submitted For although I bee he that taught you the doctrine yet is it not mine but Gods who is vnchaungeable and although yee should see me chaunge yet bee not you remoued nor abashed for it but esteeme mee as a Diuell hold mee accursed and for your own partes continue you stil settled in the truth which you haue learned and as for mee curse you mee and ban you mee yea and the very Angelles of heauen too rather than too chaunge any whit of the truthe of Gods Sonne or too turne aside from it Heere wee see well ynough that S. Paule sought not aught else but that Gods truth might haue such reuerence among men as it deserueth and bee so receyued as all our wittes all our thoughts all our lustes and all our affections might bee subdued and hilde prysoners vnder it and that it might not be lawfull for any liuyng creature to chaūge aught therof but that God only might speake by the mouth of his only Sonne and we hold him for our Mayster yea and euery of vs obey him without gaynsaying That is the thing which S. Paule sought How beit for asmuch as wee cannot now lay forth the rest it shall bee reserued till the next Sunday if it please God Now let vs fall down before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him too make vs perceiue them more and more and that the feeling of them may draw vs too right repentance and cause vs too growe and increace in fayth so as wee may bee true sacrifizes too him that like as our Lord Iesus offered himself for our redemption so wee also may bethinke vs too dedicate our selues wholly vnto him and be guyded by him in such stedfastnesse that nother in lyfe nor death wee may not seeke any other contentation and rest than too apply our selues too his good will nor glorie in any other thing than in the Saluation that is purchaced for vs in him That it may please him too graunt this grace not only to vs but also too all people and nations of the earth c. The. 4. Sermon vpon the first Chapter 8 But if I my selfe or an Angell from heauen tell you othervvise than I haue tolde you cursed be he 9 As I sayd afore so say I yet agayne if any man tell you othervvize than you haue receyued cursed bee he c. WEe haue seene heretofore that we must be sure of the truth of the Gospell or else our fayth is no fayth but rather an opinion if we be ready to stagger too and fro Now then the very proofe which we ought to make of our fayth is to bee fully setled and resolued in our selues that God hath taught vs and that he hath so vttered his will vnto vs that if we swarue from it one way or other it is all one as if wee did wilfully cast our selues away And for this cause wee must not only receyue Gods woord as good holy but also beare such honour too it as to hate whatsoeuer is agaynst it yea or which agreeth not fully with it For when as S. Paule speaketh heere of an other Gospell his meanyng is that if men disguyze the pure simplicitie which they haue learned of him there remayneth nothing else but vntruth and corruption VVherfore let vs learne to set such store by Gods doctrine that wee may not only esteeme it in it self but also reiect as diuelish things what soeuer shall be brought contrarie or repugnant vntoo it And truly Sainct Paule thinkes it not ynough too speake of men but mounteth euen vntoo the Angelles of Heauen and sayeth that wee muste rather hold them accursed than alter any whit of the fayth which wee haue of the Gospell He dothe well too speake of himself first and he doeth that too shewe that he had no regard of his owne persone but that he ment simply too honour God and too cause his woord to bee receyued of all the worlde without gaynsaying Therefore it was needefull that Sainct Paule should vse that protestation for if any man exempt his owne doctrine by priuiledge he maketh the same a priuate cace But he that teacheth ought too raunge himselfe in the common aray and too submitte himself obediently too the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christe so as wee may not haue any other Mayster in this worlde of whom too hold our fayth but that the Sonne of God may haue all soueraintie ouer vs as belongeth vntoo him And Sainct Paule speaketh purposely of the Angelles bycause the false Apostles and deceyuers that were come intoo the countrie of Galatia pretended the name of Peter Iohn and Iames and therefore he setteth a barre in their way saying that when they had all that could bee on theyr side yea and that the whole world tooke parte with them all that was nothing Moreouer though they had the very Angelles of heauē with them yet should God neuerthelesse ouer rule thē by his word all creatures be thrust downe For if any thing lift vp it self against Gods truth wherin his image shineth forth and his maiestie and glorie ought to be knowen the same ought also to be condemned to be hild as accursed It might perchaunce seeme at the first blush that S. Paule vsed an excessiue fashion For too what purpose bringeth he in the Angels seyng wee know how they be wholly giuen too do Gods will According as it is sayde expresly in the. 103. Psalme and as we see moreouer through the whole holy Scripture that they haue not any other regard than simply to obey God Seing then that it is impossible that the Angelles shoulde falsifie the pure truthe Sainct Paule shoulde not haue brought them in Yea it might bee thought that he dooth them wrong and iniurie considering that God hath giuen them the grace too abyde in his obedience and too walke quietly as he hath appoynted them But it
bloud 17 Nother vvent I backe againe to Ierusalem too those that had bin Apostles before mee but vvent my vvay into Arabie returned again to Damasco 18 Aftervvard a three yeeres after I vvent again to Ierusalem to visit Peter and abode vvith him fiftene dayes c. WEe haue seene what cace is handled heere by S. Paule that is to wit that men ought not to bee aduaunced so highe as that the glory of God should bee defaced or diminished in respect of them or of the reputation that we haue of their persons For oftentimes we be giuen to cōmend creatures to much so as the same carieth a preiudice to Gods woord And although S. Paule cōpare himselfe heere with the other Apostles yet hath he not regard of his own person but is desirous that the gospel which was cōmitted vnto him should be receiued with al reuerēce And for the bringing thereof to passe he alledgeth here Gods graces rather thā his own vertues For he doth not alledge or rehearce heere what he had done as of himselfe but what he hath donne through the chaunge that was happened vnto◠him which men might perceiue to be from heauen and not through his owne indeuer Yea and we see how he declareth freely that all his chaunging after that maner ought too bee fathered vppon the meere goodnesse of God for he vseth the terme of good Pleasure VVherein he excludeth what soeuer is of man to the end it should not bee thought that he minded too reserue aught too himselfe Againe he sayeth not that he had sought the Gospell but that he had had it by reuelation Thirdly he sayeth it was God that called him And lastly he sayeth that it was not for any readinesse that was in himselfe afore hand as peraduenture a man might put one of vs too some seruis when he findeth vs meete for a thing but he sayeth that God had separated him aforehand from his mothers wombe VVee see then that S. Paule intendeth not to exalt himself but only too make Iesus Christ knowen by his meanes and to keepe the doctrine of the Gospell from impeachment vnder the colour that other men had gotten great reputation through the whole worlde And as wee see the troublers that were come into the Countrie of Galatia tooke a deceytfull couert vnder the name of the Apostles S. Paule therfore sheweth that the thing which hee hild he had not of men And likewise also he braggeth not that he had conquered o◠deserued aught but that at leastwyse it was knowen how God had so set out his grace in him as the same serued to make the doctrine of more authoritie which he bare abrode But by the way there is no doubt but that in the persone of S. Paule wee haue heere a mirrour of Gods goodnesse in such sort as it sheweth it selfe towardes vs and whereof we bee parttakers to the end that all men from the smallest to the greatest should learne to humble themselues Therfore when wee come too the knowledge of the Gospell although wee haue no suche reuelations as Paule had yet notwithstanding this thing dooth alwayes take place and hath his continuall course namely that it is not of our selues nother can men put foorth themselues to it of themselues but all proceedeth of Gods meere goodnesse for that he hath so ordayned For the woordes that S. Paule vseth exclude all respectes that can bee had as when one man shall doo another man good for some desert or for some other thing that he findeth in his persone He dooth no more heere but set downe simply that for asmuch as God findeth no woorthinesse in vs therfore when it pleaseth him to accept vs for his children and to draw vs too the knowledge of his Gospell he sheweth that his so doyng proceedeth of his owne purpose and will Thus then the thing that we bee taught heere is that fayth is in suche wise the meere gifte of God that men cannot chalendge too themselues the prayse of their comming too the light of the Gospell where their happinesse and welfare lie but ought to glorifie God bicause he hath bound them too him by choozing them and calling them too leade them therevnto for as for the cause thereof he seeketh it in himself and in his owne meere mercie As much is too be sayd of all the charges wheraboutes God imployeth vs. True it is that men chooze one another according as they see abilitie in them to bee put to some buzinesse so as one is set too rule a countrie another too preach Gods word and another too this or that In so doyng wee haue an eye too the things that God hath put into euery man and it is good reason so to doo But yet for all that how soeuer the cace stande hee that is so chozen what handsomnesse and abilitie soeuer he haue too go through with his dutie must vnderstand that God had marked him out before ▪ and that he is not framed theretoo by his owne policie but that God hath wrought it in him And therfore let vs not thinke that he which hath a better and more foreward wit than other men hath it of himself For whereof is it long that wee bee not blockish as many creatures are whom we see to be without witte or reason VVho is it that hath put suche difference betweene men It is certayne that of necessitie God must haue marked vs out and appoynted what wee should bee euen before wee were borne And therefore who soeuer hath eyther wit or any other excellent gifte aboue other men lette him assure himselfe that God hath fashyoned him therevnto Againe when wee bee come too age God muste bee fayne too thrust vs still foreward and too guyde vs howbeit that the same bee by a secrete power VVee see that the Paynims haue some care of the bringyng vp of their children and that some of them haue a better minde to their studie than others But yet how soeuer they fare it is God that guydeth and gouerneth them from aboue so as all ought too bee attributed vntoo him And heere yee see why S. Paule hauing sayd that God reueled his sonne vnto him addeth that as he had called him too preach so also he had erst sholed him out aforehand from others that is too say he had hild him fast as he that wist well too what seruis he were best too apply him Then seyng it is so wee haue cause too walke in humblenesse assuring our selues that if there bee any excellencie in vs wee muste not euery man bragge of it as of his owne but acknowledge God too bee the author of all that he hath bestowed vppon vs and that his meere goodnesse is the fountayne whereout of wee draw Now if this extend too the smallest giftes of grace which wee receyue of him what doth it too the inestimable benefite which he bestoweth vppon vs when he calleth vs too the knowledge of his Gospell when he
is a maner of bearing with things which is commendable as I haue said alreadie which is to be gentle in rebuking such as haue done amisse so as we labour to win them and drawe them backe againe by freendlinesse and bee not too fumishe and hastie with them For there are faults that may be borne with and which are not to be searched to the bottom for it doth but sharpen men when they see an ouereagernesse of fault fynding according as yee shall see diuers whiche keepe as it were continuall watche too see if they can fynde anye thing too carpe at in some man or other all theyr holynesse consisteth in taunting of one man and in rayling vppon an other and too bee short they bee the greatest Correcters of the worlde But our desyre of rebuking must be so brydeled as wee seeke not to finde fault with men And yet on the other side the flattering that reigneth nowadayes to much in the worlde is a vice which we ought to shunne as a deadly plague Therefore according as euerie of vs loueth his neighbour so let him lerne to vse the freenesse of speach which S. Paule sheweth vs heere And specially when Gods truthe is in hande let no man be spared let the zeale of God get the vpper hande in vs and although we shoulde purchase displeasure and runne in daunger of many slaunders and backbytings yet ought wee neuerthelesse to vndertake the chalenge For there is no excuse for vs if wee play the traytours by dissembling when the truthe of the Gospell is falsified Wherefore wee must followe the thing that Saint Paule sheweth vs heere and the deede which hee did too his fellow Peter muste serue vs for a lawe and rule so as wee may shewe that wee desyre nothing more than that God shoulde bee hearde that his truth shoulde not bee turned intoo a lye and that there should not be any thing shuffled too it nor any Leuen or Darnell mingled with it but that it shoulde continue alwayes in hys owne pure singlenesse And on the other syde the greate ones are warned heere too submit themselues meekely and too yeelde themselues plyable too the correction that is offered them knowing that God surrendered not his owne right when hee aduaunced them too that state but muste still keepe his soueraigne dominion execute hys iurisdiction by hys woorde in suche wyse as they whiche are moste highly aduaunced muste bowe downe theyr neckes and vnderstande that it were a diuelishe confuzion too pretende a priuiledge too receyue no chastizement For by that meanes Gods woorde shoulde bee as good as thrust out of doores and hee bee bereft of the soueraintie which he hath ouer vs and therefore after that maner must wee put that doctrine in vre And specially nowadayes when wee see men so bolde too bende themselues after that fashion agaynst God let vs bee fenced aforehande agaynst them and let nothing abash vs seeing we knowe what the quarell is wherein we fight agaynst them but let vs hardily defie all that filthie dungeon that is to wit the Pope and his Cleargie and let vs not passe a whit for these stinking vermin when we see them bend their hornes at our Lorde Iesus Christ and that vnder his shadowe and by pretending his name they go about too thrust his Gospell vnder foote yea and too burie it vtterly or else too make suche a confuzed mingling of it as men may not knowe who is mayster Then sithe wee see that the Diuell possesseth them after that sort let vs not sticke too arme our selues too the battell and too stande out agaynst them too the vttermost specially seeing that among other things the quarell is more fauourable too vs in these dayes than it coulde seeme to bee in the tyme that Saint Paule mainteyned it True it is that the reason is alyke and springeth all out of one fountaine but yet was Saint Paule faine too fight agaynst the Ceremonyes that God had commaunded by his owne mouth And why did hee so Bycause that thereby the Gospell was darkened the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ was after a sort beaten downe mennes merites were stablished and finally men knewe not whereat God had amed in his lawe And nowadayes the selfe same reasons moue vs to fight agaynst all the abhominations that haue bin set vp in the Popedome But we haue this for an aduantage that all these things were forged in the shoppes of Sathan and of men Nowe wee knowe there is nothing but vanitie in men so long as they bee ruled by their owne fancie and submit not themselues too the obeying of God For as much as the cace standeth so let vs fight so much the more manfully seeing that our Lorde doth in all respects giue vs wherewith to keepe vs from being dismayed at the titles that are set afore vs to outface vs with which are nought else but illusions of Satā Ye see in effect what we haue to beare in mind But it behoueth vs also too marke well howe Saint Paule addeth that his rebuking of Peter was bycause hee and his companyons walked not the right way in the truthe of the Gospell and besides that his rebuking of them was bycause hee sawe that the mischiefe was alreadie spread farre and wyde and that if he had forborne any longer the remedie woulde haue come out of season Beholde here twoo reasons which it standeth vs on hande too marke well As touching the truth of the Gospell I haue shewed you alreadie howe it is the purenesse which it behoueth vs to sticke vnto He might well haue sayd that they walke not the right way in the Gospell but he speaketh of the truth of the Gospell according as hee had vsed the same worde once afore The reason why he doth so is for that men woulde haue a halfe faced Gospell and be are themselues in hande that they bee discharged before God so the name of Christianitie runne roundly in theyr mouthes Like as at this day the woorde Gospell is taken to bee meetely honourable among the Papists but yet the Gospel which they haue is but a bastardgospell bicause they haue put their owne collups and gobbets to it They haue turkined all things after their owne pleasure and they haue taken suche a scope that Iesus Christ is but an vnderling in comparison of them For they haue giuen determinate sentence as it were from Heauen And in good sooth they haue not beene ashamed too say that the Contentes of the Gospell are but as an Apsie of the Christians or as it were an introduction and that the greate Mysteryes and principall matters haue beene reuealed too them since so as they muste come from Councels and from the Sea of Rome Thus is our Lorde Iesus Christe mocked as thoughe they had taken in hande too crucifie him newe agayne For men coulde not deuyze too offer hym a greater villanye than too saye that he was but as an Vsher of a Schoole to teach
hath good reason to hold them so at the staues end and if there were no law nor any such promis what would come of it VVe know that the heathen men would alwayes needes bee in Gods fauour for their owne vertues sake and yet in the meane while they knewe there were many faultes in them and for that cause they reteyned the vse of sacrifising It is true that they vnderstood not the end of them yet neuerthelesse their sacrifising was a playne confession that they were indaungered vnto God and had neede to be admitted into his fauour Likewise the Papistes do at this day packe togither a great deale of pelting trash to make attonement with God And so ye see that the heathen men did at all times keepe the same trade which the Papistes keepe at this day But howsoeuer they fared their intent was to bee saued at Gods hand for their owne deseruings Howbeit God telleth vs that if we thinke he oweth vs any thing of duetie we deceyue ourselues notwithstanding he promiseth of his owne free goodnesse that if we keepe the law we shall be reckened for rightuous before him But now do we keepe it No we come farre short of it in somuch that if we consider how much we fayle of it we must needs be abashed at it Yee see then how it is not without cause that God hath giuen vs that promis though we reape no profit nor aduauntage by it For it hath a respect to the correcting of the pryde wherewith we be so sore infected that wee must be clenzed of it by some violent remedie or else we shall burst And what remedie is that Behold God talketh to vs thus Go to yee murmur at me if I handle you not after your own lyking but I tell you that I will not only poure out my graciouse giftes and benefits vpon you in this worlde but also do lay vp an euerlasting heritage in store for you so yee serue me Serue me and make me a good account and then shall you be sure that I will recompence you both in this life and in the lyfe to come Gods speaking after that manner is to none other ende but to stoppe mennes mouthes and to make them acknowledge that if God punish them and send them neuer so many afflictions it is ryghtly done in somuch that all such as shall haue well sifted their owne liues shal be driuen to confesse yea euen vnfeynedly Alas if we be not worthie to eate bread for the sustenance of this transitorie life vpon earth how can we by our own deserts get the heritage of heauen whiche is a glory that belongeth only vnto God How can we atteyne to it by our owne strength Yee see then that mens combes are quite cut by Gods giuing of this so large and liberall promis vnto them And therewithall wee haue too note that the same promis is free of itselfe and yet fare wee neuer awhit the better for any peece of it till we haue vtterly let go our hold of it This would be darke if it shoulde not bee layde foorthe more at large The heathenmen as I haue sayde alreadie did fully perswade themselues that they should be recompenced at Gods hand if they liued after an honest and vnblamable fashion among men But that was great follie or rather starke madnesse For howe can God become indetted vntoo vs as it is tolde vs in the seuenteenth of Sainct Luke Though men could do better than the Angelles of heauen coulde they bynd God too them by it No for they bee his aforehand by nature accordingly also as our Lorde Iesus Christe alledgeth the similitude of a seruant not of suche seruants as are now adayes but such slaues or bondmen as were in those dayes If a bondslaue had bin slayne a hundred tymes for his master yet was it at his maysters will whither hee shoulde liue or dye still Therfore our Lorde Iesus Christ maketh his allegation in this wyse Go to ye bee but poore mortall creatures yourselues and yet if any of you haue a bondslaue hee will holde him as an Asse or an Oxe and when the seruant after sore trauell and labour with great payne all the day long returneth home at night his master will not make him too sit downe at the table with him for he hath done no more than his duetie and that which he was bound to do Now then shall God be of lesse authoritie or in worse cace than mortall mē For somuch as you are his although you indeuer to walke in his obedience yet can he not be any whit beholden to you And so as I haue declared alreadie wheras God hathe sayd in his law that he which doth these things shall lyue in them what moued him to such bountifulnesse as to promis vs euerlasting lyfe It was not for that he owed vs any thing Kill we ourselues a hundred thousand tymes to serue him yet cannot that bind him too yeeld vs any recompence Howbeit of his owne superabundant goodnesse he commeth and sayth Although I owe ye not any thing at all nor you be able to bring aught that may deserue any recompence for you be bound vnto mee in all poynts and all respects yet will I rewarde you for your labour Go to therfore settle yourselues to your duetie and do the things that I commaund you and you shall not be disapointed of your paiment Thus ye see in effect what wee haue too remember as I must tell you yet once agayne hereafter Now the Papistes will welynough graunt this in part but not commonly For the most part I meene of those that are the Popes right champions can no skil of those principles at this day Yet wil some of thē graunt that wheras God hath in his law promised the reward of lyfe to such as serue him it is to shewe that works are not of such value as to deserue euerlasting life but by reason of the promis But presuppose that God hath bound himselfe as he hath done and then they thinke that wee deserue and why For else say they Gods promising that he whiche doth those things shall liue in them is in vayne But they like wretched beastes as I sayd afore consider not that God sayeth it not to shew that men are able to purchace saluation by their owne deserts but rather to hold them conuicted and to bring them to true humilitie which they shunne continually through their foolish ouerweening and vain gloriousnesse Now then we see that Paules meening is in effect that if we go about to be iustified by the law and by our own works we must not leaue any thing behynd nor forget any thing for it is sayd he that doth all those things shall liue in them But now where is that mā which is so forward that he can boast of the full discharging of his dutie towards God None but hipocrities that are besotted in their owne diuelish pride or heathenish folke that skorne
that the free promis was giuen afore the law and therefore it followeth that the law came not in to diminish or alter any whit of it but that it continueth still in his owne fulnesse nature and force True it is that our Lord Iesus Christ had not yet shewed himselfe to the worlde when the free promis was made to our father Abraham neuerthelesse it suffiseth that he was ordeyned to be our mediator that by hys meanes men might be reconciled to God Now if any man alledge that it should seeme then that the law was more than needed or else that there was some change and variablenesse in Gods purpose seeing the law came in Sainct Paule discusseth the same in place conuenient and wee must not huddle vp thynges togyther for all cannot be vttered at once nother in an houre nor in a day Therefore it is ynough for vs at this tyme too haue thys poynt made playne and cleere that the promis whereby God hath chosen vs intoo the number of his chyldren was before the lawe and also that the same promis had not any respect to our deseruings nor too any woorthinesse that was in our persons but too Gods meere goodnesse and mercie whych moued hym therevnto without looking for any thing in vs bycause hee saw welynough there was nothyng in vs but vtter miserie And finallye that the sayde promis was grounded in our Lorde Iesus Chryste who had alreadye done the â—â—ffice of a mediator to make vs way vnto God his father This being graunted wee must needes conclude that the promis hath abidden and shall abyde for euer euen to the worlds end And that is sayd expresly bycause the Iewes gloried of their auncetrie But Sainct Paule telleth them that their father Abraham had not the lawe but was contented though he vsed sacrifises and such other like thinges And although he was circumcised in the end yet when he receiued the promis there was not as yet theÌ„ any law writteÌ„ no nor any circumcision at all For Abraham was vncircumcised when he receiued the promis and yet neuerthelesse was iustifyed before he was circumcised and all that was by fayth Sainct Paule therefore sheweth that the Iewes were greatly ouerseene too shole out themselues after that manner from the rest of the whole woâ—ld and to rest continually vpon the figures of the law seeing that Abraham their father and the cheefe patriarch of the Church was iustifyed the sefsame way that we must be at this day that is to saye by Gods meere mercie bycause hee knew himselfe to be a wretched sinner and therefore accursed and damned in Adam and that there was no blissednesse to be hoped for other than that which was promised hym for our Lord Iesus Christs sake Thus yee see what wee haue too beare in mind And for the same cause Sainct Paule exhorteth vs heere too wey well these words when it was sayd vnto Abraham that all nations of the earth should be blissed in his seede Now there are heere two principall poyntes The one is that the blissednesse is promised not only to Abrahams fleshly ofspring as I haue told you already but also to all the world in generall VVe therefore are made partakers thereof wee I say that are issued of the Gentiles that is to say of suche as were heathenfolke and banished from the kingdome of heauen Although then that we were not of that holy linage whiche God had chosen at the beginning yet notwithstanding it behoued saluation to be extended vnto vs. And why so â–ª For it had hin promised before that all Nations shoulde be blissed Seeing it is so shall we say that God hath cut off the greatest parte of his bounteousnesse and will haue no more but the sayde linage of Abraham considering that hee hath alreadye tolde vs that he woulde bee the sauiour of the whole worlde and shewe himselfe a father in time conuenient Yee see then howe the firste poynt is that the making of the sayde promis vnto Abraham was not for his linage alone but for all men howbeit that it were not fulfilled at the first dash For the time of fulnesse was not yet come as we shall see in the Chapter following The second point is that the blissednesse which was promised to Abraham was for his seedes sake For Sainct Paule sayth that God spake not of seedes in the plurall number as of mo than one but of one onely seede whiche must be concluded to be Iesus Christ Heere it myght be supposed that Sainct Paule buzied his head about a needelesse matter For the word Seede importeth a linage or ofspring that is to witte not some one man or ten or fortie but a whole people Therefore the Seede of Abraham is the people that came of hym whyche were so many in number that it was iustly sayde of them that they shoulde bee as it were twelue Nations For when mention is made of a people it will bee thought ynough to haue a hundred thousand of them togither and there were many mo in the onely tribe of Iuda So then it should seeme that Sainct Paule dyd not sufficiently consider what God meant by the word seede when he sayd that it is but one only man But wee must wey well the thyngs that Sainct Paule presupposeth heere as fully certaine and resolute and then shall wee perceyue his argumentes to be vtterly infallible Abraham had not one sonne alone but after Ismaell he had Isaac also And what became of his eldest sonne Hee was cut off from hys house as we shall see within a whyle that is to say in the Chapter following Beholde then Ismaell whiche had the birthright in Abrahams house is neuerthelesse put out and made an vtter straunger yea and as a rotten member in somuch that it is sayd of hym Cast out the sonne of the handseruante for hee shall not inherit in my house Afterwarde Abraham had other children but euery of them had their portions giuen vnto them and were sent away Thus was onely Isaac left at home vntoo hym Anon after Isaac had a cupple of children and they were twinnes of one wombe Esau the firstborne whiche ought too haue hadde the prefermente was lykewise cast off so as hee was not counted for the linage of Abraham nor yet was made partaker of the promised blissing There was no mo left but Iacob Yea and although the father blissed his sonne Iacob through ignorance and mistaking yet he declareth that it was not in him to reuoke or chaunge the thing that hee had vttered with his mouth bycause he was the instrument of the holy Ghost Now then if we take the seede of Abraham for all those that came of his race The Ismaelites or Agarenes as they be called and such other lyke and moreouer the Edomites also should be of his houshold But the heritage is taken quite and cleane from them Therefore the seede of Abraham must be considered after a peculiar
wee knowe that the greatest number perisheth in their sinnes bycause they refuse the remedie that is offered them in the Gospell And why then doth Sainct Paule speake of all It is asmuch as if hee should saye there is none other help for vs but only Gods looking vppon vs with pitie of his owne meere goodnesse that pardoning our offences and receiuing vs into his fauour he take vs for his children too bring vs to the heritage of the kingdome of heauen VVe see then that Sainct Paule did not without cause say that God will haue mercy vpon all not that euery man is comprehended vnder that word all but to exclude and put away all selfrightuousnesse of man Moreouer we see how the meane is expressed heere namely that wee must obteyne the promis by fayth according as Sainct Iohn sayth that God so loued the world that hee spared not his onely sonne to the end that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting VVill wee then enter into the treasure that is shewed to vs heere Faith must be as a keye to open vs the dore For God calleth vs to it but it is not ynough for vs too be called only it behoueth vs to answer according to this saying you are my people yea Lord and thou art our God VVhen hee sayth you are my children let vs answer Lord we come to thee as to our father But surely we cannot answer so of our owne proper motion it must be giuen vs of the holy Ghost Howbeit the question is not heere whither fayth come of mens selues or no. Sainct Paule doth no more but declare that to be quit before God and to be drawen out of the dungeon of cursednesse wherein wee are all of vs plunged we must not bring any thing of our owne as though we would go about to bind God and that it were meete for vs too imagine any desert of our owne but come too craue hys fauoure which is offered vs freely without any duetie to vsward and settle our trust there so as we hope not for any welfare otherwise than bycause God sheweth himselfe mercifull towards vs. I haue declared already wherefore this serueth Surely men would alwayes fayne cloke themselues with some presumptuousnesse as wee see that Adam dyd who though hys owne sinne vpbrayded him so as he was afrayde of Gods maiestie did neuerthelesse seeke fig-leaues to couer himselfe withall At the same poynt are we Howbeit it is but a beguiling of ourselues too come before God lyke whytelimed walles and to thinke to be accepted at his hand for he hath an eye to the soundnesse of the hart which is not to be found in any man For so long as he letteth vs alone in our owne kinde wee bee naughtworth how fayre a show soeuer wee make too the worldward Againe when he hath reformed vs and giuen vs a good desire too walke in his feare whiche thyng all the faithfull must needes haue it doth not follow therefore that our affection is full and perfect no it commeth farre short of it And yet that which we haue we hold of his meere grace So haue we not any thing to glory of or to rest vpon howsoeuer the world go wee cannot ground ourselues vpon our owne deseruings True it is that the faythfull must seeke to gyue themselues wholly vnto God for wee cannot bee members of our Lord Iesus Christ except wee be sanctifyed by hys holy spirite as wee shall see in tyme and place hereafter And our Lorde Iesus Christ cannot be deuided nor cut in peeces as infinite as he is Although our sinnes bee forgiuen vs by hys death and passion and washed away and clenzed by hys bloud and that the same washing be gyuen vs to fashion agayne the image of God hys father in vs so that we must bee made new creatures in hym yet notwithstanding howsoeuer we fare it is not for vs too preace boldly before God as though we were worthy to be receyued or as though wee brought him any thing wherewith to binde him For if we presume to alleadge one thing or other to him first and formost all that we haue commeth of him Agayne on the otherside we be conuicted of a hundred thousand faultes and when we go about any good worke we shall no sooner haue done it but it shall be infected with some spot or other so that if it bee tried rigorously it shall always be subiect to condemnation Then must we needes keepe our mouthes shut so that if wee will haue God fauorable and mercifull to vs we must bring nothing with vs but onely fayth no but only fayth Neuerthelesse it is not meant that euery man shoulde take the bridle in his necke too do euill as I haue declared already heeretofore it is not meant that wee shoulde bee voyde of Goddes spirite nor that wee shoulde welter in all wickednesse no but heere the cace concerneth onely oure trust wherevppon wee may ground ourselues too call GOD our father that we may be sure of the eternall heritage If we go to our owne works as hath bin declared afore there will be no certeintie at all For why it is not a worke or twayne or three that is required but a perfect obedience which was neuer yet found in any mortall creature Truly if the Angells should come to account before God they could not answer to that perfection of rightuousnesse much lesse were it possible that we which are but wormes and which sucke vp sin as a fish doth water as Iob sayth should be so sound that God should receiue vs for our worthinesse To bee short wee must quite and cleane giue ouer the trust of our owne works and acknowledge that there is nothing but condemnation in vs if we mind to haue the promis performed towards vs. Thus ye see in effect what Sainct Paule meant too declare in thys text And now he addeth immediatly that before faith came we were kepte vnder the law and as it were shet vp till the faith was reueled Heere the words Lawe and Faith would be somewhat darksome if they were not opened more at large For sometimes when the scripture speaketh of fayth it meeneth all religion and comprehendeth all the instructions that are giuen vs in Gods booke Sometimes it meeneth the certeintie of beleefe which we ought too haue when wee come to pray vnto God bycause wee may not step to him at al aduenture but accept the grace that he offereth vs. Then in asmuche as Gods promises depēdeth not vpon our deserts but is altogither freely and frankly giuen vnto vs and we are made partakers by our Lorde Iesus Christ if we imbrace the same our so doing is called fayth and so hath Sainct Paule taken it hitherto and likewise in his Epistle to the Romanes and in all other places where he discourseth or treateth how we may be iustifyed before God or how we may come in his fauour for
shaped and fashioned as were to be desired Thus yee see breefly howe Sainct Paule mitigateth the rigoure that myght haue bin too great and haue wounded the Galathians too sore when hee sayde vnto them VVhat Yee bee as it were borne before your time I thought I had cōceiued you bred you borne you and brought you vp in Iesus Christ and I see now there is no life in you at leastwise no spirituall life and that all is slipped and vanished away If Sainct Paule had stayed there surely those wretched people had bin driuen to confusion and vtter despaire Therefore to giue them courage to returne againe he sayth Go too truly ye haue profited very ill hitherto but enter new againe into the right way and let that which seemeth to be starke dead bring foorth new frute againe and let it be perceiued that your protesting too walke according to the Gospell heeretofore hath not bin vayne For like as if a tree bee as good as dead and seeme to be vtterly withered it wil spring againe if a man put new earth to the roote of it and cherish it so will it fall out that a man which is quite strayed away from the Gospell shall not only bee as it were eftsoones begotten new againe if hee bee brought backe agayne into the way but also the thing that hee had receiued afore shal do him good as is to be seene wheresoeuer God giueth the grace too bring those backe againe intoo the right way which were strayed from it But surely that happeneth not too all men and therefore let vs beware that wee abuse not Gods goodnesse as many of these skoffers do whiche turne away as though they had confederated themselues with Satan whereof we see examples in these folke that defyle and vnhalow themselues and deface Gods truth to the vttermost of their power And if any man turne away through vnconstancie it seemeth that all is marred and some will say what shall a man win by teaching of them behold he is but a lost child and so they will conclude that there is not one drop of good knowledge in them But if God call them agayne as there are many such examples to be seene a man shall find that the thing which was as good as choked ouerwhelmed before sprouteth againe like as if dung were cast vpon a well tilled grounde or as if dust and such other things were strowed vpon it that which is vnderneath it shoulde lye hid for a time but afterward it woulde shoote vp againe This in effect is the thing that Sainct Paule ment to tell vs heere But by the we way we haue to marke that whereas hee saith that Iesus Christ shall be fashioned in them new agayne it is meant condicionally that they returne vnder his obeysance Surely thys saying might seeme somewhat harsh at the first sight for we be rather fashioned in Iesus Christ than he in vs. For proofe whereof beholde Iesus Christ is our full and whole perfection Now too say that he is nurrished in vs as a little babe or that he groweth or is furthered is not seemely for hys persone Neuerthelesse Sainct Paule saith so howbeit that is but too shew the vnion that is betwixt vs and Iesus Christ our head Although then that Iesus Christ can neither increace nor diminish in himselfe yet doth hee take all our faultes and infirmities vppon him I haue told you already that we are then borne in him when we bee called too the hope of saluation by the doctrine of the Gospell for wee bee all dead and damned in Adam There is but one meane of lyfe whych is to be made one with our Lorde Iesus Christ who is the fountaine that hath all fulnesse in it and whereoutof it behoueth vs too drawe Then we are borne in Iesus Christ as I sayd afore so doth hee suckle vs with the doctrine of his Gospell till we bee able too receiue perfecter learning and till our faith be so farre forward that wee resemble little babes no more but increace still in profiting more and more till we be come to mans age as Sainct Paule sayth in the fourth to the Ephesians Furthermore to the end wee may know that oure Lorde Iesus Christ intendeth not to bee separated from vs but that he and we be all one hee sayth that hee taketh our faultes vppon him and becommeth as a little babe in vs. How so Can Iesus Christ be weake No not in respect of hymselfe but for asmuch as we bee members of his body hee sayth he is little in vs in respect of the little knowledge of hym whiche wee haue And for asmuch as we proceede still further and further he saith also that hee groweth and is increased in vs. Lo heere a record of excellent goodnesse yea of the infinite goodnesse of Gods sonne in that it pleaseth him so to abace himselfe as not onely too haue compassion and pitie of our infirmities too releeue them and remedie them but also transformeth himselfe and is contented too say that he is as it were vnperfect and as a little babe and that hee groweth greater and greater according too the continuall increasing of our fayth And heere ye see also why in another place Sainct Paule calleth the Churche the fulnesse of God and of his sonne our Lord Iesus Christe But surely if we imagine that God is not throughly full and perfect in himselfe but that he hath neede too borrow of vs it is ranke trayterousnesse for what are wee able to gyue vnto him VVhen hee shall haue gathered vs all before him what can he find in vs but vtter miserie For we bee plunged yea and vtterly saped in it Yet notwithstanding he telleth vs by the mouth of Sainct Paule that we be his accomplishment and that in that respect he is after a sort imperfect Not that he could not bee without vs. for he hath bin always euerlastingly before he had created the world And although there were nother heauen nor earth could not God be satisfyed with himselfe VVere hee nor riche ynough of his owne glory Yes surely but he will not be perfect nor fully satisfyed til he haue vs knit in one with him Thus ye see what we haue to marke vpon this text And by this word Fashion we be warned that it not ynough for vs to haue some slight knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ but that he must be so liuely shaped in vs to the full as we may haue suche a print of his power of all his graces and of all his benefytes grauen in our harts as may neuer bee blotted out or defaced againe He sayd heeretofore that when the Gospell is preached with suche efficacie as belongs vnto it Iesus Christ is after a sort crucifyed among vs in somuch that wee not only see him peinted liuely afore vs but it is asmuch as if wee saw him vpon the Crosse with his bloud streaming downe as though he were presently offering vp
the Gospell was persecuted there and that that Diuelish dungeon hath bin defiled with the bloud of the martirs as it were to prouoke gods wrath and too confederate it self too fight against the truthe and as much â–ª as may be to abolish the name and remembrance of our Lord Iesus Christ Behold heere all the woorthinesse of Rome But now admit that they had the recordes which the Citie of Ierusalem had whereof not withstanding they finde not one sillable in the holy Scripture It is not sayd that God will reygne or haue any dwelling in the Citie of Rome nor that it shoulde bee named the moother church nor haue any other dignitie or preheminence at all In deede Sainct Paule sayeth that the faith of the Romanes yet they were then but a handfull of people was at that time knowen euerywhere euen to their great renowme For yee must not thinke that those whiche bare the swoorde there were the Christians but they were a fewe folke gatherd togither in couert Those dooth S. Paule prayse and coÌ„mend but yet doth it not follow that the Church was ouer all the whole towne of Rome notwithstanding whatsoeuer it were wee see what happened too Ierusalem Sainct Paule telleth vs that it differed not from Agar or Sinay which is an vnholy and defiled place so that the holynesse thereof was vtterly done away bycause it continued not in the pure doctrine of the Gospell Therefore wee may conclude that suche as haue bin neerest vntoo God and too whome he hath communicated himselfe moste familiarly shall bee shaken off as straungers if they abyde not in the purenesse of the truth which is the vnseparable bande whereby wee bee made one with our God But surely wee see that now adayes the pure doctrine of our Lord Iesus Christ is not onely shaken off troden vnder foote despyzed skorned at Rome but also cruelly persecuted with fire â—â—ord finally that there is no religion at all there For that place is so full of filth and lewdenesse that if a man go thither it is a wonder that euer he should returne with any feare of God or with any good seede in him VVee see then that it is as a dungeon of hell and would God that they which haue bin there had rather brokeÌ„ their neckes than lifted vp a foote to go thither For we see presently that the countrie of Fraunce hath bin infected with all vngodlinesse by it so that the moste part of them are become no better than hogges and dogges hauing lesse religion in them than brute beasts But yet as I haue touched heretofore wee bee warned hereby too walke in feare and warinesse and too take good heede that we be not bereft depriued of the benefite which wee haue receyued if we abuse it least God poure out his horrible wrath vppon vs and wee become as a mirrour and patterne of reproche after the maner of Ierusalem whiche S. Paule doth heere set vpon the scaffold not withstanding that it had bin so highly honored before Furthermore let vs marke that vnder the figure of Abraham God doth heere shewe himselfe a father too all his and so ye see we bee begotten of God so as wee haue roume in his Church But yet is it not ynough for vs too call vpon God as our father except we be rightly begotten againe by the incorruptible seede which is vnto vs as a pledge of euerlasting lyfe and saluation If it be asked how then is it possible that wee should bee begotten of God and yet notwithstanding be as it were a bastardseede The answere is that wee by our owne vice and naughtinesse doo marre Gods seede whiche is his woorde for so is it named by S. Peter But it is certaine that in respect that the woorde proceedeth from God it contayneth in it self nothing but all goodnesse And againe we see what purenesse shyneth there howe that all the treasures of Gods rightuousnesse mercie goodnesse are vttered there Thus then you see what maner of thing Gods woord is and what is the nature thereof Neuerthelesse when we corrupt it and falsifie it by our own fancies and make a minglemangle of it we may still be takeÌ„ for Gods children howbeit we shall be but as bastard children as shal be declared more at large by Gods leaue after dinner For then will S. Paule declare that although Ismaell were the eldest Sonne yet was he in the ende driuen out of the house wherein he had taken the chiefe roome vpon him howbeit that he was but a bastard and also borne of a bondwoman Then let vs marke that we must not onely be begotten by Gods woord into a pure fayth and God by his holy spirit inlighten vs that we may know his will according as he witnesseth it vnto vs. For if we chaunge his woord after our owne fancie and disguyze it truly it may be called Gods seede still but yet is it not so in deede what soeuer wee make of it bicause it abideth not in his own soundnesse And heere ye see the cause why so many do now adayes falsly name themselues Christians according as the Papistes will well ynough confesse that they beleeue in God and that they bee contented too hold themselues too the holy Scripture But yet for all that it is apparant that they bee vtterly peruerted and that as touching the Scripture whereas they ought too receyue it with all reuerence they turne it too their owne lyking yea and make a mockage and scoffe of it and as I sayd erewhyles they spewe out this blasphemie agaynst it that it is a noze of waxe and that menne may turne it which way they list and moreouer it is apparant that they haue turmoyled all things by their owne forgeries For what else doo men call Gods seruis in poperie but the things that men haue sette downe of their owne brayne There is no mention of ruling themselues by Gods coÌ„maundement and ordinance God must be thrust out of his place and men take vpoÌ„ them that which belongeth vnto him chalendging authoritie too bring folkes consciences into bondage and to make what lawes they thinke good But that is to villanous and outrageous a corruption On the other side wheÌ„ce doo the Papistes draw the Articles of their fayth euen out of their owne decrees for they recke not too drawe any resolution out of the holy Scripture So then they passe not a whit what is in the holy Scripture but if any thing be agreed vpoÌ„ and receyued by common opinion that is as an Oracle from heauen with them And wee see also that when they intend to proue any of their toyes the first reason that they make is that it is receyued and that antiquitie ought to preuayle as who woulde say that there were any prescription in the matter and therevpon they pull out certaine textes of the Scripture by the heares of the head and these must also help forward the matter But
why For he beareth with vs as a father with his childrē That therfore is the freedom wherein we must stand except we wil be separated frō our lord Iesus Christ For as I haue sayd alreadie if we beleeue not assuredly that God loueth vs though we be vnworthie of it and that his louing of vs is bycause our sinnes are buryed by the death and passion of oure Lord Iesus Christ what will become of vs what shal Iesus Christe boote vs Ageyn if we be in doubt and vnquietnesse not knowing whether God accept our seruice or no and therwithall be bounde to the keeping of this or that at mennes appoyntment the intangling of our selues in so many debatyngs will neuer suffer vs too haue any rest Neyther is it without cause that Saint Paule hauing exhorted the faythfull to continue in the freedome that was purchased them so dearly addeth that Iesus Christe shall not profite them at all vnlesse they know the thing that he hath purchased for them and suffer not themselues to be in any wise bereft of it by men Nowe we see heere that the freedome which Sainct Paule speaketh of is not to giue vs leaue to doo what we our selues thinke good as though he layd the reynes of the brydle vpon our necke and that will he also protest in place conuenient Then intendeth he none other thing than that we might serue God quietly without greef of mind without constreint and without any continuall tormenting of our selues with diuersitie of debatings doubtfull scruples as wee see the vnbeleeuers do namely such as haue not their trust wholly settled vpon our Lord Iesus Christ Therfore besides that which hath bin sayd alredie we haue to mark further that the end of that freedome is too bee able too carie a cheerfull and quiet minde before God For without that wee shall neuer haue the hart to obey him but wee shall alwayes bee in trouble and not bee able too call vppon hym which is the cheefe seruice that he demaundeth and alloweth of VVe see thē that this matter concerneth the cheef point of oure welfare if it bee well vnderstoode VVhen wee speake now a dayes of Christen libertie the Papistes say wee go aboute too abolishe all the ordinances and traditions of the Churche and that we passe not what commeth 〈◊〉 so euery man may liue as he listeth to eate flesh on all dayes alike without let and to despise all other such ordinances But their saying so is bycause they neuer knew that it is no obeying of God vnlesse it be done with an vnconstreyned will For let the Papistes be throughly sifted all the packe of them yea euen the deuoutest of them and it is certayne that they chafe vppon the bitte when they tyre and ouerlabour themselues most to serue God For all that euer they do is but vnwillingly and if they could plucke their heads out of the collar they would full fayne do it Furthermore when they haue toyled after that fashion in their fond deuotions they beare themselues in hand that God ought to like well of it And if a man tell them that they cannot do any thyng that God shoulde accept and furthermore that although their works were good yet they deserue not aught before hym ye shall see them spew out their poyson as they do and fall to blaspheming of God vnlesse yee beleeue them that they be able to worke wonders by their owne merites Howsoeuer the cace stand they are neuer able to know and to tast what it is to obey God For why they vnderstand not what it is too bee quiet namely that it is an vnconstreyned offering of their dooings vnto God with a free hart and an assuring of themselues that he accepteth the same euen bycause he handleth them gently and beareth with them as with his children The Papists know not this and therefore it is not too be wondered at though they thinke it straunge that we should striue for that freedome for they wote not what it meeneth But yet doth not Sainct Paule speake it without cause and by those words we see how precious that libertie is and that it is not a thing to be despised For Iesus Christ did not iest in hys death and passion when he offered vp himselfe vnto God hys father but wrought a worke that in excellencie and worthinesse passeth the creation of heauen and earth Now if Sainct Paule bring in this libertie for an excellent frute purchaced to vs by the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ it must needes followe that it is a high and precious thyng And to the intent wee may conceyue what the nature and power of it is wee must learne too gather in ourselues vnto God when wee bee spoken to of it As for example if we be commanded or enioyned of necessitie too do such a thing or such a thing very well the doing thereof too the worldward hindereth not our freedome before God for the thynges that concerne common policie may bee bidden or forbidden bycause that otherwise they might turne too the hurt of the common weale or else such things may be expedient and thē must one of vs serue anothers turne in common Therefore let vs haue a regard of the things that concerne the policie bycause it behoueth vs to be knit and vnited togither and to haue suche an onement among vs that euery of vs serue his neighbours turne and none of vs be addicted to himselfe But when the cace concerneth the spirituall libertie then must euery of vs draw home into himselfe too consider the nature and propertie thereof Euery of vs say I must draw home himselfe as it were before God For our account is too be made to the heauenly iudge and therefore it behoueth vs too enter into ourselues to say thus How may I present my self before Gods iudgement seate If my life come to be tried by the lawe wo worth me For I am giltie after so many sorts yea euen withoute number that if I should suffer a Million of deaths it were too little for the offences that I haue committed Neuerthelesse God will be fauourable to me and take me to mercy for our Lord Iesus Christs sake and when I resort to him I may come with my head bolt vpright as hauing my quits est and cleere discharge which was gyuen me in the sacrifise that he offered vp for vs bycause that therein hee hath made full satisfaction for me and set me at full libertie Marke this for one point that I must serue God and it is good reason that I should dedicate my life vnto him But at which end shall I begin I cannot bring such perfection as is requisite no nor the hundreth part of it Yet for all that God beareth with me and ceasseth not to take the things in good worth which are vnperfect and weake yea sinful too And why doth he so Bycause he admitteth me as one of his children for our Lord
too lay the brydle looce in our necke that wee might fall a scoterloping and playe the wylde beastes so as God shoulde not tame vs but rather too the intent wee shoulde repayre vntoo him with a good courage to obey him freely For if wee were not sure that he taketh vs for his children and beareth with vs so gently that the things whiche are nothing woorth are taken in good woorth at his hand for the fatherly loue which he beareth vs surely wee shall doo nothing but gnashe our teeth when wee intende too serue God But if wee bee persuaded that God casteth such a fauour towardes vs that although wee be full of infirmities and cannot doo any thing that may deserue too bee well lyked at his hande yet hee accepteth vs for our Lorde Iesus Christes sake must it not needes giue vs courage as thoughe our sayle were set vp and wee had the winde on our sterne Therefore it is certaine that our heartes must needes runne swiftly as a shippe that hath the full winde vppon hir sayles when wee knowe that wee are in Gods fauour and that hee accepteth our woorkes and intendeth not too bynde vs too any bondage but is contented too take vs for his children and accepteth oure willingnesse too obey his Now then when we be once sure of that we may serue our God with the better courage and bicause wee bee grounded vppon his grace it will cheere vs in suche wise as wee shall offer him the sacrifice of prayse and â—â—rayer assuring oure selues that hee wyll heere vs and therevppon yeelde hym thankes for that so great and inestimable benefyte which hee communicateth vnto vs euerie day Nowe let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowlegement of our faultes praying him to vouchsafe to make vs so to feele them as it may humble vs truely and make vs yeelde our selues wholly to our Lorde Iesus Christ and that when we be once come vnto him we may persist in the fayth of his Gospell without swaruing asyde in any wise and that he may so sustein vs in our infirmities as wee notwithstanding may be touched with true repentance too sigh and grone before him till hee haue taken vs out of this mortall bodye wherein wee bee hilde in prison vnder the bondage of sinne And so let vs all say Almightie God our heauenly father c. The. 32. Sermon which is the seconde vpon the fifth Chapter 4 Christ is become vnprofitable to you to all of you that are iustified by the Lavve and you bee falne from grace 5 For vve in spirite doo vvayte by fayth for the hope of Rightuousnesse 6 For neyther Circumcision nor vncircumcision is any thing woorth in Iesus Christ but fayth that vvorketh by loue WE haue seene heretofore that such as wil make a partnership betwene their owne workes and Gods grace do fouly ouershoot theÌ„selues for as soone as we come to reckening God must needes iudge vs with rygour Then if we go about too get his fauour and to purchace our saluation by our owne woorkes we must performe Lawe to the vttermoste without any missing But nowe let vs see if euer man discharged him 〈◊〉 so perfectly Surely we come verie farre short of it Therefore we must come emptie vnto God that hee may receyue vs too mercie and impute vnto vs the obedience of oure Lorde Iesus Christ auowing it in suche wise as wee lay asyde all our owne deseruings and bring not any thing of the Lawe with vs saue onely a single and pure confession that wee bee damned and forlorne till God pitie vs and burying all our faultes and transgressions do cloth and apparell vs againe with the rightuousnesse of our Lorde Iesus Christ his sonne And for that cause doth Saint Paule conclude heere that such as will iustifie themselues by the lawe are falne from grace and Iesus Christ shall profite them not thing at all If is not for nought that hee speaketh after that maner For the false packers that had partly corrupted the doctrine of the Gospell in the Church of the Galathians ment too mingle the one with the other that is to wit that Iesus Christ is giuen vs to supplie our wantes and yet notwithstanding that wee ceasse not to be rightuous in part by indeuering to do well For they did not vtterly renounce our Lord Iesus Christ neither sayd they that all the promises wherein God telleth vs that he wil of his goodnesse forgiue the faithful their sinnes are deceyt and mockerie but their intent was that men should labor to iustifie theÌ„selues that is to say to purchase fauour at Gods hand by their owne workes And forasmuch as wee be farre from perfection they ment that Iesus Christ should supply it as a second remedie that was their surmize Likewise nowadayes in Poperie they will not with opeÌ„ mouth vtter this blasphemie that Iesus Christ serueth vs to none other purpose but too teach vs the will of God his father they will afoorde to say that he hath redeemed vs and purchased the ground of deseruing for vs for he hath opened vs the gate of Paradice too enter in at and also that his death and passion do dayly profite vs too reconcile vs vntoo God dayly when wee haue offended him But howsoeuer the worlde go they will haue vs too deserue or earne the kingdome of heauen in parts and to redeeme our sinnes by diuerse meanes and thereof sprang all their satisfactions and finally that if a man cannot performe all during his life the rest shall bee fulfilled in Purgatorie Thus yee see howe Iesus Christ hath but halfe a place with them in receyuing vs vnto God and 〈◊〉 in the meane while they shoulder him in such wise that freewill merites workes of supererogation or ouerplus as they terme them and suche like things runne away at leastwise with the one half of our saluation But S. Paule telleth vs that God liketh no such partenership For either we must bring such a full performance of the Lawe as God may be contented with or else yeeld our selues giltie If there bee neuer so little a fault all the residue deserueth nothing at all For as I haue declared God promiseth not saluation too such as doo him halfe seruis or too such as serue him after a sorte but to such as keepe his Lawe throughout He that dooth all the things shall liue and contrarywise he that performeth not all shall bee cursed But it is so that no man dooth the things that are required and commaunded in the Law For what good zele or will soeuer wee haue too serue God there is alwayes much feeblenesse in vs and wee go too him halting and make many false steppes yea and oftentimes wee happen to steppe aside and too go astray and so are wee all shet out from the promis of saluation as in respect of our own workes and the curse wayteth for vs which we cannot escape For who is so
he be shaken downe and too continue alwayes stedfast in the thing which wee knowe too bee of our God whatsoeuer this man or that man doo babble or prate Yee see then that the thing whiche Sainct Paule ment is that wee shoulde not one of vs looke at another lyke sheepe which leape one after another intoo a riuer or a pit when one is leapt in afore them or lyke Cranes and other byrdes that flie all on a rowe one after another no wee may not doo so but wee muste alwayes bee constant without swaruing aside from the woorde of God Marke that for one poynt But aboue all things Sainct Paule telleth vs that wee muste not bee dazeled at mennes gay showes when they peruert Gods pure truthe vnder colour of their owne skill but that when wee see them too haue no regarde of any thing nor religion no feare of God no awe yea and that sometymes they bee woorse than paste shame so that if they once come so farre foreward as too get the Lawe in their owne handes they passe for noman but do after a sorte spit euen in Gods face I say when wee see them become suche Monsters wee muste wayt that God should execute his iustice vpon them and shew how much store he setteth by the soules which he hath bought so deerly And that is the cause why he addeth purposely whosoeuer he bee For heere he intended too deface all the gay titles whereof men vaunt themselues in setting vp their bristles against God Like as at this day whereas the Pope turneth Gods truthe vpside downe and through Diuelish pryde mingleth and mangleth all things yet notwithstanding he ceasseth not too call himselfe the Seruant of Gods Seruantes the Successor of Iesus Christ and the Vicar of Sainct Peter The Bishops also suppose themselues too haue a very lawfull tytle to suppresse all knowledge of the truth in naming themselues Prelates But Sainct Paule telleth vs heere that when men are so disguyzed they bee but Idolles for all that and God is vnchangeable and altereth nother his nature nor his minde Then sith it is so although men were exalted too the third heauen yet ought wee too take them for starke Diuelles if they go about to mingle aught at al of their owne deuizing with the pure simplicitie of Gods woord To bee short we see heere all worthâ—â—esse of man beaten downe when the obedience of fayth commeth in presence True it is that in ciuill caces there hath alwayes bin superioritie but yet muste God not withstanding gouerne stil by his woord and his seruis must be ruled thereby that our fayth may be wholly conformable therevnto and though all the world should set it self against it and heape vp neuer so huge and high mountaynes of most excellent titles euen vp too the cloudes all must be hild but as smoke yea and as filth and dung Thus yee see in effect what Sainct Paule ment to say Yet doth he it not too excuse the Galathians of their vnaduized ouershooting of themselues but too giue them courage to returne vnto God There are many too bee seene now adayes which thinke themselues to bee scaped out of Gods hands and too be quite discharged when they can say that their Prelates and Shepeherdes haue taught them so But S. Paule admitteth no such excuce but sayeth that the way for them to scape the damnatioÌ„ that is prepared for the deceyuers is to returne to Gods pure truth not to refuze to be brought backe againe though they haue swarued from it for a time And herewithall also for a coÌ„clusion he doth vs to vnderstand how deere our saluatioÌ„ is to God and how great store he setteth by it For whereof coÌ„meth that which S. Paule sayeth heere namely that all such as trouble the Churche shall giue a reckening of it and bee ouerwhelmed at Gods hand but of that wee be his heritage and he taketh all his pleasure in vs as in them whom he hath chozen and adopted and for that we be as it were his accomplishment as S. Paule termeth vs Seing it is so let vs learne to trust in God seing he hath so fatherly care of our saluation And so let vs learne to put from vs all false doctrine constantly and with such stoutnesse as we ought to do For wee see that God is chafed and moued too anger telling vs that he will neuer pardon those that haue so troubled his For asmuch then as wee see that God powreth out his indignatioÌ„ vpon them that haue troubled his Churche let vs haue a zele answereable therevnto and let vs abhorre all false doctrines And when wee see men desirous of nothing but too sowe some troubles let vs take them as our mortall enemies let vs make warre valiantly agaynst them and let vs fight too the vttermost for the truth of our God assuring our selues that that is the thing wherein lieth all our happinesse Thus yee see in effect what we haue to gather vpon this streyne And so for asmuch as God hath once called vs too him and ceasseth not to pricke vs forward dayly by exhortations let vs hold vs vnder his obedience And although we see many troubles dissentions and debates in the world yet let vs alwayes sticke stedfastly to the truth which cannot deceyue vs. And for asmuch as we may be soone seduced and deceyued let vs pray God too giue vs wisedome and discretion and also let vs giue diligent eare to his woord as whiche is able to strengthen vs against all Satans illusioÌ„s and let vs no more be led too daunce after other mennes pypes as S. Paule warneth vs in the end of this Epistle Seing then that we haue the meane which God hath stablished too holde vs alwayes too bee of his house and Church let vs stand stedfast therein And if we happen too bee turned aside through the foolishnesse and vnaduizednesse of our flesh let vs by and by herken to the warnings that are giuen vs heere let vs mourne for our faults and when wee haue mourned let vs serue our God knowing that he is euer readie too receyue vs. And although we see neuer so great a number of despyzers and worldlings which ceasse not to corrupt and peruert the doctrine of the Gospel yea and too bee vtterly sotted in their corruptions although I say that we see such stumblingblockes yet let vs take good heede that vnder the colour thereof we be not turned away vnto wickednesse and so be wrapped in the same damnation with them for following of their steppes but let vs go forward to the saluation that is set afore vs and wherevnto God prouoketh vs dayly to come Now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgmeÌ„t of our faults praying him to make vs feele theÌ„ more more therwithall to beare with our infirmities till he haue rid vs quite and cleane of theÌ„ and clothed vs againe with the purenesse of his
to our God and to frame our selues more and more in his feare yet notwithstaÌ„ding that in the meane while we shall not haue any towel of flatterie before our eies to blind our selues withall but we shal be hartily sory coÌ„fessing our selues to be excedingly indetted vnto him and yet neuerthelesse aspiring stil to the perfection wherevnto we must go onward all the time of our life and therwithal acknowledging that we are all forlorne and damned vnlesse that he of his infinite goodnesse do beare with vs for our Lorde Iesus Christes sake But now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknoledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them more and more so as wee may not onely confesse them with our mouth but also be touched with such true repentance and pure zeale as we may indeuer to giue our selues wholly vnto him and to cut off all the superfluities that are in vs and as the same may cause vs to frame our selues to his holy wil and to serue him in such vnion and concord that we may be giueÌ„ to magnifie him with one hart and with one mouth thereby shewing that we be rightly knit vnto him in the adoption which he sheweth vs by his Gospel wherby he sheweth himselfe to be our father as faine as we would be his true children And therfore let vs al say Almightie God our heaueÌ„ly c. The .xxxvj. Sermon which is the sixt vpon the fifth Chapter 19 The vvorkes of the fleshe are manifest vvhich are these Aduoutrie vvhoredome vncleannesse loocenesse 20 Idolatrie poysoning enmitie strife spiting vvrath quarelling sedition â—â—ectes 21 Enuie murther drunkennesse gluttonie and such like of vvhich I tell you aforehande as I haue tolde you heretofore that they vvhich doo suche things shal not inherit the kingdome of God 22 But the fruit of the spirit is loue ioy peace patientnesse gentlenesse goodnesse faythfulnesse 23 Meekenesse temperance agaynst such things there is no lavve WEe haue seene this morning that men are condemned before God so as there commeth nothing of them but vtter filthinesse infection Now if God bee the rule of all perfection then of necessitie all that is contrarie to his nature word must needs be starke naught But it is certain that the flesh is at coÌ„tinuall war agaynst the spirit Therfore therein it is declared that so long as meÌ„ follow their owne swinge they be deadly enemies too God all theyr lyfe long Seeing it is so we must needes conclude that there is nothing in vs but vtter lewdnesse and sinfulnesse Nowe when we heere such sentence giuen of vs we ought to be vtterly abashed For it is the definitiue senteÌ„ce of the heauenly iudge against which there lieth no appeale and againe Gods speaking is with effect Therefore seeing he hath pronounced that we be wicked and froward by nature he will immediatly do his office So then we must come to account before him but we see that men are so sotted either in their hypocrisie or in their selfweening that they passe not of prouoking Gods wrath agaynst them For euerie man flattereth and fodeth himselfe in hys vices insomuch that we caÌ„ neuer be drawne to a true acknowledgement of our sinnes but by force And it is euident that our doing of it is with windlasses and bystarts and which more is we become so shamelesse that wee seeke fonde shifts and excuses as though they could help vs before God Therfore it is not ynough for vs to heere generally the sentence of condeÌ„nation vpoÌ„ vs but God must be fain to discouer our lewdnesse that wâ—â—â—ay be ashamed of it â— and moreouer to specifie point with his finger the vices that are apparant and notorious before meÌ„ And that is the cause why S. Paule hauing said this morning that men in all their thoughts affectioÌ„s do fight against God addeth this declaration which we haue now presently heard as though he brought forth the fruites to the ende that men might thereby iudge what the tree is bicause the roote which is the cheef thing lieth hid TheÌ„ like as the tree is knowne by his fruits so also the sinfulnesse that reigneth in vs and in our nature is founde out by the workes that come of it And so we see why S. Paul addeth here that the workes of the flesh are manifest As if he should say men shet their eies that they may not perceiue their owne naughtinesse and beare themselues in hande that there is nothing but vertue in them when notwithstanding their vices are so huge and excessiue as they be readie to burst with them when they haue pleaded their best sought al the starting holes that caÌ„ be wheÌ„ they haue wrung their mouth awry turkined things neuer so much yet must they in the end come to this point that our life crieth out loude shirle what we be Therfore the works of the flesh are all manifest So then this is inough to disproue such as would faine cloke theÌ„selues vse painting as though they were not giltie before God Truth it is that S. Paul doth not make here a ful beadrol of al the vices that god coÌ„demneth in his law but only setteth forth some examples wherby a maÌ„ may easily iudge of al the rest For he must haue made a loÌ„g processe if he had intended to haue made such a reckning vp of theÌ„ but this was inough that such as wene to gain by their hipocrisie might be coÌ„uicted here as ye see they be And for the better vnderstaÌ„ding hereof we haue to mark breefly which is the rule wherby to walk in obedience towards god according to the. 2. of Tit. wher it is said that gods grace appeered to the ende we should lead a holy conuersation here beneath in this world in modestie rightuousnes wayting for the hope of the life that is promised vs for the comming of the great Sauior which must gather vs vp to himselfe into the kingdom of heaueÌ„ Ye see theÌ„ that the thing wherein christians must exercise themselues wherto they must wholly apply themselues is first to know that they haue not their euerlasting rest heritage here but that the worlde is but as a strange Countrey wherethrough they must passe and therefore that they must alwayes haue their eyes lifted vp to heauenwarde That is the chiefe poynt But that cannot be done but the faythfull must needes therewithall call vpon God and resort wholly vnto him And as touching theyr life Saint Paule sayeth that it hath three things in it namely holynesse that wee serue God soundly and substancially with a pure heart vtterly renouncing all the vnclennesse of this worlde That is the first point The seconde is that wee must not bee wanton and vnhonest but that we must leade an honest life The thirde is that we wrong no man nor vse any deceyte or crueltie but that we indeuer to do our neighbor good
if a man aske them go too what is the world They will say it is a shadowe that slippeth away And what is our life It is nothing And what are the goodes of this worlde They be but a dreame All of them will say thus much and yet neuerthelesse they bee so rauished as a man cannot tell how to plucke them from it and the Diuell holdeth them as it were bewitched so that God crieth out at their eares wretched men where are you and yet they go on still too plundge themselues deeper in the quamyre And although they knowe well ynough that all their lustes are nothing that this life slippeth swiftly froÌ„ them yet will they needes bee wedded to it still Although then that God doo crie too these vnaduized folke to bring them intoo the right way yet are they so dulled that they cannot obey â—â—â—er the Counsell nor the warnings whiche they heere Thus yeeree why S. Paule sayeth that suche as haue sowen after that maner shall of the fleshe reape corruption But they sayeth he which sowe to the spirit that is to say whiche know that there is a much preciouser life than this wherein we bee and set their whole affection and minde therevpon shal reape of the spirit euerlasting life That is to say bycause they haue bin gouerned by Gods spirit and haue labored to come vnto him and too bee knit to him therefore is their reward also ready for them Now heere first of all wee bee warned to thinke better vpon all our thoughtes doings attempts wishes and indeuers and to consider well too what end they tend For this similitude shall alwayes be found true that we do then sowe when we apply our labour or trauell to any thing Therfore let vs looke well to our selues and consider that although God will haue vs to gather Corne and wyne in this worlde for the sustenance of our bodies yet notwithstanding he calleth vs yet higher and will not haue vs to be hild still heere VVherefore let vs learne to seeke first that God may reigne and beare rule so as we may yeeld our selues wholly to him and his rightuousnesse and that the care of this transitorie life dull vs not as I haue sayd afore but but that it may be as an income to the principall wherevnto we must go that is to say to the kingdome of God To be short let vs consider that God hath put vs into this world to sowe that is to say not to be idle nor vnoccupied And how Truely the Ministers of Gods woord ought to sowe to the end to gather in such a haruest as they may offer vp to God as an holy offering And their sowing is too teach faithfully to the end that Gods woord may bring forth frute and his name be glorified and blissed accordingly as our Lord Iesus Christ sayd to his Apostles I haue chozen you to the end you should go and bring forth abundance of frute and such frute as shall last for euer The ministers then haue this peculiar to themselues howbeit all of vs in common must sowe to eternall lyfe that is to say wee must passe through this worlde as straungers lifting vp our mindes to the heritage where wee should rest and wherevnto also it behoueth vs to apply all our indeuer And euen when wee trauell for the sustenance of our bodies let it be alwayes with tending to the sayde marke according as it is sayd that we must not liue to eate 〈…〉 but eate and drinke to the end to be conueyed to another life and that our liuing in this world is not to settle heere but to atteyne to a higher thing that is to say to the heauenly life Sith it is so whensoeuer any man buzieth himselfe to get his liuing whither it bee by tillage or by some handicraft or by trade of merchandise or howsoeuer it bee in all the cares that wee take for ourselues or for our housholdes let vs alwayes shoote at a higher mark For surely it is a naughtie thing if a man buzie himself but only about the getting of his liuing and haue no regard of Gods seruice For in the getting of his liuing he ought too consider thus with himselfe Howe will God allow of my dooyng How will he accept my seruice Truely that will he doo if I walke not after myne own lustes if I looke that I doo no man wrong and if I buzie my selfe faythfully about the thing that I am bounde too doo This I say is the way for vs too sowe that is too wit that wee bee not wedded to the worlde nor hilde downe heere beneathe but that wee may alwayes mount vpwarde too the lyfe of heauen Now then let vs looke well vppon the meane of sowing after that sorte that is to wit of sowing too the spirit sayth Sainct Paule VVherefore let vs consider that wee bee not as Asses and Oxen that toyle and labour and afterwarde doo eate and drinke and are fed as reason and good right require but that God hath adopted vs too come to the life of heauen Therefore let vs sowe to the spirit and cut off all that may hinder our mounting vpward let vs shake them off as hurtfull things and assure our selues that al such as labor to get reputation in this world shall in the end finde themselues disappointed VVhy so For they shall see plainly that it is but corruption VVhen he that shal haue gathered great abundance of goods commeth vnto death he hath so much the more greef bycause he made this world his paradise Therefore he then gnasheth his teeth at God and he stormeth and tormenteth himselfe much more than if he had not takeÌ„ so much peynes to gather Thus ye see that such as haue sowed in the flesh perceiue at length that they haue sowed to corruption bicause they gather nothing else but corruption but it is all to late and therfore let vs bethink ourselues And although we 〈…〉 men beguile themsâ—â—â—s and too make their reckening that it is a happie life to haue all thing that they wishe as commonly euerie man is ruled by his owne lyking although wee see men storme after that fashion let vs learne to do otherwise consider that God calleth vs to an euerlasting life which he setteth coÌ„tinually before vs by his Gospel Let vs set our whole mindes vpoÌ„ that and let al our intents desires tend thitherward let vs indeuer to profit more more in the doctrine of saluation that he may lift vs vp and drawe vs hence from beneath according also as S. Paule sayth when he telleth vs what the weapons of Christenfolke are making the doctrine of the Gospell to bee our shooes For it standeth vs on hand to be armed from top too toe or else wee should soone be wounded with the assaultes that are giuen vnto vs in this world After he hath declared this say I he sayth that the Gospell must lift vs vp and drawe
vs from the corruptions wherein wee be plunged so as wee may atteine too the kingdome of God wherevnto he calleth vs. Ye see theÌ„ what we haue to beare in mind Now as touching that S. Paule saith that they which haue sowed in the spirit shall reape euerlasting lyfe he meaneth not that wee in so doyng deserue so woorthie and excellent a thing as the kingdome of heauen is but he sheweth that the faithful hauing knowen their owne calling shall neuer fynd themselues deceyued though they seeme wretched too the worldward VVee know that God adopteth vs of his owne free goodnesse that is the groundworke of our saluation He forgyueth vs our sinnes and that is our ryghtuousnesse For if he shoulde consider vs in our owne nature he coulde not but cast vs away as lothsome and accursed So can we fynde no grace at his hande excepte he admitte vs of hys owne free goodnesse And wee knowe also that our workes are euermore vnperfect and blemished with some vyce so as they cannot be accepted of God VVee are sure that when we should go about too serue him and to doo good oftentymes wee go cleane backeward so that we are euermore in his daunger But howsoeuer the world go when God hath once adopted vs to bee his children buried all our sinnes and shewed that he lyketh well of our seruice though it be vnperfect then declareth he further addeth as an ouerplus that we shal not be deâ—â—â—ed in dedicating our 〈◊〉 vnto him and in laboring for the heauenly life It is true that men wyll laugh vs to scorne Behold these fondlings say they see how they martyr themselues And wherfore for the kingdome of heauen And who hath brought them tydings of that It is I wote not what a kinde of Religion that beguileth these folke and in the meane while they be poore outcastes in whom there is neither corage nor any thing else According whereuntoo wee see now adayes that such as stand vppon their reputation do rayle vppon vs saying as for these wretched sillie soules what thinke they to doo Lo how wee bee scoffed at bycause wee couet not too aduaunce ourselues nor too bee in reputation of the world Although then that wee bee so scorned let vs gyue eare too the promise that is made vs heere which is that if wee followe our vocation simply wee shall perceiue that God who hath begonne is faythfull and that hys intent of winning vs vntoo him is our souereyne welfare and that he not only seeketh our profit in al respectes but also will through his infinite goodnesse shewe himselfe a father and Sauiour towards vs. VVherefore let vs streyne our selues too the vttermost too come vntoo him let vs dedicate ourselues wholly to him and let vs giue ouer all worldly things that may hinder our comming vnto him I say let vs giue them all quite and cleane ouer seeking continually the things that may guide vs vpward let vs continue in them to the end And if we do so surely our Lord Iesus Christ will shewe that there is a haruest prepared for vs not of these worldly riches which are subiect to corruptioÌ„ for the costlyest richest apparel deckings of this world shal be eateÌ„ with mothes worms and there is neither gold nor siluer nor any thing else but it perisheth in the end And moreouer wheÌ„ meÌ„ will needes take of theÌ„ vnmeasurably they shal burst with the goods which they haue heaped togither they shal not only become vnprofitable to theÌ„ but also they shal turne to their vtter destruction In sted of this theÌ„ we shal find that we haue hoorded vp a good treasure which shal be laid vp safe for vs in the hand of God to receiue the fruite of it when wee shall haue finished our course in this world and continued the sowing of our seede that is to say when wee shall haue proceeded in the 〈◊〉 of our God without wearinesse looking alwayes vp to heauenwarde and withdrawing ourselues from the world as much as is possible for vs. And nowe let vs cast downe our selues before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him too make vs so too feele them as it maye bring vs too true repentance and yet notwithstandyng wee not ceasse too comforte and cheere vp our selues wyth his goodnesse not doubting but that he receiueth vs too mercie at leastwise if wee repaire too him too bee reformed by his holie spirit till he haue rid vs quite and cleane of all the imperfections and vices of our fleshe and renued vs after his owne image to bring vs to the perfect rightuousnesse wherevntoo we trauell And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. The. 41. Sermon which is the fourth vpon the sixth Chapter 9 Let vs not bee vveerie of vvell dooyng for in conuenient season vvee shall reape vvithout vvearinesse 10 Therefore vvhile vve haue time let vs doo good too al men but cheefly to them that are of the household of faith 11 Yee see hovve large a letter I haue vvritten too you vvith mine ovvne hand WEe haue seene the similitude whereby Sainct Paul exhorted vs to do good so long as God giueth vs tyme in this world For whyle wee bee heere wee ought to apply all Gods giftes too the seruice of him and of all his yea and generally of all men For after as God bestoweth any abilitie or gifte vppon any 〈◊〉 vs he byndeth him too suche as haue neede of him and as he is able too helpe Therefore wee must bee fully resolued of this that none of vs must bee ydle or vnprofitable but haue an eye too the meane that God hath gyuen vs too the ende that euery of vs maye make as it were a sacrifice of it vntoo hym And herevppon too gyue vs the better corage Sainct Paule saythe that in so dooyng wee doo sowe and God will not suffer vs too bee disappoynted when wee shall haue indeuered too occupie our selues about the things that he commaundeth VVee are of opinion that all is loste if euery man seeke not his owne profit and bee giuen wholly too himselfe But it is cleane contrarie For althoughe that he which succoureth his neyghbor forgo the thing that he bestoweth vppon him yet he putteth it in good keepyng as he doth which layeth his seede intoo the ground that is to reape fruite of it in conuenient season Contrarywise there is a way for all to perishe namely if we be too gripple of the riches of thys worlde so as wee haue no care nor regarde but of our owne profite wee shall gather corruption that is too say all shall perishe as in very deede the worlde and the fashion thereof muste needes passe and vanishe awaye Thus yee see what all the treasure is which they can scrape together that indeuer too make their hand in this worlde For as their lyfe is flyghtfull and transitorie so are all the goods
that it was no bloud but filthie corrupt matter Againe what filthinesse voydeth out of a mans bodie when hee is purged for some disease Now shall the Phisition be blamed for it or the medicine that was giuen him It is well knowne that the purgation serueth to deliuer the bodie that was halfe rotten afore So then if our Lorde Iesus Christ do by the light of his Gospell bewray the spirituall diseases that were in vs and the filthie vnclennesse which is lothly before God and shamefull before men and do purge vs quite and cleane thereof ought he to be charged with any blame or reproch for his labour VVhat an vnthankfulnesse were that therefore heere is a sufficient answere to beate backe the blasphemies and grudgings of the enimies of the Gospell which burst for pride and cannot indure to be tamed Let them alledge what they can too proue that they haue some righteousnesse and holinesse and yet shall it alwayes bee founde that there is nothing but vncleannesse in them which they wyst not of and yet it sheweth it selfe cōtinually Marke that for one poynt And secondly Saint Paule addeth a more large and easie declaration when hee sayth that he is dead too the lawwarde by the lawe it selfe and that he was crucified with Iesus Christ to liue vnto God Nowe when as he sayth that he was dead to the lawwarde by the lawe it is in way of mocking suche as pretende too bee iustified by keeping of the lawe For I haue told you alreadie how all his disputing and stryuing was agaynst such kinde of folke They were but deceyuers which went about to mingle Iesus Christ with the lawe of Moyses yea euen too get righteousnesse For it is certayne that our Lorde Iesus Christ is not contrarie too the law but rather his Gospell taketh witnesse of the lawe as it is shewed in the first chapter too the Romanes Neuerthelesse when the matter concerneth Iustification that is too say when men come too scanning too knowe howe and by what meanes God taketh and accepteth them for innocent pure and without spotte then must the lawe bee separated from Iesus Christ And why For the lawe bringeth nothing in it but cursing and Iesus Christe bringeth the remedie of it Therefore the enimies of the Gospell agaynst whom S. Paule dothe nowe dispute would haue mingled the law with it and haue made men beleeue that althoughe they were iustified by our Lorde Iesus Christ yet notwithstanding they shoulde mingle the Ceremonies with him as a parte of their saluation and that by meanes of them they should purchase grace fauour before God But S. Paule cutteth off all this geare and sayth that there is none but onely Iesus Christ that can do that and that men must seeke none other helpes in that cace eyther one way or other but simply content them selues with his grace and not gyue the lawe any roome in that behalfe For he saythe as for mee I am not deade through the Gospell As if he should say will yee make mee beleeue that I can get Gods fauour by meanes of the law Nay I tell you contrariwyse that it is not the Gospell whiche hath condemned mee it is not the Gospell that hath shewed me my filthinesse to make me ashamed of it ▪ it is not the Gospell that hath berefte me of all hope of saluation but it is the Lawe which hath shewed me that I am starke dead that I am dampnable before God that I am vndone and damned This commeth not frō elsewhere than from the lawe And would yee haue mee too seeke righteousnesse there It is all one as if yee would giue mee a poyson to eate to the ende I shoulde take nourishment of it Howbeit to say truthe that inconuenience is not to be wyted vpon the Law for it should redounde to the dishonour of God from the Lawe came But howsoeuer the case stande considering the corruption that is in vs the Lawe can not but kill vs as wee haue seene in the second too the Corinthians and as S. Paule declareth more fully in the seuenth to the Romanes For he sayth that when men beleue them selues too haue lyfe that is too saye when they beleeue themselues to be righteous and to stande in the grace fauour of God it is a signe that the lawe is dead to them that is to saye that it hath not the power and strength to shew them that which else it should do For to what ende was the law giuen Too set the rule of good life before our eyes that rule is called the righteousnesse which God alloweth Marke that for one poynt Secondly the law ought to be as a looking glasse to vs wherein too beholde our owne deformities blemishes foulenesse filthinesse and iniquities so farre out of all order as wee may bee as it were swalowed vp in dispayre at the sighte of them Nowe before wee haue the lawe wee see none of all these things that is too say wee knowe not what maner of ones we bee nor what euill is in vs. But when God setteth his demaundes before vs and we perceyue the same throughly then are wee at our wittes ende and vtterly out of hope The Lawe then is dead that is to say it is as it were thrust vnder foote and as good as buryed so long as wee thinke our selues to be aliue and conceyue any foolishe imagination of beeing righteous and of obteyning heauen by our owne good workes But when the lawe liueth that is too say when God giueth it power to touch vs then are wee dead then is it as a sworde to thrust vs too the hart Therfore wee must needes receyue a deadly wounde so soone as wee haue perceyued what the Lawe conteyneth After that maner speaketh S. Paule in the texte whiche I haue alleaged And nowe following the same matter he sayth that he is dead too the Lawe by the Lawe as if he had sayde Come not hyther too slaunder the Gospell as thoughe it were the cause of our damnation or an enterance vnto vs too bee cursed before God too haue the knowledge of the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ in vs. No no. But it is certayne that the Lawe when it dooth his office and wee reade it in suche wyse as becommeth vs dooth alwayes kill vs and wee lye as it were plunged in dispayre tyll oure Lorde Iesus Christe haue reached vs his hande too lifte vs out of it Thus then am I dead vnto the lawe that is too say I can haue no lyfe I can haue no assurance of soule health I can haue no comforte rest nor contentation to be short there is nothing in the law wherby I may come vnto God but cleane contrariwise it shaketh me off it thrusteth me backe it banisheth me from the kingdome of heauen it cutteth me quite off from the hope of saluation it maketh me a poore cursed and wretched creature and to be shorte it sendeth me to
they be both one thing as I haue sayde afore But in this text the word Faith hath yet a more peculiar signification which is the reuelation or discouerie which wee haue by the Gospell For it is very certaine that the forefathers had the spirit of faith or beleefe according as I haue shewed you alreadye that Abraham was iustifyed bycause he beleeued God that wee also must be fashioned like to his example in that behalfe as whereby we be made his children to come to the kingdom of heauē Then had faith his full strength at all times and there neuer was any other meanes to set God and men at one but yet was not the fayth reueled in Abrahams time bycause our Lorde Iesus Christe who is the very pledge and substance therof was not yet come intoo the world Thus ye see how we be iustifyed freely at this day and without any desert of our owne And why is that For he that beleeueth that Iesus Christ died for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification hath all the whole And as it is sayd in another place our beleeuing with our hart maketh vs ryghtuouse and our confessing with our mouth maketh vs safe But now had Abraham had oure Lord Iesus Christ discouered vnto him as we haue him at this day in somuch that he is as good as crucified among vs as Sainct Paule hath sayd heeretofore his fayth had bin all one with ours But it was yet after a sort ouercouered that is to say although Abraham trusted in Iesus Christ hoping for saluation at his hande and although he vtterly distrusted himselfe knowing that there was vertue in him that might go for payment before God yet was he hild still vnder shadowes was fayne to looke at Iesus Christ a far off For he was not yet named the day sunne of rightuousenesse as hee is called in Malachie Now then we see what Sainct Paul meant by saying that faith was not yet come namely that the cōuenient time of the reueling of it to the world as it is nowadayes by the Gospel was not yet come so that the fathers were shet vp vnder the lawe So therefore heere is some peece of difference and some peece of likenesse in somuch that if it bee demaunded what the state of the fathers wer that liued vnder the law it is to be answered that partly it differed from ours and partly was al one How were they both one In this that God had shewed himselfe mercifull to our father howbeit for our Lord Iesus Christs sake and that Abraham perceyuing how it stoode him on hand to put his whole trust in the meere grace of God gaue ouer himself and so his beleeuing was reckened to him for rightuousnesse as we haue seene afore In lyke cace was it with all the Patriarks and Prophets So then their taking was all one with ours in that they grounded themselues vppon our Lord Iesus Christ and boasted not of any thing saue onely Gods mercy and had the promises of the inheritance of the heauenly life as we haue Yet was there also a diuersitie bycause they were fayne to haue Sacrifises washings and such other like thinges till the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ And when the law was giuen so as there was a Preest that entered into the Sanctuarie to be an intercessor and the people stoode aloofe a great way of and a veyle or Curtayne was drawen in the middes of the Tabernacle to make a darkening of things ye see they were thinges wherein the state of the fathers differed from ours for during the absence of our Lord Iesus Christ they had Ceremonies figures whereas we haue the very body substance of them as saith S. Paule to the Colossians For God biddeth not vs to offer any mo Calues Sheepe or Oxem to wipe out the spots of our sinnes But he telleth vs that we must be sprinkled with the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ through the power of the holy Ghost that in our Lord Iesus Christ we shall find all that is requisite for our saluatiō Ye see thē that as now faith reigneth in ful power that is to say whereas the fathers had but a little tast of it according to their mesure it is fully opēly reueled vnto vs. And for this cause S. Paul saith that the fathers were after a sort restreined or shut vp so that he likeneth the law to a bōdage in very deede so was it he will hereafter shew what maner of bōdage it is It is not ment that the fathers obteined not the euerlasting life which we hope for or that we shal not be crowned all togither at the last day but that God was fain for a time to weeld thē like little babes And for that cause also doth he vse the similitude of a scholemaster wil againe set down a third similitude of Tutors gouerners Howbeit for asmuch as this shal be handled in his due place let it suffise vs as now to vnderstād that whereas S. Paul likeneth the law vnto a bōdage it is to shew far greater fauor to vs thā he did to the fathers that died before the cōming of our Lord Iesus Christ bicause he vseth vs now after a freer fashiō And the secōd similitude doth yet better expresse that the Iewes were as children we now are as mē growē For this word Scolemaster betokeneth a master of childrē he saith thē that the law executed the office of a Scolemaster to traine vp the childhood of the people in old time And herevpon it may be cōcluded that the faithfull which beleued in Iesus Christ before he was manifested to the worlde were Gods children as wel as we And if they were children then were they also heirs Herin we see that we must not make thē like brute beasts as some fantasticall heads do which thinke that the Iewes contēted themselues with the possession of the plentifull land that was promised thē cared for no more but to be wel nurrished sed ther for that is too cursed a blasphemie But Iesus Christe serueth not to fil mēs bellies to feede their paunches he serueth to bring vs to the heauenly life It is said that Abraham saw his day that then was the thing wheron he rested his cōscience And wee see how Dauid did always looke vp higher thā the world Iacob at his death euē though he was giuing vp the last gasp and looked not to liue any longer in the world said he would trust in the saluatiō of God The aunciēt fathers thē were not little childrē after such a sort that they were not marked with Gods holy spirite nor called by him to the inheritance of the endlesse life but onely in the measure of faythe which was the differēce betwene thē vs. And how was that Euē bicause the law whiche they had was yet wrapped in figures shadowes whereas now Iesus Christ
leadeth vs right forth to heauē And whereas I said that they were inferior to vs in the measure of faith I meene not that Abraham Dauid other like had a weaker faythe thā we for seeke we neuer so narowly through the whole world it is not to be presumed that any one creature is to bee found at thys day which hath the hundreth part of the faith of Abraham or Dauid And the excellēcie of their faith appeereth in this that although they had not the promises so apparant as we haue but very darkly yet notwithstāding they ouerdame all such temptations as woulde haue ouerthrowē vs a hundred thousand times If any of vs wer put to the induring of the incoūters of Abraham or Dauid what would become of vs For Abraham was a wayfarer al his life lōg in a strāge country wher mē grudged him water to drinke though he himselfe digged the welles He was put to as many plunges as could be Finally God exercised him in so many incoūters that he semed to be minded to throw him into the bottom of hel and yet neuerthelesse his faith abideth stil vnvāquished As touching Dauid he was driuē a lōg time frō place to place Being hunted out of the whole realme hauing no succour to retire vnto but 〈◊〉 amōg the infidels and enimies of God or else into dennes and among wyld beastes he was moreouer put to such reproche that euery man cursed him as the veriest villayne and kaytif in the world and yet for all that he hild out still hee called still vppon God and hee neuer fell to any murmuring or blaspheming but rather glorifyed God in those his extremities and distresses So then wee see that their faith ought to make vs all ashamed And when euery of vs shall haue looked wel into his owne conscience wee shall fynd that wee scarsly haue any little peece of the faith that they had But the greatnesse of their faith must not be measured heere by the constancie and ablenesse that euery of them had to trust in God VVhereby then By the outward obiect of their fayth As for example Although Esay was an excellēt teacher so that his like is not to be found in the world yet the least preacher that setteth foorth the Gospell purely shall be preferred before Esay as is auouched by the mouth of our Lord Iesus Christ hymselfe And why is that Bycause that although Esay was as an Angell and spake with such authoritie yea and maiestie as were able to touch the hartes to the quicke which are most falne aslepe in this world in somuch that euen God himselfe seemeth to haue opened his owne holy mouth in him and his words were not as the words of a mortall man yet did he hold but the manner of teaching that was conueniēt for that tyme that is to say he did set foorth the lād of Chanaan as a pledge to those whom he taught keepe them to the Sacrifises washings figures shadowes al other like things whervnder he shewed what the happinesse of gods children is As for example we see how he likeneth the church to a palace builded of gold siluer and preciouse stones Yee see then that his maner of dealing was fashioned vnto the darknesse of the law But now our Lord Iesus Christ is set forth vnto vs although a simple man preach the Gospel which hath nother great eloquence nor authoritie yet shall hee as it were poynt at Iesus Christe with his fingar he shall shew vs how we be in the time of fulnesse and therwithall hee shall assure vs that our sinnes are forgiuen vs in the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christe in somuch that Gods wrath is pacified and victorie obteyned for vs ouer death Thus ye see that the diuersitie is 〈◊〉 doctrine and not in the qualitie of the fayth as it is in euery mans heart For although Abrahā had a wonderfull fayth and such a one as we shall not finde nowadayes in the worlde yet was it alwayes hemmed in with the sayd Ceremonies and shadowes Dauid was an Angell and myrror of all perfection and yet for all that he was faine to be subiect to the same order that the common people were and to vse all the Ceremonies that were then in vse and his looking at Iesus Christ was but a farre off bycause there was the said Curtain before him which letted him that hee coulde not beholde his glorie as it is shewed vs nowadayes in the Gospell And although we know not the hundredth part of the things that were disclozed to Dauid and Abraham to make them inuincible agaynst all temptations and to make them fight so manfully that god might be glorified in them and to make them beare out all brunts yet had they not that which we haue that is to wit they had not the pledge Iesus Christ deliuered vnto them as we haue to the ende we might call vppon God his father bycause we be members of his bodie and hee is our heade assuring our selues that he and we are all one with condition that his goodes become ours and that we haue full inioyment of them at this day Thus yee see that our fayth is greater than Abrahams was not in respect of our persones nor yet in respect of any stedfastnesse and firmnesse that is in vs but in respect of the doctrine or teaching of it which we terme the obiect of fayth that is too say the thing that is sette before vs from without And so ye see why Saint Paule sayeth that the fathers were hilde in warde as it were vnder a Schoolemayster tyll the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe we for our part haue cause too magnifie Gods goodnesse according also as oure Lorde Iesus Christ exhorteth vs saying blessed are the eyes which see that which you see and the eares which heare that whiche you heare For many Kings and Prophets haue desired the like and haue gone without it Beholde Abraham was called Gods freend Beholde Dauid is reported too haue bin founde according too Gods owne heart and yet for all that hee was fayne too looke aloofe at the promises which are now as it were cast into our lappes and whereof we haue our fill They sought Iesus Christ then absent and hidden and they wayted for him But now that our Lord Iesus Christ hath come downe into the worlde and bin conuersant here he hath gyuen vs a sure warrant that all is performed as he himselfe declared at his death VVhat a lewdnesse then is it if we nowadayes bee not much the more inflamed and quickened vp to followe the promises of the Gospell where God communicateth himselfe so familiarly vnto vs So then on the one side wee haue cause too yeelde vnto God his deserued prayse for that he hath vouchsafed to exalt vs I say vs miserable creatures to so high dignitie as to preferre vs before all the holy kings and Patriarkes