the babe swadled and layd in a maunger 13. And straight way there was with the Angella multitude of heauenly souldiers praysing God and saying 14. Glorie be to God on high and peace in earth and towards men goodwill The summe of this text 1 WHereas the Euangelist here describeth the time and place of the natiuitie of Christ first herein is required faith of vs to witte that we beleue this to be the same Christ of whom these things be recorded Moreouer the house and stocke of Dauid is here notified and shewed forth whereof our Messias should rise 2 The shepeheardes which are here mentioned are the firste frutes of those Iewes which come vnto Christ as the Wisemen from the East are the first frutes of the Gentiles and the innocent infants of all them which must beare the crosse for Christes sake 3 Whereas the Angel of the Lord appeareth to the shepeheards in great glory it signifieth that the Gospell commeth vnto men with the glory of God First in deede it maketh vs afraide for it condemneth our darkenes and whatsoeuer is in vs vntill we heare the comfort which is here declared vnto the shepeheards in these comfortable wordes Be not afraide behold I bring you tidinges of great ioy which shall be to all people because vnto you is borne this day a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. 4 Moreouer whereas one Angell first preacheth vnto the shepeheards that noteth to vs the Prince of all preachers Christ him selfe Secondly whereas many Angells are gathered together it signifieth the multitude of preachers who all say with one mouth Glorye be to God and peace vnto men 5 The frute and profit wherefore Christ tooke flesh vpon him is here expressed to be Euangelicall peace good will to men wherof the hymne of the Angells maketh mention Glory be to God on high and in earth peace good will towards men The exposition of the text YE haue often tymes heard this history before and must heare it still both this yeare and euery yeare though to sluggish drousie Christians that are soone weary and cloyed with good things the same peraduenture may seeme tedious But to them that are endued with true faith it alwaies commeth againe as newe For the holy Ghost can speake so diuersly of one thing that to them which be his it alwayes seemeth newe Moreouer we might speake at large of this historie for it is very full of matter if we shoulde not want tyme and if it were not perillous least we shoulde somewhere straye from the purpose Neuertheles we will entreate somewhat thereof as God shall permit Ye haue already heard in the text how the Angell him selfe expresseth all this history giuing vs to vnderstand that the same is published for our cause and that the frute thereof doth redounde and appertaine to vs onely and is wrought to our saluation And therefore the Angell speaking to the shepeheards sayth in these wordes Be not afraide behold I bringe you tydings of great ioy which shall be vnto all people that is that vnto you is borne this day in the city of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lorde Christ came not for his owne cause but to worke our saluation Here is declared first that his natiuitie doth pertaine vnto vs when he sayth vnto you is borne a Sauiour For the Lord Christ came not for his owne cause onely but that he might helpe and succour vs. Wherefore let vs most diligently endeuour that we beleue the Angell and we shall enioy the whole benefit I haue heretofore oftentymes sayd that the Gospell preacheth nothing else but faith that the Angell also here doth and this must all preachers doe otherwise they be not true ministers For the Angell was here a beginning and example to all preachers Now we must in this place speake of a double natiuitie namely of our owne and of Christes But before I begin to entreat hereof I will handle the historye briefly that ye may lay it vp in your hart and may be partakers of the ioy which the Angell here bringeth First therefore the Euangelist sayth And it came to passe in those dayes that there came a decree from Augustus Caesar that all the world should be taxed This first taxing was made when Cyrenius was gouernour of Syria Therefore went all to be taxed euery man to his owne citie The time of the comming of the Messias foretold by the Patriarch Iacob Gen. 49.10 Ye know right wel that the Iewes had a promise made of the Patriarch Iacob that a Prince lawgiuer or ruler of the house of Iuda should not be wanting in Iudea vntil the Messias which was promised them did come For the wordes of Iacob to Iuda are playne after this sort The scepter shall not depart from Iuda a lawgiuer from betwene his feete vntill Silo come Now at this time the case was so that the Romanes possessed Iudea and had set a Liuetenant ouer it whom the Euangelist here calleth Cyrenius The Iewes before for a long tyme had vsed priestes for Kinges when as the Machabees had obtayned the kingdom so that the dominion of the house of Iuda was already taken away and suppressed neither was there any Prince or ruler of the stocke and blood of Iuda gouernour ouer the people But that Christ or the Messias shoulde nowe come that was a great signe that the prophecie at that tyme especially might be fulfilled Wherefore the Euangelist sayth here that at the tyme when Christ was borne Augustus Cesar had set a Liuetenaunt ouer Iudea vnder whom the Iewes should offer them selues to be taxed As if he sayd Euen at that tyme at which he should be borne he is borne All that liued vnder the Romane Emperour were compelled to pay taxe for a testimonie that they were subiect vnto him This the Iewes knew but they did not vnderstand the Prophecie Iacob had sayd thus The scepter shal not depart from Iuda and a lawgiuer from betwene his feete vntill Silo come That is a Prince and ruler of the stocke of Iuda shall not be wanting in Iudea vntil Christ come Iacob did sufficiently shewe in these wordes The Iewes misinterpret the prophecie of Iacob concerning the cōming of the Messias that he should be wanting at the comming of Christ Moreouer whereas they vnderstood it so as though such a Silo shoulde come as shoulde beare rule with the sword it is a false vnderstanding thereof neither can it be gathered out of that text For he sayth thus that at the comming of Christ the temporall kingdome of the Iewes shoulde ende So Luke also here sheweth that very time when it behoued this to be done It followeth moreouer in the text And Ioseph also went vp from Galile out of a citie called Nazareth into Iudea vnto the citie of Dauid which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and linage of Dauid to be taxed with Marie that was giuen him to wife which was vvith
infant newly borne although euen this brought great ioy vnto him but also for that by the birth of this child he beholdeth a farre greater ioy forasmuch as he was a Messenger sent of God to preach his word to the world He reioyceth therefore because of such a word which he should heare and for that he should be as it were altered from an olde man to a yonge man and shoulde become a scholer of an infant now lying in the cradle whom he confesseth to be a Prophet better learned then him selfe Zacharias conceiued both natural and spiritual ioy at the birth of his sonne Iohn Manifest naturall ioy is here for that that infant was borne after a meruelous sort Moreouer here is ioy of the spirit inasmuch as that infant should become a Preacher of the word of God And I am of that mind that I thinke that there was neuer any father which conceiued so great ioy of his childe as this Zacharias did of his sonne being so meruelously borne by the power of God and for that especially in the time of olde age when he was nowe neare vnto death he is made a father of so great a Sainct which should be a maister and teacher of the world It is a delight and pleasure vnto vs if we beget a childe that is sound fayre and wel proportioned in body that I may say nothinge what ioy it woulde bring if our childe should be an Apostle and Preacher of the word of God to the world Whatsoeuer ignominie therefore and contempt he did suffer before when he was barren together with his wife Elisabet he is now most abundantly recompensed with plētifull honour and ioy so great blessings doth God bestowe if we patiently abide his leysure For if he at any time come he commeth very rich and plentifull in giftes and doth giue much more then we euer either wished or hoped for Verse 69. And hath raysed vp the horne of saluation vnto vs in the house of his seruaunt Dauid These wordes are not spoken of Iohn for that he is not an horne raysed vp in the house of Dauid for he was borne of the tribe of Leui but Christ our Lord is of the house and of the royall stocke and blood of Dauid Wherefore Zacharias doth not singe here in the house of Leui but that in the house of Dauid an horne is raysed and lifted vp and when Christ was not yet borne he neuertheles singeth so as if he were borne neither was the horne of saluation yet come notwithstanding he knew by the reuelatiō of the holy Ghost that it should forthwith come An horne what it signifieth among the Hebrewes An horne among the Hebrewes signifieth power confidence dominion and that whatsoeuer wherein any man may trust c. As we reade in Daniel chap. 7. where the Prophet first seeth kingdoms then beholdeth beasts some hauing one horne some two hornes And he afterward interpreting him self expoundeth them for kingdoms and Kinges and this is a phrase and maner of speaking peculiar to this language Nowe Zacharias signifieth that Christ is our head yea our God whose kingdom is his horne He addeth the horne of saluation or blessednes What difference there is betwene other kingdoms the kingdom of saluation which God hath raysed vp Some kingdoms are famous in name and power other are large abounding with plentie of greate treasures much people honours and all temporall thinges But this is called a kingdome of saluation grace life righteousnes truth and of euery thinge that pertayneth to saluation whereby it differeth from all other kingdoms For albeit they be large riche or mightie yet are they counted the kingdoms of death for they that gouerne them must at the last fall dye perish and leaue their power and riches behind them Neyther was there euer any worldely kingdome which might be called a kingdom of life wherein is life peace and saluation for onely the kingdome of Christ doth glory and triumph in this title inasmuch as God hath raysed it vppe that there may be nothing in it but saluation and felicitie Moreouer I finde nothing here spoken of maners and trades of life or of workes For this kingdome consisteth neyther in outward life nor workes but in the horne in Christ and his Gospell This kingdom is ours whereof ye haue heard that it is a kingdom of grace life righteousnes saluation and mercy so that whosoeuer is in it although he be inferior to Iohn in holines and farre vnlike Christ in perfection yet he liueth in a kingdom wherein is nothing but saluation and blessednes whereof also it hath and reserueth the name It is sayd moreouer that this kingdom is raysed vp in the house of Dauid but by what meanes was it raysed vp euen by the holy Ghost and by his worde He sayth in the house of Dauid for it must be a kingdome in the earth and yet a kingdome of saluation Nowe conferre these two one with an other The house of Dauid is the tribe and stocke of Dauid who was a man as the subiects of his kingdom So that thou canst not say that he doth here make mention of an heauenly kingdome amonge the Angells when as he doth nothing lesse but he speaketh of a certaine kingdome which is amonge men which liue clothed with flesh Dauid was a man the subiects of his kingdome also were men subiect to death For as the Scripture witnesseth man that is borne of a woman liueth but a small time he can not passe the boundes appoynted him Howe is it then that honour and dishonour come together in this kingdom What agreement and consent appeareth here where mortall men are deliuered from the power of death where they that are worthy of death enioy life the vnhappy are happy and they that are subiect to Satan become the sonnes of God In the reason hereof I hope that ye are sufficiently instructed yea I thinke that ye vnderstand it as well as I my selfe But because the text so requireth it must be eftsoones repeated A Christian is deliuered from death sinne Satan We haue affirmed therefore that a Christian which liueth in this kingdom shall neuer dye forasmuch as he can not dye For Christ hath therefore suffered deathe that he might ouercome death and deliuer vs from it He tooke our sinnes also vpon him selfe that we might not neede to beare them Moreouer he subdued and ouerthrew Satan that we might not be subiect vnto him Wherefore it is giuen to a Christian that he can neuer dye he can neuer be subiect to sinne and the deuill For that must needes be true which he sayth that he hath raysed vp an horne of blessednes or saluation And in whatsoeuer place that horne shall be there is no accesse neither for death neither for sinne nor the deuill And that in the house of Dauid Wherefore a Christian is both defiled and yet without sinne A Christian after a sort subiect to
to come Now it is not giuen vnto them in this earth to goe so farre that they may say We are subiect to no vices we are cleane from all sinne if they shall goe so farre it is Satan that deceiueth them Notwithstanding they are sorie for their sinnes and doe lament them yea it grieueth them to the hart that they must beare the miserable burden of this flesh and they crie out together with S. Paule Rom. 7. O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death This shrite crie all the faithfull doe giue for that feeling sinne they doe most earnestly desire to be deliuered from it And in this feeling knowledge of sinne the kingdom of Christ consisteth so that euen in sinne there is no sinne That is albeit I doe both acknowledge and feele sinne Though the godly haue sinne in thē and feele the grieuousnes thereof yet it doth not hurt them yet saluation and the kingdom doe so firmely abide in my conscience that God sayth vnto me I will forgiue thee thy sinne for that thou hast faith and beleeuest in Christ my especially beloued sonne who was deliuered to death for thee neither shall thy sinnes hurt thee Others which feele not their sinnes but trust in their workes and complaine nothing of their faultes and offences thinking them selues cleane such are giuen to Satan not receiued or admitted into the kingdom of Christ for they which are partakers of this kingdom can not be without conflicts and tribulation Death Satan and the world doe somewhat trouble the godly but the godly at the last ouercome them Psal 118.18 And that I may speake more plainly recken I pray thee any of the Sainctes whom death doth not trouble yea I know thou shalt not finde one which is not afraid and trembleth not at the horrible sight of death But the conscience taketh comfort here by the Prophet Dauid who sayth The Lorde hath chastened and corrected me but he hath not giuen me ouer vnto death it fighteth against vs in deede but it preuaileth not Thus a Christian wrapped in sinnes is both vnder sinnes and aboue sinnes at the last notwithstanding obtaineth the victorie After the same sort also must he haue to doe with Satan with whom he must wrastle all his life and at the last ouercome him So in the world also he must suffer many conflicts and troubles and yet at length become victor For although it be a kingdom of saluation which hath neither rest nor quietnes but suffreth the force of hel death the deuill sinne and all maner of aduersitie and tribulation yet they which be in it doe with an inuincible courage endure and at length ouercome all euills But God therefore permitteth these thinges that our faith may be exercised and shew forth it selfe Moreouer that is a pleasure to the conscience and bringeth vnto it comfort and ioye that it hath such a kingdom that it may say Blessed be the Lord God who hath visited and redeemed vs and hath raised vp a kingdom in the house of Dauid That is for that he visiteth vs by his word deliuereth vs from sinnes and maketh vs conquerours ouer death and Satan Thus he haue heard both that a kingdom is raysed vp in the house of Dauid and also that a Christian is both dead and yet aliue is innocent in the middes of sinnes and although he be subiect to Satan yet notwithstanding hath dominion ouer Satan For both are true for that sinne death hell doe assaile the flesh but doe not ouercome forasmuch as this kingdom of saluation triumpheth ouer them all Wherefore as it were with a certaine great boldnes or confidence he calleth it a horne that is a stronge and puissant kingdom Which hath no rest or truce but being assailed of many and stronge enemies is alwayes diligently occupied in defence of it selfe and doth notably repell the force of the enemie So a Christian laying hold on this horne ouerthroweth sinne death and Satan Neither consisteth this horne in our strength neither are we makers thereof for God hath made and raysed it vp by the ministerie of his word whereby we are saued Wherefore Zacharias so singeth that his songe hath respect not to his own sonne but to Christ Yea he celebrateth this kingdom as pertaining to the Iewes onely and declareth that it shall be glorious and maketh no mention of the Gentiles how they also should come vnto it as beside others Simeon in his song the beginning whereof is Lorde nowe lettest thou c. did prophecie that we Gentiles also are chosen into that kingdom But here he foretelleth of a kingdom raysed vp of God to the Iewes euen a kingdom of saluation and blessednes and that in the house of his seruaunt Dauid Wherefore he sayth moreouer Verse 70. As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which haue bene since the world began Therefore he hath raised vp this kingdom that he might confirme his promise whereby he had foretold that he would sometime rayse vp a kingdom c. And now that time is come wherein he will fulfill that his promise So Zacharias reduceth the horne of saluation the kingdom of Christ to the olde Testament that out of it he may bring witnesses of so strong and puissant a kingdom The Prophets foretold of the kingdom that should be raysed vp in the house of Dauid For the Prophets from the time of Dauid did all prophesie that the seede of Dauid should haue a kingdom in the earth yet a spirituall kingdom and aboue the rest Esai and Ieremie foretold that it should be such a kingdom that the gouernment thereof should consist in the spirit worde to these especially Zacharias hath here respect The other as Osee Micheas and the rest doe speake of the same kingdom but not so manifestly Verse 71. That he would deliuer vs from our enemies and from the handes of all that hate vs. The Euangelist hath hitherto generally rehearsed what that kingdom of Christ is whereof the Prophets prophesied Wherein this kingdom of saluation consisteth Nowe he speaketh of it also but particularly declaring wherein it consisteth First in this that he deliuereth vs from the handes of our enemies yea and from all them that hate vs. Ye see here and vnderstand most dearely beloued that this verse doth witnes most plainely declare that we which are his people and kingdom doe liue amongst enemies and that no other is to be looked for of vs but to be hated of them That also the force qualitie and nature of this kingdom consisteth in this that it deliuereth vs out of the handes of all them that hate vs as the Prophet Dauid sayth Psal 110. The Lord shall send the rod of thy power out of Sion be thou ruler in the middes of thine enemies And Psal 45. Thine arrowes are very sharpe euen in the middes of the Kings enemies It is a delight vnto Christ
quietnes comfort and peace of the hart or attaine vnto the kingdom of God by any law And they which prescribe many lawes doe withdraw men from the kingdom of God to the kingdom of sinne wherein is nothing els but vnquietnes anguish affliction aduersitie and all kind of euills tormenting the conscience Like as on the contrary in the kingdom and knowledge of God there is meere ioy peace and consolation of harts How Christ reigneth in the kingdō of God Secondly In this kingdom of God the Lord Christ reigneth no otherwise then as a Maister of an Hospitall among the sicke poore and diseased For vnto this kingdome none pertaine but sinnefull and miserable men vnto whome their sinnes are forgiuen Hereupon Christ sayth in the Gospell Luke 6 VVo be to you that are riche which haue receiued your consolation But contrariwise the poore miserable and succourles receiue comfort and ioy by the Gospel for Christ came to call sinners onely and not the righteous that all glory may be referred to God alone Christ putteth away sinne after two sortes for that he forgiueth sinnes of his grace and meere mercy Such abolishing or putting away of sinne wherein Christ reigneth as King of the kingdome of God is done of him after two sortes first thus in that he remitteth pardoneth and couereth sinnes so that God will not regard remember or reuenge them although they be in a man As it is in the 32 Psalme Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord wil not impute sinne in whose spirit there is no guile And in Esay cap. 43 God sayth I am euen I am he that for myne owne selfs sake do away thine offences and forget thy sinnes so that I vvill neuer thinke vpon them Secondely thus in that he purgeth or rather scoureth sinnes by diuers crosses and afflictions For they are two things to remit sinnes and to weaken the body of sinne that it may not reigne in vs. If a man beleeue and is baptized then all his sinnes are forgiuen him But afterwarde sinne must be scoured or abated by manifold affliction and mortification as long as he shall liue Sinne sticketh in vs as long as the mortal body remaineth but for Christes sake it is not imputed in the wrath of God but freely remitted True Christians reioyce in affliction and the force thereof diminished by his fatherly chastisement In such chastisement for their amendement true Christians haue had great comfort peace and ioye as Paule sayth Rom. 5 Then being iustified by faith vve haue peace toward God through our Lord Iesus Christ by vvhō also through faith vve haue had this accesse into this grace wherin we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God Neither that onely but also vve reioyce in tribulations knovving that tribulation bringeth forth patience and patience experience experience hope And hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shed abroad in our harts by the holy Ghost vvhich is giuen vnto vs. So thou hast two thinges to be considered The first that in this kingdom of God we are iustified The seconde that by tribulation and affliction we are glorified without which we can not attaine vnto glory Thirdly good Christians are not knowen by this when any suffer manifold tribulation chastisement that the body of sinne may be weakened and they brought to amendement For herein they doe altogither differ amonge them selues one suffereth this an other that one is chastised thus an other otherwise so that euen they very Apostles did not loue and suffer alike But they are knowen in forgiuenes of sinnes or iustification by faith wherein God turneth his anger from them receiueth them vnto grace and counteth them for his deare children and imputeth no sinne to them vnto condemnation Herein are all alike euen as all liue vnder one heauen Wherefore they doe most grossely erre stumble which measure Christians by maners workes and the outwarde maner of liuing euen as the Pharisees were wont to doe and did therefore finde fault with Christ for that he did not obserue their ceremonies but was a frend of Publicanes and sinners As that Pharise sayd within him selfe Luke 7 If this man were a Prophet he would surely haue knowne who and vvhat maner of vvoman this is vvhich toucheth him for she is a sinner A similitude Heare nowe an example of those thinges which are before sayd A Phisitian which goeth about to cure the sicke doth first promise him health by the assistance and helpe of God whereby he putteth him in great hope and comfort Afterward he beginneth to purge to clense and strengthen and such like thinges which make to the recouering of health So God also when he hath remitted sinnes and receiued man into the bosom of grace doth lay on him all kind of afflictions and doth scoure him and renue him from day to day in the knowledge and loue of God vntil he become safe pure and renued which then at the last commeth to passe when this mortall body dyeth Fourthly in these two partitions of the kingdom of God two sortes of men are founde Two sortes of men abuse the kingdom of grace which abuse the same kingdome of the grace of God and the Gospell Some become sluggish and slothfull saying Well if sinnes be pardoned freely of meere grace and be washed away in baptisme there is no neede that I should adde any thinge of mine owne Other thinke contrariwise that they shal put away their sinnes by works and so trusting to their owne merits they are proud and arrogant and in respect of them selues contemne other which doe not so The first of these contemne Gods grace the other oppugne it as not sufficient and so they represent swine and dogges Now all this appeareth by the Gospell by which Christ reigneth in the kingdom of God For some abuse it vnto carnall libertie other contrariwise are perswaded that it is not sufficient to saluation but that their workes also doe helpe somewhat and by this they deny and contemne the grace of God Hereof thou mayst read more in the Epistle to the Romanes wherein these two sortes of men are plainly set forth Fiftly this kingdom of God or remission of sinnes hath no bounde or measure Matth. 18.21.22 as that place of the Gospell doth very well shew where Peter asketh the Lord Lord how oft shal my brother sinne against me and I shall forgiue him vnto seuen times Iesus sayd vnto him I say not to thee vnto seuen times but vnto seuenty times seuen times that is as often as shall be needefull After this followeth a parable We must forgiue our neighbour if we will haue God to forgiue vs. which the Lorde there putteth forth wherein he most seuerely admonisheth vs if we will not fal out of the fauour of God that we forgiue our neighbour his offences without all
said he vnto them Giue therefore to Cesar the thinges which are Cesars and giue vnto God those thinges which are Gods 22. And when they heard it they merueiled and left him and went their waye Mans wisedom reason is not able to preuaile against the wisedome of God IN this text is set forth vnto vs how subtil reason and mans wisedome agree with the wisedome of God and how fouly reason stumbleth when it striueth to be euen most subtil and wise as it here falleth out with the Pharisees who notwithstanding were the best and most wise of the Iewes which euen by this their subtiltie they declare neuertheles their wisedome is here proued to be foolishnes They could blame Christ neither for his preaching nor for his workes and yet would they willingly haue had occasion to put him to death wherefore they thought to set vpon him most craftely and wilely propounding a subtil question vnto him the subtiltie whereof was such that mans reason was not able to comprehend it then which also a subtiller could not be inuented and thus they speake vnto him The subtill question of the Pharisees propounded vnto Christ Maister we know that thou art true and teachest the waye of God truly neither carest for any man for thou considerest not the persone of men Tell vs therefore how thinkest thou Is it lawfull to giue tribute vnto Cesar or not Here thinke they we shal entrappe him For he shal be compelled to aunswere that tribute is either to be giuen or not to be giuen If he affirme that it is to be giuen we haue ouercome him but if he denie that it is to be giuen then is he giltie of death Whereas they say Maister they will thereby moue him and as it were constraine him to aunswere the truth But whereas they say We know that thou art true they do thereby put him in minde of his duty Whither therefore should Christ turne himselfe for there seemeth to be no way for him to escape yet he would not for all that fall into their net Was not this a subtil questioÌ„ Do they not shew themselues to haue bin sufficient craftie and wily ones for which way soeuer the Lord had aunswered he had bin taken Was not this done also full warely and circumspectly for they associate to themselues the ministers of Herode thinking no other but to entrappe him with deceit that he should not by any means escape thus casting in their mindes Now we will meete with him well enough if he denie that tribute is to be giuen the Herodians are present which shall forth with put him to death as a seditious felow and one that resisteth the Romane Empire But if he affirme that tribute is to be giuen he speaketh against the libertie of the Iewes then will we stirre vp the people against him For the Iewish people would be free and haue their king of their owne stocke euen as it was promised them both of Moses and God that their kingdome should continue vntill the time of the true king that is of Christ Euen as the Patriarch did prophecie thereof Gen. 49 10. The scepter shal not depart from Iuda and a law giuer from betweene his feete vntil Silo come And therefore God did choose this people specially to himselfe and made a kingdom of them onely for Christes cause Moreouer there were many sentences in the Scripture which declared that they should serue none For they should be the chiefest and not the lowest c. Deut. 28.13 This and such like sayings the Scribes had beaten into the peoples heads wherewith they were greatly disturbed euen as at this day it is put into the peoples minde that the Church cannot erre Hereupon the Pharisees thought thus If he affirme that tribute must be giuen he blasphemeth Gâ—d he shal be giltie of death as one iniurious to God and then shal be stoned of the people For God hath graunted and promised libertie vnto this people and they were all euen in the middest of captiuitie the people of God Howbeit at that time they wanted a king as they do at this day Wherefore diuers tumults seditions vprores were stirred vp among them For they were taught by the lawe that they should haue a king of their own flesh and stocke as it is said before wherefore they did vncessantly striue against straunge kings and gouernments vntill not a few of them at times were beaten slaine Neither did this happen seldom times for they were a stiffenecked obstinate and vnruly nation therefore the Romaines which at that time did beare rule ouer them did verie circumspectly gouerne them and diuided the land into foure charges of gouernment that being on euerie side kept in awe by the gouerners and presidents they might not so soone flocke together and moue sedition and that they might also be more easily resisted if at any time they should rise against the Romane Empire Wherefore Pilate was appointed of the Romains lieftenant of Iudea Herode Tetrarch of Galile his brother Philip Tetrarch of Iturea and of the countrie of Trachonitis and Lysanias the Tetrarch of Abilene as Luke rehearseth them And all this was done that they might keepe the Iewes vnder whereupon the Iewes were inflamed with anger and in a rage and furie but specially in the time of Christ they would willingly haue had a king The subtill imaginations of the Pharisees against Christ Wherefore the Pharisees hauing fouÌ„d out this deuise thought thus with themselues Well we haue the matter now at a good stay The Romanes chalenge to themselues the gouernmeÌ„t now if he aunswere vnto the question that tribute is not to be giuen the lieftenant is at hand and ready to put him to death if he aunswere that it must be giuen he shall stirre vp the people against himselfe and so we shall assuredly by this meanes entrappe him thus they supposed that either they should fynde cause of death in the Lord or at the least make his doctrine to be nothing set by of the people As the Iewes here do so also do we the chiefe and necessarie thinges being left we are occupied about other matters not necessarie The Pharisees here moue a question whether they be free or otherwise forasmuch as they had the Lawe and the word of God they supposed that they ought to be subiect to none but to their owne Kinge yet they were now compelled to obey Cesar Emperour of Rome They had Scripture concerning the loue of God and their neighbour but that being left they are occupied about other matters It was promised vnto them if they obeyed the precepts and commaundements of God that they should then be a free people they disobey and neglect Gods commaundements and yet notwithstanding they wil be free and haue their owne king In like maner falleth it out with vs we earnestly chalenge to our selues Christian liberty and yet we thinke that if we doe those thinges that
one that wil keepe his promise I am sure that he wil not deceiue me but wil deale faithfully euen then hast thou fallen from God and worshipped an idoll putting thy trust in a lyar Wherefore when thou hast any dealing with man thinke boldly If he deale faithfully it is well if he doe otherwise in the name of God let him goe I will commit all thinges to the will of God he shall prosperously bring them to passe Of such a false and vngodly confidence reposed in men How the worshipping of Saincts crept in amonge Christians that euill crept in among Christians namely the worshipping of Sainctes whereby the Christian Church that is the true congregation of the faithfull hath suffered exceeding great hurt and incomparable ruine For what other was the seruice and worshipping of Sainctes but a deuilish thing When as men vsed to reason after this sorte This man was very holy that which he taught he did whom we wil follow and doe the like Hierome Augustine Gregorie sayd this therefore is it true therefore will I beleeue it Frauncis Benedict Dominicke Bartholomewe liued thus they did this and that I will imitate their life and workes Moreouer Augustine was saued by this rule wherefore I also shall be saued by it Fy howe vnstable and miserable a thinge is this they are onely lyes and dreames of men there is not in one word mention made here of Christ and his word but they are onely the vaine inuentions and trifles of men I would vtterly breake the rule of Augustine if he therefore ordayned it thinking to be saued thereby So blind and without vnderstanding is reason that it receiueth the dotages vaine inuentions of men when as notwithstanding the worde of God onely is to be receiued in matters of saluation as if Herod Pilate Caiphas Hannas should preach the Gospell I ought to receiue it Againe if those that are counted holy should rise and preach lyes also rules habits shauings ceremonies and such like vaine inuentions of men I ought in no wise to receiue them for we must here haue respect not to the persons but to that which they preach Doost thou presume to be wiser then all the fathers saincts then all the Bishops and Princes of the whole worlde Thus may some man obiect against me Farre be that from me For I doe not contend to be wiser then they But this without controuersie is thus that whatsoeuer is wise great liberall mighty strong before the world doth seldom or neuer agree with the word of God For so it falleth out that they that are such doe for the most part persecute the Gospel and if they were not so great the Gospell should not so greatly shine forth and triumphe The Romane Emperours Hadrian Traian Diocletian were the most wise Cesars of all whose gouernment was so liked of that it was praysed of the whole world yet they persecuted the Gospell and could not abide the truth The same we find written of the Kings of the Iewes as of Achas and others which gouerned their kingdom very well yet despised the word of God and disobeyed his commaundements We in our time had neuer such Emperours or Princes as are comparable to them But it ought to be verified in these that God would by foolish preaching confound the wisedom of this worlde as Paule sayth 1. Cor. 1. All these thinges are shewed vnto vs in this text which we haue in hand which hath a simple and a sclender shewe and appearance of it selfe but yet containeth many thinges in it most worthy the noting Now how the Lord concluded with the Pharisees when they had shewed him the tribute money and had aunswered that it was Cesars image and superscription the Euangelist declareth saying Giue therefore to Cesar the things which are Cesars and giue vnto God those things which are Gods Although they had deserued no such thing of the Lorde The sword and office of the Magistrate confirmed by Christ neuertheles he teacheth them the right way And in these wordes he confirmeth the sword and office of the Magistrate they hoped that he would condemne resist him but he doth nothing lesse for he commendeth and prayseth him commaunding that they giue vnto him those thinges that are his Whereby he plainly will haue that there be Magistrates Princes and Rulers vnder whose gouernment we must liue Neither must we care whether they vse and exercise their rule and authoritie well or ill we must haue regard onely to their power and office for their power authoritie is good inasmuch as it is ordained instituted of God Neither is there any cause why thou shouldest find fault with power if at any time thou be oppressed by Princes and tyrannes for whereas they abuse the power giuen vnto them of God they shall surely be compelled to giue an account thereof The abuse of a thing doth not make that thing euill which is in it selfe good A chayne of golde is good A similitude neither is it therefore made worse for that a harlot weareth it about her neck or if one should put out myne eye with it should I finde fault in the chayne therefore In like maner the power of the Prince must be borne for if he abuse his office he is not to be counted of me as noe Prince neither belongeth it vnto me to reuenge or punish it in him I must obey him for God his cause only for he representeth the place of God How grieuous thinges soeuer therefore Magistrates shall exact I must for God his cause beare them all and obey them so farre as they be not contrary to Gods commaundements If they doe iustly or vniustly it shall in due time appeare Wherefore if thy substance life and body and whatsoeuer thou hast should be taken from thee by the Magistrates thou mayst say thus I willingly yeeld them vnto you and acknowledge you for Rulers ouer me I will obey you but whether ye vse your power and authoritie well or ill see you to that Moreouer whereas Christ sayth Giue vnto Cesar the things that are Cesars and vnto God those thinges that are Gods We must vnderstand that vnto God pertaineth honour What things must be giuen vnto God what vnto Cesar we must acknowledge him for the liuing omnipotent and wise God and ascribe vnto him what good thing soeuer can be named And albeit we doe not giue him this honour he notwithstanding easily keepeth it for nothing is either added to or taken from him by our honouring Howbeit in vs he is true omnipotent and wise when as we count him so and beleeue that he is such a one as he suffereth him selfe to be sayd to be Nowe vnto Cesar and the Magistrate feare custome tribute obedience c are due God requireth especially the hart the Magistrate the body and goods ouer which he executeth his office in the place of God which S. Paule doth most notably in plaine
word we shall be stronge enough for the deuill for we glory of the word albeit we be but weake Vnto Satan who is able euen in one houre to ouerthrow vs all all men should be euen as a fether which he would be able to remoue away how and when he will yea euen with his breath but if we beleeue that fether is made more heauy vnto him then the hill Olympus For a Christian beareth Christ in him selfe and Christ is heauier then heauen and earth Thus much may suffize concerning this text A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER CONCERNING FREE REMISSION OF SINNES TO THE CONTRITE AND BROKEN IN hart and terrible iudgement to the indurate and obstinate Matth. 18. Verse 23. IEsus sayd vnto Peter to the rest of the Disciples The kingdom of heauen is likened vnto a certaine King which would take an accoūt of his seruaunts 24. And when he had begon to recken one was brought vnto him which owed him ten thousand talents 25. And because he had nothing to pay his Lord commaunded him to be solde and his wife his children and all that he had and the dette to be payed 26. The seruaunt therefore fell downe and worshipped him saying Lorde refraine thine anger toward me and I will pay thee all 27. Then that seruaunts Lord had compassion loosed him and forgaue him the dette 28. But the same seruant went out found one of his fellow seruaunts which owed him an hundred pence and he layed handes on him and thratled him saying Pay me that thou owest 29. Then his fellow seruaunt fel down at his feete and besought him saying Refraine thine anger towards me and I will pay thee all 30. Yet he would not but went and cast him into prison till he should pay the dette 31. And when his other fellow seruants saw what was done they were very sory and came and declared vnto their Lord all that was done 32. Then his Lord called him vnto him and sayd to him O euill seruaunt I forgaue thee all that dette because thou prayedst me 33. Oughtest not thou also to haue had pittie on thy fellow seruant euen as I had pittie on thee 34. So his Lord was wrath and deliuered him to the tormentors till he should pay all that was due to him 35. So likewise shall myne heauenly Father doe vnto you except ye forgiue from your hartes eche one to his brother their trespasses CHrist brought forth this parable vnto that aunswere which he had made to Sainct Peter vnto whom he had before committed the keies of binding and loosing For when S. Peter asked him howe oft he should forgiue his brother his offence whether it were enough to forgiue him seuen times he aunswered not seuen times but seuentie times seuen times he then added this similitude by which he inferreth that his heauenly father will do likewise vnto vs if we do not forgiue our neighbour euen as the King did here vnto the seruaunt which would not forgiue his fellow seruaunt a smal det when as his Lord had forgiuē him so much We haue often times taught that the kingdom of God wherein he reigneth by the Gospell is nothing els but such a state or gouernment wherin is meere forgiuenes of sinnes so that where such a gouernment is not wherin sinne is pardooned neither is there the Gospell nor kingdome Wherefore those two kingdoms are to be separated one wherin sinnes are punished an other wherin they are forgiuē or wherin the law is exacted wherein that which is due by the lawe is remitted The kingdō of grace In the kingdom of God where he reigneth by the Gospell there is no exacting of the lawe neither any dealing by the law but onely remission and forgiuenes neither wrath nor punishing but brotherly seruice and well doing one to an other Notwithstanding the ciuill law or Magistrate is not taken away for this parable speaketh not any thing of worldly gouernment but of the kingdom of God only Wherefore he that is yet gouerned onely by the regiment of the world is yet farre of from the kingdom of heauen for worldly gouernment pertaineth wholy to inferiour thinges As if a Prince gouerne his people so that he suffer iniurie to be done to none punishing offenders he doth wel is therfore cōmended For in that gouernment this sentence flourisheth Ciuill gouernment Pay that thou owest which if thou doe not thou shalt be cast into prisō Such gouernmēt we must haue howbeit we come not to heauen by it neither is the world therefore saued but this gouernment is therefore necessary that the world do not become worse For it is only a defence fortification against wickednes which if it were not one would deuoure an other neither could any man keepe in safetie his owne life wife goods children c. That therfore all things should not fal come to ruine and perish God hath appointed the sword of the Magistrate whereby wickednes may be partly repressed peace and quietnes among men maintained one may not doe an other iniurie wherefore this is in any wise to be kept But as I sayd it is not ordained for them that are in the kingdom of grace but therefore onely that men be not more deepely plunged in wickednes and become worse Wherefore no man that is onely vnder the regiment of the world ought to glory that he doth therefore well before God before whom all is yet vnrighteous For thou must come so farre that thou do resigne that which is iust before the world yeeld of thine owne right This the Gospell doth here require As the Lord forgiueth vs so must we also forgiue our neighbour which on either side setteth forth vnto vs onely forgiuenes First the Lord forgiueth the seruaunt all the dette then he requireth of him that he forgiue his fellow seruaunt his and remit his offence These thinges God requireth and so must his kingdom be ordered that no man be so wicked neither suffer him selfe so to be moued that he can not forgiue his neighbour And as it is a litle before this text taught in the Gospel if he should prouoke thee to anger euen seuenty times seuen times that is as oftē as he can offend against thee thou must yeeld of thine owne right and cheerefully forgiue him all thinges Why so because Christ did the same For he set vp erected such a kingdome as wherein is onely grace which must at no time ceasse so that if thou repent all things may wholy be forgiuen thee as often as thou shalt offend forasmuch as he hath ordained the Gospell that it might preach no punishment but onely grace forgiuenes of sinnes This kingdom standing thou mayst alwaies rise again how deepely soeuer thou fallest so often as thou fallest so as thou repent For albeit thou fallest yet this Gospell mercie seate alwaies continueth As soone as therfore thou hast risen againe returned thou
Abraham In the time of Abraham God did somewhat shewe forth his mercy he declared that he would send a Sauiour who should deliuer vs againe from death both of body and soule for albeit the body should dye yet it should not alwayes remayne in death but rise againe with the Lord Christ The wordes which God spake to Abraham Gen. 22. are thus In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Here miserable men had a cause to hope and looke for a Sauiour which should deliuer them From that time all the Prophets did diuersly foretell of this aboue measure flowing fountaine of all mercy that is of this seede of the Lord Christ how that he at the last should come that all which beleued in him might obtaine saluation by that promise which can not be reuoked If so be that men would now open their eyes they must needes confesse and say that a straunge and incredible thinge is done with vs that man being in the state of damnation cursed desperate should be restored by the natiuitie of one man Hereupon the Prophets cryed out with ardent prayers and vnspeakeable groning that God would vouchsafe to sende the Sauiour whom he had promised By faith in this Sauiour the Israelites afterward obtained the lawe and this honour before all people that they were called the elect people of God By which ordinances written of Moses the anointed was plainely figured and signified whom this text which we haue now in hand setteth forth what he is from whence he is and by the afore sayd faith all obtayned saluation from Abraham vnto Dauid euen as many as were saued In the time of Dauid God made the comming of the Messias to be more manifestly declared that it might be certainly knowne of what stocke he should come namely of the stocke of Dauid as when God sayd vnto Dauid 2. Sam. 7.12 VVhen thy dayes be fulfilled thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers and I will set vp thy seede after thee which shall proceede out of thy body and wil stablish his kingdom He shall build an house for my name and I vvill stablish the throne of his kingdom for euer I will be his father and he shall be my sonne And yet more plainely in the Psalme The Lord hath made a faithfull othe vnto Dauid Psal 132.11 and he shall not shrinke from it Of the frute of thy bodye shall I set vppon thy seat Here Christ is described that he shall be a king and an eternall king Psal 45.6 as it is mentioned of him in an other Psalme Thy throne O Lord endureth for euer the scepter of righteousnes is the scepter of thy kingdome Who pertaineth to the kingdom of Christ and who to the kingdom of Satan Howebeit he is a spirituall king which ruleth the worlde by his worde and whosoeuer receiueth his word pertaineth to his kingdom But he that is not vnder this scepter neither heareth his worde is not of God neither pertaineth to his kingdom but is subiect to the kingdom of Satan vnder whose tyrannie we all are vntill the Lord doth deliuer vs from it defend vs with his scepter which is then done when we beleeue in him Forasmuch therefore as our saluation doth come meerly by the promise of God let euery one assuredly perswade him selfe that he shal neuer obtaine saluation wtout this promise although he should do the workes of all Sainctes yet they should profit him nothing hereunto Contrariwise if we lay hold on the scepter of this king that is of the promise of God we shal not perish although the sinnes of the whole world should lye vpon vs they shal be all swallowed vp in him albeit no good worke be done of vs. As we see in the theefe which hong by the Lord on the crosse who layd hold on the word of God beleued in Christ and therefore he obtayned the promised Paradise Here is no dout left let vs onely beleue that it is so and it is so in deede all thinges which men teach or which we haue done or can doe being set aside Here all thinges must giue place at the comming of this new king that he alone may rule reigne in vs. Let a man intermedle with those thinges that are written of this king as being his owne matters and as pertaining all vnto him Whatsoeuer is written of Christ it is written for our comfort For whatsoeuer is written any where of Christ it is written for our comfort that we may thereby feede and cherish our faith To the establishing of such faith God hath mercifully left vnto vs his promise written and hath suffered to be published that he will performe that which he hath promised Whosoeuer apprehendeth this in his hart it must needes be that with sighing he thirst for such Scripture and promise of God who of his grace being not prouoked of vs offereth vnto vs and bestoweth vpon vs such goodnes and mercy But let vs now come to our present text which not with words only but also with a certeine force pearseth the hart and poureth into it loue pleasure ioy gladnes c. As if an Angell should now come from heauen and say vnto vs miserable and condemned wretches after this sort Behold O man thou hast sinned wherfore thou hast deserued to be condemned for euer This being heard the hart must needes tremble Now although all this be true yet neuertheles God of his grace hath mercy vppon thee sendeth to thee a Sauiour as he promised to Abraham and his seede Be of a good cheere and giue thankes to God Loe here is the booke of the generation of Iesus Christ who is the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham so that this is not onely done but also written that thou mayst be certaine thereof Neither will he neither can he deceiue beleue onely and thou shalt haue all things Now it is to be noted that Matthew setteth Dauid before Abraham although the promise was first made to Abraham and came afterward to Dauid which promise made to Dauid the Prophets did afterward publish more abroad and did by it comfort the people As in the 11. chapter of Esai where the Prophet sayth thus There shall come a rod forth of the stocke of Iesse and a graffe shall growe out of his roote Ieremie likewise sayth thus chap. 23. Behold the time commeth sayth the Lord that I wil raise vp the righteous braunch of Dauid which king shall beare rule and he shall prosper with wisedom and shall set vp equitie righteousnes againe in the earth And many other such prophecies there are to be found in the writings of the Prophetes which they foretold of Dauid that his kingdom should be raysed vp as that Angell also declared vnto Marie when he sayd Luke 1.32 The Lord God shall giue vnto him the throne of his father Dauid Why Matthew setteth Dauid before Abraham Luke 1.54 he shall
reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome shall be none ende Wherefore Matthew thought good here to set Dauid first as the better knowne next vnto him Abraham vnto whom the promise was first made as Marie in her song sayth He remembring his mercy hath holpen his seruaunt Israell as he promised to our fathers Abraham his seede for euer And that promise is now performed and in this our text described as we shal see hereafter S. Matthew maketh a triple difference of fathers of whom Christ came foureteene Patriarkes foureteene Kings foureteene Princes For it behoued that the scepter kingdom should be taken from Iuda Gen. 49.10 according to the prophesie of Iacob which is thus The scepter shall not depart from Iuda and a lawegiuer from betwene his feete vntill Silo come and vnto him shall the gathering of the people be Here all thinges must be fulfilled and there are thrise foureteene generations euen as Matthew rehearseth them from Abraham to Dauid foureteene generations from Dauid til they were caried away into Babylon likewise foureteene generatiōs Howbeit there is a person omitted in Matthew that is Iakim it ought thus to be written Iosias begat Iakim Iakim begat Iechonias and his brethren this the Chronicles witnes And after they were caried away into Babylon vntill Christ foureteene generations Which triple distinction hath a great mysterie as we shall see The Iewes among other lawes were commaunded to obserue these three precepts namely to worship that God whom their fathers had worshipped Secondly to choose no Priest of any other stocke then of their owne that is of the tribe of Leui. Thirdly to choose no king but of their owne people These three precepts did very wel agree in our Lord Christ to wit that he is that one God that he is an eternall Priest of our flesh blood a King our brother who hath taken our nature vpon him Who by his diuine power is able to help saue vs being an eternal Priest continually maketh intercession for vs. He is a King also that he may defend preserue vs who is not to be feared of vs seing that he is a man as we are yea was made a most contemptible man that our hart might be wholy quieted appeased in him our Sauiour who can neuer forsake vs. Who were able to stand in the sight of God not be terrified if that Priest did not stand before God Who should defend vs if he were not a King Who should saue vs if he were not God How should he haue care of vs if he were not a man and our brother with whom we may speake as wel as we may one with an other among our selues O most gracious Sauiour how wisely hast thou done all thinges I knowe that thou art my brother as it is in the Psalme Psal 22.21 I will declare thy name vnto my brethren as it is alleaged in the Epistle to the Hebr. Albeit thou art God my Lord Christ and king of heauen and earth yet I can not be afraide of thee for thou art my friend and brother This is no hinderance vnto me that I am a sinner and thou holy For if I had not bene a sinner there had bene no neede that thou shouldest suffer punishment for me Why both good and euill are rehearsed in the genealogie of Christ I see also in thy genealogie that both good and euill are rehearsed of whose posteritie thou wouldest come that thou mightest comfort timorous and weake consciences that they should confidently cheerefully put their trust in thee which hast taken away our sinnes And that we might be certaine hereof thou hast left vnto vs thy word which assuredly declareth it vnto vs. Among the Kings Princes which Matthew rehearseth some were exceeding euil as we may read in the bookes of the Kings Yet God suffereth them to be rehearsed in his genealogie as if they were worthy that he should come of them But he suffered not so much as one honest woman to be rehearsed therin Fower women are named which all had an euill report and were counted lewd Gen. 38. As Thamar of whom Iudas the father of her husband begat Phares and Zara Ios 2.1 as in the first booke of Moses it is mentioned Rahab is called an harlot in the booke of Iosua Ruth was a heathen woman of whom although we read no euill written yet forasmuch as she was a heathen she was despised of the Iewes as a dogge and was detested of them Bethsabe the wife of Vrias was an adulteresse before she was maried to Dauid of her he begat Salomon Which women are vndoutedly therefore rehearsed that we may see how God hath set forth as it were a certaine glasse vnto all sinners wherein they may see that he would be borne of the posteritie of sinners that the greater sinners we be so much more certaine and greater refuge we might haue to so gracious a God Priest King who is our brother in whom onely and in none other we are able to fulfill the law obtaine the grace of God he came downe from heauen therefore neither doth he require any thing of vs but that we assuredly beleue that he is our God By faith in Christ we become the sonnes of God and heires of the heauenly kingdom Gal. 3.26 Priest King and then all thinges shal be wel with vs. By him alone we become the sonnes of God heires of the heauenly kingdom as S. Paule sayth to the Galathians Ye are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus Here the hartes of all sinners may leape for ioy that they are counted worthy of such a Sauiour Must not he needes be regenerate whose hart vnderstandeth and feeleth this yea he is caried with a most ardent loue to leade a newe life for he is inspired with the grace of God inasmuch as he layeth hold of the promise of remission of all his sinnes If we will count vppon our fingers the persons rehearsed in this text we shall finde them to be forty and two which were in time past figured by the two and forty mansion places which the children of Israell had before they came into the promised land as it is written in the fourth booke of Moses If we also will come into the promised land which our Lorde Iesus Christ hath prepared for vs by his natiuitie we must also occupie two and forty mansion places that is we must ceasse from our owne purpose be regenerate man by man vntill we come to Marie and Iesus there at the last we shall finde rest vnto our soules But this natiuitie is hard for our euill corrupt nature is very loth to leaue her owne wil and purpose And againe the case of nature is such that no natiuitie can be without griefe yet one hath more griefe tentation and affliction then an other The theefe
on the crosse leapt at one leap two and forty degrees and came sodainely to Christ So did many Martyrs also and other holy men Notwithstanding none can goe so great a iorney with small griefe vnlesse he be caried with a great winde that is by the holy Ghost We must goe fayre and softly from Abraham to Isaac from Isaac to Iacob and so forth But we must begin at Abraham that we may be found endued with like faith as he was and obtaine the blessing promised vnto him then we shall more easily and cheerefully goe from one Patriarch to an other That is we shal passe ouer one affliction after an other vntill we be called out of this trauell and iorney vnto our rest Why the godly must suffer afflictions in this world For a man must be so long exercised with afflictions and so oft renounce his owne will vntill at the last he be brought vnder and his flesh by this meanes be subdued that it may obey the spirit and walke ioyfully in the will and obedience of God Wherefore let no man purpose with him selfe to come vnto heauen by leading a quiet life Luk. 18.25 and following pleasure thus Christ sayth in Luke It is easier for a camell to goe through a needles eye Act. 14.22 then for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God And in the Actes of the Apostles Paule teacheth that we must through many tribulations enter into the kingdom of God Againe Luk. 16.25 in Luke Abraham sayd to the rich glutton Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures and likewise Lazarus paines nowe therefore he is comforted and thou art tormented So it behoued Christ also to suffer by the crosse to enter into his glorie 2. Tim. 3.12 And S. Paule sayth All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution Hereupon we may learne that all that is poyson which is according to the lust of the flesh Rom. 8.13 Wherfore Paule sayth to the Rom. If ye liue after the flesh ye shal die but if ye mortifie the deedes of the bodye by the spirite ye shall liue The flesh striueth against the spirit The spirit which is of God is ready to suffer but the flesh resisteth This Iesus signified by his aunswer vnto Peter when he shewed vnto his Disciples that he must goe vnto Ierusalem Matth. 16.21 and suffer many thinges of the Iewes and be slayne also Peter tooke him aside and sayd vnto him Maister pitie thy selfe this shall not be vnto thee But Christ turned him backe and sayd vnto Peter Get thee behind me Satan for thou sauerest not the thinges that are of God but the thinges that are of men Here it is manifest that the reason of man doth flatly striue against the will of God God will haue vs enter into glory by the crosse and persecution but the flesh resisteth and is troubled in afflictions Moreouer they that are endued with the spirit of God doe reioyce if they be afflicted for God his sake Act. 5.41 as it is writtē of the Apostles They departed as Luke sayth from the councell reioycing that they were coūted worthy to suffer rebuke for his name Iam. 1.2 Wherefore Iames sayth in his Epistle My brethren count it exceeding ioy when ye fall into diuerse tentations knowing that the trying of your faith bringeth forth patience And let patience haue her perfect worke that ye may be perfect and entier lacking nothing O how necessary is patience for a Christian man that we may possesse our soules by patience Luk. 21.19 as Christ sayth in Luke otherwise we shall lose them Wherefore we must enter into a new kinde of life and if at any time calamitie commeth we must not by and by burst forth into euill speeches take it vnpatiently but we must alwayes lift vp our hart to God and beare his will with a patient minde he will well deliuer vs in his time when it seemeth good to him God euen when he chasteneth and correcteth vs doth loue vs and care for vs. Heb. 12.5 and we must alwayes thinke that he beareth a fatherly affection toward vs euen when he sendeth persecutions anguishes afflictions and aduersities as the Epistle to the Hebrewes sayth Ye haue forgotten the exhortation which speaketh vnto you as vnto children My sonne despise not the chastening of the Lord neither faint whē thou art rebuked of him For whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth If ye endure chastening God offereth him selfe vnto you as vnto sonnes for vvhat sonne is it vvhom the father chasteneth not If therefore ye be vvithout correction vvhereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sonnes God giue vs his diuine grace that we may courageously passe these two and forty degrees with the Lord Christ be regenerate into a new life Amen A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER VPON THE HYMNE OF ZACHARIAS COMMONLY CALLED BENEDICTVS Luke 1. Verse 68. BLessed be the Lord God of Israell because he hath visited and redeemed his people THat godly man Zacharias speaketh here of things as already done when he sayth he hath visited and redeemed his people c. For he was certaine of them now the childe Iohn was come being about to begin to preach of our redemption as the Angell had foretold of him that he should goe before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elias to turne the hartes of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisedom of the iust men to make ready a people prepared for the Lorde this promise he knew should assuredly come to passe Wherin this redemption consisteth I thinke it is already sufficiently knowne vnto you namely in this that God visiteth and deliuereth vs. Which visitation and deliuerance is accomplished neither by sworde nor violence but by the worde alone wherein consisteth more then in the blood and death on the crosse * That the word promises of God might be accomplished and fulfilled For because of the worde Christ shed his blood on the crosse It was the word that Iohn preached when he shewed the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde that is when he declared our visitation and redemption which Christ hath purchased with his blood This Iohn was the first Messenger which preached the Gospel Wherefore to vs to whom the Gospel was not before preached it is as if Iohn him selfe did nowe preach it for now is first set forth vnto vs redemption sweete consolation deliuerance from sinnes death hell and all euill To visit is nothing else then to come vnto vs to bring and declare vnto vs the word of saluation by which we are saued Zacharias conceiued so great ioy and pleasure in his hart that he could not cōtaine him selfe but he must needes burst forth into those words which in this Hymne he vttereth not onely because of the
should somtime come which should erect a kingdom that should continue for euer c. But all dyed not one remayned which did behold this being aliue But this Prophet doth liue euen at that tyme when the Lord him selfe commeth and by and by followeth him For the Gospell was begon to be preached Baptisme was begon to be ministred by the comming and ministery of Iohn who ceassing Christ began both almost in the same yeare Now what shall be his office This truely The office of Iohn to prepare a way for the Lord. Which preparation is nothing else but to bring people to the Lorde the Sauiour Christ is the grace gift King and horne of our saluation This Lorde and King no man receiueth vnles he be first humbled that he thinke nothing of him self For he can not otherwise attaine vnto Christ neither can stand together to receiue the grace of God by gift and also to merit the same Iohn therefore in this part teacheth men nothing else but that they are sinners and altogether nothing He now which acknowledgeth him selfe and feeleth him selfe a sinner before yea and to be nothing well vnderstandeth the voice of Iohn which is prepare ye a way for the Lorde Giue place to him He is at hande that followeth me who is greater then I him ye shall heare him ye shall obey The other office of Iohn which followeth is that he bringeth men to the knowledge of saluation and sheweth with his finger that pascall Lambe that taketh away our sinnes that he may fasten them to the crosse with him selfe and abolish them Whereof Zacharias now goeth on to speake Verse 77. To giue knowledge of saluatiō vnto his people by the remission of their sinnes That is thou shalt begin the office and ministery of the word whereby is taught and learned how one is saued Wherein blessednes consisteth Which saluation or blessednes consisteth in this not howe we may be famous through great aboundance of riches glory and power in earth as the Iewes haue hitherto vnderstoode it but that we may obtaine remission of sinnes and be made partakers of the grace of God Now where remission of sinnes is there is no merit no reward or satisfaction otherwise it could not be called remission of sinnes So that this knowledge is to vnderstand how God forgiueth vs our sinnes without workes and merits and saueth vs by meere grace and mercy as it followeth Verse 78. Through the tēder mercy of our God wherby the day springe from an high hath visited vs. Here it appeareth that they which teach and obserue lawes workes and merits doe striue against both the mercy of God knowledge of saluation Forgiuenes of sinnes cometh not by any merit or worke of ours but through the tender mercy of God For he sayth not that forgiuenes of sinnes hath come by the prayers or workes of the fathers or of any of the Sainctes but through the bottomles mercy of God which Luke calleth the tender mercy and such mercy as commeth from the most inward affection and bowells Notwithstanding this forgiuenes of sinne which commeth vnto vs by mercye is not without merit although it commeth to passe without our merit but a Mediatour commeth betwene who hath in our steede deserued it for vs which is Christ our Lorde For God would that satisfaction should be made vnto him for our sinnes and that his honour and lawe shoulde be performed here we were able to doe nothing But Christ alone both was able and satisfied for vs who of the infinit mercy of the father was sent for the same cause and that to vs that he might dispatche it Therefore he sayth Through which infinit bottomles mercy the day springe from an high hath visited vs. Without all dout it was no merit but only vnmeasurable mercy that Christ came to vs and merited and obtained for vs such remission of sinnes vnto eternall saluation Now he calleth him the day springe from an hie which signifieth vnto vs his diuinitie And this is his meaning on hie that is aboue all creatures where nothinge is hier but heighth alone there is Christ in his diuinitie as the morning or day springe For he proceedeth from the father as the beames doe from the sunne whereof we haue elsewhere spoken at large Verse 79. To giue light to them that sit in darkenes in the shadow of death to guide our feete into the way of peace Many of the fathers vnderstood this of Lymbus as they call it but Luke agreeth here with the saying of Esai where he sayth The people that walked in darkenes haue seene a great light Esai 9.1 How Christ is the light of the world c. His meaning therefore is this Christ therefore came that he might be the light of the world and by the Gospell might enlighten mens hartes and allure them to him selfe which were held captiue vnder Satan in the blindnes and darkenes of incredulitie that so he might guide our feete into the way of peace How Christ guideth our feete into the way of peace that is he might gouerne our conscience well quietly and cherefully in the kingdom of grace that we may be afraid neither of Satan neither of sinne death hell nor of any aduersitie who heretofore haue rested parte of vs in filthy vices parte in good workes notwithstanding we could on neither side enioy any quietnes or peace but were compelled to despeire vnder Satan and the feare of death neither did we knowe howe to finde that way which leadeth vnto peace according to the saying of the foureteenth Psalme The way of peace haue they not knowne c. Thus ye haue heard how Zacharias doth in most goodly and fit wordes most liuely paint out the Gospel and kingdom of Christ with all the frutes colours conditions thereof that it is a word and kingdom of grace of forgiuenes of sinnes also a kingdom of peace ioy quietnes saluation and all goodnes God graunt that we may throughly know and feele the same Amen A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE MEDITATION OF CHRIST HIS PASSION FIrst some doe so thinke vpon the passion of Christ that they are incensed with anger against the Iewes and doe inueigh against wretched Iudas in songes and reprochfull wordes and thus they are content and thinke this to be sufficient euen as they are wont in lamenting the case of other to take pity on them and to accuse and condemne their aduersaries But that can not be called a remembring of the passion of Christ but rather of Iudas and Iudas his wickednes Secondly some haue noted in their mindes diuerse commodities and frutes proceeding of the meditation of Christes passion that saying which is ascribed to Albertus being commonly in their remembrance that it is better to thinke vpon the passion of Christ superficially or once then if one should fast the space of a whole yeare and daily in praying goe ouer the whole Psalter
the Father hauing fulfilled his will in all thinges and thereby merited eternall life For seeing that he hath no neede of this merit he giueth it vnto vs which beleeue in him that before God all his thinges may be imputed to vs and by them we may receiue saluation See how rich a thing sound faith is and how great good things it bringeth with it See also how precious a thing the Gospell is and how great a treasure it is to haue it purely preached and contrariwise how great a discommoditie there is where it is not preached or not rightly preached the inuentions of men being mingled with it or thrust in stede of it Take heede therefore of such deceiuers and of their counterfet faith rest not in thy selfe but get thee vnder the winges of Christ keepe thy selfe vnder his protection trust that thou art heire of eternall life not by thy owne righteousnes or grace which thou hast receiued but whereby he is righteous and acceptable before God Hereunto pertaineth this saying Psal 91. He will couer thee vnder his winges and thou shalt be safe vnder his fethers And in the Songe of Salomon it is said My spouse is a doue building her neast in the caues of the rockes and in the holes of the wall that is in the woundes of Christ And this in deede is a true Christian faith which resteth not in it selfe as the Scholemen dreamed but reposeth it selfe wholy in Christ and as it trusteth in him so it resteth in him hauing receiued eternall saluation Whereas he saith that we are made heires of eternall life according to hope beside that he proueth that we without all our owne merits by onely hope of grace are borne againe heires of eternall life and do not become heires by working whereof we haue already spoken at large he also teacheth this that our saluation and eternall life is as yet hid although if we beleeue we do verely possesse it and this body being put of and the kingdome of Christ reuealed all thinges shall appeare manifestly The weapons of this text Our owne righteousnes and good workes are of no power to saue vs. This text fighteth most mightily and with most plaine words against all righteousnes and good workes of mans reason and free will For the wordes are plaine Not by the workes of righteousnes which we had done but according to his mercie he saued vs by the washing c. All which wordes do vtterly ouerthrow our righteousnes attributing all things to the washing of the newe birth and the renewing of the holy Ghost to Christ and his grace How can there notwithstanding any presumption as yet remaine in vs Wherefore let all sacred and prophane lawes haue a fayre shew let all sacrificing priests monkes and nunnes boast of themselues let all religious and honest men and women seeme goodly in outward appearaunce let them euen rayse the dead if faith in Christ be absent whereof we haue now spoken so much all these things are to no purpose These most false shewes do as yet deceiue the whole world and seduce almost euerie one They make the Gospell obscure and extinguish the faith of Christ All their workes and orders although they appeare goodly and they thinke them to haue merited neuer so much do auaile no more vnto saluation then the workes of beastes or of artificers whereby they do maintaine themselues and theirs yea they do most hurtfully hinder it Therefore that I may conclude take heede as much as thou art able of these wolues which vnder a faire pretence counterfet themselues sheepe and learne and accustome thy selfe with a sound faith to cleaue vnto Christ alone A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. FOrasmuch as there is often mention made in the new Testament of these wordes the kingdom of heauē the kingdom of God the kingdom of Christ and it is very profitable and expedient for a Christian to know these to wit that they are nothing els but remission of sinnes and grace preached and offered by the Gospell For in this kingdom thou shalt finde nothing but grace and goodnes pardon and forgiuenes of sinnes loue and gentlenes I therefore thinke it good to entreate somewhat at large of the state of this kingdom and of forgiuenes of sinnes The kingdom of God whereby he reigneth ouer all the faithfull and as a faithfull king defendeth punisheth rewardeth guideth and directeth them c. they againe from their hart trust in him suffer his fatherly chastisement and correction with a patient mind and alwayes serue him through obedience is not worldly or temporal but spiritual Neither consisteth it in meate and drinke The kingdō of God wherin it consisteth or in any outward thing but onely in iustification quieting and consolation of the hart and conscience of man Wherfore it is nothing els but forgiuenes and taking away of sinnes by which consciences are defiled troubled and disquieted A similitude For euen as a worldly and temporall kingdom is ordayned to this ende that men may liue quietly peaceably one with an other So the kingdom of God giueth these thinges spiritually and destroyeth the kingdom of sinne and is nothing else but an abolishing and pardoning of offences God reigneth in the hartes inasmuch as he worketh in them by his word peace quietnes and consolation euen as sinne worketh the contrary namely vnquietnes anguish and all kinde of euills Herein God sheweth his maiestie and grace in this life that he taketh away and pardoneth mens sinnes and this is the kingdome of grace Nowe when as sinne with his gard that is Satan death and hell shall trouble man no more then at the last the kingdom of glory and absolute felicitie shall be The kingdō of God is gouerned not by the law but by the Gospell Hereupon it followeth first that the kingdom of God is ruled or gouerned by no law no not by the law of God much lesse by the lawes of men but onely by the Gospell and faith in God by which harts are purified comforted and quieted whiles that the holy Ghost poureth loue and the knowledge of God into them maketh man as it were one thinge and one spirit with God so that his affection is set vpon the same thinge he willeth and desireth the same thinge he seeketh and loueth the same thinge that God doth Neither standeth the case otherwise here then it doth betweene two frendes which beare good wil one to an other and agree one with an other in all thinges Hereof it commeth that a man in this kingdome of God is perfect mercifull pitifull and bountifull toward his neighbour seeing that he knoweth by the instinct of the holy Ghost that God is of the same affection toward him and toward all men and doth poure forth his goodnes plentifully Such affection of God no man can know by the lawe but onely by the spirit and word of the Gospell None therefore shal obtaine
delay or grudging Forasmuch as God alwayes forgiueth vs innumerable sinnes Our dette whereby we are bound vnto God is ten thousand talents that is so vnmeasurable and great that we are not able to pay it with all our substance all our strength and workes For we can put away no one sinne although it be euen very litle Seeing therefore that God doth remit so many sinnes of his grace in his kingdome it is meete that we should forgiue our neighbour a few offences Of this kingdom of God wherein sinnes are forgiuen the Scripture euery where maketh mention and sayth that the kingdom dominion of Christ doth extend from one ende of the lande to the other So sayth Dauid Psal 72 His dominion shall be from the one sea to the other and from the fludde vnto the ende of the earth And a litle after he sayth All nations shall serue him This also the Angell Gabriell declared to the Virgine Marie Luke 1. where he sayth thus of Christ The Lord shall giue vnto him the throne of his father Dauid and he shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdom shall be no end These and such like places do shew that the forgiuenes of sinnes wherin the kingdom of God doth especially consist hath no measure or bound Sixtly hereof we may see how vnchristianly they doe An vnchristian thinge to prescribe a measure to forgiuenes of sinnes which bringe forgiuenes of sinnes to a certaine measure as they doe which measure out their indulgences for prescribed yeares with forgiuenes of the third fourth or halfe part For hereby they bringe the kingdom of God into a narrow and straite roome and are iniurious to his mercy forasmuch as there is no ende of his kingdom nor measure of his mercy But whosoeuer shal in faith call vpon the name of God shall be saued as often as he doth it Moreouer when the sinner shall be sory for his sinnes the Lorde will no more remember them as it is in the Prophecie of Ezechiel chap. 18. Seuenthly as this kingdome of God hath no measure or limits of forgiuenes of sinnes so also it hath no ende but endureth continually without ceassing albeit the subiects of this kingdom doe not abide in it continually firmely and faithfully but do often times forsake it So the fauour and grace of God were continually with Peter although he denied the Lorde and reuolted from him To the same effect tendeth the parable in the Gospell whereof we haue now spoken For the seruaunt which would not haue pitie of his felow seruaunt did make him selfe vnworthy of the mercy of God did depriue him selfe of the kingdom of God which consisteth in pardoning of offences as it is aboue mentioned Here Vniuersitie Diuines of a pregnant wit as they seeme vnto them selues and puffed vp with knowledge haue disputed whether and how forgiuenes of sinnes doth come againe when man iterateth or renueth his sinne not knowing what they say But follow thou the plaine and simple wordes of the Gospell to wit that thy sinnes are so often forgiuen thee as thou doost forgiue thy brother whom thou must so often forgiue as he shall offend against thee We must forgiue our brethren when they offend against vs. Wherefore in this parable whereof I haue euen now made mention Christ doth admonish vs all that we pardon and forgiue all them that haue offended vs. As if he would say As in mans affayres he which is beneficial to an other hath other also beneficiall vnto him againe so sayth Christ in the kingdom of heauen which consisteth specially in forgiuenes of sinnes that is in Christianity or among Christians he which pardoneth an other his offences I also will pardon him his And on the contrary he that is not mercifull toward an other to him I also will deny grace I am ouer you as Lord and King and ye are felow seruaunts and companions one with an other Seeing therefore that I your Lorde doe readily forgiue you you also ought more readily to forgiue one an other After the same sort also he hath commaunded vs to pray in the Lords prayer Matth. 6 Forgiue vs our dettes which he would not haue done if he did not promise and would not mercifully forgiue vs. But neuertheles he added a condition or signe to this promise when he sayth If ye forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly Father will also forgiue you The first is a signe the other a promise Marke that it is here enioyned vs to forgiue one an other his sinnes and offences so that we must be mercifull and bountifull towarde our neighbours if we will haue the heauenly father gentle and appeased toward vs. And let vs be most certainly perswaded hereof when we shall interpret at the best and excuse as much as equitie doth suffer the offences and trespasses of other although they be euen great and grieuous that we also shall haue a bountifull and mercifull father toward vs in heauen A most vnchristian thing not to forgiue our brethren but to beare malice in our hart seeke to be reuenged Wherefore it is a thinge most abhorring from Christianitie and euen blasphemous when it is sayd I can not neither will I forgiue him that which he hath committed against me I wil be reuenged c. Surely those blind meÌ„ are ignorant that they doe take from God his glory to whom alone vengeance belongeth and chalenge it to them selues and so they giue vp to the deuill their owne soules which they haue receiued of God ought to render them vnto him againe whereunto they are perhaps prouoked euen with some small or trifleling matter Such kind of men as these ought to sette before the eyes of their hart these wordes of the Gospell Matth. 18 O euill seruant I forgaue thee all that dette because thou prayedst me oughtest not thou also to haue had pitie on thy fellow seruant euen as I had pitie on thee So his Lord was wrath deliuered him to the tormentors til he should pay all that was due to him So likevvise shall mine heauenly Father doe vnto you except ye forgiue from your haâ—â— eche one to his brother their trespasses Neither is it sufficient if in gestures signes mouth or tongue thou shew thy selfe a frend vnto him and forgiue him but thou must doe it from thy hart otherwise God will not forgiue thee yea thou shalt be driuen out of the kingdom of grace Wherfore if at any tyme we haue tryed the mercy of God towarde vs we must also readily pardon our felow brethren which haue offended vs. For in that respect the mercifull Father forgiueth vs our sinnes that we also should forgiue our brethren shew mercy toward them euen as he is merciful toward vs and remitteth sinne death the fault and the punishment When we shal do this then are we receiued into the kingdom of God For the goodnes of God liueth in our hartes and
not all Christians suffered vnto some of which he hath committed the ministerie of his word faithfully to be executed and to other some hath enioyned the charge of hearing the same If there were no other cause beside this whereby we might be moued to heare learne Gods word but for that it is the good pleasure will and commaundement of God yet this one ought to be sufficient great weighty For it is our dutie as creatures to obey our Lorde and Creator and that with all readines of mynde inasmuch as he hath giuen vs so many good thinges and doth as yet daily giue vs moe for which we shall neuer be able to giue him sufficient worthie thankes Howbeit he is not content onely to haue commaunded vs to do this or to require it of vs as bounden dutie but promiseth also that great fruits and commodities shall redound to vs thereby affirming that by this meanes his greatest and highest worship is giuen vnto him For he is the great Lord whom we serue God is serued diuers waies but especially by preaching hearing his worde who hath many and diuers kindes of seruice and manifold maners of worship and whom we may serue diuers wayes But this onely seruice which is giuen to him by hearing the word doth excell all the rest For if any where a faithfull man of the countrie or a citizen or any which is otherwise in subiection doth serue his Lorde or maister he doth by the same seruice also serue God Likewise a childe a manseruaunt or a maydseruaunt if they be obedient and do diligently that which belongeth to their dutie also a Prince and parents if they gouerne well and do their dutie faithfully they all do serue God For it is his will and commaundement which he requireth to be fulfilled of vs. Of such seruices and kindes of worship the world is full For to euerie one in his state his workes are committed and inioyned of God whereby he daily both ought and may serue him that there may be left no place for excuse vnto any man as though he were ignoraunt how and wherefore he must serue God neither that any seeke after other thinges and inuent peculiar maners of seruing God which he hath neither ordained nor commaunded and in the meane season neglect that which he hath commaunded as we haue hitherto done in our blindenes But before all other seruices and doinges of duties he hath most highly esteemed and extolled this seruice both of them that heare God hath appointed time place person and what so euer is requisite that his word may be preached heard and them that preach his word And therefore hath ordained also a speciall day thereunto euerie weeke in which we must applie our selues to no other busines Albeit we serue God also by other labours all the weeke which he hath bound to no time or certaine daye But he hath chosen this daye specially which he hath seuerely commaunded to be kept whereby men maye haue time and leysure to performe this seruice lest any might flie vnto this complaint that he hath no leysure by reason of his labours and busines Moreouer he hath appointed speciall places also for this seruice as among vs temples and houses where we doe come togither Yea he hath instituted and kept the whole order of ministers hereunto giuing also other thinges which pertaine to the performing of the charge of this office as the knowledge of manye tounges and diuers giftes beside And briefely he hath commaunded the whole world by a certaine speciall precept that it thinke this worship or seruice holy and farre more excellent then the rest Which he will haue so to be delighted in of all Christians that it maye be manifest howe much he doeth esteeme it and howe acceptable vnto him the exercise and handlyng of his word is Most weightie causes which ought to me to heare Gods word These things I speake to stirre you vp and to admonish you why ye ought willingly to heare the word of God because it is not only the commaundement of God whereunto we must obey but we haue also most ample promises that it is a thinge acceptable to God and the greatest worship whereby we can doe honour vnto him And it so farre exceedeth other kindes of worship as the brightnes of the sunne exceedeth the brightnes of the other starres and the Sabbath day the other dayes in a summe as much as the heauenly kingdom excelleth the kingdoms of the worlde For here all thinges are holy and specially chosen the time place person and that because of the worde which sanctifieth all thinges vnto vs. Wherefore we must earnestly endeuour that we take heede vnto our selues that we fall not into sluggishnes slothfulnes neither that we be caried away with contempt and lothsomnes of hearing the word as those delicate and cloyed spirits which seeme vnto them selues already to be Maisters and exactly to know all thinges yea farre more perfectly then any can teache them Or as others also which are soone cloyed with it thinking why I haue heard this very often wherefore should I eftsoones heare the same songe They knowe not howe great meruelous a thing it is also howe great worship of God which they do so greatly contemne neglect with so great slothfulnes Wherefore they doe after vnspeakeable meanes prouoke God to wrath hauing his commaundement so in contempt and suffering his promise to be made voyd in them and as much as is in them impayring and hindering by their example so commendable a worship and seruice of God But admit it to be true which notwithstanding is not that thou doost vnderstand all thinges perfectly and as cunningly and skilfully as Christ him selfe yet thou seest how earnestly he performeth the office of preaching and applyeth him selfe vnto this worke whereof notwithstanding he was most skilful before and had not any whit neede thereof as we doe greatly neede it So Paule also a Prince of Apostles albeit he was exceedingly well learned so excellent a Doctor yet going through many countries did eftsoones and euery where preach neither was he wearied or cloyed We must not be wearie of hearing the word of God Wherefore it is meete that thou be nothing at all wearie of hearing this worde inasmuch as the ayde and helpe thereof is exceeding necessary for thee both against the deuil and all other tentations And although for thy instruction thou shouldest not neede it yet oughtest thou not to be wearied or cloyed that thou shouldest not bestowe a fewe howres in a day euery weeke vpon this worship and seruice of God seeing that before applying thy selfe to false worship when thou didst passe the whole day in temples and didst runne from temple to temple from altar to altar thou felst no tediousnes or wearines neither didst say as thou doost at this day O I haue heard no newe thinge I haue heard these thinges before But
pure and sincere word of God whereby the grace of God is preached and offered and notwithstanding to embrace it with no diligence neither to be chaunged or altered in life By this vnthankfull slothfulnes we deserue to haue it taken away againe as being vnworthy of it For we making so light of the Gospell are vndoutedly they which are bidden and called to the mariage but whiles being busied about other matters we despise this grace the good man of the house is angrie with vs sweareth that we shall neuer tast of his supper The same doth Paule now here admonish of that we take heede to our selues least that we receiue the Gospell vnthankfully without frute Yea Christ also admonished vs of the same VValke while ye haue the light Ioh. 12.35 least the darkenes come vpon you It ought surely to make vs more warie and heedefull euen for that we suffered so grieuous and pernitious darkenes vnder the Pope But we haue now forgotten all such thinges no thankfulnes no amendement is found among vs which how greatly to our owne hurt we neglect we shall shortly feele For he sayth I haue heard thee in a tyme accepted and in the day of saluation haue I succoured thee beholde nowe the accepted tyme. He describeth here the merueilous felicitie which is there where the Gospell flourisheth there is no wrath no reuengement all thinges are replenished with grace and saluation yea it is vnspeakeable howe great felicitie these wordes doe speake of Whereas he first sayth a tyme accepted A time accepted it is spoken by an Hebrewe figure and is as much as if thou say a gratious tyme and replenished with the fauour of God wherein God turneth away his anger and declareth nothing but loue toward vs and a ready will to helpe vs. Our sinnes are blotted out not onely those that be past but those also which as yet sticke in our flesh and that I may speake in a word the kingdom of mercie is present wherein nothing but forgiuenes of sinnes and restoring of grace is shewed heauen standeth open the right yeare of Iubile is come wherein all dettes are remitted and no grace is denied Whereupon he sayth In a time accepted haue I heard thee that is now I fauour thee am mercifull vnto thee whatsoeuer thou wilt haue pray for it and thou shalt obtayne it and certainly receiue it Onely let not the fault be in thy selfe pray while this time endureth The day of saluation Beholde nowe the day of saluation He calleth this the time and day of saluation that is of helpe and felicitie For we are not onely certayne hereof that God is mercifull and fauourable vnto vs and we acceptable vnto him but also as we beleeue and by faith are sure of his goodnes toward vs so he declareth in deede heareth them that crie vnto him helpeth and saueth them yea and maketh them plainly blessed We therefore worthely acknowledge and confesse this tyme to be the wished prosperous happie and very day of saluation For it behoueth that both be togither both that God fauour vs and also that he declare his fauour towards vs by worke or deede That he fauoureth vs the accepted tyme which is nowe present doth witnes that he doth also helpe vs and finish our saluation this other witnesseth to wit the day of saluation the day of helpe But as the state of the life of Christians is if thou wilt iudge according to the outward man thou wilt iudge it rather a tyme of affliction wrath and indignation wherein the Gospell is preached and wherein they liue then a time of grace and saluation Wherefore the wordes of the spirit must be spiritually vnderstood so shall we easily see perceiue that these noble and most pleasaunt names doe most rightly and properly belong to the tyme wherein the Gospell flourisheth that it is a tyme accepted that is full of grace and a time of saluation whereby surely all the riches and felicitie of Christes kingdom are notably commended and set forth vnto vs. Let vs giue no occasion of offence in any thinge Forasmuch therefore as there is so acceptable and gratious a tyme let vs sayth he vse it worthely and not receiue it in vayne First endeuouring to giue no occasion of offence to any man least that our office of preachinge Christ be reprehended No offence must be giuen whereby the Gospell may be reprehended Double occasion of offence may be giuen whereby the Gospel is reprehended whereby he sufficiently declareth what offence he meaneth namely that the doctrine of the Gospell may not be stumbled at as though he taught that which is not perfect and sound Nowe there may be giuen a double occasion of offence whereby the Gospell is reprehended one wherby the Heathen are offended when as some vnder a pretence of the Gospel seeke the libertie of the flesh wil not be obedient to magistrates turning the libertie of the spirit into fleshly licētiousnes These do meruelously offend the discreeter wiser sort of the Heathen and make that they hate the Gospell without a cause which they thinke doth teach this licentiousnes and so as it were with a certaine force they do by this their insolencie repell and driue them from the faith of Christ for they measuring all Christians by these do detest them as light men and troublers of the common wealth and therefore not to be suffered This offence therefore and this reprehension or rather hatred and persecution of the Gospel we acknowledge to come through these preposterous Christians An other offence is whereby euē Christians amōg themselues are sometime offended through the vnseasonable vse of Christian libertie in meates and other indifferent thinges whereat the weaker sort in faith do sometime stumble Whereof the Apostle hath giuen many preceptes 1. Cor. 8. Rom. 14. He exhorteth therefore here vnto that whereof he admonisheth in other wordes 1. Cor. 10 So behaue your selues that ye giue none offence neither to the Iewes nor to the Grecians nor to the Church of God euen as I please all men in all things not seeking mine owne profit but the profit of many that they might be saued The same he teacheth also Philip. 2. that euerie man looke not on his owne things but on the things of other men for so all offence should be easily taken away nay none at all should be giuen That our ministerie be not reprehended Though we cā not bring to passe that the word of God be not at all reprehended yet must we endeuour that it be not reprehended through our fault Who can bring to passe that our ministerie shall not be reprehended seeing that the Gospell is necessarily subiect to persecution no lesse then Christ himselfe In deede it is not in vs to make that the worde of God be not reprehended and persecuted of them which are ignoraunt of God and do not beleeue for it is a rocke of offence Esai 8. Rom.
neglect the time then shall there be no place neither for helpe nor counsell As if he sayd Thou standest here adorned with sumptuous and goodly buildings and there are in thee mighty citizens which are both secure and merie thinking that no daunger hangeth ouer them but after the space of forty yeares thou shalt be destroyed Which the Lorde plainly foretelleth in these wordes The dayes shall come vpon thee that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee and compasse thee round and keepe thee in on euery side and shall make thee euen vvith the ground and thy children vvhich are in thee and they shall not leaue in thee a stone vpon a stone because thou knevvest not that season of thy visitation The careles securitie of the Iewes Now the Iewes as they supposed stoode vnmoueable safe resting vpon the promise of God so that they thought no otherwise but that they should perseuerantly continue so for euer they were secure and thought thus with them selues God will not send such thinges vnto vs we haue the temple wherein God him selfe is resident We haue also plenty of excellent men money and other thinges Goe to then who can doe any hurt or harme to vs Moreouer the Emperour and people of Rome hauing taken the citie seeing it furnished with so many and so great munitions and goodly and excellent buildings merueiled greatly and confessed that it was vnpossible that so great a citie should be taken vnlesse it had bene the speciall will of God Their boasting therefore and confidence in their owne false opinion deceiued them Howbeit the Lord did more earnestly and deepely consider the matter then they when he sayd O Ierusalem if thou knewest those thinges that are knowne to me thou wouldest haue a care of thy peace peace in the Scriptures is when the matters and affaires of any haue good successe thou thinkest that thou hast glad and merie dayes that it is well with thee and that thy affaires are in a prosperous state but if thou knewest howe thine enemies shall by siege afflict thee keepe thee in on euery side and bring thee into such distresse that they shall make thee euen with the ground destroy all thy buildings and leaue not a stone vpon a stone thou wouldest surely conueniently receiue the word whereby thou mightest enioy both true peace and all good thinges The reading of the historie of the destruction of this city doth make much to the right vnderstanding of this text A description of Gods wrath and most grieuous vengeance poured vpon the Iewes for their contēpt and disobedience God had plainly so ordained that at the feast of Easter at which time they came to Ierusalem out of all quarters the citie should be besieged and there were then gathered togither as Iosephus reporteth about thirty hundred thousand mē vpon whom the Lorde would shewe his grieuous indignation and wrath All the Apostles and Christians were departed and gone into the cuntrie of Herod not farre from Ierusalem The Lord tooke out the wheate and put the chaffe togither on an heape nowe there was so great a multitude of people that they might seeme to exceede not onely a citie but euen a kingdom And they were driuen into so great calamitie that all their vittells were spent and none at al left vnto them so that they were constrained to eate the strings of their bowes olde shoes dressing them in such maner as they could yea through the exceeding famine they were driuen to kil their owne children the souldiers tooke the flesh of children rosted from the mothers smelling the sauour of the rosted flesh two streetes of pigeons dunge was vnto them in steede of salte and was also very deare finally there was so great miserie so great slaughter and shedding of blood that it would not haue bene meruell for a stone to haue bene moued with pitie He that had seene it would haue thought that God could not haue bene so grieuously angry and so greatly haue afflicted a people Both houses and streets were filled with carkases dead through famine Notwithstanding the Iewes remained stil so obstinate and without vnderstanding that they gloried of God and would not yeelde them selues vntil the Emperour set vpon them with his whole power and tooke the citie which they were able to keepe no lenger And when as some of them were so craftie that they deuoured golde that it might not be takē from them the Romane souldiers thought that they had all so done whereupon they flewe about two thousand and hauing ript their bellies sought for golde There was such a slaughter manquelling made that it seemed a miserable thing euen to the Gentiles wherefore Cesar commaunded that they should not be so slaine but led captiue and sould The Iewes were then sould so cheape that thirty were bought for a penny they were then dispersed through the whole world and were coūted the most abiect people of all other as also at this day they are the most contemptible nation in the earth For they liue spred here and there without cities and cuntries of their owne neither can they be againe gathered togither into one place so that they shall neuer be able any more to erect their Priesthood and kingdom as they hope they shall Thus God reuenged the death of Christ all the Prophets thus were they recompensed for that they knewe not the time of their visitation Wherfore let vs be here admonished The example of the Iewes ought to admonish and moue other to know the time of their visitation for it belongeth not onely vnto vs but euen vnto all Germanie It is no iesting matter or sport neither is there any cause why we should perswade our selues that it will fall out otherwise with vs. The Iewes would not beleeue that euill should come vpon them vntil they had sufficiently tried it And we at this day are visited by the benefite of God he hath opened vnto vs a treasure his sacred and holy Gospell whereby we know his will and see how much we were subiect to the power of Satan but no man wil receiue this Gospell yea we contemne it and that which is more miserable we persecute and blaspheme it God is patient it pleaseth him to trie vs a while if we be not watchfull so that the word be againe taken from vs the same wrath and indignation which was poured forth vpon the Iewes shal also be poured forth vpon vs. For there is the same Word the same God the same Christ at this day that there was at that time whereupon vndoubtedly the punishment shal be the same or at the least as grieuous both in soule and body We make almost a sport trifling matter of the Gospel For no man embraceth it from his hart no man frameth his maners according vnto it Which is a manifest argument of blindnes O thing surely most miserable I feare lest the matter will shortly come to that passe that
so many temples it were tolerable if we had therefore so done that the word of God might be preached in them for where Gods word is preached there is he present and poureth forth his grace Christ sayth moreouer that the Iewes haue made the temple at Ierusalem a denne of theeues But they were resident in the temple which sould oxen and sheepe that they which came might buy to offer and worship God Why therefore doth he call it a dēne of theeues Surely he giueth vnto it a foule name Why Christ calleth the temple at Ierusalem a denne of theeues which came to passe vpon this occasion for that it was not any more counted of them for the house of God but for a house of marchandize that is the Priestes had no care how the word of God was preached there and did negligently and carelesly singe bable and reade Moses and the Prophets But God doth nothing esteeme that mumbling vp of many words which is onely vaine and childish They behaued them selues like as our sacrificing Priestes and Munkes doe who of temples Monasteries making denns of theeues preach poysonfull doctrine and therefore onely they celebrate Masse that they may thereby get vnto them selues money and fill the belly killing destroying silly sheepe with their traditions Which is the denne wherein soules are slayne which title is to be giuen to al temples wherein the word of God is not preached For there they mocke God kill soules expell the true word and set vp theeuerie O how fowly haue we bene deceiued in this point But God at this day is highly to be praysed that his word renueth quickneth vs driueth away theeues teacheth vs to pray aright For a sincere Christian must pray not in mouth onely but in hart also Thus we haue the second part of our text how Christ casteth out the sellers that is them that serued the belly and maketh place for his worde It were very good if Monasteries were scoured after this sort that either Christian scholes or places wherein the word of God might be preached might be made of them which if it come not to passe they are and doe remaine dennes of theeues If Christ calleth his house a denne of theeues how much more shall our temples which God hath not consecrated be proued to be dennes of theeues I haue often times desired you that ye would deuoutly pray vnto God that he turning away his indignation would bridle the deuill who now rageth in the world For ye haue heard of a great calamitie how many thousand haue bene slayne it is to be feared that they are all damned God requireth obedience of vs he hath pronounced the sentence that he that taketh the sword shall perish with the sword They were besieged of Satan who knoweth whether the same shall come vnto vs Let vs pray God therefore that his kingdom may come vnto vs that Christians may be multiplied and that he will send wise and meeke Preachers whom the people may receiue and obey Let him that knoweth the gift of God pray for others which haue not yet heard the word of God For it is hie time so to doe A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER WHEREIN IS ENTREATED OF THE LAWE AND THE GOSPELL AND OF THE DIFference betwene them Luke 10. Verse 23. AND he turned to his Disciples and sayd secretly Blessed are the eyes which see that ye see 24. For I tel you that many Prophets and Kinges haue desired to see those thinges which ye see and haue not seene them and to heare those thinges which ye heare and haue not heard them 25. Then behold a certaine Lawyer stoode vp tempted him saying Maister what shall I doe to inherit eternall life 26. And he sayd vnto him What is written in the law how readest thou 27. And he aunswered and sayd Thou shalt loue thy Lord God with all thine hart and with all thy soule with all thy strength and with all thy mind and thy neighbour as thy selfe 28. Then he sayd vnto him Thou hast aunswered right this doe and thou shalt liue 29. But he willing to iustifie him selfe sayd vnto Iesus Who is then my neighbour 30. And Iesus aunswered sayd A certaine man went downe from Hierusalem to Ierico fell amōg theeues they robbed hī of his raimēt woūded hī departed leauing hī half dead 31. Nowe so it fell out that there came downe a certaine Priest that same way and when he saw him he passed by on the other side 32. And likewise also a Leuite when he was come neare to the place went and looked on him passed by on the other side 33. Thē a certain Samaritan as he iornied came neare vnto him and when he saw him he had compassion on him 34. And went to him and bound vp his woundes and poured in oyle and wine and put him on his owne beast and brought him to an Inne made prouision for him 35. And on the morrowe when he departed he tooke out two pence gaue them to the host and said vnto him Take care of him and whatsoeuer thou spendest more whē I come again I will recompence thee 36. Which now of these three thinkest thou was neighbour vnto him that fel amōg the theues 37. And he said He that shewed mercy on hī Thē sayd Iesus vnto him Go and do thou likewise I Hope well that ye doe nowe rightly vnderstande this Gospell forasmuch as it is preached of euery yeare notwithstanding because occasion is now againe offered we must againe entreat and preach of it First the Euangelist sayth that Christ tooke his Disciples aside and sayd vnto them secretly after this sort Blessed are the eyes which see that ye see For I tell you that many Prophets and Kinges haue desired to see those thinges which ye see and haue not seene them and to heare those things which ye heare and haue not heard them To see and heare is to be vnderstoode here simply of the outward seeing and hearing to wit that they sawe Christ come in the flesh heard his sermons and were present at those miracles which he did among the Iewes The Iewes sawe the same according to the flesh yea and felt them also yet did they not truely acknowledge him for Christ as the Apostles did and especially Peter in the name of all the rest did confes him saying Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God We graunt in deede that there were some among the Iewes which acknowledged him as the Apostles did but the number of them was very small wherefore he taketh his Apostles here seuerally vnto himselfe Many Prophets and Kings haue seene Christ howbeit in the spirit as the Lord himselfe sayth to the Iewes of Abraham Ioh. 8 How the faithful saw Christ before his incarnation Your father Abraham reioyced to see my daye and he saw it and was glad The Iewes thought then that he had spoken of the
me That is ye beleeue that God loueth you and will glorifie you beleeue that he will do it after that sort that ye see me glorified and beleeue that this my death is life to the glorifying both of me and of my whole body that is of all Christians and that this death satisfieth for the synnes of the world as the Apostles afterward witnessed of him in their writinges 1. Iohn 2.2 Thus Iohn sayth Christ is the reconciliation for our synnes and not for ours onely but also for the synnes of the whole worlde Wherefore thou seest that Christ here will haue heartes confirmed by faith and by no other outward thinge He sayth moreouer In my Fathers house are many dwelling places These dwelling places haue bin prepared from euerlasting neither is there any neede that they should be prepared of him Why therefore doth he say I go to prepare a place for you This is nothinge els but that he goeth and is made Lord of all whereby he may prepare vs vnto such dwelling places For as long as we are not prepared neither are the dwelling places prepared for vs although they be ready by themselues Wherefore Christ meaneth thus much There are dwelling places but not yet prepared rightly and as they must be Howbeit then shal they be rightly prepared and appointed whē as I haue taken away the kingdome of death by my death and am now gone to reigne and that by the holy Ghost which by fayth shall prepare and wholy make ready you also vnto such dwelling places So that this is the simple and plaine meaning of these wordes There are dwelling places to wit where the Father glorifieth but those dwelling places are not yet prepared for that the kingdome of death is not yet taken away This Christ signifieth when he sayth If it were not so I would haue told you I go to prepare a place for you And if I go to prepare a place for you I will come againe and receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there may ye be also In these wordes the Lord declareth how these dwelling places be prepared namely by the death of Christ as it is sayde by which he came vnto glorie and ruleth ouer all thinges which are in heauen and earth By which death he hath obtayned the holy Ghost for vs which as is before sayde may prepare vs vnto these dwelling places For through his operation and working in vs he maketh vs beleeue the Gospell by which beleeuing or faith we are prepared Which could not be done if Christ should not depart and dye and so possesse a kingdome ouer all This therefore is the summe of this text They are foreseene whome the Father will glorifie but they can not be glorified but by Christ who vnles he take away death and sinne all shall be in vaine Here thou seest that all tend vnto this that Christ is he which prepareth the dwelling places and that we can not be glorified but by Christ so that the whole drift of this text is that we are not iustified by mans strength nor by our owne merits but by Christ which the whole Epistle to the Romanes effectually declareth as also that which is written to the Galathians almost all that Paule doth in his Epistles tendeth to the same ende It followeth moreouer And whither I goe ye knowe and the way ye knowe For ye beleeue in me and haue shewed signes in my name whereby ye ought nowe to be certaine who I am and what I doe and wherefore I am come Ye haue also seene and heard the testimonie of the Father of me Wherefore ye may nowe knowe that the Father will glorifie me and beleeue that I and the Father are one it shoulde be therefore superfluous to speake more of these thinges But the Disciples albeit they were well instructed of the Lorde him selfe and had seene his miracles yea and they them selues also had preached the Gospell and wrought miracles were notwithstanding as yet somewhat grosse in vnderstanding neither did they perceiue whereof he here spake and what was that way and whither the Lorde did prepare to depart Wherefore Thomas bursteth forth into open wordes and confesseth freely that he is ignorant hereof and sayth thus vnto the Lord Lord we knowe not whither thou goest hovve can we then knovve the vvay Here ye heare and see that albeit there was faith in the Disciples notwithstanding they were not as yet persuaded that Christ shoulde be crucified and by his death shoulde enter into his kingdome and that the same kingdom should be spirituall which they did not vnderstand euen after the resurrection of the Lord Act. 1.6 Lorde say they wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israell Those good men were as yet persuaded that it should be a carnall worldly kingdom Such grosse things may here and there be found in the Gospels by meanes whereof the Disciples did sometime notably stumble and erre Comfort for them that be weake in faith and sometime through infirmitie fall All which were committed to writing for our comfort confirmation that we should not be by and by discouraged when we haue sometime stumbled in faith and can not at the first apply our selues to the workes and word of the Lorde If this happened to these great mē which afterward shoulde become pillers of Christianitie there is no cause truely that any should meruell if we also sometime faint in faith yea and let no man be afrayd although it falleth out that sometime through infirmitie he so doe It is the worke and matter of the Lorde he will amend these thinges when it seemeth good vnto him Now of the wordes we mind to entreate somewhat at large Not much before when Christ would confirme his Disciples in faith he promised them that they should be glorified Here he addeth and declareth how and by what meanes they must be glorified affirming that that must be by his departure that is by his death that by that meane he must obtaine his kingdome This he had often repeated vnto them so that now it did become them to know and vnderstand it Therefore he sayth VVhither I goe ye know and the way ye knowe but they did not yet throughly vnderstand it as the wordes of Thomas doe declare Now it is certaine that there was faith in the Disciples which the wordes of Peter proue who aunswered Christ in steede of the rest when he asked them whether they also would goe away Peter sayd Maister to whom shall we goe Ioh. 6.68 Thou hast the wordes of eternall life and we beleeue and knowe that thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God This appeareth also by the wordes of the Lord which he had sayd to them a litle before at his supper Ye are cleane which he would not haue sayd if they had not beleued they knewe Christ therefore that he is the way to the Father So they knew the Father
that his kingdom is set in the middes of the fight yea and in the middes of the haters thereof These things are written for our comfort that we which mind to serue vnder the Prince of this kingdom be so instructed that we looke for no other then is here prescribed and set forth vnto vs The godly must looke for no peace or quietnes in the world that we seeke not here to get vnto vs the fauour of the world neither that we serue the world and labour to haue no enemies therein For the words of Zacharias declare that it is the quality of this kingdom to deliuer from enemies Now if it deliuereth vs from enemies and as it were draweth vs out of the hands of them that hate vs surely it can not be a kingdom of peace but such a kingdom as is subiect to the hatred and malice of the world As ye see at this daye that our enemies beare a deadly hatred vnto the light which hath a litle shined forth thankes be to Christ therefore No man is any where so hated as a Christian Both the Pope and the furious Bishops with their false Apostles also the raging Princes moreouer the holy learned and wise of the world all at this day doe most bitterly hate Christians Neither are they content that they be killed slaine but they would haue them extinguished and vtterly rooted out that there may be no memorie of them as they thinke left among men And this is the state these are the badges and cognisances of Christians that when Satan by his ministers persecuteth vs he thinketh quite to roote vs out This verse also giueth vs to vnderstand that Christ is our King that he may saue and deliuer vs out of the handes of our enemies which he notably performeth and sheweth his power in the middes of the worlde in the middes of the force of flesh and Satan when as peace and quietnes is no where left to a Christian but in his Christ alone This also we must marke that there is not one but many which assayle persecute Christians but yet that we shall not therefore be destroyed forasmuch as we haue one which is stronger both then the world and the Prince thereof as Iohn sayth Nowe whereas he promiseth vs we know certainly that he both will and is able to performe we shall in deede feele the assault but he will not suffer vs to be destroyed or ouercome so that we hope and trust in him It followeth moreouer Verse 72. That he might shewe mercy towards our fathers and remember his holy couenant Verse 73. That is the oth which he sware to our father Abraham that he would giue vs. He will deliuer vs not onely from all euill both of body and especially of soule but also from our enemies Satan and men as a Christian must be as it were ouerwhelmed with all euills together so also he shal be againe wholy deliuered from all euils And he sheweth that this grace and blessing was promised to their fathers Such is the maner of the Apostles also that they often times haue recourse to the old Testament as I haue sayd before that God spake and promised by the mouth of the Prophets c. euen as Zacharias doth in this place An obiectiō Some man may now say They are dead how therefore will he shew mercy vnto them Againe what neede is there to rehearse that he woulde shew mercy to the fathers when as it is declared in the Prophets But this is therefore done The aūswer that the truth of God may be shewed forth and may be also approued vnto vs that we shoulde not be ignorant that those thinges are not due to our merits In the first booke of Moses is mentioned how God promised to Abraham Gen. 22.18 that in his seede all the nations of the earth should be blessed That is that by Christ should come peace grace and blessing to all nations Which promise was differred so long a time that it appeared that it was in vaine and abolished So vnwise as it seemeth to the worlde doth God shewe him selfe in his matters as though all thinges went backward Notwithstanding howsoeuer it was delayed and seemed yet it is fulfilled and performed whatsoeuer was promised to Abraham and God hath not onely deliuered him from his enemies but hath bestowed vpon him all good thinges yea hath giuen him selfe vnto him and all that he hath And all this is therefore done for that as Zacharias here sayth this mercy and goodnes was before promised and confirmed by an oth vnto them which are long since dead when as we yet were not He is mercifull therefore and fauourable not because of our merits as though he did owe it vnto our righteousnes but of his onely grace fauour and mercy God both promised fulfilled his promise not moued through any workes or merits of men but of his meere grace and mercy These are horrible thundrings against our merits workes that we can not glory that we haue deliuered our selues from sinnes or that we haue deserued his goodnes and the preaching of the Gospell No it is not so Here is no place for boasting but this text sayth that thou O Lorde didst promise certaine thowsands of yeares before I was borne that thou wouldest doe it Who did then desire him that he would giue vs those thinges when he had determined with him selfe to giue them And vpon this promise the Prophets are bold and doe stay them selues for by it we attaine vnto true goodnes that the mouth of euery one may be stopped that he that wil glory may glory in the Lord. For thus the Lord may say that thou liuest in my kingdom that thou enioyest my goodnes grace it is not to be imputed to thee but vnto me I promised and determined with my selfe to fulfill my promises thou being ignorant thereof And here the mouth of euery one is stopped So at this day also none of vs vnto whom thankes be to God the Gospel hath shined can glory that we obtained it by our owne meanes labour endeuour or good conuersation For those which were counted the best workes and the most excellent studies are disallowed and ouerthrowne as to celebrate Masse to ioyne him selfe to this or that hypocriticall sect which they call an order c. These the Gospell condemneth and reiecteth and how can I attaine to the Gospell by that which it reiecteth Wherefore this standeth sure and certaine that all that we haue is of the meere grace and goodnes of God so that with his honour and praise we may confesse that we haue deserued farre otherwise namely hell fire if besides this he bestoweth any thing vpon vs it is the gift of his grace and goodnes And this is that which Zacharias sayth that is was foretold by the Prophets and both promised and confirmed by an oth to the fathers Gen. 22.16 that he would performe