differeth nothing from a seruaunt though he be Lord of all 2. But is vnder tuters and gouerners vntill the time appointed of the father 3. Euen so we when we were children were in bondage vnder the rudiments of the world 4. But when the fulnes of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the Lawe 5. That he might redeeme them which were vnder the Lawe that we might receiue the adoption of the sonnes 6. And because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts which cryeth Abba Father 7. Wherefore now thou art not a seruaunt but a sonne if thou be a sonne thou art also an heire of God through Christ THis text toucheth the very pith of Paules chiefe doctrine the cause why it is well vnderstood of so few is not for that it is so obscure and hard but because there is almost no knowledge of faith left in the world without which it can not be that one should rightly vnderstand Paule who euerie where intreateth of faith with such force of the spirit as he is able I must therefore speake somewhat that this text may be made plaine and that I may more conueniently bring light vnto it in expounding it I will speake a few wordes in maner of a preface First therefore we must vnderstād that that treatise wherein is intreated of good workes doth farre differ from that wherein is intreated of iustification as there is verie great difference betweene the substance and the working betweene a man his worke Now iustification is of man and not of workes for man is either iustified and saued or iudged and condemned and not workes Neither is it in controuersie among the godly that man is iustified by no worke but righteousnes must come vnto him from some other where then from his owne workes For Moses writeth of Abel after this sort The Lord had respect vnto Abel and to his oblation God first regardeth the man and thē the worke First he had respect to Abel himselfe then to his oblation because that Abel was first counted righteous entire and acceptable vnto God and then for his sake his oblation also was alowed and not he because of his oblation Againe God had no respect to Cain and therefore neither to his oblation where againe thou seest that regard is had first of the worker thē of the worke Of this place it is verie plainly gathered that no worke can be allowed of God whereas he which worketh that worke was not first acceptable to him and againe that no worke is disalowed of him vnles the authour thereof be disallowed before I thinke that these thinges wil be sufficient concerning this matter in this place of which it is easie to vnderstand that there are two sortes of workes some going before iustification and some following it and that these last are good workes in deede but that those other do onely appeare to be good Hereof commeth such disagreemēt betweene God and those counterfect holy ones for this cause nature and reason rise and rage against the holy Ghost this is that whereof almost all the whole Scripture intreateth The Lord in his word defineth that all workes that goe before iustification are euell and of no importaunce and requireth that man himselfe before all thinges be iustified Againe Man before he is regenerate can doe nothing that is good he pronounceth all men which are not yet regenerate and haue not chaunged that nature which they receiued of their parentes with the newe creature of Christ to be vnrighteous and wicked according to that saying Psal 116 All men are lyars that is vnable to performe their dutie and to doe those thinges which by right they ought And Gen. 6 The heart of man is alwayes ready vnto euell whereby vndoutedly it commeth to passe that he is able to do nothing that is good which hath the fountaine of actions that is his heart corrupted And if he do many workes which in outward shew seeme good God hath regard first to the worker then to the worke reason doth quite cōtrarie affirming that by his workes the worker is iustified they are no better then the oblation of Cain Here against commeth forth reason our reuerend maistres seeming to her selfe meruelous wise yet in deede is vnwise and blynde and is not ashamed to gainsay her God to reproue him of lying she being furnished with her follies and verie strawie armour to wit the light of nature free will the strength of nature also with the bookes of the heathen and with the doctrines of men She dareth with her euell sounding stringes make a noyce against God that the workes of a man euen not yet iustified are good workes and not workes like vnto Cains which God pronounceth yea and so good that he that worketh them is iustified by them For so Aristotle hath taught that he that worketh well is made good Vnto this saying she leaueth and sticketh vnmoueably and wresteth the Scripture cleane contrarie contending that God will haue respect first to the workes thē to the worker Such verie deuelish doctrine beareth the sway now euerie where in scholes colledges monasteries wherein no other saincts then Cain was haue rule and authoritie Now of this errour an other immediatly springeth They which attribute so much to workes do not accordingly esteeme the worker and sound iustification go so farre that they ascribe all merit and soueraigne righteousnes to workes done before iustification making almost no account of faith alleaging that which Iames saith that without workes it is dead Which sentence of the Apostle when they litle vnderstand they attribute almost nothing to faith they alwayes sticke to workes whereby they thinke they do merit exceedingly of God and are perswaded that for their workes sake they shall obtaine the fauour of God and by this meanes do they continually disagree with God shewing themselues to be the right posteritie of Cain God hath respect vnto man these to the workes of man God aloweth the workes for his sake that worketh these require that for the workes sake the worker may be crowned Now God goeth not from his sentence as it is meete and iust and these will seeme nothing lesse thē to erre in any respect They will not haue their good workes contemned reason to be nothing esteemed free will to be counted vneffectuall or surely if thou doest here striue against them they beginne to be angrie with God and count it a small matter to kill their brother Abel But here perhaps thou wilt say what is needfull to be done by what meanes shall I first of all become righteous and acceptable to God How shall I attaine to this perfect iustification The Gospell aunswereth preaching that it is necessarie that thou heare Christ and repose thy selfe wholy in him denying thy selfe distrusting all thine owne strength By this meanes thou shalt be chaunged from Cain
this knowledge of them selues which he lawe bringeth brought euen vnto nothing in their owne eyes Then by and by commeth the Gospel and lifteth them vp being humbled whereby the Lord giueth his grace vnto them thus casting downe them selues and endueth them with faith Hereby they receiue that couenant of the eternall blessing and the holy Ghost which renueth their hart that nowe it is delighted with the lawe hateth sinne and is willing and ready to doe those thinges that are good ▪ And here nowe thou maist see not the workes but the hart of the law And this is the very time appointed to the heire of the Father when he must be no lenger a seruaunt but a sonne and doth now begin to be led by a free spirit being no more kept in subiection vnder Tuters and Gouerners after the maner of a seruaunt Which is euen that that Paul teacheth in the wordes following Verse 3. Euen so we when we were children were in bondage vnder the rudiments of the world What is to be vnderstood by this word rudiments By the worde rudiments thou mayst vnderstand here the first principles or lawe written which are as it were the first exercises and instructions of holy erudition whereof it is spoken also Heb. 5 As concerning the time ye ought to be teachers yet haue ye neede againe that we teach you what are the first principles or rudiments of the word of God And Colos 2 Beware least there be any that spoyle you through philosophie and vaine deceit through the traditions of men according to the rudiments of the world Again Gal. 4. How turne ye againe vnto impotent beggerly rudiments whereunto as from the beginning ye wil be in bondage againe ye obserue dayes moneths c. Here as it were in contempt he calleth the lawe rudiments he addeth also The law called beggerly rudiments and why impotent beggerly both because it is not able to perform that righteousnes which it requireth and also for that it maketh men in deede poore impotent For whereas it earnestly requireth a hart and mind giuen to godlines and nature is not able to satisfie it herein it plainly maketh man to feele his pouertie and to acknowledge his infirmitie that that is by right required of him which he not only hath not but also is not able to haue ▪ Hereunto pertaineth that which Paul hath left written 2. Cor. 3 The letter killeth but the spirit giueth life Moreouer Paule calleth them the rudiments of the world The rudiments of the world why so called for that all that obseruing of the lawe which men not yet renued by the spirit doe performe doth consist in worldly thinges to wit in places times apparell persons vessells and such like But faith resteth in no worldly thinge but in the onely grace worde and mercy of God neither doth it make a man righteous and safe by any outward thing but onely by the inuisible and eternall grace of God Wherefore it counteth a like dayes meates persons apparell and all thinges of this worlde For none of these by it selfe doth eyther further or hinder godlines saluation as it doth the righteousnes of those of Cains brood which is as it were tyed to these outward thinges Faith therefore deserueth nothing lesse then to be called the rudiments of the worlde by which we obtayne the fulnes of heauenly good thinges and albeit it be occupied also in outward thinges yet is it addicted to no outward thinge but doth freely in all thinges that which it seeth may be done to the glorie of God and profit of our neighbours alwayes continuing free and the same and yet is made all thinges to all men that so the conuersation thereof may want all peculiar respecte and difference With those of Cains brood it agreeth neyther in name nor in any thinge one of them eateth flesh an other abstayneth from it one weareth blacke apparell an other white one keepeth this day holy an other that euery one hath his rudiments vnder which he is in bondage all of them are addicted to the thinges of the world which are frayle and perish in an houre Wherefore they are no other but seruaunts of the rudiments of the worlde which they call holy orders godly ordinaunces and wayes to goe to heauen Against these Paule speaketh Colos 2 VVherefore if ye be deade with Christ from the rudiments of the worlde why as though ye liued in the worlde are ye burdened with traditions As Touch not Tast not Handle not which all perish with the vsing and are after the commaundements and doctrines of men VVhich thinges haue in deede a shewe of godlines when as they are meere superstition whereby the mind is in vayne pressed downe to these outward thinges c. By this and other places aboue mentioned it is playne that all Monasteries and Colleges whereby we measure the state of spirituall men as we call them doe plainly disagree with the Gospel and Christian libertie and that therefore it is much more daungerous to liue in these kindes of life then among most prophane men For all their things are nothing but rudiments ordinaunces of the world consisting in the difference and vse of apparell places times and other present thinges whereunto seeing they are so addicted that they hope by them to attaine righteousnes saluation faith is made no account of amongest them neither are they Christians but in name wherefore all their life and holines is meere sinne and most detestable hypocrisie They that are vnder the rudimēts of the world ought most diligently to looke to them selues It is needeful therefore that they that are occupied in such ordinaunces should aboue all other men most diligently looke vnto them selues that they trust not to these ordinaunces that they be not too much addicted vnto them but that they doe perseuer in a free faith which is tyed to none of those outward thinges but resteth in the onely grace of God For the fayre shewe of life fayned holines which is in those ordinaunces doth with a meruelous and secret force withdraw from faith more then those manifest and grosse sinnes wherof open sinners are gilty and doth easily make men such as Paule here speaketh of VVhen we were children ▪ we were in bondage vnder the rudimēts of the world that is when we were as yet ignorant of faith and were exercised onely with the workes of the law we did those outward works of the law cōsisting in worldly things but with an vnwilling mind and with no faith hoping that by these rudiments of the worlde we should obtaine saluation wherfore we were no other then seruaunts Nowe this false and seruile opinion faith alone taketh away and teacheth vs to trust vnto and rest vpon the onely grace of God whereby at once is giuen freely that which is needefull to worke all thinges For these workes of the lawe if that false opinion were away were not ill
of them selues Verse 4. But when the fulnes of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the law Verse 5. That he might redeeme them which were vnder the law that we might receiue the adoption of the sonnes After Paule hath taught that righteousnes and faith can not come to vs by the Law neither that we can deserue it by nature he sheweth him by whom we obtaine true righteousnes faith and which is the author of our iustification Now this could not come vnto vs without any price for it cost a verie great price euen the sonne of God The Apostle therefore sayth The fulnes of time how it is to be vnderstood When the fulnes of time was come that is when the time was ended that time I say wherein it behoued vs to liue children and seruaunts vnder the discipline of the Lawe Wherefore the Maister of sentences hath erred here who interpreted the fulnes of time the time of grace which began at the birth of Christ plaine contrarie to the Apostle who whereas he hath written the fulnes of time this man hath interpreted it the time of fulnes For Paul speaketh of the time which was appointed of the father to the sonne wherein he should liue vnder tuters Now as this time was full come to the Iewes and ended when Christ came in the flesh so is it daily fulfilled to others when they come vnto the knowledge of Christ and do chaunge the seruitude of the Lawe with the faith of the sonnes And this in deede is that comming whereby alone we obtaine the libertie of sonnes without which that corporall comming would auaile nothing For Christ euen for this cause hath come vnto vs that beleeuing in him we may be restored to true libertie by which faith they of the aunciēt time also obtained the libertie of the spirit And so whereas he should come to the holy men of olde time he came euen then forasmuch as by faith they felt him to be their true Sauiour and deliuerer howbeit he is not yet come to our Iewes although he is gone awaye againe in body long since for they do not beleeue in him All from the beginning of the world to the end must trust vnto the comming of Christ whereby alone seruitude is chaunged with libertie but yet by fayth either in Christ being to come as it was before he was borne or in him being come as it is now Wherefore as soone as thou beginnest to beleeue in Christ he commeth vnto thee a deliuerer and Sauiour now the time of bondage is ended that is as the Apostle speaketh the fulnes thereof is come This place surely is verie copious and containeth in it diuers thinges most worthie to be knowne so that I greatly feare that it shall not be handled of vs according to the worthines thereof For it teacheth that it is not sufficient to beleeue that Christ is come but that we must also beleeue that he was sent of God is the sonne of God and also verie man borne of a Virgine who alone hath fulfilled the Lawe and that not for himselfe but for vs that is for our saluations sake Let vs wey and consider these thinges in order First it is sufficiently taught in the Gospell of Iohn that Christ is the sonne of God and was sent of God which he that beleeueth not is in a most miserable case as Christ himselfe pronounceth Ioh. 8 Except ye beleeue that I am he ye shall dye in your synnes And Ioh. 1 In it was life and that life was the light of men For this cause the mynde of man neither may nor ought to enioy any other thing then that soueraigne good so that it should be satisfied with any other then with it whereof it was made and which is the fountaine of all good thinges wherefore it is not the will of God that we should beleeue or repose our trust in any other thing neither doth this honour belong to any other And therefore God himselfe ioyned himselfe to man Why it was requisite that God should be made mā being made man that he might more forcibly allure men into him and stirre them vp to beleeue in him No good could come vnto God hereby but it was necessarie for vs that he should be made man lest that we should beleeue in any other thing thē in God alone For if we should beleeue in Christ and not in God as God should be depriued of his honour so should we be depriued of life and saluation For we must beleeue in one God who is the verie truth and we without him can neither liue nor obtaine saluation Whereas therefore the Apostle sayth God sent forth his Sonne it is thereby manifest that he was before he came and was made man Now if he be a sonne he is more then a man or an Angell which seeing they are the highest creatures surely he is also true God For to be the sonne of God is more then to be an Angell as it is els where declared Againe Christ a distinct person from the Father seeing that he is sent of God and is his sonne he must needes be an other person And so the Apostle teacheth here that the Father and the Sonne are one God and two persons Of the holy Ghost it shal be spoken hereafter The second thing which ought here to be considered is that Christ is verie man and the sonne of man This Paul teacheth when he sayth Christ verie man made of a woman For surely that that is made or borne of a woman is man A woman by nature bringeth forth nothing but verie man This it is necessarie that we beleeue as the Lord himselfe declareth Ioh. 6 in these wordes Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blood ye haue no life in you But to eate and drinke his flesh and blood What it is to eat drinke the flesh and blood of Christ is nothing els but to beleeue that Christ tooke these vpō him in deed and did also yeeld them to death for our sake This is that couenaunt which was promised to Abraham In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Gen. 22. Christ is this seede and therefore the true sonne of Abraham his flesh and blood Hereupon it appeareth that they preuaile nothing We must come vnto God by Christ which make a proper waye vnto themselues to God by their owne workes and godlines and neglecting Christ striue to come directly vnto God as the Turkes and Iewes doe This Christ alone is the mediatour blessed seede by whom thou must receiue blessing otherwise thou shalt continue for euer in malediction This couenāt of God shal not be violated of because any Thus Christ himselfe sayth Ioh. 6 No man commeth to the Father but by me The nature of God is otherwise higher then that we are able to attaine vnto it
they are void of faith whereby it moueth them to seeke helpe some other where and not to presume of their owne strength to satisfie it For it requireth a ready will and hartes of sonnes which alone can satisfie it it vtterly refuseth seruaunts and them that be vnwilling But these of Cains broode doe not onely of their owne accord confesse that they want this faith which maketh the sonnes of God but also they persecute it they feele and know also ful wel how vnwillingly they beare the lawe and had rather to be free from it neuertheles they thinke that they shal become righteous by these their vnwilling and constrained workes They will continue seruaunts will not be chaunged into sonnes and yet they would enioy the goods of a straunge father They do all thinges cleane out of order wheras by the law they ought to learne that they are seruaunts and vnwilling to doe that which is good and therefore should by faith aspire to the state of sonnes notwithstanding they goe so farre that they seeke to satisfie and fulfill it by their owne works onely And thereby they doe altogither hinder the ende of the law and striue against faith and grace whereunto if they were not blind the law would direct and driue them And so they continue alwayes a blinde blockish and miserable people These thinges Paule teacheth Rom. 3. and 7. and doth freely pronounce that no man is iustified before God by the works of the lawe No man is iustified by the lawe adding no other cause hereof then this for that the knowledge of sinne only commeth by the law If thou wilt know howe this commeth to passe consider well some one of Cains brood and thou shalt by and by see it verified First he worketh his workes according to the lawe with great griefe and labour and yet he therewith confesseth that he is vncertaine whether he be the sonne of God and holy Yea he condemneth and curseth this faith as the most pernitious arrogancie and errour of all other and will continue in his douting vntil he be made certaine by his workes Here thou seest plainly that such a man is not good or righteous seeing that he wanteth this faith and beleefe that he is counted acceptable before God and his sonne yea he is an enemie of this faith and therefore of righteousnes also Wherefore neither can his workes be counted good although they pretend a faire shew of fulfilling the lawe And thus is it easie to vnderstand that which Paule sayth that no man is iustified before God by the workes of the lawe For the worker must be iustified before God before he worketh any good thing although before men which esteeme a man by outward thinges and not by the mind they are counted righteous which apply them selues to the doing of good workes For men iudge the worker by the works God iudgeth the workes by the worker Nowe the first precept requireth that we acknowledge worship one God that is that we trust and rest in him alone which in deede is the true faith whereby we become the sonnes of God But how easie is it by this precept to know that sinne is both in him of Cains brood in thy selfe inasmuch as both of you want such a faith euen by your owne nature which thou couldest not know but by meanes of this law And this is that which Paul meaneth when he sayth That by the law commeth the knowledge of sinne Rom. 3.20 Now thou canst be deliuered from this euill of infidelitie neither by thyne owne power nor by the power of the lawe wherefore all thy workes whereby thou goest about to satisfie the lawe can be nothing but workes of the lawe of farre lesse importance then that they are able to iustifie thee before God who counteth them only righteous which truly beleeue in him for they onely acknowledge him the true God are his sonnes and doe truely fulfill the law But if thou shouldest euen kill thy selfe with workes yet is it so farre of that thy hart can obtaine this faith thereby that thy workes are euen a hinderance that thou canst not knowe it yea they are a cause that thou doost persecute it Hereupon it is that he that studieth to fulfill the law without faith is afflicted for the deuils sake and not for Gods sake and continueth a persecutour both of faith and of the lawe vntill he come to him selfe and doth plainly ceasse to trust in him selfe and in his owne workes doth giue this glory vnto God who iustifieth the vngodly acknowledgeth him selfe to be nothing and figheth for God his grace whereof he doth now know being taught by the law that he hath neede Then faith and grace come and fil him being emptie satisfie him being hungry by and by follow good workes which are truely good Neither are they now the workes of the law but of the spirit of faith and grace and they are called in the Scriptures the workes of God which he worketh in vs. For whatsoeuer we do of our owne power strength All that we doe of our selues being not assisted by the grace of God is euill and is not wrought in vs by his grace without dout it is a worke of the law and auaileth nothing to iustification but is both euill and hated of God because of the infidelitie wherein it is done Againe whatsoeuer he of Cains brood worketh he doth nothing from his hart nothing freely and with a willing mind except he be as it were hyred with some reward or be commaunded to doe some such thinge whereunto he ought otherwise to be ready of him selfe Euen as an euill and vnthriftie seruaunt suffereth him selfe to be brought to no worke vnles he be hyred with a reward or commaunded whereunto he ought otherwise to be willing of himselfe Nowe how vnpleasaunt is it to a man to haue such seruaunts But they of Cains brood be plainly such they would do no good worke at all if they were not either compelled by the feare of hell or allured by the hope of present good thinges Whereby againe thou seest that these haue no mind to the law they gape only for gaine or are moued with feare whereby they bewray them selues that they doe rather hate the law from their hart and had leuer that there were no law at all Wherefore it is plainly manifest that they are not good and consequently that neither their workes be good for how should euill men worke good workes Moreouer those their workes which in apparance shew seeme to be good are either wrested from them by feare or are bought with promises An euill hart can doe nothing that is good But this naughtines of the hart vnwillingnes to doe good the lawe bewrayeth when it teacheth that God doth not greatly esteeme what the hand doth but what the hart doth which seeing it hateth the law that is good who wil deny it to be most euill Surely it
SPECIAL AND CHOSEN SERMONS OF D. MARTIN LVTHER COLLECTED OVT OF HIS writings and preachings for the necessary instruction and edification of such as hunger and seeke after the perfect knowledge and inestimable glorie which is in Christ Iesu to the comfort and saluation of their soules Englished by VV. G. Philip. 3.8.9 I thinke all thinges but losse for the excellencie of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I haue counted all thinges losse and doe iudge them but vile that I may winne Christ and be found in him not hauing myne owne righteousnes which is of the lawe but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnes which is of God through faith ANCHORA SPEI Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautroullier dwelling in the Blacke Friers by Ludgate CVM PRIVILEGIO 1578. A CATALOGVE OR REHEARsall of the Sermons conteined in this booke 1 A Sermon of the natiuitie of Christ pag. 1. 2 A Sermon of the Epiphanie or Appearing of Christ 19. 3 A Sermon of the Genealogie or Pedegre of Christ 35. 4 A Sermon of the Hymne of Zacharias commōly called Benedictus 45. 5 A Sermon of the Meditation of Christes passion 67. 6 A Sermon of the frute and vertue of Christ his resurrection 74. 7 A Sermon of the good shepeheard 79. 8 A Sermon of the lost shepe 92. 9 A Sermon of the woman of Canaan 122. 10 A Sermon of saluation freely by grace without the workes and merits of men 129. 11 A Sermon of the kingdom of God 153. 12 A Sermon of Prayer 161. 13 A Sermon concerning the bidding of Guests to the great supper 164. 14 A Sermon of the workes of charitie 170. 15 A Sermon of the summe of Christian life 182. 16 A Sermon of the question of the Pharisees and aunswer of Christ concerning giuing tribute to Cesar 213. 17 A Sermon of saluation by Christ alone 225. 18 A Sermon of good workes the frutes of faith 234. 19 A Sermon of ioy in God and a patient mind toward men 254. 20 A Sermon of them that be vnder the lawe and them that be vnder grace 274. 21 A Sermon of faith and diffidence in daunger trouble 316. 22 A Sermon of the life of a Christian 324. 23 A Sermon of tentation 336. 24 A Sermon of the leading of a godly life 351. 25 A Sermon of Gods prouidence and care for his children 463. 26 A Sermon of truste in God in penurie and distresse 371. 27 A Sermon against the contempt of Gods word 379. 28 A Sermon of the Law and the Gospel 391. 29 A Sermon of the exercise and increasing of faith 406. 30 A Sermon of remission of sinnes to the contrite and broken in hart terrible iudgement to the indurate and obstinate 418. 31 A Sermon of trust and hope in Christ that by him we shall obtaine all good thinges 431. 32 A Sermon of the workes which Christ hathe wrought for vs wherin is contained a most sweet consolation against the Lawe Sinne Death and Satan 446. 33 A Sermon vpon the Gospell on S. Matthias day 456. 34 A Sermon vpon the Gospell on the feaste of S. Philip and Iames. 469. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SYR THOMAS HENNEAGE KNIGHT TREASVRER OF HER MAiesties priuie chamber VV. GACE wisheth peace and saluation in Christ COnsydering right VVorshipfull that saying of Dauid alleaged by the Apostle Paul that there is none that vnderstandeth none that seeketh after God that all are gone out of the vvay and become vnprofitable me thinkes it doth liuely set forth the blindnesse of mans vnderstanding the vvickednesse of his vvill and his peruersnes and vnhabilitie vnto that vvhich is good VVhereof if vve had not many testimonies of Scripture yet common experience vvere able to confirme the same vvhen vve daily see men so carefull to liue and so carelesse to liue vvell Hovvbeit this is no meruell for as a tree vvhose roote is rotten and infected vvith venimous sappe bringeth forth none but corrupt and naughty frute so from mans hart vvhich is corrupt and infected vvith the venim of sinne can proceede nothing that is good Novv mans vnderstanding being blinde he is not able of him selfe to attaine to the knovvledge of God and consequently vvithout some other meanes or helpe can not be saued for this as our Sauiour in the Gospell sayth is life euerlasting to knovv one onely true God and him vvhom he hath sent Iesus Christ. Againe mans vvill being corrupt he is not able to serue God as his dutie requireth as to honour him as his Lord to obey him as his father to trust in him as his Protector and preseruer to be thankefull to him for his infinite benefites c. VVherefore leste man being ignorant of God should be excluded from saluation or lest through the vvickednes of his vvill and inclination to euill he should dishonour so high a Lord disobey so good a father distrust so carefull a preseruer and be vnthankefull to so gracious a giuer vvho doth not see hovv requisite and needefull it is that he should by good instructions be brought to the knovvledge of the Lorde God and by godly exhortations and admonitions be reclaimed from his vvicked vvayes to the performance of his dutie Novv forasmuch as God hath in his vvord reuealed so much of him selfe as is expedient for man to knovv hath therein also prescribed that maner of seruing him vvhereof be accepteth man must out of it learne the true knovvledge and right seruice of God and therefore most necessary it is that this vvord be preached taught that therby man may learne to knovv God and truely to vvorship serue him being knovvne So shall his minde be enlightened vvith diuine knovvledge and his vvill reformed according to Gods vvil so shall this vvord be a lanterne vnto his feete and a light vnto his paths vvhereby he may be directed in al his vvayes But alas this is a thing to be lamented that the haruest is great but the labourers are fevv For among them vvhich supply the places of labourers in the Lordes haruest some there be vvho doe vvith diligence discharge their dutie many moe there are vvho albeit they be able yet doe eyther quite neglect it or very sclēderly execute it but greatest is the number of them vvho for lacke of skil knovvledge are not able at all to performe it VVherefore there is great neede to pray the Lord of the haruest that he vvill send forth labourers into his haruest vvhereby many moe then doe may receiue the Gospell of Christ Iesus euen to the saluation of their soules The premisses vvell vveyed I thinke right VVorshipfull there may a sufficient reason be gathered vvhy I did purpose the publishing of these Sermons of D. Martin Luther in our vulgar tongue and vvhy at the last I haue by some labour and paynes brought the sayd purposed publishing to passe I vvas in deede at the first procured thereunto by a learned Father of this lande vvhose
vvordes and iudgement I make no small account of but aftervvard entring into deeper consideration of the matter and vveying on the one side the great ignorance of many euen in matters of saluation togither vvith the dayly dishonouring of God by vngodly life and on the other side the diuine doctrine and most vvholsom exhortations vvhich these Sermons conteine I vvas more forcibly stirred vp thereunto and thought that the painefull perusing of them and frutefull follovving of that vvhereof they entreat vvould be a souereigne salue to help to cure such daungerous diseases For by them may they learne to knovv one onely true God and vvhom he hath sent Iesus Christ and the infinit riches vvhich are comprised in him and offered vnto vs through him of God his Father that he humbled him selfe to exalt vs that he became a seruaunt to set vs at libertie that he vvas empouerished to make vs rich that he dyed for our sinnes rose again for our iustification that through his meanes mercie hath svvallovved vp miserie and bounty hath ouercome all euill finally that vvithout him there is no ioy nor consolation no peace nor quietnes no felicitie nor saluation but that he is the onely meanes by vvhich all good thinges are attained so that they vvhich enioy him receiue not one gift alone as vvith Salomon vvisedom vvith Samson strength vvith Iob patience vvith Paule zeale c but for pouertie they receiue riches for vveakenes strength for folly vvisedom for seruitude freedom for griefe ioy for sinne righteousnes for death life yea all good thinges vvhatsoeuer VVherefore if the faithfull man be pressed vvith pouertie he may here learne that by Christ he is adopted to be the Sonne of God and so may be comforted saying to him selfe Hovv can he be poore vvhich hath God to his Father vvho both is able to giue all thinges necessary for his is the earth and all that therein is and also vvill giue the same because he is most louing and gracious to his children Againe if he feele in him selfe vveaknes he may learne here that he is not able of him selfe to attaine vnto strength but that it is the gift of Christ vvho strengtheneth such as beleeue in him so may be stirred vp by harty prayer to aske the same of him that he vvill vouchsafe by his holy spirit to strengthen and confirme him that he may be able to performe that by grace vvhich by nature and of him selfe he shall neuer be able to doe as mightely to subdue the rebellious flesh strongly to resist and at the last valiauntly to ouercome the tentations of Satan patiently to beare the troubles of the vvorld and constantly to contemne the allurements of the same Moreouer if he thirst after diuine and heauenly vvisedom vvhich is to knovv God aright and those thinges that are necessary to be knovvne to the attaining of saluation he may finde here largely and liuely set forth that Christ came his Fathers Embassadour and Messenger to men that by him they might be brought to the right knovvledge of God and into all truth so that by him vve are enlightened vvith the knovvledge of God by him vve are instructed in all truth and consequently by him vve obtaine diuine and heauenly vvisedom Here also shall he learne that Christ vvas made vnder the lavve that he might redeeme them vvhich vvere in bondage vnder the lavve of seruile bondmen make them free sonnes euen the children of God Furthermore if griefe and heauines come vpon him he is here taught vvhere true ioy may be had euen in Christ Iesus alone that in him onely he may fynde sure comfort souereigne medicines present remedie true ioy of heart and quietnes of conscience Finally vvhereas vve are synnefull and haue by our synnes iustly deserued Gods eternall vvrath and most heauie vengeance he shall here learne that Christ hath payed the ransome for our synnes and pacified Gods most grieuous vvrath and displeasure iustly conceiued against vs. And because it is not sufficient that due satisfaction be made for synnes and Gods vvrath appeased but vve must also appeare righteous before God it is here shevved that as by one mans disobedience many vvere made synners so by the obedience of one namely of Iesus Christ as many as beleeue in him shal be made righteous inasmuch as his righteousnes is imputed to them as their ovvne vvhereby they appeare perfectly righteous before God and are accepted of him so that vvhereas they had of themselues deserued eternall death they are through Christ accounted vvorthie of euerlasting life But vvhat doe I goe about to rehearse the infinite treasures vvhich the faithfull enioy through Christ it shall be sufficient to conclude vvith the Apostle Paule and say If God spared not his ovvne Sonne but gaue him for vs all to death hovv shall he not vvith him giue vs all thinges also Novv forasmuch as these thinges and the right meanes to attaine vnto them are in these Sermons of that most learned Diuine Martin Luther most learnedly yea euen diuinely set forth they may vndoutedly be a singular meane not onely to instruct them vvhich be ignorant in matters of saluation but also to increase and confirme the knovvledge of such as haue already vvell profited in Christian religion Hovvbeit there is annexed hereunto sound and absolute doctrine concerning good vvorkes and godly conuersation as being most necessary to be of all Christiās perfectly knovvne and effectually follovved For Christians through Christ being become the Sonnes of God hovv vnmeete yea hovv abhominable a thinge is it that they should resemble Satan in their doinges being novv made the members of Christ hovv detestable a thing is it that they should be instruments of iniquitie being novv the temple of the holy Ghost hovv beastly a thinge vvere it to defyle the same vvith the filthines of synne Finally hauing receiued so many and so great benefites of God through Christ hovv vvicked and shamefull a thinge should it be to be vnthankefull to so gracious a God to be disobedient to so louing a Father in any vvise to displease so mercifull a Sauiour But it shal be needelesse much to stand vpon this point seeing it is not vnknovvne to the faithfull vvith hovv great endeuour they ought to auoyde that vvhich is euill and embrace that vvhich is good and therefore shall syncere perfect doctrine concerning good vvorkes be vnto them no lesse commodious and profitable then needefull and necessarie For the causes aboue specified especially among other I haue right VVorshipfull though not finely yet faithfully translated these Sermons into our vulgar tounge and haue done myne endeuour for the publishing of the same vvhich I doe humbly dedicate to your VVorships protection by your zealous godlines and godly zeale chiefly moued thereunto vvhereby I am induced to thinke that you vvill vvell accept of them For as the godly do vvith Dauid delight in the Arke of the Couenant in the Tabernacle of the Lord in
wherunto it is yet also prone and inclined and setteth it selfe against these words the words againe are against it For because Christ is here declared the only sonne of God it is mightely ouerthrowne whatsoeuer maketh it selfe god But who be they that make them selues god surely Satan and man which please them selues and loue them selues they seeke not after God but striue to attaine vnto this that they also may become gods But what will God say vnto these Truly a certaine contrary thinge to that which he sayde vnto Christ Christ is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased seeing that he glorifieth not him selfe and maketh not him selfe God although he be God But ye are wretches in whome I allowe nothing seeing that ye glorifie your selues and make your selues gods albeit ye be creatures and men and not God So this sentēce giuen of Christ doth humble the whole world doth shew them to be all voyd of diuinitie and ascribeth it to Christ and that all for our commoditie if we will and do admit this sentence or to our condemnation if we will not and do contemne this sentence so that I may say at once without Christ there is no fauour nor any beloued sonne but very wrath and sore displeasure of God Certaine sentences out of the Scripture concerning Christ vvhereby is declared that through him vve are loued of the Father and vvithout him are refused Ioh. 1.16.17 Of his fulnes to wit Christes haue all we receiued and grace for grace For the law was giuen by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ Ioh. 3.13 No man ascendeth vppe to heauen but he that hath descended from heauen euen the Sonne of man which is in heauen Ioh. 3.16.17.18 God so loued the world that he hath giuen his only begottē sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life For God sent not his sonne into the world that he should condemne the world but that the world through him might be saued He that beleueth in him is not condemned but he that beleeueth not is condemned already because he hath not beleued in the name of that onely begotten Sonne of God Ioh. 3.35.36 The Father loueth the Sonne and hath giuen all thinges into his hande He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life he that obeyeth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Ioh. 6.40 This is the will of him that sent me that euery man which seeth the Sonne beleueth in him should haue euerlasting life and I will rayse him vp at the last day Ioh. 7.37.38 Now in the last great day of the feast Iesus stoode cried saying If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke He that beleueth in me as sayth the Scripture out of his belly shall flow riuers of water of life Tit. 3.4.5.6.7 But when that bountifulnes and that loue of God our Sauiour toward man appeared not by the workes of righteousnes which we had done but according to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renuing of the holy Ghost which he shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour that we being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life Many other such sentences there be especially out of the Epistles of Paule which euery one may gather by him selfe A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE GENEALOGIE OR PEDEGREE OF CHRIST Matth. 1. Verse 1. THis is the booke of the generation of Iesus Christ the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham 2. Abraham begat Isaac Isaac begat Iacob Iacob begat Iudas and his brethren 3. Iudas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar Phares begat Esrom Esrom begat Aram. 4. Aram begat Aminadab Aminadab begat Naasson Naasson begat Salmon 5. Salmon begat Booz of Rachab Booz begat Obed of Ruth Obed begat Iesse 6. Iesse begat Dauid the king Dauid the king begat Salomon of her that was the wife of Vrias 7. Salomon begat Roboam Roboam begat Abia Abia begat Asa 8. Asa begat Iosaphat Iosaphat begat Ioram Ioram begat Hozias 9. Hozias begat Ioatham Ioatham begat Achaz Achaz begat Ezekias 10. Ezekias begat Manasses Manasses begat Amon Amon begat Iosias 11. Iosias begat Iechonias and his brethren about the time they were caried away to Babylon 12. And after they were brought to Babylon Iechonias begat Salathiel Salathiel begat Zorobabel 13. Zorobabel begat Abiud Abiud begat Eliacim Eliacim begat Azor. 14. Azor begat Sadoc Sadoc begat Achim Achim begat Eliud 15. Eliud begat Eleazar Eleazar begat Matthan Matthan begat Iacob 16. Iacob begat Ioseph the husband of Marie of whom was borne Iesus that is called Christ The summe of this text 1 MAtthew beginneth his booke with a title or inscription by which the beleuer is prouoked with greater pleasure to heare and reade it For he sayth thus much in effect Whom the Law and Prophets haue hetherto promised preached Iesus that is a Sauiour and Christ that is an eternall king that he according to the promise of God should springe and come of the seede of Abraham and Dauid euen him doe I describe in this booke to wit that he is now borne and made man and already come into the world This I handle through this whole booke 2 Three lines or degrees are here rehearsed In the first is contained the stocke of the fathers in the second of the kings in the third is contained the decaying stocke of Dauid after the decay whereof it behoued that Christ should come For so the goodnes of God is wont to doe when all thinges seeme euen past hope and recouerie then at the last he commeth 3 Matthew omitteth one in his rehearsall but that maketh no matter seeing that he obserueth this one thing that he counteth by the right line from Dauid by Salomon to Ioseph the husband of Marie Luke counteth otherwise and vseth an other order The exposition of the text WHen Adam our first father hauing fallen by a notable offence was gilty of death with all his children as well in body as in soule it was notwithstanding promised vnto him although obscurely that both he and his posteritie should be deliuered in those wordes which God spake to the Serpent Gen. 3.15 I will put enmitie betwene thee and the woman betwene thy seede her seede and it shall treade downe thy head Of these wordes Adam tooke comfort that a woman should come by whose frute such guile and sutteltie of the Serpent shoulde be againe amended and Adam redeemed This comfort did vphold Adam with his posteritie vntill Noe. For then the promise was renued whē God made a couenant with the sonnes of Noe and set the rainebowe for a signe of the couenant whereby men might conceiue a trust and confidence that God is yet fauorable vnto them and doth not purpose their destruction whereby mankinde was againe vpheld and comforted euen vntill
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
be borne or had but that onely shepeheard Christ who neither vrgeth it with the lawe nor is eger vpon it but most sweetely and gently handleth it and layeth the miserable and sinfull sheepe vpon his shoulders doing that of his owne accord which was to be done of the sheepe as we shall heare by and by more at large But surely in this place the doctrine of both as is before also sayde at large or the voice of Moses and of Christ must be well discerned The differēce betwene the doctrine of Moses and of Christ must be throughly knowne of Christians For Moses ought to haue no entraunce to the lost sheepe no nor by any meanes is to be admitted to it although he preach best of all other For if confounding these we will comfort and erect the troubled conscience by the lawe after this sort be of a good cheere for thou hast not committed homicide neither hast thou defiled thy selfe with adulterie neither hast thou perpetrated any other haynous offence or done it with a good will c. This also is a comfort but which can endure a verie small time neither can it sustaine the assaults and violence of the enemie neither bringeth it or containeth any thing els but confidence of it selfe wherewith the miserable sheepe is holpen nothing For it remayneth as much wandring and lost as before neither can it helpe it selfe or come to his owne shepeheard But if we will helpe succour it we must shew vnto it the true shepeheard who commeth to seeke it that hauing found it he may bring it home againe and exhibit his voice vnto it to be heard Hereby it may obtaine true and effectuall consolation and be bold to aunswere Moses and say Now truely I haue not any care either of thy comfort or terrour and if it please thee amplifie my synnes as much as possibly thou canst make me a man-slayer and parricide or the worst man of all men For now I will neither heare thee with an astonied minde nor follow thee But this is the summe of my comfort and saluation whereunto also I do confidently trust that I haue such a shepeheard as seeketh me of his owne accord and hauing layd me on his shoulders carieth me Let vs enter disputation hereof if thou art so disposed not how righteous or vnrighteous I am but how I haue come vnto Christ Wherefore we must alwayes preach according to the capacitie and qualitie of the hearers For I haue sayd that this doctrine is not fit for a blockish and vntractable man As it is not meete that a laborious thresher should be fed with delicates wherewith the sicke are to be strengthened and refreshed but the hyreling is to be fed with broune bread and chese with water The other dainty meates and easy of digestion thou must reserue for the sicke or children which are able to digest no grosse meat Vnto whom Moses lawe must be preached So in this thing also thou must obserue the same differēce that thou do rightly distribute these things and giue vnto euerie one his portiō as a prudēt householder For thou must keepe the doctrine of Moses and of the Lawe vntill thou light vpon vnruly hardened and vntractable men which lead their life securely and without feare set before these onely strong and common meates of threshers to be eaten that is offer angrie Moses vnto them to be heard who lighteneth and thundreth from the mount Sina who terrifieth the people of Israel bringeth them into the desert and drowneth king Pharao in the red sea How weake and afflicted consciences must be preached vnto But when thou shalt light vpon troubled hearts and weake and afflicted consciences which are now become lost sheepe then speake not a word concerning Moses and all the workes of God done in the lawe but let thy talke be only of the workes done by Christ in the time of grace well and diligently repeate to the miserable conscience how he sheweth himselfe toward the lost shepe to wit that he is the gētle good shepeheard which is exceeding careful for the lost shepe so that leauing all the rest he traueleth to fynde that one and to bring it againe into the way neither doth he leaue of till he hath brought it home For it is a verie great griefe vnto him that any man should be in synne and therefore be troubled and feare neither would he that any should remaine therein and so perish Wherefore he doth most louingly allure prouoke thee by his sweete Gospell to come vnto him suffer thy selfe to be layd vpō his shoulders and caried and to be called his welbeloued sheepe As for them that liue securely and pleasauntly haue no regard whether God be angrie or pleased they are not to be called lost sheepe The lost sheepe but rather wilde goats which suffer not themselues either to be fed or ruled But he to whom his synnes are a burden who fighteth in the fight of faith where he is not in daūger to lose Moses but Christ himselfe and the principall article that is where the conscience is in anguish and feare whether it hath God gentle and fauourable this is that verie man who with groning and sighes seeketh out and crieth for his shepeheard desireth to be holpē as Dauid doth Psal 119. I haue gone astray like a sheepe that is lost oh seeke thy seruaunt c. In the mouth of these this suger these pleasaunt delicates haue a good tast with which the heart is refreshed that it fall not into desperation but being againe recreated with such a consolation is lifted vp not by Moses but by Christ Not that it hath Moses a freind or is able to pacifie him but because it hath God fauourable through Christ wheresoeuer Moses remayneth with his comfort Although it be very well as also it is meete that we do not cōtrary to the lawe practize theuerie that we steale not that we commit not homicide or otherwise do iniurie and hurt to our neighbour Howbeit that is not the right comfort of the heart No true comfort of conscience to be had by the lawe but onely a momentane tickling of the vtmost skinne not during pearsing For the deuell comming setting vpon the heart all comfort is vtterly taken away And although in some point thou hast done well and rightly he neuertheles againe bringeth ten fold more wherein thou hast done amisse yea euen in the most pure workes he can finde much impuritie and turne all into sinne Wherefore we must in no wise trust vnto such comfort We must not trust to the comfort of the law but must resort and cleaue fast vnto Christ but must rather refuse it and say whether I be good or euell at this present I do not dispute but wil reserue it rather vnto that place where it shal be taught and entreated concerning workes But in this circle wherein I
he hath before most exactly satisfied the commaundemēts of God Though we coulde and should fulfill the commaūdementes of God yet should we merit nothīg of him Now it hath bin spoken at large that our workes are nothing before God whereby we can not fulfill so much as the least commaundement of God how much lesse shall we be able so to satisfie the iustice of God that we may become worthie of his grace Moreouer if we were able to fulfill all the commaundements of God and in all thinges to satisfie his iustice notwithstanding we had not as yet deserued grace and saluation neither should he therefore owe it vnto vs for that he may by the right of creation require as due seruice all those things of vs his creatures created to liue vnto him Wherefore it should yet come of grace and mercie what soeuer should come from him to vs. This Christ declared verie well Luke 17. speaking in a parable VVhich of you hauing a seruaunt plowing or feeding cattell would saye vnto him by and by when he were come from the field Go and sit downe at the table and would not rather say to him dresse wherewith I may suppe and girde thy selfe and serue me till I haue eaten and dronken and afterward eat thou and drinke thou Doeth he thanke that seruaunt because he did that which was commaunded vnto him I trowe not So likewise ye when ye haue done all those things which are commaunded you say VVe are vnprofitable seruaunts we haue done that which was our dutie to do Seing then that heauen is giuen of grace and for no merit euē vnto those if there were any such which haue done all things that were commaunded them according to that promise If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements what shall we boast of our good workes which although they were most absolute yet should they be vnworthie of heauen but inasmuch as it is giuen vs by the free and mercifull promise We had need of one who should satisfie the diuine iustice for vs. Hereupon for that we must so satisfie the diuine iustice and yet notwithstanding our workes are not able to attaine thereunto whereunto if they should attaine yet should they deserue no grace or saluatiō for that they are before due God first gaue vnto vs a man which should satisfie the diuine iustice for vs in all thinges Againe he hath by the same man bestowed this grace and bountifulnes vpon vs that albeit we without our owne merit and worthines Not by our owen merit but by the merit of Christ are we saued yea hauing euel deserued and being vnworthie do receiue grace yet it commeth not vnto vs altogither freely and without all merit for we haue it through the merit and satisfaction of Christ Whereupon Paul sayth Rom. 5 As by the offence of one sinne came on all men to condemnation so by the iustifying of one that is of Iesus Christ the benefite aboūded toward all men to the iustification of life That is As without all our merit and owne worke we fell into synne being borne synners so againe without all our merit and meanes we are redeemed from sinnes by the washing of the spirit borne againe the sonnes of God partakers of grace and saluation And this is the cause why the Apostle where he speaketh of faith and grace is wont to adde by Iesus Christ whereby surely he would giue vs to vnderstand that none should count it sufficient if he say I beleeue in God Christ being neglected He that truly beleeueth must acknowledge that his faith can not be acceptable to God yea that it can be no faith at all if all the commaundements of God be not before fulfilled which seeing it is aboue thy abilitie and if it were not yet notwithstanding thou hadst perfourmed nothing but that thou oughtest and hadst as yet merited nothing hauing fulfilled euen all the commaundements of God thou hast neede of an other which in all thinges may satisfie the diuine iustice for thee and may also merit heauen for thee Now this other is our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who hath for thee fulfilled the whole Lawe and merited for thee that God now according to his iustice can not but giue heauen vnto thee and in all thinges acknowledge thee for his sonne and heire And this is a true and sound faith which trusteth in God by Christ and is certaine that by his merit it hath already receiued of God saluation which shortly after shal be reuealed with blessed aboundance of felicitie Christian faith Neither can any other be called Christian faith but that whereby it is beleeued that by Christ do come vnto vs both satisfaction which we owe to the iustice of God and the gift of saluation which we our selues by no meanes if the Lawe could euen be fulfilled of vs can merit Whereupon Paul Rom. 4. sayth We haue all things necessary to saluation not by any merit of our owen but by the merit and meanes of Iesus Christ Christ was deliuered to death for our synnes and rose againe for our iustification That is by Christ we haue receiued not onely remission of synnes but moreouer also that before God we are accounted righteous the sonnes of his grace To the same effect also tendeth that which he sayth Rom. 3 Whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood Where againe we learne that it is true faith which trusteth in the blood of Christ and beleeueth that thereby it shall obtaine grace Whereas thou beleeuest that he hath shed his blood for thee thou receiuest satisfaction in that thou acknowledgest him the reconciliation thou confessest that by his merit the diuine grace and saluation do come vnto thee We haue all things without our owne merit and meanes but not without the merit and meanes of Christ who hath for this cause shed his blood Wherefore that we may allude vnto the parable of Christ we must containe our selues vnder his winges and not vpon trust in our selues flie out and contend to come vnto God otherwise we shal be a praye to the hellish kite For as it hath bin oftē sayd our righteousnes our merits yea and our faith shall preuaile nothing without this our mediatour Christ And therefore he sayth Ioh. 14 No man cōmeth vnto the Father but by me And in the whole Gospell what other thing doth he but endeuour to take vs out of our selues and to transferre vs to himselfe vnder his winges that we may trust onely in his satisfaction and merit The same the Apostle also teacheth in the wordes following That we being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life We are iustified by the grace of Christ Iesus He sayth that we are iustified not by our owne workes but by the grace of the same Iesus Christ That is we are therefore iustified for that Christ hath the grace of
to come to heauen albeit he is not drawn of the Father Wherefore where the word of God is in his course soundly preached whatsoeuer thinges are high and great it casteth them downe it maketh all mountaines euen with the valleies and ouerthroweth all hilles as the Prophet Esai sayth that all harts hearing the worde may despeire of them selues otherwise they can not come vnto Christ The workes of God are such that while they kill they make aliue while they condemne they saue as Hanna the mother of Samuel singeth of the Lord 1. Sam. 2.6 The Lord killeth and maketh aliue bringeth dovvne to the graue fetcheth vp againe The Lord maketh poore maketh rich bringeth lovv How the Father draweth vs vnto Christ and heaueth vp on hie Wherefore if a man be thus striken of God in his hart that he acknowledgeth him selfe such a one as ought for his sinnes to be condemned he surely is euen that very man whom God by his word hath striken and by this stroke hath fastened vpon him the bond of his diuine grace wherby he draweth him that he may prouide for his soule haue care of him He could first find with him selfe no helpe nor counsel neither did he wish for any but now he hath found the speciall consolation promise of God which is after this sort He that asketh receiueth he that seeketh findeth to him that knocketh it is opened By such a promise man is more more lifted vp in mind conceiueth a greater trust and confidence in God For as soone as he heareth that this is the worke of God alone he desireth of God as at the hand of his mercifull father that he will vouchsafe to drawe him If so be that he be drawne of God vnto Christ vndoutedly that also shall come vnto him whereof the Lord maketh mention here namely that he wil raise him vp at the last day For he layeth hold on the word of God trusteth in God whereby he hath a certaine testimony that he is he whom God hath drawne As Iohn sayth in his first Epistle 1. Ioh. 5.10 He that beleeueth in that Sonne of God hath the vvitnes in him selfe Hereupon it must needes follow that he is taught of God and in verity now knoweth God to be no other but a helper a comforter and a Sauiour Hereby it is now manifest that if we beleeue God will be no other toward vs but a Sauiour helper and giuer of all felicitie who requireth and asketh nothing of vs but will onely giue and offer vnto vs as he him self sayth vnto Israel Psal 81 I am God thy Lord which brought thee out of the land of Aegypt open thy mouth wide I will fill it Who would not loue such a God which sheweth him self so gentle and louing vnto vs and offereth so readily his grace and goodnes They shall not be able to escape the seuere and eternall iudgement of God which do vnaduisedly neglect so great grace as the Epistle to the Hebrues sayth If they that transgressed the lawe of Moses escaped not vnpunished but dyed without mercy howe much more grieuously shal God punish them which coūt the blood of the Testament as an vnholy thinge and tread vnder foote the sonne of God The knowledge of God O howe diligent is Paule in all his Epistles to teach how the knowledge of God may rightly be conceiued O how often doth he wish encrease in the knowledge of God As if he would say If ye onely knew and vnderstood what God is ye should then be safe Then ye would loue him and do all thinges that are approued of him Thus he sayth Colos 1 VVe cease not to pray for you and to desire that ye might be fulfilled with knowledge of his will in all wisedom spiritual vnderstanding that ye might walke vvorthy of the Lord please him in all things being fruteful in al good works increasing in the knowledge of God strēgthened with al might through his glorious power vnto all patience long suffering with ioyfulnes giuing thanks vnto the Father which hath made vs meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Sainctes in light And Psal 119 Dauid sayth Instruct me I will keepe thy lawe yea I will obserue it vvith my vvhole hart And thus ye haue out of the first sentence of this text that the knowledge of God doth come from the father It is needeful that he lay the first stone in our building otherwise we shal labour in vaine But that is done thus God sendeth vnto vs Preachers whom he hath taught and prouideth that his will be preached vnto vs. First that all our life and cōdition The preaching of the law although it haue a fayre shew be holy outwardly is of no estimation before him yea is abhorred and lothed of him And this is called the preaching of the law The preaching of the Gospell Afterward he maketh grace to be preached vnto vs to wit that he will not haue vs vtterly condemned and cast of but that he will receiue vs in his beloued sonne and not simply receiue vs but also make vs heires in his kingdom yea and Lordes ouer all thinges which are in heauen and earth This nowe is called the preaching of grace or of the Gospell And all this is of God which rayseth vp and sendeth forth Preachers This S. Paule signifieth when he sayth thus Rom. 10 Faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God This also the wordes of the Lorde meane here in the Gospell when he sayth It is written in the Prophets And they shall be all taught of God Euery man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father commeth vnto me Not that any man hath seene the Father saue he which is of God he hath seene the Father Whē as we heare the first preaching that is the preaching of the law howe we are condemned with all our workes then man sigheth vnto God What the preaching of the law worketh in man and knoweth not what to doe his conscience is euill and fearefull and except helpe should come in time he shoulde despeire for euer Wherefore the other preaching must not be long differred the Gospell must be preached vnto him and the way vnto Christ must be shewed whom God hath giuen vnto vs a Mediatour that through him alone we may be saued by meere grace and mercy without all our owne works and merits Then the hart is made ioyfull The preaching of the Gospel what it worketh in vs. and hasteth vnto such grace as the thirsty hart runneth vnto the water Dauid had a notable feeling hereof when he sayd thus Psal 42 Like as the hart desireth the vvater brookes so longeth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God yea euen for the liuing God When therefore a man commeth to Christ through the Gospell then heareth he the voyce of the Lord Christ
this meate and eatest that that thou remainest in this place that thou readest and mumblest vp daily so many wordes Surely thou doost nothing els by these but torment thy selfe to please Satan and to be a pernicious and hurtfull example to thy neighbours for there is no Christianitie in thy life being such Thou beleeuest not as it behoueth a Christian to beleeue and therefore neither doost thou pray Christianly Thy fasting also is not true chastising of thy body but rashly taken vpon thee in steede of a good worke In a summe this thy seruice and study of religion is no other thing then in time past amonge the Iewes was the religion of Moloch and Baal in the honour of whom they did kill and burne euen their owne children So pernitious and pestilent an example is this thy holines which seemeth so goodly vnto thee which when it meruelously counterfaiteth a shew of godlines it draweth miserable men to the following thereof and vtterly extinguisheth true religion Here perhaps some godly man will thinke If the matter be so and our workes doe not saue vs but onely to heare Christ and beleue in him who is giuen vnto vs of the Father to be our righteousnes and saluation to what ende then are so many precepts giuen vnto vs and why doth God so seuerely require that they be obeyed The present text of the Apostle shall giue vnto vs the solution of this question and vpon this fit occasion we will now enter into the exposition thereof The Galathians being taught of Paule the faith of Christ but afterwards seduced by false Apostles thought that the matter of our saluation must be finished made perfect by the workes of the law and that onely faith doth not suffize These Paule calleth backe againe from workes vnto faith with great diligence and words meruelous effectual plainly prouing that the workes of the law which goe before saith doe make vs onely seruaunts and be of no importance to godlines saluation but that faith doth make vs the sonnes of God that from thence true good workes doe without constraint forth with most plentifully flowe But here we must accustom our selues to the wordes of the Apostle Whom Paul calleth a seruaunt and whom a sonne in the text which is here intreated of He calleth him a seruaunt that is occupied in workes without faith whereof we haue already intreated at large he calleth him a sonne which is righteous and liueth by faith alone without workes The reason hereof is this this seruaunt although he apply him selfe to good workes yet he doth it not with that minde with which a sonne doth that is with a minde that is free willing certaine that the inheritance and all the good thinges of the Father are his but doth it as he that is hyred with a stipend in an other mans house who hopeth not that the inheritance shal come vnto him The works in deede of the sonne and the seruaunt are like almost all one according to the outward appearance but their mindes do differ exceeding much and their hope is nothing like euen as Christ him selfe sayth The seruaunt abideth not in the house for euer but the sonne abideth for euer Ioh. 8. These of Cains broode want the faith of sonnes which they them selues confesse for they thinke it a most absurd thing wicked arrogancie to affirme them selues to be the sonnes of God and holy therefore as they beleeue euen so are they counted before God they neuer become the sonnes of God or holy neuertheles they are exercised with the workes of the law and are well wearied wherefore they are and remaine seruaunts for euer And they receiue no other reward but these temporall things namely quietnes of life aboundance of goods dignitie and honours c. Which we see to be vsuall among the followers of Popish religion then whom there is none at this day that liueth more pleasauntly more welthily more gloriously and honorably But this is their reward they are seruaunts and not sonnes wherefore in death they shall be thrust from all good thinges neither shall any portion of eternall inheritance come vnto them who in this present life would beleeue nothing thereof So therefore it is that seruaunts and sonnes are not much vnlike in workes but in minde and faith they are most vnlike Now the Apostle endeuoureth here to proue which in deede is the very matter that the law with all the workes thereof doth make vs no other then seruaunts if this faith in Christ whereof we haue spokē be away For that alone doth make vs the sonnes of God Neither the law nor nature can giue it onely the Gospel bringeth it when it is heard with an holy silence of minde It is the word of grace which the holy Ghost doth forthwith followe as it is shewed in very many places and specially Act. 10 where we read that the holy Ghost did by and by fall on Cornelius and his familie hearing the preaching of Peter The lawe why it was giuen Moreouer the lawe was giuen for this that we might learne by it howe voyd we are of grace and howe farre from being of the minde of sonnes yea that we are plainly of a seruile minde For we being left to our selues can in no wise be free from the lawe neither if we doe any good thing doe we it willingly forasmuch as that faith of sonnes is wanting wherwith he that is endued knoweth assuredly that the eternall inheritance shall come vnto him and is of his owne accord inclined and bent with a willing and ready spirit to doe those thinges that are good Nowe these men doe willingly confesse that they are void of this faith and if they would confesse the truth in deede they shoulde also plainly confesse that they had farre rather be without all lawe and that they are against their wills subiect thereunto Wherefore all thinges are among them constrained and void of faith and they are in very deede compelled to confesse that by the lawe they can not attaine any further Which one thing they ought to learne by the law and know that they are seruaunts and haue nothing belonging to sonnes wherby they might be enflamed with desire to come from seruitude to the state and condition of sonnes and might make no account of their owne thinges as in deede they ought to doe that God of his grace might aduaunce them vnto an other state by faith Nowe this were a sound vnderstanding of the law and the true vse therof whereof this is the office The office of the lawe to reproue and conuince men hereof that they are seruaunts and not sonnes as many as follow the law without faith and that they doe exercise themselues therein plainly against their wills and with no confidence of grace For it causeth and maketh such to be offended at it and learne by it how vnprepared and vnwilling they are to that which is good inasmuch as
is a sinne to be against the lawe which is very good Thus therefore sinne is knowne by the lawe according as Paule teacheth forasmuch as we learne thereby howe our affection is not set on that which is good What the knowledge of sinne which commeth by the law ought to worke in vs. which ought to terrifie vs and driue vs to ceasse to trust in our selues and to long after the grace of God whereby this naughtines of the hart may be taken away and our mind may become such as is of it selfe ready to good things and loueth the lawe which voluntarily not for any feare of punishment or respect of reward but because it doth of it owne accord like well of the law and loue righteousnes worketh those things which are truely good By this meanes onely one is made of a seruaunt a sonne of a slaue an heire Which mind and spirit thou shalt receiue by no other meanes then by faith in Christ as it is before spoken at large Now let vs come to entreat of the text of Paule Verse 1. The heire as long as he is a child differeth nothing from a seruant though he be Lord of all He propoundeth a similitude taken of the custom of men For we see that the children vnto whom their parents haue left some substance be brought vp no otherwise then if they were seruants They are fedde and clothed with their goods but they are not permitted to doe with them nor to vse them according to their owne minde but are ruled with feare discipline of maners that so euen in their owne inheritance they liue no otherwise then as seruaunts After the same sort is it also in spirituall things The similitude of Paul applyed God made vnto the elect a couenant when he promised that it shoulde come to passe that in the seede of Abraham that is in Christ all nations shoulde be blessed Gen. 22. That couenant was afterward confirmed by the death of Christ and reuealed and published abroad by the preaching of the Gospell What the Gospell is For the Gospell is no other thinge then an open and generall preaching of this grace that in Christ blessing and grace is layde vp for all men which so many onely shall receiue as shall beleeue Nowe before that this couenant is truly opened and made manifest to men the sonnes of God liue after the maner of seruaunts vnder the lawe and are exercised with the workes of the law although they can not be iustified by them inasmuch as they are seruile and doe nothinge auaile to iustification as it is sayde before Notwithstanding because they are euen then predestinate to life when they are after the maner of seruaunts helde vnder the lawe they are true heires of heauenly good thinges that is of this blessing and grace of this couenant albeit they as yet doe not know or enioy it but are wearied with workes no otherwise then other that are voyde of fayth So at this daye thou mayest finde not a fewe which nowe hauing faith as they are the sonnes of God so doe they also enioye the grace of God in the libertie of the sonnes when as a litle before being drowned in workes they knewe nothinge at all of faith being in all thinges like vnto other hypocrites Neuertheles because they were before the foundation of the worlde appoynted of God vnto this fayth and state of sonnes they were euen then the sonnes of God before when they were as yet altogither ignorant of faith There are some also which being as yet as it were drowned in workes are like to seruaunts and those of Cains brood who notwithstanding before God are sonnes and heires which shall be brought vnto the faith of sonnes leauing the state of seruaunts and shall embrace the libertie and right of sonnes shall ceasse from the works of the law and come vnto the inheritance of iustification that being iustified by grace they may worke freely those things that be good to the glory of God and commoditie of their neighbours being farre from all feare or hope as well of iustification as of all other good things For they shall then haue and possesse it by the couenant of the Father confirmed by Christ reuealed published and as it were deliuered into their handes by the Gospell through the onely grace and mercy of the Father The faithful before Christes cōming had the same couenant which we haue This couenant both Abraham and all the fathers which were endued with true faith had no otherwise then we haue although before Christ was glorified this grace was not openly published and preached They liued in like faith and therefore they obtayned also like good things They had the same grace blessing and couenant with vs for there is one Father and the same God of all Thou seest therefore that Paul as almost in all other places so here also doth entreat much of faith that we are not iustified by our works but by faith alone whereby not certaine good things by peecemeale but all good thinges at once doe come vnto vs. For there is no good thing which this couenant of God doth not contayne in it it giueth and bringeth righteousnes saluation and God him selfe Workes can not be done at once but by faith the whole inheritance of God is togither receiued From thence also good workes doe come howbeit not meritorious whereby thou mayst seeke saluation but which with a minde already possessing righteousnes thou must doe with great pleasure to the profit of thy neighbours For thou shalt nowe haue neede of nothing being endued with faith which bringeth all thinges yea surely moe thinges then one dare wish much lesse can deserue wherefore it is no meruell if such worke all thinges freely and so do vnto their neighbour as they both beleeue and reioyce that God of his goodnes by the merit of Christ hath done vnto them What rewarde shoulde they hope for which already haue all things the shadow whereof those most miserable ones of Cains brood seeke by their workes but they shall neuer find it they follow it but they shall neuer come vnto it Verse 2. But is vnder Tuters and Gouerners vntill the time appoynted of the father Tuters and Gouerners are they which doe bringe vppe the heire and so rule him and order his goods that neither he wast his inheritance by riotous liuing neyther his goods otherwise perish or be consumed They permit him not to vse his goods at his owne will or pleasure but suffer him to enioye them as they shall be needefull and profitable vnto him First whereas they keepe him at home and informe him with good maners what doe they else but prepare and instruct him whereby he may moste commodiously and longe enioye his inheritance Agayne the more straitely and seuerely they bringe him vppe so muche greater desire they stirre vppe and enflame in him to come to and enioye his inheritance For as soone as
he beginneth to be of any discretion and iudgement it can not be but grieuous vnto him to liue at the commaundement and will of an other After the same sorte standeth the case of the elect The elect are for a time vnder the law as vnder a Tuter or Gouerner which are brought vppe and instructed vnder the lawe as vnder a Maister to the libertie of the sonnes First the lawe profiteth them in this that by the feare of it and of the punishment which it threatneth they are driuen from sinne at the least from the outwarde worke least that the libertie of sinning encrease ouermuche and remoue them from all religion of God that hope of saluation being paste and God quite contemned they shoulde runne headlonge without all feare into all kindes of euill as some desperate persons are wont to doe Agayne the lawe is profitable to them in this that by it they are brought vnto knowledge of them selues and learne howe vnwillingly they liue vnder the lawe and that they doe no good at all with a willing and readie mynde as it becommeth sonnes but with a seruile and vnwilling minde whereby they maye easily see what is the roote of this euill and what is especially needefull vnto saluation to wit a newe and a willing spirit to that which is good Which surely neyther the lawe nor the workes of the lawe are able to giue yea the lenger and the more that they applye them selues vnto them so much more vnwilling shall they finde them selues and with so muche more griefe to worke those thinges that are good Hereupon nowe they learne that they doe not satisfie the lawe although outwardly they liue according to the prescript rule thereof for as they doe pretend to obeye it in worke so in minde they doe hate it wherefore in minde also they remayne sinners although they pretende them selues righteous by workes that is they are like vnto those of Cains broode and to hypocrites whose hande in deede is compelled to good but they haue a hart which as it is an enemie to the lawe so doth it verely consent vnto sinnes and is miserably subiect vnto them To knowe this concerning them selues is not the lowest degree to saluation Hereof also we may see howe fitly Paule calleth such constrayned workes the workes of the lawe The workes of the lawe For they flowe not from a ready and willing hart but are enforced by the lawe the harte declyning an other waye Howebeit the lawe dothe not require workes alone but muche rather the harte it selfe so that we might saye not onely the workes but rather the harte of the lawe not onely the handes of the lawe but rather the mynde will and all the strength of the lawe Whereupon it is sayde in the first Psalme of the blessed man But his delight is in the lawe of God and in his lawe doth he exercise him selfe daye and night Suche a mynde the lawe requireth in deede but it giueth it not neyther can it giue it of it owne nature whereby it commeth to passe that whyle the lawe continueth to exact it of a man and to condemne him as longe as he hath not suche a minde as disobedient to God he is in anguish on euery side his conscience is grieuously terrified and without all counsell and helpe Then in deede he is moste readye for grace and this is that tyme appoynted of the Father The time appoynted of the Father when his seruitude should ende and he should enter into the state of the sonnes For being thus in distresse and terrified seeing that by no other meanes he can auoyde the condemnation of the lawe he turneth him selfe wholly to praye to the Father for grace he acknowledgeth his frayltie he confesseth his sinne he ceasseth to trust in workes and doth altogither as it is meete humble him selfe perceiuing nowe full well that betweene him and a manifest sinner there is no difference at all but of workes that he hath a wicked harte euen as euery other sinner hath Yea it may be that such hypocrites doe farre more hate the lawe in their harte then those famous sinners which are euen as it were drowned in sinnes For whyle these are euen wearyed with the workes of sinnes and doe trye the filthines of them it often tymes commeth to passe that they doe in some part loath and detest them when as those righteous ones doe alwaies thinke those thinges that they haue not tried to be more sweete neither can they beleeue that there is so much gall in sinnes whereof they are by nature inflamed with such a desire therefore as they doe more earnestly loue sinne so consequently they doe much worse hate the law which as a certaine scholemaister is alwayes against their desire Moreouer forasmuch as the condition of mans nature is such that it is able to giue to the lawe workes onely and not the hart who doth not see howe greatly it is contemned of vs Hypocritical dealing An vnequall diuision truely to dedicate the hart which doth incomparably excell all other thinges to sinne and the brutish hande to the lawe which is nothing els but to offer chaffe to the lawe and the wheat to sinne the shell to God and the kernell to Satan So that commeth to passe which is in the Gospell that the wickednesses of him which is in thy iudgemēt a desperat sinner are counted as a mote and thine which so playest the hypocrite are counted as a beame If this euill be added hereunto that such hypocrites doe not see a beame in their eye but being blinded doe perseuer in their accustomed workes not marking this their inward abhomination of the hart they by and by burst forth to iudge condemne others they despise sinners as he did in the Gospell they thinke them selues not like vnto them they are not as other men are they thinke them selues alone godly and righteous Whose vngodlines if one reproue as it is meete bewray they by and by are in a rage and furie and sticke not to kill innocent Abel and to persecute all those that follow the truth And they will seeme to doe that to defend good works and to obtaine righteousnes neither doe they promise to them selues a small reward for this inasmuch as they doe as they say persecute heretikes blasphemers them which be seduced doe seduce with mischieuous errour which labour to seduce and plucke euen them from good works Here thou maist see that that sheweth it selfe whatsoeuer the Scriptures attribute to these men being surely most pestilent spirits to wit that they are a generation of vipers and serpents They are no other but of Cains broode and so they doe continue seruaunts they are and seruaunts they doe remaine But they whom God hath chosen Abels and sonnes What the law worketh in the elect do learne by the lawe howe vnwilling a hart they haue vnto the lawe they fall from their arrogancie and are by
wherefore he hath humbled himselfe to vs and taken vpon him that nature which is best knowne and most familiar vnto vs to wit euen our owne Here he looketh for vs here he will receiue vs he that will seeke him here shall fynde he that will aske here shall be heard here is the throne of grace and the true mercy seate from which none is driuen or thrust which with true faith resorteth vnto it They which do here neglect him as though he were made man for nought and in the meane season do without a mediatour praie vnto God who hath created heauen and earth they shall pray in deede but none shall helpe them they shall crie but none shall heare them The third thing which is here set forth vnto vs to beleeue is that Marie the mother of Iesus is a virgine The mother of Iesus a Virgine This Paule affirmeth when he sayth that he was made of a woman not of a man as other are wont This is that one man which was borne onely of a woman He would not say of a virgine Why Paule rather saide that Christ was made of a woman thē of a virgine for that a virgine is not a name of nature but a woman signifieth a sex and certein condition whereunto it belongeth to be with childe and to bring forth that is to do the partes of a mother Seeing therefore that Marie was a mother in deede she is rightly called a womā For she brought forth fruite vnto vs which belongeth to a mother and not to a virgin although she brought it forth alone without the meanes of man wherein she was declared both a singular virgin and woman But because it is of greater importaunce to the Apostle and vnto all vs that Marie is a woman and thereby the mother of Christ then that she is a virgine for that this is onely an ornament vnto her but in that she was a woman she brought forth him which is saluation vnto all for this cause I say the Apostle calleth her rather a woman then a virgine Neither was it considered in choosing her that she was a virgine but that she was a woman for that she being a virgine became a mother Why it behoued that the mother of Christ should be a virgine the cause was for that it behoued that Christ should be borne without synne and therefore without the commixtion of man For of the seede of a sinfull man nothing could be borne but that which is defiled with synne but it behoued that Christ should be that blessed seede whose blessing should be poured forth vpon all as the maner of the diuine couenant required Whereupon it is gathered that Christ could not be borne of the seede of man for that all men are by nature vnder the curse For how should blessing be promised to come vnto all by Christ if all were not subiect to the curse Forasmuch then as the couenant of God promised to Abraham did require these two thinges both that Christ should be the true sonne of Abraham that is his seede his true flesh and blood that also he should be borne pure from synne this meane was inuented that he should of Marie being verie woman and the daughter of Abraham be borne verie man and the right ofspring of Abraham and also that he should be borne without the commixtion of man a virgine being conceiued with child by the onely meanes of the holy Ghost that being full of blessing he might deriue the same vnto all beleeuers So was the couenant of God fulfilled on either side and it came to passe that Christ became both the true seede of Abraham and yet free from all contagion of Adam and is also the author of eternall blessing to thē that beleeue Wherefore although Marie be holily to be reuerenced by the name of virgine yet by no comparison greater reuerence is due vnto her then by the name of woman for that her most holy members inasmuch as she was a woman were aduaūced vnto this dignitie that they were as meanes toward the fulfilling of the holy couenant of God and by them he was brought forth which was to put awaye all curse from them that beleeue in him that so he might be both the blessed seede of Abraham and the blessed frute of the wombe of Marie Vnto which benefite the onely virginitie had not bin sufficient yea it had bin euen vnprofitable The fourth thing whereof the present place of the Apostle doth admonish vs is that Christ hath satisfied the Lawe for vs. Which he also witnesseth of himselfe Matth. 5 I am not come to destroye the Lawe but to fulfill it It was needful that christ should fulfill the Lawe for vs. This also the reason of the couenant requireth for if by this seede of Abraham all men must be deliuered from the curse it is necessarie that by it the Lawe be fulfilled For as men are by nature the children of wrath and subiect to the curse so it must needes be accursed whatsoeuer they doe for it is before proued at large that he which is euell himselfe can worke nothing that is good likewise that we can do nothing that God will approue vnles we our selues be approued of him before and seeing that the Lawe requireth the heart which can not be performed of them which are not as yet regenerate by the spirit it must needes be that all the sonnes of Adam are giltie of transgressing the Lawe and vnles whereas they themselues are not able an other to wit Christ should performe that which the Lawe requireth and so satisfie the Law for them they should altogither perish by the curse of the Law But when as Christ going about to shewe that the heart is required of the Lawe did condemne the workes which proceeded not from a heart that is godly and consenting vnto the Lawe he was accused of the Pharisees that he was come to destroie the Lawe Because therefore he would take awaye this false opinion of himselfe he sayd Thinke not that I am come to destroy the Lawe for I am not come to destroie but to fulfill the Lawe yea and I will giue a spirit vnto them that be mine which shal iustifie their heart by faith and incline it vnto true good workes The same is vsuall with Paul also who Rom. 3 when he had reiected the workes of the Lawe and extolled faith aunswering such an obiection saith Do we then make the Lawe of none effect God forbid yea we establish the Lawe For we teach that the true fulfilling of the Lawe is by Christ The like also is wont to be obiected to vs as though we did forbid good workes when we disallow monasteries with their workes teach that they must first by faith become good and approued of God whereby they may afterward do true good workes by which both their flesh may be chastised and their neighbours edified Here we must note moreouer that the Lawe
can be fulfilled of no man but of him which being free from the Lawe is no more vnder it We must accustome our selues also to the maner of Paules speeche that we may know assuredly who is vnder the Lawe Who be vnder the Law and who is not vnder the Lawe As many therefore as worke good workes because the Lawe hath so commaunded being brought thereunto either with feare of punishmēt or hope of reward are vnder the Lawe and are compelled to do good thinges and to be honest being not brought hereunto of their owne voluntarie will Wherefore the Lawe hath dominion ouer them whose seruaunts and captiues they are Now such are all men that are not yet regenerate by Christ which euerie one may easily learne with himselfe by experience euerie mans own conscience shewing it vnto him We all finde our selues so affected that if no Lawe did vrge vs both the feare of punishment and hope of reward were awaye and it were plainly free for vs to do what we list we would do altogether those thinges that are euell and omit the thinges that are good especially either tentation mouing vs or occasion prouoking vs. But now forasmuch as the Law stayeth vs with the threatninges and promises thereof we do oftentimes abstaine from euell thinges and do those thinges that be good howbeit we do them not for the loue of goodnes and hatred of euel but onely for feare of punishment and respect of reward wherefore being left wholy to our selues we are seruaunts of the Lawe neither do we heare it any otherwise then seruaunts do their hard and cruell maister They which are not vnder the Lawe described of what sort they be But they that are not vnder the Lawe that is are not so against their wills in subiection vnder the dominion thereof they of their owne accord do good workes and abstaine from euell being neither terrified with the threatninges of the Law nor allured with the promises thereof but euen for that they do of their voluntarie will beare a loue to honestie and hate that which is dishonest and are also from their heart delighted with the Lawe of God so that if there were no Lawe made notwithstanding they would desire to liue no otherwise then the Lawe commaundeth as to shun those thinges that be euell and applie themselues to honest studies and exercises They that are such are sonnes whom not nature but that onely blessed seede of Abraham that is Christ could make such renuing by his grace and spirit the heartes of them that beleeue in him What it is not to be vnder the Law Wherefore not to be vnder the Lawe is not to be free from the Lawe that they may do those things that are contrarie thereunto and omit those thinges that are good but it is to do good thinges and abstaine from wicked thinges not through compulsion or necessitie of the Lawe but by free loue and with pleasure euen as if no Law commaunded them and their owne nature brought them hereunto as in deede it doth howbeit the new nature of the spirit A similitude not that olde nature of the flesh For as there is neede of no Lawe for the body which may compell it to eate to drinke to digest A similitude to sleepe to go to stand to sit and to do the other workes of nature for that it is ready to do them of it owne nature when the case so requireth and when it is meete without all respect either of reward or punishment and may not vnfitly be said as concerning these thinges not to be vnder a law notwithstanding thereupon nothing lesse foloweth then that it doth therefore abstaine from such workes vnto which in deede it so much more applieth if selfe as they are lesse commaunded and are more naturall vnto it After the same sort altogither doth the godly man behaue himselfe concerning the workes of godlines he is caried to the doing of them by that his new nature of the spirit albeit there were no lawe at all and all both hope of reward and feare of punishment were awaye This onely is the true libertie of a Christian man and the deliueraunce of him from the lawe whereof Paul speaketh 1. Tim. 1 The Lawe is not giuen vnto a righteous man Which is as much as if he had said A righteous man of his owne accord doth good thinges and abstaineth from euell hauing no regard either of reward or of punishment The same thing also he meaneth by that saying Rom. 6 Ye are not vnder the Lawe but vnder Grace that is ye are sonnes not seruaunts Ye liue holily being compelled or enforced with nothing but of your free and of it selfe ready will To the same effect pertaineth that saying also Rom. 8 Ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but ye haue receiued the Spirit of adoption of the sonnes The Lawe maketh a fearfull that is a right seruile and cainish spirit but Grace giueth the free spirit of sonnes like vnto Abels by Christ the blessed seede of Abraham Whereof the 51. Psalme speaketh Stablish me with thy free spirit Whereupon in the 118. Psalme Christian people are said to be of a free will Moreouer Christ hath so fulfilled the Lawe that he onely of all mankynde hath of his owne accord satisfied it being with no thing compelled or enforced thereunto neither is any other able to do the same vnles he receiue it of him and by him And therefore Paul saith here He was made vnder the Lawe that he might redeeme them which were vnder the Lawe The fifte thing therefore that Paul here commendeth vnto vs to be beleeued Why Christ was made vnder the Law is that Christ for our sake was made vnder the Lawe that he might deliuer vs from the bondage of the Law and of vnwilling seruaunts make vs free sonnes whereupon he saith That he might redeeme them which were vnder the Lawe that is might deliuer them from the Law ▪ Now he deliuereth from the Lawe by the meanes aforesaid not by destroying or vtterly abolishing the Lawe How Christ deliuereth frō the Law but by fulfilling it and giuing a free spirit which shall do all thinges willingly without any respect either of the threatninges or the promises of the Lawe no otherwise then if there were no lawe at all giuen and is caried thereunto of his owne nature After which sort Adam and Eue were effected before they had synned How the spirit of libertie is obtained But by what meanes is this spirit giuen libertie gotten No otherwise then by faith For he that truly beleeueth that Christ came for this cause that he might deliuer vs from the Lawe and that he hath deliuered him already he I say hath in deede receiued the spirit of libertie and doth verily obtaine that which he beleeueth for both faith and this spirit of sonnes come togither Whereupon Paul sayth here that Christ hath deliuered
vs from the Lawe for this that we might receiue the adoption of the sonnes both which come vnto vs by faith Thus therefore we haue those fiue thinges whereof Paul admonished vs in this so plentifull and fruitfull a place A question But here riseth a questiō Forasmuch as to be vnder the Law is to be subiect to the Lawe by compulsion and to obey the Law no otherwise then vnwillingly so that none of them which are vnder the Lawe are able to satisfie the Lawe why Paul sayth that Christ was made vnder the Lawe The answer I aunswere that the Apostle maketh a verie great differēce betweene Christ who was made vnder the Lawe Great differēce between Christes being vnder the Law ours and other men which are borne vnder the Lawe For whereas he sayth that Christ was made vnder the Lawe he would signifie that Christ did put himselfe vnder the Lawe of his owne accord and was with his will made subiect vnto it of the Father when as he might not haue bin vnder the Lawe But we were vnder the Lawe being the seruaunts of the Lawe by nature and bearing the dominion thereof vnwillingly as Christ was willingly not by nature and against his will Wherefore there is as great difference betweene It is one thing to be made vnder the Lawe an other to be vnder the Lawe by nature To be made vnder the Lawe and To be vnder the Lawe by nature as betweene these To be subiect to the Lawe of free will and To be subiect to the Lawe by seruile constraint It was free vnto Christ to be vnder the Law or not to be vnder it and he made himselfe subiect to it of his owne accord that he might most diligently do all thinges that the Law requireth but we were vnder the Lawe euen against our will Thou mayst see a resemblaunce hereof in Peter Ours and Christs being vnder the Law and our deliueraunce frō the same most excellently resembled and the Angell which came into the prison to Peter to deliuer him Both of them were then in the prison but Peter was there being cast into it of Herode not of his owne accord wherein he was also to abide for he could not go forth when he would But the Angell went into the prison of his owne accord whereupon it was free for him also to go forth when he would he was there onely for Peters sake and not for his owne and freely euen at his owne will whom when Peter heard and folowed it was free for him also to go forth of the prison whereas before it was not This prison is the Lawe Peter is our conscience The Angell is Christ Christ being absent our conscience is held captiue of the Lawe and being vnwilling of it selfe is moued vnto good thinges by the threatninges and promises thereof and is tied and bound vnto honest thinges with these as with two chaines The keepers of this prison are the teachers of the Lawe which declare the force of the Lawe vnto vs. So we being bound in the prison of the Lawe Christ commeth vnto vs and willingly maketh himselfe subiect to the Lawe and doth the workes of the Lawe of his owne accord which we did bend our selues to do against our wills yea and doth them for our sake that he may ioyne vs vnto him and also bring vs out togither with himselfe For he may easily go forth who is held in the prison by no necessitie If now we cleaue vnto him and follow him we also do goe forth But this cleauing to him and following him is nothing els then to beleeue in him and not to dout that he became man and was made subiect to the lawe for thy saluations sake Togither with this fayth commeth the spirit he by and by maketh thee ready and willing to do with pleasure all thinges that the Lawe requireth and so truly deliuereth thee from the captiuitie of the Lawe those chaines of threatninges and promises fall of from thee and thou mayst now go whither thou list that is thou mayst liue according to thine owne will or rather according to the wil of the holy Ghost ruling all thinges in thee finally what good thinges soeuer thou doest thou doest them from the heart and with great pleasure Christ made vnder the Law after two sorts Moreouer that it may be made more plaine after what sort Christ made himselfe subiect to the Lawe we must vnderstand that he was made vnder the Lawe after two sorts both for that he did perfectly performe the workes of the Lawe and also for that he suffered and ouercame the curse and punishment thereof for our sake For he was circumcised presented in the temple and the time of the purification being finished was obedient to his parents All which thinges he might haue omitted being Lord of the Lawe and ouer all Howbeit he applied himselfe to these thinges freely of his owne will not being either compelled by any feare or allured by any hope In outward workes he was in the meane season altogether like vnto them which were vnder the Law that is which did the workes of the Law against their wills inasmuch as his free spirit was hidden from others euen as also the seruile and constrained will of others is hidden And so he both was vnder the Lawe and not vnder the Lawe He behaued himselfe outwardly in workes as they which are vnwillingly held vnder the Lawe whereas notwithstanding he was not vnder the Lawe as they but of his owne free will Wherefore in respect of his worke he was vnder the Lawe but in respect of his will he was free from the Lawe How we are vnder the Law But we as well by will as by workes are vnder the Lawe by nature for that we do workes according to the rule of the Lawe of necessitie yea and we do them with that will which the Lawe constraineth and vrgeth in asmuch as we do not endeuour to do them of our owne accord Christ made himselfe subiect to the punishment of the Lawe also for our sakes of his owne will He did not onely performe those workes which the Lawe commaundeth but he suffered the punishment also which was due to vs being transgressors thereof The Lawe condemneth to death and the eternall curse all those that continue not in all thinges that are written in the booke of the Lawe to do them as Paule Gal. 3. reciteth out of Moses Leuit. 18. Now it is declared at large before that the Lawe is fulfilled of no man but that all men are against their willes held captiues of the Law wherefore euerie one is subiect to death and to the curse so that there is no man subiect to the Lawe in respect of workes and will which is not also subiect to it in respect of the curse For it curseth and condemneth all that do not performe it with their whole heart But here Christ maketh intercession for them
that be his and the iudgement which we haue deserued he taketh vpon himselfe he suffered the punishment due vnto vs willingly making himselfe subiect to death and the curse that is to eternall damnation no otherwise then if he had transgressed the whole Lawe and had more then all deserued the sentence thereof against transgressours when as he did not onely not breake the Lawe but himselfe alone fulfilled it yea and fulfilled it when as he ought nothing to it so that he suffered otherwise then he deserued in two respects both for that he had ought nothing to the Lawe if he had not obserued it and also for that moreouer he most diligently obserued it so that if the Law had had especiall dominion ouer him yet had he come in no daunger thereof But on the other side whereas we suffer we suffer by double right both for that by the transgression of the Lawe we haue deserued all the punishment thereof also for that if we had deserued nothing yet being creatures we ought to be obedient to the will of our Creator Hereof it now plainly appeareth what this meaneth that Christ was made vnder the Lawe Why Christ was made vnder the Law that he might redeeme them which liue vnder the lawe for our sakes for our sakes I say and not for his owne he performed that and that of no necessitie but of his great loue toward vs and thereby he hath declared his vnspeakeable both goodnes and mercy toward vs being made accursed for vs that he might deliuer vs from the curse of the lawe He willingly made himselfe subiect to the iudgement of the lawe did himselfe beare the sentēce pronounced against vs that as many of vs as do beleeue in him might be free for euer Whereby marke what an incomparable treasure faith bringeth vnto thee By fayth we enioy an incomparable treasure whereby thou enioyest Christ and all his workes that thou mayst trust vnto them no otherwise then if thou thy selfe hadst done them For Christ did them not for himselfe whom surely they could profit nothinge he hauing no neede of any thinge but by them he layd vp the treasure of saluation for vs whereunto we should trust and being made blessed might enioye it With which fayth also the spirit of the sonnes commeth which beareth witnes with our spirit that we are the sonnes and heires of God What should God nowe adde vnto these How can a mynde hearing these thinges containe it selfe that it should not loue God againe with a most ardent affection and be most sweetely delighted in him What in any wise maye come to be done or suffered which thou wouldest not willingly take vpon thee with exceeding ioye and most high prayse of God with a reioycing and triumphing mynde Which mynde if thou wantest it is a certaine argument of a faint or surely a dead fayth for the greater thy fayth is so much more ready also and willinge is thy mynde to those thinges which God either sendeth or commaundeth This in deede is the true deliueraunce from the Lawe and the damnation of the Lawe that is from synne and death which deliueraunce commeth to vs by Christ Yet not so that there is nowe no lawe or death but that they do not now trouble the beleeuers any thinge that is they are as though they were not For the Lawe can not conuince them of synne neither can death confound them but by fayth they most happily passe from synne and death to righteousnes and life Here Munkes Nunnes c were to be exhorted if there were as yet left any place with them for counsell and admonition that they would obserue their ordinaunces How mens ordinances ceremonies c. are to be obserued ceremonies prayers apparell and such like as Christ obserued the lawe by which meanes surely they should bring vnto them no damnation That is that they would set the faith of Christ in the first place and commit the rule of their heart vnto him acknowledgeing that by that fayth onely they do obtaine righteousnes and saluation and that all their ordinaunces workes do auaile nothing hereunto Againe that they would make themselues subiect to them of their owne accord in no other respect then that by them they might serue their neighbours and subdue the arrogancie of the flesh But now seing they are occupied in them with this double erroneous opinion as though they were necessarie to saluation and righteousnes and if they did not obserue them they should grieuously synne they are vnto them a most certaine destruction nothing but delusion and synne whereby with their great affliction they draw vnto hell where they shall fully suffer the vexations and torments vnder the Abbat the deuell which being miserable and foolish men they haue here begon For all their life doth vtterly disagree with the fayth of the sonnes and that which belongeth onely to fayth to wit to iustifie and saue vs they attribute to their workes Wherefore these men can not both thus sticke vnto their ordinances and therewithall haue faith which suffereth it selfe to be addicted to no certaine workes but what thinges soeuer the Lord either sendeth or commaundeth or the necessitie and neede of our neighbour requireth it suffreth and doth them with great willingnes ioy These he that is endued with faith counteth his workes hauing in the meane season no regard of Masses or fasting which some appoint to certaine dayes of choise of apparell of meates of persons of places and such like yea he greatly disalloweth of these inasmuch as they trouble Christian libertie These thinges shall suffize to haue bin spoken concerning the exposition of this place of Paul where about the matter it selfe required to spend so many wordes forasmuch as the nature of faith is so vnknowen For vnles thou do well vnderstand the nature of faith thou shalt perceiue nothing or very litle in the writinges of Paul Verse 6. And because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts which cryeth Abba Father Here we see verie plainly that the holy Ghost commeth vnto the Saincts by no workes but by faith alone for Paul saith And because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit 〈◊〉 Sōnes beleeue when seruaunts onely worke sonn̄es are free from the Lawe seruaunts are held vnder the Lawe as appeareth plainly by those thinges that are before spoken But how commeth it to passe that he saith Because ye are sonnes A question God hath sent forth the Spirit c. seeing it is before said that by the comming of the spirit we are chaunged from seruaunts vnto the state of sonnes so that the spirit must be first sent vnto vs before we are sonnes But here as though we could be sonnes before the comming of the spirit The answer he sayth Because ye are sonnes c. To this question we must aunswere that Paul speaketh here after the same sort that he
spake before Before the fulnes of time came we weare in bondage vnder the rudimēts of the world All the elect which are predestinate of the Lord that they shall become sonnes are counted in that place of sonnes with God Therefore he saith rightly Because ye are sonnes that is because the state of sonnes is appointed vnto you frō euerlasting God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne to wit that he might finish it in you make you such as he hath long since of his goodnes determined that he should make you Moreouer he calleth him the spirit of that Sonne of God that he might continue in commending vnto vs this benefit of God that he hath chosen vs to be sonnes For Christ is the Sonne of God and that most beloued Now if the father giue vnto vs his spirit he will make vs like to his onely begotten sonne his true sonnes and heires that we may with certaine confidence crie with Christ Abba Father being his brethren and felow heires with him Wherin that Apostle surely hath notable set forth the goodnes of God which maketh vs partakers with Christ and causeth vs to haue all thinges common with him so that we liue and are ledde by the same spirit Moreouer these wordes of the Apostle do shew both that the holy Ghost is an other from Christ and yet doth proceede from him when as he calleth him his spirit The spirit in deede dwelleth in the godly and no man will say that he is their spirit as here Paul maketh him the holy spirit of Christ saying God hath sent forth that spirit of his Sonne that is of Christ For he is the spirit of God cometh from God to vs and is not ours vnles one will say after this sort my holy spirit as we say my God my Lord. Wherefore whereas he is here said to be holy spirit of Christ it proueth him to be God as of whom that spirit is sent is peculiarly counted his spirit Furthermore Christians may perceiue by this place whether they haue in themselues the holy Ghost How we may know whether the holy Ghost dwell in vs or not to wit this spirit of the sonne whether they heare his voice in themselues For Paul saith that he cryeth in the heares which he possesseth Abba Father a according as he sayth also Rom. 8 We haue receiued the Spirit of adoptiō whereby we crie Abba Father Now thou hearest this voyce when thou fyndest so much faith in thy selfe that thou doest assuredly without any doutinge presume not only that thy synnes be forgiuen thee but also that thou art the beloued sonne of God which being certaine of eternal saluatiō darest both call him father and be delighted in him with a ioyfull and most confident heart Thou must be so certaine hereof that thou canst not be more certaine of thy life must sooner suffer death and hellish torments then suffer this trust and confidence to be taken from thee For to dout any thing herein were no small reproch and contumelie to the death of Christ as though that had not obtained all thinges for vs and ought not farre more effectually to prouoke and encourage vs to haue a good trust in God then all our synnes and tentations are able to put vs out of hope and fray vs from it It may be in deede that thou shalt be so tempted that thou shalt feare and doute of thine adoption and thinke plainly that God is not a fauourable father but a wrathfull reuēger of synners as it fell out with Iob and many other saincts but in such a conflict this trust confidence that thou art a sonne ought to preuaile and ouercome or els thou shalt come into a miserable and desperate case When one of Cains broode heareth these thinges he is as it were beside himselfe by reason of admiration and astonishment Fye sayth he awaye with this arrogancie and this most pernitious errour God turne this mynde from me that I do not presume to thinke that I am the sonne of God I am a synner most miserable and wretched and I will neuer esteeme more of my selfe But thou which desirest to belong vnto Christ flie this kynde of men no otherwise then most hurtfull enemies of Christian faith and of thy saluation Though of our selues we be miserable synners yet we may assuredly perswade our selues that through Christ we are the sonnes of God We also know that we are synners and verie miserable and wretched but here we must not weye or consider what we either do or are but what Christ is and what he hath done for our sake It is not spoken here of our nature but of the grace of God which so farre exceedeth our synnes as heauen is higher then the earth and the east is distant from the west as the 103. Psalme sayth Now if it seeme vnto thee a great honour that thou art the sonne of God as in deede it is verie great cōsider that it is no lesse meruelous that the sonne of God for this cause did come was borne of a woman and made vnder the Lawe that thou mightest become the sonne of God These are great benefites of God do cause in the elect a great trust and confidence in the goodnes of God and a spirit which is afraide of nothing but is bold and able to do all thinges Contrariwise the religion of those of Cains broode as it is a thing meruelous strait and carefull so doth it make heartes exceeding fearfull which serue to no vse but are vnapt to all thinges fit neither to suffer or do any thing which tremble and are afraide euen at the shaking of the lease of a tree as it was before spoken of them Leuit. 26. Wherefore thou must lay vp these wordes of the Apostle well in thy minde thou must feele this crie of the spirit which crieth so in the hearts of al the faithful For how shouldest thou not heare the crie of thine owne heart Neither doth the Apostle say that he doth whisper speake yea or syng it is greater then all these which the spirit doth in thy heart he crieth out a maine that is with all the heart Whereupon it is saide Rom. 8 that he maketh request for vs with sighes that can not be expressed and that he beareth witnes with our spirit that we are the children of God how therefore can it be that our heart should not heare this crie sighes Aduersitie stirreth vp the spirit and testimonie of the spirit Howbeit hereunto tentations and aduersitie are very profitable they moue to crie and do exceedingly stirre vp the spirit Notwithstanding we foolish men do greatly feare and flie the crosse wherefore it is no meruell if we do neuer feele the crie of the spirit and do continually remaine like them of Cains broode But if thou doest not feele this crie take heede that thou be not idle and flothfull neither secure pray instantly for thou art
sayth proueth If thou be a sonne thou art also an heire For it is sayd before that we become the sonnes of God by faith without any workes therefore heires also as this place witnesseth for by nature they that are sonnes the same also are heires But if this inheritance of the Father be nowe thyne by fayth surely thou art riche in all good things before thou hast wrought any thinge For howe should it be that by faith thou art the heire of God wtout any works through onely grace and that thou mayst againe first merit it by works Wherefore the case standeth as I often times say To a man that is baptized and beleueth in Christ the heauenly inheritance of the Father is already giuen at once that is all good thinges they are only hid as yet by faith for that the maner of the present life can not suffer that he shoulde enioye them being reuealed Whereupon Paule sayth Rom. 8 Ye are saued but by hope for ye doe not as yet see it but doe yet waite when the possession of your good thinges shall be reuealed And 1. Pet. 1. it is sayd Your saluation is reserued in heauen and prepared for you to be shewed in the last time VVhereunto the workes of a Christian ought to be referred Wherefore the workes of a Christian ought not to haue regard of merit which is the maner of seruaunts but onely of the vse and commoditie of his neighbours that he doe not liue and worke to him selfe but to his neighbour whereby he may truely liue to the glory of God For by faith he is rich in all good thinges and truely blessed Nowe the Apostle addeth through Christ lest that any thinke that so great inheritance commeth vnto vs freely Although we are saued frely with out all merit in respect of our selues yet Christ hath merited and with a deare price purchased saluation for vs. and without al cost For although it be giuen vnto vs without our cost and without all our merit yet it cost Christ a deare price who that he might purchase it for vs was made vnder the lawe and satisfied it for vs both by life also by death So those benefits which of loue we bestowe vpon our neighbour doe come vnto him freely and without any charges or labour vnto him notwithstanding they cost vs some thing inasmuch as we bestow vpon him although freely and of meere goodnes yet those thinges that are our owne whether it be labour or part of our substance euen as Christ hath bestowed those thinges that be his vpon vs. And thus hath Paule called backe his Galathians from the teachers of workes which preached nothing but the law peruerting the Gospell of Christ All which thinges are very necessary to be marked of vs also For the Pope with his Prelats and Monks hath now too long a time with intruding and vrging his lawes which are foolish and most pernitious inasmuch as they doe euery where disagree with the word of God seduced almost the whole world from the Gospell of Christ plainly extinguished the faith of sonnes according as the Scripture hath in diuers places very manifestly prophesied of his kingdom Wherefore let euery one that desireth to obtaine saluation most diligently take heede of him and all his Apostles no otherwise then of Satan him selfe and his chiefe and most pernitious Apostles A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER CONCERNING FAITH AND DIFFIDENCE IN daunger and trouble Matth. 8. Verse 23. WHen Iesus was entered into the ship his Disciples followed him 24. And behold there arose a great tempest in the sea so that the ship was couered with waues but he was asleepe 25. Then his Disciples came and awoke him saying Maister saue vs we perish 26. And he sayd vnto them Why are ye feareful O ye of litle faith Then he arose and rebuked the windes and the sea so there was a great calme 27. And the men merueiled saying What man is this that both the windes the sea obey him ACcording to the historie this text setteth before vs an example of faith and diffidence wherof we may learne both what a stronge and inuincible thinge faith is and that it must be exercised tryed euen in great matters and full of perill and also howe desperate a thing on the other side diffidence is and howe full of feare and trembling which can neuer doe any thinge rightly or wel This doth experience most liuely set forth in the Disciples How desperate fearefull a thinge diffidence is it appeareth by the example of Christes Disciples They when they entered into the ship with Christ and whilest there was calmnes in the lake were nothing disquieted in mind neither felt any feare Then if one should haue asked them whether they beleeued they would haue aunswered without dout that they did beleeue For they did not know that their hart did trust in that quietnes for that all troubles were absent and therefore did rest vpon a thinge visible and not vpon the inuisible grace of God Which then was made manifest as soone as the tempest was risen and the waues did couer the ship for by and by all their trust and confidence ceassed for that the quietnes and calmnes whereunto they trusted was taken away and diffidence which before when al things were prosperous did lurke in their minds did then appeare For this is the nature of diffidence that it beleeueth or knoweth no more then it feeleth Forasmuch therefore as it had possessed the brestes of the Apostles they felt nothing now but the fearefull tempest and the waues couering the ship they saw the sea swelling and greatly raging to threaten nothing but death These thinges onely did they thinke vpon these onely did they consider and therefore could there be no measure or ende of feare and trembling in their mindes the more they weyed in their mind the perill so much more were they terrified and seemed euen now to sticke in the very iawes of death hoping for no life or deliuerance And as they could not so much as thinke any thing els because of their vnbeliefe so all comfort also was farre from them For diffidence or vnbeliefe hath nothing whereunto it may trust or flee wherfore when outward aduersitie commeth it admitteth nothing into the mind but it and therefore it can neuer feele any peace or quietnes while this remaineth So in hell where diffidence exerciseth full tyrannie there can neuer be any intermission of desperation trembling and terrour What faith doth in trouble daunger But if the Disciples had bene then endued with a sound faith and if it had ruled in this daunger it would haue remoued from the mind the wind and all this tempest in steede of these would wholy haue thought vpon the power of God and his grace promised whereunto it would no otherwise haue trusted then if it had sate vpon a most stronge rocke farre from the
which being neglected we ought to haue cleaued onely to Christ Hereupon S. Paule sayth that the Gospell was promised of God by the Prophetes concerning his sonne He reduceth and bringeth it into such a streight that in the Gospell nothing is of any importaunce which concerneth not Iesus Christ He that knoweth this let him giue thankes to God that he knoweth where he may seeke for consolation and helpe and in whom he may repose his trust Christ in this dayes Gospell is set forth vnto vs that he is conuersaunt in the myddest of the people and draweth all the world vnto himselfe with his gentlenes and sweete doctrine that they maye cleaue vnto him in their heart that they maye commit themselues to his goodnes and hope that they shall obtaine of him both spirituall and corporall good thinges Neither dothe he receiue any thinge of them vpon whom he bestoweth benefites nay he obtaineth nothing of them but ignominie and scorning as is declared in this text A benefite proceedeth from him for which he receiueth a mocke and reproch Why the Gospell is preached Nowe the Gospell is preached and offered to the whole world that we may learne to know this man well and how we must be made Christians and not how we must be made good Other treatises besyde the Gospell teach of those thinges whereby men may be made good as the writinges of the Philosophers and the rules of the ciuill lawe The liues also of the Saincts haue especiall respecte vnto this that men may imitate them It belongeth not to the Gospell to make good men but to make Christian men For it is farre more excellent to be a Christian then an honest and good man A Christian can say nothing of his owne goodnes or righteousnes for he fyndeth in himselfe nothinge either good or righteous but he must flie to the righteousnes which is an others and which commeth vnto him from an other Hereupon Christ is sette forth vnto vs as a continuall fountaine which alwayes ouerfloweth with meere goodnes and grace for which he receiueth nothinge of vs but that the godly do acknowledge so great goodnes and grace doe giue him thankes for the same doe prayse and loue him others in the meane season mocking him such a reward he receiueth of them A Christian whereof so called Wherefore one is not therefore called a Christian for that he worketh much for there is an other thinge which is cause hereof namely for that he receiueth and draweth from Christ If one receiueth nothing any more of Christ neither is he any more a Christian so that the name of a Christian commeth onely by receiuing and not by giuing or doing If thou thinke that because of thy workes and deedes thou art a Christian thou hast euen then lost the name of Christ Good workes in deede are to be done counsell thereunto is to be giuen and receiued but no man is therefore called a Christian neither is any therefore a Christian Wherefore if any will more inwardly weye this name in this respect onely a Christian is to be acknowledged inasmuch as he receiueth of Christ alone Euen as one is called white of the whitenes that is in him blacke of the blacknes great of his stature so a Christian is called of Christ whom he hath in himselfe and of whom he receiueth that which is good Now if one be named a Christian of Christ he taketh not that name of his owne workes whereupon it plainly also foloweth that no man is made a Christian by workes Which if it be true as it is true and certaine it shall folow that Orders and Sects doe nothinge pertaine to the name of Christ neither doe make a Christian Wherefore they which preach or teach in the Church and ordaine preceptes workes and decrees are deceiuers who albeit they pretend a Christian name yet profite they nothinge for vnder the colour of that name they endeuour to burden and oppres vs with commaundements and workes Of workes giuing thy selfe to fasting and prayers thou mayest be called abstinent and temperat but by no meanes a Christian For although thou didest laye all thy workes togither yea and ioynedst the works of all other to thine yet neither so hast thou Christ neither art thou therefore called a Christian Christ is a certaine other more excellent thinge then either the lawe or mans tradition He is the sonne of God who is ready to giue onely not to receiue when as I am such a one that I do receiue of him I haue him also whom if I haue I am by good right called a Christian Moreouer the Gospel preacheth Christ also to be the greatest and most highly exalted person in the world not that he doth terrifie men but that he poureth forth all earthly and heauenly good thinges so that all men must trust in him must haue their hope reposed in him and alwayes receiue onely of him If any synne terrifie me in my conscience and the preachers of the lawe endeuour to helpe me with their workes they shall preuaile nothinge with me For then Christ alone can helpe and none besyde him yea others make the case worse whether it be Peter or Paule or the blessed virgine Marie her selfe the mother of God For Christ onely perfourmeth all thinges who in his word declareth that if I beleeue my synne is forgiuen me freely without all both worke and merit by pure grace through fayth in Christ Which word when I shall receiue I receiue also comfort that my synnes be forgiuen me as well before God as before men and I therefore giue thankes to God through Christ which giueth the holy Ghost and his grace vnto me that sinne may not hurt me neither here nor in the last iudgement If I feare death and would not die willingly in this Christ I shall finde comfort and remedie that I shall not greatly passe for death If because of the wrath of God I be afraid he is my Mediator And to be briefe he that hath not this Christ the wrath of God alwaies remaineth ouer him and in that state he standeth Wherefore he that desireth to haue a glad conscience A glad conscience how it is obtained which is not afraid of sinne death hell and the wrath of God must take heede that he repose his trust in this Mediator Christ For he is a fountaine abounding with grace which giueth both temporall and eternall life Endeuour thou to thinke and feele him euen in thy hart to be such a one then shalt thou obtaine all thinges for he aboundeth and ouerfloweth neither can he but giue flowe and abound if that thou canst beleeue Then also shalt thou be a right Christian howbeit by receiuing onely of Christ and not by giuing It is a verie rich and precious word which Paule prayseth so greatly neither can he euer prayse it sufficiently whereby God so gently offereth his sonne that he maye poure forthe his grace vpon all which doe