the bottome of hell Yee see then what I haue wonne by abyding in the lawe And S. Paule speaketh of him selfe rather than of any other body to the ende that the things which he speaketh may bee the better receyued as of a man of experience And it is after the same maner that he speaketh in the fore alleaged seuenth Chapter too the Romanes For there he setteth not foorth thys man or that man for an example but saythe I my selfe was sometymes alyue that is too saye at suche time as he was a Pharisie and accounted an holy man yea euen for one of the excellentest in all Iewry in so muche that he was a myrrour of all perfection and as a lyttle Angell then saythe he I was alyue howebeeit but by hypocrisie For he made him selfe too beleeue wonders and he was so puffed vp with pride that he hilde scorne of Iesus Christe Lo in what blindnesse Sainct Paule acknowledgeth hym selfe too haue beene And he addeth anone after that he wyst not what was ment by Thou shalte not couet It might bee thoughte straunge that a man whiche had not onely bin at schoole but also bin a great teacher of others and thereto a very zealous man as he him selfe affirmeth should bee so dulled as not to knowe his owne faultes But S. Paule sheweth the reason of it For sayth he I looked no further than to the outwarde honestie that there might no faulte bee founde in me before the worlde nor any man know any euill by me But when I vnderstoode what this saying Thou shalt not luste ment and perceyued that God condemneth all the affections thoughts of men then I perceyued that the worst was behind as the common Prouerbe sayth for it is the last cōmandement of the law wherein God maketh so liuely and deepe a searche as nothing can be excepted from it VVheras it is sayd in the lawe Thou shalte not haue any straunge goddes Thou shalt not make any image too worship it Thou shalte not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vayne ▪ Thou shalt keepe holy the day of rest Thou shalt honor thy father mother Thou shalt not kil Thou shalte not commit aduoutrie Thou shalte not steale All this is well will we thinke we must absteyne from all whordome violence and extortion we must absteyne from deceipt and robberie we must liue soberly Heretoo we must absteyne from blasphemie and we must honor God All this will easily be graunted But there is a backenooke that we perceyued not whiche is Thou shalt not couet or luste that is a priuie nipper Truely it seemeth not too bee very bigge or greate but yet for all that it is suche a stinger as passeth all the rest in byting For by the ende and wynding vp of hys Lawe God searcheth out all that euer is in man Hee setteth downe that commaundement too trie out the things that were hidden and when he sayth thou shalte not couet it is a percing euen into the marie of mens bones So then S. Paule confesseth that he knewe not what sinne mente till he vnderstoode what was mente by the commaundement that forbiddeth men too couet or luste And therfore in this texte he chargeth not the Gospell but the Lawe with it VVherefore let vs remember vpon this text that all they whiche deceyue them selues by any opinion of their owne merites neuer tasted what the Law of God is nor what it meaneth I speake of the greatest doctors that are in moste estimation as in good fayth it is too bee seene in the Popedome For euen those that are taken too bee the pillers of the Churche notwithstanding that they professe Diuinitie knowe not one worde of Gods lawe too apply the same too his true and naturall vse For they haue nothing in them but hypocrisie and they beare them selues in hande that they shall please God with a rattle as if he were a little babe They doo but toye with him and yet yee shall see them stande so muche in their owne conceites as they can not abide to be condemned And if a man tell them that wee must seeke our saluation in Iesus Christ yea say they and what shall become then of our freewill what should become of our owne merites and satisfactions Too their seeming it were much better too plucke the sunne out of the sky yea and God out of his seate too than too bereeue man of that prerogatiue or of the thing that he can bring of him selfe to cōpound with God and yet for all that it is certayne that there is nothing in thē but starke filthinesse For men see that there is neyther feare of God nor vprightnesse nor equitie nor ought else that good is in their lyfe They be so full of pride that they be readie to burst agayne and they be full of enuy rancour and all maner of loocenesse And yet for all this they will needes holde God bound vnto them but that is bicause they neuer knewe the law So then when our Lorde teacheth vs and sheweth vs how we ought to walke in this world let vs learne to lay the doctrine that he setteth foorth and our life togither and there we shall finde the right perfection of the law and that in our selues there is nothing but horrible confusion wee shall see hell readie prepared for vs. By that meanes it will be easie for vs to giue ouer all the deseruing whiche wee shall haue fancied in our selues so as it shall be soone beaten downe and our mouthes stopped and we become like poore dead folke without any breath bicause we shall perceyue well inough that we can not come vnto God but must needes thunder agaynst vs if wee bring any foolishe imagination of our owne deseruings Lo howe the lawe sleaeth vs. But when we haue passed through suche death that is to say when we be alreadie rightly humbled and vtterly dismayde then here is a remedie which S. Paule setteth downe saying I was crucified with Iesus Christ euē to liue vnto God Now he sheweth here that our Lorde Iesus Christ not only bringeth vs remission of our sinnes but also sanctifieth and regenerateth vs by his holy spirite in so muche that whereas there was nothing but stubbornesse in vs before now we be giuen to serue God and to please him And for the better vnderstanding of that which S. Paule telleth vs let vs marke that we receyue two principall graces of our Lorde Iesus Christ The one is the forgiuenesse of our sinnes whereby we are assured of our saluation and haue our consciences quieted and wherevpon it behoueth vs to be grounded so as we cal vpon God as our father VVho giueth vs the boldnesse to lift vp our heads to heauen and to call God our father Agayne what maketh vs so bolde as to glory that we be companions and brothers to the Angels It is bicause our sinnes come not to account for we must alwayes haue recourse to
shadowes bicause that nowe a dayes wee haue the body and the substaunce Seeing it is so if a man should set foorth the ceremonies of the Lawe he should separate them froÌ„ our Lord Iesus Christ and what should they be then They would be of no force For as I sayd afore if a man separate them for our Lorde Iesus Christ surely they shall bee but pelting trash Therefore when men kept the ceremonies so as they were applied to their lawful vse they were good exercises and the old fathers mispente not their time bicause they were confirmed by them in the hope of their saluation and they were vntoo them a warrante of Gods fatherly loue towardes them and they led them to oure Lorde Iesus Christe the fountayne of all welfare But if men busie themselues in keeping the ceremonies without knowing why or wherfore surely it is but flat mockerie For the Heathen men dyd make sacrifice also and some of them had no Idols thinking that they offered too God the maker of heauen earth and yet whereto did al their Sacrifises serue them but to their condemnation For they had ouerthrowen Gods order bycause they ameÌ„d not at our Lord Iesus Christ Now then Sainct Paul doth not without cause say that when the Ceremonies of the law tend not to the seeking of all our welfare in our Lorde Iesus Christe they are but beggerly Ceremonies that is to saye corruptible thinges of this world and consequently things of no force and vnprofitable bycause that Iesus Christ who is the quickner of all things is not ther. And this is yet so much the better to be marked to the ende we be not beguiled It is said that in old time all men offered Sacrifise and thought they worshipped God and yet notwithstanding that the seruis of all such as had not their beleefe settled in Iesus Christ was reiected For the Apostle in the eleuenth to the Hebrues saith that the only thing that made Abels Sacrifise acceptable was faith Now then for asmuch as the heathen men did in their sacrifising imagin God to be fleshly and that they could make their attonemeÌ„t with him by such meanes they buzied themselues about outwarde things and considered not that in asmuch as we be faultie it standeth vs on hand to haue an excellenter raunsome than we caÌ„ bring any If we had a hundred worlds to giue they were not ynough too redeeme any one misdeede that we haue done against God Therfore the Sacrifise that should answer for all our sinnes must of necessitie be heauenly The heathen men coÌ„sidered not this but stood poring vpon the shadow of it as the Turkes and Iewes do yet still at this day who by their often washing of themselues both euen and morne and at noone and by theyr other Ceremonies confesse themselues to be defyled and to haue neede to be clenzed by some others and yet do renounce our Lord Iesus Christ who is the very cleannesse whereby we must be made cleane according also as in very deede it is he that hath wiped away all our spottes Seeing it a so then all they that keepe any Ceremonies in hope to get any fauour at Gods hand by them do not only beguile and martir themselues in vayne without any profit but also do certeinly prouoke Gods wrath still more and more Now we on our side are taughte that our Lord Iesus Christ hath shed his bloud too wash our soules withall Then if we seeke any other â—â—nzing or purgatory besides surely it is an intollerable trecherie And if Sainct Paule spake so of the Ceremonies of the lawe what shall wee say of all the toyes and gewgawes that are nowadayes in poperie For beholde the Papists weene to win much by taking of holywater by babling this and that by keeping of holidayes by tyring themselues in gadding on some pilgrimage by setting vp a waxcandle before some puppet by chaunting masse by note and by saying of thus many or thus many tymes their beads ouer I say they hope well to make attonement with God by such meanes But it is certeine that they plunge themselues the deeper in hell and cast themselues further intoo Satans snares by it as though they had confederated themselues with him to their owne destruction To bee shorte all the Ceremonies of poperie are vtter renouncings of our Lorde Iesus Christ and of the pure truth which hee hath purchaced for vs by his death and resurrection and of the grace that is offered vs at this day in the Gospell For they may well bring what shrowding-sheetes they list but they cannot disproue the holie Ghost who hath vttered the sayd sentence by the mouth of Sainct Paule Then do we see in effect what is shewed vs heere Now as touching the particular whiche Sainct Paule alledgeth heere concerning dayes mooneths and yeeres he meeneth not the seasons of winter and sommer nor the discerning of one day from another nor that men shoulde not recken yeeres and mooneths but hee speaketh of the feasts that were commaunded in the Lawe and which those deceiuers would needes haue to bee kept still euen as of necessitie In which cace there was a kind of binding and thraldome and it was an abolishing of the fredome that was purchaced for vs by our Lord Iesus Christ Lo heere the cause why Sainct Paule vseth such vehementnesse howbeit that hee did it also in respect of the foresayde falshood for it was requisite that our Lord Iesus Christ should haue bin knowen in all those figures and that men should haue amed at that marke But they that had beguiled the Galathians had bound them to the cleane contrary seeing that by holding still the feast of Passeouer and other feastes they intended to bring them backe agayne to the olde forworne figures which ought to be abolished In olde time when men kept 〈◊〉 Easter day vnder the lawe it was to the end that the people beeing put in minde of their deliuerance out of the thraldome of Egypt should looke for the great redemption that was promised them And for that cause Sainct Paule saith that our Easter lamb that is to wit Iesus Christe is offered vp already He sheweth that the thing which had bin figured by the pascall lamb that was offered in the law was now fulfilled in the person of our mediator In like cace was it with the feast of Tabernacls or Tents whereby God did put the Iewes in rememberance that they had dwelled in the wildernesse where there was nother house nor building and yet had continued there a long time traueling too and fro And that was also a warning too them that thys lyfe is but a wayfaring where through we must passe in hast As muche is too be sayde of the firstlings when men came to offer vp theyr firste frutes vntoo God Agayne when the Iewes made solemne confession of their sinnes it was a figure to leade them too Iesus Christe whych was promised to them But
now that he is come if wee wyll needes keepe still those thinges what is it else than a toying For wee displace the principall and the substaunce which is all one as if a man would feede himselfe with the coloure of bread wyne and meate and not with the things themselues And can a man receiue any sustenance thereby So then seeyng that our Lorde Iesus Christe is come the figures of the lawe are not too bee vsed any more and if men will needs keepe them they shewe themselues too haue no knowledge of God but that all is turned vpside downe Therefore it standeth vs so muche the more on hande too marke well that if wee nowadayes do swarue neuer so little from the purenesse of the Gospell wee bee streytwayes strayed from our Lord Iesus Christ I graunt wee may well keepe certayne dayes of assembling howbeit not after the manner of the Iewes And why VVe keepe them not for ceremonies sake In the time of the law it had bin a deadly offence for a man to haue lifted vp but a mallet vppon a peece of wood or too haue done any other businesse of his owne If a man had but set a potte or a kettle vppon the fyre on the Sabboth daye God commaunded that hee shoulde bee rooted out Yet was it not meant by that rigoure that God dâ—â—yghteth in ydlenesse but it serued for a figure as if hee had sayde I haue enioyned you my Sabbothes too the ende you should knowe that I am hee whyche sanctifyeth you VVe haue the selfsame sanctification at this daye howbeit not with like figures as the fathers had it in olde time for that were too burie our Lorde Iesus Christe It were too hang vp a veyle agayne too the intente too dasle our eyes in suche sorte as wee shoulde not see the lighte of the Gospell Lo what wee haue too marke vppon thys obseruing of dayes whereof Sainct Paule speaketh heere But aboue all things let vs marke that he intended to shewe vs heere that in asmuch as wee knowe the benefites whyche are imparted too vs by oure Lorde Iesus Chryste wee must sticke too them and settle ourselues wholly therevppon and that if wee bee fleeting too and fro it is a shrinking away from our Lorde Iesus Christ in whome wee haue the fulnesse and perfection of all lyfe ioy welfare and glory Therefore seeyng that God commeth too vs after that fashion yea and that euen at suche time as wee were as wretched wandering beastes hee gathered vs too hymselfe and shewed hymselfe to be our herdman too the intente that we should become the sheepe of his flocke and hearken too his voyce and discerne it from all false doctrines and from all the curious suttleties of men that our Lorde Iesus Christe myghte reigne ouer vs holde vs in awe possesse vs wholly and we become hys not partly or wyth condition but wholly and throughly let vs beware that we become not giltiâ—e of suche vnthankfulnesse when the Gospell is once preached vnto vs. Thus ye see what wee haue too beare in mynde too our behoofe in this texte that wee may not bee accused at the latter day if God haue called vs to him and wee left and forsaken hym and falsifyed our promis whereas hee was ready too haue kepte touche with vs not onely for a day or twayne but also by continuing too bee our father and sauioure for euer both in life and death Nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them more and more and that the same may cause vs the better to acknowledge the gâ—â—es that wee haue receiued of him and that seeyng we perceiue that they haue bin imparted vntoo vs vndeseruedly it may make vs to bee the more desirous too tast of them that therevppon wee may day by day indeuoure too ridde our selues of our lewde affections and of all the vices wherein wee should be plunged if he pityed vs not and made vs not too feele hys grace whyche it may please hym too continue in suche sorte as wee may seeke nothyng but to come home fully vntoo hym and that in the meane whyle till we come to the full lyght where we shall behold him face to face and bee transfigured intoo hys glorye hee continue still too shewe vs the waye of saluation and make vs too walke therein throughout That it maye please hym too graunt this grace not onely too vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth bringing backe all poore ignorant soules from the miserable bondage of errors and darknesse to the right way of saluation for the doing whereof it may please hym to rayse vp true and faithfull ministers of his worde that seeke not their owne profite and vainglory but only to the aduancement of his holy name c. The .xxvij. Sermon which is the fourth vpon the fourth Chapter 11 I am afrayd of you least I haue spent my labour in vayne vppon you 12 Brethren I beseeche you be ye as I am for I am as you are Yee haue not hurte me at all 13 Yee knovve hovv I haue earst preached vntoo you through infirmitie of the flesh 14 And yee nother despyzed nor hilde skorne of the tryall of mee suche as it vvas in my fleshe but receyued mee as an Angell of God yea as Iesus Christ I Haue declared heeretofore that although S. Paule at the firste blush bring not any reason that seemeth to be of great weyght or importance yetnotwithstanding it is not for naught that he doubteth least his labour be lost and all the frute of his trauell among the Galathians bee perished seeyng they obserued the holy dayes and other Ceremonies of the law For wee must not looke vppon the day itselfe or vppon the kynd of meate or vppon such other like things but we must consider to what end men forbeare the eating of any kind of meate or why they keepe certayne dayes and so of other Ceremonies Now I haue tolde you that by that meanes the lyght of the Gospell is after a sort damned or rather vtterly quenched For the end why al those things were ordeined in old time was that the fathers might be foded and mainteyned in the hope of the redeemer who was not yet come amoÌ„g theÌ„ But now that our Lord Iesus Christ is come into the worlde and hath finished and performed all that was requisite for mans saluation it were an vtter derogation too the full perfectnesse that is in him if men should still buzie themselues with figures It were all one as if a man shoulde drawe a Curtaine before hym that hee myght not bee knowen as he is Furthermore there goes a binding with it and when a thing is commaunded vnder peyne of deadly sinne mennes consciences are made subiect too suche tyrannye that God forgoeth hys authoritie and dominion ouer vs for he will not haue vs to make conscience of any thyng
VVherefore lette vs put away all such pryde and confesse that wee bee beholden too God for all things Howbeit let vs also consider therewithall that Sainct Paules rehearsing of this chaunge is too assure vs throughly that the doctrine whiche he deliuered vs in his lyfe and which wee haue nowe still in wryting is not of this world nor forged of his owne brayne but a thing wherevnto he was prepared of God And wee haue neede to bee grounded vppon suche a certaintie for else whereas our fayth ought too gette the vpper hande of Satan and of all things that are agaynst our Saluation it should alwayes stagger yea and bee but a waueryng opinion But nowe let vs see a little what battelles wee haue too indure If wee leaned vntoo men what shoulde become of vs what steadinesse would there bee in vs Seyng wee bee dayly assayled with so many temptations that by all lykelihood wee should bee ouerwhelmed and perishe as for example in that our nature is so wholly inclined too distrust too lying too vanitie and too deceyt and againe in that we haue so many lustes which are as stormes whirlwindes to ouerthrow all our fayth were it possible for vs too stand or too haue any constancie if we were not grounded vpon God and knew that the doctrine which wee followe is the pure truth that proceedeth out of his mouth Then standeth it vs on hande too haue that first of all True it is that among the Papists men wil content themselues with some imaginacion For it is ynough with them too beleeue as the Church beleeueth as they say Howbeit in the meane whyle the Diuell holdeth them in his nettes and they be like sillie beasts that are starke blind But as for vs wee muste bee out of all doubt that we be taught of God and that the woord which we follow is his Therefore it behoueth vs to giue eare too the preaching of the doctrine which was brought by S. Paule and therewithall too consider that S. Paule did not thrust himself in of his owne head but that God serued his owne turne by him as by an instrument that he had ordayned too that purpose Thus yee see wherevntoo it behoueth vs too referre that which is spoken heere For had S. Paule followed Christianitie from his childehood or had he learned it at schoole truly it had bin a gift of God but then had not we had such an open auouchmeÌ„t and euident record as we haue by his chaunge in that of a rauening woolfe he became not onely a sheepe but also a sheepeheard and whereas he had bin a deadly enemy of the Gospell now he is become a seruant of our Lord Iesus Christ wheras erst he had nothing in him but blasphemie crueltie pryde and rebellion wee see he hath the zeale of Gods spirite he hath all humilitie and meekenesse Seyng then that wee perceyue so great and suddayne a chaunge it is as much as if God had vttered his power of purpose that S. Paule should not be taken for a mortall man And verely for the same cause also did God take vp Moyses intoo the Mountayne and keepe him there by the space of fortie dayes when he intended too haue his lawe published For had Moyses foorthwith preached the things which he knew by reuelation surely he had discharged himself of his duetie as a true seruant of God but the thing had not bin knowen too be so excellent as it was in that God kept him fortie dayes vppon the Mountayne and afterwarde made him come downe with a shyning face so as meÌ„ could no more abyde too looke vppon him without dazeling of their eyes than too looke vpon the brightnesse of the Sunne but he was fayne too put a veyle before him Therefore all these things serue too proue that he deuised not the law of his owne head but was as an Angel of heauen yea and muche more excellent than an Angell for somuch as God had ordeyned him therevntoo In lyke cace is it with the Apostles for Iesus Christe could well haue chozen such as had bin exercyzed a long whyle aforehand in the Lawe and holy Scriptures and had some countenance to the worldward and had already purchaced some reputacioÌ„ and degree among men but he choze poore sillie soules and handycraftes men without any learning at all and yet notwithstanding made them too speake after suche a straunge fashion that through the eloquence and hyghnesse of knowledge which was in them they passed all suche as had bin esteemed moste skilfull and sharpwitted in the worlde VVee see then that by Gods so suddayne chaunging of them their doctrine was made of so much the more authoritie vntoo vs. Euen so standeth the cace concerning Sainct Paule That then is a thing which ought too confirme vs and when soeuer wee bee taught by that whiche hee hath left in wryting let vs assure our selues that God speaketh too vs and that he was the instrument of our Lorde Iesus Christe He addeth furthermore that he did not then commune with flesh and bloud that is too say with any mortall man but went streytwayes into Arabie where be abode three yeares and from thence returned too Ierusalem too see Peter and sawe not any other of the Disciples than him and Iames. Herein it might seeme at the first blushe that S. Paule had to greatly disdeyned the rest of the Apostles For although he had the knowledge of the Gospell yet might he well haue bin more confirmed and the consent and agreement that Gods children haue among themselues doth strengthen them the more as wee finde by experience It seemeth then that Sainct Paule disdayned a meane that was fit for himselfe and might haue stoode the whole Churche in good steade But there was a speciall reason that drewe him the other way which was that men should not surmyze that it came to passe by worldly meanes for it was not yet sufficiently knowen Then if he had gone too Ierusalem and communed with the Apostles men woulde haue sayde this man is in sâ—me doubt and therefore he went thither too dispute and in the ende was ouercome And so it would haue bin thought that it had bin of mannes doyng and the glorie of God had bin so much darkened thereby But when as Sainct Paule had bin a man full of crueltie that sought nothing but too abolishe the memoriall of the Gospell a sheader of the bloud of the Martyrs a blasphemer of God and an inforcer of the poore weakelings too renounce Iesus Christe when as men sawe him too bee such a one that is too say as a man besides himself with such rage as he would neuer leaue till he had borne downe the Gospell and yet notwithstanding sawe him so chaunged in one minute of an hower and noman spake to him yea and blinded and beaten downe too the earth so as he lay there lyke a poore dead man and afterwarde was rayzed vp agayne as it were
shall not bee able any more too put a difference betweene whyte and blacke Thus yee see howe it behoueth vs too behaue our selues And nowe lette vs marke what kinde of menne Sainct Paule hath noted here He sayeth that they were crept in as it were by stealth too spie out the libertie whiche wee haue in our Lorde Iesus Christe The libertie that hee speaketh of heere concerned Ceremonies For as we haue touched alreadie and shall more fully see agayne hereafter God had ordeyned many figures vnder the Lawe too holde the Fathers in hope of oure Lorde Iesus Chryste till hee were come and shewed too the worlde The Sacrifizes therefore with all their appendants and appurtenances and the Sanctuarie with all that was in it serued bycause our Lorde Iesus Christe who is the truthe and substance of those things had not yet shewed himselfe It was for the fathers too bee led and guyded vnder suche shadowes And that is the cause why Sainct Paule will vse the similitude of yong children that are vnder Tutors and gouerners The auncient fathers therefore tooke profite by keeping the Ceremonies of the Lawe for thereby they were alwayes confirmed in the things that were promysed concerning the Redeemer And for that cause also it is sayd that the Sanctuarie was made according too the Patterne that Moyses had seene in the Mount Now that Patterne was spiritâ—all that is too wit it was our Lord Iesus Christe with his grace which is vttered too vs by his meanes now adayes in his Gospell For in asmuch as our Lord Iesus Christe is come intoo the worlde he hath made an end of those shadowes and figures And therefore also the veyle of the Temple rent asunder at his death too shew how it was Gods will too haue the faythfull come more familiarly vnto him S. Paule sayeth now that wee haue libertie in our Lorde Iesus Christ and that is bycause wee bee no more subiect too the bondage that lasted in the time of the Lawe according as he will hereafter take example of circumcision and as he treateth of it in another place also too the Colossians VVee then are circumcyzed not by the hand of man but by the woorking of Iesus Christ in vs through the power of his holy spirite And in steede of the circumcision that was ordeyned for the Iewes wee haue Baptime which witnesseth the same thing vntoo vs namely that wee must become new creatures too dedicate our selues wholly too the seruis of God And so wee see that the libertie or freedome whiche is purchaced too vs by our Lord Iesus Christe is that the Ceremonies of the lawe are layd away so as wee bee no more subiect nor bound vntoo them Now at the first blush a man would thinke this were no great thing For what harme were it if we were first baptized and by and by after circumcyzed Or if we knew that our Lord Iesus Christe only is the whole perfection and accomplishment and yet had the figures thereof still First if men should keepe still the ceremonies as in the time of the lawe the glorie of our Lord Iesus Christ should be diminished for it according as it is sayd that the law was giuen by Moyses but truth and grace were vttered too vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ for so it is sayd in the firste chapter of S. Iohn Therefore he should be bereft of his honour if wee shoulde not haue the libertie that he hath brought vs. And it behoueth vs to vnderstand that our state is better and more excellent now adayes than was the state of the old fathers bicause our Lord Iesus Christ is giuen vntoo vs and in him we haue all that was figured at that tyme. So then men do wrong to our Lord Iesus Christ in keeping still the ceremonies of the Lawe That is one poynt Againe for as much as he is named the Sonne of rightuousnesse we must not be led still as though there were but a sparke of light but wee must fasten our eyes vpon the doctrine wherein our Lord Iesus Christe is shewed vntoo vs and wherein wee may also behold him face to face to come euen vnto God his father as hath ben shewed in the second too the Corinthians Moreouer if the ceremonies of the Lawe bee considered without our Lord Iesus Christ that is to say if they be separated from him they bring as it were a binding with them and a recorde of condemnation and death vpon men And therevpon doth S. Paule stand in the seconde too the Colossians where he sayth that our Lorde Iesus Christe hath vpon his Crosse torne asunder and blotted out the obligation or handwriting that was against vs. For if the Sacrifizes stoode in force at this day wee should see there that we be all in daunger of eternall death before God And why so The sleaing of the poore beasts was not for that they themselues had deserued it but to shewe vnto men as it were in a liuely picture that they were all worthy to perishe Then if the same continued yet at this day we should still stand bounde vnder the same obligation of death But we be discharged of it by oure Lord Iesus Christ And that was the tryumph of his death as Saint Paule sayth Thirdly the auncient fathers knewe that although the Lawe was giuen them yet they obtained such fauour of freedome at Gods hand that all their faults were forgiuen them But if men shoulde nowadayes be put to the necessitie of keeping all the ceremonies it woulde be an intolerable yoke as it is sayd in the .xv. of the Actes For the cace would not only concerne ceremonies but also the drowning of vs in dispaire For is it possible for men to do the things which God commaundeth all men to do without any exception or release No. For the thing that God requireth and demaundeth passeth all our abilitie and if we fayle but in any one point we should be ouerwhelmed vnder the buâ—then Therefore for that cause this libertie is of such importance as we cannot bee sure of our saluation nor freely call vppon God excepte wee knowe that we be no more hilde vnder the yoke and bondage of the Lawe There is yet one poynt more which shall bee layd out at length which is that such as would needs make the faythfull subiecte to the keeping of ceremonies had therewithall a wicked and vntowarde imagination that men were iustifyed and did purchace grace at Gods hand by such meanes And that was an vtter abolishing of the force of the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ Now then we see it was not causelesse that S. Paul stroue so stoutly agaynst the ceremonies of the lawe to the ende they should not be so brought in vse agayne that the faythfull should be hilde in bondage vnder them And we haue neede to be warned thereof for in these dayes we haue the like encounter agaynst the Papists True
howe he voutsafeth right well as yee would say too make him selfe lowe too the ende wee shoulde not haue any excuse to say wee were not able to mount vp to suche a heighth But howe soeuer the cace stande if wee looke well vpon the Gospell wee shall finde that the marke whereat it ameth is to bereeue vs of our selues and of all that belongeth too our flesh to the ende wee should come vnto him But on the contrarie side men abuse the fauour that God sheweth them in setting suche visible signes afore them by bearing them selues in hande that the whole perfection of their holynesse is to bee founde there and that that is the thing whervnto they must hold them And the same is not a vyce of two dayes or yesterdays breeding but it hath reigned from the beginning of the world and continueth yet still and which worse is men thinke it not inough to ouerthrow the thing that God had set vp to draw them vnto him but they doo also forge and frame many hinderances to keepe thēselues aloofe from him This would be darke if it were not declared by example God had in his lawe ordeyned Sacrifices shadowes and figures for a time yet did he it not for any pleasure that he had in those bare things but by reason of the rudenesse of the people who were as then like little children whom he ment to trayne still forwarde too a spirituall seruice by meanes agreeable too their rawnesse That is the cause why the Ceremonies of the Lawe are saide to be as it were fleshly For why God intended too teache his people grosly too come thither as they ought to doo But howe soeuer they fared the patterne that was shewed vnto Moyses in the mount was heauenly Then were there two things in all the Ceremonies of the Lawe For when men washed them selues at their entring into the Temple when they offered the Sacrifices when they vsed lightes and perfumes and when the Priest clothed him selfe with his speciall apparell all those things as in respecte of the outwarde shewe might well bee called fleshly and temporall but as in respecte of their ende they were spirituall But what did the Iewes They gazed vpon the figures without considering wherfore God had ordeyned them and bare them selues in hand that they had very well discharged their duetie in comming to Churche and in dooing the things that were commaunded them outwardly But truely they disguised God after their owne fancie as he himselfe mocketh them for it by his Prophets saying that he dwelleth not in houses made with mens hands and that the very heauen is not able too comprehende his maiestie which is infinite Furthermore the Papists at this day thinking it not inough to abuse the things that are conteyned in Gods lawe haue so put too peece after peece as there is none end at al of their follie and yet notwithstanding they intitle them to bee the seruice of God But whatsoeuer they saye they bee nothing else than ingling trickes and masking toyes But nowe let vs come to that which is spoken heere S. Paule compareth the spirite with the fleshe VVhat meaneth he by the spirite All the doctrine which God setteth foorth too vs in his Gospell For there is a spirituall guyding so as wee bee no more hilde vnder the olde shadowes as the Iewes were Yee see then that God in these dayes reuealeth him selfe fully vnto vs and hauing beaten downe and disanulled all the shadowes of the Lawe sheweth vs that he will haue vs to come right foorth vnto him and not haue any thing remayne to hold vs backe heere beneath any more Vnder the lawe onely the Priest preaced neere vnto God and all the people kepte them selues a farre off But wee haue our Lorde Iesus Christ who is our Priest by whome the waye is opened vs in his bloud to make vs to come vnto God his father as the Apostle speaketh of him in the Epistle to the Hebrues Then if wee receiue the Gospell as it becommeth vs God will deale with vs after such sorte as if wee were meete to come neere vnto him and will leaue all the things whiche he had ordeyned in olde time for suche as were more rude and grosse Thus yee see why S. Paule vpbraydeth the Galathians with their beginning in the spirite that is too say for that they had had the doctrine of the Gospell whiche had shewed them the things that had bin hidden from the Iewes or at leastwise had bin shewed them but aloofe vnder darke shadowes Therevpon he vpbraydeth them that they intended too ende in the fleshe that is too say with these lower things And it is all one as if he had sayde God hath beene so gracious too you as to haue taught you his will out of hande and you will needes be hilde still in your Apsie and in your first principles He hathe giuen you a highe and perfect knowledge whereby yee haue perceyued the inestimable loue which he beareth you in our Lorde Iesus Christ and will you nowe returne agayne too your Apsie and forget the things that haue bin taught you VVere not that a peruerting of all order and a putting away of the grace that he had offered you But we know that naturally when men intend to learne any thing they begin at the smallest poynts and afterwarde in all crafts and all trades proceede by little and little through experience For if a man should teache a childe highe sciences without teaching him first his Apsie and to write and reade and afterwarde his grammer to guide him foorthe by degrees what a thing were it Agayne when a childe is well forwarde and come to mans age if he should bee set backe agayne too his Apsie after he hathe well profited it would bee a playne mockerie In like wyse is it with handicraftes For it is well knowen that he which commeth newly into a shop shall not bee of skill too vnderstand as much at the first day as he shall bee at the ende of a yeere or twayne but first he must bee taught his principles and afterwarde growe more and more in cunning But if that he which hath learned his crafte doo at the foure yeares ende turne backe ageine too that which he ought too haue knowen the first day in so dooyng he shall shewe himselfe to bee a beast and that he hath lost his tyme. But nowe let vs apply this lesson too our selues Truely for as muche as we bee heauie and earthy wee had neede to haue the things chawed vnto vs which wee bee not able too digest yet notwithstanding God is so gracious and charie too vs as too teache vs spiritually that is too say after a higher and excellenter maner than he taught the fathers vnder the Lawe VVe see that Abraham had not this priuiledge and yet neuerthelesse he is the father of the faythfull and it behoueth vs to be fashioned like vnto him as we shall see a
hath good reason to hold them so at the staues end and if there were no law nor any such promis what would come of it VVe know that the heathen men would alwayes needes bee in Gods fauour for their owne vertues sake and yet in the meane while they knewe there were many faultes in them and for that cause they reteyned the vse of sacrifising It is true that they vnderstood not the end of them yet neuerthelesse their sacrifising was a playne confession that they were indaungered vnto God and had neede to be admitted into his fauour Likewise the Papistes do at this day packe togither a great deale of pelting trash to make attonement with God And so ye see that the heathen men did at all times keepe the same trade which the Papistes keepe at this day But howsoeuer they fared their intent was to bee saued at Gods hand for their owne deseruings Howbeit God telleth vs that if we thinke he oweth vs any thing of duetie we deceyue ourselues notwithstanding he promiseth of his owne free goodnesse that if we keepe the law we shall be reckened for rightuous before him But now do we keepe it No we come farre short of it in somuch that if we consider how much we fayle of it we must needs be abashed at it Yee see then how it is not without cause that God hath giuen vs that promis though we reape no profit nor aduauntage by it For it hath a respect to the correcting of the pryde wherewith we be so sore infected that wee must be clenzed of it by some violent remedie or else we shall burst And what remedie is that Behold God talketh to vs thus Go to yee murmur at me if I handle you not after your own lyking but I tell you that I will not only poure out my graciouse giftes and benefits vpon you in this worlde but also do lay vp an euerlasting heritage in store for you so yee serue me Serue me and make me a good account and then shall you be sure that I will recompence you both in this life and in the lyfe to come Gods speaking after that manner is to none other ende but to stoppe mennes mouthes and to make them acknowledge that if God punish them and send them neuer so many afflictions it is ryghtly done in somuch that all such as shall haue well sifted their owne liues shal be driuen to confesse yea euen vnfeynedly Alas if we be not worthie to eate bread for the sustenance of this transitorie life vpon earth how can we by our own deserts get the heritage of heauen whiche is a glory that belongeth only vnto God How can we atteyne to it by our owne strength Yee see then that mens combes are quite cut by Gods giuing of this so large and liberall promis vnto them And therewithall wee haue too note that the same promis is free of itselfe and yet fare wee neuer awhit the better for any peece of it till we haue vtterly let go our hold of it This would be darke if it shoulde not bee layde foorthe more at large The heathenmen as I haue sayde alreadie did fully perswade themselues that they should be recompenced at Gods hand if they liued after an honest and vnblamable fashion among men But that was great follie or rather starke madnesse For howe can God become indetted vntoo vs as it is tolde vs in the seuenteenth of Sainct Luke Though men could do better than the Angelles of heauen coulde they bynd God too them by it No for they bee his aforehand by nature accordingly also as our Lorde Iesus Christe alledgeth the similitude of a seruant not of suche seruants as are now adayes but such slaues or bondmen as were in those dayes If a bondslaue had bin slayne a hundred tymes for his master yet was it at his maysters will whither hee shoulde liue or dye still Therfore our Lorde Iesus Christ maketh his allegation in this wyse Go to ye bee but poore mortall creatures yourselues and yet if any of you haue a bondslaue hee will holde him as an Asse or an Oxe and when the seruant after sore trauell and labour with great payne all the day long returneth home at night his master will not make him too sit downe at the table with him for he hath done no more than his duetie and that which he was bound to do Now then shall God be of lesse authoritie or in worse cace than mortall mē For somuch as you are his although you indeuer to walke in his obedience yet can he not be any whit beholden to you And so as I haue declared alreadie wheras God hathe sayd in his law that he which doth these things shall lyue in them what moued him to such bountifulnesse as to promis vs euerlasting lyfe It was not for that he owed vs any thing Kill we ourselues a hundred thousand tymes to serue him yet cannot that bind him too yeeld vs any recompence Howbeit of his owne superabundant goodnesse he commeth and sayth Although I owe ye not any thing at all nor you be able to bring aught that may deserue any recompence for you be bound vnto mee in all poynts and all respects yet will I rewarde you for your labour Go to therfore settle yourselues to your duetie and do the things that I commaund you and you shall not be disapointed of your paiment Thus ye see in effect what wee haue too remember as I must tell you yet once agayne hereafter Now the Papistes will welynough graunt this in part but not commonly For the most part I meene of those that are the Popes right champions can no skil of those principles at this day Yet wil some of thē graunt that wheras God hath in his law promised the reward of lyfe to such as serue him it is to shewe that works are not of such value as to deserue euerlasting life but by reason of the promis But presuppose that God hath bound himselfe as he hath done and then they thinke that wee deserue and why For else say they Gods promising that he whiche doth those things shall liue in them is in vayne But they like wretched beastes as I sayd afore consider not that God sayeth it not to shew that men are able to purchace saluation by their owne deserts but rather to hold them conuicted and to bring them to true humilitie which they shunne continually through their foolish ouerweening and vain gloriousnesse Now then we see that Paules meening is in effect that if we go about to be iustified by the law and by our own works we must not leaue any thing behynd nor forget any thing for it is sayd he that doth all those things shall liue in them But now where is that mā which is so forward that he can boast of the full discharging of his dutie towards God None but hipocrities that are besotted in their owne diuelish pride or heathenish folke that skorne
Iesus Christs sake After thys manner say I must we come before God if wee will conceyue and vnderstand the frute of this libertie or freedome that Sainct Paule treateth of Now whereas he addeth that wee shoulde not wrappe ourselues agayne in the yoke of bondage thereby he sheweth that before we be come to the faith of the Gospell and do know what benefyte is brought vs by the death and passion of the sonne of God wee bee all hild in streyt bondes like prisoners and haue not any freedome or libertie at all And in very deede were it not that Iesus Christ maketh intercession and is a meane betweene God hys father and vs it is certaine that our mindes should be in continual torment and vnquietnesse For there is none of vs all but he is conuicted to be more than giltie and therfore we should needes stand at a stay as drowned in dispaire till we were succoured by our Lord Iesus Christ and knew that God will be fauorable to vs thervpō could find peace and assurance to call vppon him as knowing that Iesus Christ wil be there aforehand On the otherside if we knowe not that God hath so receiued vs into his fauor as he is contented with our willingnesse to obey him and with our comming towards him though it be with infirmitie we see yet another halter that serueth to hang vs withall But yet so is it with all vnbeleeuers S. Paul therfore doth purposely warne vs that vntill such time as the Gospell haue taught vs that God loueth vs and of his own free goodnesse taketh vs as his children and moreouer wil not haue vs to be ouertroden by mens tyrannie and specially that he deliuereth vs from the bond and rigor of the Law we are all of vs drowned in bondage and that when Iesus Christ hath once set vs free it behoueth vs to maynteine well such a benefite Now let vs come to the reason that he addeth Verily sayth he I Paule yea euen I do tell you if you bee circumcised Iesus Christ shall profite you nothing at all ▪ It is a very sore saying that circumcision should cut men off in such wyse as they should haue no part in the saluation that is purchaced for vs by our Lord Iesus Christ But first of all wee must marke that when as S. Paule speaketh heere of Circumcision he looketh not at the thing in it selfe but vntoo the ende of it bycause the deceyuers that had peruerted the purenesse of the Gospell among the Galathians made them beleeue that they ought too bee circumcised too the ende too keepe the Lawe Sainct Paule standeth vpon that poynt and sayth that if wee doo so constreyne and bynd our selues before God or enter intoo suche couenant with him Iesus Christ shall profite vs nothing at all And this is well worth the noting For when as wee nowadayes doo say that is a hellishe Tyrannie for men to commaund the keeping of a thing vnder pein of deadly sin or to forbid a thing bicause them selues like not of it as the commaundement of keeping the Lent or the shiruing of mens sinnes once a yeare if we striue against such things the Papistes as I said cast foorthe their desperate rage without considering of the cause that moueth constreineth vs to stand vpon that poynt and ground For why they looke no further than to the outward thing But it behoueth vs to go further For when the Papistes command a thing vnder paine of deadly sin it is a bynding of vs in such wyse as we may not haue Gods fauor but vpon condition of dooing our duetie in that poynt And he that shall haue so done his dutie he I say shall haue as it were bound God vnto him yea truely after the diuelish opinion that reigneth in poperie which is that wee must earne grace by our own deserts and also that we must pacify Gods wrath and wype out the rememberance of our sinnes and offences by making amendes VVherby it appeereth well that if wee can so discharge our selues then is Iesus Christ made vnauailable too vs and he shal profit vs nothing at all For why Iesus Christ cannot be our rightuousnesse except we seeke the forgiuenesse of our sinnes in the sacrifize of his death therwithal be wel assured that God is our father to the end wee may call vpon him with quiet consciences bycause he hath adopted vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ It is true that the deceyuers which had beguyled the Galathians could well haue found in their hart that Iesus Christ shoulde haue bin acknowledged and called the Sauiour of the world And they did so mingle the law with the Gospel as yet notwithstāding Iesus Christ should haue had his titles still But they made a coparcinerie that mē on their side should deserue that by that meanes God shuld bee appeased As if they had sayde that Iesus Christ supplyed mens wants howbeit after such a sort as the wretched consciences were alwayes out of quiet The lyke dealing is at thys day in the Papacie And the Pope with all the rable of his Clergie differ nothing at all from the cousiners ageynste whom Sainct Paule incountereth heere sauing that those cousiners did put foorth theyr owne inuentions and would haue had them too preuayle vnder the shadowe and authoritie of Moyses Lawe They then ageinste whom Sainct Paule disputeth sayd we must keepe still Circumcision we must needes be circumcised still And to what purpose to the ende wee may discharge ourselues towardes God and bee accepted at his hand for doing of our duetie VVhereto then shall Iesus Chryste serue He shall serue for to fill vp a voyde roome for hee is not vtterly vnprofitable but when men haue so discharged and cleered themselues then if there bee any want Iesus Chryste shall supply that After that manner did those Cousiners speake whiche were Sainct Paules aduersarie partie And what sayes the Pope Hee sayth that in sted of the Ceremoniall lawe of Moses wee must keepe his ordinances and the thyngs that are decreed by Councelles or by thys man or that man and that the same byndeth vs vppon peyne of deadly sinne so that if we offende God wee must make him amendes for it by our owne satisfactions and not by the things that God hath commaunded For the amendes that we must make is not any of the thynges appoynted by Gods lawe but an addition of an ouerplus of oure owne deuice besydes and so are wee discharged to Godwarde and God must needes take it a woorth VVee see then that the Pope holdeth the same diuelish foundation whiche those Cousiners laboured too bring in Howbeit that thys is yet woorse that whereas they inforced the law of Moses whiche ought too beare some sway the Pope bringeth in his owne inuentions and the forgeries of his owne brayne But contrariwise Sainct Paule sayth that Iesus Christ shall profyte vs nothyng at all when we wil needes indent with God after
fayle too touche them to the quicke that they maye bee made too acknowledge their faults too the ende too amende them Nowe for a conclusion Sainct Paule sayth that wee must by that meane fulfill the lawe of Christ. It is not too bee doubted but that S. Paule ment heere after a couert maner too nippe those agaynst whome he disputed heeretofore For wee haue seene howe that in those dayes there were many that woulde haue had men too keepe the Ceremonies of the Lawe for that was all their holinesse and perfection Therefore bicause they euer had the worde Lawe in their mouth and bare men in hande that they should discharge themselues to Godwarde by ceremonies S. Paule sayth vnto them Go too wee haue the Lawe of Iesus Christ who is a faythfull declarer of the will of God his father Then if wee will haue a true interpretation of the Lawe wee muste not seeke it elsewhere than in Iesus Christ who is the euerlasting wisedome of God and was sente too bring vs all perfection of wisedome Seeing it is so let vs aboue all things looke what he commaundeth vs and consider what yoke he layeth vpon our backes or neckes which is that we should loue one another as it is sayde in the .xiij. of Sainct Iohn I giue you nowe a commaundement that is bothe newe and olde which is that you loue one anothe◠〈…〉 â—nto wee must apply all our whole minde â–ª namely to beare with such as haue neede and to reache out our hande to suche as are ouerloden to releeue them By what meanes then we shall fulfill Christes Lawe and when wee haue so fulfilled it wee may defie all suche as condemne vs. Those therefore which fulfill the Lawe of Christ shall be no more subiect to the ceremoniall Lawe as they terme it It is true that wee shall neuer fulfill the Lawe of our Lorde Iesus Christ neither in this respect nor in any other But S. Paule sheweth vs the marke that wee must labour too come at Although then that wee bee continually on our way so long as wee be conuersant in this world yet must wee not runne at aduenture without knowing whither wee go For wee haue our marke set vp afore vs and thither must wee inforce our selues So then that wee may serue God according to his owne will let vs learne too giue oure selues wholly vnto him and to the intent it may bee knowen that his will is too holde vs in suche vnitie one with another like as he hath knit vs togither in an inseparable bande so let vs seeke to drawe our neybours vnto him and therwithall let vs bee patient and meeke when aught is to be corrected and yet not bee willing that vice should be nourished through flatterie dissimulation Now let vs kneele downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them more and more so as it may make vs to mourne before him with true repentance and to aske him forgiuenesse of them and to labour always to be knit vnto him and to be rid of all the corruptions of our flesh and to be clothed with his righteousnesse and that in the meane while he will beare with our feeblenesse till he haue fully deliuered vs. And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. The. 39. Sermon which is the seconde vpon the sixth Chapter 2 Beare ye one anothers burthen and so fulfill the Law 〈…〉 3 For if any maÌ„ esteeme himself to be somwhat wheras in deede he is nothing he deceiueth himselfe 4 But let euery man try his ovvne vvork and then shal he haue glory in himself only not in another 5 For euery man shall beare his ovvne burthen WE haue sene this morning that we must beare with mens infirmities where wee see there is any feare of God or any good seede and that they be not vtterly wilfull in wickednesse And so yee see in what caces wee ought to be pitifull But when wee see men so proud that they despise God with stubborne outrage it is not for vs too vse any meeldenesse or gentlenesse in that cace but for as muche as they bee seene too praunce so in their braueries that loftinesse of theirs muste bee plucked downe when they exalte them selues after that fashion agaynst God Also I tolde you therewithall that too keepe a good meane in rebuking suche as haue doone amisse euery man had neede too bethinke himselfe for wee must first of all condemne oure selues that is the poynt which wee muste beginne at And when wee see what wee our selues are and that wee haue great store of vyces in vs worthy too bee rebuked then haue wee there on the other side wherwith too humble our selues and too restrayne vs from vsing too great or excessiue rigour towards suche as haue neede too bee succoured and too bee borne withall Sainct Paule therefore continueth still the same matter saying that he whiche weeneth him selfe too bee any thing is nothing but deceyueth him selfe For euery man shuts his eyes when he should thinke vpon his owne sinnes Of a truth there can not be so muche as one droppe of vertue in vs but by and by we magnifie it but if our vices be apparant to the whole world in so muche that euen little children can laugh vs to scorne yet can not wee our selues see them Now S. Paule intending too correcte this vyce sayth that men are lothe too bee deceyued and yet neuerthelesse euery man beguyles him selfe willingly and wittingly euen through his owne ouerwâ—â—◠〈…〉 by this meanes he bringeth vs too the very welspring as I sayde this morning whiche is that if men were not vayneglorious and desirous of estimation surely there woulde bee another maner of modestie and sobernesse than is too bee seene But for as much as euery man is puffed vp with pride therefore wee couet superioritie aboue all men and seeke occasion too treade them vnder foote or else to ouercountenance them in suche wise as they may seeme our vnderlings Therefore it is vnpossible to redresse thys outrage of coueting after that sorte too carpe and bite men except we be first rid of this fonde desire to be had in estimation and to bee as it were aduaunced aboue others No doubt but men can talke well inough of humilitie but there are very fewe that vnderstande what the worde meaneth and importeth Neuerthelesse S. Paule sheweth vs heere which is the true humilitie that is too wit that men should vtterly abace them selues and consider that they bee nothing woorth for then shall they bee rightly humbled VVhen humilitie or lowlynesse is talked of in common speeche it is taken to bee but a deuice For euery man can well inough say by his honestie that he is nothing but in the meane whyle they ceasse not to swell lyke Toades with the poyson of pride But S. Paule teacheth vs heere a farre other lesson which is
glorified when the world and Satan streining themselues to the vttermost are not able too let the truth of his course For this cause Saint Paule sayth that they which be so variable and do disguize Gods worde or falsifie it do shunne the Crosse that is â—â—â—ay the true preaching of the Gospell euen too eschue persecution Now here againe we haue a verie profitable counsel For if we desire to serue God and his Church wee must alwayes bee readie to receiue alarums And although the fire bee not yet kindled or the enemies not yet armed too make so cruell persecution as they woulde or finally our Lorde do brydle all those that are wearie of his worde and woulde faine shake off his yoke yet must wee bee scorned at many mens handes we must be diffamed there must be murmuring and rayling agaynst vs and we must put it vp and harden our selues agaynst it Yea and wee shall see a thousand backbytings against such as imploy themselues faithfully euen where the Gospell is preached Some shall bee arreigned as felons and some shall be indited of this and that and yet all shall be but starke slaunders To be short all such as minde to go through with their race must prepare themselues too indure many temptations that might make them reele if they were not settled in this poynt that God must bee obeyed in spyte of the whole worlde Marke that for one poynt And here withall we haue also to marke that this extendeth to the whole Church in generall Therefore when wee heere the message of peace that is brought vs in the name of God let vs not thinke to be in rest to the worldwarde but too haue manie troubles and incomberances continually And he that determineth not vpon that must needs shrinke away from our Lord Iesus Christ for he can neuer be any of his disciples according as he himself declareth with his owne mouth that such a man is not worthie to be of his schole and so he shetteth them all our of the doores VVherefore let vs learne that when we be once called to our Lorde Iesus Christ wee must be partakers of his crosse so long as he listeth according as it is sayde that if we suffer with him we shall also bee glorified wyth him and be made partakers of the power that is shewed in his Resurrection But yet notwithstanding the sufferings which he indured must first be accomplished in vs that are his members True it is that he suffered as much as was requisite for our saluation but yet must wee bee fashioned like too his Image as it is sayde in the .viij. too the Romanes Nowe whereas God spareth vs so as wee bee not among Tyrantes that might tâ—â—ent vs or if the wicked â—ee not able too byte vs but onely barke at vs or if hee let vs 〈◊〉 in peace let vs knowe that it is bycause he pityeth our feeblenesse and that hee spareth vs bycause hee seeth howe weake we bee But yet for all this let vs not flatter oure selues but praye God too strengthen vs so by his holy spirite that whensoeuer hee shall call vs intoo the aray too fight wee may not bee lyke freshwater souldyours but that wee maye haue mynded it a long tyme before hande that wee muste bee made partakers of Iesus Christes sufferings too come too the glorie of his Resurrection Nowe Sainct Paule hauing spoken after that maner addeth for a larger confyrmation of his matter that they whiche are circumcyzed and whiche preache circumcizion keepe not the Lawe but onely seeke too glorie in the fleshe of those whome they bring too that Iewishe fashion In thys Text Saint Paule dooth ageine accuse his aduersaries of double dealing and vtter hypocrisie VVhy so Circumcision was the marke of the same thing before the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ whereof Baptisme is the marke vntoo vs at this day For the Iewes had recorde thereby that they were sanctified by God as his heritage But yet for all that they that mingled Circumcizion with the Gospell were vtterly of opinion that the Lawe of Moyses was to be obserued forasmuch as it was giuen of God that it was not at any time to be abolished Heere then yee see that the couert which they tooke was that Circumcizion serued for a signe of the keeping of the whole Law But now S. Paule layeth to their charge that they kepe not the Law and therfore they do but mock God men in making a countenance by an outward signe to do the thing which they do not for it is clene coÌ„trarie Now theÌ„ we see S. Paules meening And as touching this spech of keeping the Law it is sometimes takeÌ„ for the doing or performing of all that is coÌ„teyned in the Lawe But no man can keepe the Lawe that is to say no man can discharge himselfe throughly of all things that the law coÌ„mandeth For it is not for nought that it is called an intollerable burthen Also we see our owne infirmitie and there God sheweth vs an angelicall rightuousnesse How then is it possible for vs to attaine vntoo it So then if wee take the worde Lawe for a perfect and faultlesse obedience no man keepeth it in effect Neuerthelesse the faythâ—â—â— beeing guided and gouerned by Gods spirite do keepe the Law that is to say they walk according to the rule that is giuen theÌ„ there Not that they run so swiftly as they should do nor that they attaine to the marke at the first brunt but yet they go on still towards it and God beareth with them and layeth not their faultes too their charge The faythfull then do kepe the Law But here S. Paule speaketh of the Ceremoniall Lawe howbeeit that by occasion hee had shewed heretofore that all Gods commaundements coulde bring nought els but condemnation except we had refuge to the grace of our lord Iesus Christ but as I said here he speaketh of the ceremonies shadowes Now let vs see what he meaneth by it They saith he which are circumcized keepe not the Lawe that is to say they haue in deede that signe as a standarde too make men beleeue that they be Iewes to the intent that they might not be hated nor persecuted but yet for all that they keepe not the whole Lawe for they take leaue to despize all that shoulde bee matched with Circumcision For he that is circumcized ought also to do sacrifize too absteyne from the meates that are forbydden by the lawe to keepe the dayes and feasts appoynted there to vse the inioyned washings and purifyings and to do diuerse other things But these men make none account of them VVhen they be in corners and no man sees them they passe not what they do neyther make they any conscience at all to despize all the Ceremonies of the Lawe Thus it appeareth that they do it not for any zeale but only in respect of men Nowe it behoueth vs to marke that Saint Paule speaketh
should recouer their saluation according as we know that we be blessed of God for our Lord Iesus Christs sake And therefore Circumcision serued too humble the Iewes and too make them mislyke of themselues and to be ashamed when they sawe there was nothing but cursednesse in their nature That say I was the true and lawfull vse of circumcision Nowe what do they agaynst whom S. Paule speaketh They knowe that Circumcizion is no longer in vse that is to witte that Baptisme suffizeth euer since the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ but bicause the Iewes called all them Apostates or backsliders which were not circumcized therefore these rascalles will needes hold still the signe without the truth or substance VVe see then that they were verie falsaries and wrested the doctrine cleane contrarie too Gods meening when he ordeyned that spirituall Sacrament bicause their desire was nothing else but to please the worlde As much is done at this day And they that labour to ouerthrowe Gods truth are much worse than Saint Paules aduersaries For they had yet some cloke of honestie mainteyne Circumcizion and the figures of the Law bicause they were al ordeyned and stablished by God But as for these hypocrites which crie out vpō vs nowadayes with full throte saying ye must keepe the olde custome without chaunging of any thing whereon are they grounded They cannot say that God is Author of any of their stuffe Men haue contriued them after their owne fancie or rather Satan hath blowne them into their eares so that at a word all that is termed Gods seruice in Poperie is nothing else but a confuzed maze all is but dreames of mens setting forth and the diuell is euer the cheefe Authour of them And yet these naughtipacks say that nothing must be taken from them And wherevnto haue they respect Truly they will alledge that men muste purchase Gods grace by them and that they stirre folke vp to greater deuotion Againe they giue the title of Sacrament too all the foolish deuices of their owne heades saying such a thing must bee kept for it is a Sacrament But when all is iustly reckened a man shall see that theyr intent is to please the worlde and to mainteyne themselues stil For they be inforced spite of their teeth to confesse that it maketh neyther here nor there as in respect of God and that he passeth not for their kinde of seruice but vtterly dislyketh it bicause he will be serued with obedience But what There will bee horrible confusion say they if men cut off all after that fashion and speake plainly of things See I pray you how they woulde faine disguise themselues and in suche wise corrupt and falsifie religion as there shoulde bee made a mingled confusion of all or else that there shoulde no more be taken away but the grossest and fondest things and in the meane while such Ceremonies be let alone as may be any whit sufferable It is certaine say I that all they whiche speake so desire nothing else but to haue fayre winde and weather to the worldwarde Seing it is so let vs take warning at the holy Ghostes hande to flee suche plagues And although we cannot triumph in this worlde although we be nothing set by although men rayle vpon vs with opē mouth yet let vs not ceasse too holde oure owne for Gods truth and let it suffice vs to be allowed of the heauenly iudge though all the world abhorre vs. Although then that we see all these things yet let vs be pacient and tarie till our Lorde Iesus Christ shewe himselfe to bee our warrant and therewithall giue 〈◊〉 victorie in the behalfe of his truth so that all his enemies may bee put to shame and haue they◠mouthes stopped vp Nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him too touche vs with suche true repentance by his holy spirite that beeing vtterly cast downe in ourselues and quite cleane rid of all presumption we may be hartily sory for them and that moreouer it may please him so to increase the giftes of his holy spirite in vs as wee may no more be giuen to our flesh and the world to be hindred and hilde downe by them but that we may go forwarde to serue him and indeuer that his name may be glorified more and more and we beare suche a marke of his adoption as wee may bee so confirmed with it in our selues that other men may haue occasion to glorifie the name of this our good God for working so in vs. That it may please him to graunt this grace not only to vs but also to all people and nations of the earth c. The. 43. Sermon which is the sixth and last vpon the sixth and last Chapter 14 God forbid that euer I should glory in any thing sauing in the Crosse of our Lorde Iesus Christ vvhereby the vvorld is crvcified vnto mee and I vnto the vvorld 15 For in Iesus Christ neither Circumcision nor Vncircumcision auayleth any thyng but the nevv creature 16 And as many as vvalke according to this rule peace bee vpon them and mercy and vpon Israell that perteyneth to God 17 From hencefoorth let no man put mee to payne for I beare in my body the markes of the Lorde Iesu 18 Brethren the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ bee vvith your spirite Amen WE haue seene heeretofore howe Sainct Paule condemned such as sought altogither to row betweene two streames thereby too please the worlde and in the meane while to eschue persecution And that made them to disguise the Gospell whereof wee see too many examples yet still at this day For suche as see that the pure doctrine and truth of God can not be brucked of the world but that the wicked sort doo rage agaynst it they I say would fayne finde some meane way that they might not bee hated nor incurre any displeasure And that it is so if nowe a dayes yee aske it of such as haue but some little vnderstanding ye shal scarse finde one of them among a hundred whiche will not graunte that there are many abuses in Poperie but yet they will say that all must not be cut off by the quicke but that it is inoughe if some of the ouergrosse and excessiue superstitions bee taken away and so they would fayne still nourishe a great sorte of infections And why For as I haue sayde they woulde fayne bee in credite and estimation and it is no matter at all with them to betray the purenesse of the Gospell so they may saue themselues from persecutiō yea and euen among vs a man shall finde inowe that woulde haue bothe And what moueth them but that they would aduance them selues and get some reputation Forasmuche then as wee see that the Diuell which raysed those broyles in the time of Sainct Paule continueth the same vnto this day we ought to be armed with this doctrine And the
95. 96. 97. 98. 99. 100. 101. 102. 103 â–ª 104. 105. 106. 107. 108. 109 â–ª 114. b. 31. 115. 116. 117. 123 â–ª a. 12. b. 124. 125. 126. 127. 128. 129. 130. 131. 132. 133. 134. 135. 136. 137. 138. 141. b. 20. 142. 143. 144. 145. 146. 147. 148. 153. a 24. b. 154. 155. 156. b. 11. 166. 167. 168. 169. 170. 171. 172. 173. 174 â–ª 175. 176. 224. b 19. 225. a. 231. a. 34. 233. a. b. 234. 235. 236. b. 1. 237. 238. 239 It is vn possible to be Iustifyed both by the law and by the Gospell 88. b 20. 89. a 96. b 29 97 a b 134. b 9 VVe can not be iustifyed by grace vnlesse we vtterly forsake our owne woorkes 88. a 5. b The only meanes of IustificatioÌ„ is Christs Sacrifyze 127. b 4 In what maner it behoueth vs to come to be Iustifyed by Iesus Christ 19. b 11 The meane to know that we can not bee Iustifyed by the law but by grace 93 a 8. He that seeketh to Iustifye himselfe by any part of the law bindeth himselfe to the perfourmance of the whole lawe 231. b 22. 232. a b 233. a b 234. a b 235. a Such as will Iustifye themselues by keepeing any law eyther of God or man bereaue themselues vtterly of all benefite by Christ 236. b 8. 237. a b 238. a aÌ„ After what maner the Papistes descant vppon Iustification by fayth 89. b 31. 90. a 108. a 26. b 109. a The slaunders which the Papistes raise vppon free Iustifycation by fayth 100. b 3. Looke more in Fayth Lawe Merits Righteousnesse and VVorkes K ¶ Krye WHat is ment by the worde Krye 187 b 11. 188. a b 189. a b 190. L ¶ Ladder VVHat was betokened by Iacobs Ladder 160. a 34. b ¶ Language The diuersitie of Languages hindreth not the vnitie of fayth 190. b 19. ¶ Lawe VVhat is comprehended vnder the worde lawe 158. a 33. b The law was giuen by Christs direction 159. b 18. 160. a The ministration and seruice of the Angels bothin publishing Gods lawe and in seeing the same executed 159. b 11. 160. a b 161. a b The law was a scholemaister 167. b 30. 168. a The lawe bringeth nothing but death 156 b 29. 157. a b No man can be Iustifyed by the lawe 96. a b 97. a b 98. a b 99. a b 100. a b 101. a b 102. a 107. b 35. 108. a b 115. b 11. 116. a b 130. a 28. b 131. a b 132. a b 133. a b 134. a b 217. a 23. b The difference betweene the lawe and the Gospell and in what cases they be to be seperated 97. a 4. b 98. a b 99. a b 110. a b 115. b 32. 116. a b 138. a 7. b The difference betwene being of the law and being of fayth 127. a 8. b How the law is matched against faith and yet there is no contrarietie betwixt theÌ„ 88. b 20. 89. a 96. b 29. 97. a b 163. a 12. b The law is spirituall why it is sayd to be so 269 b 26. 270. b 34. 271. a For how long time the law was to continue 159. a 15. b How and why Iesus Christ became subiect to the law 185. a 20. VVhat 〈◊〉 ment by keeping of the lawe 318. a 25. No man fufilleth the law thorowly 130. a 23. 131. a b 132. a b 133. a b 134 a b 135. a b 158. b 16. 138. a 28. b VVhat maner of performance of the lawe God requireth 133. b 30. 134. a b 135 a b 136. a b 137. a b VVhat it is to fulfill Christes lawe and how wee may doe it 289. b 15. and 290. a How and when the law is aliue and when it is dead 97. b 16. 98 a b 99. To what ende the law was giuen 97. b 6. 116. a 18. 156. a 31. b 157. a 159. b 4. 163. b 25. 277. b 8. The fond and blasphemous error of the Papistes concerning Gods law 135. a 1. 136. a b 137. a b 220. a 27. How the Monks and schole diuines haue interpreted this saying That men are not iustifyed by the workes or deedes of the law 82. a 14. Hnw the godly do keepe the lawe 318. a. 34. b The fonde glorifing of the Iewes in their Lawe and Cerimonies 86. b. 5. and 87. a How the fathers were shut vp vnder the lawe 167. b 18. In what wize wee bee deliuered from the law 185. b 24. 186. a b Looke what lawe a man layeth vppon others the same ought he to keepe himselfe 78. a 10. VVhat is ehe cause of so many lawes and statutes among men â—56 b 4. Looke more in Fayth Iuslifye Iustification Cerimonies VVorkes Gospel Gods word and Merits ¶ Lent or Lenton The inioyning of Lent 232. a 3. ¶ Libertie VVhat is ment by Libertie or freedome 229. a 25. b 230. a b 231. a b 232. a b 233. a Of christen libertie 56. b 10. 57. a b 71. a 21. b and 72. and 73 74. 75. 76. 77. 78. a b 185. b 1. 186. 187 188. 189. 190. 191. 192. 193. 194. 195 196. 197 198. 199 200. 215. a b 229. a 16. b 230. 232. 233. 254. a 5. b 273. a 2. b 275. b 18. 276. 277. 278. 279. a b The meames to atteine to true Libertie too whome the same belongeth 278. b 30. and 279. a. The way to mayntaine and inioy the libertie that Christ hath purchased for vs 184. a. 34. b. and 258. b. 14. The Gospell is slaundered by the Papistes with giuing libertie to do euil 277. b. 16 and 278. a. The Gospell giueth not libertie to do euill 99. b. 30. and 100. a. b The Libertie of counterfet Christians and newters 278. b. 5 ¶ Liberalitie The Liberalitie of the Papistes and the nigardship of the Protestants in finding of their ministers 299. a. 23. b. and 300. b. 27. and 301. a ¶ Loue. Gods Loue towards vs in Iesus Christ 106 b. 36. and 107. a and 110. a. 1 Christes great Loue towards vs 12. a. 32 VVhat it is to Loue our neighbour as our selfe 260. a. 32. b How God did both Loue vs and hate vs al at one time 12. b. 25 The true triall of our Loue
b 13. ¶ Redeeme To what end we bee Redeemed 14. a. 20. and 15. 16 ¶ Regenerate The Regenerated are neuer quite voyd of sinne 264. a. 18. b ¶ Renew After what maner we be Renewed in spirite 262. b. 6 ¶ Repent and Repentance VVhat is imported by Repentance 26◠b. 18 The true preparatiue to Repentance 201. a. 20. b ¶ Resurrection The maiestie of Christes Resurrection ◠2. 19. ¶ Reuerence In what wise men are to be Reuerenced ◠b. 24 Looke more in Authoritie Credit and Countenaunce Person The Reuerence that is to be giuen to the Preacher of Gods word 31. a. 7. 46. b 34. 205 a 32. b. 206. a. b. How the ministers must behaue themselues to be Reuerenced 206. b. 18 ¶ Rigorousnesse Of Rigorousnesse in rebuking of other mens offences 284 b. 30. 285. a The cause of our Rigorousnesse against other mens offences 287 b. 2 ¶ Rule The Rule of God which all men must folowe 326. a. 31. b. 327 a. b. VVhereunto the Rule of God leadeth vs 327 b. 1 The reward of such as are alwayes wauering and wandering from the Rule of God 327. a. 25 The Rulers of Poperie 326. b. 11 ¶ Rightuousnesse VVhat is betokened by the word Rightuousnesse 232. b 29 All humane Righteeousnesse before regeneration or without faith is but hipcorisie dung and filthinesse before God 36. b. 23. and 37. a b 38. a. b. No man can attaine to the perfect Rightuousnesse which the Lawe requireth 100 a. 5 The difference betweene the Rightuousnesse of sayth and the Righteousnesse of the Lawe 101. a. 22. b. 137. b. 27. 138. a b VVhat the Righteousnesse of the Gospell 〈◊〉 of fayth is 140. a 5. b VVhat maner of Righteousnesse the Rightuousnesse of the Law is 134. a. 7. b. The Rightuousnesse of Christians 99. b. 1. 239 a. 8. b The parting Righteousnesse of the Papist◠234. a 9 The lothnesse of worldlinges and hypocrites to be bereft of their owne Rightuousnesse 95 a. 26 b Looke more in Iustifie and Iustification in faith and in Law S ¶ Sacrament WHat the Sacramentes are and why they be added to the word 54. a. 9 To what end Sacraments were ordeyned 83. b. 31. a. 118. a. 12. b. Christes Sacraments defyled by Popes Poperie 240. b. 17. 241. a. The Papistes abuse misapplie the name of Sacraments 320. b. 11 The vse of Sacramentes 84. b. 29. and 85. a. b. The right applying of all Christes doings Sufferinges and Sacraments to our benefite and behoofe 106. b 11. and 107. a. ¶ Looke more in Ceremonies ¶ Sacrifize Christes Sacrifize and mediation happened not but by the ordinance of God 12. b. 6 Only Christes Sacrifize taketh away sins 11. b 23. and 12. The sufficiencie of Christes Sacrifize 12. a 1. The benefits of Christes Sacrifize 19. b 26 VVhat was betokened by the Sacrifizes of the Iewes 84. a 20 VVhy the Gentiles and heathen men retained the vse of Sacrifizing 135 a 28. The trew Sacrifizes that God requireth 280. a 32. b ¶ Saluation Saluation Election and calling come al of Gods only free mercy 38. a 4. b and 39. a b and 40. b 28. and 41. a b. and 42. a b. Our Saluation is fully and perfectly reueyled in the Gospell 144. a 18. b and 145. a Christ admitteth no partnership in the woorking and accomplishinge of our Saluation 233. a 25. b and 234. a b 235 a b and 236. b ◠and 237. a b. VVhosoeuer ioineth any thing with Iesus Christ in the work of Saluation renoūceth him 200. a 8 Gods glory and our welfare or Saluation are matched inseparably togither 55. a 23. VVhy Saluation is said to be of free gift 19. b 8 VVhy the promis of Saluation is called spirituall 144. a 12 How the Fathers obtained Saluation 159. a 35. b To whom the law prowiseth Saluation 158. b. 10 VVhy God promiseth Saluation to such as kepe his law 163. a 33. b ¶ Secular VVho is a Secular man among the Papistes 274. a 6 ¶ Seede and Sowe VVhat is ment by the wordes Seede and Sowe 303. a 11 and 304. b 19 Christ is the only blessed Seede in whom all other must be blessed 146. a 5. b and 147. a b VVhat the word Seede importeth who be the trew Seede of Abraham 146. a 11 b 147. a VVhat is ment by Sowing to the spirit the reward thereof 303. b 9. and 304. b 1. and 305. a 12. b and 306. a VVhat is ment by Sowing to the flesh the sundry sorts therof and the reward of it 303. b 27. and 304. a and 305. a 17. b VVhat it is to Sowe to eternall lyfe 304. b 26 VVhat the Sowing of Gods Ministers is 304. b 21. After what maner al men ought to Sowe that is to say to trauaile in their seueral trades craftes and vocations 304. b 32. and 305. a Such as men Sowe such shall they reape 303. a 7. b and 304. a b and 305. a b ¶ Serue Seruant Seruice God looketh to be Serued by all men though they be of neuer so high degree and calling 176. a 27. b God will not be serued with mens inuentions 243. a 6. The meanes and waye to yeeld God acceptable seruis 193. b 17. 243. a 13. b and 244. a b and 245. a b and 246. a b and 273. a 33. 274. b 12. and 324. b 22. and 325. a b and 326. a b The chief Seruing and honouring of God 27. a 7. b VVhat the Papistes do terme Gods Seruis 219. b 18. and 273. a 13. and 274. a 2. b 325. a 34. b To what end the Papistes serue God 326. a 18. VVho be Gods trew Seruants 315. b 35. 316. a b and 317. a b VVhom God imployeth too his Seruice they be the more bound too him for i◠▪ 120. a. 17. b and 121. a b There is no Seruing or woorshipping of God without Christ 112. a 22. A description of such as Serue the tyme what is to be thought of them 315. b 21. 316. a. b. 317. a Looke more in Honour and Honouring ¶ Shame VVe must not refuze the Shame of our misdeedes when God may bee glorified by the acknowledgment of them 50. a. 5 ¶ Shrift The inioyning of Shrift 232. a. 3 ¶ Shrinke Of such as Shrinke in Christes quarrell and their reward in the end 316. a. 18. b and 317. a. Looke more in Dissimulation and in Apostasie Scorne Looke Mocke ¶ Simplicitie VVhat is ment by the Simplicitie or singlenesse of our Lord Iesus Christ 60. b 19. ¶ Sinne Sinfulnesse Sinner All persons both Iewes and Gentiles are shut vp vnder Sinne 93. b 24. and 94. a b and 95. a b. In what wize and why God hath shut vp all men vnder Sinne 164. a 1. b. and 165. a b. Onely Sinne is the cause of Gods displeasure towards vs 11. a 30. VVe neuer see our owne Sinfulnesse
such renowme and authoritie as the things that proceeded from them should haue bin throughly receyued For their calling was lawfull it was well knowne that they did not thrust in themselues of their owne heades but that the sonne of God had chosen and appoynted them by his owne mouth yea and made them as it were new creatures being sillie soules and ignorant folke they were so chaunged as it appeared well that their doctrine came altogither of heauenly myracle For they had not learned ought but in Gods schole and he had in one instant of time so indued them with his grace and power that they became as instruments of the holy Ghost Yet notwithstanding the Diuell missed not too abuse their name and tytle too bring store of troubles and stumbling blockes into the Church ▪ For such as went in their companie made their brags when they came in far countrys that they had bin familiarly conuersant with them and yet for all that some of them were ful of vainglorie pride sought nothing but their own aduancement Othersome were selfwilled and could away with nothing but that which they had seene in the Citie of Ierusalem and in the land of Iewrie and they would haue had the whole world subiect to their Iure and therwithal would haue turned al things vpside down as they say Others were led yet with a more wicked minde so as they sought nothing else but to ouerthrow all that S. Paul had builded And all these as I sayd afore boasted that they had not learned any thing of him but that they had bin taught their doctrine by the Apostles themselues Thus yee see howe Sathan hath alwayes defaced Gods glorie euen vnder the shadow of the gracious giftes which hee had bestowed vpon his creatures And in good sooth we see how that vnder the names of the Apostles and of the virgin Marie the Idolatrie is the same at this day in the Popedom which it was among the Painims vnder the names of their fals gods for ther is nothing changed but only the names of thē As for the superstitiō it is as filthie and detestable in the Popedome as euer it was among the Heathen Heere therefore wee bee warned to bee wise to the intent that if the Diuell abuse Gods name wee may bee able to resist him and to discerne what authoritie men ought to haue and therewithall not to be ouerhastie of beleefe nor ouer easie to be moued and shaken with euerie winde For if wee haue not the constancie to walke in the doctrine that hath bin deliuered to vs when wee bee once fully resolued that it is Gods pure truth it will happen to vs as it did too the people of Galatia Yee see then that the thing which wee haue too beare in minde is in effect that when God hath giuen vs the grace too vnderstande his woorde wee must alwayes go forwarde in it and not be shaken lyke Reedes nor caryed too and fro nor led vp and downe like little babes but wee must haue the witte and discretion to sticke to the thing which wee knowe too bee offered vs of God Marke that for one poynt But by the way forasmuch as wee cannot haue such power in our selues let vs pray with all lowlinesse and earnestnesse vnto God too reforme vs by his holy spirit and too giue vs such stedfastnesse as wee may neuer swarue aside and that when we see all things turned vpside downe in this worlde yet notwithstanding this foundation may abide sure namely that forsomuch as God which cannot lie hath spoken to vs and shewed vs his will we may safely stande thervpon without turning any way from it Howbeit forsomuch as the Diuell hath many cunning knacks too thrust vs out of the way yea and that as I haue earst sayd he will not sticke to abuse Gods name to winde himselfe in and to get some accesse to vs it behoueth vs to vnderstand that our reuerencing of men must be in such wise as God may in the mean season continue vnimpeached and that our Lord may haue the whole maystrie ouer vs to himselfe as hee that is the teacher of the Church and that our fayth depend not neither vpon mens knowledge nor vpon any reputation that we haue of their wisdome power or holinesse but that our Lord Iesus may alwayes haue the preeminence for vs to rest and settle our selues vpon For if our fayth be not grounded vpon Gods pure truth which is vnvariable certeinly it will be but a loasing This is the thing that wee haue too gather of the example that is sette downe heere concerning the Galathians But by the way a man might thinke it straunge why Sainct Paule shoulde deale so roughly with them as wee shall see hereafter considering that the case stoode not vppon the open denying of God and the renouncing of the Gospell nor vpon the blaspheming of our Lord Iesus Christ or the setting forth of any notorious idolatrie but vpon the ceremonies of the Lawe For they against whom sainct Paule striueth in this Epistle mainteined none other thing but that the ceremonies of Moyses lawe were to be kept and that men were bounde to them vnder peyne of deadly sinne Now at the first blushe it myght be sayd that their cace was fauourable in that behalfe For the cace stoode not wyth them as it doth with the Pope who during his tyrannie hath forged many lawes and commanded this and that bringing poore soules into bondage but their saying was that inasmuche as the lawe was not of men but of God therfore it was to bee kept Heereby it should seeme that S. Paule had no cause to be so moued agaynst that opinion although it were not altogether sound and good Ageyne there is yet an other reason namely that wee muste not make so muche a doe about outward things as whether one day is to bee obserued more than an other or whether Swines flesh be not to be eaten as wel as mutton For whether a man obserue any ceremonies or whether he obserue none as for example If he forbeare the eating of Swines flesh or do any other like thing is his so doing an vtter forsaking of christianitie No Yet notwithstanding that is all the quarell that S. Paule hath yea and thervpon he crieth out that the Galathians are backsliders that they haue forsakē our Lord Iesus Chryst and that they are become renegates Some man wold say he vseth ouermuche vehemencie but herein wee be still warned that the diuell will now and then finde small trifles to draw vs from the Gospell ere we be aware and therfore it behoueth vs to be so muche the better aduised for of our selues we shal not be so but must in verie deede bee fayne to be gouerned by God And not without cause also is the spirit of wysedome fathered vpon him to the intent wee should seeke it in him Therfore let vs resort thyther and if any man goe about to
teeth with theyr lewdnesse in that they had so much the lesse excuse of their shrinking aside after that sort considering the goodnesse that God had shewed vpon them For if God call vs although it were too summon vs too our confusion yet ought wee too obey him bycause we bee his creatures It becommeth vs to bee subiect too his authoritie and howsoeuer hee dispose of vs it is alwayes our duetie too say beholde Lorde I am at thy pleasure so that too vse any shrinking away when God calleth vs is an vtter peruerting of all order Much more when God not onely calleth vs vntoo him but also setteth all the treasures of his goodnesse before vs in our Lord Iesus Christ and sheweth that hee seeketh nothing else but too make vs his owne by gyuing himselfe so wyllingly vntoo vs when God I say vseth such bountifulnesse towardes vs as ought too rauishe all our wittes vntoo woondering muste wee not needes bee too too lazie if wee shrinke backe Moreouer if wee fortune too wander too and fro after wee bee once come vntoo him wee shall haue so much the lesse excuce and feele the sorer and horribler condemnation as I haue touched alreadie Nowe then wee see what is imported in thys saying where Saint Paule maketh mention of the grace that the Galathians had bin called too And out of doubt wee in these dayes are muche more blame woorthie than the fathers that liued vnder the lawe if wee continue not in the pure doctrine of the Gospell without turning asyde from the things that are conteyned therein For albeeit that God called the Fathers too saluation vnder the lawe as well as vs now yet was not that calling with so open and abundant vtteraunce of the ryches of his mercie as wee haue it in our Lorde Iesus Christ Therefore let vs looke well about vs and seeing hee hath alreadie made vs too feele his grace let the same stirre vs vp and inflame vs too bee the bolder too haue an inuincible courage too continue in the same calling vntill wee bee come too the place wherevntoo God allureth vs. So then if wee compare our selues with the great number of misbeleeuing and ignorant soules it is certain that our vnthankfulnesse wil be so much the greater as Gods grace hath shewed it selfe larger and deepelier vnto vs. VVee shall see many sillie soules straying heere and there and yet ceasse they not for all that too be subiect too damnation For he that hath offended without lawe shall perish without Lawe Now for asmuch as God hath declared his will so freendly vnto vs and that togither with the vse of discretion wee haue also the doctrine of his Gospell which as I haue sayd heretofore serueth too shew vs that our damnation shall be more horrible if wee labour not too dedicate ourselues wholly vnto him by meanes whereof our bonde becommeth so muche the streighter S. Paule addeth another circumstance whiche is that it came too passe very hastely For certesse it was a horrible thing that the Galathians hauing bin taught by the holy Apostles own mouth should bee so corrupted as long as he was alyue Yee see then how it was the more too their blame that within three or foure dayes after their receyuing of the Gospell they were fleeted away and had mingled many false opinions with the truthe of God But although they had continued in the truthe some good whyle after Paules decease yet dothe it not followe that their so doyng might haue bin a sufficient discharge for them if they had fallen away afterward For as the truth wherevppon our fayth resteth is euerlasting although bothe heauen and earth doo passe away so must our fayth hold out too the end and not hang eyther vppon the lyfe or vpon the death of any man but haue hir ankerhold fastened in heauen Therfore if wee chaunge at any tyme whither it bee to day or too morrow wee shall bee the more too blame and our vnthankfulnesse shal be so much the shamefuller And truely the thing that S. Paule setteth downe heere in the persone of the Galathians is seene nowe adayes too much For such as haue gotten some smattering of the Gospell will bee wearie of it within a twoo or three yeares if there come no new chaunge in the meane tyme. For they haue itchyng eares and wee see many fantasticall persones become backesliders and bycause the truth of the Gospell liketh them not they would alwayes be fleeting haue I wote not what new stuffe brougtht in too feede them in their fond speculations VVe see othersome greeued bycause they perceyue that the Gospell aduauntageth them not too the worldward yea and there are some that turne away bicause they see it is an occasion too make them too be persecuted and too purchace them many enemies or else they starue as they thinke whyles other men prosper and fare well Thus yee see howe Iesus Christe is forsaken of many howbeit not from the father too the sonne but by reason that such as haue shewed him a fayre countenance are suddainely chaunged and fleete away from him within a twoo or three yeares or at leastwyze within halfe a score yeares after So muche the more then ought wee too marke well this doctrine bycause it is spoken too vs and also too thinke vppon the reproche which Ieremie layd vnto the Iewes Go your wayes intoo farre Countries sayeth he runne beyond sea see what other people doo euery man keepes him too his owne Idolles and yet there is no Godhead in them Satan beguyles them vnder colour of deuotion and they be so settled in the same as they cannot by any meanes bee turned away from it Now at leastwyze bee you as constant as they seyng that God hath shewed himselfe too you and you know his will fully and certainly Let vs beware that the lyke bee not sayd too vs now adayes for wee see the ouerearnestnesse of the Turkes in their Religion And although the Iewes bee no better than vncleane Dogges yet are they stiffe still in maynteyning the authoritie of their Lawe As for the Papistes they haue nothyng but dotages so beastly as it is horrible too see euen children are able too iudge of them and yet for all that wee see howe they burne with furious zeale too maynteyne their treacheries But as for vs the Diuell doth no sooner holde vp his finger but by and by wee gad after him it shoulde seeme that euery of vs watcheth too spie if there come any newe toy and the least occasion in the worlde will by and by shake vs and scare vs out of our way and thereof wee fee too many examples euen here without goyng any further So much the more therefore doth it behoue vs too marke the blame that is layd heere by the mouth of Sainct Paule agaynst the vnconstancie of suche as turne away from God specially so soone after he had called them to the grace of our Lord Iesus
yea euen in the Church that like well of the thing that is done of a pure and right meaning zeale insomuch that some backbyte it through enuie others are so squeymish as a man cannot by any meanes content them and other some are full of wicked slaunderousnesse and lying Therefore forasmuch as we see howe men doo oftentymes cause vs to swarue one way or other let vs learne to giue our selues in suche wise vntoo God as we may stedfastly continue in the way which hee sheweth vs and not excuze our selues by our owne weaknesse seeing that Saint Paule goeth before vs and reacheth vs his hande He was a fraile man as we be and yet did God strengthen him in such wise by his holy spirite that he ouerpassed suche lettes VVherefore seeing wee perceyue our selues to bee weake let vs beseech God to arme vs with such constancie as wee may not ceasse to discharge our duetie towardes him though some misreport vs some blame vs and othersome mocke vs and make none account of all our labour when we indeuer to doo well Although then that our labour seeme to bee lost and mispent yet let it suffice vs that God lyketh and alloweth of it And so yee see what wee haue too gather vppon that Text. Aboue all things let vs not couet to be renowmed and too get great fame in this worlde for let vs streyne our selues as muche as may bee possibly and yet shall wee neuer bee better than Saint Paule was After he had preached the Gospell in such wyse yea euen as a man continually rapt vp intoo heauen insomuche that although the reuelation whereof he speaketh in the seconde too the Corinthians was exhibited too him but for one tyme yet the frute of it shewed it selfe all the tyme of his lyfe yet notwithstanding hee was vnknowne in the meane while yea euen in all the Churches of Iewrie And so it might seme well that hee had not greatly profyted seeing that all his labour was buryed But it was ynough for him that God edified the furthest straungers by his meanes VVee see then that hee sought not too bee muche renowmed nor too purchase credite and authoritie among men As concerning that hee sayeth the Churches of Iewrie that were in Christ hee addeth that worde of purpose bicause there was yet still some seede of God among the Iewes and the promises were so giuen too them as they were not vtterly cut off vntill such time as they renounced Iesus Christ quite and cleane and thereby were vtterly bereft of the inheritance of the life that was assigned vntoo them For like as God had chosen the lyne of Abraham so our Lorde Iesus Christ came intoo the worlde too bee the minister of those whome God had so adopted and to performe the promises that had bin giuen to their fathers Our Lorde Iesus Christ reiected not the Iewes too whome the promises belonged according also as it is sayde in the seconde of the Actes but the Church of God abode among them still and their Circumcision was not a thing deuised by man And although they were al growen out of kinde and many errours and wicked opinions were crept in among them so as Gods seruice was turmoyled and Religion corrupted yet notwithstanding that people was acknowledged for Gods householde flocke The Sinagoges therefore that had not yet bewrayed their vnbeleefe by withdrawing themselues from Iesus Christ are reckened heere by Saint Paule for Churches howbeeit not for perfect Churches for they were not yet regenerated in Iesus Christ For then was the renuing of the whole worlde when Iesus Christ was sent too bring home vntoo God both those that were neare hande and those that were farre off neare hande as the Iewes which had the lawe still and a farre off as the heathen men who had no likelihood of the heauenly kingdome bicause God had left them like poore wilde beastes and they were strayed away in their owne superstitions and Idolatries But Iesus Christ came to gather all togither and to knit all things togither again that were scattered afore And thereby we see how the law ought to haue led the Iewes to the Gospell as it is sayde throughout all the holy Scripture And it is very needfull for vs to knowe the same least wee surmize that none of all the things that are conteyned in the law can stand vs in any stead in these dayes For it is certaine that although the Ceremonies be no more in vse yet the truth and substance of them remaine alwayes vntoo vs so as wee cannot euen at this day be faythfull but we must also be the children of Abraham and the disciples of Moyses Not that we must be hilde still vnder the olde shadowes but that wee must match things togither which cannot be put asunder that is to wit the Law and the Gospell But yet further let vs vnderstande that we cannot at this day be counted for the Church before God that is to say all the companies of men in the worlde cannot obteyne that honourable tytle â–ª except we bee in Iesus Christ For that head must knitte vs vnto God his father and by that meanes must we haue enterance into the kingdome of heauen And therefore as for all them that knowe not Iesus Christ although they bee marked with baptisme and beare the name of Christians yet are they but as â—otten members vtâ—erly cut off notwithstanding that they pretende too bee of the troupe and number of Gods children Thus yee see still what wee haue too marke vppon this Text. Furthermore Saint Paule addeth that thâ— common report was that hee which had earst persecuted the fayth dyd preach the same and that God was glorified by that meanes Heere once agayne wee see that Saint Paule preacheth not his owne prayses for hee condemneth himselfe too haue beene an enimie and persecuter of the Church True it is that hee speaketh of the common report but yet doth hee rehearce the verie thing as it was done in deede So then hee cloketh not the thing that was too hys owne reproche and shame Aâ—man might haue cast him in the teeth that hee had persecuted the poore faythfull ones that hee had too the vttermost of his power shed innocent bloud yea and that hee had compelled the weaklings to blaspheme But yet for al this he granteth to this inditement of his owne accord and speaketh not as most men do who make as it were a glorie of it that they haue bin enimies of the Gospell It is certaine that Saint Paule in making suche rehersall was touched with earnest sorinesse for that misbehauiour of his according as in another Text hee sayth that hee is not worthie to bee called an Apostle Nowe then yee may bee sure he felt alwayes some pricking in his heart for that hee had earst so rebelled agaynst God and bin so euill myndeâ— yea and altogither spitefull agaynst the Gospell â–ª Neuerthelesse howsoeuer the world went
it is that the Papists haue lesse colour than had the deceyuers of whom S. Paule speaketh For although they were Satans vnderlings and sought nothing but to peruert the truthe of the Gospell yet had they at least wise this colour that they broughte not in their owne dreames and traditions but alleaged the authoritie of God howe that the lawe ought to be kepte and that was a meetely apparant excuse But the Papists haue no suche foundation For all their Ceremonies are forgeries of mans brayne It is true that they haue mingled Iewishnesse with them and made suche a galimaufrey as a man can not tell of whome they haue borowed moste But howsoeuer the world go yet are the Ceremonies of mens setting vp which are at this day in the Popedome Nowe when we striue to abolishe them they say wee trouble the worlde for nothing And then steppe in these Neuters whiche woulde fayne please bothe parties and make a Bastarde Gospell Those fellowes caste vs in the teeth that wee bee seditious and that throughe oure precisenesse wee set muche trouble in the worlde And for proofe thereof saye they is it meete that there shoulde bee suche stryuing aboute Ceremonies seeing they bee things indifferente Yea forsoothe For if God woulde haue the Ceremonies of the lawe which yet notwithstanding came of him and by his expresse commaundement too come too an ende in our Lorde Iesus Christ what shall wee do when men will of their owne foolishe rashnesse set vp others in their stead Seeing that God would haue his owne abolished why should men step foorth therevpon and bring in their owne deuice and make God beleeue that he was not well aduised See yee not a cursed blasphemie Nowe vve knowe that the cause vvhy God vvould haue the Ceremonies of his lawe abolished in these dayes was to the intent that the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ should be the more lightsome and better knowen For he is the daysunne of righteousnesse Therfore all those shadowes must cease and it is he in whō we haue the body and substance of them sayth S. Paule Seeing then that God had that respect and reason the figures must passe and vanishe away But now what reason wil the Papists bring when as men perceyue by eyesight that all their Ceremonies are a burying of our Lorde Iesus Christ and yet that they binde men to the keeping of them vnder payne of deadly sinne And furthermore when as in all their Ceremonies they haue a certeyn opinion that Baptisme is not inough for them but that they must haue holiwater to christen or baptise men euening and morning and finally that when they haue brought in all their pelting trash and al their gewgawes there must alwayes be somewhat in thē to draw poore soules into bondage is it to be borne withall On the other side we see there is so streight a yoke as it is able to strangle the poore wretches For the seelie soules are bereft of the freedome that was purchased for them by the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ VVe see thē how it is not without vrgent cause yea extreme necessitie that we striue against the Popish tyrannie about ceremonies cōsidering that our Lord Iesus Christ hath not his deserued preheminence so long as men busie their wits about those smal trifles that moreouer their wretched consciences are alwayes in vnquietnesse without ende or ceassing and finally that on the otherside the Papists thinke to deserue grace by the things which they terme Gods seruice bearing themselues in hande that that is the meane whereby men shuld become righteous to obteine saluatiō So thē we see that S. Paul in his time was driuē to susteyn that strife And forasmuch as our case is altogither like at this day so as we cānot hold our peace except we wil betray both god mā we must fight stoutly agaynst that hellish tyrannie and against those pelting trash trumperie and illusions of Sathan whereby hee would fayne eyther quite deface the Gospell or else so turmoyle it as a man shoulde not knowe which is the pure truth This in effect is the thing that wee haue to beare in mynde And whereas S. Paule sayth that he yelded not one iote too such men it is too confirme vs so muche the better on the thing that I touched euen nowe Peace and friendshippe are an amiable thing among men They bee so indeede and wee ought to seeke them to the vttermost of our power But yet for all that we must set such store by Gods truth that if all the world should bee set on fyre for the mayntenaunce thereof wee shoulde not sticke at it As much as wee can possibly let vs purchase peace and if the matter concerne but our owne persons or goodes let vs endeuour too compound with our aduersaries let vs beare with them and let vs labour to ouercome them by our patience Lo in what maner wee ought to buy peace But yet in the meane while let not Gods truth be deminished nor sustein any harme or preiudice For the peace that men seeke among themselues shall euermore be accursed if God be not therewithall acknowledged and magnified as he ought to be and his word also continue vnimpeached for that is the knot of our bonde and if we intend to haue it acceptable to God and the end of it to be good and for our welfare surely God must knit vs togither And hee hath giuen vs his Sonne who is called our peace too the end we should all of vs fall in order vnder him Then if we minde to haue good and holie peace let vs ame vs at this marke of yeelding our selues vnder the obeysance of Gods sonne that he may be our head and we his body like as there is but one Church But if any man goe about too withdraw vs from our Lord Iesus Christ let vs rather beare all the hatred outrages and madnesse of the world than to seeke such agreement And let vs not be afraide of all the reproch that can bee done vnto vs according as nowadayes we shal be falsly slaundered as stirrers vp of many strifes yea verily but what can wee do with it For it behoueth vs to abide still in the truth of the Gospell or else woe bee vntoo vs. If the Papistes will not agree with vs but bee vtterly wilfull in the stubbornnesse that is seene too bee in them wee must bee contented to be at defiance with men seeing they purpose too turne vs from the peace which wee should haue with God by the means of his Sonne who not without cause beareth that title as I told you before Therefore when they crye out vpon vs wee must be fenced with this answere of Elias which hee made vnto Achab. Art not thou he sayd Achab that troublest Israell For the Prophet was accused as we be nowadayes bicause he labored to bring the people backe againe too the purenesse of
so let vs all say Almightie God our heauenly father c. The. 11. Sermon which is the fifth vpon the second Chapter 14 But vvhen I savve that they vvalked not rightly after the truth of the Gospell I sayde too Peter afore them all if thou beyng a Ievv liuest after the maner of the Gentiles and not as the Ievves vvhy compellest thou the Gentiles to play the Ievves 15 VVee bee Ievves by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles 16 And yet for asmuch as vvee knovve that a man is not iustified by the vvoorkes of the Lavve but by beleefe in Iesus Christ vve also haue beleeued in Iesus Christe that vvee might bee iustified by the fayth of Iesus Christ and not by the vvorkes of the Lavve for no flesh shall bee iustified by the vvorkes of the Lavve IT hath alwayes bin a cōmon saying that looke what Law a man layeth vpon others he ought too keepe the same himselfe For it is nother right nor reason that a man should go scotfree himself and lay the burthen vpon other folkes shoulders And for that cause doth our Lorde Iesus Christ vpbrayd the Scribes and Pharisies that they passed not to lay heauy burthens vpon the poore people in the meane while tooke leaue to do what they listed themselues And commonly it falleth out through hipocrisie that he which is rough extreme in all rigour towards his neybours would haue other men to forbeare him and to dispence with him But if wee will needes presse our neighbours to do their duetie the true naturall order requireth that euery of vs should first begin at himself Ye see then how it is a most manifest hipocrisie when a mā will not a whit beare with his neibours but chalēgeth their dutie to the vttermost in the meane while offendeth grosly himself will not suffer any correctiō Yea somtimes also it falleth out that we would play the good fellowes at other mens cost Euen so fell it out heere in S. Peter For his inforcing of the Gentyles to keepe the Ceremoniall lawe came not of the foresayde hypocrisie of taking leaue too doo what he listed and of desiring too go quite and cleere before God for his constreyning of other menne too such a poynt but of dubblenesse for that hee was too desirouse too pleasure his owne countrymen He had already taken leaue too liue after the maner of the Gentyles that is to say too giue ouer the vsing of the Ceremonies of the Lawe For as I haue earst touched S. Paule speaketh not heere of the vnbeleeuers nor of the despyzers of God but of those Gentyles that had bin conuerted too the knowledge of the Gospell and were desirous to serue God yea euen without the old Ceremonies Now S. Peter had fashioned himself to their common trade and yet notwithstanding he was a Iewe and therfore he did the Gentyles too much wrong to put a streyter brydle vpon them than he receyued to himself as I sayd afore He did it not in respect of himselfe but playde on both handes as they doo whiche would feyne keepe fauour with all parties and are loth too mislike any man So wee see there was rightfull reason to rebuke him and too shame him before all the Church Now remayneth that he acknowledged his faulte by which example wee muste learne mildenesse That is to say for asmuch as there is none of vs all but he may step awry as they that haue not such perfect wisedome but that we may fall euen into grosse faultes and although we perceyue it not yet now and then we happen to swarue through infirmitie at leastwyze let vs not ieere at it when we be reformed as many proude stubborne folke do who eyther spew out their poyson or else rancle inwardly in their hartes when they bee rebuked Let vs learne first of all by S. Peters example that there is none of vs all so farre foreward in holinesse wisedome and vertue which may not ouershoote himself And therfore let vs patiently heare what is tolde vs that wee may fare the better by it and let vs not bee ashamed too caste downe our heades when we see our selues iustly accuzed and condemned Thus yee see what we haue to remember vppon the first part of this Text. Truely we haue seene already this mornyng how S. Peter had this honorable title to be called a chiefe piller in Gods Churche and in the spirituall Temple that was too bee buylded He was honored he and his fellowes had receyued the holy Ghost and although he had stumbled once afore yet had Iesus Christe set him vp againe and wiped away the remembrance of that fall in saying to him feede my Sheepe haue a care of my Lambes And yet for all this he walketh not the right way but steppeth aside VVherefore it behoueth vs too bee so much the warer that noman deceyue vs as though wee had profited so well in Gods schoole that wee were no more in daunger of doyng amisse Let vs beware of suche ouerweening and keepe continuall watch that wee bee not misledde by the wyles and traynes of Satan yea let it bee a suspicious matter with vs too desire too please men seyng that S. Peter fell intoo that extremitie True it is that his meening was too the contrarie and that his intent was too imploy himself wholly too the glorifying of Gods name He had stoutly withstoode it when he was forbidden too preache any more in the name of Iesus Christ It was the voyce of an Angelicall stoutnesse when he answered God must be obeyed and not men For he sawe there the rulers of his countrie he sawe them assembled with their pompe and there was the statelinesse of Magistrates which had bin able too amaze a poore man of no credite as he and his fellow Iohn were But not withstanding his stout answering that he woulde obey God maugre all those that pretended too haue preheminence ouer him yet he was deceyued in this cace whereof mention is made heere Therefore whensoeuer men doo the thing that may thrust vs out of the way and wee haue some fayre cloke so as it shall seeme too vs that wee doo not amisse too please them Let vs bethinke vs of this example that is set vs down heere and which is tolde vs too make vs euery of vs looke aboute him what his calling will beare and what God commaundeth without casting of our eye aside too purchace fauour in the worlde Let vs shet our eyes agaynst all that is about vs and looke onely at this marke that wee must in all caces and all respectes fashion our selues too the will of God And when wee shall haue looked rightfoorth too Gods ordinances and asked counsell at his mouth and prayed him too guyde and gouerne vs by his holy spirite and finally well considered the boundes of our vocation so as wee attempt not any thing otherwise than becommeth vs then shall wee bee able too
eschew the â—lightes and allurementes of Satan and the worlde so as wee shall not passe too pleasure creatures ouermuch But without that wee shall bee beguyled at euery turne as it happened vnto Peter For if wee compare our selues with him it is certaine that hee was much better able too keepe himself than wee bee Neuerthelesse he was cast downe afterward too the end that his doyng might serue for our learning and wee bee rid of all pryde so as wee might not thrust foorth our owne opinions to bee ouerwyze in our owne brayne and fancie but that all our wisedome might bee too rule our selues according to Gods pure woord But now let vs come to that which S. Paule addeth He entereth further intoo the matter and sayeth wee bee Iewes by nature and not sinners that is too say damnable men defiled and miserable wretches of the Gentyles And yet notwithstanding for asmuch as we know that wee cannot bee iustified by the deedes of the law and that there is none other meanes to make vs acceptable to God than by comming too him with the grace of our Lord Iesus Christe wee haue renounced the rightuousnesse of the lawe and assured our selues that Gods accepting of vs muste bee of his owne free goodnesse for his sonnes sake Seyng then that wee Iewes haue renounced our owne worthinesse what shall the Gentyles now do must not all be reconciled to God through his owne meere goodnesse without bringing any thing of their owne and without pretending to haue any maner of desert or worthinesse of themselues Heere as I haue touched afore S. Paule entereth into the principall poynt of his disputation agaynst suche as mingled the Ceremonies of the lawe with the Gospell Howbeit S. Peter was none of that number For it is certayne that he knew well ynough that there was none other meane too come vntoo God than by his mercie as it is shewed vs in our Lord Iesus Christ Sainct Paule had communed sufficiently with him afore of that matter as wee haue seene He agreed fully with S. Paule as touching doctrine Then was not Sainct Peter wrapped in that errour for it had bin a superstition that had vtterly defaced the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christe Therefore S. Peter would haue abhorred that But the dissimulation that I treated of this morning was an occasion to harden the Iewes in the fond dotage which they had conceyued of their owne meritorious woorkes Not that he intended it nother is it a sufficient excuse for vs though wee protest a hundred tymes that wee meene not too mayntayne euill but if wee make any countenance at all of it surely wee are alwayes woorthie too bee condemned bothe before God and the worlde Sainct Peter then agreed very well with Sainct Paule as concerning doctrine namely that there is none other meane too come before God too obtayne grace than by renouncing all creatures and by confessing that there is nothing but cursednesse in vs and that God muste receyue vs of his owne meere mercie for our Lorde Iesus Christes sake S. Peter knew this and taught it without any gayne saying And moreouer he wist well it was lawfull for him to giue ouer the vse of Ceremonies For he would not haue graunted too any suche libertie vnlesse he had knowen that the same had bin purchaced for vs by the death and passion of the Sonne of God Neuerthelesse he swarued a little too much too the intent too keepe still his owne Countriemen bicause he knew that the Iewes were somewhat too wilfull wayward and therfore he ment no more but to beare with their nature But S. Paule respecteth not the person of his fellow S. Peter nother reasoneth he with him as if he shoulde say thou arte an abuzer of men thou knowest not what the Gospell meeneth but hee sayeth vntoo him bethinke thee well what is like too befall of thy doyng and what inconuenience it will draw with it For whereat ame they that would haue men too keepe the Ceremonies of the Lawe euen too get some holynesse by them or to binde men so too them as they should vse them vpon necessitie of saluation and to deserue fauour by them at Gods hand and finally to obtayne forgiuenesse of sinnes by keeping of circumcision and all other such things But in so doing they be hild downe in this errour that they renounce the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ and yet notwithstanding thou intendest too feede them in that fondnesse and what a thing were that Therfore let vs marke wel how S. Paule passeth not what Peters opinioÌ„ is in this behalf but dealeth with the matter it self to the end that all cloking might be taken away froÌ„ such as did shet the Gospel out of dores besides that they did also rende the Church asunder as we saw this morning Howbeit for asmuch as it is a matter that caÌ„not be fully discoursed in a day or twayne no nor in fower we must take the things in order as they lie to the end we may know why S. Paule stroue so sharply for the abolishing of Ceremonies For the cace concerneth the saluation of our Soules and it is the chief point that we must learne in gods schole next after the glorifying of him For if wee fall too comparisons it is certaine that the seruing of God dooth alwayes go in order and degree before the saluation of our soules True it is that they bee things inseparable for God sheweth his infinite loue which he beareth vs in this that neuer any thing serueth too his glorie but that the same is immediately fitte and profitable for our saluation Howbeit for asmuch as God hath loued vs so greately and continueth still his fauour towardes vs wee on our side are bound vntoo him bothe too forget our selues and to giue selues wholly vnto him But how soeuer we fare wee see heere the twoo groundes of all our Religion namely too know how God ought too be honored and serued and also how we may so offer our selues before him as he may accept vs and auow vs for his children and wee holde him for our father and by that meanes be fully assured of our saluation And these twoo poynts are contayned in the discourse that S. Paule handleth heere For the cace is after what maner God wil be serued according as the cheef sacrifize that he demaundeth is the confession of humilitie I say humilitie not by making demure countenances but by beyng touched with such remorse as wee suffer our selues too bee vtterly condemned before God and all the trust of our owne woorkes and merites be thrust vnder foote Marke that for one poynt And more ouer when God commaunded the Ceremonies it was not for that he passed vpon these outward things but for that he amed at another end which was that on the one side the Iewes should be inured to patience by continuall perceyuing of their owne wantes and miseries and therevpoÌ„ rid
themselues froÌ„ al corruptions of the flesh and on the other side be led to our Lord Iesus Christ to repose their trust in him to rest wholly there So then as touching those that would haue the ceremonies of the Law kept as if it were of necessitie that meÌ„ should be precisely bound to theÌ„ vpon paine of deadly sinne as they terme it it is certayne that their meening was to set vp a seruis of God contrarie too his will and meening and that they were as good as Cousiners for why they peruerted the naturall meening of the Law Marke that for one schoole poynt Another is that they taught men to set vp their bristles to glory in theÌ„selues that was an abolishing of Gods glory for we caÌ„not chaleÌ„dge aught be it neuer so little to ourselues but we rob and rende away that which belongeth vnto him Ye see then how it is a diuelish trayterousnesse when men presume vpon their owne power as though they had any sparke of righteousnesse in themselues And besydes that it is an entering into the gulfe of hell when we weene to get saluation by our owne workes For we renounce the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Chryste where we should seeke all our righteousnesse Agayne the Diuell maketh vs to beleeue wonders â–ª howbeit it is but to make vs to fall into destruction VVherefore let vs marke well that S. Paule treateth heere of the manner of iustification before God that is to say of the meane whereby we bee brought into his fauour bycause it is the principall poynt whiche we ought to learne and without that all the religion or deuotion that can be named is but smoke and leazings And it is not for naught that Sainct Paule entereth into that question For manye men make this allegation â–ª How now The cace concerned the Ceremonies of the law and why then doth Sainct Paule as ye would saye fling himselfe ouerthwart the feelds VVhy speaketh hee of righteousnesse of mans saluation of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and fynally of all the whole lawe Nowe on the one part it behoued hym too deale wyth all those thynges â–ª as for example when we in these dayes teache that men must not keepe the superstitions of the Papists nor any of the thyngs that haue bin so deuised by the witte of man wee shall not only debate whither fleshe may be eaten vppon frydayes or whyther suche a wake vigil or Sainctes euen bee too be kept or whyther thys thyng or that thing be to be done but we shall treate generally whither it bee lawfull for a mortall man to make lawes to bring mennes consciences into tyrannicall bondage For God hathe reserued to himselfe alone the authoritie and prerogatiue to be called the lawmaker to the intent that no man should vsurp any such preheminence in the Church Then seeing that the spirituall gouernement of our soules ought to be taken out of Gods pure word we may coÌ„clude that nother Pope nor any other man of what calling soeuer he be hath power to burthen vs with any lawes or ought to attempt any thing that is against the doctrine whiche we haue of God Then may we well enter into that generall discourse and that is bycause the reason of them is alike in all points If we should dispute onely about the eating of fish or flesh it would be but a fond disputation For euery man must eate according as is for his health or as hee can get and therefore such disputation shoulde not concerne the health of mens soules or the matter that were requisite for them to rest their conscience vpon But when we take in hand too shewe that it is not for any liuing creature to aduance himselfe so hygh as to lay lawes vppon mennes necks the other disputation is fully resolued and dispatched Againe when as men say that in babbling paternosters to buy out their sinnes and in gadding on pilgrimage to get there the things which in poperie are tearmed the workes of supererogation that is to saye workes of ouerplus that men do more than God commaundeth them they raunsome theÌ„selues and make him some recompence for the faultes that they haue committed If we speake simply of pilgrimages and go not to the ground and welspring of the matter it will be a cold and sleÌ„der discourse But if we declare how all our satisfaction is in the things that are purchaced for vs by the death and passion of oure Lord Iesus Christ and therewithall that God vtterly misliketh all that is of our owne inuention and that he will be serued with obedience then do we lay foorthe the cace as it ought to be and may bring it to a sure and certaine conclusion After that manner did S. Paule For he regarded not only what the Iewes sayd how it behoued them to forbeare the eating of swines flesh and to keepe suche a feast or such a feast and all the residue of the Ceremonies but he marked to what end they said it namely how they went about too shew that the keeping of the law was of necessitie of saluation and that was a yoke of bondage vpon mens consciences that could not be borne Againe he saw how the libertie that was purchaced vs by our Lord Iesus Christ was taken away and that was another point that compelled him to enter into that discourse But the cheefe point that he treateth of heere is that such as would haue had men to keepe the Ceremonies had a secret meening that the same was an acceptable seruis vnto God and of such importance as meÌ„ shuld purchace righteousnesse and soulehealth by it and to be short that it was a meritorious thing But S. Paule sheweth that it is impossible for meÌ„ to purchace righteousnesse before God by their works Now therefore we see for what cause S. Paule treated generally of our iustification when as notwithstaâ—ding hys aduersaries pretended no more but the keeping of the Ceremoniall lawe and the continuing thereof still as before the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ so as men should still offer sacrifise and do the rest of the shadowes and auncient figures And heereby we see also what a follie it is for the Papists to thinke themselues escaped in saying that S. Paule speaketh heere but of the works of the law and not of the morall works True it is that they be not the first founders of that dotage For the Diuell hath always had his ministers to cousin the people But we must not rest vpon the authoritie of men specially of such as haue nother religioÌ„ nor feare of God in them Although that many of the Monkes haue bin reported to be men of greate skill yet notwithstanding they haue bin but fantasticall fellowes and neuer had any tast of the feare of God Euen those that were called the auncient doctors haue peruerted the kindly sense of the holy scripture and were as vtterly bewitched by Satan and yet the wretched
world hath bin so blynde that it could not perceyue it These kinde of men haue expounded this saying that wee bee not iustifyed by the deedes of the law to import that wee bee not iustifyed by the deedes of the law to import that we be not iustifyed by circumcision or by absteyning from any certaine kynds of meates or by keeping such a holyday or such a feast whereas notwithstanding S. Paule treateth of none of all those things He matcheth Gods grace against all our workes and finally sheweth that we cannot bring aught vnto God but that we must be faine to be admitted freely of him That is S. Paules drift And if we should not set the same marke before our eyes surely all the doctrine that is conteined in this Epistle would be but fond matter Furthermore let vs marke that S. Paule doth oftentimes say simply and without addition that wee bee iustified without workes like as in the thirde Chapter too the Romanes he sayth we haue a cleere and sure proofe of our righteousnesse namely that we bee rightuous before God through the remission of our sinnes and not by our workes Hee saythe not there by the workes of the lawe ▪ but he setteth it downe single without addition to the ende that all mouthes should be stopped and all startingholes be takē away ▪ Yet is it not without cause that he speaketh of the workes of the law to bring to nothing all the seruices that men can alledge too bind God withall as though they were able to become righteouse of themselues For as we shall see hereafter although we were as perfect as Angells yet could not that bind God at all if it were not for that he of his owne good will hath made this promis in hys law he that doth these thinges shall liue in them Then if we go about to get fauour at Gods hand for our owne works sakes we must not dispute philosopherlike that God oweth vs any wages or recompence for the seruis that we haue done him for we be his and we cannot bind him by aught that we can do How then may our works be recompenced as though they were auaylable before God Euen bycause he hath promised so to do It is the couenant whiche he hath made with vs in saying he that doth these thynges shal liue in them So then if we could performe the law to the full surely we should be righteous before God and deserue saluation ▪ howbeit not for any worthinesse that should be in our selues but by reason of the couenant that God hath made with vs. For we see that all the desert which can be alledged on mannes behalfe depēdeth wholly vpon the said promis And that is the cause why sainct Paule saith always the works of the law the works of the law For there are none other workes that deserue to be accepted of God and to haue any recompence Therefore let that serue for one point And we shall see heereafter how we be vtterly excluded frō that righteousnesse ▪ bycause we come short of it and that Goddes telling of vs that we shall be saued by keeping of the lawe is all one as if hee had sayde that we be all of vs damned And why For there is not any manne that dischargeth himselfe of it but all of vs are transgressers Ye see then that the lawe can bryng vs nothyng but deathe by reason of our infirmitie But thys shall bee layde foorth more at length in his order ▪ It is ynough for thys tyme that we knowe how Sainct Paules setting downe of thys doctrine is agaynst the Iewes which boasted themselues and were puffed up with pride as though God had bin bounde vnto them for their obseruing of the Ceremonies of the lawe No no saith he it is nothing worth and we shall see the reason of it afterwarde Furthermore S. Paules debating of the case of Ceremonies is bycause these hypocrites which tooke vpon them to match themselues with God and too haue the praise of their saluation themselues did always buzie their heads about small trifles and came not to the cheefe point which is to enter into their owne cōsciences Like as at this day in the Popedome they that do so much preach their owne merites and say that we must purchace Paradice by our owne works and that although we be sinners yet we haue a way to discharge ourselues to Godward by satisfactions what alledge they VVhen those great Rabines go about to set men after that maner vpon the stage to be honored as Idolls and when they haue made their great prefaces of free will of their owne vertues of their satisfactions and of their merites or deseruings what bring they Exhort they men to liue chastly without doing other men wrong or without any couetous desire so as euery of vs shoulde content hymselfe with that he hath be patient in aduersitie beare wrongs and reproches and in all thynges shewe ourselues to bee the Disciples of our Lorde Iesus Christe by forsaking ourselues There is not one word with them of these things But the good workes which they set afore vs are that we must go deuoutely too Masse take holywater before we enter into the Church be crosse ourselues kneele downe before a stocke worship a puppet gad on pilgrimages keepe suche a feastfull daye found a Trentall deale doales for the dead and do this and that So then all these hipocrites which will needes become righteous by their owne workes haue nothing but gewgawes and dotages and yet for all that they thinke themselues so holy and perfect that nothing is amisse in them They thinke that God ought to content himselfe wyth the great number of murlimewes and countenances which they make But that is not the coyne wherewith he must be paied for his lawe is spirituall He looketh not vpon the outward gesture nor vpō the things that carrie a faire glosse before men in somuch that if men set their minds too much vpon his owne Ceremonies he reiecteth it vtterly And that is a thing well worthy the marking For men seeke still some startinghole that they might not yeeld themselues to the obeying of God and they beare themselues in hand that when they haue once dispatched their fond deuotions then they be well discharged and all the rest of their sinnes must be forgotten bycause they raunsome them by that meanes The thyng therefore whiche we haue to marke heere is that Sainct Paule stroue heere against suche men as neuer wist what it was too serue God in good earnest nor neuer entered into their owne consciences And euen such are these Shauelings in the Popedome and those naughtipacks that haue their full scope there I meene not only the Cardinalls and these horned beasts the Byshops for men knowe that they be the filthinesse whiche infecteth the whole world but I speake also of those that are called doctors the vpholders of their Catholike faith It is certaine that they
our Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe if children be alreadie full of infections at their comming into the world what are we who neuer ceasse to offend our God and do drinke wickednesse as a fishe drinketh water as it is sayde in the booke of Iob Agayne when wee come too the Lords supper what come we to doo Come we to get any thing of God by our owne desert No but to confesse that we be like wretched dead men which come to seeke our life out of our selues and therefore must be fayne to haue the fleshe of our Lorde Iesus Christ for our meate and his bloud for our drinke and all things in him which we want in our selues Yee see then that the Sacraments serue not to puffe vs vp with any presumption but to make vs walke in humblenesse to the ende that beeing voyde of all selfe-trust our whole seeking may be to be succoured by Gods infinite goodnesse and by his pouring out of the treasures of his grace vpon vs according to our neede And our comming to them is that God should warne vs of our sinnes to be touched with them in good earnest And wee muste not acknowledge our selues sinners with the mouth onely or slightly and by way of ceremonies but wee must haue our hartes wounded inwardly with griefe that wee haue offended and feele howe dreadfull Gods wrath is too the ende wee may be sorie in our selues and not haue any rest till he haue shewed vs where wee shall finde it that is too wit in our Lorde Iesus Christ And when we come to this holy table let euer of vs looke well that he be so grounded in our Lorde Iesus Christ as that he hauing forsaken all the fonde illusions of Satan and all the deceiptes that he setteth afore vs too turne vs away from the grace of God and may imbrace our Lorde Iesus Christe with the merites of his death and passion assuring our selues that it is he in whom we haue the full performance of righteousnesse and saluation Moreouer forasmuche as our Lorde Iesus Christ hath called vs to be members of his body let vs knit our selues togither indeuouring to glorifie God as it were with one heart and one mouth and therwithall to liue in true vnitie with our neighbours lyke as the hande serueth bothe the foote and the eye So then let vs haue the sayde brotherlynesse in suche estimation as wee maye shewe that we intende not to separate our selues asunder as it were too â—eare Iesus Christ in peeces but that our desire is that he shoulde so knitte vs togither that not onely he may liue in vs and wee in him but also that he may so rule vs by his holy spirite as euery of vs may indeuer to serue and honour him first of all and afterward to employ him selfe in the seruing of his neighbours according to the abilitie which he shall haue And now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him too make vs feele them more and more that the same may alwayes stirre vs vp to better repentance and cause vs to continue therin to the ende and also make vs to grow in fayth to our Lorde Iesus Christ so as we may giue our selues wholly vnto him and in his name cal vpon God his father to the ende that he may heere vs and continue his gratious goodnesse towards vs till he haue drawen vs wholly too him selfe to make vs feele perfectly the benefite which is purchased for vs by his death and passion That it may please him to grauÌ„t this grace not only to vs but also to all people c. The twelfth Sermon which is the sixth vpon the second Chapter 15 VVee bee Ievves by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles 16 And yet for as much as vve knovv that a man is not iustified by the vvorks of the lavv but by beleefe in Iesus Christe vvee also haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that vve might be iustified by the faith of Iesus Christ not by the vvorks of the lavv for no flesh shal be iustified by the vvorkes of the lavve WE haue seene alredie and declared heretofore why S. Paule hauing to treate of the Ceremonies and shadowes that were before the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ coÌ„cluded generally that men could not attaine righteousnesse before God to stand in his fauour but by keeping the whole lawe Nowe a man mighte deeme at the first sight that these were diuers matters Howbeit as I haue sayde afore it behoued Paule to come to the pure vse of ceremonies to shew that men do but beguyle them selues when they thinke to obteine fauour at Gods hand by their own merites Secondly also I declared why S. Paul doth expresly adde the word Law For although it haue alwayes bin a common opinion in the world that by liuing well men might binde God to be good vnto them yet did they fowlly deceyue them selues therein For doo what we can God shall not be any whit at all beholden vnto vs bicause wee owe vnto him what soeuer wee be able to doo Then is there not any deserte if there might bee any deseruing at all but by the couenant which God hath made in saying that he which fulfilleth the law shall obteine life and saluation For as muche as God hath spoken that worde no doubt but he accepteth the obedience that is yeelded vnto him as if it deserued saluation but yet is not that as muche too say as that wee can deserue oughte For there is none of vs all that dischargeth hys duetie as wee shall see heereafter That promise woulde bee too no purpose or at least wyse it woulde bee vnauaylable so as it shoulde neuer take effecte vnlesse God gaue vs another remedie that is too witte vnlesse hee forgaue our offences and accepted vs for righteous althoughe wee bee not so But howe so euer the cace stande when S. Paule sayth that wee bee not iustifyed by the workes of the Lawe hys meanyng is that if wee intende too clayme fauour and saluation bicause God hath promised that such as keepe his lawe shall be righteous and so taken to bee that will not serue our turne bicause none of vs fulfilleth the Lawe but wee are all of vs gyltie before God and must receyue sentence of damnation vpon our heads And for the better expressing heereof he maketh a coÌ„parison betweene the Iewes the Gentiles Although sayth he that we be Iewes by nature and not Heathen men yet doo we knowe that we shall not otherwise obteyne Gods fauour than by beleeuing in our Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe it maye peraduenture seeme that although men beeing corrupted in Adam can not deserue ought yet notwithstanding the Iewes had a speciall priuiledge bicause God had adopted them as it were for his owne children and accompted them to bee as his housholde And that was the thing wherein the Iewes deceyued them selues For when the Scripture speaketh
of vncircumcision it meaneth the vnclennesse wherewith wee be compassed about in Adam in so muche as there is not any man which is not damned alreadie from his mothers wombe But the Iewes thought that God had set them free from that coÌ„mon curse and they made their boast therof Surely Gods chosing of them after that sort for his own people heritage was a great dignitie and worthy too bee esteemed aboue all worldly goodes But yet neuerthelesse it became them to haue acknowledged with all humblenesse that there was not any excellencie at all in their owne persons For according to our wonted maner of drawing Gods gracious giftes too muche to vayne ouerweening the Iewes did commonly ouershoote them selues by bearing them selues in hand that they were aboue all the rest of the worlde Verily as who should say that God had founde any thing in them why he should preferre them before those whom he had forsaken Therefore that dooing of theirs was a great pride whiche caried with it a shamefull thanklesnesse in that they imputed not to Gods meere goodnesse the things which they had of his free gifte but were puffed vp with ouerweening as thoughe God had knowne them to be better or worthyer of euerlasting saluation than the Gentiles But nowe S. Paule to dispatche all ouerweening sayth Go too wee be Iewes by nature As if he had sayde It is true that wee haue some fauour aboue the Gentiles whome God hath not vouchsafed to receiue into his Church VVhen he speaketh after that fashion it is not to giue the Iewes occasion to waxe proude but to lay before them the things which they had receiued frely of God wherin they had no cause at all to brag of them selues according as we see how that in the Epistle to the Romanes he vttereth two sayings whiche at the first â—lushe might seeme contrarie For on the one side Haue wee then sayth hee no priuiledge aboue the Gentiles Yes verily for God hath chosen vs for hys people he hathe giuen vs the seale of Circumcision too shewe that hee auoweth vs for his children hee hathe alyed him selfe vntoo vs hee hathe promised vs the Redeemer of the worlde and too bee shorte he hath sanctified vs in suche wyse that if wee consider the fauour whiche he hathe vttered towards vs there hath beene well wherwith to aduance and exalte vs aboue the residue of the whole worlde Thus on the one side Paule dothe there magnifie the goodnesse of God and afterwarde he falleth too questioning agayne and asketh what aduauntage haue wee then None at all sayth he for all men are shutte vp vnder Gods curse If the Gentiles bee too bee condemned wee bee too bee condemned double for there may be yet some likelyhoode that ignorance shall serue to excuse them But yet can they make no defence of that before God but shall perishe althoughe they neuer had any instruction or teaching Needes then must wee bee condemned by the lawe sayth he seeing that God hathe taughte vs and yet for all that wee cease not too sinne still and too transgresse his commaundements in so muche that we be plunged in greater and deeper cursednesse than the Heathen folk and vnbeleeuers Now then he sayth that the Iewes are in deede separated after a sort from the Gentiles not that the Iewes are of more worthinesse or that they haue any righteousnesse in them selues â–ª but bicause God of his own meere goodnesse voutsafed to chose them â–ª like as at this day the children that are borne of beleeuing pareÌ„ts are not better than the children that are borne of Paynims Turkes if a man coÌ„sider them both in their owne nature For we be all of a corrupted and cursed lumpe and God hathe so condemned vs as no man can iustly set vp his bristles to thinke him selfe of more value than his fellowes But yet neuerthelesse S. Paule sheweth that they be sanctified and that they be not vncleane as those are which are borne of vnbeleeuers or Heathen folke Heere shoulde seeme to be some contrarietie neuerthelesse all agreeth very well togither For there is nothing but vncleannesse and filthinesse in vs all without exception and that commeth of nature Howbeit there is a supernaturall gifte that is to say a remedie that God giueth whiche is that the children of the faythfull are dedicated vnto him and he acknowledgeth auoweth them for his Then like as now a dayes the children that are borne of the Churche are reckned too bee of the number of Gods people and of the companie of the chosen euen so vnder the lawe the Iewes were separated from the rest of the world And that is the cause why S. Paule sayth Wee bee Iâ—wes and not sinners of the Gentiles VVhereas he speaketh of Sinners he meaneth suche as continue in their filthynesse and are not clensed by the grace of God For Circumcision was a token and witnesse that God accepted Abrahams issue and ofspring for hys owne housholde and peculiar people The thing then wherein the Iewes differed in olde tyme from the vnbeleeuers was that althoughe they were all of one sute for as muche as they were all indifferently the children of Adam yet notwythstandyng God had chosen the one sort and left the other sort still straungers from his house If a man aske why he dyd so there was none other cause than his owne meere grace and yet were not the Iewes in the meane whyle the more excellent But nowe let vs followe the matter that S. Paule handleth heere Wee knowe sayth he that wee can not bee iustified by the deedes of the Lawe but by beleefe in Iesus Christ. In so saying he sheweth that the Iewes them selues what grace soeuer they had receyued coulde not grounde them selues vpon other men nor vpon them selues as thoughe they had deserued aught at Gods hande but must bee fayne to flee to his free goodnesse acknowledging that there is no saluation but in Iesus Christe who is come to finde out the thing that was alreadie loste And herein is fulfilled that which he sayth in another place howe that aswel they which were nere hande as they that were farre off were all gathered togither into one Iesus Christ is the peacemaker to cause God to loue vs and to receyue vs too mercy not onely those that were earst farre of as the Gentiles but also the children of Abraham what noblenesse or dignitie soeuer were in them for that came not of their owne nature And let vs marke that when S. Paule saythe that the Iewes whiche were conuerted to the Christen fayth knewe they coulde not bee iustified by the works of the lawe but by beleefe in Iesus Christ he maketh a comparison betweene fayth and the Lawe to shewe that wee can not bee iustified by grace excepte wee forsake all our owne merites and that is a thing well worthy too bee marked For the Papistes will well inoughe confesse that wee bee iustifyed by faythe howebeit they
seuenth vpon the second Chapter 17 But if vvee that seeke to bee iustified by Christ bee founde to bee sinners is Christ therefore the minister of sinne No not so 18 For if I build vp the things again vvhich I had cast dovvne I make my selfe an offender WEe haue seene alreadie that to beate downe all the pryde and selftrust which men put in their owne workes and merites Paule alledged that the Iewes who had great preferment aboue other men could not for all that come in Gods fauour otherwise than by beleeuing the Gospell Yet notwithstanding it was a good likelyhood that the Iewes had some righteousnesse in themselues wherwith too winne Gods fauour bicause the lawe was giuen to them with promise that whosoeuer performed those things should liue in them Therefore a man would haue iudged that the Iewes euen in respect of themselues alone without Christ might after a sort haue bin iustified before God otherwise it shoulde seeme that the lawe was superfluous But when they come too our Lorde Iesus Christ there they perceyue themselues to bee wretched sinners forlorne and damned It should seeme then that Iesus Christ bringeth sinne for before his comming the Iewes were reckened for Gods children They bare the badge of holinesse in their bodies moreouer it was sayd vnto them that they were the holy and chosen people of their God Now then seeing they become fellowlike with wretched sinners and there is nothing but cursednesse to bee found in them so as they be faine to flee for refuge to the mere grace of our Lord Iesus Christ it seemeth that Iesus Christ brought sinne intoo the worlde Truly so will men iudge of him after their owne opinion howbeeit foolishly For it behoueth vs to marke that our Lord Iesus Christ doth not bring sinne but bewray sinne For although the Iewes exercised themselues in the keeping of the law yet did that serue but to proue vnto them still more and more that God would neuer shewe them mercie but by the meane of the Redemer No doubt but that in liuing chastly soberly therwithall in walking in obedience to god they had some show of righteousnesse but that came wholy of grace and we must not father that thing vpon men which belongeth vnto God for by that meanes God should be defrauded of his honour Then if the Iewes being gouerned by Gods spirite had some willingnesse and desire to lead a holy life it must not come in account as who should say that God were beholden to them for it for contrariwise they be so much the more bound vnto God But on the otherside wee haue too marke as wee shall see more fully in due time and place that there was neuer yet any man so perfect but there was alwayes much to be blamed in him Therfore we haue to conclude that the Iewes could not be so well taken and accepted at Gods hand but that they had neede of his mercie and that their saluation must needes be grounded wholy vpon the forgiuenesse of their sinnes Also as in respect of Ceremonyes they bare themselues on hande that there was great holinesse in them as whereof hypocrites haue alwayes made their cloke But howsoeuer they fared it is certaine that the Iewes were more damnable than all other men And why For as Saint Paule sayth without the lawe sinne doth not vpbrayde men insomuch that men fall asleepe and flatter themselues in their vices when they haue not that Sumner to cyte them before Gods iudgement seate Then whereas the wretched Gentiles might haue some defence and excuse at least wise that they bee not so giltie before God the Iewes in offering their sacrifizes had it witnessed too their face that all of them were worthie of eternal death and so consequently double giltie in comparison of the Gentiles And therefore in the second to the Collossians S. Paule vseth this similitude that the Ceremonies of the law were as euidences to binde a man the more Truly like as although a detter be not cōdemned by order of law nor haue bound himselfe before a notarie nor giuen assurance in wryting vnder his hande and seale yet ceasseth he not for all that to be bounde in conscience too pay his debt euen so although the Gentyles had not any authenticall matter of recorde whereby to bee condemned yet ceassed they not too bee still worthie of death But as for the man that hath passed bondes by order of lawe and entered his debt in the common recordes what shall he say more There is no shift for him he must be fayne too answere the debt out of hande Now the Iewes were in the like plight For their washing of themselues when they went intoo the Temple and in their owne houses and euery where else was a confessing that there was nothing but vncleannesse in them Againe when they killed the beastes and sawe them slain before thē surely the same was as a liuely picture of their owne death and cursed state And yet coulde not the brute beastes nor the shedding of their bloud set them cleare nor likewise the water which is a corruptible element and cannot come at the soule So then the washing which they vsed had bin a fonde thing if it had not directed them to the spirituall washing which wee haue in our Lorde Iesus Christ Likewise in baptisme at these dayes if we think our selues to be made cleane by the water what an abuse is it All these things must serue to leade vs to the bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christ VVherefore I conclude that whereas the Iewes were exercysed in the lawe the same was a greater euidence agaynst them and bounde them straightlier to subiection vnto Gods iudgement and eternall death than the Gentiles were And so wee see howe Iesus Christ was not a bringer in of sinne but a discouerer of sinne For the Iewes thought themselues well shrowded vnder the Ceremonies and made a sheelde of them to fence themselues from gods displeasure esteeming all other Nations vnholy vpon opinion that there was nothing but vncleannesse in all the worlde besydes and that all holinesse was in themselues Lo what their brauerie was Yea but when Iesus Christ came and put them in order he shewed them that they shoulde be faine too shew other men by their owne example that their saluation was too bee sought elsewhere than in their owne merites and that it behoued them to come to him with such humilitie as too confesse that they on their part brought nothing with them but vtter cursednesse And by that meanes oure Lord Iesus Christ discouered the mischief that had bin hiddē before like as diseased persons shall oftentimes not perceyue the festering of some sore that will breede some deadly disease till the Surgeon finde it out who cannot do his dutie in curing it till hee haue searched the sore to the bottome which was vnknowne before Euen so was our Lorde Iesus Christ fayne too bewray
that it was no bloud but filthie corrupt matter Againe what filthinesse voydeth out of a mans bodie when hee is purged for some disease Now shall the Phisition be blamed for it or the medicine that was giuen him It is well knowne that the purgation serueth to deliuer the bodie that was halfe rotten afore So then if our Lorde Iesus Christ do by the light of his Gospell bewray the spirituall diseases that were in vs and the filthie vnclennesse which is lothly before God and shamefull before men and do purge vs quite and cleane thereof ought he to be charged with any blame or reproch for his labour VVhat an vnthankfulnesse were that therefore heere is a sufficient answere to beate backe the blasphemies and grudgings of the enimies of the Gospell which burst for pride and cannot indure to be tamed Let them alledge what they can too proue that they haue some righteousnesse and holinesse and yet shall it alwayes bee founde that there is nothing but vncleannesse in them which they wyst not of and yet it sheweth it selfe cōtinually Marke that for one poynt And secondly Saint Paule addeth a more large and easie declaration when hee sayth that he is dead too the lawwarde by the lawe it selfe and that he was crucified with Iesus Christ to liue vnto God Nowe when as he sayth that he was dead to the lawwarde by the lawe it is in way of mocking suche as pretende too bee iustified by keeping of the lawe For I haue told you alreadie how all his disputing and stryuing was agaynst such kinde of folke They were but deceyuers which went about to mingle Iesus Christ with the lawe of Moyses yea euen too get righteousnesse For it is certayne that our Lorde Iesus Christ is not contrarie too the law but rather his Gospell taketh witnesse of the lawe as it is shewed in the first chapter too the Romanes Neuerthelesse when the matter concerneth Iustification that is too say when men come too scanning too knowe howe and by what meanes God taketh and accepteth them for innocent pure and without spotte then must the lawe bee separated from Iesus Christ And why For the lawe bringeth nothing in it but cursing and Iesus Christe bringeth the remedie of it Therefore the enimies of the Gospell agaynst whom S. Paule dothe nowe dispute would haue mingled the law with it and haue made men beleeue that althoughe they were iustified by our Lorde Iesus Christ yet notwithstanding they shoulde mingle the Ceremonies with him as a parte of their saluation and that by meanes of them they should purchase grace fauour before God But S. Paule cutteth off all this geare and sayth that there is none but onely Iesus Christ that can do that and that men must seeke none other helpes in that cace eyther one way or other but simply content them selues with his grace and not gyue the lawe any roome in that behalfe For he saythe as for mee I am not deade through the Gospell As if he should say will yee make mee beleeue that I can get Gods fauour by meanes of the law Nay I tell you contrariwyse that it is not the Gospell whiche hath condemned mee it is not the Gospell that hath shewed me my filthinesse to make me ashamed of it ▪ it is not the Gospell that hath berefte me of all hope of saluation but it is the Lawe which hath shewed me that I am starke dead that I am dampnable before God that I am vndone and damned This commeth not frō elsewhere than from the lawe And would yee haue mee too seeke righteousnesse there It is all one as if yee would giue mee a poyson to eate to the ende I shoulde take nourishment of it Howbeit to say truthe that inconuenience is not to be wyted vpon the Law for it should redounde to the dishonour of God from the Lawe came But howsoeuer the case stande considering the corruption that is in vs the Lawe can not but kill vs as wee haue seene in the second too the Corinthians and as S. Paule declareth more fully in the seuenth to the Romanes For he sayth that when men beleue them selues too haue lyfe that is too saye when they beleeue themselues to be righteous and to stande in the grace fauour of God it is a signe that the lawe is dead to them that is to saye that it hath not the power and strength to shew them that which else it should do For to what ende was the law giuen Too set the rule of good life before our eyes that rule is called the righteousnesse which God alloweth Marke that for one poynt Secondly the law ought to be as a looking glasse to vs wherein too beholde our owne deformities blemishes foulenesse filthinesse and iniquities so farre out of all order as wee may bee as it were swalowed vp in dispayre at the sighte of them Nowe before wee haue the lawe wee see none of all these things that is too say wee knowe not what maner of ones we bee nor what euill is in vs. But when God setteth his demaundes before vs and we perceyue the same throughly then are wee at our wittes ende and vtterly out of hope The Lawe then is dead that is to say it is as it were thrust vnder foote and as good as buryed so long as wee thinke our selues to be aliue and conceyue any foolishe imagination of beeing righteous and of obteyning heauen by our owne good workes But when the lawe liueth that is too say when God giueth it power to touch vs then are wee dead then is it as a sworde to thrust vs too the hart Therfore wee must needes receyue a deadly wounde so soone as wee haue perceyued what the Lawe conteyneth After that maner speaketh S. Paule in the texte whiche I haue alleaged And nowe following the same matter he sayth that he is dead too the Lawe by the Lawe as if he had sayde Come not hyther too slaunder the Gospell as thoughe it were the cause of our damnation or an enterance vnto vs too bee cursed before God too haue the knowledge of the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ in vs. No no. But it is certayne that the Lawe when it dooth his office and wee reade it in suche wyse as becommeth vs dooth alwayes kill vs and wee lye as it were plunged in dispayre tyll oure Lorde Iesus Christe haue reached vs his hande too lifte vs out of it Thus then am I dead vnto the lawe that is too say I can haue no lyfe I can haue no assurance of soule health I can haue no comforte rest nor contentation to be short there is nothing in the law wherby I may come vnto God but cleane contrariwise it shaketh me off it thrusteth me backe it banisheth me from the kingdome of heauen it cutteth me quite off from the hope of saluation it maketh me a poore cursed and wretched creature and to be shorte it sendeth me to
while after VVee see that Dauid was an excellent King and Prophet and yet notwithstanding he sawe not the things whiche wee see nowe but onely in a shadowe As muche is to bee sayde of all those whome God guided vnder the auncient figures And for that cause oure Lorde Iesus Christe sayth that the eyes are happie whiche see the things that wee see since his shewing of him selfe to the worlde and that the eares are happie which heare the doctrine of the Gospel as it is preached vnto vs. Seeing then that God commeth after that sort vnto vs and becommeth so familiar with vs if wee shrinke backe and take Ceremonies and figures in steade of the good doctrine as though we might not come at him is it not a kicking agaynst him as it were in spite of him And dooth not that rebelleousnesse shewe vs to bee vnwilling that God should bee mercyfull and bountifull to wards vs as he sheweth him selfe to bee Nowe then we may easily vnderstande what S. Paule meaneth heere For he vpbraydeth the Galathians with their going backward like Sea-crabbes in that whereas they had bin trayned in the spirituall doctrine of the Gospell they turned backe agayne to the shadowes of the Lawe Likewise if wee in oure time after wee haue once acquaynted our selues with suche order as is according too the Gospell and be inured with such seruice of God as is ruled by his pure worde would needes afterward be mingling of fancies with it and say it will be good to doo thus and thus yet it were a turning backe agayne to the flesh that is to say whereas God hath aduaunced vs on high wee woulde drawe downe and that is a manyfest fighting agaynst him VVherefore let vs learne to apply this doctrine to our owne profite and for as muche as God hath giuen vs his worde purely preached among vs if we once know how he wil be honored and serued let vs not swarue from it neyther too the right hand nor to the left but let vs so profite in the worde that is preached faythfully vnto vs in the name of God as it may appeare that we desire to make it auaylable And surely the further forward that wee shall haue bin in it the lesse excuce shall wee haue if wee turne backe afterwarde as wee see many doo whiche waxe cold or else woulde fayne rowe betweene two streames and whereas it were to be looked for that they should haue gone continually forward and haue come neerer neerer vnto God they be stil musing vpon a sorte of seely toyes And now a dayes they that would shun persecution finde suche shifts as these They disguise and falsifie Gods worde by mingling and turmoyling mens inuentions with it So much the more therfore doth it behoue vs to take heed to this doctrine where S. Paule telleth vs that if God haue once set vs forwarde we must no more returne backe to our Apsie lyke little babes For it is a shame for vs when we haue once profited in the Gospell or at leastwise haue had leasure long inoughe for too profite and yet notwithstanding it shall seeme that wee neuer herd one worde of it according as the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrues vpbraydeth the Iewes saying Yee ought all of you too bee teachers in respect of the time that you haue bin taughte and yet notwithstanding you bee still like yong beginners Thus ye see the first poynt that we haue to marke vpon this text Nowe he addeth consequently Haue yee suffred so many things in vayne If at leastwise it be in vayne Here he wakeneth vp the Galathians by telling them that God had done them the honor to make them as witnesses of his Gospell and yet notwithstanding that afterwarde they had swarued from it And this is a thing well worth the marking For sometimes God doth vs so great honor as to serue his turne by vs so that his worde is by our meanes maynteined before men Nowe if therevpon we swarue aside and holde not out to the end in such constancie as appeared to be in vs it is a double shame and also it is to be taken for the greater crime bicause the occasion of offence is double and moreouer it is a vilanous vnthankfulnesse if wee continue not in the seruing of oure God when he hathe reached vs hys hande after that maner And this is so muche the more too bee noted bicause wee see many men bragge and boast them selues too haue wrought wonders if oure Lorde Iesus Christ haue serued his turne by them in any thing VVhat saye they haue not I doone this and that They wyll alleage their owne abilities in so muche that if yee beleeue them God is greatly bounde vnto them But put the cace they had doone a hundred fold more than they speake of yet are they euen therfore so muche the more beholden to God For it came not of their owne good towardnesse but of God who gouerned them by his holy spirite and if they ouershoote them selues afterwarde their faulte and offence is so muche the worse And why so Bicause they oughte too go forwarde and they go backwarde And moreouer they cause many mo too stumble than they should haue done if they had not bin set foorth too the vewe For when God lifted them vp as it were vpon the stage it was too haue them seene a farre off By meanes whereof they trouble an infinite multitude of people and therefore their faulte is so much the haynouser But yet is that vice too common For nowe a dayes suche as thinke them selues too haue done any thing for the Gospell will needes bee exempted from all lawe and rule in so muche that if a man blame them for dooing amisse what say they ought I not to bee borne withall For I haue doone this and that To bee short men will dispence with them selues after that maner and which is worse they aduaunce them selues proudly agaynst God when he dooth them the honour too imploy them about his seruice But let vs marke howe S. Paule sayth heere Haue yee suffered so muche in vayne He taketh occasion too blame the Galathians so muche the sorer bicause they had alreadie suffered for the Gospels sake and beene persecuted and indured many troubles bothe in their goodes and in their persons Howe nowe saythe he what is to bee sayde of all that you haue suffered Is it not a recorde that God had called you too the magnifying of hys name For in good faythe the things that wee suffer for the Gospels sake oughte too serue vs for a badge as if God did set vs in some honorable office The greatest honor that wee can haue is too bee witnesses of Gods truthe so that althoughe we be subiect to lying yet notwithstanding he iustifieth his eternal truthe which proceedeth frō him selfe euē by vs which are wretched creatures which are but wind smoke shadowes and lesse than nothing Seeing then that God
part we also are ioyned in it and God inlargeth his goodnesse and mercie further which hee had appoynted too one certaine linage by that meanes we become parttakers of saluation And that is the thing which Saint Paule treateth of heere when he telleth vs that the Scripture foreseeing that God not onely iustifieth the Iewes but also vseth the lyke mercie towardes the Gentiles whiche were as good as cut off from the house sayth All Nations shall bee blessed in thee Then is there no speaking here of some handfull of men or of some certaine people but without any exception God openeth the gate to all such as had earst bin quite and cleane past hope And therevpon also Saint Paule concludeth that they which are of fayth shall be blessed with faythfull Abraham As if hee shoulde say when God iustified Abraham he had not respect neither to Circumcision nor to any thing that he had wherewith too winne fauour after the opinion of men but receyued him in another kew that is to wit as a beleeuing man God therefore contented himselfe with Abrahams fayth onely And in that respect also it was his will too make him the father of the whole Church Seeing then that God made none account of any thing else in Abraham but of his fayth let vs conclude that God doth nowe still receyue vs to him in likewise if we haue the like fayth that Abraham had though not in like measure and that God taketh it in good worth though we do but follow him aloofe Then belongeth not this blessing to Abrahams fleshly ofspring onely but also too those that were straungers too him so there bee the like substaunce and fashion of fayth in them Howebeeit too the ende wee take profite by this doctrine let vs remember what I haue touched alreadie that is to wit what it is too be of faith namely that it is a reposing of our selues wholy in Gods mere mercie But Saint Paule setteth down a comparison of things contrarie and which can no more agree than fire and water that is to wit of beeing of the lawe and of beeing of fatyh Yet followeth it not that the lawe commeth not of God insomuch that if we reiect it at whom doth such contempt poynt Is not Gods authoritie impeached thereby But in these wordes of Lawe and Fayth S. Paule respecteth not simplie the doctrine of eyther of them but the hope of saluation that men may conceyue of them For the rightuousnesse of fayth hath his recorde of the lawe and the Prophetes as Saint Paule sayth in the third to the Romanes They be not contrarie things but the diuersitie of them is in this that such as misknowe themselues and are blinded with hypocrisie thinke too purchaze fauour in Gods sight by keeping the Lawe whiche thing is impossible Those therefore are of the lawe whiche holde of the Lawe as though they were able too earne the heritage of the heauenly life at Gods hande On the contrarie part they that are needie yea or rather vtterly emptie of themselues acknowledging that they haue not so muche as one droppe of grace in them they are of fayth For why they forsake themselues and seeke theyr rightuousnesse elsewhere They come and offer them selues lyke poore beggers vnto God to the ende he shoulde fill them whereas they were vtterly emptie before Therfore marke it for a scholepoynt that by the force of fayth we must be quite ridde of all selfe-trust and of all ouerweening of our owne merites and haue oure whole refuge to Gods mere goodnesse But truly we cannot come right forth vnto God without some meane our Lorde Iesus Christ must be faine too make vs way thither and all this is comprehended vnder the worde fayth For fayth is not an imagination of mens owne forging it is an assurednesse which wee conceyue of Gods goodnesse when he commeth to vs and vttereth familiarly the loue that he beareth vs. Then must the promise go before or else there shall be no following of fayth To be short whosoeuer hath not bin trayned in the Gospell can haue no fayth at all For God must first haue told vs that he loueth vs or else we cannot rest vpō his goodnesse nor call vpon him as our father Now let vs see what this promise is God not only saith that he wil haue pitie vpō vs but also telleth vs that although we be wretched sinners yet he will not ceasse to accept vs bycause he buryeth all our sinnes namely by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christ for that sacrifize must needes come forth euery where where any mention is made of the forgiuing of sinnes Neuer can there be any pardon gotten at Gods hand except there be bloudsheding with it for a satisfaction So then the foundation of this promise where God sayth that he wil be merciful to vs is Christes sheading of his bloud to wash away our spots and his offering vp of himselfe for a full amends to pacifie the wrath of God his father Thus ye see how that if we be of fayth we haue our eies fastened vpon Iesus Christ and our rest and quietnesse is altogither in his death and passion which is the onely meane too reconcile vs vnto God Also let vs marke that to bee blessed and to be iustified are al one thing accordingly as S. Paule declareth heere Hardly shal a man finde one among thirtie of such as are called Christians that can skill to define this worde iustifie And surely it is a foule shame that we shoulde haue our eares dayly beaten with the Gospell and yet notwithstanding bee ignorant of the cheefe article of our fayth Then to be iustified is not too haue any rightuousnesse in a mans selfe but to be admitted for rightuous at Gods hande though we be not so And here ye see why I sayd that we haue a good opening of this doctrine in that Saint Paule setteth downe the worde Blesse in stead of the worde Iustifie which he had vsed afore according to the fourth of the Romanes where hee sayeth that the rightuousnesse of fayth is that our sinnes are forgiuen vs. Forsomuch then as God is fauourable and louing to vs and receyueth vs as his children therefore it is sayde that wee bee iustified before him And why iustified Bycause he cannot loue sinners till hee haue forgiuen their sinnes and put them quite away VVe knowe that forasmuch as God is rightuous hee cannot agree with sinne but muste needes alwayes hate it Then sith the cace standeth so if we intend to haue his fauour we must needes be first clenzed of our offences For so long as they come to reckening God must needes hate vs and curse vs. But contrariwize when he wipeth away all our sinnes then receyueth he vs to mercie And by that meanes do we begin to be blessed of him Are wee then blessed that is to say be loued of God Verely we are therewithall iustified also that is to say wheras
yet coulde he not loue God as he ought to doo for it would behoue all our wits to be imployed in the loue of him But now let vs marke if wee cast not many vayne lookes when wee open our eyes or if that when wee open oure eares wee bee not giuen too their much fonde talke that tendeth not to the honor of God or which is not vtterly voyde of sinne if at leastwyse it bee not wicked But howe soeuer the cace stande wee shoulde so dedicate our wittes wholly vnto God as that wee should not thinke vpon any thing wherein he should not bee glorified And where shall one be founde that dooth so No where but whiche worse is besides that wee haue our wittes farre haled and drawen away from the loue of God wee see that they tickle vs dayly vnto naughtinesse and that wee doo not so soone stirre a hande but it is to put it too many things of no value As muche is to bee sayd of our feete of our eyes and of our eares Agayne what a dungeon is there in mans hart what a number of croaked lusts are there so snarled one within another as there is nothing to bee founde among them but confusion In so muche that it is vpon very good cause that Ieremie crieth out O what a maze is the heart of man wherein there is neyther ende nor measure to bee seene so that although a man should sounde and gage him selfe neuer so deepe yet it is not possible that he shoulde attayne too the knowledge of the hundreth part of his naughtinesse There is none but onely God that can bee iudge of it So then let vs marke well that although God haue begotten vs agayn by his holy spirite and that we strayne our selues to the vttermost to serue honor him yet must we needes come farre short of the ende and bee still but on our way thitherwarde yea and go alwayes halting And moreouer beside oure slownesse wee meete with many falles and many shrewde rushes we limpe on the one foote and stumble on the other and diuers times we tumble ouer and ouer Lo what our lyfe is Therefore by the Lawe we see we be all of vs accursed yea euen when there is no many fest sinne in vs. For as I haue declared alreadie if there were no more but this that no man dischargeth him selfe of the full performance of the Lawe it were too be concluded therevpon that all of vs are condemned by the Lawe and therfore that it standeth vs in hand to seeke our rightuousnesse else where that is to wit in the mere mercie of God Now then wee see howe S. Paule sheweth vs that all such as haue any vaine trust in their owne merites are ranke traytors too God and make warre agaynst hym For he dooth as it were dragge them foorth by the heare of their heads and shewe them the distresse wherin they be and what a stubbornesse is it if they will not come vnto him Must not the diuell needes haue dulled them VVee see then that S. Paules meaning heere was too driue men too seeke their rightuousnesse and saluation in the only grace of our Lord Iesus Christ for without that the other should neuer befall vs bicause wee alwayes surmize some valew to be in our selues and that selfestimation or ouerweening doth so blind vs that we can not glorifie God in his rightuousnesse by keeping our owne mouthes shet till wee bee conuicted as wee see in this text Furthermore let vs marke that S. Paule hath taken heere a principle which the Papistes cannot finde in their hartes too agree vnto â–ª For among other things they say cursed and banned bee he which shall say that God hath commaunded vs more than wee are able to doo They excommunicate and accurse all such as are of opinion that the rightuousnesse of the Lawe ouerreacheth all the abilitie of man For it seemeth to them that God ought not too commaund vs any impossibilitie that eyther wee must haue wherewith too performe the Lawe or else the Lawe should bee too no purpose So doo they thinke and so doo they say but the holy Ghost saythe the flat contrarie for God is not bound to fashion himselfe to our abilitie It becommeth vs to regard what we our selues ought to do VVho is he that dare step vp and say that he ought not to loue God with al his hart For seeing that wee bee his is it not reason that wee should bee wholly dedicated vntoo him Yee see then that we bee indetted vnto him of the perfect loue which he requireth Ageine if wee talke of our owne strength it is not too bee sayd that wee bee able to discharge our selues of our dutie as in respect of the loue which we owe vnto our God As for example If a man haue wasted all his goods in ryot and haue not aught lefte wherwith too pay his creditors shal that discharge him of his dettes If any man say it is not through our owne default Yes surely is it For in as much as wee bee corrupted in Adam originall sinne holdeth vs sufficiently conuicted and giltie before God so as it is no excuse too say I am weake or rather vtterly vntoward and I can not so muche as thinke one good thought accordyng as Sainct Paule declareth It is true that wee can not thinke so muche as one good thought and that our harts are full of sturdinesse and malice so that al our affections are enemies vntoo God So speaketh the Scripture but howsoeuer the worlde go wee ceasse not too bee still bound too our duetie VVherefore let vs marke that the Law is commaunded vs though it be impossible for vs to fulfill and performe it And if it were not so S. Paule would not haue sayd in the eyght too the Romans that God performed that thing by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ which was impossible too the Lawe In saying so he sheweth well that wee bee not able to performe all that God commaundeth vs. For if wee could bring that to passe surely wee should be iustified by it For it is sayde that all suche as fulfill the Lawe shall lyue therein If any man coulde bee founde that had perfourmed it he should liue But S. Paule taketh the same reason afterwarde too shewe that it is a follie to thinke to get righteousnesse by keeping of the Lawe for no man can bring it to passe as is required Now then as touching this text let vs vnderstande that S. Paule presupposeth that no man is able too perfourme the Lawe thoughe he strayne himselfe neuer so much insomuch that although he be gouerned by the holy Ghost yet shall he neuer be able to bring it too passe during this â—ightfull life bicause God giueth vs his grace by measure It is true that he could giue vs such perfection as nothing should be amisse in all our life but that wee should haue a full and more
than angelicall conformitie too all his commaundementes Howbeit although he holde vs in awe although he chaunge vs and fashion vs newe agayne althoughe he reyne vs backe to the obedience of his will yet is there no full perfection in vs. And why For he intendeth to holde vs still vnder the bridle of humilitie he wil haue vs to know our owne weaknesse and to grone for it before him and he will haue vs to passe iudgement and to know that wee be alwayes inâ—etted vnto him Forasmuche then as God doth not in this present life giue vs such perfection as were requisit to the ful performance of his whole law therfore we can neuer do throughly the things that he coÌ„maÌ„deth vs. And forasmuch as we be not able to performe theÌ„ therfore this iudgement is huÌ„dred down vpon our heads that he is cursed which fulfilleth not al the things It behoueth vs to marke well that saying for it is not sayd Cursed bee he that reiecteth the Lawe or which keepeth no poynt at all of it but Cursed be he that dischargeth not himselfe of it poynt by poynt and through stitche as I sayd afore And for that cause also S. Iames too the ende too beate downe mens pride sayth that he which fayleth in any one poynt is giltie of the whole VVee will think this to be very rough dealing at the first sight VVhat say we will God forget al the good that a man hath done for the committing of some one onely fault That would be counted crueltie among men Yea but S. Iames addeth a reason saying He that forbad to murther forbad also to coÌ„mit whordome and he that forbad to steale forbad al the residue too Then if I thinke my selfe to haue satisfied God in forbearing thefte and in the meane while am a whoremaster haue I not offended the maiestie of God And therfore wee must leaue all these peecings for if wee bring God some one peece let all the rest alone what a dealing wil that be â–ª VVe see that one man is giuen to one vice another to another and so euery man would bee priuiledged and dispenst with vnder colour that he had done this or that notwithstaÌ„ding that he missed in some other poynt But God hathe not separated his commaundements asunder He hath not sayde too one man thou shalte not steale and to another Thou shalte not commit aduoutry but he sayth to al men without exception Absteyne yee from whordome absteyne ye from theft absteyne yee from murther Therefore wee must examine our life not by any one commaundement alone but by all the whole law togither But now let vs see if we can find any man that is faultlesse Yee see then that wee must needes bee confounded so long as we stande to be iudged by the law For if Abraham who was the excellentest that euer could be picked out amoÌ„g men should be driuen to enter into account by that it is certayne that he shoulde not misse too bee damned Seeing it is so let vs beare well in minde that it is not for vs too dispute any more for when the Papistes speake of the righteousnesse of faythe they doo but dally and skoffe with God as if he were a lyttle babe Let vs keepe our selues from suche scornfulnesse and when God pronounceth this horrible sentence that all they bee cursed which fulfill not all that is written let vs conceiue such a terrour of it as we may quake before his maiestie yea and euery of vs become his owne iudge and willingly yeeld himselfe giltie and beeing so conuicted of our wretchednesse bewayle our vtter fayling in all things and therevpon imbrace the rightuousnesse that is offered vs in our Lord Iesus Christ taking all our contentment and rest there Now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs so to feele them as we may not only aske him forgiuenesse with true repentance but also pray him to hold vs vp all the tyme of our lyfe till he haue taken vs hence into his owne kingdome and in the meane while to reforme vs more and more by his holy spirit to the end we may haue sure record that we be of the number of his children by gouerning ourselues after that manner in feare and seeke nothing else but to giue ourselues wholly vnto him And so let vs all say Almighty God heauenly father c. The. 18. Sermon which is the fourth vpon the third Chapter 11. That no man is iustifyed by the lavve before God it is manifest for the rightuous shall liue by faith 12. And the lavve is not of saith but the man that doeth those things shall liue in them 13. Christ hath raunsomed vs froÌ„ the curse of the lawe in that he became accursed for vs for it is vvritteÌ„ cursed is he that hangeth on tree 14. That the blissednesse of Abraham myght come vppon the Gentils through Iesus Christ to the end that vve myght receyue the promis of the spirite by fayth WE haue seene that if men be not worse than mad they must needes for all that euer they haue seeke their saluation in our Lord Iesus Christ For if they sticke to the law they shall find nothing there but damnation as hathe bin shewed alreadye and that doth euery man fynde sufficiently by hys owne experience And certesse when as Sainct Paule goeth about in the Epistle to the Romanes to shew that men beguile themselues too grosly by trusting in their owne merites he fayth that the law can worke nothing but Gods wrath and vengeance For although wee bee already sufficiently condemned ere God open his mouth to gyue sentence againste vs yet notwithstanding our naughtinesse is yet deeper ingrauen by the law when he saith that if wee transgresse but some any one point we become enimies to God and his wrath must needes be kindled against vs. VVhat shall we gaine by disputing when the determinate sentence is pronounced by the heauenly iudge There is nother appeale nor pleading that will stande vs in sted So then let vs vnderstand that to haue the true knowledge of the Gospell we must hold vs wholly to our Lorde Iesus Christe that we put not our hope of saluation in any other thyng than in his only mercie and for the performance thereof let euery of vs haue an eye to his owne life For if men sift themselues thoroughly without hipocrisie or feyning surely all cause of pleading will soone be rid away The Papistes will not in any wise graunte that only fayth should make vs acceptable to God and that is bycause they neuer felt throughly what it is to come before Goddes iudgement seate but haue alwayes as it were played with the shadow of it And therefore no maruell though they pardon themselues in all things But the very way to bring vs to the truth and to the pure and right religion is for euery of vs to
God and neuer were moued to true repentance but haue alwayes had their consciences asleepe or rather bewitched none say I but such folks do thinke themselues to deserue aught and they beguyle themselues Then seing that the righteousnesse of the law is shut away from vs and we be vtterly barred from it it behoueth vs to go to another ryghtuousnesse which is that God take vs into his fauour of his owne free goodnesse and in sted of receyuing any thing of our bringing giue vs that thing for our paiment which is none of ours that is to wit the obedience of oure Lord Iesus Christ by deliuering vs from the condemnation wherein we were plunged that is to wit by putting away all our offences and sinnes As much is said of it in another place where Sainct Paul treateth excellently well of the doctrine which we haue heere For he doth also set downe the righteousnesse of the lawe And it is a wonder that the Papists haue bin and yet still are so dulled that they coÌ„sider not the warning that S. Paul giueth here being so faire and cleere as it is For it is always at their tungs end to say what that were a mocking out of al that God hath promised concerning the recoÌ„pence that he wil veld to good works And seing he hath so often sayd that we shal be recoÌ„pensed must he not needes discharge his promise For else men might accuse him of vntruth But Saint Paule telleth them alwayes thus my freendes if we thinke to stand in Gods fauour for our owne desertes let vs consider the promise that is giuen vs. For when there is any controuersie among men either for bying or selling or for any other like thing they will say here is the Indenture let it bee looked vpon I report me too that which is conteyned in it As soone as the deed is read the cace appeareth plaine and the seller will say the ownership of this thing is thine but yet vpon condition that thou haue payed for it If thou haue not payd thou hast nothing to do with it Ye see then that wheÌ„ we fall to scanning for the inheritance of saluation we must resort to the cheefe and originall deed or Indenture that God made betweene himselfe and vs. Nowe that deed or Indenture is the Law Therefore if men will needes bee payed theyr wages according too their seruice they shall finde themselues rather to be banished from the euerlasting life than to come any thing neere it God may say to them that if they performe al that is commaunded them the heritage of saluation is readie for them But nowe remayneth to bee seene whether any man can performe all or no. I haue shewed you alreadie that no man is able to doo it and so are wee euerie one of vs shet quite out of the doores The Papists consider not that but when they heare it sayde that hee which doth those things shal liue in them they beare themselues in hand that that there is no more doubt of the doing thereof it is ynough that God saith the worde In deede God speaketh the worde but hee requireth the performance of it at our handes After the same maner also do they take this text of Saint Paules where he sayth not the hearers of the law but the doers of it shal be iustified The Papists alledge that saying howbeit but to picke out their owne eies withall For S. Paule proâ—eth thereby that we cannot be iustified but by performing all that is commanded vs. The Iewes boasted that the Lawe was giuen vnto them saying Tushe wee haue the Lawe whereby it is tolde vs that we be Gods people Yea but it is with condition And where is the performance of that condition VVill it be found in you No. But S. Paule saith that wee become not righteous by hearing of the Law For it were a fonde matter if we shoulde come to Church too here what is tolde vs and euery man returne home to do what hee listeth himself It behoueth vs to performe whatsoeuer God coÌ„mandeth vs but none of vs performeth it therfore all of vs are damned sayth he The Papistes consider not this consequence but take onely this saying broken off from the rest namely that such as performe the law shall be iustified Yea verely if there were any such but where are they Also in the same Epistle to the Romans he declareth afterward that Gods promising of vs eternall life vpon condition that we performe the Law standeth vs in no steed at all bycause we shall neuer bring it to passe forasmuch as by nature we be vtterly contrary to his rightuousnesse and afterward when he hath begotten vs again by his holy spirit we be so much the more bound vnto him wee haue receyued all our goodnesse at his hande and he shall but crowne his owne giftes in vs. Are these then merits or deseruings No. Howbeeit wee must passe yet further namely that although our Lorde voutchsafe to crowne our woorkes when they be good yet they be but partly good and there will alwayes be matter ynough founde to condemne vs with So then we bee quite and cleane bereft of all trust in our owne righteousnesse not onely bycause our workes are not of sufficient worthinesse before God but also bicause they be to be vtterly mislyked if we shoulde fall to entering into account and that God listed to iudge according to the sayde sentence He that doth these things shall liue in them for it is all one as if he should say you are all of you dead damned and past recouerie For why none of you performeth the things that I require of him and yet you owe them to me And that is the cause why I sayd that we must go to the seconde remedie that is to wit to liue by fayth And S. Paule in the text by me euen now alledged in sted of rehercing the saying of Abacucke which he had set downe in the .xvij. verse of the first chapter sayeth that the rightuousnesse of fayth hath good recorde in the Law For the rightuousnesse of the Lawe that is too say the rule that God giueth vs in his Lawe too iustifie vs with all is that wee shoulde keepe and performe all hys commaundements But the rightuousnesse of fayth speaketh another maner of language For it sayth that it is not for men too seeke in themselues the meanes too make theyr lyfe allowable before God and so to receyue the hyre or crowne of it but that they must rest wholly vppon Gods woorde so as it may be both in their heart and in their mouth For hee that beleeueth with his heart that our Lord Iesus Christ dyed and confesseth with his mouth that he is rizen againe shall by that meanes obteyn rightuousnesse before God VVe see then that Saint Paule vttereth himselfe the more at large to the intent that we should vnderstande that his separating of the rightuousnesse of the Lawe
from the rightuousnesse of fayth is too shewe that they bee vnmatchable and can no more bee ioyned togither than fyre and water True it is that there is no contrarietie betwixt the Lawe and the Gospell as I haue sayde afore for wee knowe that both twaine of them doo come of God But heere it behoueth vs too take Gods meening in such wise as he declareth it to vs which is that by setting the rightuousnesse of the Law before vs he intendeth to humble vs and to make vs condemne our selues when we come before him which thing wee woulde neuer do if he should not bewray our wretchednesse Therfore when he sayth that wee shall be iustifyed by keeping of the Lawe it is all one as if hee should say wretched wightes what woorthinesse or valure weene you to be in your selues VVey my commaundements and consider what they import and therewithall bethinke your selues how euery of you hath liued and ye shall be as good as drowned in despayre VVhen God hath sayd so he addeth the remedie Come saith he to the doctrine of the Gospell And what a maner a one is that Saint Paule alledgeth heere the saying of Abacucke how that the rightuous shall liue by fayth And in the same place which I haue alledged he openeth himselfe howe that it behoueth to resort wholy to our Lorde Iesus Christ For the worde that ought too bee in our mouth and in our heart to bring vs vnto God and too open vs the kingdome of heauen is not a worde that serueth to holde vs downe heere beneath nor too make men beleeue that God will allowe of our owne desertes nor too puffe vs vp with pryde no but too holde vs fast to our Lorde Iesus Christ Therefore when we knowe that our sinnes are wyped out by the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ and that by his resurrection suche rightuousnesse is purchased for vs that in stead of beeing damned too the gulfe of hell which is the heritage that belongeth to vs and whereof we be worthie we be made heyres of the kingdome of heauen and when we know that in Iesus Christ we recouer all that we had lost in Adam and the cursednesse wherein we be wrapped is taken from vs and God hathe sette vs free that is Gods iustifying of vs by fayth And in good fayth when wee haue well considered the circumstance of the text that Saint Paule alledgeth out of the Prophete Abacucke wee shall see plainly that that is the thing wherevnto the holy Ghost leadeth vs. For the Prophete had spoken of the chastizements and corrections which God would send vpon the people so as to looke vnto all shoulde seeme too bee confounded Now therevpon hee sayth that the wicked shall but swell more and more in their pride howbeit that they shall haue no sure footing but shal stūble with all their sway bicause they wil nedes exalt themselues they shall the more cast thēselues down with so much the sorer fouler fal That thē is the thing which the prophet vttereth against the wicked And he addeth on the cōtrarie part but the rightuous shal liue by faith Now wheras he saith that the rightuous shal liue it is all one as if he had said that gods children shal not find their life neere at hand in themselues but that euen when they shall haue traueled ouer all the world vp down it shal seme to thē that there is nowhere any thing else thā the very dungeons of death yet notwithstāding that missing of a presēt life they shal find a life to come when they shall haue nurrished it in their harts mindes by fayth VVe see thē that the Prophets intent is to draw Gods chosen both from the world and frō thēselues to the end they may cleaue wholy vnto him and not seke any other meanes to be saued than by his only grace But S. Paule hath spoken more breefly here bycause he was fully resolued of all that I haue declared heretofore and which hee himselfe hath discoursed that is to witte That fayth teacheth vs too seeke all oure welfare in God But the Lawe teacheth vs the contrarie I say it teacheth vs it to the ende too shewe vs that to seeke it throughly wee must acknowledge that there is not so much as one drop of lyfe in vs. The Lawe then sayth vnto vs go to take yee paynes and do yee so much as ye may winne heauen by it And why doth the Lawe say so Not too feede men in their vaine self trust of weening still that they can deserue well at Gods hād it is not for that but to prepare thē to receyue the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ with lowlinesse For as I haue sayd alreadie when we keepe our selues aloof from God and euery man beares himselfe in hand that he is well worthie to be accepted of him our Lorde will surely be aduenged of such presumptuousnesse and sayth Go to let me see what ye haue done come on and let vs fall to reckening and let him that oweth aught to other pay it Ye shal not be disappointed by me I haue your wages in my hande it is readie for you and if ye shall haue done all that I haue commaunded you feare not but you shall be well payde for your labor Therefore hie you apace and let me see how you will serue me But as I sayd our Lord in saying so prepareth and dispozeth vs to know in what plight we be For when we once perceiue our owne neede then will wee seeke our wantes at his hand Thus ye see how the Lawe leadeth vs to fayth but it is a straunge kinde of leading Howsoeuer the cace stand there is alwaies this cōtrarietie which S. Paule setteth down here namely that we cannot be iustified by fayth except we haue first knowne and acknowledged vnfeynedly that we be damned in our selues and that the groūd of our welfare is to know that there is nothing but damnation in vs. Now at the first sight it might be sayd that S. Paule hath stretched this saying of Abacucks too farre seing he spake there but of the afflictions of this transitorie life The rightuous shall liue that is to say he shal holde out and although God afflict him scourge him yet shall he not quayle if he ground himselfe vpon Gods promises And here the cace concerneth not Gods comforting and deliuering of vs from the miseries wherevnto wee bee subiect in this world but it concerneth our euerlasting saluation which farre passeth all the state of this transitorie life It seemeth therefore that S. Paule applyeth not this Text of the Prophete aright Howbeeit let vs marke that if the Prophet had looked no further than too thys worlde that saying of his had bin very vaine seeing that afflictions are common both to good and bad Againe howe is it that we lyue by fayth Seeing we bee continually subiect to fall into the same daunger
let vs not doubt but that mercie is readie for vs as oft as we seeke it in his name for if we should come with any opinion of our owne deseruings what were that woorth But when we know how deerely the Sonne is beloued of the father and how precious his death was that is the thing wherein we haue full certaintie that God will alwayes heare vs and that wee shall finde him mercifull and fauorable towards vs namely if wee rest wholly vpon that which is tolde vs here which is that our Lord Iesus Christ forbare not euen to become accursed for our sakes Here withall let vs marke how S. Paule sayeth that by that meanes the promis of the spirit came vntoo the Gentyles as it had bin giuen vntoo Abraham Nowe by naming Abraham heere he sheweth that the promis belonged first and formest too those that came of his race For the Iewes had as it were a peculiar interest in the heritage of saluation till suche tyme as God opened the gate too the whole worlde and published his Gospell too the end that all men should bee made parttakers of the redemption that was purchaced by our Lorde Iesus Christe Now then although the sayd promis belonged too the Iewes and was after a sort peculiar too them yet was it after them made common too the whole world And why For it consisteth in spirite and not in Ceremonies By this woorde Spirite Sainct Paule ment too deface all the false opinion of those deceyuers whiche mingled the Lawe and the Gospell toogither He sheweth that all these things namely the Sacrifices Circumcision and such other things are now superfluous Not that there is no profite for vs too gather by the Ceremonies in reading the Lawe but bycause the vse of them is abolished Yee see then that the cause why the promis is at this day called spirituall is for that wee haue no more neede of the old shadowes and figures but are simply called and guyded to our God so as wee may call vppon him with full trust and beyng so adopted by him rest wholly vpon our Lord Iesus Christ as the only foundacion of the Gospell and seeke all our wantes in him That in effect is the thing that S. Paule ment too say in this text And herevpon he vseth another reason too shewe that wee haue our saluation perfectly reueled in the Gospell and neede not any other doctrine than that and also that we bee iustified by the free mercie of our God For the Lawe sayeth he was giuen foure hundred and thirtie yeeres after the promis of saluation Now when any couenant is made though it be but betweene men yet ought it too bee kepte if it bee once throughly agreed vppon Therefore it foloweth that the Lawe was not giuen too disanuall the couenant that God had made with Abraham chiefly in the behalfe of his linage and finally in the behalfe of the whole worlde True it is that at the firste blush this argument of Sainct Paules may seeme very weake for wee knowe that second couenantes do alwayes repeale former couenantes in so much that although men haue made any bargayne yet they may aduyze themselues better and therevppon chaunge their mindes and so the first bargaine shall be as good as buried As much is to bee sayd of Lawes and Statutes For a former Lawe may well bee repealed and disanulled by a second Lawe But Sainct Paule presupposeth the thing that is too be considered in this matter whiche is that when a man hath once promised yea and solemnly bound himself he will not go backe againe but bee as good as his woord Howbeit if bothe the parties agree too chaunge the thing that they had consented on and be bothe of one minde then may it be so But it were no fit similitude too take men that are fickleminded and chaungeable through lightnesse or by better aduice but S. Paule presupposeth a couenant too be made by a man that will stand to it and not fall too skanning afterward how to shift it off by any meanes at all For if any of the parties should doo agaynst the former couenant it were a falsehood that were not to bee borne with among men bicause the things that are inregistred so solemnly ought to bee stood too and performed without any gaynsaying Now then shall there be lesse stedfastnesse in God than in men which are nothing but vanitie The Gospell therefore muste continue vnimpeached notwithstanding that the lawe came in after the making of the free promis This would bee still darke if it should not be declared in order I haue shewed heretofore what comparison S. Paule maketh betweene the Lawe and the Gospell For whereas God promiseth saluation in his Lawe it is vpon condition that men serue him and doo their duetie towards him But that is not done and therefore are wee shet out from all hope of saluation as in respect of the Law not that God is not faithfull on his side but bycause wee keepe not touche with him in performing that which he requireth It is all one as if a man should say I am ready to sell you this thing so you bring mee monie Now if a man bring nother monie nor moneys woorth he can not bee put in possession of the thing that he would haue for the condition is that he must first pay for it So then God promiseth vs the heritage of saluation when wee shall haue serued him but wee be neuer the better for it bycause it is but vpon condicion that we performe that which he requireth of vs and wee bee fraughted with all iniquitie and haue not any thing in vs but vncleannesse and filth in somuche that wee bee iustly odious vnto him And so are wee all condemned in the lawe howbeit God receyueth vs of his free goodnesse in our Lord Iesus Christ in whom he offereth vs the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and will haue vs so too imbrace his offered goodnesse as wee should hold our selues wholly to our Lord Iesus Christ and vtterly renounce ourselues But now sayth Sainct Paul let vs see whither went before other in antiquitie the free promis of saluation or the law VVe know the diuersitie that is betwixt them Then if the law were the auncienter it might seeme that that ought to be sticked too bycause God doth neuer vnsay his wordes nother is variable But if the free promis were the elder and were made before the law was published it is to be concluded that God repented hym not ne called backe his promis at that time ne ment to disanul the sayd couenant for it were too great a diminishing of his bountie and mercie if we should say that he had first bound himselfe of hys owne free goodnesse and promised men saluation without theyr desert and afterward intended to restreyne it as though he meant to inrich himselfe with our good works It were an auk thing too talke after that fashion For Sainct Paul sheweth
that the free promis was giuen afore the law and therefore it followeth that the law came not in to diminish or alter any whit of it but that it continueth still in his owne fulnesse nature and force True it is that our Lord Iesus Christ had not yet shewed himselfe to the worlde when the free promis was made to our father Abraham neuerthelesse it suffiseth that he was ordeyned to be our mediator that by hys meanes men might be reconciled to God Now if any man alledge that it should seeme then that the law was more than needed or else that there was some change and variablenesse in Gods purpose seeing the law came in Sainct Paule discusseth the same in place conuenient and wee must not huddle vp thynges togyther for all cannot be vttered at once nother in an houre nor in a day Therefore it is ynough for vs at this tyme too haue thys poynt made playne and cleere that the promis whereby God hath chosen vs intoo the number of his chyldren was before the lawe and also that the same promis had not any respect to our deseruings nor too any woorthinesse that was in our persons but too Gods meere goodnesse and mercie whych moued hym therevnto without looking for any thing in vs bycause hee saw welynough there was nothyng in vs but vtter miserie And finallye that the sayde promis was grounded in our Lorde Iesus Chryste who had alreadye done the â—â—ffice of a mediator to make vs way vnto God his father This being graunted wee must needes conclude that the promis hath abidden and shall abyde for euer euen to the worlds end And that is sayd expresly bycause the Iewes gloried of their auncetrie But Sainct Paule telleth them that their father Abraham had not the lawe but was contented though he vsed sacrifises and such other like thinges And although he was circumcised in the end yet when he receiued the promis there was not as yet theÌ„ any law writteÌ„ no nor any circumcision at all For Abraham was vncircumcised when he receiued the promis and yet neuerthelesse was iustifyed before he was circumcised and all that was by fayth Sainct Paule therefore sheweth that the Iewes were greatly ouerseene too shole out themselues after that manner from the rest of the whole woâ—ld and to rest continually vpon the figures of the law seeing that Abraham their father and the cheefe patriarch of the Church was iustifyed the sefsame way that we must be at this day that is to saye by Gods meere mercie bycause hee knew himselfe to be a wretched sinner and therefore accursed and damned in Adam and that there was no blissednesse to be hoped for other than that which was promised hym for our Lord Iesus Christs sake Thus yee see what wee haue too beare in mind And for the same cause Sainct Paule exhorteth vs heere too wey well these words when it was sayd vnto Abraham that all nations of the earth should be blissed in his seede Now there are heere two principall poyntes The one is that the blissednesse is promised not only to Abrahams fleshly ofspring as I haue told you already but also to all the world in generall VVe therefore are made partakers thereof wee I say that are issued of the Gentiles that is to say of suche as were heathenfolke and banished from the kingdome of heauen Although then that we were not of that holy linage whiche God had chosen at the beginning yet notwithstanding it behoued saluation to be extended vnto vs. And why so â–ª For it had hin promised before that all Nations shoulde be blissed Seeing it is so shall we say that God hath cut off the greatest parte of his bounteousnesse and will haue no more but the sayde linage of Abraham considering that hee hath alreadye tolde vs that he woulde bee the sauiour of the whole worlde and shewe himselfe a father in time conuenient Yee see then howe the firste poynt is that the making of the sayde promis vnto Abraham was not for his linage alone but for all men howbeit that it were not fulfilled at the first dash For the time of fulnesse was not yet come as we shall see in the Chapter following The second point is that the blissednesse which was promised to Abraham was for his seedes sake For Sainct Paule sayth that God spake not of seedes in the plurall number as of mo than one but of one onely seede whiche must be concluded to be Iesus Christ Heere it myght be supposed that Sainct Paule buzied his head about a needelesse matter For the word Seede importeth a linage or ofspring that is to witte not some one man or ten or fortie but a whole people Therefore the Seede of Abraham is the people that came of hym whyche were so many in number that it was iustly sayde of them that they shoulde bee as it were twelue Nations For when mention is made of a people it will bee thought ynough to haue a hundred thousand of them togither and there were many mo in the onely tribe of Iuda So then it should seeme that Sainct Paule dyd not sufficiently consider what God meant by the word seede when he sayd that it is but one only man But wee must wey well the thyngs that Sainct Paule presupposeth heere as fully certaine and resolute and then shall wee perceyue his argumentes to be vtterly infallible Abraham had not one sonne alone but after Ismaell he had Isaac also And what became of his eldest sonne Hee was cut off from hys house as we shall see within a whyle that is to say in the Chapter following Beholde then Ismaell whiche had the birthright in Abrahams house is neuerthelesse put out and made an vtter straunger yea and as a rotten member in somuch that it is sayd of hym Cast out the sonne of the handseruante for hee shall not inherit in my house Afterwarde Abraham had other children but euery of them had their portions giuen vnto them and were sent away Thus was onely Isaac left at home vntoo hym Anon after Isaac had a cupple of children and they were twinnes of one wombe Esau the firstborne whiche ought too haue hadde the prefermente was lykewise cast off so as hee was not counted for the linage of Abraham nor yet was made partaker of the promised blissing There was no mo left but Iacob Yea and although the father blissed his sonne Iacob through ignorance and mistaking yet he declareth that it was not in him to reuoke or chaunge the thing that hee had vttered with his mouth bycause he was the instrument of the holy Ghost Now then if we take the seede of Abraham for all those that came of his race The Ismaelites or Agarenes as they be called and such other lyke and moreouer the Edomites also should be of his houshold But the heritage is taken quite and cleane from them Therefore the seede of Abraham must be considered after a peculiar
knowing well that although wee bee of the race of cursed Adam yet notwithstanding for asmuch as wee bee blissed agayne in Iesus Chryste hee acknowledgeth vs alwayes for his Children bycause wee be grounded vppon the free adoption whiche not without cause he willed too bee published through the whole worlde to the intent we might haue the gate opened and the way made easie for vs to come vnto him But now let vs fal downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs perceiue them more and more that we may in suche wise mislike of them as we may labour and indeuer ourselues to honor and serue him in true obedience all our life long and whereas we cannot do it to the full for that is vnpossible considering our frailtie that hee will hold vs vp till he haue rid vs of al the corruptions of our flesh and clothed vs againe with his owne rightuousnesse the whiche he beginneth in vs already as now and giueth vs certayne firstfrutes of it to assure vs that he will performe the thing that he hathe begonne And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. The .xx. Sermon which is the sixth vpon the third Chapter 15. BrethreÌ„ I speake after the maner of men Although it be but a mans Testament yet if it be proued no man breaketh it or putteth aught to it 16. Novv the promises vvere spoken to Abraham and his seede He sayth not and to the seedes as speaking of manie but as of one and in thy seede vvhiche is Christe 17. This is it that I say as touching the couenant that vvas confirmed before by God in Christe the lavv vvhich came foure hundred and thirtie yeeres after cannot impeach or abolish the promis 11. For if the inheritaÌ„ce come by the lavv then commeth it not of promis but God gaue it to Abraham by promis IT were great shame for vs if God should beare no more sway with vs than mortall creatures For what comparison is there betwixt his maiestie and the state of men which are but a fading shadow And yet notwithstanding it is an ordinarie matter with men too preferre themselues before God which is so ougly a thyng that if the Sunne were matched with the darknesse of hell it were not so great a confusion as to exalt men aboue him to whome all honor belongeth But howsoeuer the cace stande it is a vice as I sayd which hath euermore reigned and stil reigneth at this day too much in the world For looke what man speaketh it shall strayghtways be beleeued and if folke be loth to do it of their owne good will yet must they be fayne to hold them to it in all matters that are allowed by law Behold God speaketh yea and that right substantially so as he ouerslippeth not any thing that may giue credite and assurednesse to his word and yet notwithstanding we bee always in a mamering or else we fall to flat reasoning against hym Must it not needes be then that we be out of our wittes when wee diminish Gods authoritie after that fashion and yeeld more credit to creatures than to him that made both heauen and earth wyth his only word and mainteyneth all things by the same That is the cause why S. Paule in this text vseth this preface I speake sayth he after the manner of men For if hee had sayd no more but thys Couenantes shall bee kept heere bylow without breaking or repealing and therefore needes must Gods promis bee euerlasting that had bin true but yet had he spoken too coldly of Gods maiestie in raunging him so in aray among earthly creatures But whereas hee sayth that hee speaketh after the manner of men it is all one as if he had sayd that he vseth not such maner of stile and speech as might beseeme to treate of the maiestie of God For both the Sunne and Moone ought too forgo their brightnesse when Gods glory commeth in presence All of it must needes bee darkened what shall then become of those that are but as flyes frogges crauling vpon the earth For make men neuer so much of their painted sheath yet are they lesse than naught worthe before God Now when wee heere this wee should bee the more restreyned that wee vse no replying but with all reuerence take in good worth the thing that is tolde vs heere that is too wit that if God haue voutsafed too giue them full assurednesse of their saluation which receiue the promise that is preached vntoo them wee must not take vpon vs to reason against him For when a deede is passed among men if it bee entered of record it shall be receyued and go for good euidence and what then shall bee done when God shall haue opened his holy mouth to beare vs recorde of his good will Is there any solemnitie among men that commeth neere too the glory of God who will haue vs too sticke too that which he hath spoken and vttered True it is as I haue touched alreadie that we ought to fight agaynst the lewdnesse which is rooted in vs too yeelde credite vnto God for wee bee so bent to mistrustfulnesse that not one worde of the things whiche God hathe vttered shall euer haue setling in our harts except wee haue fought agaynst the vice wherein wee bee so sore intangled So then euery of vs when he commeth too bee taught in Gods worde must examine what is in himselfe and when he seeth him selfe subiect still too many distrustes and doubts he must mislike of it and pray God to touch all his senses in suche wise too the quicke that he may rest wholly vpon the thing which he heareth at his hande according also as it is the office of the holy Ghost to seale in our hearts the truthe which is certayne inough of it selfe howbeeit that it bee not certayne vnto vs till it be assured too vs from aboue For if wee were of our owne mouing inclined to beleeue God the holy Ghoste should not neede to worke in that behalfe But it is sayde that he is the very Seale wherewith God marketh vs and whereby â–ª he imprinteth and ingraueth in our harts the â—â—ings whiche else should neuer be receyued Yea and wee must also marke well that Sainct Paule setteth downe heere two wordes namely that no man diminisheth or disanulleth the thing that is authorized among men by lawfull and orderly meanes nor also addeth any thing too it For althoughe wee bee not alwayes vtter rebels yet are our wittes stil tickling vs too make some additions and gloses to Gods worde and we can not abide to holde vs to the simplicitie that is conteyned there Then if wee consider well what wee bee without selfe soothing euery of vs shall finde two vices in vs. The one is that when God hath spoken vnto vs wee can not throughly consent to say Amen vnfaynedly or to accept his promises or to bee
with the Law And wherefore was it giuen To proue men double giltie before God that their hypocrisie might not stand them in any more stead nor they haue occasion to flatter themselues any more or too shrowde themselues vnder their vayne excuces as they haue bin wont too doo And that is the cause why S. Paule in the fourth too the Romanes reasoneth that a man cannot bee iustified by the Law For sayeth he the Lawe bringeth nothing but wrath And by the woord wrath he meeneth Gods vengeance Lyfe and death cannot come both of the Lawe but in sundry respectes Now the Lawe is deathfull vntoo all of vs so that it condemneth vs and sheweth vs that wee bee all cursed and abhominable before God and therfore what a fōdnesse is it to seeke rightuousnesse by it as who should say that God ought to take vs into his fauour for the keeping of it But he declareth this mater more familiarly in the .vii. to the Romanes when hee sayth that by the Lawe sinne becommeth out of measure sinfull For there is ynough to condemne vs though there were no lawe at all according as it is sayde that they which sinne without lawe shall perish without lawe that is to wit although the heathen folke had no instruction whereby to be rebuked yet had they a recorde ingrauen in their consciences which did find them guiltie Ye see then that men are sufficiently worthy to be condemned though God go not vp into his iudgement seate nor cyte them nor examin them howbeeit that such as sinne and offende agaynst God charge not themselues with their faults For we be so giuē to selfsoothing that euerie of vs weltereth and sleepeth in his owne filth insomuch that till the lawe touch vs too the quicke our consciences are as it were benummed and to be short euerie man dispenseth with himselfe and taketh leaue too doo euill But when the Lawe steppeth forth then is sinne knowne and euerie man spite of his teeth must be faine to stoupe before God or else gnashe his teeth at him as a rebell Neuerthelesse God gathereth vs too him by the lawe by bringing vs to the knowledge of our cursednesse To be short it is al one as if a man had his face all berayed euery man might mocke at him but he himselfe should not see it But if one bring him a glasse he is ashamed of himselfe and hydes his face and goes his way too wash his face when hee sees it so disfigured with filthinesse Or if a man be so yll fauoured that he maketh folke afrayd with his looke he thinketh not that that fault commeth of his owne person till he haue a looking glasse set before him Euen so is it with vs. For though all of vs be saped in wickednesse and sinne insomuch that heauen and earth are ashamed of vs and God prepareth horrible condemnation for vs yet ceasse we not too keepe on our race and to be retchlesse still And why so For our sinfulnesse is vnknowne to vs and hypocrisie doth so blindfolde our eyes that we perceyue not our owne cursednesse But the Lawe sheweth vs what we bee and therewithall setteth Gods iudgemēt before vs. For on the one side it sayth ye shall do all these things vnder payne of cursing And what maner of things are they it is not ynough for vs to absteyne onely in respect of our feete handes eyes and eares but we must be pure and clere from all lusting there must be such an vncorruptnesse in vs that all our senses thoughts and affections must ame at God so as no inticements of this worlde may holde vs backe And where is this to be founde Besydes thys beholde God beeing sette as a Iudge in his seate hathe alreadie gyuen sentence of cursednesse vppon vs as soone as wee bee founde too bee transgressers as wee bee Yee see then that mankynde is in miserable taking And that is it that Saint Paule ment in this Text when hee sayde that the Lawe was added for transgression It is true that the Lawe serueth too other purposes also namely first of all too shewe vs the waye too serue God But wee knowe that hee will bee honoured wyth obedience and not haue euery of vs too behaue himselfe after his owne lyking The Lawe therefore gyueth vs the difference betweene good and euill For what is the reasonable seruice which wee owe vnto God It is too submit our selues too his wyll sayeth Sainct Paule Seeing it is so yee perceyue that the Lawe serueth to excellent good purpose namely that whereas wee labour in vayne too serue God after our owne imagination it sheweth vs the waye in suche wyse as wee cannot mysse and gyueth vs the rule whiche wee ought too keepe by Furthermore when Sainct Paule sayd that the Lawe was gyuen bycause of transgression it came not in his minde to rehearse all the frute and profite which the Lawe bringeth with it for as I haue sayde alreadie it serueth also for our instruction that wee might learne too discerne betweene good and euill and againe it quickeneth vs vp as thoughe God shoulde gyue vs strokes with the spurre too make vs apply our selues the more diligently vnto hym But hee spake according too this present matter and according too the grounde of the text that he treateth of Now then he sheweth that the Lawe is not superfluous and yet that it serueth not to bring vs too rightuousnesse but in stead thereof caryeth vs to such confusion that we must needes be founde to be double sinners and are more condemned and lesse excusable than before so as there is nothing before vs but a bottomlesse goulfe Lo to what end the Law was giuen vs. But hee sayeth that it was added too the promise whereby wee bee done too vnderstand that the adding of it was not for that the promise was weake of it self and vnable to bring men to saluation so as there shoulde neede some other incomme it was nothing so sayeth Saint Paule but it was added too make menne knowe that God had rightfully condemned them all and that they coulde not haue any releefe but shoulde bee continually tormented with such vnquietnesse that they shoulde bee alwayes in dispayre till they rested themselues vpon the sayde promise Nowe if it be alledged that the promise might haue serued that turne afore the answere and solution is verie easie For although God in offering himselfe to be our Sauiour do thereby shewe that we bee all damned in our selues till he haue pitie vpon vs yet can we not be helped as were requisite vntill suche tyme as hee scare vs. By hys promyse hee calleth vs gently and after a fatherly maner and no doubt but the same ought to make vs perceyue our miseryes and to bee sorie for them but we bee so fast asleepe in our sinnes that we neuer thinke on them except we be compelled Although then that vpon Gods making of the promise men had cause
to lament their sinnes to the end they might rest themselues wholy vppon the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ yet did they it not till God had striken them as it had bin with many blowes of a Beetle vpon the heade which thing he did by the Lawe Moreouer Saint Paule sheweth that we abuse the gentlenesse of our God through our vnthankfulnesse bycause that the more curteous hee sheweth himselfe towardes vs the more occasion do we take thereby too flatter our selues Therefore hee must bee fayne too rouze vs vp and to make vs feele what we bee thereby too scare vs and driue vs too seeke his fauour in good earnest Thus yee see what the woorde Added importeth It is all one if Saint Paule shoulde blame vs for that wee make not oure profite of Gods goodnesse seeyng hee allureth vs so gently vntoo him and sheweth himselfe as meelde as may bee but greeue him and after a sort inforce hym too vse rygour agaynst vs too beate vs downe by that meanes and so to prepare vs too the seeking of hys grace the which wee shall finde in oure Lorde Iesus Christ whensoeuer wee lyst And heerewythall Saint Paule addeth that the Lawe serued but till the seede came to whome the promise was made This concerneth properlye the Ceremonyes or else wee must take it too bee spoken of the Lawe with all his appurtenances circumstances and appendants as men terme them If we take the Lawe for no more but the ten commaundements the thing that S. Paule speaketh will not stande For the lawe must euen at this day haue such force with vs as to be our rule of good life and to shewe vs Gods will that we may not liue like vagabondes and gad abrode at aladuenture but haue our way plaine before vs. The lawe then is not transitorie in respect of shewing vs what is good for it must continue to the worldes ende But wee must marke Sainct Paules discourse for he taketh the lawe as conteyning the promises and threatnings and also the Ceremonies Then on the one side there is this promise he that doth these things shall liue in them as we haue seene heeretofore And on the other side there is this threat cursed is he that fulfilleth not all that is conteyned heere Now the lawe as we see promiseth saluation to none but such as liue purely and vncorruptly but all of vs come short of that and therefore the promise of the lawe is to no purpose Marke that for one poynt If it be alledged what Sirra Ment God too mocke men I say no but they haue alwayes beguiled themselues with vainglorie and presumption bearing themselues in hande that they could purchace their owne saluation and therefore God is fayne too say vntoo them Goto if ye bee so able men as ye thinke shew it as for me I giue you my Lawe and bicause you shall not thinke your selues ill delt with for your seruing of me your wages is readie for you if you performe it Beholde I assure you of euerlasting life out of hande nowe let me see a little what you can do buskle your selues to your worke But when men haue tryed the vttermost that is in them surely they shall perceyue their owne weakenesse which was hidden afore Thus ye see that the promise of the Lawe can haue none effect towardes vs and yet it is not guilefull for it serueth vs to another ende As touching the threates of it it is infallible for we be all damned by this threatning Cursed is he that performeth not all But we come so farre short of performing all that there is not one poynt but wee fayle of it If wee thinke too serue God by halues it is nothing for he hath not separated one peece from another but will that he which walketh in chastitie shall also abstain from theft robberie craft extortion and all other sinnes Seeing it is so let vs marke that the threate holdeth all shet vp vnder it and that is the thing that Saint Paule had an eye vnto As touching the Ceremonies they were a confirmation that all of vs are accursed according as I haue tolde you howe Saint Paule in his Epistle to the Collossians lykeneth them to obligations and autenticall euidence that serue too holde a man most straytly bounde If a man haue borowed a peece of money he is a detter and giueth a bill of his hande for it But if hee binde his goodes or bodie for it by recognisance or Statute so as his deede is inrolled of common Recorde then is he bounde more straytly than hee was before Euen so is it with the Ceremonies The lawe of it selfe was ynough too condemne men bicause they are all offenders howbeeit forasmuch as God saw the pride that is rooted in our nature he added the Ceremonies for an ouerplus to the ende they shoulde be as a solemne bonde agaynst vs. But nowe Saint Paule sayth that all this geere serued but till the promised seede were come that is too wit that the lawe serued not too holde those in slauerie and bondage which put their trust in our Lorde Iesus Christ but to bring them to him that there they might find the thing which they wanted in the law So then wee see that Gods vsing of rygour in condemning of vs procureth our welfare and his thundering vppon vs after that fashion is a witnesse of his singular goodnesse towardes vs. And why so I haue tolde you alreadie and experience sheweth it too much that we ceasse not to abuse his gentlenesse and too drawe it cleane contrarie to his meening Therefore he is fayne to rouze vs vp and to shew himselfe to be our iudge and to make vs heere this dreadfull sentence able to cast vs into dispayre that there is nothing for vs to looke for but euerlasting death and finally too confirme and ratifie the same sentence still Yea but all this is but too make vs stoupe that beeing at our wittes ende we should flee to our Lorde Iesus Christ with a true and vnfeyned zeale and learne to rest vpon him when we bee troubled with vnquietnesse and torment of conscience Thus ye see why Saint Paule hath sayd expressely that the lawe was giuen too continue no longer than till the promised seede was come Nowe if a man demaunde howe then did the fathers obteyne saluation I answere that the lawe raigned and had his full scope as in respect of outwarde order before the comming of oure Lorde Iesus Christ but yet for all that the fathers myssed not too resort too the grace that was promysed them although they sawe it not as wee shall see more plainely hereafter Then is it a thing vtterly out of all doubt that the Lawe did nothing preiudice the promise nor was added for any helpe of it as though the promise had not bin sufficient of it selfe too saluation but that it serued too correct mennes pryde and presumptuousnesse too the ende they might with all
Christ who is the fountayne and welspring of all blissednesse Nowe let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him too make vs perceyue them more and more so as we may mislike of them and not onely confesse them with our mouth but also lay open our hearts before him and submit our selues wholly to his holy word and that in suche wise as wee may bee comforted by his free goodnesse as it is shewed vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ and he reforme vs also by his holy spirite too the ende that whereas wee of our selues be full of rebelliousnesse we may by his gouerning become teachable and readie to follow his holy will and to giue our selues ouer all wholly vnto him And let vs pray vnto him for all these things saying Almightie God heauenly father c. The .xxij. Sermon which is the eyght vpon the third Chapter 21 Is the lavv then agaynst the promises of God God forbyd For if the lavve vvere giuen too iustifie truely ryghtuousnesse shoulde come by the Lavve 22 But the Scripture hath shut vp all vnder sinne to the intent that the promise by the saythe of Iesus Christ should begiuen to those that beleeue 23 Novv before that fayth came vve vvere kept vnder the lavve shut vp to come to the fayth that vvas to bee reuealed 24 By meanes vvhereof the Lavv vvas our scholemaster to leade vs vnto Christ that vvee might bee iustified by fayth 25 But novv that fayth is come vvee bee no more vnder the Scholemaster WE haue alreadie this morning dispatched this poynt that the Law was not giuen in vayne though it coulde not bring vs too righteousnesse to make vs acceptable to God SecoÌ„dly it was shewed you that Gods giuing of hys Lawe was not to the intent we should seeke our righteousnesse and saluation there as though his grace had bin weake and vnsufficient but for a farre other respect that is to wit to giue men suche knowledge of their sinnes as they might be ashamed of them in theÌ„ selues for otherwise they could not be touched to the quicke to flee to our Lorde Iesus Christ for refuge as we see too much And now S. Paule moueth another question namely whether the lawe bee agaynst the promises For surely when it is sayde that the lawe promiseth vs saluation vpon condition that wee deserue it and the promise of the Gospell telleth vs that wee shall bee taken into Gods fauour without any deseruing a man would thinke there were some contrarietie in the matter As if a man shoulde offer mee a house so I would pay wel for it and did set me a price of it and another man should say vnto me no thou shalt haue it for nothing There is great contrarietie in these sayings And it seemeth that in speaking after that fashion God vnsayeth that which he had spoken in hys law where he sayth Serue me and keepe my commaundements you shall not misse of your wages For in the Gospell he speaketh another language saying I require nothing of you for yee bee so wretched that ye can giue me nothing but I receyue you into my kingdome frankly and of mine owne free goodnesse without any desert of yours your heritage is assigned to you euen bicause it is my good pleasure to doo it Heerevpon S. Paule declareth that although God speake after another maner and fashion in the lawe than in the Gospel yet notwithstanding when we haue well considered the marke that he shooteth at wee shal perceyue there is no contrarietie in the matter For as I haue tolde you this morning Gods promising of rewarde to our works is not to beguyle vs but to stop our mouthes that wee might not repine agaynst him as we see that the world doth which is alwayes ready to carpe at him with diuelish malapertnesse wheÌ„ he handleth them not after their owne will and liking God then cutteth off all occasion of grudging when he telleth vs that wee shall not be disappoynted of our wages for our wel seruing of him Furthermore let euery of vs examine him selfe well and he shal finde that that is not the match wherby we must obteyne saluation for there is none of vs all but he may condemne him self by his own life if he iudge without flattering But after that God hath spoken after that fashioÌ„ he offereth vs remedie in the Gospell and telleth vs that for as much as we be damned and can not hope to attayne any saluation by our works he him selfe offered it vs of his own free goodnesse bicause it pleaseth him so to doo And for that cause S. Paule answereth If the law had bin giuen to iustifie I coulde wel inough graunt that righteousnesse should be giuen vs by it But let vs see whether God ment that or no. It is certayne he ment it not Then sendeth he vs to Gods purpose as if he should say that the Hypocrites which are so puffed vp with pride ouerweening that they think they be able to iustifie them selues to win heauen are il expounders of Gods law yea falsifiers therof For men must alwayes haue an eye to the intent of the speaker Now God ment not to set men a gog with any trust in their own wit deseruings for we be too much giuen to that of our own nature VVe see it hath bin a common error through the whole world in all ages Therfore we nede no scholing to persuade vs that we be able folke that we can bind God to vs by our vertuous doings But contrariwise God hath giuen vs his lawe to the intent we should be wounded with it as with a sword the stripe be so deadly as we might be constrayned to flee to him for succor Seeing then that Gods will it to slea vs by the Law it is not giuen vs to make vs righteous And therfore they that seeke their life welfare there beguile them selues and there is no reason why they should alledge for theÌ„ selues yea how so God hath promised me it No but they must consider to what end he saith so Now we see how S. Paul hath discussed this question that there is no contrarietie betweene the Law the Gospel though God alter the maner of his speech at the first blush Now he addeth afterwarde That the Scripture hath shut vp all â—â—â—der sinne that we might obteyne the promise by the fayth of our Lorde Iesus Christ. VVhen he sayth that the scripture hathe shutte vp all vnder sinne he sheweth that men are too-too blockishe too thinke that God ment too assigne them a due wages or hire when he dyd set them downe this condition He that dooth these thinges shall liue in them Lette them reade the whole lawe let them searche the contents and substance of it let them looke well vpon the whole holy Scripture and they shall finde that it accuseth and condemneth all men from the moste to the
outward gouernement And the better to expresse that hee alledgeth a similitude which we ought to be well acquainted with For if a father leaue his children fatherlesse and vnder yeeres of discretion he will appoint tutors and gouernors of them till they come too full age VVhen the father is deceassed his children shall be vnder Tutors and gouerners without enioying of the goodes that their father hath left them â–ª and yet do the goodes beloÌ„g to them neuerthelesse they haue not the rule of themselues but in sted of following their wanton appetite men giue them schoolebutter with a rodde Thus ye see that although the children be heires yet haue they not libertie at the firste day bycause they bee too weake and haue nother wisedome nor discretion Now according to this similitude Sainct Paule sayth that the fathers that is to say the Iewes which lyued vnder the law were Gods childreÌ„ and heires as well as we but that the Church was theÌ„ as it were vnder age as a yong child needed a bridle and therefore they were in â—â—â—age subiectioÌ„ of the law S. Paule then compareth Gods law whereby the Iewes were hylde in streight awe vnder the yoke of Ceremonies I say he compareth it to a Tutorship But nowe is that time past and gone sayth he for God hath sent his only sonne in somuch that in our Lorde we bee men groweÌ„ and are come to such perfectioÌ„ of age that the gouernment which was vnder the law is now superfluous vnprofitable yea it should be altogither contrary to Gods will and to the order which he hath stablished And so we see whereat S. Paule amed For it is a thing of great importance to know that our Lorde Iesus Christ is no newcome thing as though god had sodenly bethought him to remedie the destruction of mankind For Christ had that power from the beginning and it behoued all men to seeke their saluation in him for the faith hath always bin one selfsame as the Apostle alledgeth in the Epistle to the Hebrues And truly Abels sacrifices were not accepted for any worthinesse that was in his own person nor for any valew that was in him but only by the meanes of faith faith was faine to be his foundatioÌ„ and buttresse In respect whereof also the Apostle sayth that our Lorde Iesus Christ whiche was yesterday is also to day and shall be stil to the end Therefore we must be well resolued of this point as a thing vndoubted out of all question namely that wee in these days haue not any newe hope of atteining to saluation but the very same that hath bin at al times heretofore and that the Gospell is not a newfound doctrine forged within these few yeeres but the very same doctrine wherein all the rightuous men that euer were haue bin instructed And truly it hath bin said heretofore that we be made the childreÌ„ of adoption when we once haue our Lord Iesus Christ For S. Paule intended to rebuke the folie presumptuousnes that was in the Iewes for that they boasted always of their earthly linage He sheweth that in this behalf we must haue respect of nothing but of the incorruptible seede of Gods word whereby wee bee begotten new agayne Now when God adopteth vs and receiueth vs to bee his children theÌ„ doth he auow vs to be the spiritual ofspring of Abraham How then caÌ„ we be AbrahaÌ„s children except we agree with him in faith Ye see then that Paules handling of this point here is to good purpose namely to do vs to vnâ—â—â—staÌ„d that froÌ„ al time out of mind then hath not bin any other meane to renue men to saluation and too bring them into Gods fauour and loue than by trusting in Iesus Christ and by fleeing altogither vnto him for refuge Thus yee see why it is sayd that yong children are masters of the house and that the inheritance belongeth to them though they do not yet enioy it by reason of their age And heere we haue also to marke further that it wer great wrong to the fathers of old time to shet them out of the felowship and onement of the faith that is shewed heere by Sainct Paule For their life was of all mens most miserable bycause God kept them occupyed with many afflictions and the liues of the fathers specially of those whome God marked out too make them excellent were all mirrors of inuincible patience For what things indured Abraham How hard and great incounters dyd hee heare out VVhat manner of temptations did Isaac and likewise Iacob abide Again what vertues see we in Dauid Now if they had set their mind vpon this world they had bin in worse plight than the brute beasts Therefore as I haue sayd afore it must needes bee that they looked higher and that did they witnesse sufficiently not only by word of mouth but also by deede Then let vs marke well the point that is set downe heere whiche is that the fathers hoped for the selfsame heritage that we looke for euen by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ And for asmuch as we agree with Abraham Dauid the other holy kings Prophets in faith we shall be gathred into the heauenly life with theÌ„ obtein the same crowne of saluatioÌ„ with theÌ„ which is the reward of faith as S. Peter termeth it in his first Epistle Furthermore wheras S. Paule sayth that the child differeth nothing froÌ„ a seruant he doth it always to magnify Gods grace towards vs and the priuiledge which we obteine by meanes of the Gospell It is much for vs to be called the children of Abraham but it is much more wheÌ„ it is said of vs that God hath aduanced vs to a higher degree by the Gospell than euer Abraham came vnto For in asmuch as our Lord Iesus Christ was not yet come he was vnder the yoke of the law But we at this day are free from it and so ye see that God hath exalted vs aboue all the Patriarks and Prophets And wel ought we to acknowledge this grace and to esteeme it as it deserueth to the end weâ—â—â—ay giue ourselues to the seruing of God with the earnester affection and zele But as I haue touched already we must marke that S. Paule speakes not heere of any seueral person For there is none of vs all but he ought to confesse himselfe to be much rawer and weaker in faith then were the Prophets and Patriarkes and that doth their liues shew full well Then if we be not come to such perfection as they were how is it sayd that they were as little children and that we be nowadays as it were at the state of men I told you before how S. Paul speaketh not of one man or other but of the common gouernment of the Church For he speaketh not of the men themselues but of the fashion that God vsed in guiding those that are his This will be shewed the better by
How soeuer the cace stand let vs marke well that he which was Lord of heauen and earth tooke that subiection vpoÌ„ him to set vs free from it For we see how our Lord Iesus Christ was circumcyzed and when he came to mans age he kept diligently all that belonged too the lawe of Moyses not that he was bound to do it but to put away the bondage and to breake the bond wherewith wee were as it were pinched and fettered Therefore as oft as the Gospell speaketh to vs of libertie whereof S. Paule doth also treate in this text let vs come backe to our Lord Iesus Christ assuring our selues that he became not bonde after that fashion for nothing Now there is nothing in him which coÌ„teyneth not the performance of our saluation Then must we needes conclude that wee be not any more subiect to the bondage of the lawe or else it would turne too the dishonour of our Lord Iesus Christe For what a thing were it if after his yeelding of himself to subiectioÌ„ for our sakes we should still hold scorne of libertie It were more conuenient that heauen and earth should chaunge their nature than too say that the sonne of God is come downe here bylow and hath abaced himselfe in maner aforesayd and yet that we should esteeme it but as a play or trifling thing For what a dealing were that Now theÌ„ let vs learn that we may now serue our God freely and come directly vnto him without being hild any more so streitly vnder the yoke of the law as the auncient fathers were bicause Iesus Christ is come hath set vs free I haue told you already heretofore in what wise we be deliuered from the law It is not for that it remayneth not still as a rule to frame our life by so as God may gouerne vs haue all superioritie ouer vs. For what a thing were it if we should be worse theÌ„ the Heathen folke vnbeleeuers But it is certaine that they haue the law ingraued in their hartes as sayeth S. Paule He that neuer went too schoole ne hath had any teaching at all nor euer hath herd or red any thing may notwithstaÌ„ding discerne betweene good euill Not that he hath a perfect skill but bicause that howsoeuer the world go with him God to take away all excuce of ignorance would that men should haue that euidence printed in their hartes that theft whoredome extortion deceyt periurie drunkennesse and such other like things are vices to be condemned Also it was his will to haue men know that to blaspheme his name is an irksome thing The Heathen folke knew all this without any teaching Now then if we should be lawlesse vnder pretence that our lord Iesus Christ reigneth ouer vs and hath set vs at libertie what a thing were it There woulde bee greater coÌ„fusion in the Church than there is where Satan hath made a minglemangle and put al things out of order so as there is no bridle at all But whereas it is sayd that we be no more vnder the lawe it is in the same respect whereof mention hath bin made heretofore namely that the Lawe shall not execute any more this sharpnesse and rigour vppon vs too say vnto vs cursed shall he bee that fulfilleth not all things For so long as the threatening remayneth and standeth in force we must needes be as men out of their wittes and as folke vpon the racke ready to be torne in peeces To be short we can haue no rest except the sentence of the law be abolished which is that they which performe not all that is coÌ„tayned in the law shall be accursed But coÌ„trarywise let our consciences beare vs record that God pitieth vs and beareth with our infirmities as a father doth towardes his children and passeth not vpoÌ„ the vyces that are in vs but hideth burieth them so as our seruis is acceptable to him though there be many things amisse in it then are we no more subiect to the law Not that we should be quite without rule nor that the commaundements ought not to be preached continually vnto vs to the end we may know what God hath ordeyned be hild in awe by it but that we should not be out of hart if we fall or halt or make any false steppes or that if we cannot discharge our selues of al things so perfectly as were requisite yet we should not bee vtterly dismayed knowing well that God will alwayes hold vs vp by the hand not enter into accouÌ„t with vs to sift our life rigorously moreouer bycause the Ceremonies that were before the coÌ„ming of our Lord Iesus Christe are no more in vse as they were towardes the fathers of old time who were trayned by them as in their childhood For wheÌ„ the brute beasts were offered in sacrifize euery maÌ„ behild there his owne death as though the bottomlesse gulfe of hell had bin opened too swallow vp the whole world At this day wee knowe that the Sonne of God hath by his offering vp of himselfe in sacrifize and by his sheading of his bloud for vs purchaâ—â—d vs euer lasting redeÌ„ptioÌ„ so that we come with our heads vpright before God not doubting but that we obteyne life by the death of him that was not subiect too it but of his owne good will made himself subiect too it as our suretie to the end that we might be quit and discharged by his death passion Thus ye see that at this day the law is abolished towardes vs that we be deliuered froÌ„ it euen to obtayne the adoption Howbeit in speaking so S. Paule meeneth not that the Patriarkes Kings Prophets and other faythfull folkes that liued vnder the old TestameÌ„t were not the children of God as well as wee or that they knew not themselues to be adopted by fayth as well as wee but that the sayd adoption was not yet so reueled as it is now adayes For as we haue seene the lawe was a Tutor too rule little children But we be come to the age of men bicause the sonne of God hath shewed himselfe and brought vs all perfectnesse by his comming Then seing it is so wee do now inioy the adoption which the fathers did but as it were taste of afore bicause the tyme was not yet come Not that God wrought not in them with such measure of his spirite as he thought good but bicause the cace coÌ„cerneth the order of gouernment that God hild not the persones themselues as I haue sayd already For in those dayes there were shadowes and figures so that it was as a chayne of bondage but now that our Lord Iesus Christ calleth vs to him and that the veyle of the temple is rent asunder he hath prepared vs a Sanctuarie not buylded with mans hand but of a heaueÌ„ly making whereinto wee may boldly enter in asmuch as he is gone in thither before vs. Ye see then that we be receyued fully into
this adoption bicause the law hath no more power ouer vs as it had in the time of the figures and shadowes Nowe too confirme this matter S. Paule addeth that God sheweth that he taketh vs for his children bycause the spirit of his sonne is in vs crying father Speaking of the holy ghost he doth by a circumstance terme him the spirite of our Lorde Iesus Christ For by what title can we be Gods children but bycause wee be meÌ„bers of his onely sonne to whom that right honour and dignitie belongeth by nature For in that our Lord Iesus Christ is called the only sonne of God not only men but also the very Angelles of heauen are excluded from that dignitie so that it belongeth to none but onely to Iesus Christ Howbeeit for asmuch as we bee ioyned vnto him and he will not be separated from vs but sheweth himself to be our head and we haue such vnion with him as the meÌ„bers haue with the head therfore he sayth that eyther we must haue the spirite of our Lord Iesus Christ or else we can haue no familiar accesse to our God too call vpon him as our father and it were too great a presumption for vs too take that honour vppon vs. For if a begger would make himself a riche mans sonne folke would laugh him to skorne and he should be shaken off with al the shame that might be And how then should wee sillie woormes of the earth yea and full of all infection and filthinesse go match our selues with the Angels of heauen to say that God is our father Truely the very Angelles themselues cannot chalendge suche nobilitie but by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ bycause he is their head Then were it greate pryde in vs if wee would take vppon vs too stie aboue the Angelles without coÌ„ming in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ or without hauing his spirit that we might be accepted as members of his body and bee intertayned as it were in his persone And therefore also it is sayde that he maketh intercession for vs and that wee call vppon God in his name For if he were not our spokesman how could we hope too haue our petitions receyued Let vs a little consider the feeblenesse that is in vs when wee intend too pray vntoo God Although wee sigh vnfaynedly and although wee haue good motions to lift vs vp yet do wee faynt and they that thinke too come vnto God with a perfect zele beguile themselues yea euen to grosly But they that humbly acknowledge themselues to be as they bee doo perceyue themselues too halt and stumble euen in the very vertue and streÌ„gth that is giuen theÌ„ Howbeit for asmuch as our Lord Iesus Christ is in the middes staÌ„deth there in our behalf and maketh vs to come neere therfore we may boldly pray And for the same cause did the high Priest in the time of the lawe beare twelue precious stones vpon his brest and other twelue behind vpon his shoulders wherein were written the names of the twelue tribes of Israell For although the people were present in the porche or outter tabernacle yet was there a veyle betwixt him and theÌ„ so as the Sanctuarie was hiddeÌ„ nothing was seene of the things that were done within for a witnesse of Gods presence It wâ—â—â— ynough that the high priest went in in the name of them al hauing in his hand the bloud wherwith Gods wrath was to bee appeazed Then had he the sayd tablet at his brest wherein the names of the twelue trybes that is too say of Gods people were ingrauen Also he had them vppon his shoulders that it might bee sayd howe he was there in the name of the whole Churche Thus yee see how wee crie euen by the spirite of our Lord Iesus Christ vntoo God his father with full assurance that he knoweth and auoweth vs for members of his sonne by whose meanes he receyueth vs into his heauenly kingdome and setteth open the gate vntoo vs so as wee haue accesse vntoo him familiarly And this is expressed yet better by the woord Crie S. Paule coulde well haue sayd wee say but he goeth further as neede was For as I haue touched heretofore here he compareth the old fathers with vs and sheweth that our state is better than theirs bicause God hath shewed himselfe more bountifull towardes vs than he did towardes them that were vnder the lawe That is the cause why he sayeth that we in these dayes do crie out that God is our father yea euen with open mouth and ful libertie and that we come boldly to him glorying that we be taken for his childreÌ„ True it is that the fathers vnder the lawe did also vse the same maner of speeche as when they sayd Lord what shall become of vs if thou receyue vs not to mercie Abraham knoweth vs not no more doth Iacob VVee bee borne of them as touching the flesh howbeit all this naturall kinred is nothing in comparison of the spirituall kinred whereinto thou hast ingreffed vs in the persone of thy sonne Therfore thou art our father After that maner did the whole Churche pray vntoo God as Esay reporteth it And there are many such textes And out of doubte it had bin impossible for the fathers too haue offered vp good petitions and prayers vnto God without that ground that is too wit vnlesse they had bin fully resolued that God tooke them for his children For that is the thing wherein the faythfull differed from the Heathen and vnbeleeuers in all ages The Heathen menne did in deede pray vntoo God howbeeit that was but at all aduenture not knowing whither they should bee herd or no. But our prayer muste bee grounded vppon fayth And Sainct Paules saying shall alwayes bee true namely that wee cannot pray vntoo God except we first know and vnderstand his good will towardes vs. Therefore it must needes followe that they whiche liued vnder the Lawe were fully assured in their consciences that God accepteth them for his children Howbeeit this was shewed them as yee woulde say but with half face so that they prayed beyng wrapped in many shadowes and figures whiche taught them grosly It is true that they offered not themselues without fayth for then had it booted them verie little and that it stood them on hand to ouer come all the lettes that were set before their eyes but yet were they not able too call vpon God with the full certeintie whiche is communicated too vs vnder the Gospell And this is yet better expressed in the eyght too the Romanes where Sainct Paule sayeth that wee haue not now receyued the spirit of fearfulnesse and bondage but the spirit of boldnesse so as we bee able too crie Abba father And by the contrarie member he inlighteneth the matter that might bee darksome in this Texte by reason of the shortnesse of it For he setteth downe the spirite of bondage bycause the Lawe was giuen
that fashion And why For it is all one to pull Christ in peeces and too giue him but the one halfe of that which belongeth fully and wholly vnto him alone He is giuē vs to be our rightuousnesse he is called our peace what betokeneth the word Rightuousnesse That God accepteth vs freely for oure Lord Iesus Christs sake Now thē if we say that we win Gods fauor by our own deserts and that Iesus Christ is but a supplyer of wāts is it not a rending of him in peeces and a dismembering of hym as much as in vs lyeth But that cannot be done nor suffered Moreouer our Lord Iesus Christ is giuen for our satisfaction or amendsmaking for there is none other meanes to set God and vs at one but by knowing that we bee quite and cleane discharged and freely quit of the bond of endlesse death For if wee thinke to ransome our selues by our owne desertes and say that if there be any want in vs Christ shall make it good as a small matter it is a flat mockerie and that is in no wise to be borne with VVe see then that the cause why S. Paule telleth vs that Iesus Christ shal profit vs nothing is that mē should not beguile themselues in deuising a newe Iesus Christ that should do but halfe his dutie for we must receyue him in such wise as he is giuen vs of God his father Now he is giuen vs with condition that we should rid our selues of all selftrust and resort wholly vnto him and furthermore that it should suffice vs to haue him too be our head and thervpon serue God his father offering him al that we haue and assuring our selues that although the same all bee nothing yet notwithstanding howsoeuer we fare it fayleth not to bee taken in good part bicause the adoption that is gone afore groūded in our Lorde Iesus Christ maketh vs and our workes to be alwayes accepted of God vs I say that are nothing woorth and our workes that are but pelting trash and yet notwithstanding God taketh them in good worth bicause he looketh not what wee bee or what we do nor vpon the qualitie or quantitie of our workes but only looketh at this that we come vnto him as members of his only sonne resting wholy vpon the sacrifice whereby he hath redemed vs. And therefore S. Paule for a larger confirmation addeth that he protesteth and witnesseth that he which is circumcised is a detter of the performance of the whole lawe For sayth he Iesus Christ is vnauailable when folke will needes iustifie themselues by that meane VVee haue a declaration cleare and easie ynough of the things that Paule hathe sayde and wee must marke it well bicause it is hard too perswade mē that Iesus Christ is vtterly vnauaylable when they go about to make him vnauylable in any part For although the Turkes and other Heathen folke neuer knewe what Iesus Christ is yet haue they had an opinion fully lyke the Papistes and a man shall finde them to be both of one stampe For there were neuer yet any heathenmē in the world which haue not bin of opinion that they could not satisfie God and yet they haue gloried in their owne workes beleeuing that their saluation or welfare proceeded of them The Heathen men then did alwayes beare themselues in hande that they were able to purchase grace and too deserue somewhat at Gods hande And therevppon they offered Sacryfices knowing not that the same were a figure of Iesus Christ but yet howsoeuer the worlde went they thought too make some satisfaction or amendes Euen so also did the Iewes when they had once marred and corrupted the true meening of the Lawe As much also doo the Papistes at this day fully resoluing that God accepteth theyr dooings and that hee is in a maner bounde too them so too doo Let them then bargaine with him too allowe of theyr dooings though they doo amysse For they bee sure ynough that they can not make satisfaction too the full nor in all poynts but yet on the other syde they say that they can doo more than God hath commaunded and that that shall serue for recompence and payment Nowe forasmuch as it is so harde a matter too perswade men that Iesus Christ will not serue their turne by halues it standeth vs on hand to marke this Text so much the better where Saint Paule sayth that whosoeuer is circumcysed is a detter of the performance of the whole Lawe VVhen Saint Paule speaketh after that sort of Circumcision wee muste marke that hee talketh not according to Gods first instituting of it for too what purpose did God giue it vntoo Abraham Hee gaue it him as a seale of the rightuousnesse of fayth and so dooth he himselfe say in the fourth too the Romanes Therefore the Circumcising of Abraham was not too make him a detter of the performance of the whole Lawe but contrarywise too assure him of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes and that God accepted him for one of his children for oure Lorde Iesus Christes sake Yee see then that Circumcision did set our father Abraham at full libertie VVhy then did hee take it Bicause God gaue it him as a recorde and Sacrament of his free goodnesse But contrarywise those agaynste whome Saint Paule reasoneth tooke Circumcision as a meritorious worke and thought therby to deserue at Gods hande they entered intoo a kinde of bargayning with him as if they shoulde say verie well I am beholding to you for such a thing and I haue done this or that in recompence of it Therfore whensoeuer we fall to indenting after that sort with God we become detters of the performance of the whole Lawe As if he shoulde say yee must not bargaine in this cace men must not beare themselues in hand that they can partly binde God so as he should of right bee in theyr dette and bounde of necessitie to take them into his Paradice for dooing this or that for him No no sayth Saint Paule wee muste go more substancially too worke wee must not fall to bargayning with God to say that he bindeth vs to performe the whole Lawe and that we binde him to giue vs euerlasting life If we come to that poynt wee bee detters of the whole Lawe To bee short Saint Paule stryueth heere agaynst the diuelishe errour that reigneth in the Popedome They terme it a parting rightuousnesse that is too say a rightuousnesse that commeth partly of gods grace and partly of meritorious workes And why so For it is wel knowne that there was neuer yet man in this worlde that performed Gods Lawe and that doth experience shewe too much Forasmuch then as the Papistes as shamelesse as they bee doo knowe well ynough as I sayde that it is too manifest a thing that men are not able to keepe all the Lawe they say we mainteyne not that we bee fully rightuous in all poyntes but wee say that Iesus Christ
is partly our rightuousnesse and redemer and wee our selues doo partly deserue well by our owne woorkes Fie fie sayth Saint Paule whosoeuer falleth too indenting after that fashion too say that hee wyll earne aught at Gods hande or make hym anye recompence so as hee wyll play the hyreling wyth him and make him as it were his detter as if he woulde say I haue done thys and therefore thou shalt pay mee that hee maketh himselfe a detter of the whole and they bee but fonde imaginations wherewith men deceyue themselues thinking that God must be faine to take what they will giue him and to release them all the rest As for example if a man bee bounde too pay a hundreth Crownes and muste needes pay and deliuer them and yet notwithstanding imagineth that his creditor ought to content himselfe if hee bring him but foure florens and say vnto him heere sir take this vpon further reckening and afterwarde bring him halfe a dozen or halfe a score mo to be short do with much ado make vp the thirde or fourth part of the principal beleeueth 〈◊〉 he is by that meanes quite cleane discharged is it not think you to lewd an vnthankfulnesse For beholde his freend opened his purse to helpe him in his neede and spared not himselfe to succour him and yet for all that he will be discharged for bringing I wote not what and for saying here sir take this in ful payment whereas all that he bringeth is not a quarter of the whole summe Men see wel that this were but a mockery what then shal become of such as will needes enter into accoūt with God to deserue at his hand For God auoweth that whosoeuer performeth not all the things that are cōteyned in the law shal be cursed and S. Paule hath alledged the same text VVherto thē doth god bind vs in his law To performe it to the full And who is able to do that Ther is no mā that is able to fulfil any one point of it with such perfection but that there shal alwayes be somwhat amisse And now what do these hypocrites which think thēselues to haue some worthinesse in their own workes They bring this and that wil needes be rightuous in part But God accepteth no such dealing for he will not vnsay this diffinitiue sentence which hee hath vttered with his owne mouth Cursed be he that fulfilleth not all Thus yee see wherevpon S. Paule standeth here when hee sayth that whosoeuer is circumcized is a detter of the whole law As if he had said Let not men beguile themselues any more for God walketh not two wayes at once he hath tolde vs in his Lawe that if wee discharge not our selues fully towardes him wee shall be cursed But there is not any man that dischargeth himself therefore yee see we bee all accursed VVherefore there is none other remedie but to resort wholly to our Lorde Iesus Christ For if wee thinke too make Iesus Christ avaylable in part and therewithall too holde styll somewhat of our owne dooing it is a deceyte for wee muste needes confesse that there is nothing but cursednesse in vs till our Lorde Iesus Christ haue released vs and that wee had neede too seeke our wantes in him in such wise as wee may acknowledge all our owne woorkes to bee nothing woorth no nor any better than filth before God till hee receyue vs for hys children that wee may walke in freedome of conscience knowing that oure sinnes are forgiuen vs by vertue of the satisfaction that is purchased for vs so as God imputeth not our sinnes and misdoings 〈◊〉 to vs bycause hee looketh vpon vs in the persone of his onely sonne Thus yee see howe Saint Paule proueth that which hee had sayde afore that is too witte that Iesus Christ shall not profite any of all those which are circumcyzed For why If they seeke the hope of their saluation in their owne workes they muste discharge themselues throughly and wholly towardes God and not pelt him out with gobbets and morsels as they say but fulfill the whole Lawe without myssing any one iote of it And who is able to bring that to passe For take me the holyest and perfectest man that euer coulde bee founde and he cannot do the hundredth part of that which is commaunded him Yee see then that men are disappoynted of the hope of saluation if they come not voyde and altogyther emptye of all theyr owne merites and giue themselues in such wise too our Lorde Iesus Christ as they acknowledge that they cannot bee iustifyed by hym and by his grace except they haue first renounced all that euer may holde them backe in the trust of any other thing And furthermore whereas Sainct Paule speaketh heere of beeing circumcyzed hee meeneth the errour which the deceyuers did set forth in thinking to binde God to them and to fulfill the whole Lawe As if it shoulde bee sayde nowadayes that all such as keepe the Popes ordinaunces do ouerthrowe the authoritie of our Lorde Iesus Christ Not that a man is damned for not eating of fleshe vppon Frydayes or in Lent tyme but if hee forbeare the eating of fleshe for superstitions sake and thinke to merite by so dooing it is certaine that he renounceth our Lorde Iesus Christ For Christ is giuen vs to be our Aduocate so as wee bee reconcyled too God his father by his meanes and hee hath so set vs free as hee will not haue vs too bee oppressed any more with the traditions of men But they which keepe the Popes traditions bearing themselues in hande that it is deadly sinne too taste fleshe vppon any suche day and that in forbearing it they deserue too well at Gods hande and that they bee good satisfactions yea and that Iesus Christ is well honoured by doing of this or that I say if they acknowledge that they doo also beleeue that the gate of Paradise shoulde be shet agaynst them if it were not opened them by that confession and they thinke it to be the meane to make their attonement with God Nowe in making themselues too beleeue that it is certaine that they make themselues detters as I sayd afore and forsake the grace that was purchased by our Lorde Iesus Christ Now we see how we must profite our selues by this doctrine namely first of all we must vnderstande that God hath tolde vs by his Gospell that wee shall bee welcome as oft as we come too him conditionally notwythstanding that we be not ouercombred by wauering too and fro lyke windeshaken Reedes but bee able too call vppon him freely and with open mouth as vpon our father which hath adopted vs to bee his children Secondly wee must vnderstande that the meane too bee in his fauour is too haue him too forgiue vs our sinnes And why Bicause Iesus Christ hath made satisfaction for them and vtterly discharged vs of them Thirdely wee must vnderstande that this is not done to the intent
therfore the shadowes are not requisite any more If a man were present before mine eyes would I seeke too knowe him by his shadow That were to darksome a dealing and if I might behold him in the face what a doltishnesse were it for mee too turne away from him and to go seeke some tracinges too know him by Euen so is it now adayes with such as turne backe agayne to the old figures They turne their backes vpon Iesus Christ knowing not that the rending asunder of the veyle of the Temple at his death betokened that all the auncient figures were abolished and that wee at this day may enter intoo the heauenly Sanctuarie from the which wee were as good as straungers before To bee short S. Paule ment heere too declare that his condemning of the Ceremonies of the Lawe is not to condemne the fathers that vsed them nor God that was the author of them but to shewe that wee in these dayes haue the truth and substance of them and coÌ„sequently that the things which were shadowed heeretofore are no more so and therefore that wee must content our selues with Iesus Christ who hath brought all perfectioÌ„ with him Thus muche concerning the Ceremonies of the Lawe Now whereas S. Paule sayeth that wee wayte for the hope of rightuousnesse in spirite he vseth a kinde of speache that may seeme straunge for what is ment by wayting for the hope of rightuousnesse Let vs marke that heere S. Paule intended to drawe vs away from all things that are to bee seene in this worlde For bycause wee bee too muche inclyned and subiect too sticking fast heere by lowe when wee haue any thing for our senses too rest vppon so as wee cannot lift vp our mindes aloft and bycause that men are too fleshly they euer couet too haue alâ—â—â—ings open afore their eyes But God purposeth to trie our obedience by referring vs too his pure and single woord And we do then honour him aright when we shet our eyes at all these outwarde things and holde our selues satisfied with Gods will whiche he hath shewed too vs thinking our selues to want nothing when wee haue that For this woord wayt betokeneth that we perceyue not by eyesight the thing that wee wayt for according as it is sayd in the eight too the Romanes and so much the more bycause the woord Hope is added to it Therefore it is as much as if S. Paule had sayd Verely my freendes if a man would go about to know the rightuousnesse of Christians that is too wit that they be Gods children that they be heyres of the heaueÌ„ly life and that God accepteth them as if they were Angelles without spot or blemish I say if a man woulde know this after a worldly maner he should deceyue himself For wee see that the faythfull are despized folke men vouchsafe not too looke vpon them but a skew they beare a lowe sayle to the worldward and to be short there is nother pompe nor outward shewe in the rightuousnesse that wee obteyne by our Lord Iesus Christe For wee seeke not estimation when wee say that before God wee cannot rest vpon any thing but his meere mercie and that all our deseruings hang vpon his meere grace and that we must go out of our selues to haue Iesus Christ as the ful perfection of all goodnesse and welfare VVhen wee speake after that fashion it is not to vaunt our selues but too confesse our selues to be full of all reproche so as all our worthinesse is but dung and filth and all our woorkes vnclennesse and that wee should bee lothely in Gods sight lyke wretched Lazermen that are full of sores and botches if wee were not so washed and clenzed by the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ that God did like well of vs by his meanes Now then the rightuousnesse whiche ought too reigne among the faythfull is not a thing full of pompe nor a thing that is greatly gazed at and commended of the world no but it is vtter wretchednesse And therefore S. Paule sayeth heere that when the world laugheth at our simplicitie bycause they see vs hope after that fashion in our Lord Iesus Christ and euery of vs humbly abace himself euen to the dungeon of hell too the end wee may bee lifted vp by the grace of God too the kingdome of heauâ—â— although the worldlings doo mocke and skorne vs for it yet must wee holde on stedfastly assuring our selues that wee shall not be disappoynted For wee knowe with whom we haue left our gage in keeping namely euen with him that hath promised too call vs too saluation Therefore let vs walke on in the sayde fayth and imbrace Iesus Christ and when wee haue him let vs set light by all the rest Let vs not do him the dishonour and wrong too shrink away from him into a corner and too make him serue our turne but in part but let vs acknowledge that we be iustified throughly and in all poyntes by his meanes Now herevpon a man might yet make a question and say VVhat I pray you were the Ceremonies commaunded in the Lawe without cause why Truely Sainct Paule hath answered this matter sufficiently already Howbeit for asmuch as men are slowe in resoluing of matters that concerne the holding fast of Gods pure truth therefore he sheweth newe againe that there is difference betweene vs and those that liued before the comming of our Lord Iesus Christe Also he had a consideration too stoppe the mouthes of many raylers for if a man preache Gods meere mercie in Iesus Christe by and by some Mastife curres or other fall too barking and caste foorth store of slaunders as is to be seene yet still at this day For if wee condemne the Diuelish selftrust wherewith men beguyle themselues in weening too obtaine saluation by their owne desertes ô how so say they that were a condemning of all good woorkes And after that maner doo the hypocrites now adayes slaunder the doctrine of the Gospell whiche we beare abrode as though wee ment to giue leaue and licence too doo euill that there might bee no more difference betwixt vice and vertue Againe if wee tell them that their Ceremonies are but pelting baggage and that the more they take pryde in them the more abhominable they be before God ô how should that bee say they Behold these fellowes would abolish all religion and what a thing were that Shall God be no more serued and honored such is the speach and talke that is vsed now adayes by those curredogges which cannot abide that our Lord Iesus Christ should be the only foundacion whereon to settle the trust of our saluation nor also abide that wee should bee gouerned by the pure and alonly woord of God And for that cauâ—â— S. Paule sayeth here that in Iesus Christ there is nother Circumcizion nor vncircumcizion but fayth that worketh through charitie In saying that there is nother Circumcizion nor vncircumcizioÌ„ in Iesus Christ he meeneth that Gods
coÌ„maunding of the Ceremonies was but for a time that we must alwayes haue an eye wheretoo he tended namely that he ment to mainteyne the people in hope bycause Iesus Christe was not yet appeered too the world For if they had not had washings and Sacrifizes and such other like things they would haue bin dismayed and the frayltie of man is such that they would haue quite quayled a huÌ„dred thousand times And therfore although they saw not yet fully how they should be saued yet notwithstanding they had therein as it were liuely pictures lookingglasses where they might behold the grace of god Thus ye see how the shadowes and figures serued but for a time So then S. Paule declareth that he wil not in any poynt diminish the authoritie of God who had stablished that Law among the Iewes nor also say that all those things were frutelesse and vnauaylable but that wee nowe after that our Lord Iesus Christe is manifested are come to the fulnesse of time and therefore that wee muste haue no more veyles to keepe vs froÌ„ beholding him face to face according as he is set foorth to vs in the Gospell For whensoeuer the Gospell is preached vnto vs it is all one as if we saw Gods sonne crucified presently before vs or as if wee sawe his bloud streaming downe for so much as wee be besprinkled with it by the power of the holy Ghost as sayeth S. Peter in his first Epistle So then seing that our lord Iesus Christ hath by his death and passioÌ„ opened vs the way whereby wee may come to God his father it is not for vs to buzie our selues any more about the things that were apointed for the time of his abseÌ„ce It is true that he dwelleth not now adayes in the world but yet haue we his Gospel which is the accoÌ„plishmeÌ„t of al things that are needefull to our saluatioÌ„ therfore it is as good as if he were crucified amoÌ„g vs as S. Paule hath sayd already Now that we haue the vnderstanding of these wordes in Iesus Christ that is to wit that the Gospel is preached let vs come to this addition of his that there is nother circumcizion nor vncircumcizion that is too say that those things must hencefoorth ceasse and men muste reste onely vppon charitie And wherefore doth S. Paule add the woord charitie Too shewe that Christenfolke will not be idle and that they haue ynough too occupie themselues about though they keepe not the figures of the Lawe For albeit that it was Gods meening to leade the people vnto Iesus Christ in ordeyning the Sacrifizes circumcizion and all the residue yet notwithstanding men beyng of themselues corrupt marred all And truely the Iewes were of opinion that they bound God too them in offering vp sacrifize but it was cleane contrarie For he that offered sacrifize did there passe a recognissance to binde himself solemnly to cursednesse as if he shoulde say I am woorthie of death in token whereof a poore beast is heere killed and hath his throte cut and is it the beast that hath deserued it no it is I. Yee see then that a man might there behold his owne sinfulnesse like as also it behoued him to seeke his saluation els where than in himself Lo I pray you how the figures ought to haue brought folke too such a lowlinesse that all men from the greatest too the least should haue condemned themselues and therevpon imbracing the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ haue rested themselues wholly vppon that But now adayes in the Popedome there is a like deceytfulnesse vsâ—ed in so much that men do falsifie all that God hath ordeyned As how Looke vpon Baptisme looke vpon the Lordes Supper which were instituted to the end that wee should come and protest before God that wee holde all things of him VVhat is there in Baptisme It is shewed vs there that wee must die in our selues And why so euen bycause there is nothing but frowardnesse and cursednesse in vs so as we bee the children of wrath and vtter straungers vnto God Yee see then in Baptisme a man is vtterly ridde of all his trust in himself In the Supper wee come to seeke our life in Iesus Christ and so are wee starke dead both the wayes Yet for all this the Papistes weene these things too bee meritorious workes And that is the cause why they by the Hellish abhomination of their mischieuous Masse haue falsified yea vtterly defaced all things that our Lord Iesus Christ had appoynted For such a woorke euen as it is done by man or the very working of the deede that is too say the very doing of it as it commeth and proceedeth of man muste say they of necessitie bee meritorious But therein wee see a manifest falshood Howbeit S. Paule ment to go yet further in â—â—buking the hypocrisie of suche as are so much giuen too these outwarde things the lyke whereof is still at this day in the papacie It is true that these miserable wretches take great peynes too serue God they trotte vp and downe without ende or measure but what doo they They martyr themselues in vaine things and such as God neuer required but vtterly mislyketh and yet in the meane whyle there is nothing but hypocrisie in all their dooyngs For what doth the deuoutest person among them but only make much babling and mumbling He must heere Mattins in the night and two or three Masses in a day He must gad on pilgrimage and fast the Lent and Sainctes euens He must keepe all the apes toyes that haue bin appointed at the deuise of men And what are all these things Surely if men put their trust in them they bee diuelishe deuises but although there were none other harme in theÌ„ sauing that euery man followeth his own imaginacions yet are they but gewgawes and Apes toyes before God And why For he loueth obedience better than all sacrifices But if wee will obey God wee must serue hym after a spirituall manner and not with these chyldishe playing toyes Nowe let vs come too that which S. Paule sayth Circumcision sayth he is nothing but faith that woorketh by charitie Hereby he betokeneth that although Ceremonyes bee layd aside wee haue ynough too occupie our selues with in dooyng the things that God commaundeth that is to wit that all the perfection and holinesse of the faythfull consisteth in charitie That is the fulfilling of the Lawe that is the ende and shooteanker wherevntoo God bringeth vs. Therefore if wee haue charitie let vs not thinke that wee bee vnoccupyed But nowe a dayes if a man rebuke the superstitions of Poperie and skorne them saying Go too yee haue much baggage amongst you when yee come at Churche yee besprinckle your selues with holiwater yee kneele down before a puppet yee skud from alter to alter ye do this and that and to be short there is an endlesse hotchpotch of al maner of gewgawes among you and poore soules
make theÌ„ selues vnworthy of it for some be ful of wilinesse malice like foxes some are full of pride like lions some are like rauening wolues that seeke nothing but to deuour al and othersome are ful of shrewd turnes and harmefulnesse like Apes All these as much as in theÌ„ is do cut themselues off froÌ„ the aray companie of neibours but in this cace we may obserue Gods order And although men on their side deserue not to be counted taken for neibours yet notwithstanding in bearing them loue wee shewe it is good reason that God should ouerwey our owne naughtinesse VVee see then that suche as are our enimies labour to deuour vs do notwithstanding not cease to be our neibors in respect of the order that God hath set And for the same cause also our Lord Iesus Christ telleth vs that it is no charitie to recoÌ„pence him that hath done vs a good turne or seruice nor to loue those whom we like off or at whose hands wee looke for some profite For the heathen do as much as that comes too but they do it not to obey God his law and when we haue regard of our own profite it is rather a louing of our selues thaÌ„ any poynt of charitie For the marks that chatitie shooteth at are God and the communion or felowship that ought to be among vs as I haue said afore Now then we see it is a true proofe that we be desirous to loue God when we indeuer to doo good euen too them that are vnworthy of it Moreouer the adding of this saying as our selues is not to the intent that euery man should first loue him selfe and then afterwarde loue his neybour nexte But our Lorde ment too rippe vp the sore thâ—â— hindereth vs too liue in charitie whiche is as I haue tolde you alreadie that if men were not so giuen to selfeloue as they be there would be good loue agreement among all men but forasmuch as wee be so much giuen to loue ourselues and the excesse of that affection blindeth vs in such wise that it bereeueth vs of all reason equitie and vprightnesse therfore God saith that we must loue our neighbours as ourselues For were not that sayd expresly we would talke muche of louing our neighbours say they ought to be loued but all would be but dissimulation after the maner of these hypocrites whiche protest that they would their enimies no harme but rather that they wish them good and could find in their hearts to procure theÌ„ good But let vs come to the triall that God setteth downe heere let euery man looke into himself then let him iudge whether he loue him self to much or no or whether the loue that he beareth towards his neybours be not ouerfaynt cold To be short here God ment to remedie the hypocrisie wherwith we be too much blinded Also he ment to waken men that they might learne to leaue their flattering of theÌ„selues when it is sayd it is not inough for you to loue one an other but ye must loue your neibours as your selues And thereby we see how farre we be wide from the perfection of the Lawe and that it standeth vs in hande to fight agaynst our owne nature that we may obey God VVhat is then the true exercise of Christians It is to acknowledge bewayle their own sinfulnesse and infirmitie in discharging their dutie towards God and thervpon to labor and indeuer to winne of them selues from day to day so as their lustes may not ouermaster them but rather that God may haue such superioritie that in stead of louing our selues we may labour to imploy our selues in dooing good whersoeuer he calleth vs. Furthermore S. Paule hauing shewed the perfection of the law the mark that wee muste ame at to rule our life according to Gods worde addeth that if men doo bite and snatche one at another lyke Dogges and Cattes they muste needes bee consumed in the ende And this is too shame them the more whiche are so fleshed in their quarellings and brawlings and doo so close their eyes agaynst all reason that they care not what come of it so they maye satisfie their luste of reuenging And what shall yee â—â—â—ne by it sayth Sainct Paule Naturally yee couet too preserue youre selues for that is common too vs euen with the beasts Yee see that the beast which hath nother reason nor vnderstanding doth notwithstanding labor to preserue himselfe and shunneth harme Much more reason is it that men which discerne betweene good and bad should haue the same indeuer of mainteyning themselues and of continuing safe sound But now let vs see what followeth vpon hatred quareling brawling strife rayling and such other like things It followeth that wee must bee all consumed in the end Needes then must the diuel haue vtterly bereft them of all reason which rage and rushe foorth after that fashion in their excessyue hatred and cannot by any meanes bee moderated Too bee short S. Paule sheweth that although there were no Lawe of God too make vs afrayd too offend him yet if wee were well aduised or had any droppe of discretion in vs wee should haue some stay of ourselues so as wee should not quarell and brawle one with another as wee doo But wee runne wilfully and as it were of set purpose into our destruction and that is ageinst nature Yee see then how diuelish men become wheÌ„ they bee once chafed insomuch that they seeke their owne decay And why do wee hate our enemies It is bicause wee will needes gyue brydle to our affections But marke our excuce O say wee they ment mee harme they procured it and they haue done it Very wel-what for that VVhat shalt thou win by making two diuels of one as the prouerb sayth or by seeking too make the fyre too burne hotter which is kindled ynough and to much alreadie It wyll but dubble his rage and make him feercer than he was before Seing it is so why wilt thou go about to end the matter with the destruction of you both Howbeit if wee should do it in none other respect than that it were not ynough for therin wee should bee too fleshly For if I absteine from all hatred bycause I shoulde receyue harme by it I doo still seeke mine owne profit But God will haue vs to shet our eyes continually in respect of our owneselues and to shake of all ill will and to tread all strife vnder foote And why To the end that he himselfe may haue all maysterhod ouer vs. And although men giue vs cause too hate them for their naughtinesse yet notwithstanding forasmuch a God hath knit vs together let vs abyde in that vnitie Therfore the honour that wee must yeelde vnto God is to renounce ourselues to the end we may loue them that hate vs. And as I haue tolde you alreadie this warning is not superfluous For Sainct Paules intent is too shame
wind about the simple but do the same to other folk which wee would haue done to our selues Thus yee see howe S. Paule meeneth that fayth is a frute of the spirite Nowe he addeth Meekenesse and gentlenesse bicause that without them it were impossible that there should bee any vnitie or concorde among vs. For if euery man should bee terrible and voyde of gentlenesse it were muche better for vs that wee were wylde beastes Therefore wee must shewe a willingnesse to communicate with those to whome God hath linked vs. Too bee shorte Loue is maynteyned by thys meeknesse goodnesse and gentlenesse whereof S. Paule speaketh heere And now immediatly he addeth Temperance or stayednesse which is not onely an absteyning from other mens goods but also a sober behauiour and a keeping of our selues from all loocenesse excesse and outrage To bee shorte S. Paule hath set downe these vertues whiche he rehearseth for Christians as if he shoulde say that if we be gouerned by the spirite of our Lord Iesus Christ it may 〈…〉 by our life for as muche as wee shall be so hilde in awe that 〈◊〉 shall not runne at rouers as these looce lyuers doo but we shall be charitable and kindharted one to another so as there shall be no wrangling no guyle nor no extortion in vs but euery of vs shall content him selfe with his owne indeuer to serue one anothers turne But yet notwithstanding wee see that all good commeth of Gods spirite Neuerthelesse wee see also that our Lord Iesus Christ is the fountayne out of whiche wee must draw And that if wee be his and belong vnto him as mēbers of his body he will shew in all our whole life that his receiuing of vs and his auowing of vs to be his children is not in vayne Heerevpon S. Paule concludeth that agaynst such vertues or agaynst the men that are indued with them the law hath no power nor force at al. And therfore he sayth in the first to Timothie that the Lawe is not giuen to the righteous but to the vnrighteous and to such as rush out into offences and misdealings Then if the deceyuers that troubled the Churche at that time had knowen well what is the ende of the Law and the Gospell they would not haue presumed to bring the faythfull in bondage after that fashion And therefore S. Paule scorning theyr hypocrisie which was matched with shamelesnesse sheweth that they pretended great zeale of the Lawe and yet bewrayed all maner of wickednesse and contempt of God in their lyfe lyke as now a dayes the Hypocrites in the Popedome crie out lowde agaynst vs that wee ouerthrowe all good workes and intende to bring in a licentiousnesse of all euill and to thrust out all desire of seruing God And why so Bicause wee vncace men out of all their fonde presumption and selfe estimation and shewe them that there is none other meanes to trust in God than by resting vpon his meere goodnesse in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ VVee say flatly that all that euer is termed by the name of merite or deserte is starke abhomination before God For so muche as they beare them selues in hande that they bee their owne Sauiours Yee see then that all loftinesse of man is pulled downe by our doctrine But yet dooth not that importe that euery man should take leaue to doo lewdly and haue no more care of seruing God nor of standing in awe of him But contrariwise wee say that Iesus Christ is giuen vnto vs not one 〈…〉 obteyne forgiuenesse of our sinnes at 〈◊〉 hand by his meanes but also to the end that beeing regenerated by his holy spirit we should walke in newnesse of lyfe And nowe in sooth what maner of men are they that maynteine the desert of good works so stoutly VVe see there is nothing but all kinde of cursed filthinesse in their whole life For if a man would seeke for scoffers that are altogither vnholie and neuer haue so muche as any one feeling that euer they shall come to account but are vtterly doted by Satan surely those are euen they Agayne when as they magnifie good workes what are the things that they would haue men to giue them selues vnto To babble much to go to mattins and euensong to trot from altar too altar too worship puppets too decke them trim too buy store of pardons too gad on pilgrimage and too bee short too mocke God too his face as though all the seruice of God were but a play of young children True it is that they dare not say but it is a good and commendable thing to bee discrete chast sober and so foorth but yet they can easily forbeare all those things so a man keepe their superstitions Too bee shorte all Gods commaundements are thrust vnder foote and as it were troden vpon and to their seeming it is no deuotion nor holinesse excepte a man doo all their gay gewgawes and things of nothing Thus yee see howe the contention that S. Paule had in his tyme indureth still at this day And for that cause he sayth that if his aduersaries agaynst whom he disputeth will maynteyne Gods Lawe they muste consider well to whom it speaketh and they must begin at them selues and that if they intende to make good schollers they must teach them sobernesse meeknesse chastitie patience such other things and moreouer to renounce all their owne wicked lusts These saith S. Paul are the true exercises wherin it behoueth vs to imploy all our indeuer And in the meane while let vs not shutte the gate agaynst Gods children in bereeuing them of the priuiledge that God hath giuen them For when he gouerneth them by his holy spirite he will not haue them subiect any more too the yoke of the Lawe Nowe therevpon S. Paule addeth that all they whiche are in Iesus Christ haue crucified their flesh with the lusts therof Here he sheweth that he 〈…〉 to haue a fleshly libertie and suche a one as the despisers of God 〈…〉 that he requireth chiefly that suche as talke of christian libertie should shewe in deede that they haue crucified all their lusts and concupiscences to the intent thereby to proue them selues the true members of our Lord Iesus Christ And this is needefull for vs to the ende wee may holde vs to the lawfull order and marke which God pointeth vs too when we would knowe what true libertie is Nowe a dayes there are many Christians from the teeth outwarde as farre as comes too the eating of fleshe vppon frydays and in Lenton they can welinough mocke at the pelting toyes of papistrie they can welinough say that if any restraynt bee made of one thing or other vnder payne of deadly sinne it is but an abuse and mockerie and they say truthe so they buyld vpon a good and sure foundation But what they that are so great talkers know no whit of our Lorde Iesus Christes office and power they knowe not why he came
and that the same hath taken roote in vs not too lie hid still but to yeelde foorth fruyte in such wise as Gods name may be honored and we shew that wee be not idle and vnprofitable seruants but that we haue bin quickened by the spirite of our Lord Iesus Christe and that it is he that gouerneth vs by reason whereof the fruyte of it redoundeth immediatly too our neyghbours in so much that wheÌ„ Gods name is so glorified by vs we haue yeelded true proofe of our christianitie men knowe that whereas wee were taught it was to the end that all others should reape profit by it For God hath a respect to the whole bodie of his Church and like as he maketh his sonne to shyne both vpon good and bad so will he haue the faythfull to do good to such as are not worthie of it Therefore let vs acquaynt our selues with it and moreouer acknowledge that we be nothing and that all the goodnesse which wee haue is none of our owne but that we haue it of Gods meere grace And for asmuch as we bee not yet come to the perfection that were requisite let vs not surmise our selues too be in Gods fauour for any other respect than that he beareth with vs till wee bee come intoo his kingdome where we shall haue the fulnesse of all holinesse Now let vs cast our selues down before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgmeÌ„t of our faults praying him to make vs so to feele them as wee may bee sorie for them before him yea euen with a true repentance and desire to be rid more and more of them and practize the doctrine that we haue herd that whereas the blinde and ignorant wretches doo now adayes martir and tyre themselues to much in excesse of their fonde deuotions we may learne to hold our selues too the pure simplicitie of his woord knowing that there is none other rule but that and that the same is it wherein he will haue vs to exercyze our selues and wherevnto it behoueth vs too apply all our studie and thereby shew that that is the meane wherby our Lord Iesus Christ will haue vs fashioned lyke to himselfe and therfore let vs go foreward trauell vnto him till we be throughly knit vnto him and in the end be come 〈…〉 such time as he shall appeere to our full 〈…〉 and deliuer vs not onely from this earthly pilgrimage but also from all corruptions and all other things whiche hinder vs from the full inioying of the heauenly heritage That it may please him too graunt this grace not only to vs but also too all people c. The. 38. Sermon which is the first vpon the sixth Chapter BRethren if any man bee ouertaken vvith a fault you that are spirituall helpe too amend him vvith the spirit of meekenesse and consider thy selfe least thou also bee tempted 2 Beare ye one anothers burthen and so fulfill the Law of Christ I Haue declared heretofore that there is not a more deadly plague than Ambition wheÌ„ euery man is giuen too himself and will needes exalt himself to the contempt of his neyghbors for then is nother indifferencie nor measure kept Here is now another vyce very neere of kinne to the other namely when wee snatch at such as haue done amisse to the intent to aduaunce our selues in comparison of them which we see to be coÌ„mon a vyce in the world For to our seeming other mens vertues are a hinderance to vs that wee cannot bee in such reputation as we sayne would This is the cause that euery of vs prieth and peereth at his fellow to the intent to disgrace him in such wise as he alone may not beare away the bell and by that meanes haue chiefe prayse and coÌ„mendacion And although that that be not yet will it often come to passe that wee shall be ouer rigorous vnder pretence of zele For this cause Saint Paule doth heere exhort the faythfull too do their indeuer too reforme a man with all gentlenesse when he hath done amisse And he dooth purposely 〈…〉 state before vs heere For it ought too moue vs to compassion 〈…〉 â—onsider the common frayltie that is in vs all as he will touch the same point more at large hereafter Neuerthelesse his putting of vs in mind of our infirmitie by nature is too the end that none of vs should climbe to high And furthermore he addeth the woorde ouertaken meening thereby that it alwayes deserueth gentlenesse at our handes when we see a man surpryzed by the wylinesse of Satan For S. Paule spake not heere of such as haue rooted malice in their hart which are vtter despyzers of God which are altogither heathenish which are so full of poyson throughout that they cannot alledge for themselues that they fall by ouersight â–ª for why they bee madde beastes rushing wilfully agaynst God according as wee shall see many that manifestly despize all order and would haue all the worlde put too confuzion Suche maner of men are not compryzed in the number of those whom Sainct Paule speaketh of heere But although a man feare God and be willing to giue himself to his seruis yet notwithstanding Satan hath his snares ready layd and catcheth vs oftentimes ere wee thinke of it And so you see how wee bee ouertaken or surpryzed Nowe S. Paule telleth vs that yet in such faultes wee must bee pitifull still and beare with suche a man through the spirite of meekenesse Howbeeit wee must marke well all the woordes that are set downe here and therby wee shall gather the meening of the Apostle For in very deede heere is nothing superfluous but euery woorde hath his weyght For in saying that wee muste indeuer too amend him agayne that is fallen he sheweth that the gentlenesse whiche many men vse in flattering suche as haue done amisse sauoreth nothing at all of Christianitie Therefore mennes vyces muste bee rebuked and wee muste labour too bring backe the partie intoo the right way which is strayed out of it For if a man vpholde him in his naughtinesse and foade him in it he betrayeth him bycause he rocketh him a sleepe and by that meanes sinketh him the deeper in destruction Yee see then that the meane whiche Sainct Paule hath appoynted is that if a man haue done amisse he shoulde bee amended howbeit that the same muste bee done with the spirite of gentlenesse and meekenesse He could well ynough haue vsed the woord Meekenesse without the woorde Spirit but he hath 〈…〉 do vs to wit that we must haue a hartie 〈…〉 procure the welfare saluation of such as haue neede too bee warned and exhorted when they haue committed a fault and therewithall he ment also to expresse that the same proceedeth of God For like as he is the fountayne of all goodnesse so also doothe he giue his children some meekenesse too the intent they shoulde followe him and frame themselues after his example VVee knowe that
heere of such as stoode vpon the sayde poynt that men ought of necessitie to bee circumcized For at some tymes Saint Paule had a speciall regarde to fashion himselfe like to the Iewes and absteyned from the libertie which was permitted him for eschuing of offences but did he alwayes mainteyne that there was no bonde of necessitie in the matter So then when Saint Paule submitted himselfe of his owne accorde he ment not to bring other men in bondage according as he protesteth that he intendeth not to binde any bodie True it is that the cace is altered when hee speaketh of mariage but yet hee sayeth generally that he will not lay any yoke of bondage vpon the soules that are redeemed by our Lorde Iesus Christ And thus yee see howe Saint Paule behaued himselfe in that behalfe Nowe 〈◊〉 sayth here They that constreyne you to bee circumcized that is to say they that lode you with the lawe and say you must keepe that Ceremonie vnder paine of deadly sinne seeke nothing else but too bring you in bondage without cause why To be short we see here whereof they be blamed which woulde subdue Christen folke too the keeping of the Ceremonies and shadowes of Moyses Lawe that is to wit that they were double fellowes and passed not vppon the truth of the matter whither God required such things or no but had a minde to please and pleasure the worlde and by that meanes to eschue persecution And we nowadayes haue neede to bee warned thereof as well as the Galathians needed then And if we looke vpon the state and disposition of our time we shall easily perceyue that this doctrine is not needelesse and that the holy Ghost intended to prouide for the thing whiche he knew to be for our behoofe For what a number are to be founde nowadayes which do strongly and stoutly mainteyne the Ceremonies of the Lawe and yet notwithstanding make none accounte of them But which is worse they mainteyne the follies and traditions that are inuented by men yea and euen such abuses errours and deceytes as are so grosse and fonde as may bee All these things shall be mainteyned with extreeme rygour by such as will needes haue men to obey them Like as nowadayes if a man charge these Hypocrites that the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ and the brightnesse of his Gospell are darkned by the great number of their obseruations and that wee bee become as good as Iewes for in very deed the Papists haue borowed so many things of the Lawe that a man shall hardly discerne the difference betweene the Iewes them that call themselues Christians I say if a man doo charge them with these things yet wyll they mainteyne to the vttermost that men must do so still bicause they haue bin kept time out of minde If a man go further wyth them and say howe so Yee haue so many dotages that the verie heathen men were neuer so grosse and fonde in their superstitions as you be O tush say they yet must we keepe still the traditions of our mother holy Church And therewithall they crie to the fire with him But nowe what doo these Hypocrites which moue the 〈◊〉 of Princes and Iudges agaynst those that preach Gods worde faithfully So long as they be among themselues they make but a mocke at theyr owne traditions And when they dispute of them they will say cleane contrarie too theyr preaching and talking in the Pulpit VVhereby it appeareth that there is no zeale of God nor no soundnesse in them but that their whole seeking is to be fedde and pampered fatte and too liue in rest and too haue their ease and commodities Seing then that nowadayes there are so many men that haue not one whitte of the feare of God nor of the reuerence of his woorde in them who notwithstanding pretende too bee verie zealous and yet in verie deede doo but allure poore soules with baytes or rather as ye woulde say choke them it standeth vs so much the more on hande too marke well the thing that Saint Paule telleth vs heere which is that forasmuch as wee see that they which crie out and storme at others do nothing at all of that which they speake of we must stande vpon our garde and consider whereat they ame which teache vs. True it is that although the partie do cleane contrarie too that which hee sayeth yet muste not Gods woorde therefore bee of the lesse authoritie towards vs For it is no reason that bycause the man is wicked therefore God shoulde bee dispossessed of his soueraine prerogatiue And though a man leade a looce lyfe or do some shrewde turne yet ought not that to deface the heauenly doctrine so he preach faythfully Although a man be mutable fleeting and variable or though he bee an hypocrite and his life be not answerable to the things that hee speaketh with his mouth the truth of Gods worde must not therefore be imbaced towardes vs. Neuerthelesse I say now that whensoeuer we see men pretend great zeale and yet let themselues loce and take leaue to do contrarie to their preaching we must consider of it and haue the discretion not too bee ledde by theyr Pype nor drawne by the noze but to looke into theyr doctrine and to make a good and liuely tryall of it And when we go so to worke we shall see that the doctrine of the Papistes is but a couert which they take to liue quiet to the worldwarde and as for to Godwarde they care not how things go For they would not abide any chaūges but that they be loth to put themselues in daūger of any displeasure for they be alwayes afrayd to bee vexed or greeued in any wise Sith 〈◊〉 this it is an infallible marke to make vs beware of all Satans ambushes so as it shall not be possible for vs to be deceyued except wee lyst our selues as I haue declared before Furthermore Saint Paule addeth that such men desire to glorie in the fleshe of the simple It is very certaine that heere he hath an eye to the signe of Circumcision as if he should say they intende to prynt their marke vpon you to the ende they may vaunt VVe haue wonne them Yea but their winning of men after that sort is to make them so much the more detestable for so abusing the signe which God hath giuē them to warrant the adoption which he had made with Abrahams ofspring and for corrupting the true and lawfull vse thereof For God had commaunded the Iewes to be circumcised And why To the ende they might see that all mankind is accursed and that there is nothing but vncleanesse in vs and that wee must be faine to renounce all that is of our owne nature or else we shall neuer ceasse too bee filthie and damnable before God Lo what the Iewes ought to haue learned by their circumcizion Neuerthelesse therwithal they had also a record that by mans seede they