in the questions of your schoole Doctors ther is but a lytle Diuinitie and that most intricate full of erroures and Heresies and you will néedes haue them for your Masters Who doth not sée the obscure thicke palpable darkenesse in which we were and the great lyght which God hath giuen vs of himselfe within these few yeares Not with any new doctrine but with the verye same which Christ preached the Apostles the Prophetes and those which were true Saincts therefore olde although newe to those which had bene blinde for that it was a long while buried Know you not that the light of the Gospel is so great that it discouereth all deceipts errours and falshood And that all the false perswasions of the worlde can doe no hurt to such as be lyghtened with the truth that is to them which be illuminated Whereof are you then afraide if you with your people be in the truth together with the Gospell If you were in the lyght you would not flye it as ye doe but would desire and seeke for it not fainedly but in truth to come vnto the toppe But you as those which know that your doctrine consisteth in deceipts and falshoode fearing least you should be discouered with making your selues suspected doe not onely flye as hastely as you can all counsell but doe persecute those which preach Christ and his Gospel And it is manifest that in persecuting so grieuouslye the true Christians they are not moued by zeale of the honour of God séeing that in other things they shew no such sparkle of zeale They are moued for that they doubt their kingdome will be brought to nothing as a most vaine shadowe thorough the lyght of the Gospell And forasmuch as they saye that they cannot erre I say that they should say true if they were God himselfe or that they had his spirite but it is séene by their lyfe that they be carnall men whose propertie is to be lyers And suppose it could be that they did not fal into so great errors as not being defiled any more they could not erre Read with the spirite their decretalls and ordinaunces say they thou shalt be pure inough And withall this they would that the people leauing Christ should ground their faith vppon them hauing for their rule not the holy scriptures but their words They would also that men should haue in stéede of Christ of the Apostles albeit they haue not their spirit their zeale their doctrine their vertues their lyfe yea and their ceremonyes as sufficient But séeing that God doth let them alone being in such great blindenesse we haue to wonder of his so excessiue diuine goodnesse and bountie to force our selues with humble and feruent prayer with hearing the word of God with study of the holy scriptures to grow euery day more more in a greater light of God so that being lightened with the truth we may render to our heauenly and diuine Father all praise honour and glory thorough Iesus Christ our Lord Amen How euery one may be tryed whether he be in a true Faith or no. Sermon 7. THere be some which for to try themselues to be in a true Faith do say to themselues We beléeue in such sort as our forefathers haue taught vs and therefore it is not lykely that being their children they should haue deceiued vs wherefore we maye bée sure to be in a true Faith But tell me might it not be possible that your fathers and mothers would willingly deceiue you And much the rather vnwillingly they béeing deceiued in errour themselues might deceiue you Such manner of Faithes be all humane Faithes grounded vpon the loue and wisdome of parents therfore vpon probable reasons but they be not firme stedfast they haue so feeble a foundation that they do not only alwayes wauer but will faile in the children at all times when the parents doe denie Christ After that if when they would be tried to be in a true Faith it shuld suffice them to know those things which were taught them of their parents they should follow that which the heritikes the Turks the Idolaters and all those which beléeue according as their parents haue taught theÌ„ whether their faith be true or false thinking not onely to be excused before God but to be pure in the true Faith forasmuch as there-in they haue bene instructed of their fathers and mothâ—rs which opinion is most false Therefore some others going another way to worke to be tryed that they be in true Faith doe alwayes call to minde that they wer borne nourished and by their parents instructed in that Faith and moreouer that they sée a great multitude of people that beléeue as they doe especially those with whome they be conuersant Now this Faith also is altogether humane blinde full of darknesse weake grounded so féebly that if the multitude faile the Faith also will faile And if such as these be had bene in that time when the Apostles were when there were but a fewe that beléeued in Christ they would not had beléeued they will not beléeue that which they sée gain-said of others if also they had ben borne amongst the Turkes or had bene conuersant amongst them they would beléeue as they doe and so the Turkes should bée excused séeing they are such and lyke-wise all other Heretickes and Infidells which be a great multitude they also shoulde be proued to be in a true Faith And so it should of necessitie be sayd that euery Faith where ther is a multitude were true Now see if this be not a great errour Many other there be which for tryall of Faith do regard miracles and they thinke that bicause their Religion hath bene confirmed by many miracles therefore they suppose that it is manifest that their Faith is true But this their Faith is very weak féeble and vnperfect inasmuch as there be but a very fewe Christians which haue séene miracles the true Christians haue perceiued that it is but mens talke the which doe easelye beguyle them and bée lyes Psal 15. and for that theyr Faith is grounded vppon mens wordes it hath a féeble foundation But let vs graunt that they had séene such myracles they had not knowledge to discerne whether they were effects natural diuellish illusions or things wrought supernaturally by God Seing that Christ and also Sainct Paul haue shewed afore that in the kingdome of Antichrist false Christians and preachers shall arise and shall deceiue the worlde shewing signes and wonders Mat. 24. 2. Thess 2. Euen to the Romaines when they worshipped idols haue bene myracles shewed therefore they shoulde then be excused before God likewise with the Antichristians if these myracles were the foundation of Faith and that it sufficed to haue a certain humaine opinioÌ„ that in their religion haue ben wrought myracles For that it is manifest that the Scribes and Pharisées saw the myracles of Christ and yet beléeued not therefore
vocation which GOD hath appoynted 1. Cor. 7. from the obedience to GOD from his seruice to the intent that thou béeinge a backeslider mightest serue the Diuell and thy selfe GOD will be serued of vs in obedience according to his worde and not according to our franticke fantasies Lykewise 1. Cor. 7. Gal. 3 1. Cor. 12 Ephes 6 Act. 5. if thou findest thy selfe to be in seruitude with thinkinge that thou art free in Christ thou oughtest content thy selfe and in righteous matters thou oughtest serue and obeye heartely with great loue and charitie towardes thy Maister as vnto Christ but in matters vnrighteous thou oughtest saye with the Apostle It is more néedefull to obeye GOD then men It is very true that without hurting Charitie thou mayst séeke to bée made frée for thine estate beeing frée is more apt to honour God and by GOD thou art therevnto called thou must take héede yet that by honest meanes thou becommest frée and all for the greater glorye of God So that if thou finde thy selfe in libertye to be able to choose chaunge or not chaunge thine estate thou oughtest with praying vnto god that he would giue thée his light take héede not to thine owne peace reste and lucre but to the honoure of GOD and so to turne thy selfe not according to thine owne fantasie but according as the Lorde inspireth calleth thée with fayth that God will in no wise forsake thée yea if God called thee to walke and trauaile vnto him thorough the middest of all the daungers in the world thou oughtest go safe and be assured thorough fayth that God with his diuine grace will not nor doth not forsake such as with obedience to him doe walke thorough his pathes after that he inspireth and calleth him Dost thou knowe when thou shalt be in great daunger euen when thou art out of Gods way and from his calling and walkest after thine owne fantasie yea in such a case howe much that estate in which thou art founde be in it selfe more high perfect so much the more if thou be not therevnto called it shal be to thée more hurtfull There may be then a good Prince and the same a perfect Christian as many were both in the olde and newe Testament yea none can in truth be a good Prince if he be not a good Christian Inasmuch as he which is without true Religion and fayth it must néedes be that he is ignoraunt of true wisedome of true righteousnesse strength charitie temperaunce and all other vertues If a Prince be not a Christian he shall neuer haue such sincere pure and diuine loue to his subiects as is conuenient he shall neuer be mortified to the world and himselfe and liuing vnto the honour of God he shall not haue so graue manners so ripe sound and holy as he that hath fayth in Christ Paul wrote that God would saue of all sortes of men 1. Tim. 2 and not onely of those who lead a priuate life but also of those that be set in authoritie wherfore he exhorted men to pray for them Yea a Prince hath a most fit occasion to be and to shew himselfe a Christian I doe not now deny but that it is a most hard thing to be in a high estate dignitie fauour friendship riches pleasures and with the eye of a liuely fayth to discern for his Lorde the simple abiected little estéemed humble forsaken poore and passioned Christ vppon the Crosse and so much more harde a thing it is to finde Christ in a Prince as in this our age the corruptions of the most part accounted for most holy Lawes be greater their libertie and power more tyrannicall their willes more vnbrideled and flatterers which serue them in stéede of mightie men are great in aboundaunce so that we may say with the Phariseyes high Priestes of the Iewes Ioan. 7. which of the great men haue beléeued in Christ there is none but the simple and poore people that beléeue in him Also the Iudges Aduocates Procurators and Notaries might be good men and doe offices and déedes of great charitie it is true that they ought to be of another sort then they commonly are And lykewise also a man might be a souldiour and yet a good Christian as was the Centurion but it so hard Mat. 8. that it is next neighbour to a thing impossible The lyke I say of other honest estates of the world in which euerye one that is founde therein by the will of God ought to turne vnto his sayd Lord God all his intents thoughts will actions and workes with ordering al his lyfe to his honour glory Such also may ought to haue alwaies god before their eyes and him alone to serue and albeit they be found to be in the world they ought not to be drowned intangled shackeled nor with heart be established in any wise therin but to tread the world vnder their féete They ought to goe heartely vnto God seruing altogether to his honour Séeing then that in euery honest estate we may be perfect Christians it is our dutie to content our selues with that estate in which it hath pleased God that wée shoulde bée and to labour with a supreame Faith and vertue to do all that which is conuenient in that estate so that we may render vnto God all prayse honour and glorye thorough Iesus Christ our Lorde Amen ¶ Of the foolishnesse of those that be gouerned with the prudence and wisedome of the world and of the wisedome of those that be guyded with the prudence and wisedome of God Sermon 19. THere is found in the worlde a prudence and wisedome which is carnall profane humane and diuelish and an other that is spirituall holy Angelicall and diuine Of the first Paul maketh mention wheras he sayed Be you not wise in your owne opinions And likewise when he sayd that the wisedome of this world was foolishnesse before God Rom. 12. 1. Cor. 3. and in many other places Of the seconde Faith Christ made mention when he exhorted the Apostles to be wise as Serpents Mat. 10. Mat. 15. and also when he tolde of those fiue virgins who entred with him into the mariage Christ also spake both of the one and of the other when he sayd that the children of this world Luc. 16. be more wiser then the children of lyght and forasmuch as the greater part of men leauing off to be gouerned with spirituall prudence and wisedome be gouerned with carnall by which they fal headlong into great daungers therefore I haue iudged that it wil not be vnprofitable to shew vnto such partly their foolishnesse First spirituall prudence and wisedome as that which hath a great light cleare supernaturall and high holdeth alwayes the eyes open fixed and stedfast vpon God hauing him alone for the last end vnto whose glory it ordereth all our actions and workes vsing all creatures to his honour But carnall wisedome and prudence as
if it be méere foolishnesse then thinke and consider that albeit in Christ all the treasures of the wisedome and knowledge of God doe consist yet this as a foole will euen read it to be true in their parents saying that God was madde and out of his wittes Christ likewise his Church neuer had nor at any time shall haue a greater enimye then this This humaine Faith is it that hath alwayes persecuted grace and the Gospell and with deuising euery daye new sortes of lyuing after the owne fantasie hath filled the world with superstitions idolatryes sectes heresies and wicked religions And lastly that is it which although it hath alwayes persecuted the Sainctes and hanged Christ vppon the Crosse yet in the kingdome of Antechrist in shewing more wickednesse then euer it did hath done and doth the last vyolence It is therefore exceeding foolishnesse miserye and wickednesse for a man to suffer himselfe to be guyded thereby Lyke as it is moste high wisedome godlynesse and felicitie to be gouerned and guyded with Faith supernaturall lyght and spirituall wisedome forasmuch as such hauing God for their last ende goe vnto him happely by due meanes with vsing all creatures to his glory Let vs pray vnto God therefore that he woulde giue vs of his lyght that he would quench and put out in vs all carnall wisedome so that lyuing onelye vnto him we may yéeld him all praise honour and glory thorough Iesus Christ our Lord Amen The ende of the Sermons of Faith Sermons of Hope How that the sinne of desperation is the greatest sinne that can bee Sermon 1. THere be found two sortes of desperation one most holye as when a man despayreth of himselfe of his owne strength of his owne cunning prudence wisedome deuise and goodnesse distrusteth himselfe in all his workes and of all helpe that he can euer haue by creatures with putting his trust whollye in God now this is a most godlye desperation The other desperation is altogether diuelish and most wicked as when a man distrusteth and dispayreth of the helpe of God And this is one of the greatest sinnes that can be committed forasmuch as a desperate person hath most wicked conceits of God he thinketh that ther is no God or that if there be he cannot or that he knoweth not how to helpe him and if he knoweth how and can that hée will not that he loueth him not that he doth not fauour him estéeme him hath not elected him neither that he hath a most singular care of him yea hée thinketh that God is partiall and an acceptor of persōs that he is his enimie cruell and angry with him he beléeueth not that thorough Christ he is pacified with him And this bicause he thinketh that Christ hath no power to satisfie for his sinnes and if yet he hath power hée hath no will to doe it A desperate person setting himselfe to striue against God as Cain did laboureth to with-drawe and wrest mercie from God or at least so to diminish it that it abideth the lesser towardes him thorough his vngodlynesse And if the desperation in Cain was a great sinne in vs it is so much greater as that God since that time hath bene shewed vnto vs with greater charitie and especiallye in Christ vppon the Crosse And what worser thing can a man doe then to distrust of that so great and infinite goodnesse loue and mercie of God made manifest to vs most highly in Christ The sinne of desperation so much displeaseth God that if we should goe on duely considering thereof we shoulde finde that what great workes God hath wrought from the beginning of the worlde euen vntill now all hath bene for to eleuate and drawe our Hope vnto him and bicause that we should not fall into desperation He hath created man so noble excellent and worthy and the worlde for to serue him to the intent that men séeing themselues so loued of God they might trust in him Also he suffered man to fall not onely bicause he should no more trust in himselfe nor in creatures but also bicause that comming in the greater neede he should be of necessitie constrayned to haue refuge to God and so of him being helped approuing his fauour might learne to put his trust in him He sent not also Christ immediatly to set him at libertie but would that for a long time he should abide so bicause that he should first thoroughly trye his owne strength and seeing that they were not sufficient for him béeinge altogether distrusting in himselfe might be lifted vp with Hope vnto God He chased him out of earthly Paradise bicause the tasting of the troubles of the world he might be moued to recommend himselfe vnto God and to trust in him When he sent the floud drowned the world he preserued those fewe in the Arke bicause they might learne to depend onely vpon God He confounded the languages bicause that béeing disparsed thoroughout the whole world and in euery part trying and féeling the diuine prouidence goodnesse of God they might put in him all their trust He would that those most holy Patriarches should be euer straungers pilgrimes amongest vnknowne enuious Nations in perpetuall daungers and necessitie bicause that they might learne to put confidence in God He would also that his people should be oppressed in Aegypt persecuted by Pharao and that abiding in the desert dy forty yeares they should be fed with Manna bicause that experiencing so meruaylously the goodnesse of God they might learne to distrust of the worlde and to trust in God he gaue them a lawe by Moses to the intent that by it men séeing their sins and that they were not able to obserue the same lawe dispayring of themselues might séeke theyr saluation thorough Christ To the selfe same ende did God suffer them to be destroyed when they trusted to ouercome in battayle by their owne strength alwayes they ouercame if they did put their trust in God He commaunded Iosua that he shoulde kill all the horses burne all the chariots which they had taken from their enemies bicause they should haue no occasion to put confidence therein He also forbad Dauid that he should not number the people bicause he might not trust in the multytude In the meane time while they were in the land of promise he would that his people should be compassed about with enemies and alwayes molested bicause of necessitie they might sometimes be turned vnto God And lastly sending his owne sonne he would that dying vpon the Crosse with shewing to vs great loue hee might make satisfaction for our sinnes to the ende that we might haue no occasion to distrust in our selues of the great mercy of GOD whereoff who so doubteth doth in déede the greatest iniury that can be done vnto God in as much as lyke as a Lorde hauing receiued great harmes by one of his seruaunts and seeinge him iustly condemned to bée ledde vnto execution is moued with
maketh easie euery difficultie maketh euery sharpnes bitternes pleasant therfore it must néedes be said that the way of heauen is most easie happy Al they therfore which work suffer either worke suffer by force of the spirit of Charitie so without difficultie or els they work suffer thorough humaine respects so they are not in the way of God séeing they are not moued vnto him but vnto the world It is a matter most difficult vnto carnal mē yea impossible although possible with God most easie it is to be regenerated to become spirituall to haue a liuely light spirituall féeling of the goodnesse of God to haue a liuely faith hope fixed in God to be in loue with God thus also after that they be regenerated to grow in Faith Hope Charitie but after that we be spirituall that hauing a liuely light of God be in loue with him to worke suffer according to the force mesure of the spirit of faith of loue that we haue to God it is a thing most easie most pleasant happy And if with humane prudence cunning we be forced to worke or suffer beside this motion in such a case although we had difficultie in working suffering it shold be no meruail this bicause we being moued by the loue of God should not be turned therby for then we should go backward not by the right way Al they therefore who are entred into the spirituall kingdome of Christ by the gate of Faith which is called strait forasmuch as it is graunted but to a few as vnto those which haue ben thorough grace drawn eleuated aboue al difficultie they do tast with the spirit in Christ the great goodnes of God they do walke easely with suffering for works done thorough loue to the glory of God Neither is it necessary for that ther is none the loueth God with al his heart his neighbor as himself to the intēt that we might be turned vnto God that we might walk by the perfect obseruation of Gods cōmaundemēts forasmuch as if it shold be so seing ther is none in this present life that perfectly obserueth thē none shold walk vnto God but in truth it is not so for like as if one walked by a narrow way on his side wer many briers thorns if they plucked him by the garmēt in any wise such a one whē he wer a lusty felow might preuaile go away although he were some-what staid hindered by the said thorns Euen so a Christian if he be regenerated that sin raineth no more in him but the spirit loue of God although he doth perfectly obserue Gods commaundemēts but not turning himselfe vnto God with a most zealous force vehemencie swiftnes as he is boūd to do shold be moued if a most perfect charitie being in him his cōcupiscēces wer wholly mortified so that in him were nothing which when he turned to God could draw him back yet notwithstanding for that in him be cōcupisences wherby is he holdē back on the other side the spirit is in him so might that it preuaileth so that in any wise he is tourned vnto God wherefore to haue a motion to séeke the glory of God the perfect obseruation of Gods commaundements is not necessary but it is néedefull that we féele throughly with the spirite Gods diuine goodnesse that God may draw vs vnto him more then the world Let vs pray therfore vnto the Lord that he would giue vs such light and that he woulde increase it in vs euery day more and more to the intent that with great zeale we walking by his pathes may render vnto him all praise honour and glory thorough Iesus Christ our Lord Amen What thing it is wherein God hath shewed vs greater loue then in all the other Sermon 8. FOrasmuch as to kindle in vs diuine loue it is very profitable to know what thing it is wherein God hath shewed vnto vs greater loue then in all other things I haue iudged that it woulde bée requisite to consider amongst all the signes of loue which God hath shewed which is the greatest Some say that the greatest signe of loue which God hath shewed vnto man was when he created him after his own similitude and likenesse capable of him and to beatitude And moreouer hauing giuen to him a being so noble enricheth him with many giftes and graces with making him Lord ouer all creatures So that when Adam opened his eyes and saw that God had created this worlde for him that he conserued and gouerned it for the seruice of him and that euery creature was obedient vnto him to the intent that he confessing all his beatitude to come of him might seeke to set foorth his glory seeing his excellencie he felt towards him a singular loue of God Other say that the greatest signe of his loue was in forbearing sinne And this inasmuch as man not knowing the great charitie and goodnesse of God perfectly by his so great benefites God suffereth him to fall and to iniury and dishonour him that he might haue occasion to shew him vnto him as to an enimy with greater superaboundance of loue to the intent that he might the better féele how greatly God loued him There haue bene also some which haue sayd that as when the father sheweth greater loue vnto the sonne when he chastiseth him then when he dandleth with him Euen so when God chastiseth vs for our benefit sheweth vnto vs greater loue then whē he giueth vs worldly prosperitie But those which be more néere vnto the truth haue sayd that the most high signe of loue which GOD hath shewed vnto vs hath bene that GOD béeing more high then he could come vnto vs which be vnworthy most vile lewde persons and his enimies more loue then he could descend vnto hath I saye not solde but thorough méere grace giuen a gift most high and worthy that could bee not a seruaunt or one of his friendes but his owne déere and onely begotten sonne a thing to him more déere and entirely beloued he could not giue vs not poore but the richest of all diuine treasures vertues and graces yea in Christ he hath giuen vs al things euen himselfe And moreouer he hath giuen him to vs to the intent that he might serue to wash vs from all our filthy and stinking sinnes with his owne bloud and to dye for vs vpon the crosse He hath also giuen him vnto vs for an example direction and rule for a pleasant friende spowse and brother for a Capitaine for a Shephearde Priest Alter Sacrifice foode rayment and for a reward But in giuing vs him vpon the Crosse he had shewed vs a most singuler loue chiefly for that he hath giuen him to vs with a most high and infinite charitie And lykewise the sonne with great loue offered vp himselfe vpon the crosse and altogether for our benefit
shalt féele that he illuminateth thée as a prophet gouerneth thée as a King and as an high Priest pacyfieth the wrath of God for thée and reconcyleth him offereth thée to the father acceptable holy and vnspotted Thou must also beleeue that Iesus Christ is the onely sonne of God we also be other sonnes of God but it is by adoption for that God by the meanes of Christ of straungers yea of his enimies hath thorough grace adopted and taken vs for his sonnes But Christ was neuer any enimie to God nor straunger but was alwayes full of light Ioan. 1. Coll. 1. Coll. 2. Ioan. 1. of perfection vertue treasures giftes and graces full of the spirite and of diuinitie he is a spring that euer floweth and all the graces whiche the electe haue they receiue of his fulnesse therefore in the holy Scriptures he is not onelye called the first begotten sonne Rom. 8. Ioan. 13. 1. Ioan. 4. but also the onely begotten sonne of God for bicause that GOD hath communicated vnto him all graces all vertues giftes and treasures as though he had no other sonnes but him he hath also communicated with him all his diuinitie with his deuine prefection Therfore thou must not onely beléeue that he is the onely sonne of God but that he is God Coll. 2. Thou shalt then euen lyuely beléeue that he is the onely sonne of God when thou shalt féele that thou by his meanes and not by any other hast receiued all those graces good things that thou hast It is also néedefull to beléeue that he is our Lord for that as it is written Ioan. 17. God hath giuen vs vnto Christ all the electe are his flocke hee maye order them as him listeth Mat. 28. The Father hath giuen him all power in heauen and in earth Then he which truly beleeueth that Christ is his Lord and head which féeling with his spirite his most full and totall dominion which renouncing to leane to his owne carnall wisedome to his owne strength and all other vertues that be in anye creature is wholly committed to the gouernaunce of Christ as of his lawfull and best Lorde And moreouer we must beléeue that he was conceiued in the Virgin Mary by a wonderfull operation of the holy Ghost First that hée was conceiued of the substaunce of the Virgin Mary therefore that he was very man of the séede of Dauid of Abraham as had bene prophecied before time Psal 131. Gen. 22. Heb. 2. also according to Saint Paul it was conuenient that taking in hande to sanctifie his bretheren he should become man lyke vnto them and of the same first father discended so might suffer and for obedience of his father might bée offered vppon the Crosse for their sinnes to the intent that as by the disobedience of one man we be made sinners Philip. 2 so by the obedience of one man we should be made righteous But forasmuch as he which sanctifieth others must of necessitie be without spot therefore to the intent hée might not be subiect to the vniuersall corruption of humane generation but full of puritie and holynesse it must néedes be that he was conceiued not naturally and by humane meanes but meruaylously and by the operation of the holy Ghost Thou must also beleeue that he was borne of the Virgin Mary for except thou beléeue this thou canst not beléeue the miracles which he did in this lyfe nor that he dyed vpon the crosse Thou must furthermore necessarily beléeue that he suffered vnder Pontius Pilate If thou héere demaund why ther is no mention made of the lyfe of Christ and wherefore it is not sayd in the Crede that we must beléeue that the wise men came to worship him that he was circumcised that he fled into Aegypt that he was lost and found againe in the Temple that he was baptised of Saint Ihon that he fasted fortie dayes and fortie nights that he called the Apostles that he preached wrought miracles and lykewise of all his other wonderfull workes I will aunswere that in the Crede there is no mention made but onely of those principall things which belong properly to the substance of our saluation the faith of the which is substantial and sufficient to a true Christian It also thou wouldest know wherefore Pontius Pilate is so named I will say that this was not onely to confirme the history of the passion of Christ but much more that we should beleeue lyuely that albeit he was innocent yet he with our sinnes thorough the wil of his father being attributed vnto him appeared before the iudgement seate of man whereas lyke a wicked doer he was willyng to be condempned that we thorough Christ as innocent might appeare safe before the Tribunall seate of God in whose sight we wer blame worthy It is also necessary to beléeue that he was crucified dead It is not inough to say dead but néede-full to declare the manner of his death bicause we might beléeue that he dyed vppon the Crosse and this as Saint Paul iudgeth was for that he was accursed which hanged on the Crosse and Christ for to delyuer vs from curses wherein we were thorough sinne incorporated chose that cursed death and for our sakes ouercame it and so delyuereth vs from his curse yea and from death it selfe inasmuch as to the Elect thorough Christ there is no more death but lyfe There be manye wicked or false Christians which haue a certeine dead opinion of all these things yea and the Diuells beléeue that he suffered that he was crucified and dead But that sufficeth not for thou must beléeue lyuely and féele with thy spirite that he suffered for thée that he was crucified and dyed for thée to thy benifite and for thy saluation Thou must féele with the spirite his passion and death his great loue and the fruite of his death that is that thou art saued there-by and then his death hath effect in thée It is néedefull also that as thou beléeue truly that hée dyed so that thou beléeue that he was buried It followeth immediately that he descended into Hell and for bicause these words be not found in the Crede written by the olde Doctors therefore some haue thought that they were afterward added to declare and make more manifest the words that goe before And bicause in the holy Scriptures Gen. 43. Num. 16 this name Inferno is taken for a Pit or Sepulcher and this name Geenna for the place of the dampned they haue expounded thus Descese a gl' inferi that is he was layd in in the graue but the matter it selfe doth make replye héere against Seing that both Paul and also Peter willing to proue the resurrection of Christ brought a saying out of the Psalme Thou shalt not leaue my soule in Hell Act. 2. 13. Psal 15. neither shalt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Where Dauid maketh mention of the soule and of
themselues will then say we ought not to doubt séeing that we haue séene so clearely the trueth we be assured that it is so Luc. 1. Iacob 1. as God with the cleare light of Faith doth plainly shewe vs. Faith then being perfect with Abraham doubteth not if that with Mary the virgin it maruaileth yet it doubteth not it wauereth not to and fro like young children it stutteth not nor stackereth as a thing that is weake neither doth it tosse one while this way another that way wherof Helias reproued certaine Prophets but it is pure 3. Reg. 8. stedfast firme hauing respect to the goodnes of God his promises without doubting to obtaine that which it demaundeth And therefore it is that which confirmeth stablisheth vs in God Heb. 6. 11. wherefore saint Paul calleth it the substance of thinges which be hoped for a making manifest of thinges inuisible and also a sure shippe in God of our soule Wherupon Dauid saith trusting in the Lord Psal 25. I shal not go astray It is possible then to be stablished in Faith to be lyghtened and come into a certaine perswasion of the trueth wrought in vs by the holy Ghost yea it is not possible to beléeue liuely in truth wtout clearenes Col. 2. assurance certainty stedfastnes wherfore more or lesse according as thy Faith is more or lesse perfect Let vs therfore pray vnto the Lord that he would giue vs of his liuely cleare light so that we being strong stedfast wholly in him may yeld him al praise honour and glory thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen If it be good or euill that euery one shoulde seeke to be lightened with Faith if that be the true way or no. Sermon 6. THere be many especially they of the kingdome of Antichrist which beléeue that it is euil that euery one indifferently especially women vnlearned folke idiotes simple persons if they wold séeke to be lightened in Faith whether it be the right way or not But they say the euery such one ought to beléeue simply that is to say grosly blindly with-out any discussing or consideration that which hath béene taught them by their parents and by their Prelates bicause that as they say those cannot erre yea they perswade that euery one must flye all thoughts and desires which shoulde happen willing them to be lightened thorough Faith as a temptation instigation of Satan They also condemne that the holy scriptures should be translated into any vulgar tongue bicause the vnlearned should not studie thereon yea they will that the Psalmes their Masses the prayers euen those things which Christ taught the Godly precepts or commaundements the Articles of the Faith and all other things necessarie to saluation should be learned taught in the Latine tongue as though the vertue of Faith of prayer and of the holy scriptures did consist in this Latinytie were not néedefull for a Christian to know how he ought to liue what he ought to demaunde of God and what he saith when he maketh his prayer and to vnderstand what he beléeueth when in making confession of his Faith he saith Credo in deum Patiem c. I meruaile greatly that as they haue ordained that the holy scriptures and their diuinitie is not reade but in the Latine so that their sermons or preachings be not also in Latine that they might not be vnderstoode It is verye true that they bring all their authorities in Latine and many times in Gréeke and Hebrew to shewe that they be learned in the tongues They thincke that in the end their Bulles Briefes indulgeÌ„ces absolutions blessings excommunications yea and their contractes made of things of this world will be the better kept close and deceiue the simple that they shall sell them the dearer for the maiesty of this Latinytie and therfore they write and pronounce them in Latine And I say against them first that those which haue not a true and liuely Faith are bounde to séeke it by all meanes that they possible can and to be lightened that they may be in a true Faith for as much as they ought not to refuse the inspiration which commeth to lighten them for in so doing they should forsake the grace of the holy ghost It is very true that those which be alreadye in a true Faith and thereby certaine that they be in the trueth ought to refuse all other fantasies contrary as the instigation of the diuel and to continue stedfast in the Faith wherin they are with séeking by al meanes possible to growe therein and to be lightened euery day more and more for the glory of God Seing then that true Faith is euer ioyned with clearnesse it must néeds be said that as it is not euil but good to séeke for to haue Faith and to groâ— therin so it is not euill but good to séeke to be lightenâ—â— and to growe in light certainetie and clearenesse for if you procéede by due order ther can be no daunger vnto you for looke how much more the trueth is discussed of so much more it shineth Let vs suffer the false doctrine of Turkes to lye hidden and likewise of the heretikes Antichristians and all such as be in errour Mat. 10. but the doctrine of Christ and his Gospell it is most true that it ought not to be hidden in darkenesse but ought to be preached and taught in the light aboue the houses plainely and openly Ioan. 12. as Christ appointed the Apostles and himselfe obserued But note that forasmuch as we can-not with our owne strength purchase nor deserue Faith bicause it is a gifte of God Ephes 2. giuen to whom it pleaseth him therfore we ought to séeke it princypally of God by way of prayer and humilitie But for that also serueth the learning of the worde of God and studying of the holy scriptures bicause we ought to studie wholly thereon and therefore to haue it in euery language And that whiche is contained in the holye scriptures is it any thing els but the benefites which God hath done for vs the riches which he hath promised vs that which he requireth of vs Then tell me is not euery one bound to vnderstand know al those things aforesaid Hath Christ paraduenture spoken only to the learned or such things that the vnlearned can not vnderstand Was Christ so proud vppon earth that he 〈◊〉 to teach or would let none vnderstande but 〈◊〉 the learned and wise of this worlde yet Paul said 〈…〉 humbled and debased himselfe 〈…〉 Math. 11. euen to the death of the Crosse and that God hath chosen the weake ignoble things of the worlde to confound the things that be strong and noble Christ himselfe gaue thankes vnto the father for that he had hidden his diuine secreates from the wise and prudent and had reuealed them to babes Is it peradueÌ„ture necessary by Aristotle to know Christ
with a Target or Buckler defended them all off thou mast perceiue that that is a good Buckler but if the arrowes passe thorough and goe into the mannes heart thou wilt say that the Buckler must néeds be made of paper or such like trash So lykewise those that haue the shield of Faith inspired are defended from all the arrowes of the iniuryes of the world they come not néere their hearts they know thorough Faith that so it pleaseth God to haue it Ephes 6 and that al is for their commoditie and beatitude but those which haue onely the shield of purchased Faith euery small iniury casteth them downe to the ground they blaspheme and would reuenge forbicause they do not féele through Faith in déede the goodnesse of God A purchased Faith also doth not make vs to forsake all worldly things and our selues yea if any of those be moued to follow Christ it is for his owne lucre for his profite pleasures honors satisfiyng commoditie appetites delycatenesse or earthly Paradise or els to shunne griefes the hellish paines both of this and of the other lyfe and this bicause a purchased Faith maketh not a man to féele the goodnesse of god in such sort that for thorough the very méere glory of God he forsaketh all Alwayes in such men the worlde can moue more then God They well may leaue the garment but it is for honour also for plesure but not wholly for God bicause they doe not féele with lyuely Faith his great goodnesse Ioan. 4. as the righteous doe who for the glory of God doe leaue with the woman of Samaria their pitcher of worldly pleasures the swéetenesse of this lyfe and themselues And lastly a purchased Faith doth not moue thée to the obseruance of Gods commaundements as the inspired Faith doth which neither offendeth God nor his neighbour but abhorreth all wickednesse And although a purchased Faith in the Hipocrites at sometime doth shew it selfe forth with certeine glistering workes yet being dead it cannot long time dissemble but a true Faith doth not onely continue for euer but getteth euery day more force Let euery one therfore examine himselfe and sée if in him be the effects of a true Faith or no to the intent that if he doe not finde them in him hee may know that he is no Christian and so may humble and recommend himselfe to God and if he finde them in him he may giue thankes vnto God To whome hée all praise honour glorie thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ If it be possible that in euery honest estate men may be perfect Christians or not Sermon 18. IT is not possible that a man should bée actuallye an adulterer vsurer a proude person an Idolater or any other sinne repugning against the diuine grace and holy Ghost and yet a perfect Christian but it is possible that a man in any estate not resisting agaynst a liuely Fayth Hope and Charitie and against other Christian vertues may be most perfect It is possible then that whether a man be young olde féeble strong hayle sick learned vnlearned man woman rich poore frée bonde marryed vnmarryed noble ignoble Prince priuate person Master Scholler prelate Captain Souldier Iudge Aduocate Procurator Notarie Gentleman Merchant Artificer Shepheard Plow-man lykewise in any other honest estate and a perfect Christian Which thing also I say of women and the reason is this for that goodnesse stubburnenesse and likewise the chiefest perfection vngodlynesse consist not in the lyke outward matters accidentall and indifferent which may bée found in the good and in the wicked in the perfect and in those which are most euill and be vsed in the honour and dishonour of God but consisteth in hauing a liuely faith in Christ in féeling liuely his great benefite and the excessiue loue of the father manifested vnto vs in the death of his déere only begotten sonne by whose meanes he hath saued vs adopted vs for his sonnes made vs his heires brothers members of Christ thorough his liuely faith supernaturall light spiritual knowledge of the goodnes mercy of God groweth in vs Fayth Hope Charitie humilitie patience loue of our neighbour mortifying of our selues all other true substantial Christian vertues wherefore it is necessary that according to the measure of faith of the light which we haue of god by the meanes of Christ we be more or lesse perfect in all vertues Rom. 6. In euery estate therefore not contrary to a liuely fayth in the which we may liue without sin raigning in vs we may be not onely good Christians but excellent and most perfect in all vertues I say not now but amongst honest estates are found some which be in themselues lesse daungerous then others likewise of those be some most apt to honour God but I say that in all estates may be some most perfect wherefore if a man be found in any estate honest let it be what estate it will hée cannot forsake his honestie as when one is marryed poore sicke a seruaunt ignoble and lykewise of all other estates he ought not to dispayre of habilitye to be perfect therein but to content himselfe and in this estate to serue God with takinge héede that they doe not offende but disposinge themselues rather to loose theyr liues then to agrée vnto sinne and they ought not onely labour to honour GOD in that estate which they are in with greate Fayth Hope Charitie but also to giue God thanks for his singuler grace séeing that whereas many doe not vnderstande and knowe their calling he is certeyne and sure that it pleaseth God that then it is profitable for him to be in that estate bicause he cannot honestly then chaunge it It is sufficient before GOD that he doe with heart and will those good woorkes which in that state he cannot do with power albeit in euery estate he ought to deale honestly there can be founde no exercise so simple if it be honest which may not make to the glory of God with a high Fayth and Charitie and therefore with a supreame acceptation allowed of God And so by the contrarye there is nothing so high so noble and famous in the sight of the world Rom. 1. Luc. 1. which béeing wrought without fayth is not abhominable before God If therefore for an example thou findest thy selfe to haue children thou oughtest bee contented with them and thinke that they bée the children of God which he hath giuen thée to the ende that thou shouldest gouerne lighten and teach them diuine manners this now is no small office Thou wilt say O I will goe into some Forrest for I know that there I may best serue God Doest thou not sée that this is a temptation of the Diuell which would bereaue thée of a true godly and very perfect Christian Religion woulde robbe thée of Charitie and of Christ and would cause thée to departe from thy
is false which say that we be not bound to loue God alwayes and in lyke sort may be séene that they be very intricate in willing to determine and appoint the time in which we be as they say bound to loue him This their opinion is nothing els but an imagination of theirs without any foundation of the holy Scriptures a thing inuented to this end that I will tell you The Papists béeing desirous to holde against the truth that men may be iustified saued thorough their own works by obseruing the cōmaundements of God séeing that there is none that loueth God continually with all his heart with deprauing expresly gainesaying the holy Scriptures they be forced to perswade men that for obseruing the first and chiefest commaundement of the lawe it is sufficient that at the least the twinkling of an eye vppon the sabboth daye we haue in vs some act of loue towardes God with exalting him aboue al other things and that this thorough our most and mightie frée will is alwayes in our power It is our duetie to beséech the Lorde that he would heale and deliuer them from all such prensies with giuing them the light of the truth to the intent that together with other the elect they may render vnto God all prayse honour and glory thorough Iesus Christ our Lord Amen ¶ If it be in our power to loue God when and how much we list Sermon 6. LIKE as if an Eagle were without wings bound vpon the grounde wounded and dead it could not stirre it selfe not flye vp into the ayre and if yet it coulde flye it coulde not direct the flight vp to the Sunne and if it could thether direct the course yet it coulde not flye aboue it selfe euen so the soule thorough the sinne of Adam béeinge without the winges of Christian vertues bound vpon the earth with carnall affections thorough sin wounded and killed cannot moue it selfe be eleuated nor flye with loue on high and although it could be eleuated aboue the creatures it could not in any wise be directed vnto God and if it could be directed thether yet it could not with the winges of loue flye aboue it selfe so that it shoulde loue God more then it selfe Peraduenture thou wylt saye that this is true if we speake of our naturall and sensuall loue with which we can loue none but our selues and the thinges that be for our profite commoditie delyght and honour Wherefore with this loue we doe not loue God but for our owne gayne and inasmuch as he bestoweth benefits vpon vs which in truth is no louing of God but of our selues but if we would speak of loue procured by wil now with this we might with out any other grace loue God aboue all creatures and more then our selues and the reason is this There is none so wicked a person that without other grace doth not acknowledge and confesse that he is bounde to loue God aboue all things wherefore if he cannot loue God more then himselfe and all creatures as his vnderstanding doth shew and declare vnto him his will shall not be frée and moreouer he shall be naturally wicked seing that it could not obey the vnderstanding I aunswere say that as Paule did write we are by nature the children of wrath wherefore wicked and the seruaunts of sinne not therfore so created of God by nature but by nature corrupted in Adam wherefore with out diuine grace we cannot haue lybertie of power to loue God aboue al other things and lykewise it is true that our will by nature in Adam corrupted is alwayes mischieuous and a seruaunt of sinne vntill that thorough Christ it be made frée Peraduenture thou wilt say if that a valiant Citizen doth hazard his owne life for his country with out any other grace or light supernaturall yea and the hand doth offer it selfe for the sauegard of the head as is oftentimes séene by experience and thereby if a politike man without any other grace can loue his country more then himselfe and likewise also the hande doth manye times loue the head better then it selfe we haue cause to thinke and beléeue that our wil may so much more then the foresayd things loue God more then it selfe as that God is more greater then the head or the countrey Vnto this also I aunswere and say that a valiant Citizen doth hazard his life many times for glory which hée loueth more then his own life or it is true that he foreséeing that loosing his countrey he should loose all that he hath therefore he adiudgeth it be lesse hurte in such a case to spende his life Some other be moued to take armour vppon them for the profites sake which they hope to obtaine or els for the losse which they feare will happen All this then that a polytike man doth as one that is carnall is onely for himselfe and for his owne proper gaine And likewise also a man when he offereth his hande contrarye to the proper inclination to receiue a wound for the safegard of the head doth it bicause hée loueth himselfe and séeth that it would be smaller hurt lesse daunger if he suffer his hande to be hurt then if he suffer his head It is alwayes then selfe-loue which causeth vs to doe anye thing when wée bee with-out diuine grace And albeit that God alone in truth is good and includeth in him al vertues being al goodnesse wherefore not onely we ought to loue him aboue all other things but in him alone we ought to stay our loue notwithstanding thorough the sinne of our first parents we be so blinde féeble mischieuous and miserable that without his grace and light supernaturall not only we cannot set our whole loue vpon him no nor yet loue him aboue all other things Thou wilt say I proue yet that although I be wicked and without diuine grace I haue notwithstanding a certeine desire to loue him aboue all other things and forasmuch as this desire is nothing els but loue therefore it maye loue him aboue all creatures wtout any other grace Vnto this I say that if thou shalt go forward séeking diligently thou shalt finde that this desire which thou hast to loue him is none other but for thine owne lucre If thou be carnall thou doest not desire to loue him for his glory but for thine owne felitie and this is not to loue God but thy selfe And if thou wouldest say I desire that all my will loue desire may be most entire and sincere I aunswere likewise and say that this thy desire also if thou be carnall is onely for regard of thy selfe wherefore thou louest none but thy selfe Whilest therefore we be carnall and that self-loue doth raigne in vs not onely we cannot loue God aboue all things but we cannot in truth loue him but for our owne gaine the which is not to loue him but our selues Thou wilt say it is sufficiēt that diuine
wrought for the glory of God but we ought at least to do so héereafter and then euery thing that we shal do shal be acceptable vnto God so that our purpose be right vnto him Euery man therfore ought to haue God for his last ende before his eyes to order al his life vnto him with chusing those things that serue most to his glory with forsaking those things which do hinder or stay vs wtout regarding things which appertaine not to vs which we shall be constrained to doe at any time when being in loue with God we féele with the spirit in Christ his great goodnesse Let vs pray to God therfore that he would giue vs a liuely light of him to the intent that hauing alwayes our eyes open to his honour we maye render vnto him all prayse thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen How that the Law of the Gospell is more perfect then all other Lawes Sermon 11. AS there is but one onely God one onely Christ one onely holy Ghost one onely Faith one onely Church and one onely Gospell so lykewise vnto the world is but one onely diuine Lawe imprinted alreadye by God in the minde of man darkened by sinne expressed somewhat by morall Philosophy but much better by Moses and most perfectlye by Christ and a new by Christ the spirit of God being the guyde powred in imprinted and written in the bowels and in the hearts of the regenerate as God afore time promised by his Prophet They call notwithstanding the naturall Law those canons rules and truth practised of that which is right and of that which is not right imprinted in the booke of the minde in the which euery one reading when he commeth to yeares of discretion without any other master and booke he discerneth by himselfe good from euil And the truth it self inasmuch as by Moses it was expressed in tables is called the Law writtē wheras afterward by Christ the holy Ghost being the guide it was in a more perfect manner imprinted in the harts of the regenerate that is called the Euangelical law of grace of the spirit Wher is to be noted that although a philosopher hath for example imprinted in minde this truth that God ought not to be dishonoured but honored knew that this thing is most right yet notwithstandinge hée obserued not this most iust lawe Yea the Iewes albeit they had this same truth not only imprinted in the minds but also expressed in the tables of Moses discerned the righteous from the vnrighteous that with greater light then the Philosophers they could in no wise obserue that iust honest law bicause they were letted by their concupisences But in a Christian already by faith regenerated the goodnesse of God thorough Christ is in such sort imprinted in his heart that by the liuely spirituall tast feeling which he hath in Christ of God he cannot dishonour him yea by the spirit which he hath the which preuayleth agaynst his carnall concupisences he is constrayned to honour him And this according to the measure of fayth which he hath The Philosopher then albeit he knew in part his bounden duetie he did not therfore fulfill it bicause the flesh resisted him And in lyke case also the Iew albeit he knew that better then all the Philosophers what the wil of God is neuerthelesse béeing without Christ without grace he obeied it not Wherefore he shall be punished the more grieuously as hée had greater knowledge of the lawe of God The naturall lawe therefore much more the written law is the Minister of death and damnation whereas the euangelicall law of spirite of grace is the minister of lyfe saluation Wherefore Paul speaking of it sayd the lawe of the spirit of lyfe in Christ Iesu hath deliuered mée from the law of death of sinne The written law therefore is vnperfect although the naturall lawe be much more vnperfect séeing that albeit they shew those thinges which ought to be done they doe not therefore giue the grace to be able to obserue them The law naturall then was as it were in darknesse the lawe of Moses in shadowes the euangelicall law in light The law natural came at midnight Moses lawe at the morning and the euangelicall law at noone day The naturall lawe came with a little candle burning Moses lawe with a great torch but couered the euangelical law with the cléere light of the Sun The natural law saw god in his creatures Moses law in the Scriptures the euangelical law in Christ The natural law séeth not Christ Moses law saw him and shewed him a farre off the euangelicall law hath seene him openly imbraced him for his owne The natural law hath imbraced no man Moses law hath painted him out with giuing him coulours the euangelical law hath giuen him spirit The naturall lawe made him serue by reasons Moses lawe for feare the euangelicall lawe for loue The natural lawe deliuereth vs from worldly infamy Moses law from the tyranny of Pharao and the euangelicall law from the tyranny of the world of the flesh of sinne and of the diuell The naturall law hath for the guide vnderstandinge Moses lawe a piller of fire and the euangelicall lawe the holy Ghost The natural lawe is the lawe of the Philosophers Moses law hath him for the author the euangelicall law is of Christ The naturall lawe féedeth men with worldly thinges Moses law with Manna and the euangelical law with God The natural law buildeth vp a worldly common wealth Moses law the holy citie of Hierusalem and the euangelicall lawe the heauenly countrey By the naturall law we were straungers by Moses law seruants and by the euangelicall frée and the sonnes of God The naturall law guided vs to a certeine humaine felicity Moses lawe into the land of promise and the euangelicall law vnto heauen The natural law is a burthen fit for humaine strength Moses lawe is a burthen sharp grieuous and the euangelicall lawe is pleasant delectable The naturall law hath a respect to the comelines of vertues Moses law vnto felicitie and the euangelical law vnto the glory of God The naturall conducteth thee into Aegipt there leaueth thee Moses law deliuereth thée frō thence maketh thée walk thorough the desert the euangelical law bringeth thée into the land of promise The natural law begetteth thee vnto the world Moses law killeth thée vnto God the euangelical law raiseth thée againe The natural law accuseth thée Moses law condemneth thée and the euangelicall law saueth thée The naturall law awaketh man when he sléepeth Moses law maketh him to tremble and the euangelical law setteth him at rest The naturall lawe maketh men righteous in their owne sight Moses law in the sight of the world and the euangelicall law maketh them righteous in the sight of God The naturall lawe promiseth not any thing that is supernaturall Moses law maketh promises of most rich diuine thinges and the euangelicall lawe obserueth them The naturall lawe maketh vs men Moses law maketh vs Angells and the euangelicall law euen as Gods Wherfore the natural law is good Moses law better the euangelicall law best and most perfect Let vs pray therefore vnto the Lorde that hée would imprint it in our heartes to the intent that we may render to him all prayse honour and glory thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen FINIS ⧠IMPRINTED AT London by Thomas East dwelling betwéene Paules Wharfe and Baynards Castle 1580. MIEVLX VAVLT MOVRIR EN VERTV QVE VIVRE EN HONCTE