not thrée eternals but one eternall As also there bée not thrée incomprehēsibles nor thrée vncreated but one vncreated and one incomprehensible So likewise is the father almightie the sonne almightie and the holy ghost almightie And yet they are not thrée almighties but one almighty So the father is God the sonne is God and the holye ghost is God. And yet are they not thrée Gods but one God. So likewise is the father Lord the sonne Lord and the holy ghost Lord. And yet not thrée Lordes but one Lord. For lyke as wée bée compelled by the Christian veritie too acknowledge euery person by himselfe too bée God and Lorde So are wée forbidden by the Catholike religion too say there bée thrée Gods or thrée Lordes The father is made of none neither created nor begotten The sonne is of the father alone not made nor created but begotten The holy ghost is of the father and of the sonne neyther made nor created nor begotten but procéeding So there is one father not thrée fathers one sonne not thrée sonnes one holy Ghost not thrée holy Ghostes And in this Trinitie none is afore or after other none is greater nor lesse than an other But the whole thrée persons bée coeternall together and coequall So that in al things as is aforsayd the vnitie in Trinitie and the Trinitie in vnitie is too bée woorshypped He therefore that wyll bée saued must thus thinke of the Trinitie Furthermore it is necessary too euerlasting saluatiō that he also béeléeue ryghtly in the Incarnacion of our Lord Iesu Chryst For the ryght Faythe is that wée béeléeue and confesse that our Lord Iesus Chryste the sonne of God is God and man. God of the substaunce of the father béegotten béefore the worldes and man of the substaunce of his mother borne in the world Perfect God and perfect man of a reasonable soule and humaine flesh subsisting Equall too the father as touching his Godhead and inferiour too the father touching his manhoode Who although hée bée God and man yet hée is not two but one Chryst One not by conuersion of the Godhead intoo flesh but by taking of the manhoode intoo God. One altoogither not by confusion of substance but by vnitie of persone For as the reasonable soule and flesh is one man so God and man is one Chryst Who suffered for our saluation descended intoo hell rose ageyn the third day from the dead He ascended intoo heauen he sitteth on the ryght hand of the father God almightie from whence he shall come too iudge the quicke and the dead At whose comming all men shall ryse ageyn with their bodyes and shal giue accompt for their owne workes And they that haue doone good shall goe intoo lyfe euerlasting and they that haue done euill intoo euerlasting fire This is the Catholike fayth which except a man beléeue faythfully he can not be saued Vppon the first Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle j. Iohn iiij DEerely beloued let vs loue one another for loue commeth of god And euery one that loueth is borne of God and knoweth god Hee that loueth not knoweth not God for God is loue In this appeareth the loue of god too vs warde bycause that God sent his onely begotten sonne intoo the world that wee myght liue through him Herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne too bee the agreement for our sinnes Deerely beloued if God so loued vs we ought also one to loue another No man hath seen God at any tyme If wee loue one another GOD dwelleth in vs and his loue is perfect in vs Hereby knowe we that we dwell in him and hee in vs bycause he hath giuen vs of his spirite And wee haue seen and doo testifye that the Father sent the sonne too bee the Sauiour of the world whosoeuer confesseth that Iesus is the sonne of God in him dwelleth God and hee in god And wee haue knowen and beleeued the loue that God hath too vs God is loue and hee that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God ▪ and God in him Herein is the loue perfecte in vs that wee should trust in the daye of iudgement For as he is euen so are wee in this world There is no feare in loue but perfect loue casteth out feare for feare hath paynefulnesse Hee that feareth is not perfite in loue Wee loue him for hee loued vs first If a man say I loue God and yet hate his brother he is a lyer For how can he that loueth not his brother whom he hath seen loue GOD whom he hath not seen And this commaundement haue wee of him that he which loueth God should loue his brother also The disposement THe state of this Epistle is a doctrine concerning the loue of God and of our neyghbour The greatest part of Iohns whole Epistle is employed vppon twoo places In exhorting too fayth whiche is settled in the louingnesse or mercie of GOD who forgiueth sinnes for his sonne our Lord Iesus Chrystes sake and escheweth corruptions of the true doctrine concerning the sonne of god And vntoo new obedience or loue towardes GOD and our neyghbour For too this purpose chéefly did Iohn wryte this Epistle too roote out this common errour out of mennes myndes who when they héere that wée are iustifyed by faith alone for Chrystes sake doo gather thereuppon that good woorkes are not néedfull and that it skilles not after what sort wée liue Iohn therefore teacheth that wée attayne remission of sinnes and are clenzed from our sinnes not for our owne good woorkes but by fayth through the frée loue mercie of God and the only blud of the sonne of God howbeit that this fayth must of necessitie woorke effectually by loue towardes God and our neyghbour as is sayd more at large in the doctrine of iustification and good woorkes Now there are in the Epistle of this Sūday thrée places too bée chéefly considered 1 Of Gods loue toowardes vs which is the foundatiō of our rightuousnesse and euerlasting saluation ▪ 2 Of our loue towardes God and our neyghbour 3 Of the childly awe and the slauish feare The first place MOst graue and most woorthy too bée imprinted in the iunermost bowels of our hartes is the first sentēce of this Epistle which setteth foorth a summe of the whole Gospell and a most swéete comfort in all troubles and sorowes God is loue and hee that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God God in him But first and formost let the Readers consider that this saying of Iohns agréeth fully with Chrystes sermon Ioh. iij. God so loued the world that he gaue his only begottē sonne too the intent that al which beléeue in him should not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting God is loue that is too say God loueth mankynde in very déed and earnestly and hath vttered his infinite and vnspeakable loue toowardes vs by this notable token that he hath not spared his only begotten sonne but hath
giuen him for vs all Like as a little before the woordes of this dayes Epistle it is sayd Herein is the loue not that wée loued God but that he loued vs and sent his only begotten sonne too make agréement for our sinnes This excéeding great goodnesse and mercie or loue of God toowardes vs is the only fortresse of our ryghtuousnesse hauen of our welfare Too whiche who soeuer flée with stedie fayth are reconcyled too God or haue Gods fauour and dwell in God God dwelleth in thē bestowing vpon them al benefits cōfort rightuousnesse life ioy heauenly lyght These are verely and earnestly or perfectly beloued of GOD and at the day of iudgement haue a stedie trust settled in his fatherly good will feare not that they shall bée condemned but knowe themselues too bée clothed with the rightuousnesse of the sonne of God and that they are reputed and become as rightuouse and holy as if they thēselues had performed the perfect loue and obedience due too the Lawe This trust settled in the loue or good will of God embracing vs for his sonnes sake is the phisike of the mynde taking away fond thoughtfulnesse ridding vs of lusts driuing away feare and making the hart quiet and peaceable It is not full of thought and anguishe or it dooth not tremble or despayre in daungers whiche are bent ageinst it but is subiect too God and persuading it selfe too bee verely beloued of God it craueth and wayteth for helpe at his hand and obeyeth him and is not discouraged with the hugenesse of miseries that it should fall from God according as S. Paule sayeth ▪ Roma viij Who shall separate vs from the loue of God shall affliction or anguish or persecution or hunger c I am well assured that neyther death nor lyfe nor any creature can plucke vs from the loue of God wherewith he loueth vs for his sonne our Lord Iesus Chrystes sake So Moyses standing at the red Sea so Ezechias and Esay being beséeged by Sennacherib so Steuen whē he was going too execution through fayth assuring them that God loued them for his sonnes sake did put away the fearefulnesse anguish and torment of cōscience vnder which Saule Iudas and innumerable others did sinke of whiche sorte is sayd in the Epistle But he that feareth is not perfect in loue that is too say hée that yéeldeth too distrust too fearefulnesse and anguish and despayreth in sorow and tribulation he beléeueth not that God loueth him in déed neyther dwelleth he in God nor God in him The second place Of louing God and our neyghbour LEt vs loue him bycause he hath loued vs first By wonderfull prouidence hath God so framed mannes nature that in his mynd there should shyne certein sparks of knowledge too bée as gouerners of all his deuises and dooings and in his will and hart there should bée both the rest of affections and also charitie or loue whereby the hart dooth with a certeine gladnesse long for and drawe vntoo it and endeuour to knit vntoo itselfe the good thing which it liketh that it may enioy it and that as it were one thing may bée made of twoo Like as the sonne of God being led with excéeding great loue vnited mannes nature too himselfe Too this ende then is nature created in this wyse that men should before all things long after God as the souerein good thing and settle themselues vppon him and ioy in him and that men being cuppled in God should also bée linked one vntoo another and being ioyned toogither shold bée all one teaching all one thing and professing all one thing For there is no bond of mānes felowshippe more strong than the flames of loue ▪ sowen in mennes harts by the operation of God and afterward kindled and strengthened by the lykenesse of natures and conditions and by consent as touching God and other matters Loue towardes God is a burning fyre of longing wherewith mennes hartes vppon knowledge of Gods hartie loue towardes vs which he hath shewed by sending his sonne do on their behalfe ageine embrace God and with a certeyne gladnesse settled vppon him submit themselues too him and obey him according too all his commaundements as is sayd in the chapter folowing This is the louing of God that wée kéepe his commaundements And there bée three causes recited in this Epistle where by all the godly ought too bée stirred and inflamed too the true and earnest loue of God and our neyghbour The first is the true earnest and infinite loue of God towardes vs which he hath shewed by sending his onely begotten sonne who dyed and rose ageine for our saluation Wherefore the order of ryght and the eternall and vnchaūgeable necessitie of det requireth at our hands that we shold not bée thanklesse too God that loueth vs so hartely but that wee should render loue for loue and bée obedient too him according as it is sayd in the Text let vs loue him bycause he hath loued vs first The second is the most streigth commaundement of God as it is sayd in the Text This commaundement haue wée of God that he which loueth god shold also loue his neighbour The third is the most ample dignitie and profitablenesse For this is the hyghest and chéefest worshipping of GOD wherein God is most specially delighted who dwelleth in the hartes of those that loue one another and agrée toogither as in a house or temple that he liketh well of as is sayde in this chapter If we loue one another God dwelleth in vs On the contrarie part he shaketh of God from gouerning him whatsoeuer he is that soweth discord or nourisheth and confirmeth hatred yrefulnesse desire of reuenge discord and warres The loue of a mannes brother or neyghbour comprehendeth in a maner all the vertues of the second table as in the fourth commaundement brotherly loue kindhartednesse duetifulnesse towardes a mannes parentes and teachers loue of mannes childrē and kinsfolk of the magistrats c. In the fifth commaundement endeuer too kéepe concord frendship méeknesse mercie vprightnesse which hurteth not another mannes bodye or good name but dooth good vntoo others In the sixth commaundement the loue of maryed folkes eschewing whoredome and aduoutrie c. In the seuenth commaundement ryghtfulnesse whiche impeacheth not anothers mannes goods nor defraudeth another man in bargayning liberalitie towardes the poore In the eyght commaundement fréendlynesse faythfulnesse soothfastnesse which hurteth not another man by slaunders bakbytings raylings c. Of all these vertues which are apparant too bée partes of neyghbourly loue a man myght speake in order if this place were appoynted for the full opening of them But as nowe it suffyseth too haue poynted out the chéef poyntes of this most large doctrine as they are applyed too the Text of this present Epistle Vppon the second Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle j. Iohn iij. MEruayle not my brethren thoughe the world hate
by the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ that they should obey God and set foorth his glorie by liuing vertuously Ephe. ij Wée are his woorke created to doo good woorkes And an eyghtdayes ago wee haue herd this is y wil of God euen that you should bée holy Iohn .v. This is my coÌ„maundement that you loue one another And in this Epistle Bée yée the folowers of God walke in louingnesse as the sonnes of lyght walke yée Therfore are yee deliuered from the darknesse of not knowing God and from the darknesse of sinne and by the Gospell lyghtened with the lyght of knowyng God aryght and endued with the holy Ghoste that yee should liue in new knowledge of God in rightuousnesse in purenesse in dooing of good turnes in truthe and in all other vertues agréeing with the wil of god Nither may al precepts concerning good woorks bee referred Secondly necessitie of eschewing peynes present eternall which vnchaungeably accompanye such as are defiled with sinnes ageinst conscience as in this Epistle there bée moste gréeuous threates Knowe ye this that no whoremonger and vncleane persone or couetous persone whiche is an Idolater haue inheritauÌ„ce in the kingdome of Christ and of god Let no man deceyue yée with vayne talke that is too wit that simple fornication couetousnesse and vsurie are no sinnes for these things commeth Gods wrath that is too say horrible plages vppon the disobedient The horriblenesse of this threatning may bée amplified by expounding the weightynesse of the woords and putting too of like sayings and examples gathered out of the Historie of the whole world Thirdly the necessitie of holding fast fayth Gods grace the holy Ghoste and euerlasting lyfe For all these good things are shaken of by euill woorkes or simes ageinst conscience Fourthly the rewardes of good woorkes promised by God .j. Tim. iiij Godlynesse hath promises of the present lyfe and of the lyfe too come For although remission of sinnes eternall lyfe bée giuen fréely for Chrysts sake onely yet are good woorkes recompénsed with other most bountefull rewardes as well ghostly as bodyly both in this lyfe and in the euerlasting lyfe And Paule giueth commaundement by name concerning loue of our neyghboure which repressing bitternesse yrefulnesse backbyting and all malice honoreth wel dooing mercye and frankhartednesse towardes others For the beginning of the fifth Chapter too the Ephesians hangeth too this part of the fourth chapter Therfore all the whole summe of the doctrine concerning the loue towards a mannes neyghbour c may bée conueyed hither out of the exposition of the first fifth and seuenth commaundements Concerning Chastitie whiche escheweth whordome vnclennesse and filthynesse matter too entreate off may bée taken out of the methodicall exposition of Chastitie whiche I haue registred in the sixth commaundement Concerning Couetousnesse which fyghteth with the first and .vij. commaundements let doctrine bée sought out of the declaration of the vertues of the .vij. commaundement Concerning the sacrifice of Chryst who offered him selfe for vs too the father an oblation and sacrifyce of swéete sent wée will speake about a fortnight hence vppon the Sunday called Iudica Now will I bréefly expound the text Bee yee folowers of God therefore that is too say in loue benefiting .j. Iohn iiij Héerin is Loue not that wée haue loued God but that he hath loued vs and hath sent his sonne too bée a reconcylement for our sinnes Déerbeloued if God haue loued vs so wée also must loue one another GOD is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him Walke in loue toward God and your neyghbour Too walke is too liue or to rule the will and outward dooings in suche wyse that wée may loue our neybor and doo him good And gaue himselfe for vs. That is also a witnesse of Christes feruent loue towards vs which is set out Rom. v. An offering and sacrifyce The sacrifyse intoo which was conueyed Gods wrath ageinst our sinnes whom it béehoued too bée slayne and put too death too the entent wée myght bée spared For a sent of sweete smell For a swéete sauor and acceptable It is a phrase taken out of Moyses Leuit. j. The Préest shall burne it vppon the Altare for a burnt Offering and a swéete smell vntoo the lord Genes viij The Lord smelled a swéete smell God is woonderfully delyghted in the obedyence of his sonne the sacrifyse And he sheweth that for his sake our prayers also and our thanks giuing and our almefdéedes are acceptable and swéete vntoo him in like wyse as wée are delyghted with the fresh sent of a Vyolet or a Rose And all the sacrifyses and good woorkes of the godly must bée smelles that is too say a farre spred and wel sented fame concerning God. As it becommeth Sainctes The saincts are clean Whore-hunting filthynesse ribaudry c. are vncleane Ergo they become not Sainctes A couetous man whoo is an Idolater He is an Idolater eyther which surmyseth that too bée a GOD which is not God or which yéeldeth to some other thing that is not God the honor peculyarly due vntoo God as fayth feare and loue aboue all things So is a couetous persone an Idolater bycause he bestoweth his loue aboue all things and his trust which are due only too God vppon his mony and setteth more by it than by God. Ye wer sometime darknesse that is too say without knowledge of God nouzeling your selues in all sinnes yée were without true acknowledgement of God without true ryghtuousnesse and without lyfe But now you are lyght in the Lord. Now yée are lightened with true knowledge of God yée know what woorks please God and what woorkes displease him yée are borne ageine by the holy Ghoste Vppon the Sunday called Laetare or the fourth Sunday in Lent. ¶ The Epistle Galath iiij FOr it is wryten that Abraham had two sonnes the one by a bondmaide the other by a free-woman Yea and he which was borne of the bondwoman was borne after the flesh but he which was borne of the freewoman was borne by promys which things are spoken by an allegorie For these are twoo Testamentes the one from the mount Sinai vvhich gendreth vntoo bondage vvhich is Agar For mount Sinai is Agar in Arabia and bordreth vppon the Citie vvhich is novv called Ierusalem and is in bondage vvith hir children But Ierusalem vvhich is aboue is free vvhich is the moother of vs all For it is vvrytten Reioyce thou barren that bearest no chyldren breake foorthe and crye thou that traueylest not For the desolate hath many mo children than shee vvhich hath an husbande Brethren vvee are after Isaac the children of promys But as then he that vvas borne after the flesh persecuted him that vvas born after the spirite Euen so is it nowe Neueâ—thelesse vvhat sayth the scripture put avvay the bondvvoman and hir sonne For the sonne of the bondvvoman shall
sinfull inclinations or of the darknesse and vnrulynesse of all the powers of man raging ageinst the Lawes of god This concupiscence like a welspring bredeth and bringeth foorth actuall sinnes euen in the regenerate when ouer and besydes the mistinesse of mynd and the sinfull inclinations and the sodein brayds of affections there commeth also an assent or agréement of the wil and a ful purpose too commit the sin euen in outward woork And so hath sinne his being not of God but of concupiscence sticking in vs or of originall sinne whiche is bred and borne with vs And therefore dooth Iames ryght sagely affirme that nothing commeth from God but good as is sayd in Genesis God sawe all things that he had made and behold they were excéeding good and Psalm 91. They shall declare that our Lord GOD is ryghtuouse and there is no iniquitie in him The same is the méening of Iames in this place Euery good gift is from aboue and commeth from the Father of lyght with whom there is no variablenesse nor shadowing of chaunge that is too say like as God is good so there procéedeth nothing but good from him Yea all good things vertue wisdome and happynesse in compassing things are the gifts of God only according too this text what hast thou whiche thou hast not receyued And godlyly and sagely sayeth one in Plutarch God hath made these things and he dooth lende his hand vntoo mée All good things come downe from the Father of lyght that is too say from God who is the souerein and eternall lyght or the fountaine of lyght and of al good things And in asmuch as he is vnchaungeable and alwayes good without alteration and shyning with light of ryghtuousnesse and vpryghtnesse he is neuer turned or shadowed with the darknesse of sinne or at any tyme the cause of sinne as is sayd in Deut. xxxij God is voyd of all iniquitie vpryght and ryghtuouse Let this text therfore bée ioyned with the rest whiche auouche God not too bée the cause of sinne and ageinst al the sleyghtye disputations concerning Gods foresight and sufferance of sinnes and mayntenaÌ„ce of the nature that sinneth set this one true certein and vnmouable sentence with which the sounder sort euen of the Heathen also doo agrée As Euripides in his Bellerophon sayeth If the Gods peocure any dishonestie then are they no Gods. And Plato also most reuerently in the second booke of his Common weale the. 390. page sayeth It is too bée endeuered with all earnestnesse that inasmuch as God is good no man may in this common weale which we will haue too bée well gouerned say that he is cause of any euill â–ª neyther yoong man nor olde man eyther in Poetrie or in other Discourse The second place Concerning regeneration GOD of his owne good will hath begotten vs with the woord of truthe that wee myght bee the first frutes of his creatures God by his woord or by his lawe hath kindled in mennes myndes a knowledge of their sinnes and a fearfulnesse and gréef rysing of the féeling of Gods wrath ageinst sinne And afterward by shewing in his gospell the remission of sinnes too bée giuen fréely for Chrystes sake he kindleth fayth in their hartes whereby they persuade themselues assuredly that their sinnes are released and intoo the hartes of them that beléeue he poureth the holy Ghoste who by little and little mortifieth the remnant of sin and woorketh new lyght and new ryghtuousnesse or obedience agréeing with the wil of god This whole conuersion of a man wrought by the ministerie of the woord or Gospell and of Baptim is called Regeneration of which is spoken in Iohn j. and .iij. j. Pet. j. and elswhere more at large For as by Adam men are begotten of mortall séede of the flesh too this bodyly lyfe subiect too sinne and death So are wée begotten a new of pure and vncorruptible séede by the woord of the liuing God and as it were created a new too a new and spiritual and eternal lyfe which is the true knowledge and calling vppon God true confidence settled in god and true and earnest loue and obedience which are the sacrifise and seruices most acceptable too god Iohn xvij This is the eternall lyfe that they acknowledge the true God c. Wée are his worke created too good woorks Too the enlightening of this short saying of Iames there may bée brought in the sermons that are in Iohn j. As many as receyued him he gaue them power too becoÌ„me the sonnes of GOD too them that beléeue in his name which are not borne neyther of the séede nor of the will of the fleshe nor of the will of man but of god Ioh. iij. Onlesse a man bée borne from aboue he can not sée the kingdome of God. The third place is A Precept concerning willingnesse to lern and the shunning of headye iudgement and babling which giueth sentence rashly of gods sufferance or determination coÌ„cerning sinnes and fallings And it is a generall warning that wee should bée swift and vnsâ—outhfull too héere but slow to speake and well aduised ere we iudge Which warning perteyneth too the whole lyfe of man and specially too the studie of diuinitie of other in which nothing is more hurtfull than toâ— bée rype too soone to carie about a vayne persuasion of lerning to determine vppon most weightie coÌ„trouerfies rashly and headely Therfore did Pythagoras enioyn fyueyéeres silence too his Disciples that they should not rashly burst foorth to teaching others before they had furnished their own brest with true and substantiall lerning yea and grounded themselues in their doctrine by practyze of certein yéeres And Nazianzene wittely reproueth the fondnesse or pride of those that become teachers vppon the sodein as the Gyants in the Fables of the Poetes are sayde too bée bred and borne vppon the sodein These as a most noysome plage dooth Plato in Thaeeteto will men too shunne describing theÌ„ among their things in these woordes None of these héereth another man too the intent too lerne but they bréede of their owne accord and burst out with sodein brayde when the toy takes them in the head and they think no man knowes aught but themselues For as much as such selfelerned and selfewilled Doctors import verye great harme and assured destruction too the Churche let vs with all earnestnesse diligence and héed obey this rule of Iames that we bée swift quicke chéerful and alwayes redye too héere lerne but in speaking and teaching slowe circumspect or that I may vse Platos woords desirous too lerne desirous too héere and alwayes inquisitiue For therfore hath God giuen vs twoo eares but one tong that he might doo vs too vnderstand how there bée mo things too bée herd than too bée spoken The fourth place is of of brydling yrefulnesse and specially of brydling impatience or grudge and repyning ageinst God in aduersities oâ— when things go ageinst
too endure it And héer withall let the whole doctrine concerning the true calling vppon God bée repeted in this place which must not roue douting too what God a man speaketh as Hecuba prayeth in Euripides O Iupiter who so euer thou art right hard too bée knowne nor bée directed too surmysed Gods or dead men but must speake vntoo the one true God the father of our Lord Iesus Chryst who hath disclosed himselfe in his Church by his assured woord by recorde of miracles and by sending his sonne our Lord Iesus Chryst which was crucifyed and raised ageine for vs that he myght set vs at one with the eternall father and make our requestes and prayers welcome and acceptable too him Of this true God the father of our Lord Iesus Chryst and of vs all of whom as of their father and creator all Angels and men and all things visible and inuisible in heauē and in earth haue their béeing and preseruacion let vs request not only the ordinarie and flyghtfull commodities of this present life but in especially the souereine and most néedfull gifts that according too his rich glorie and excéeding great goodnesse he will giue vs his holy spirite too strengthen vs with faith and stedfastnesse in the true acknowledgement of Iesus Chryst as touching the inward man which béeing borne a new by the woord of the Gospell and the woorking of the holy Ghoste may no more liue after the flesh but after the sprite that Chryst may dwell and bée effectuall in vs in such wyse that through the feruent and incomprehensible kyndnesse or loue of God towardes vs which he hath shewed by sending his sonne j. Iohn iiij Rom. v. wée béeing grounded in steadie fayth and fastened with déepe rootes may bée able to comprehend what is the bredth and length and depth and heigth of gods excéeding great goodnesse and mercy towards vs which he hath shewed by sending his sonne whereof is spoken in Psal Cij As far as the East is from the West so farre hath he set our iniquities from vs As high as the heauen is aboue the earth so hyghly is the Lords mercy stablished vpon them that feare him That wee may after some sort know the great and woonderfull loue of Chryste towardes vs which is farre more excellent and greater than that man can attaine too it and vnderstand it And that wee may bee filled with all fulnesse of God. That is too say that wée may bée filled too the full with heauenly lyght wisdome ryghtuousnesse and lyfe by God who shall bée all in all and that God himselfe dwelling in vs euerlastingly may euermore shine in vs and lyghten and fulfill our hartes with the flames of all vertues The fourth place IN thankes giuing wherewith he closeth vp this Epystle there is a notable text too bée considered for men too set ageinst Stoicall destinie For the Stoikes surmyse that God is bound too second causes or too the order of nature so as he cānot doo otherwyse thā as the second causes doo suffer This imagination which is slaunderous to God and hindereth the true calling vpon God in daungers that are vnauoydable by mannes wit is cléerely confuted by this sentence of Paules God is able aboue all things and abundantly too help beyond all that wee can aske or conceyue Like as hée helped Moyses standing at the red sea Ezechias beseeged of Sennacherib and the thrée Israelites in the burning Ouen at Babylon what tyme they were destitute of all mannes ayd and counsel and of all second causes altering the vsuall and accustomed order of nature And this is the peculiar and chéese wisdome of Gods Churche too settle our selues in God and his woord by faith and with quiet mindes stedfastly too wait for the promised deliuerance euen when wée were vtterly destitute of all second causes Vppon the .xvij. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle Ephe. iiij I VVhich am a prisoner of the Lordes exhorte you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherwith ye are called with al lowlinesse and mekenesse with humblenesse of minde forbearing one another through loue and bee diligent too keepe the vnitie of the spirit through the bond of peace beeing one body and one spirite euen as ye are called in one hope of your calling Let there bee but one Lorde one faith one baptisme one God and father of all which is aboue all and through all and in you all The disposement THis Epistle is of that sort of cases that persuade And the state of it is this Bee yee one minded It perteineth to the fifth commaundement of the ten Most weightie surely and necessarie in all trades of lyfe is the doctrine that concerneth the cunning too mainteine concord with ones companyons Which thing is set out more lernedly in this Epistle than any where else I will therfore tell 1 What vertues are chéefly néedfull too the maintenance of concorde 2 Of the causes that ought too moue and kindle euery mā too the endeuer of mainteining concorde First Of the vertues that are needfull to the mayntenance of concord PAule exhorteth the Ephesians and all godly folk too walke woorthye the vocation too which they are called that is to say too rule all the intentes endeuers and dooings of their lyfe in such wyse as they may agrée with their calling and the woord of GOD whereby they are called too the setting foorth of Gods glorie and too mutuall loue and concord For of all mennes deuyses and dooings these must bée the twoo chéef endes First that Gods glorie and the true doctrine cōcerning God may bée spred farre abrode and secondly that the fellowship and concord of the Church may bée cherished j. Corint x. Doo all things too the glorie of God and bée not a stumbling blocke too the Church But the foundation or head and welspring of all christen concord is the agréement in doctrine concerning GOD like as the sonne of God prayeth Iohn xvij Father I pray that they may bée one in vs And héere Paule counselleth them to endeuer too keepe the vnitie of the spirit that is too say to kéepe a consent in the one true doctrine which the holy ghost hath deliuered too the church And he reherseth in order three vertues whereof wee haue neede to the mayntenance of concord with our fellowes The vnderstanding of whiche will bée the cléerer if wée adde notable examples The first is Lowlynesse which represseth pryde that picketh quarelles without a cause whereof there are flames in euery man by nature For eche one coueteth by nature too séeme better than others and too bée reuerenced as Gods among men and too kéepe downe and darken others that are thought too shadowe their excellencie Out of this fountayne spring most or rather all debates in all kindes of lyfe Therfore such as bée of our companie haue néede of such a lowlynesse of mynde that they may abase them selues beneath others Like as Abraham Gen. xiij
demonstratiue The state or proposition of it is I am glad that it hath bin your good lucke too haue the full and riche knowledge of the Gospell whereby you are made parteners of saluation and euerlasting lyfe with Chryste It may bée referred too the first and second of the ten commaundements The cheefe places are foure 1 Of mannes souerein good which is the true knowledge of GOD and of his sonne our Lord Iesus Chryst according too the Gospell 2 Of Perseuerance 3 Of the last iudgement 4 Of fréendlynesse whiche hath a will too doo other mē good reioyceth alwayes in their good successes First Of the souerein good SOuerein good Blissednesse Blisse or Blisfulnesse whiche is the enioying of the souerein good and the end too whiche man tendeth are almost of one significatiō Howbéeit there is great disagréement not only among the common and vnskilfull sort but also euen among the wyse What is the souerein good of man which man ought chéefly too séeke after and too the atteynement whereof he ought too employe all his intentes deuyses and dooings and wherein he ought too settle The common sort the Country folk the Noble men Citizens and Marchant men déeme monye to bée the souerein good and thoughe they now and then speake somewhat discretly yet most of them thinke in their hartes as the Cyclops did in Euripides Riches are vnto the wise men a god O man as for other things they are but fables and pleasant tales The Ambitiouse doo chéefly couet honour and promotion The Epicures of whom there is the greatest number among men employe all their endeuer too enioy the pleasures of the bodye The sounder sort of Philosophers say that mannes blisse cōsisteth in vertue But yet neyther Aristotle in his Ethikes nor Cicero in his Offices where they purposely make discourse of vertue doo make any mention of God or of godlynesse too Godward of the feare of God of faith of the loue of God of prayer or of thankesgiuing Plato teacheth somwhat more diuinely that all mē ought too trauell chéefly in this behalf that they may speake things acceptable to God and doo things acceptable too god And he defineth vertue too bée a framing of a mannes self like vntoo God as much as is possible This is the true end of man according too the Lawe which teacheth that mānes souereine good is full agréeablenesse with Gods wil that is too wit the true knowledge and glorifying of God and hartye loue and perfect obedience as is sayd in this dayes Gospel that the souerein cōmaundement of the Lawe is Thou shalt loue thy Lord God with all thy hart c. Now like as if a mā shold shewe a néedye bodye a wedge of gold vppon the toppe of a high Toure yet not lend him a ladder wherwithal he might climb vp to the toppe and fetch downe the wedge So dooth Gods law only poynt men to the souerein good without shewing vs how wée may come by it sith that no man fulfilleth the Lawe But the Gospell setteth before vs both the ende and the meanes wherby wée may attayn too it namely Iesus Christ the mediator who is the way the truthe and lyfe the doore at which we enter the ladder by which we climb into heauē Therefore the souerein good is the true knowledge of god and of his sonne our Lord Iesu Chryst according to the gospell The knowledge of God cōprehendeth by the figure Synecdoche all the effects folowing that is too wit faith loue prayer praysegiuing fruition of light wisdome lyfe ioy euerlasting For all these things dooth Chryste comprehend Iohn xvij This is eternall lyfe that they may acknowledge thée the true God and Iesus Chryste whom thou hast sent For this souerein good dooth Paule reioyce on the behalfe of the Corinthians in this Epistle and he affirmeth them too bée enryched not with the transitorie riches of this lyfe but with the true and euerlasting riches that is with true and plentuous knowledge of the doctrine of the gospell and with stedfast faith and with all good things necessarie too saluation For in deed as it is sayd j. Tim. vj. The chéefest riches that can bée is Godlynesse ioyned with contentation And in this place Hée is true by whom you are called too the fellowship of Iesu Chryst that is too wit that yée might bée the children of God by adoption and brethren and coheires with Chryst of all good things in heauen Certeinly therefore yée shall bée glorified with Chryst and shall bée like vnto him The second Of Perseuerance PErseuerance is a stedfast and continuall abyding in the true acknowledgement of Chryst and in fayth euen vnto the last gaspe Now whereas Chryste sayeth Hée that holdeth out too the end shal bée saued and wée in so great weaknesse of nature in so great perilles and through the flyghtes of the Diuell may easly slyde and fall away The godly mynds that are distressed demaund how they may continue in true knowledge of God and in faith vntoo the end Saule fell whereas erst he had bin well liked of God and had bin the dwelling place of the holy Ghost Iudas the Apostle fel Our first parents who were created too the Image of God fell and finally there bée examples innumerable in all our lyfe Therefore that wée may stand stedfast in the faith let vs haue these most swéete comfortes alwayes before our eyes j. Cor. j. Chryst shall strengthen you vntoo the end that yée may bée blamelesse in the day of our Lord Iesus Chryst Luc. xxij I haue prayed for thée Peter that thy fayth may not fayle But Chryst prayeth not onely for Peter and the Apostles but for all that beléeue their preaching j. Corint x. God is faithfull who suffereth vs not too bée tempted aboue our strength but with the temptation maketh a way out that wée may bée able too endure it Iohn xvj I will pray my Father and he shall send you an other comforter which shal fary with you for euer Let the myndes of the godly being strengthned with these moste swéete promises fight ageynst wauering and wanhope and performe diligence in harty prayer and bée circumspect and watchfull in eschuing occasions of fallyng and the diuels snares dangers Let Fayth bee their buckler prayer their percing dart and Gods woorde their swoorde and let Chryste alone with the rest He wil strenghthen vs too the end that though sinne be stil remayning in vs yet wée may be blamelesse in the day of our Lorde Iesus Chryste who was made sin and curse for vs that we might be set frée from cōdemnation of the law and bée made the ryghtuousnesse of God in him Rom. viij There is no damnation too those that walke in Iesu Chryst The third COncerning the last iudgement or the day of our Lord Iesus Christ there is a notable testimonie in this Epistle perteyning to this article From
and forgiuenesse of sinnes promised for the woorthynesse of our feare faith or new obedience but is giuen fréely for Chrystes sake onely too him that repēteth and beléeueth as is sayd more at large in the doctrine of Iustification Hee hath shewed strength c. This is the summe of the next thrée verses GOD preserueth and defendeth his Church ageinst the wisdome power abilitie of the whole world Hath shewed strength that is too saye dooth mightily preserue and defend his lowly and weake Churche like as he defended the Israelites mightily at the red Sea and repressed the tyrannie of Pharao With his arme that is too say by his sonne For so is the sōne named Exo. xv Esai liij Who hath beléeued our saying and too whom is the arme of the Lord reueled Esai xl His arme shall beare rule ouer all He hath scattered the proude in the imagination of their hartes as the Pharaos who by their owne wisdome went about too oppresse the people of Israell Exod. j. ij xiiij c. as the purposes of Diocletiā a most suttle and cruel Prince who entēded too haué destroyed the church as he disappoynted the coūsell of Achitophel ij Reg. xv So also now of late yéeres he hath disapointed very many suttle practises of y Pope and his Prelates that endeuered to haue wiped out the church He putteth downe the mightie from their seates that is to say Tyraunts which trust in their own power and wealth and specially whiche are persecuters of the Church them dooth God cast downe headlong from the hyghest top of their souereintie into dreadful calamities As for example Apries king of Egipt who boasted that no body eyther of the Gods or of men was able to beréeue him of his kingdome was afterward strangled Nabuchodonosor who hild the kingdome of Babilon the largest and mightiest empyre of the world when he waxed proud stahis was depriued not onely of his kingdome but also of his reason Iulian the regenerate beyng wounded casting vp his bloud with his owne hand cried out thou hast ouer come O Galilean Hath exalted the lowly that is to say such as were caste downe to the ground miserable and despised persones like as he lifted vp Moyses out of pryson to the Lordship of the kingdome of Egipt He remoued Dauid out of his shepeheards cotage into the throne of the kingdome of Israell He made Daniell his fellowes rulers of prouinces in the kingdome of Persia Chaldey He maried Hester the prisonner to the most puissant King Assuerus So also God lifted vppe the base and wretched handmayde Marie to this most high honour that shée became the Mother of the Sonne of god He hath filled the hungry with good things according to the saying of the xxxiij Psalme the rich haue wanted and bin a hungred but they that feare the Lorde shall want nothing Or els let it bée applyed too the consciences that are made afrayd at the beholding of their sinnes and which thirst and hunger after the rightuousnesse of Christ These shall bée refreshed with healthfull comfort filled with euerlasting good things But the rich or such as trust in theyr owne rightuousnesse and holynesse shall bée shaken of The .ix. and .x. verses HE remēbring his mercy hath hild vp Israel his child as he spake to our forefathers Abraham and his seede for euer The second and cheef part of this song in which shee giueth thankes for the sending of Christ according to the promises made to the fathers Now to the enlightening of these two verses may bee referred all the promises and Sermons concerning Christ which are written by Moyses in Gen. iij. xij xxij xxvj xxviij xlix in Deut. xviij and by the rest of the Prophetes and also all the whole doctrine of the Gospell concerning the person and benefites of Christ At this time I will but open the woordes after the order of Grammer He remembring his mercy namely whiche he promised for Christ the Mediators sake For this is the whole sum of the gospel that God of his free mercy for Christes sake holdeth vp men that are falling into endlesse destruction that is to say deliuereth them from sinne and death and giueth them euerlasting saluation Hath hild vp Israell his seruaunt It is a figure of grammer called Apposition God hath hilde vp Israell his seruaunt that is to say God of his excéeding goodnesse and frée loue pitying his people Israell that is to say the whole Church which was like to fall into euerlasting destruction sent his sonne the redéemer to succour vs falne into sinne and death and to deliuer vs from the kingdome of Sathan and death and to restore vs rightuousnesse euerlasting lyfe Hath hild vp In the Gréeke the word antilabeto is the Aorist of the meane voyce of the verb antilambanethos whiche properly signifieth to catch hold of one that is falling by thrusting out his hand to stay him to succour him and help him that he may scape safe and harmelesse out of the daunger Israell is the propre name of the Patriarke Iacob giuen him by the sonne of God in wrestling with him Gen. xxxij It is an ordinarie thing among the Hebrewes too terme the ofspring by the names of the stocke or aunceters from whiche they come So he calleth the people of Israell by the name of their founder that is to wit of Israell or Iacob frō whom al the Israelites or Iewes issued And bycause the promis concerning Christ was betaken chéefly to the people of Israell among whom was alwayes the seate of the church for the same cause the name of Israel is oftentimes among the Prophetes taken for the whole Churche gathered of the Iewes and the Gentiles togither And this phrase of the Prophetes doth Marie kéepe in this place His child whom he embraceth with fatherly loue as his sonne which people is the child or sonne seruaunt of God chosen out of whole mankind to serue God and to say and do things acceptable to God. As he spake to our Fathers Abraham his seede for euer This last part for euer would bee ioyned to the first part of the next verse before which is he remembring his mercy for euer that is to say his euerlasting mercy or his mercy which he hath promised to performe euermore towards all those that flée vnto Christ as it sayd Psal Ciij The mercy of the Lorde is for euer and euer vppon them that feare him The promises concerning Christ the defender and deliuerer of the people of Israell or of the Church were deliuered first to Adā Eue in Paradise Gen. iij. Secondly to Abrahā Gen. xij xxij xv xvij c. Next to his séede or ofspring Isaac Gen. xxvj Then to Iacob Gen. xxviij and xlix Afterward to Moyses Deut. xviij And specially to king Dauid ij Reg. vy and .xxiij. and .j. Paral. xvij I hope that this bréef disposement of