the wolues but that good shepeheard can no where be found who flieth away euen at that time when the sheepe haue most neede of a defender and strengthner The same shall happen to vs in time to come when we shall once begin to be touched in deede Then the Preachers will shut their mouthes and prouide for their safetie by flying and the sheepe shall be miserably dispersed so that one shall be caried this way an other that way God graunt that some of them may stand valiantly in defense of the Gospell and spende their blood if the case so require in deliuering their sheepe Thus Christ hath painted forth the hirelings in their colours who thus sayth moreouer I am that good shepeheard and knowe mine and am knowne of mine These wordes doe containe much I shoulde spend ouer much time if I should handle them seuerally He speaketh here of the peculiar dutie that belongeth to him selfe I know my sheepe sayth he and they againe know me Nowe the summe is this Christ knoweth vs to be his sheepe we againe know him to be our shepeheard He knoweth vs to be such sheepe as are weake and diseased which he doth not cast of but hath a care of them and healeth them although they be so diseased that all the worlde thinketh that they are not his sheepe and this in deede is the knowledge of the world But Christ doth not so know them neither doth he greatly regard what maner of ones they be but considereth whether they be sheepe They therefore are the true shepeheards who following Christ doe so know their sheepe that they looke vnto the persons not to the disease My father knoweth me sayth Christ The world knoweth not Christ but the world knoweth me not When as therefore the howre shall come that I shal die an ignominious death vpon the crosse all with one voice will cry out was this the sonne of God he must needes be a condemned man and giuen vp vnto Satan both in soule and also in body So the world will consider and know me But my father will say in this sort this is my welbeloued sonne my king and Sauiour He beholdeth not my affliction my woundes my crosse death but he considereth my person that is me very selfe Wherefore if I were in the middest of hell or in the iawes of Satan yet I should come out againe for the father will not forsake me Likewise I know my sheepe and they knowe me They are certaine that I am a good shepeheard they know me therefore they come to me for succour and cleaue vnto me neither doth it any thinge feare them that they are subiect to manifold infirmities and diseases they knowe very well that I would haue such maner of sheepe to resort vnto me Other sheepe I haue also which are not of this folde them also must I bringe and they shall heare my voice and there shall be one shepefold one shepeheard Some haue so handled this place that they affirme it shall be fulfilled before the latter day when Antichrist Iohn and Helias shall come Which is flatly against the truth and forged of Satan that men might beleue that the whole world shall at the last become Christian Which Satan therefore did that he might darken the sound doctrine that we might neuer rightly vnderstand it Beware therefore of this delusion For by and by after the ascension of Christ this was done and fulfilled and is yet at this day fulfilled As soone as the Gospell was published it was preached to the Iewes and this people was the shepefold Now he sayth that he hath certaine other sheepe also which are not of this fold which also he must gather together whereby he sheweth that the Gospell must be preached to the Gentiles that they also may beleue in Christ that of the Iewes and Gentiles may be made one Church Which he performed afterward by the Apostles who preached the Gospell to the Gentiles and brought them to the faith So there is now one body one Church one faith one hope one loue one baptisme and so of the like which continueth at this day and shal so continue euen to the ende of the world Wherfore doe not so vnderstand it as though all men shall beleue in Christ for the crosse must alwayes be borne of vs forasmuch as the greatest parte is alwayes of that faction which persecuteth Christians The Gospell also must be continually preached that alwayes some may be brought to Christianitie And thus much for a compendious exposition of this text A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE LOST SHEPE Luke 15. Verse 1. THen resorted vnto him all the Publicans and sinners to heare him 2. Therefore the Pharises and Scribes murmured saying He receiueth sinners and eateth with them 3. Then spake he this parable to them saying 4. What man of you hauing an hundred sheepe if he lose one of them doth not leaue ninety and nine in the wildernes and go after that which is lost vntill he find it 5. And when he hath found it he layeth it on his shoulders with ioy 6. And when he commeth home he calleth togither his friendes and neighbours saying vnto them Reioyce with me for I haue found my sheepe which was lost 7. I say vnto you that likewise ioy shall be in heauen for one sinner that repenteth more then for ninetie nine iust men which neede none amendement of life IN this text dearely beloued What kinde of doctrine this text cōtaineth euen that doctrine is contayned which we are perswaded and glory to be our chiefe doctrine and which by best right deserueth to be called christian doctrine to wit of grace and forgiuenes of sinnes set downe against the doctrine of the law and of workes But it is a very shamefull thinge that a sermon so excellent and replenished with so great comfort and ioy should be heard of a man that is wicked a contemner of the word of God This is much more miserable that all thinke they haue so soone throughly learned it to the knowledge whereof euery one will seeme to haue attained thinking that there is nothing in it which he doth not perfectly vnderstād and that there is no neede to spend any more studie in learning it Although it be not grieuous to God him selfe neither doth it yrke or wearie him euery yeare repeating it or rather euery day exercising it as though he knewe to preach nothing else being vnskilfull and ignorant of all other kind of doctrine And we miserable and wretched men doe so soone as we thinke attaine to the knowledge of the chiefest doctrine that forthwith it is wearisom and tedious vnto vs to repeat it whereby all pleasure and loue of the worde of God dieth and is extinguished in vs. But before I declare the article or chiefe point here taught I thinke it good that the beginning of this chapter be diligently considered which S. Luke setteth in steede
holde no water An other for that thou darest say I am without sinne and giltles tush his wrath can not come vpon me behold I will reason with thee because thou darest say I haue not offended First he sayth that his spouse is turned into an harlot and hath estraunged her selfe from God the fountaine of life from whom life saluation euery good thing floweth him they haue forsaken Secondly they set vp their owne traditions and digge vnto them selues a fountaine of their owne which can holde no water So our Papistes trust to their owne inuentions to their founding of Masses to their fastinges prayers and such like things Which appeare to be as a fountaine out of which they would draw life and blessednes or saluation when as notwithstanding it is able to hold no water they forsake God the fountaine of life Afterward he sayth they dare rise against me that I should not be angrie with them alleging that their workes be iust and they will goe to law with me Beholde this is an other sinne that they goe about to defende their workes Whereupon God also sayth I wil cōtend with thee in iudgment wil shew how thou gaddest hither and thither to change thy wayes So faith pertaineth to God alone Faith obtaineth all good thinges of God whereunto it belongeth to obtaine all whatsoeuer thinges are necessary as well temporall thinges as eternall and so to obtaine them that it thinke not that it hath merited in any thing Also it must againe apply it self downward toward our neighbour with out looking for any recompense not that blessednes consisteth in that deriuing of faith to wit charity for neither doth God require that who will haue the conscience to rest onely in him euen as the spouse must cleaue onely to her husbande and to no other so also God requireth of vs that we trust in him alone These things Christ declareth when he saith Be ye mercifull as your father is mercifull Wherefore I must so order my conscience toward God that I vndoutedly beleeue that I haue him a bountifull and mercifull father as I will afterward declare and that I also do shew mercy toward my neighbour Which faith must be inward and caried vpward vnto God but workes must be without and deriued downward to our neighbour After this sort Abraham did when at the mountaine in the countrie of Moria he ascended to God he left his seruaunts and asses below at the bottome of the mountaine taking onely Isaac with him The same must be done of vs if we will ascend vnto God that we may come to him with Isaac onely that is with faith seruaunts and asses that is workes are to be left below Thus much for the entraunce of this text concerning faith and workes to wit that faith must pearce inward and vpward but workes must go without and downeward whereby at the length it commeth to passe that we are righteous before God and men for that we giue due honour vnto God and beleeue according to his word and satisfie our neighbour in the dutie of loue Nowe let vs see the very wordes of the text in order Be ye mercifull as your Father is mercifull How our heauenly Father is mercifull toward vs. How therefore is our heauenly father mercifull after that sort that he giueth vs all good thinges corporall and spiritual transitorie and eternall freely and of his mercy For if he should giue vnto vs according to our desert he should giue vnto vs nothing but hell fire and eternall damnation What soeuer therefore good thinges he bestoweth vpon vs he bestoweth them of his meere mercy He seeth vs sticke fast in death therefore he hath mercy vpon vs and giueth vs life he seeth vs to be the children of hell therefore he taking pitie vpon vs giueth vnto vs heauen He seeth vs to be miserable and naked hungerie and thirsty it pitying him hereof he clotheth vs and refresheth vs with meat drinke maketh vs full of all good things So what soeuer we haue either in body or in spirit he giueth it vs of his meere mercy without any merit or desert of ours Whereupon Christ here saith Imitate your father be ye mercifull like vnto him This is not simple mercy What kinde of mercy reason teacheth vs to vse such as reason teacheth for that is greedy of her owne commoditie which giueth onely to great and learned men and to them that deserue it it loueth them that be fayre and beautifull it giueth vnto them of whom it looketh for profit and commoditie againe which is a mercy diuided begging and as it were torne and broken in peeces For if I shall giue to him that hath deserued or if I shall regard fayrenes or friendship it is a bargaine or det and not mercy Hereof Christ speaketh in the same chapter before this text in this wise Luke 6. If ye loue them which loue you what thanke shall ye haue and if ye do good for them which do good for you what thanke shall ye haue for euen the synners do the same and if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receiue what thanke shall ye haue for euen the synners lend to synners to receiue the like But the mercy of Christians must not seeke her owne but so behaue it selfe that it be indifferent that it regard all alike with open eyes both freinds and foes euen as our heauenly father doth Where true mercy is not neither is there any true faith And where soeuer this mercy is not neither is there faith also For thy heart being setled in faith so that thou knowest God to haue shewed himselfe thy God so gentle and bountifull without thy desert and of mere grace when thou wast as yet his enemie and the childe of euerlasting malediction thy heart I say being setled in this faith thou canst not containe thy selfe but that thou shew thy selfe againe so to thy neighbour that wholy for the loue of God and for thy neighbours commodities sake Take heede therefore what difference thou make betweene a friend and an enemie betweene the worthy and vnworthy for ye see all which are in this text rehearsed to haue otherwise deserued of vs then that we should loue them or do well vnto them And the same thing the Lord meaneth when he sayeth Luke 6 But loue your enemies do well vnto them lend looking for nothing againe and your reward shal be great and ye shal be the children of the most High for he is kinde vnto the vnkinde and to the euell An obiectiō But how commeth it to passe that a certain contrarie thing to that which we haue taught seemeth to appeare in this text where he saith Be ye merciful as your heauēly Father is merciful againe Iudge not and ye shal not be iudged condemne not ye shall not be condemned forgiue and it shal be forgiuen you All which authorities sound so that
how goodly an order doth Paul here instruct a Christian man First he teacheth him to be glad and ioyfull in the Lord by faith secondly to shew himselfe meeke and gentle to all his neighbours And if thou say how can I do that without losse or hinderance he aunswereth The Lord is at hand If thou againe obiect But what if men persecute me and euen bereue me of that I haue He addeth be nothing carefull but let thy petitions be shewed vnto God Where if the flesh againe murmur what if in the meane season I be oppressed and spoiled he concludeth that there shal be nothing lesse the peace of God shall preserue and keepe thee whereof I must now entreat somewhat The peace of God By the peace of God is not meant here that peace whereby God is peaceable and quiet in himselfe but that which he giueth vnto vs and poureth into our heartes euen as also it is called the word of God which he giueth vs that we may preache it and beleeue it So when he giueth this peace vnto vs it is called the peace of God euen because we haue the same with him when in the world notwithstanding we suffer affliction Now this peace passeth all vnderstanding reason and knowledge of man which is not so to be vnderstood as though man can not at all perceiue or know it for if we haue peace with God truly it must be felt in our heart and conscience otherwise our heartes and myndes could not be preserued by it but it is thus to be vnderstood ▪ When tribulation commeth vpon them which know not to flie vnto God with prayer and supplication but trust to their owne wisedome and care whereby they seeke peace but that which reason is able to know which is that whereby tribulation taketh an end and is chaunged with outward tranquillicie this peace doth not passe reason but is agreable vnto it inasmuch as it is sought and found out of it Wherefore they that are voyd of fayth are exceedingly disquieted and troubled vntill according to the reason of the flesh they obtaine this peace by heardly deliuering or ridding themselues of aduersitie not regarding whether they bring that to passe by force or by crafte as he that hath receiued a wound seeketh to haue it healed The peace which the faithfull enioy c. But they that reioyce syncerely in the Lord it is sufficiēt for them that they know that they haue God fauourable vnto them and haue assured peace with him they abyde willingly in tribulation being nothing carefull for that peace of reason by the remouing of outward troubles but they endure them valiantly looking to be strengthned inwardly by faith taking no care whether the aduersities which they suffer shall remaine a short or a long time whether they shal be temporall or cōtinuing neither are disquieted with caring what ende they shall haue They cōmit all things to God seeking not to know when how where or by whom he wil giue them quietnes Wherefore God againe sheweth them this fauour that he maketh the end of their triall to be such and with so great commoditie as no man could either suspect or wish for Loe this is that peace of the crosse the peace of God the peace of conscience true Christian peace which maketh that a man outwardly also as much as is in him liueth quietly and peaceably with all men troubleth no man This peace reason is not able by any meanes to know or comprehend that a man vnder the crosse may haue quietnes of minde and ioy of heart and peace euen in the very inuasion of his enemies this is the gift and worke of God knowen to none but to him that hath it and hath tried it Whereas Paul said Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all ioy peace in beleeuing that which he calleth in these wordes peace in beleeuing he calleth in our present text the peace of God Moreouer Paul signifieth in these wordes that whosoeuer will reioyce in the Lord by faith and be meeke and of a patient minde toward all by loue the Deuell vndoutedly is against him The Deuell laboureth to hinder and stay the godly proceedings of the faithfull and will raise vp some crosse that he may driue him from so Christian a purpose wherefore the Apostle will haue euerie one to be prepared against this assault of Satan and to place his peace there where Satan can not trouble it namely in God and not thinke how he may cast of the crosse but suffer the aduersarie to take on and rage as he list he in the meane season patiently looking for the Lord that he comming may make an ende of aduersitie and trouble for by this meanes his mynde heart and conscience are preserued and kept in peace Neither can patience endure where the heart is not confirmed with this peace for that he only which hath this peace doth throughly perswade himselfe that God is fauourable vnto him carefull for him and maketh no accompt what chaunceth vnto him from creatures Moreouer let no man vnderstand here the heartes and mindes to be the will and knowledge of nature but as Paule himselfe interpreteth the heartes and mindes in Christ Iesu that is such as we haue in Christ of Christ and vnder Christ These are the heartes and mindes which faith and loue cause with which they that be endued do behaue themselues most godly toward God and most louingly and gently toward their neighbour Toward God they so behaue themselues that they beleeue in him and loue him with their whole heart and are also most ready with their whole heart and with all their cogitations to do those thinges which shal be acceptable to God and their neighbours as much as yea more then they are able Such heartes and mindes the Deuell goeth about with the feare of death and other troubles to terrifie and driue from this godlines erecting a false hope there against by the deuises and imaginations of men wherewith the minde is seduced that it may seeke to be comforted and holpen of it selfe or other creatures which if it do surely he hath drawne such a man from the care of God and wrapped him in his owne vaine care Thus hast thou godly reader out of this short text a most plentifull instruction of Christian life how thou must liue toward God and thy neighbour namely that thou must beleeue that God is all thinges vnto thee and thou againe must be all thinges vnto thy neighbours that thou must shewe thy selfe such a one to thy neighbour as God hath shewed himselfe to thee that thou must receiue of God and giue to thy neighbour All which are contained in faith and loue the whole summe of all Christianitie A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER CONCERNING THEM THAT BE VNDER THE Law and them that be vnder Grace Gal. 4. Verse 1. THen I saye that the heire as long as he is a childe
often tymes doe notably excell and it is a practize of the deuill eftsoones to fayne him selfe ouercome in the first and third tentation that he may reigne victour by the second He can be content that they that be his doe often tymes suffer pouertie patiently and doe also contemne the world although they do neither of both with a simple hart and sincere faith Euery one therfore of these three tentations is grieuous and very hard but the middle one is most perilous of all for it assayleth the doctrine of faith and is spirituall and wont to deceiue in spirituall thinges The other two also doe assayle faith howebeit in these outward thinges as aduersitie prosperitie although they doe also vrge vs very sore For it can not be a litle grieuous to suffer pouerty to want bread and such other thinges necessary Agayne it is no lesse grieuous to neglect wholy to denye fauour glory riches friendes companions and other commodities which we haue But an entire and sound faith in the worde of God can performe both notably and if it be a strong faith An entire sound faith can both patiently beare aduersitie contemne the vaine glory delights of the world they seeme very easie and delectable vnto it We can not certainly know the order of these tentations which happened to Christ for that the Euangelists haue not described them after one order For Luke hath set that last which Matthew hath set in the middes that which Matthew hath set last Luke hath placed in the middes But there doth not so much consist in the order Notwithstanding when any wil teach the people concerning these tentations it were better to follow the order of Luke For he may fitly say and thus rehearse that Satan doth first tempt vs with pouertie and aduersitie wherby if he preuaile not that he tempteth vs with prosperity and glory which if he do in vaine that he assaileth vs with all his might and tempteth vs with errour lyes delusion and other spiritual suttleties Yet neither is this order alwayes obserued of Satan but he tempteth Christians sometime with the first sometime with the third tentation as he hath and seeth occasion Matthew was not careful to rehearse them in that order which they haue almost by their own nature and which may be commodious for him that shall teach of them Yea it may be that they happened not vnto Christ by any certain order but that he was assailed of Satan one day with this an other day with that during the space of those forty daies as Satan thought it most conuenient and meete for his purpose And behold the Angells came ministred vnto him This I thinke was done corporally that they hauing taken bodies appeared and ministred vnto him meate and drinke as his seruiters at the table and Ministers of all other thinges necessary for his life Yea and I thinke that the deuill also appeared vnto him in a corporall forme perhaps as an Angell For in that he tooke Christ and set him on a pinnacle of the temple also wheras in a moment he shewed him all the kingdoms of the world he sufficiently declared that he was more then a man such a one surely he shewed him selfe openly when he offered that he would giue vnto him those kingdoms and required that he would worship him And vndoutedly he did not appeare like a deuill when he did these thinges for he loueth to appeare after a fayre sort especially when he will lie and deceiue 1. Cor. 11.14 for then he transformeth him selfe into an Angell of light as Paule witnesseth Now this is written chiefly for our consolation In the time of tentation we must nothing dout of Gods help and deliuerance that we may not dout that many Angells shall minister vnto vs when one deuill tempteth vs if we fight valiantly For if we stand fast in faith it is so farre of that God will suffer vs to be troubled and pinched with pouertie more then is meete that he will sooner send his Angells to minister vnto vs to be our Butlers our Cookes and to helpe vs with their ministerie in all necessitie Neither are these thinges written for Christes cause whome they can not profit but they are written for vs that we may learne to beleeue that if the Angells ministred vnto him they shall also when the case so requireth minister vnto vs his brethren and members The Lord giue vs faith to beleeue this A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER CONCERNING THE LEADING OF A GODLY LIFE Ephes 5. Verse 1. BE ye therfore followers of God as deare children 2. And walke in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs and hath giuen him selfe for vs to be an offering a sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauour to God 3. But fornication all vncleannes or couetousnes let it not be once named among you as it becommeth Sainctes 4. Neither filthines neither foolish talking neither iesting which are things not comely but rather giuing of thankes 5. For this ye know that no whoremonger neyther vncleane person nor couetous person which is an idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God 6. Let no man deceiue you with vaine words for for such thinges commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience 7. Be not therefore companions with them 8. For ye were once darkenes but are now light in the Lord walke as children of light 9. For the frute of the Spirit is in all goodnes and righteousnes and truth THis text is exhortatorie wherein Paule according to his maner and accustomed care for the brethren exhorteth Christians not to leaue or slack the study and care of godlines and giue them selues to slothfulnes but to declare by their worke the word that they haue learned of him that is to shew it forth by the frutes of faith and make it plausible and honorable to the edifying of the Heathen lest that by the vices of them which professe the doctrine of the Gospell they take occasion to hate that doctrine and so be offended by them whom it did behoue to winne them vnto Christ Be ye therfore followers of God as deare children First therfore he exhorteth vs forasmuch as we are by Christ made the sonnes of God to imitate such a father as deare children Meruelous gently alluringly he speaketh vnto vs calling vs deare children that by the loue of God our father toward vs he may prouoke vs to loue him again and them whom he commaundeth vs to loue The loue of God toward vs. euen as he hath loued vs first But howe hath he loued vs Surely not after that common sort alone wherby in this life he nourisheth and sustaineth vs being vnworthy togither with al the vngodly making his sunne to arise on the good and on the euil and sending rayne on the iust and vniust wherof Christ speaketh Matth. 5 Be ye perfect as your Father is perfect
thee whatsoeuer he is able do thou likewise to thy neighbour Wilt thou worke workes deriue them to thy neighbour who is compassed with troubles miseries Thou must doe nothing for this cause that Christ hath neede thereof whereby thou maist enrich him for neither was he bountiful to this ende that he might any thing profit his father thereby or that he might receiue any commoditie of him but he did it onely for this cause that therein the father might be well pleased inasmuch as he submitteth him selfe wholy to his fathers will and loueth vs with so great affection After the same sort we also must doe in our works toward our neighbour which we ought therefore onely to doe that we may giue thanks to the father that he sheweth his fauour vnto vs for that he hath giuen his beloued sonne vnto me to bestow vpon me whatsoeuer he hath When I beleue this vndoutedly I burst forth and say If God sheweth vnto me so great benefits and fauour in his beloued sonne that he suffereth him to bestow all things vpon me I also will doe the like againe and bestow all thinges whereby I may doe good to my neighbour and loue him And so I doe not lift vp myne eyes vnto heauen but I go thether where my neighbour is oppressed with aduersitie pouertie sicknes sinne or errour and I helpe him wherein soeuer I am able Thus doe thou whosoeuer thou art which mindest to do true good works as thou wouldest haue done to thy selfe if thou were troubled with pouertie so doe thou to thy neighbour being poore Againe if thy neighbour be a sinner and thou seest it but thou thy self art without sinne and hast a holy natiuitie goe preach vnto him whereby he also may be deliuered But thou must doe all these things freely in euery respect as Christ hath done for thee without all workes and merits of pure grace loue and mercy Such workes see thou doe if thou wilt doe good and Christian workes in deede God hath no neede of them neuertheles thou must doe them in respect of him inasmuch as it so pleaseth him and he will haue it to be so This onely is rightly to doe good workes which those hypocrites do not which will merit heauen by their chastity pouertie obedience Vnto whom I pray you are such works of theirs good I my selfe neede them not neither doe they profit my neighbour wherefore it is mere deceit whereas a name is giuen to workes as though they did merit heauen when as they are nothing worth neither profitable to others Laye vppe these thinges in your hartes and do also according to them In all this text being discussed from the beginning to the ending ye haue these two thinges namely faith and loue If ye shall keepe these then both the holy natiuitie of Christ shall be a helpe commoditie and comfort vnto you and also ye shall be spiritually the children of his mother as Christ Iesus is her childe carnally An exposition of the song of the Angells Glory be to God on high c. Glory be to God on high and in earth peace good will towards men Forasmuch as this song is very common and there be fewe that rightly vnderstande it when as notwithstanding it contayneth many thinges in it I thinke good to handle it somewhat at large The Angells in this hymne apply three things to three glory to God peace to the earth and good will vnto men The first is the honour or glory of God Glory due to God alone with which we must beginne that in all thinges prayse and glory may be asscribed to God as to him which doeth giueth and hath all thinges so that none may chalenge any good thing at all vnto him selfe neither ought to count it his owne Glory is so due to God onely that no part therof may be deriued to any other Adam being perswaded of Satan went about to take this glory to him selfe whereby all men fell into the displeasure of God haue that vice so throughly fixed in their mind that no other thing can be so hardly pluckt away from them Euery man pleaseth him selfe no man can abide to seeme that he is nothing or is able to doe nothing whereof come almost all euills so many contentions warres and innumerable other discommodities This glory Christ gaue to God his father teaching that all our thinges are nothing before God but sinnes which deserue his wrath and indignation and nothing lesse then glory Wherfore there is no cause that we should euen neuer so litle please our selues or glory in them but rather that we should be ashamed and feare being set in so great perill and confusion that so all our glory and pleasing of our selues may passe away and come to nothing and we may reioyce being destitute of our owne glorie that we may be found saued in Christ alone The second is peace in earth For Where true peace is and where it is not as where the glory of God is not and where euery one seeketh his owne glory there can not be peace according as Salomon sayth Prouerb 13. Among the proude there is euer strife so contrariwise where the glory of God is knowne there true peace also must needes be For why should they contend why should they disagree which doe know euery one of them that they haue no good thing of their owne but that all thinges which are which they haue and which they are able to doe come from God to whose power also they commit all thinges they in the meane season being very wel content that they haue God fauorable vnto them Howe also can it be that when one counteth nothing of him selfe and the thinges that be his he should be so carefull of him selfe and his thinges that he should moue contention with any because of them Such beleeue that Christ onely is made all thinges vnto them him they thinke on and for him alone they contend Hereupon it certainly followeth that there can be no contention or discord at al among true Christians The peace of Christians described by Esai Esai 11.9 which maner of peace of Christians Esay declareth sayth No man shall doe euill vnto an other no man shall destroy an other in my holy hill that is in the Church of Christ The cause hereof he addeth next after The earth is full of the knowledge of God that is for all know God as to whom all good thinges doe belong and all their owne things they confesse to be nothing but sinnes they may easily therefore haue peace among them selues Esai 2.4 Wherefore the same Esay sayth in an other place They shall breake their swordes into mattocks their speares to make sythes and one shall not lift vp a weapon against an other neither shall they learne ro fight from thence forth Hereupon Christ is called the king of peace or the prince of peace of whom Salomon was a figure who
that Christ being raysed from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion ouer him For in that he died he died once to sinne but in that he liueth he liueth to God Likevvise thinke ye also that ye are dead to sinne but are aliue to God in Iesus Christ our Lord. Thus much concerning the first appearance Now we will speake somewhat of the second that is of the baptisme of Christ Three thīgs to be considered in Christes Baptisme In the baptisme of Christ three thinges are to be considered The first that the heauens were opened when he was baptized The seconde that the holy Ghost was seene in the likenes of a doue The third that the voice of the father was heard which sayd This is my beloued sonne in vvhome I am vvell pleased Whereas Christ vouchsaued to be baptised with water he hath hallowed baptisme made the water thereof holy that he which is baptized in his name might become likewise holy and cleane from sinne and might haue the heauens open Now Christ was not baptized for him selfe for he was not infected with the spot of any sinne as S. Peter sayth 1. Pet. 2. He behaued him selfe like vnto a good Phisitian which before the sicke doth first drinke some bitter potion that the sicke may more gladly and boldly doe the same afterward For we in baptisme drinke a bitter potion namely the mortification of the olde Adam which with the bitternes thereof doth greatly trouble vs. For that dipping into the water or sprinkling with it doth signifie nothing els but that that old Adam should perish die This is greatly furthered by the crosse which God according to his diuine will layeth vpon vs which we ought not to cast from vs but beare it willingly with a patient mind But that this might be easier for vs to doe euen Christ hath taken it vpon him selfe he suffered him selfe to be baptized and tooke his crosse and caried it nothing resisting or gaynesaying and so was obedient to his father vnto the death euen the death of the crosse as Paule sayth Philip. 2. that he might deliuer vs from sinnes and might againe appease his heauēly father which surely he did of his mere grace without any desert of ours whereof we haue baptisme a signe pledge as Paule sayth vnto Titus But vvhen that bountifulnes and that loue of God our Sauiour tovvard man appeared not by the vvorks of righteousnes vvhich vve had done but according to his mercy he saued vs by the vvashing of the nevve birth and the renuing of the holy Ghost vvhich he shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour that vve being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life Secondly the holy Ghost appeareth here in the likenes of a doue when Christ is baptized The second thing to be considered in the baptisme of Christ whereby is signified that we also doe receiue the holy Ghost in our baptisme which ruleth and guideth vs according to the will of God which is present with vs helpeth vs in bearing the burden of the holy crosse which exhorteth vs is instant vpon vs enforceth vs and when we yeld to the burden of the crosse is present and helpeth vs if we fall rayseth vs vp againe and is with vs as a certeine faithfull companion in our iorney He also maketh the burden of the crosse light which we were very vnable to beare if he did not put to his helpe If so be that thou fall into sinne remember to goe backe vnto thy Baptisme for this is the onely ship wherein we passe ouer Wherefore take heede of them which make two tables wherby we passe ouer the sea of sinnes namely baptisme and repentance Beleeue them not whatsoeuer they handle it is mere delusion baptisme is the beginning of repentance As often therefore as thou fallest into sinne haue recourse vnto thy baptisme there thou shalt againe obtaine the holy Ghost who may be present with thee For repentance is nothing else but a displeasing of him selfe a detesting of his wicked life and a renuing of the man which is represented in baptisme After such a renuing of the life followeth the prayse of God and thankesgiuing vnto him for the grace receiued then such a man bursteth forth behaueth him self friendly toward his neighbour doth good to him in all thinges This is signified by that that the holy Ghost appeared vpon Christ in the likenes of a doue for a doue wanteth the gall Such they also become which receiue the holy Ghost in baptisme to witte they are gentle and without all bitternes toward all Thirdly The third thing to be considered in the baptisme of Christ the voyce of the father is heard in the baptisme of Christ which sayth This is my beloued Sonne in vvhom I am well pleased This is that Sauiour which deliuereth vs from the tyrannie of sinne death Satan and hell And here we must learne how we must come vnto God He that desireth to be the grations deare childe of God the father must attaine vnto this through Christ through him alone the beloued sonne who sitteth in the bosom of his father vnto whom alone the father looketh without whom he alloweth nothing and whatsoeuer pleaseth the father it pleaseth him in respect of this his sonne Wherefore he that desireth to goe to the father must cleaue to this beloued sonne must lay him selfe vpon his backe For by this voice all titles albeit they seeme very goodly and holy are taken away nothing is of value or estimation with the father but onely this his beloued sonne he is in his especiall fauour Now he that desireth to be in fauour with the father and to be beloued of him let him flie into the bosom of the sonne by whom afterward he findeth accesse to the father as Paule sayth Ephe. 1. that through Christ we are adopted without this Christ we are the enemies of God Whosoeuer therefore cleaueth to Christ through faith he abideth in the fauour of God he also shall be made beloued and acceptable as Christ is and shall haue felowship with the father and the sonne But where this is not done there is nothing but wrath there no honestie no vertue no free will neither prayer nor fasting nor other workes shall profit thou shalt but trifle with all these For this is a most mighty and most excellent voice This is my beloued sonne in whom all thinges consist and are comprehended which are extant in the whole Scripture Euen as all things are deliuered into the handes of Christ and gathered into one that they may obey him as S. Paule sayth For when God sayth This is my beloued sonne by shewing Christ only and shewing and naming no other he maketh it plaine enough that none is his beloued sonne beside him If so be that other are not beloued sonnes it is certaine that they are the children of wrath
wherunto it is yet also prone and inclined and setteth it selfe against these words the words againe are against it For because Christ is here declared the only sonne of God it is mightely ouerthrowne whatsoeuer maketh it selfe god But who be they that make them selues god surely Satan and man which please them selues and loue them selues they seeke not after God but striue to attaine vnto this that they also may become gods But what will God say vnto these Truly a certaine contrary thinge to that which he sayde vnto Christ Christ is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased seeing that he glorifieth not him selfe and maketh not him selfe God although he be God But ye are wretches in whome I allowe nothing seeing that ye glorifie your selues and make your selues gods albeit ye be creatures and men and not God So this sentēce giuen of Christ doth humble the whole world doth shew them to be all voyd of diuinitie and ascribeth it to Christ and that all for our commoditie if we will and do admit this sentence or to our condemnation if we will not and do contemne this sentence so that I may say at once without Christ there is no fauour nor any beloued sonne but very wrath and sore displeasure of God Certaine sentences out of the Scripture concerning Christ vvhereby is declared that through him vve are loued of the Father and vvithout him are refused Ioh. 1.16.17 Of his fulnes to wit Christes haue all we receiued and grace for grace For the law was giuen by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ Ioh. 3.13 No man ascendeth vppe to heauen but he that hath descended from heauen euen the Sonne of man which is in heauen Ioh. 3.16.17.18 God so loued the world that he hath giuen his only begottē sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life For God sent not his sonne into the world that he should condemne the world but that the world through him might be saued He that beleueth in him is not condemned but he that beleeueth not is condemned already because he hath not beleued in the name of that onely begotten Sonne of God Ioh. 3.35.36 The Father loueth the Sonne and hath giuen all thinges into his hande He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life he that obeyeth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Ioh. 6.40 This is the will of him that sent me that euery man which seeth the Sonne beleueth in him should haue euerlasting life and I will rayse him vp at the last day Ioh. 7.37.38 Now in the last great day of the feast Iesus stoode cried saying If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke He that beleueth in me as sayth the Scripture out of his belly shall flow riuers of water of life Tit. 3.4.5.6.7 But when that bountifulnes and that loue of God our Sauiour toward man appeared not by the workes of righteousnes which we had done but according to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renuing of the holy Ghost which he shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour that we being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life Many other such sentences there be especially out of the Epistles of Paule which euery one may gather by him selfe A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE GENEALOGIE OR PEDEGREE OF CHRIST Matth. 1. Verse 1. THis is the booke of the generation of Iesus Christ the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham 2. Abraham begat Isaac Isaac begat Iacob Iacob begat Iudas and his brethren 3. Iudas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar Phares begat Esrom Esrom begat Aram. 4. Aram begat Aminadab Aminadab begat Naasson Naasson begat Salmon 5. Salmon begat Booz of Rachab Booz begat Obed of Ruth Obed begat Iesse 6. Iesse begat Dauid the king Dauid the king begat Salomon of her that was the wife of Vrias 7. Salomon begat Roboam Roboam begat Abia Abia begat Asa 8. Asa begat Iosaphat Iosaphat begat Ioram Ioram begat Hozias 9. Hozias begat Ioatham Ioatham begat Achaz Achaz begat Ezekias 10. Ezekias begat Manasses Manasses begat Amon Amon begat Iosias 11. Iosias begat Iechonias and his brethren about the time they were caried away to Babylon 12. And after they were brought to Babylon Iechonias begat Salathiel Salathiel begat Zorobabel 13. Zorobabel begat Abiud Abiud begat Eliacim Eliacim begat Azor. 14. Azor begat Sadoc Sadoc begat Achim Achim begat Eliud 15. Eliud begat Eleazar Eleazar begat Matthan Matthan begat Iacob 16. Iacob begat Ioseph the husband of Marie of whom was borne Iesus that is called Christ The summe of this text 1 MAtthew beginneth his booke with a title or inscription by which the beleuer is prouoked with greater pleasure to heare and reade it For he sayth thus much in effect Whom the Law and Prophets haue hetherto promised preached Iesus that is a Sauiour and Christ that is an eternall king that he according to the promise of God should springe and come of the seede of Abraham and Dauid euen him doe I describe in this booke to wit that he is now borne and made man and already come into the world This I handle through this whole booke 2 Three lines or degrees are here rehearsed In the first is contained the stocke of the fathers in the second of the kings in the third is contained the decaying stocke of Dauid after the decay whereof it behoued that Christ should come For so the goodnes of God is wont to doe when all thinges seeme euen past hope and recouerie then at the last he commeth 3 Matthew omitteth one in his rehearsall but that maketh no matter seeing that he obserueth this one thing that he counteth by the right line from Dauid by Salomon to Ioseph the husband of Marie Luke counteth otherwise and vseth an other order The exposition of the text WHen Adam our first father hauing fallen by a notable offence was gilty of death with all his children as well in body as in soule it was notwithstanding promised vnto him although obscurely that both he and his posteritie should be deliuered in those wordes which God spake to the Serpent Gen. 3.15 I will put enmitie betwene thee and the woman betwene thy seede her seede and it shall treade downe thy head Of these wordes Adam tooke comfort that a woman should come by whose frute such guile and sutteltie of the Serpent shoulde be againe amended and Adam redeemed This comfort did vphold Adam with his posteritie vntill Noe. For then the promise was renued whē God made a couenant with the sonnes of Noe and set the rainebowe for a signe of the couenant whereby men might conceiue a trust and confidence that God is yet fauorable vnto them and doth not purpose their destruction whereby mankinde was againe vpheld and comforted euen vntill
that thou mayst fulfil it not by thine own strength but by Gods grace For hereof it commeth that they of whom it is before spoken do not meditate on the passion of Christ aright because they desire not helpe of God thereunto but rather trusting vnto their owne strength and following their owne inuention meditate vpon it altogether after the fashion of men and after a sclender and vnfrutefull maner Tenthly if one should through the grace of God meditate rightly vpon the passion of Christ by the space of one day or of one hower yea or the space of a quarter of an hower we would faithfully pronounce of him that he hath done better then if he had pined him selfe with fasting the space of a whole yeare or had runne ouer the Psalter euery day For this maner of meditation doth as it were chaunge a man and almost regenerate him a new like vnto baptisme Then in deede the Lordes passion doth his naturall due and noble office it killeth the old Adam it driueth away all pleasure ioy and confidence which may be had of creatures euen as Christ was forsaken of all yea euen of his father Eleuenthly We must not despeire or cease though at the first we obtayne not that we pray for seeing that such a thing is not in our owne power it commeth to passe that we doe often times aske it and yet do not by and by obtaine it notwithstanding we must not therefore dispeire or cease For that is sometimes giuen for which we haue not prayed and that sometimes is not graunted for which we haue prayed euen as it is the pleasure of God and as he knoweth to be best for vs for God will haue this gift to be free without constraint Twelfthly when as a man thus knowing his sinne doth wholy tremble in him selfe he must especially endeuour that sinnes doe not still remaine in his conscience otherwise meere desperation will come thereupon but he must shake them of and cast them vpon Christ and so vnburden his conscience Therefore see againe and againe that thou doe not that which peruerse men do which within the secrets of their hart do vexe disquiet them selues because of their sinnes striue with them that by good workes or satisfactions by farre going on pilgrimage or else by pardons they may become safe and may be made free from sinnes which can not be And alas such a false confidence in satisfactions and pardons hath preuailed very farre Moreouer then thou doest cast thy sinnes from thee vppon Christ What it is to cast our sinns vpon Christ when thou firmely beleuest that he suffered was wounded for thy sinnes and that he hath payd the ful ransom and satisfaction for thē as Esaias sayth chap. 53. The Lord hath thrown vpon him all our sinnes 1. Pet. 2.24 2. Cor. 5.21 And S. Peter sayth who his owne self bare our sinnes in his body on the tree S. Paule sayth He hath made him to be sinne for vs which knewe no sinne that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him In these and such like authorities thou must repose thy hope with all boldnes and that so much the more as thy conscience doth more grieuously vexe and trouble thee But if thou shalt not doe this but presumest that thou shalt be quiet by thy contrition and satisfaction then thou shalt neuer come vnto quietnes but at the last shalt fall euen into desperation For our sinnes kept and medled with within our conscience and sette before the eyes of our hart are farre stronger then we and doe liue immortally But when as we see them layd vpon Christ and to be victoriously conquered of him by his resurrection and doe confidently beleeue this then they are dead and brought vnto nothing And yet being layd vpon Christ they must not remayne so for they are swallowed vppe in the triumphe of his resurrection Soe sayeth Sainct Paule Christ was deliuered to deathe for our sinnes and is risen agayne for our iustification that is he hath taken vppon him our sinnes in his passion and hath thereby payed the raunsome for them but by his resurrection he iustifieth vs and maketh vs free from all sinne if so be that we doe beleeue this If thou canst not attaine vnto this faith thou must as it is a litle before sayd What we must doe when we can not attaine vnto this faith to beleue that Christ died for our sinns and rose again for our iustification resort vnto God by prayer forasmuch as this gift is in the hand of God only who bestoweth it when vpon whom it pleaseth him Thou maist also stirre vppe thy selfe hereunto first not now considering the passion of Christ outwardly for that hath nowe fulfilled his function and hath terrified thee but rather by pearsing inwardly and contemplating his most louing hart with how great loue towards thee it is replenished which brought him hereunto that he did beare thy conscience together with thy sinnes with so great and painefull difficultie So thy hart shall waxe sweete towards him and the strength boldnes of thy faith shall be increased Then hauing entred vnto the hart of Christ ascend higher euen vnto the hart of God and consider that the loue of Christ could not haue bene shewed vnto thee except the will of God by his eternall loue had so appointed wherunto Christ by his loue toward thee did obey There thou shalt find a diuine hart a good hart a fatherly hart and as Christ sayth thou shalt be drawne vnto the father by Christ There thou shalt vnderstand this saying of Christ Iohn 3.16 So God loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life For this is to know God aright when he is vnderstood of vs not vnder the name of power or wisedom which is a terrour vnto vs but vnder the name of goodnes loue Then faith confidence may stand constantly man him selfe is as it were regenerate a new in God When thy hart is thus established in Christ so that thou art now become an enemy of sinne and that by loue and not through feare of punishment then afterward the passion of Christ ought to be an example vnto thee in thy whole life and is now to be considered of in thy mind after a farre other maner then before For hitherto we haue considered it as an outward thing which should worke in vs but now we will wey it so that something is to be done of vs also For examples sake In the meditation of Christes passion we may finde remedy against griefe pride lust anger enuy sorrow trouble c. when griefe or infirmity doth molest thee thinke howe light these are being compared to the crowne of thornes and the nayles of Christ When thou must either do or leaue of that which is grieuous vnto thee to do or leaue of
These things are written for the instruction and comfort of all vs whereby we ought to learne howe deepely sometime Christ hideth his grace from vs and how we must not iudge of God according to our owne sense and opinion but onely according to his wordes For we see here that albeit Christ shewed him selfe very hard to this woman yet he did not plainely deny to helpe her but whatsoeuer he aunswered howsoeuer it seemed to pretend a deniall yet was it not a deniall but did hange in dout and left an entraunce for faith although but small For he sayd not at her first petition I will not heare her but he held his peace neither promising nor denying helpe So to the second petition which the Apostles made he sayth not she is not of the house of Israel I can not therefore performe that which she desireth but he onely sayth I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israell leauing all thinges in doute and in the middest betweene a plaine graunt and a deniall So when she had the third time desired him he sayth not thou art a dogge get thee hence the bread of the children is not due vnto thee but he sayth It is not good to take the childrens bread c. againe leauing in dout whether she was a dogge or no. Neuertheles all these sayinges doe pretende outwardly rather a deniall of helpe then prouoke her to hope but in very deede they did containe in them rather a promise and hope then a deniall Yea there was nothing but a promise and a certaine expectation of helpe howbeit most deepely hid and altogither secret vnder that silence and aunswers although they were hard and a deniall onely sounded outwardly By these it is shewed how our hart is wont to be affected in tentation For according as that feeleth in tentation so Christ here behaueth him selfe It feeleth all thinges to be denied when as it is farre otherwise Wherefore it is requisite that leauing it owne feeling by a sure faith in the word of God it conceiue and hold fast the promise of helpe deepely hidden vnder the deniall and yeeld vnto the sentence of God toward vs as this woman did so shall we ouercome and take the Lord in his wordes that he can not but helpe vs. So that if we feele in our conscience at any time God rebuking vs pronouncing vs sinners and vnworthy of the kingdom of heauen then we feele as it were hell and it seemeth vnto vs that we are past all hope and recouerie for euer When God pronounceth vs sinners we ought to acknowledge and confesse our sinnes pray former eye which God hath promised to them that be penitent for their sinnes then if any had the skill of this woman that he could take the Lord in his owne iudgement and say yea Lord I am a sinner and altogither vnworthy of thy grace but thou hast promised forgiuenes to sinners neither didst thou come to call the righteous but as Paule sayth to saue sinners he truely shoulde bringe to passe that the Lorde should be enforced euen by his owne iudgement to haue mercy vpon him So did Manasses when being penitēt he prayed for pardon as we read in his prayer He yeelded to the iudgement of God acknowledging him selfe a most grieuous sinner and so he bound God with his promise which had promised forgiuenes of sinne to sinners not to the righteous The same also did Dauid obserue Psal 51. Against thee onely sayth he haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight that thou mightest be iustified in thy saying and found pure when thou art iudged For that doth purchase vnto vs all displeasure that we disdayne to suffer the iudgement of the Lord and doe against our wills yeeld vnto his sentence when he pronounceth vs sinners Such a great thing is it to acknowledge sinnes and to embrace the iudgement of God We all confesse our selues sinners in words but as soone as the Lorde speaketh that in our hart and pronounceth vs sinners we doe not abide by that which before we confessed we had leuer be counted righteous and free from that iudgement But it must needes be if God must be iust in his wordes that thou be a sinner then also maist thou vse the right of sinners which God him selfe hath giuen vnto them namely to pray with a sure expectation of forgiuenes of sinnes Then is it not permitted vnto thee onely to feede vnder the table of crummes after the maner of dogges but being a child of the houshold thou shalt sit at the very table hauing God nowe howe great soeuer he be giuen vnto thee according to thy desire Hereof also we haue an historicall exposition of this text according to the allegories For as it chaunceth to this woman her daughter being sicke for whom through faith she obtayned health by a miracle so also falleth it out with vs when we are deliuered from the spirituall sicknes to wit sinnes which truely are a most grieuous and troublesom Deuill vnto vs. For as she acknowledged her selfe a dogge so must we acknowledge our selues sinners and iudged vnto hell the Lord pronouncing it which if we can doe as she coulde we shall be safe We haue already spoken elsewhere of other thinges whereof there might be occasion to speake out of this text as howe one may obtaine grace and safetie by the faith of an other as here it fell out to the daughter of this woman Christ the Disciples the woman in this place are examples of loue This thinge also that Christ his Disciples and the woman are here examples of loue forasmuch as none of them pray for seeke or doe those thinges that are their owne but euery one that which is an others is very manifest by it selfe and easily acknowledged of euery one especially seing that we haue so largely entreated hereof in an other place A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER WHEREIN IS TAVGHT THAT WE ARE SAVED freely by grace without the workes and merits of men Tit. 3. Verse 4. WHen that bountifulnes that loue of God our Sauiour towarde men appeared 5. Not by the workes of righteousnes which we had done but according to his mercie he saued vs by the washing of the newe birth and the renuing of the holy Ghost 6. Which he shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour 7. That we being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life PAVLE hauing willed before that all shoulde be put in mind to be obedient to such as be in authoritie and ready to euery good worke to speake euill of no man to be no fighters but gentle shewing all meekenes vnto all men c these fewe wordes being put betweene that we our selues were in times past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing diuers lustes and voluptuousnes c he added those wordes which we haue already mentioned as if he should say
neighbour and so witnes the faintnes and weakenes of faith which is the fountaine of all duties and benefites As contrariwise the stronger faith that one is endued with so much more dutifully and with readier minde he endeuoureth to deserue well of his neighbours All both doctrine and life worthy of Christ that all thinges may be declared most briefly manifestly and sufficiently consist of these two By faith and loue man is made as it were a meane betwene God his neighbours faith and loue Whereby man is made as it were a meane betwene God and his neighbours that he may receiue of God from aboue and may giue to his neighbours beneath be as it were a conduit pipe through which the fountaine of the diuine goodnes doth continually flow to his neighbours And such men are like vnto God which in Christ receiue of God whatsoeuer he hath and doe againe by their good deedes declare them selues as it were the gods of other and fullfill the prophecie of the Prophet Psalme 82 I haue sayde ye are gods and ye all are children of the most high We are children of the most high by faith whereby of nothinge we are made the heires of God And we are gods by loue which maketh vs beneficiall to our neighbour forasmuch as the nature of God is nothinge but bountifulnes and Paul here sayth the bountifulnes and loue of God toward men The meanes to be partaker of the bountifulnes and loue of God is to beleeue which he doth with incomparable plentie daily poure forth vpon euery one as we see We must onely endeuour that euery one doe nothing doubt that these thinges are spoken to him that the bountifulnes and loue of God to manward is reuealed and offered to euery one that by these wordes he may establish exercise and strengthen his faith being certain that they are most true and that God both vndoutedly is and alwayes will be bountifull and louing toward him If thou canst beleeue this it will assuredly so come vnto thee thou maist then with a full confidence pray and desire of him whatsoeuer thou wilt and complayne vnto him of whatsoeuer doth grieue thee or other But if thou want this faith it had bene better for thee neuer to haue heard any thing hereof for that by thy infidelity thou reprouest of falshood these wordes so precious and full of consolation and grace making so light account of them as not beleeuing that they be true Which surely is a great contempt and dishonour of God that scarce a more grieuous sinne can be committed of thee Contrariwise if thou be endued with this faith it can not be but that thy hart being thereby cheered should euen as it were laughe and leape for holy ioy in God being void of all care and trouble and be made aboue measure confident For how can any discouragement any whit of sorrowe remayne in that hart which douteth not that God is gracious and bountifull vnto it and beareth a singular affection of loue toward it that it is a delight and pleasure vnto him to doe it good and enioy it as a friende Surely the hart is necessarily delighted with this spirituall ioy and pleasure or vndoutedly it wanteth faith Paule in the Epistle to the Gal. calleth this to receiue the holy Ghost by the Gospell For the Gospell is so pleasant a preaching of the grace and goodnes of God that while it is preached and heard it bringeth the holy Ghost with it no otherwise then the beames of the sunne doe naturally bring heat with them How could the Apostle vse more pleasaunt and sweete words I dare say that I haue in the whole Scripture redde none more pleasaunt and so sweete words of the grace of God as these two Chrestotes Philanthropia that is bountifulnes and loue toward men How louing God is toward vs. in which the grace of God is so described as wherby he doth not onely forgiue our sinnes but doth also desire to be conuersaunt with vs and is ready to doe the part of a very friend toward vs voluntarily offering him selfe to helpe vs in al thinges also to bestowe more benefits vpon vs then we can desire or aske that we may presume of him no otherwise then of a most neare familiar friend of whom we may obtayne all thinges in whose eyes we are most deare and euen delightfull Thinke in thy minde of a most perfect friend which hath fulfilled all the partes of friendship toward thee thou shalt haue after a sort a forme although yet farre vnlike of the diuine goodnes and kindenes which is here attributed to our God by the name of bountifulnes and loue toward men But when thou hast a sounde faith in this bountifulnes and loue to manward and thereby doost liue in thy God so bountifull gracious and gentle to thee reioycest and art full of all good thinges being certayne of his continuall grace what shouldest thou doe any longer in earth what in this life He that is partaker of the bountifulnes and loue of God can not be idle Thou canst not in this case be idle as surely that loue of God and pleasure which thou enioyest in him will not suffer thee to be idle Thou shalt be enflamed with a marueilous study and desire to doe what things soeuer thou canst know will be an honour vnto thy God so louing and bountifull vnto thee and will turne to praise glory and thankes giuing vnto him Thou shalt haue no choise of works thou shalt passe for no precept thou shalt feele no compulsion of the law hauing a most ready will and pleasure to doe whatsoeuer thinges thou shalt know to be acceptable vnto God whether they be contemptible or noble small or great thou shalt count them alike But first of all it shall be thy desire that this blessed knowledge of God may be common also to the rest whereupon by and by thy loue will here shew it selfe and will assay all meanes to make this truth of saluation manifest vnto all it will publish and repete it wheresoeuer it shall be able reiecting and condemning whatsoeuer other either teach or say that agreeth not with this truth Satan the world can not abide falshood to be reproued the truth to be preached therfore they persecute them which preach the truth Whereby it will come to passe that Satan the worlde which heare nothing so vnwillingly as this truth can not abide that their things should be condemned wil rise against thee with all their might wil by by trouble thee all the great learned rich mightie of the world wil condemne thee of heresie and madnes and will leaue no meane vnattempted vntill if they be able they haue dispatcht thee of thy life Thus with Christ thy Lord thou shalt be persecuted suffer extreme ignominie thy body life goods name friendes and all things being brought into perill vntill they haue thrust
thee from them out of this life into the eternal blessed life In the meane season thou must suffer all these things with a patient mind and take them in good part losing none of the spiritual ioy which thou hast of Christ in thy God for thy part shewing to thy persecutors all kindnes and loue being alwayes mindful that thou a litle before wast not much vnlike them before God All which thinges thou shalt doe through faith loue albeit they exceede the strength of nature And this in deede is a true Christian life wherein thou doost endeuour to doe so to other as God hath done to thee Not by the workes of righteousnes which we had done In these words the Apostle signifieth that which we haue now sayd and proueth it as it were by rendring a reason We must do well vnto men yea euen though they haue not so deserued of vs. For if the bountifulnes and loue of God to manward hath appeared he hath saued vs of his mercie and not because of our owne righteousnes yea we being by all meanes vnworthy and subiect to innumerable sinnes it is meete that we also do good to them that haue not deserued so much of vs are vnworthy therof For we which are become the sonnes of God must resemble God our father and bestow benefits according to our abilitie as well vpon our enemies and persecutours as vpon our friendes and them that do good vnto vs. Wherof Christ also hath admonished vs Matth. 5 Loue your enemies that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heauen who maketh his sunne to shine vppon the good euill sendeth raine on the iust vniust For if ye loue them which loue you vvhat revvard shal ye haue vvhen as euen the heathen Publicans doe the same Nowe the Apostle doth not onely expressely condemne vs for euill works but sayth Not by the vvorks of righteousnes or which vve haue done in righteousnes Where he also reiecteth those workes which we counted righteous and were thought both of vs others to haue bin done in righteousnes whē as they were so farre from being righteous that they made vs more vnworthy of the grace of God and more vnfit to receiue it for they are deceitfull workes whereunto we adde this sinne that we thinke them righteous and trust in them whereby God is prouoked to anger more then can be said euen as our enemies are wont to moue vs to anger when as they will auouch those thinges to be iust We ought to be beneficiall to others of meere loue hauing no respect to good or euill deserts wherein they sinne and doe vniustly But euen as God when we being vnwise by errour moued him to anger counting our sinnes workes of righteousnes did not therefore reiect vs but of his mercie deliuered vs from this errour and sinnes so we neglecting the foolishnes and dotage of our aduersaries whereby they contend that sinnes are to be counted for righteousnes ought neuertheles of meere loue hauing no respect of euill or good deserts to be beneficiall vnto them and endeuour to doe them good in all thinges looking for frute of our benefits not of thē but of God alone Let these things suffize to haue bene spoken for a compendious and generall exposition of this text Nowe let vs also briefly wey the wordes wherein he setteth forth and commendeth the grace of God First he so greatly extolleth it The good workes and righteousnes of men how they are esteemed of that in respect of it he condemneth all our good workes and righteousnes neither doth he condemne a small thing when he condemneth our righteousnes or righteous workes the most excellent thinge that man can haue in earth For if all men with all their might should labour and endeuour to attayne to most exact prudence wisedom and libertie of minde and will which we reade that some Philosophers and Princes haue done as Socrates Traianus and many other whose same the whole world hath long since spred abroade both by wordes and writinges neuertheles all such wisedome and all suche vertues are nothinge but sinnes before God forasmuch as they be not done in and by the grace of God Doers of such vertues are ignoraunt of God and therefore they can not honour him by their studies and endeuours they thinke they haue all thinkes of them selues when as no man can haue any good thinge at all but of this grace alone which the Gospell preacheth So Paule glorieth that he before he knewe Christ liued a blamelesse life and was more zealous towarde the lawe then those of his age that he also thought that he did a thing acceptable to God by persecuting the Christians which condemned that blameles life which he ledde but afterwarde when he had learned Christ he sayth that he coūteth that righteousnes to be but dounge that he might be found not in such righteousnes but in Christ by faith Philip. 3. The same thing he witnesseth and entreateth of at large in the Epistles to the Galathians and Colossians Here therefore is condemned all boasting of free will mans strength righteousnes and good workes and it is concluded that they are all nothing but sinnes and certaine destruction although they haue a fayre shew that we are saued by the onely grace of God as many of vs as beleeue and call for it with acknowledging of our owne vanitie and perdition Now we must accustome our selues to the Scripture Tow sortes of righteousnes which maketh mention of two sorts of rigteousnes one humane which Paul here and in many other places hath mentioned the other diuine euen that grace of saluation which iustifieth vs by faith Diuine righteousnes whereby we are iustified whereof he speaketh in the ende of this text That being iustified by grace we should be heires of eternall life Here thou seest plainly that the grace of God is our true righteousnes whereby we are iustified which is therfore called the righteousnes of God for that it is giuen vnto vs of God and is made ours when we are made partakers thereof by faith Of this he speaketh also Rom. 1 In the Gospell is reuealed the righteousnes of God from faith to faith as it is written The iust shall liue by faith And Gen. 15 Abraham beleeued and it was counted to him for righteousnes Whereupon the Scripture concludeth that no man is counted righteous before God but he that beleeueth as the Apostle testifieth where he reciteth that saying of Abacuc The iust shal liue by faith So it appeareth that faith grace mercye truth righteousnes that all these are that same which God worketh in vs by Christ and the Gospell Whereupon it is said Psal 25 All the wayes of the Lord are mercie and truth For those are the wayes of the Lord in which we obseruing his commaundements do walke and he againe in vs now those wayes must be directed by his
he beginneth to be of any discretion and iudgement it can not be but grieuous vnto him to liue at the commaundement and will of an other After the same sorte standeth the case of the elect The elect are for a time vnder the law as vnder a Tuter or Gouerner which are brought vppe and instructed vnder the lawe as vnder a Maister to the libertie of the sonnes First the lawe profiteth them in this that by the feare of it and of the punishment which it threatneth they are driuen from sinne at the least from the outwarde worke least that the libertie of sinning encrease ouermuche and remoue them from all religion of God that hope of saluation being paste and God quite contemned they shoulde runne headlonge without all feare into all kindes of euill as some desperate persons are wont to doe Agayne the lawe is profitable to them in this that by it they are brought vnto knowledge of them selues and learne howe vnwillingly they liue vnder the lawe and that they doe no good at all with a willing and readie mynde as it becommeth sonnes but with a seruile and vnwilling minde whereby they maye easily see what is the roote of this euill and what is especially needefull vnto saluation to wit a newe and a willing spirit to that which is good Which surely neyther the lawe nor the workes of the lawe are able to giue yea the lenger and the more that they applye them selues vnto them so much more vnwilling shall they finde them selues and with so muche more griefe to worke those thinges that are good Hereupon nowe they learne that they doe not satisfie the lawe although outwardly they liue according to the prescript rule thereof for as they doe pretend to obeye it in worke so in minde they doe hate it wherefore in minde also they remayne sinners although they pretende them selues righteous by workes that is they are like vnto those of Cains broode and to hypocrites whose hande in deede is compelled to good but they haue a hart which as it is an enemie to the lawe so doth it verely consent vnto sinnes and is miserably subiect vnto them To knowe this concerning them selues is not the lowest degree to saluation Hereof also we may see howe fitly Paule calleth such constrayned workes the workes of the lawe The workes of the lawe For they flowe not from a ready and willing hart but are enforced by the lawe the harte declyning an other waye Howebeit the lawe dothe not require workes alone but muche rather the harte it selfe so that we might saye not onely the workes but rather the harte of the lawe not onely the handes of the lawe but rather the mynde will and all the strength of the lawe Whereupon it is sayde in the first Psalme of the blessed man But his delight is in the lawe of God and in his lawe doth he exercise him selfe daye and night Suche a mynde the lawe requireth in deede but it giueth it not neyther can it giue it of it owne nature whereby it commeth to passe that whyle the lawe continueth to exact it of a man and to condemne him as longe as he hath not suche a minde as disobedient to God he is in anguish on euery side his conscience is grieuously terrified and without all counsell and helpe Then in deede he is moste readye for grace and this is that tyme appoynted of the Father The time appoynted of the Father when his seruitude should ende and he should enter into the state of the sonnes For being thus in distresse and terrified seeing that by no other meanes he can auoyde the condemnation of the lawe he turneth him selfe wholly to praye to the Father for grace he acknowledgeth his frayltie he confesseth his sinne he ceasseth to trust in workes and doth altogither as it is meete humble him selfe perceiuing nowe full well that betweene him and a manifest sinner there is no difference at all but of workes that he hath a wicked harte euen as euery other sinner hath Yea it may be that such hypocrites doe farre more hate the lawe in their harte then those famous sinners which are euen as it were drowned in sinnes For whyle these are euen wearyed with the workes of sinnes and doe trye the filthines of them it often tymes commeth to passe that they doe in some part loath and detest them when as those righteous ones doe alwaies thinke those thinges that they haue not tried to be more sweete neither can they beleeue that there is so much gall in sinnes whereof they are by nature inflamed with such a desire therefore as they doe more earnestly loue sinne so consequently they doe much worse hate the law which as a certaine scholemaister is alwayes against their desire Moreouer forasmuch as the condition of mans nature is such that it is able to giue to the lawe workes onely and not the hart who doth not see howe greatly it is contemned of vs Hypocritical dealing An vnequall diuision truely to dedicate the hart which doth incomparably excell all other thinges to sinne and the brutish hande to the lawe which is nothing els but to offer chaffe to the lawe and the wheat to sinne the shell to God and the kernell to Satan So that commeth to passe which is in the Gospell that the wickednesses of him which is in thy iudgemēt a desperat sinner are counted as a mote and thine which so playest the hypocrite are counted as a beame If this euill be added hereunto that such hypocrites doe not see a beame in their eye but being blinded doe perseuer in their accustomed workes not marking this their inward abhomination of the hart they by and by burst forth to iudge condemne others they despise sinners as he did in the Gospell they thinke them selues not like vnto them they are not as other men are they thinke them selues alone godly and righteous Whose vngodlines if one reproue as it is meete bewray they by and by are in a rage and furie and sticke not to kill innocent Abel and to persecute all those that follow the truth And they will seeme to doe that to defend good works and to obtaine righteousnes neither doe they promise to them selues a small reward for this inasmuch as they doe as they say persecute heretikes blasphemers them which be seduced doe seduce with mischieuous errour which labour to seduce and plucke euen them from good works Here thou maist see that that sheweth it selfe whatsoeuer the Scriptures attribute to these men being surely most pestilent spirits to wit that they are a generation of vipers and serpents They are no other but of Cains broode and so they doe continue seruaunts they are and seruaunts they doe remaine But they whom God hath chosen Abels and sonnes What the law worketh in the elect do learne by the lawe howe vnwilling a hart they haue vnto the lawe they fall from their arrogancie and are by
9. this offence commeth because of our faith and can not be auoided of vs and therefore the blame thereof ought not to be layde vpon vs. Howbeit there is an other offence which proceedeth hereof for that our loue is not sufficient dutifull this commeth through vs inasmuch as our workes are the cause thereof because they do not so shine by faith that they wâ—iâ—h are conuersaunt with vs may thereby be prouoked to serue God as it is meete This offence is giuen through our fault whom it be commeth so to liue that the Iewes Heathen Princes of the world might haue no occasion to say Beholde how light and naughtie these men are yea and verie wicked wretches the doctrine of life which they follow must needes be euell and pestilent So our infamie and crimes are occasion of offence to others and of hatred and detestation of the most holy word of God For whereas we ought so to know preach and folow it that thereby both our neighbours might be brought vnto God and to the leading of a godly life and also the glorie of God set forth we by our naughty and slouthfull life bring to passe that it doth not onely bring no profit and commodity to our neighbours but is brought into hatred and made detestable through our meanes bearing our ignominie and reproche Now it is a most horrible synne and wickednes by our naughtines to make the word of God which is most holy and bringeth saluation to make it I say so odious and to repell and driue men from it to our owne and their most certaine destruction But in all thinges let vs behaue our selues as the ministers of God in much patience in afflictions c. Here he describeth in order the signes proper tokens of a Christian life wherewith it ought to be adorned in outward conuersation Not meaning that one is made a Christian and godly hereby but as he sayth that by these as by proper frutes and signes of Christianitie we should shew our selues to be both and behaue our selues as the ministers of God that is as Christians godly men And marke well that he sayth as the ministers of God It may seeme very straunge that the ministerie of God consisteth in these in many afflictions in necessities in distresses in stripes in prisons in tumults in watchings in fastings c. Among these he numbreth not Masses and prayers for the dead or other trifles of fained worship of God He rehearseth those things that pertaine to the true and right seruice of God whereby the body is chastised and the flesh tamed Which is well to be noted lest that any neglect fastings watchings and labour and make us count of them for that they do not iustifie They bring not righteousnes in deede yet are they frutes of righteousnes being obtained wherein thou mayst be exercised and whereby thou mayst keepe thy flesh in subiection and enforce it to do his dutie In tumults He rehearseth tumults or seditions among the rest not that it becommeth vs to teach or moue them who ought to obey Magistrates and with quietnes to liue obedient vnto all in that which is good as Paule teacheth Rom. 13 and Christ Matth. 22 Giue vnto Cesar those thinges that are Cesars but that we must beare tumultes of others as also necessities distresses stripes and imprisonments which we must cause or procure vnto none but suffer being procured and layde vpon vs by others Wherefore in the first place he setteth much patience which surely moueth no sedition or tumult but rather suffreth it and appeaseth it if it can But in the meane season it singularly comforteth vs at this time Christians commonly accused to raise sedition and tumults wheÌ„ they suffer the same being raised of other when as tumults are commonly imputed vnto vs for that this is incident to a Christian life that for the preaching of the Gospell it is accused to raise sedition which it rather suffereth being raised of other against the word of God For as in time past Achab accused the most holy Prophet Elias of sedition affirming that it was he that troubled Israell when as he himselfe in deede did trouble it so is it neither a shamefull nor new thinge for vs to be accused of the same when we preach the same word Let vs thinke when the enemies of God lay this reproche and sclaunder vpon vs that not onely Elias not onely the Apostles but Christ himselfe was counted of the Iewes a seditious felow crucified a title being writteÌ„ in three languages and put on the crosse that he should of all be counted as a seditious king of the Iewes which would haue moued that people against Cesar and adioined them to himselfe who in deede by word and example of his life taught nothing more themsubmissioÌ„ and obedience and liued so that he was ready to profit and minister vnto all As for the rest whereof the Apostle here maketh mention as patience affliction necessitie distres stripes prisons labour watchinges fasting puritie it is easie to vnderstand how they pertaine to the ministerie of God who truely disdaineth to haue slouthfull idle gluttonous and drowsie ministers and such as can not abide aduersitie and trouble â–ª But he specially reproueth our delicate ones which quietly enioy reuenues and rents and take their delight and pleasure thinking that it is an vnworthie thinge that they should labour for they are shauen weare long gownes and crie out in temples c. Howbeit these shall not be able to approue themselues before God God will haue none to be idle but also labour and so eate their owne bread who will haue all to labour and eate their owne and not other mens bread as it is written by Paule to the Thessalonians Who therefore teacheth here also that God is serued by labour and not that onely but that we also are thereby proued and commended to be the ministers of God In knowledge Paule taketh knowledge here for that which we call prudence or wisedom wherby we vse things with reason behauing our selues with discretion and comelines Of which knowledge the saying also of Paul Rom. 10. is vnderstood They haue the zeale of God but not according to knowledge that is they beare a zeale to the lawe not prudently not weying and coÌ„sidering all things well that they might do no vndecent thing Wherefore whereas he here expressely requireth knowledge in the ministerie of God Christians must frame their life prudently and with sufficieÌ„t discretion he thereby admonisheth vs that we frame our life with reason and order it prudently in all things keeping a meane and hauing an aduised rehard of our neighbours lest that in any thing we offende the weaker sort with vnseasonable vse of Christian libertie and that we do all thinges to the edifying of all So we must labour fast watch and applie our selues to chastitie and such other thinges not aboue measure that either the body may be
pure and sincere word of God whereby the grace of God is preached and offered and notwithstanding to embrace it with no diligence neither to be chaunged or altered in life By this vnthankfull slothfulnes we deserue to haue it taken away againe as being vnworthy of it For we making so light of the Gospell are vndoutedly they which are bidden and called to the mariage but whiles being busied about other matters we despise this grace the good man of the house is angrie with vs sweareth that we shall neuer tast of his supper The same doth Paule now here admonish of that we take heede to our selues least that we receiue the Gospell vnthankfully without frute Yea Christ also admonished vs of the same VValke while ye haue the light Ioh. 12.35 least the darkenes come vpon you It ought surely to make vs more warie and heedefull euen for that we suffered so grieuous and pernitious darkenes vnder the Pope But we haue now forgotten all such thinges no thankfulnes no amendement is found among vs which how greatly to our owne hurt we neglect we shall shortly feele For he sayth I haue heard thee in a tyme accepted and in the day of saluation haue I succoured thee beholde nowe the accepted tyme. He describeth here the merueilous felicitie which is there where the Gospell flourisheth there is no wrath no reuengement all thinges are replenished with grace and saluation yea it is vnspeakeable howe great felicitie these wordes doe speake of Whereas he first sayth a tyme accepted A time accepted it is spoken by an Hebrewe figure and is as much as if thou say a gratious tyme and replenished with the fauour of God wherein God turneth away his anger and declareth nothing but loue toward vs and a ready will to helpe vs. Our sinnes are blotted out not onely those that be past but those also which as yet sticke in our flesh and that I may speake in a word the kingdom of mercie is present wherein nothing but forgiuenes of sinnes and restoring of grace is shewed heauen standeth open the right yeare of Iubile is come wherein all dettes are remitted and no grace is denied Whereupon he sayth In a time accepted haue I heard thee that is now I fauour thee am mercifull vnto thee whatsoeuer thou wilt haue pray for it and thou shalt obtayne it and certainly receiue it Onely let not the fault be in thy selfe pray while this time endureth The day of saluation Beholde nowe the day of saluation He calleth this the time and day of saluation that is of helpe and felicitie For we are not onely certayne hereof that God is mercifull and fauourable vnto vs and we acceptable vnto him but also as we beleeue and by faith are sure of his goodnes toward vs so he declareth in deede heareth them that crie vnto him helpeth and saueth them yea and maketh them plainly blessed We therefore worthely acknowledge and confesse this tyme to be the wished prosperous happie and very day of saluation For it behoueth that both be togither both that God fauour vs and also that he declare his fauour towards vs by worke or deede That he fauoureth vs the accepted tyme which is nowe present doth witnes that he doth also helpe vs and finish our saluation this other witnesseth to wit the day of saluation the day of helpe But as the state of the life of Christians is if thou wilt iudge according to the outward man thou wilt iudge it rather a tyme of affliction wrath and indignation wherein the Gospell is preached and wherein they liue then a time of grace and saluation Wherefore the wordes of the spirit must be spiritually vnderstood so shall we easily see perceiue that these noble and most pleasaunt names doe most rightly and properly belong to the tyme wherein the Gospell flourisheth that it is a tyme accepted that is full of grace and a time of saluation whereby surely all the riches and felicitie of Christes kingdom are notably commended and set forth vnto vs. Let vs giue no occasion of offence in any thinge Forasmuch therefore as there is so acceptable and gratious a tyme let vs sayth he vse it worthely and not receiue it in vayne First endeuouring to giue no occasion of offence to any man least that our office of preachinge Christ be reprehended No offence must be giuen whereby the Gospell may be reprehended Double occasion of offence may be giuen whereby the Gospel is reprehended whereby he sufficiently declareth what offence he meaneth namely that the doctrine of the Gospell may not be stumbled at as though he taught that which is not perfect and sound Nowe there may be giuen a double occasion of offence whereby the Gospell is reprehended one wherby the Heathen are offended when as some vnder a pretence of the Gospel seeke the libertie of the flesh wil not be obedient to magistrates turning the libertie of the spirit into fleshly licētiousnes These do meruelously offend the discreeter wiser sort of the Heathen and make that they hate the Gospell without a cause which they thinke doth teach this licentiousnes and so as it were with a certaine force they do by this their insolencie repell and driue them from the faith of Christ for they measuring all Christians by these do detest them as light men and troublers of the common wealth and therefore not to be suffered This offence therefore and this reprehension or rather hatred and persecution of the Gospel we acknowledge to come through these preposterous Christians An other offence is whereby euē Christians amōg themselues are sometime offended through the vnseasonable vse of Christian libertie in meates and other indifferent thinges whereat the weaker sort in faith do sometime stumble Whereof the Apostle hath giuen many preceptes 1. Cor. 8. Rom. 14. He exhorteth therefore here vnto that whereof he admonisheth in other wordes 1. Cor. 10 So behaue your selues that ye giue none offence neither to the Iewes nor to the Grecians nor to the Church of God euen as I please all men in all things not seeking mine owne profit but the profit of many that they might be saued The same he teacheth also Philip. 2. that euerie man looke not on his owne things but on the things of other men for so all offence should be easily taken away nay none at all should be giuen That our ministerie be not reprehended Though we cā not bring to passe that the word of God be not at all reprehended yet must we endeuour that it be not reprehended through our fault Who can bring to passe that our ministerie shall not be reprehended seeing that the Gospell is necessarily subiect to persecution no lesse then Christ himselfe In deede it is not in vs to make that the worde of God be not reprehended and persecuted of them which are ignoraunt of God and do not beleeue for it is a rocke of offence Esai 8. Rom.