the washing of them away which was done by the deathe and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ Yee see then that our righteousnesse is that God accepteth vs howebeit not in respecte of our owne worthynesse but in respect of the obedience of our Lorde Iesus Christ whereby all our misdooings are wyped out That is the first benefite which wee haue by our Lorde Iesus Christe The seconde is that whereas wee bee frowarde of our owne nature and al that the Papists terme by the name of freewill is but frenzie and that howe great accompte so euer men make of them selues all is but naughtinesse and wee bee full of vyce and corruption in steade of beeing so our Lorde Iesus Christ giueth vs the grace to be sory for our sinnes to labour to do good for so long as we abide in our owne nature euery of vs sootheth and flattereth him selfe in his euill But when we haue once tasted the inestimable loue of our God and perceyued what our Lorde Iesus Christ is then we be so touched by his holy spirite that wee condemne the euill and desire to drawe neere vnto God and too frame our selues to his holy will VVee be sure of that once and although wee go halting yet doo wee continually sigh to see our owne imperfections and infirmities and perceyue full well how it is the spirite of God that moueth vs thervnto when our chiefe desire is to forsake the sinfulnesse that is in vs and commeth of our fleshe so as we wishe nothing else but that God should be glorified in all our lyfe and faythfully obeyed in all things That is the seconde benefite which our Lord Iesus Christ bringeth vs and they be two things knit togither by vnseparable bande so that like as the light of the sunne can not be separated from his heate so these two graces that is to wit our righteousnesse and the remission of our sinnes are vnseparably matched with our renewment which is done by the spirit of sanctification Thus ye see two graces inseparable and like as when we say that the Sunne is whot it ceasseth not to shine also yet notwithstanding the light of the sunne is not heate so when we say that wee be iustified by the remission of our sinnes it is not ment that our Lord Iesus Christ doth thēcefoorth suffer him selfe too bee mocked and despised but that wee haue neede to be throughly clensed so as wee may learne too renounce the world and our selues too the ende to sticke vnto him with true obedience Howsoeuer the worlde go the thing that S. Paule speaketh in this text shall alwayes be founde true namely that he was crucified with Iesus Christ to liue vnto God Then if any man accuse the Gospell that it giueth libertie to doo euill and too sinne wee may alwayes answere howe so By the lawe wee bee alwayes dead for there wee see our owne cursednesse whiche will leaue vs dismayde in dispayre But in the Gospell although wee bee crucified that is too saye althoughe there bee a spice of death in the Gospell yet is that death a quickening deathe and the cause of lyfe For so long as men lyue too them selues they bee dead vnto God they bee wretched carkasses full of rottennesse But when they dye in them selues they lyue vntoo God And for that cause Sainct Paule in the twelfth too the Romanes calleth vs lyuing sacrifices where hee telleth vs that wee muste bee transformed and vtterly gyue ouer our owne reason and our owne wyll too yeelde God suche seruice as is meete for him too haue He saythe Offer vp your selues as lyuing sacrifices So then in the Lawe there muste needes bee a deadly deathe a deathe that leaueth vs vtterly ouerwhelmed and sunken euen downe intoo hell But in the Gospell there is a quickening deathe And why For wee bee crucified wyth Iesus Christ too lyue vnto God that is too saye our olde man as Sainct Paule termeth it in the sixth too the Romanes and that whiche wee haue of our owne nature is doone awaye howebeeit not at the first daye but by little and little But howe soeuer the cace stande wee shall perceyue that our Lorde Iesus Christe mortifieth all that was in vs of our owne or of the worlde so as wee bee not so greatly giuen too nestle heere bylowe bycause wee see it is a myserable state too lyue heere and oure very care is too stycke vntoo God Thus yee see howe wee may bee crucified with our Lorde Iesus Chryste But what is mente by that crucifying Verily it is a certayne kynde of deathe Howebeeit that deathe bryngeth vs too lyfe whiche thing the death whiche the Lawe bringeth dooth not Nowe then wee see the very intente of Sainct Paule and the naturall meanyng of this texte Therefore nowe a dayes when the enimies of the truthe blaspheme the Gospell we haue heere an answere to stoppe their mouthes And if they holde on still let them barke lyke dogges but they shall not bee able too byte doo what they can See heere what the Papistes flushe foorth when wee preache that men are iustified throughe Gods free goodnesse O say they are they so That were the nexte waye to giue euery man the brydle too lyue after his owne lyking and too cause that there mighte be no more remorse nor scruple of conscience so as euery man myghte haue leaue too doo what he lysted That is the common blasphemie of the Papistes Agayne when wee shewe them that they can not bynde vs by their traditions and that it is but a tyrannie whiche they haue vsurped in robbing God of his righte and that the libertie was purchased for vs by our Lorde Iesus Christ to the ende that wee shoulde not bee tyde too the things whiche men woulde lay vpon vs of lawe and necessitie in matters concerning the spirituall gouernment of our soules O saye they see what cōmes of it their desire is nothing else but too wallowe in all pleasure and too leade a loose lyfe Surely wee maye easily answere too all this For the doctrine that wee bring serueth not to stirre vp mens lustes nor to giue them too greate and lawlesse a libertie but too the cleane contrarie But howsoeuer the cace stande it oughte too suffice vs that if wee shoulde abyde in the quamyre of the Papistes surely there woulde bee nothyng but deathe for vs. For were they not too faste asleepe and vtterly dulled vndoubtedly they shoulde bee tossed wyth suche vnquietnesse and hartebytings as they should needes see that that is not the thing wherevpon wee muste reste But beholde they bee so rotted in their ignoraunce that they haue not anye feelyng of Gods iustice at all But as for oure partes for as muche as wee knowe wee haue suche a freedome purchased vs by our Lorde Iesus Christ and are sure of our saluation bicause God dothe freely forgiue all our faultes and doo feele alreadie by the working of Gods holy spirite that he
shadowes bicause that nowe a dayes wee haue the body and the substaunce Seeing it is so if a man should set foorth the ceremonies of the Lawe he should separate them froÌ„ our Lord Iesus Christ and what should they be then They would be of no force For as I sayd afore if a man separate them for our Lorde Iesus Christ surely they shall bee but pelting trash Therefore when men kept the ceremonies so as they were applied to their lawful vse they were good exercises and the old fathers mispente not their time bicause they were confirmed by them in the hope of their saluation and they were vntoo them a warrante of Gods fatherly loue towardes them and they led them to oure Lorde Iesus Christe the fountayne of all welfare But if men busie themselues in keeping the ceremonies without knowing why or wherfore surely it is but flat mockerie For the Heathen men dyd make sacrifice also and some of them had no Idols thinking that they offered too God the maker of heauen earth and yet whereto did al their Sacrifises serue them but to their condemnation For they had ouerthrowen Gods order bycause they ameÌ„d not at our Lord Iesus Christ Now then Sainct Paul doth not without cause say that when the Ceremonies of the law tend not to the seeking of all our welfare in our Lorde Iesus Christe they are but beggerly Ceremonies that is to saye corruptible thinges of this world and consequently things of no force and vnprofitable bycause that Iesus Christ who is the quickner of all things is not ther. And this is yet so much the better to be marked to the ende we be not beguiled It is said that in old time all men offered Sacrifise and thought they worshipped God and yet notwithstanding that the seruis of all such as had not their beleefe settled in Iesus Christ was reiected For the Apostle in the eleuenth to the Hebrues saith that the only thing that made Abels Sacrifise acceptable was faith Now then for asmuch as the heathen men did in their sacrifising imagin God to be fleshly and that they could make their attonemeÌ„t with him by such meanes they buzied themselues about outwarde things and considered not that in asmuch as we be faultie it standeth vs on hand to haue an excellenter raunsome than we caÌ„ bring any If we had a hundred worlds to giue they were not ynough too redeeme any one misdeede that we haue done against God Therfore the Sacrifise that should answer for all our sinnes must of necessitie be heauenly The heathen men coÌ„sidered not this but stood poring vpon the shadow of it as the Turkes and Iewes do yet still at this day who by their often washing of themselues both euen and morne and at noone and by theyr other Ceremonies confesse themselues to be defyled and to haue neede to be clenzed by some others and yet do renounce our Lord Iesus Christ who is the very cleannesse whereby we must be made cleane according also as in very deede it is he that hath wiped away all our spottes Seeing it a so then all they that keepe any Ceremonies in hope to get any fauour at Gods hand by them do not only beguile and martir themselues in vayne without any profit but also do certeinly prouoke Gods wrath still more and more Now we on our side are taughte that our Lord Iesus Christ hath shed his bloud too wash our soules withall Then if we seeke any other â—â—nzing or purgatory besides surely it is an intollerable trecherie And if Sainct Paule spake so of the Ceremonies of the lawe what shall wee say of all the toyes and gewgawes that are nowadayes in poperie For beholde the Papists weene to win much by taking of holywater by babling this and that by keeping of holidayes by tyring themselues in gadding on some pilgrimage by setting vp a waxcandle before some puppet by chaunting masse by note and by saying of thus many or thus many tymes their beads ouer I say they hope well to make attonement with God by such meanes But it is certeine that they plunge themselues the deeper in hell and cast themselues further intoo Satans snares by it as though they had confederated themselues with him to their owne destruction To bee shorte all the Ceremonies of poperie are vtter renouncings of our Lorde Iesus Christ and of the pure truth which hee hath purchaced for vs by his death and resurrection and of the grace that is offered vs at this day in the Gospell For they may well bring what shrowding-sheetes they list but they cannot disproue the holie Ghost who hath vttered the sayd sentence by the mouth of Sainct Paule Then do we see in effect what is shewed vs heere Now as touching the particular whiche Sainct Paule alledgeth heere concerning dayes mooneths and yeeres he meeneth not the seasons of winter and sommer nor the discerning of one day from another nor that men shoulde not recken yeeres and mooneths but hee speaketh of the feasts that were commaunded in the Lawe and which those deceiuers would needes haue to bee kept still euen as of necessitie In which cace there was a kind of binding and thraldome and it was an abolishing of the fredome that was purchaced for vs by our Lord Iesus Christ Lo heere the cause why Sainct Paule vseth such vehementnesse howbeit that hee did it also in respect of the foresayde falshood for it was requisite that our Lord Iesus Christ should haue bin knowen in all those figures and that men should haue amed at that marke But they that had beguiled the Galathians had bound them to the cleane contrary seeing that by holding still the feast of Passeouer and other feastes they intended to bring them backe agayne to the olde forworne figures which ought to be abolished In olde time when men kept 〈◊〉 Easter day vnder the lawe it was to the end that the people beeing put in minde of their deliuerance out of the thraldome of Egypt should looke for the great redemption that was promised them And for that cause Sainct Paule saith that our Easter lamb that is to wit Iesus Christe is offered vp already He sheweth that the thing which had bin figured by the pascall lamb that was offered in the law was now fulfilled in the person of our mediator In like cace was it with the feast of Tabernacls or Tents whereby God did put the Iewes in rememberance that they had dwelled in the wildernesse where there was nother house nor building and yet had continued there a long time traueling too and fro And that was also a warning too them that thys lyfe is but a wayfaring where through we must passe in hast As muche is too be sayde of the firstlings when men came to offer vp theyr firste frutes vntoo God Agayne when the Iewes made solemne confession of their sinnes it was a figure to leade them too Iesus Christe whych was promised to them But
too lay the brydle looce in our necke that wee might fall a scoterloping and playe the wylde beastes so as God shoulde not tame vs but rather too the intent wee shoulde repayre vntoo him with a good courage to obey him freely For if wee were not sure that he taketh vs for his children and beareth with vs so gently that the things whiche are nothing woorth are taken in good woorth at his hand for the fatherly loue which he beareth vs surely wee shall doo nothing but gnashe our teeth when wee intende too serue God But if wee bee persuaded that God casteth such a fauour towardes vs that although wee be full of infirmities and cannot doo any thing that may deserue too bee well lyked at his hande yet hee accepteth vs for our Lorde Iesus Christes sake must it not needes giue vs courage as thoughe our sayle were set vp and wee had the winde on our sterne Therefore it is certaine that our heartes must needes runne swiftly as a shippe that hath the full winde vppon hir sayles when wee knowe that wee are in Gods fauour and that hee accepteth our woorkes and intendeth not too bynde vs too any bondage but is contented too take vs for his children and accepteth oure willingnesse too obey his Now then when we be once sure of that we may serue our God with the better courage and bicause wee bee grounded vppon his grace it will cheere vs in suche wise as wee shall offer him the sacrifice of prayse and â—â—rayer assuring oure selues that hee wyll heere vs and therevppon yeelde hym thankes for that so great and inestimable benefyte which hee communicateth vnto vs euerie day Nowe let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowlegement of our faultes praying him to vouchsafe to make vs so to feele them as it may humble vs truely and make vs yeelde our selues wholly to our Lorde Iesus Christ and that when we be once come vnto him we may persist in the fayth of his Gospell without swaruing asyde in any wise and that he may so sustein vs in our infirmities as wee notwithstanding may be touched with true repentance too sigh and grone before him till hee haue taken vs out of this mortall bodye wherein wee bee hilde in prison vnder the bondage of sinne And so let vs all say Almightie God our heauenly father c. The. 32. Sermon which is the seconde vpon the fifth Chapter 4 Christ is become vnprofitable to you to all of you that are iustified by the Lavve and you bee falne from grace 5 For vve in spirite doo vvayte by fayth for the hope of Rightuousnesse 6 For neyther Circumcision nor vncircumcision is any thing woorth in Iesus Christ but fayth that vvorketh by loue WE haue seene heretofore that such as wil make a partnership betwene their owne workes and Gods grace do fouly ouershoot theÌ„selues for as soone as we come to reckening God must needes iudge vs with rygour Then if we go about too get his fauour and to purchace our saluation by our owne woorkes we must performe Lawe to the vttermoste without any missing But nowe let vs see if euer man discharged him 〈◊〉 so perfectly Surely we come verie farre short of it Therefore we must come emptie vnto God that hee may receyue vs too mercie and impute vnto vs the obedience of oure Lorde Iesus Christ auowing it in suche wise as wee lay asyde all our owne deseruings and bring not any thing of the Lawe with vs saue onely a single and pure confession that wee bee damned and forlorne till God pitie vs and burying all our faultes and transgressions do cloth and apparell vs againe with the rightuousnesse of our Lorde Iesus Christ his sonne And for that cause doth Saint Paule conclude heere that such as will iustifie themselues by the lawe are falne from grace and Iesus Christ shall profite them not thing at all If is not for nought that hee speaketh after that maner For the false packers that had partly corrupted the doctrine of the Gospell in the Church of the Galathians ment too mingle the one with the other that is to wit that Iesus Christ is giuen vs to supplie our wantes and yet notwithstanding that wee ceasse not to be rightuous in part by indeuering to do well For they did not vtterly renounce our Lord Iesus Christ neither sayd they that all the promises wherein God telleth vs that he wil of his goodnesse forgiue the faithful their sinnes are deceyt and mockerie but their intent was that men should labor to iustifie theÌ„selues that is to say to purchase fauour at Gods hand by their owne workes And forasmuch as wee be farre from perfection they ment that Iesus Christ should supply it as a second remedie that was their surmize Likewise nowadayes in Poperie they will not with opeÌ„ mouth vtter this blasphemie that Iesus Christ serueth vs to none other purpose but too teach vs the will of God his father they will afoorde to say that he hath redeemed vs and purchased the ground of deseruing for vs for he hath opened vs the gate of Paradice too enter in at and also that his death and passion do dayly profite vs too reconcile vs vntoo God dayly when wee haue offended him But howsoeuer the worlde go they will haue vs too deserue or earne the kingdome of heauen in parts and to redeeme our sinnes by diuerse meanes and thereof sprang all their satisfactions and finally that if a man cannot performe all during his life the rest shall bee fulfilled in Purgatorie Thus yee see howe Iesus Christ hath but halfe a place with them in receyuing vs vnto God and 〈◊〉 in the meane while they shoulder him in such wise that freewill merites workes of supererogation or ouerplus as they terme them and suche like things runne away at leastwise with the one half of our saluation But S. Paule telleth vs that God liketh no such partenership For either we must bring such a full performance of the Lawe as God may be contented with or else yeeld our selues giltie If there bee neuer so little a fault all the residue deserueth nothing at all For as I haue declared God promiseth not saluation too such as doo him halfe seruis or too such as serue him after a sorte but to such as keepe his Lawe throughout He that dooth all the things shall liue and contrarywise he that performeth not all shall bee cursed But it is so that no man dooth the things that are required and commaunded in the Law For what good zele or will soeuer wee haue too serue God there is alwayes much feeblenesse in vs and wee go too him halting and make many false steppes yea and oftentimes wee happen to steppe aside and too go astray and so are wee all shet out from the promis of saluation as in respect of our own workes and the curse wayteth for vs which we cannot escape For who is so
make theÌ„ selues vnworthy of it for some be ful of wilinesse malice like foxes some are full of pride like lions some are like rauening wolues that seeke nothing but to deuour al and othersome are ful of shrewd turnes and harmefulnesse like Apes All these as much as in theÌ„ is do cut themselues off froÌ„ the aray companie of neibours but in this cace we may obserue Gods order And although men on their side deserue not to be counted taken for neibours yet notwithstanding in bearing them loue wee shewe it is good reason that God should ouerwey our owne naughtinesse VVee see then that suche as are our enimies labour to deuour vs do notwithstanding not cease to be our neibors in respect of the order that God hath set And for the same cause also our Lord Iesus Christ telleth vs that it is no charitie to recoÌ„pence him that hath done vs a good turne or seruice nor to loue those whom we like off or at whose hands wee looke for some profite For the heathen do as much as that comes too but they do it not to obey God his law and when we haue regard of our own profite it is rather a louing of our selues thaÌ„ any poynt of charitie For the marks that chatitie shooteth at are God and the communion or felowship that ought to be among vs as I haue said afore Now then we see it is a true proofe that we be desirous to loue God when we indeuer to doo good euen too them that are vnworthy of it Moreouer the adding of this saying as our selues is not to the intent that euery man should first loue him selfe and then afterwarde loue his neybour nexte But our Lorde ment too rippe vp the sore thâ—â— hindereth vs too liue in charitie whiche is as I haue tolde you alreadie that if men were not so giuen to selfeloue as they be there would be good loue agreement among all men but forasmuch as wee be so much giuen to loue ourselues and the excesse of that affection blindeth vs in such wise that it bereeueth vs of all reason equitie and vprightnesse therfore God saith that we must loue our neighbours as ourselues For were not that sayd expresly we would talke muche of louing our neighbours say they ought to be loued but all would be but dissimulation after the maner of these hypocrites whiche protest that they would their enimies no harme but rather that they wish them good and could find in their hearts to procure theÌ„ good But let vs come to the triall that God setteth downe heere let euery man looke into himself then let him iudge whether he loue him self to much or no or whether the loue that he beareth towards his neybours be not ouerfaynt cold To be short here God ment to remedie the hypocrisie wherwith we be too much blinded Also he ment to waken men that they might learne to leaue their flattering of theÌ„selues when it is sayd it is not inough for you to loue one an other but ye must loue your neibours as your selues And thereby we see how farre we be wide from the perfection of the Lawe and that it standeth vs in hande to fight agaynst our owne nature that we may obey God VVhat is then the true exercise of Christians It is to acknowledge bewayle their own sinfulnesse and infirmitie in discharging their dutie towards God and thervpon to labor and indeuer to winne of them selues from day to day so as their lustes may not ouermaster them but rather that God may haue such superioritie that in stead of louing our selues we may labour to imploy our selues in dooing good whersoeuer he calleth vs. Furthermore S. Paule hauing shewed the perfection of the law the mark that wee muste ame at to rule our life according to Gods worde addeth that if men doo bite and snatche one at another lyke Dogges and Cattes they muste needes bee consumed in the ende And this is too shame them the more whiche are so fleshed in their quarellings and brawlings and doo so close their eyes agaynst all reason that they care not what come of it so they maye satisfie their luste of reuenging And what shall yee â—â—â—ne by it sayth Sainct Paule Naturally yee couet too preserue youre selues for that is common too vs euen with the beasts Yee see that the beast which hath nother reason nor vnderstanding doth notwithstanding labor to preserue himselfe and shunneth harme Much more reason is it that men which discerne betweene good and bad should haue the same indeuer of mainteyning themselues and of continuing safe sound But now let vs see what followeth vpon hatred quareling brawling strife rayling and such other like things It followeth that wee must bee all consumed in the end Needes then must the diuel haue vtterly bereft them of all reason which rage and rushe foorth after that fashion in their excessyue hatred and cannot by any meanes bee moderated Too bee short S. Paule sheweth that although there were no Lawe of God too make vs afrayd too offend him yet if wee were well aduised or had any droppe of discretion in vs wee should haue some stay of ourselues so as wee should not quarell and brawle one with another as wee doo But wee runne wilfully and as it were of set purpose into our destruction and that is ageinst nature Yee see then how diuelish men become wheÌ„ they bee once chafed insomuch that they seeke their owne decay And why do wee hate our enemies It is bicause wee will needes gyue brydle to our affections But marke our excuce O say wee they ment mee harme they procured it and they haue done it Very wel-what for that VVhat shalt thou win by making two diuels of one as the prouerb sayth or by seeking too make the fyre too burne hotter which is kindled ynough and to much alreadie It wyll but dubble his rage and make him feercer than he was before Seing it is so why wilt thou go about to end the matter with the destruction of you both Howbeit if wee should do it in none other respect than that it were not ynough for therin wee should bee too fleshly For if I absteine from all hatred bycause I shoulde receyue harme by it I doo still seeke mine owne profit But God will haue vs to shet our eyes continually in respect of our owneselues and to shake of all ill will and to tread all strife vnder foote And why To the end that he himselfe may haue all maysterhod ouer vs. And although men giue vs cause too hate them for their naughtinesse yet notwithstanding forasmuch a God hath knit vs together let vs abyde in that vnitie Therfore the honour that wee must yeelde vnto God is to renounce ourselues to the end we may loue them that hate vs. And as I haue tolde you alreadie this warning is not superfluous For Sainct Paules intent is too shame
meanes according also as S. Paules intent heere is to bring backe the Galathians to the pure truthe from the which they had bin led away seduced not that they had vtterly renounced Iesus Christ but that they had intermingled the ceremonies of the Lawe thereby to obtayne forgiuenesse of sinnes as who should say there needed other helpes therevnto according as in papistrie it wil well ynough be graunted that Iesus Christ is the redeemer of the world but yet therwithal euery man seeketh to cōpound with God to make amends by himself Now the Galathians had already bin imbured with the like errour For this cause Sainct Paule sheweth the that sinnes are none otherwize wiped out than by the sacrifize of our Lord Iesus Christ to thintent that our fayth may rest wholly there Therfore if we wil be parttakers of so great a benefite we must giue ouer al our vaine hopes all the illusiōs that the Diuell putteth in our minde when he turneth vs aside frō our Lord Iesus Christ frō his only grace by making vs to beleeue that we can come vnto God if we bring some amends with vs. To be short vntill such time as we be sure that there is none other washing wherewith to skoure out the spottes of our iniquities but the bloud which our Lord Iesus Christ hath shed wherwith we be rinced through the holy ghost it is certain that we cā neuer come freely vnto God nor rest vpon his fauour loue but shall euer be wandering in our own imaginacions that shal be a due payment for our misbelefe in that we haue not yeelded our Lord Iesus Christ the honor that he deserued Thus ye see in effect what we haue to beare in mind here where S. Paule setteth the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ before vs telling vs that that is the thing wherein we shall finde the amends of all our faultes do as they shal not be called any more too account before God And he sayeth purposely that Iesus Christ gaue himselfe too the end wee should the more boldly take holde of his Loue. For wee see heere that when our Lord Iesus Christ did put foorth himself too make attonement betweene God and vs he spared not his owne body soule in somuch that he indured extreme anguish in his foule as he that was our borrow in the same and bare the wrath of God in our behalfe And in his body also he indured all reproch and shame and therewithall also the horriblest tormentes that could be deuized and al this as I sayd afore sheweth right wel that the loue which he bare vs was inestimable sith he forgate himself after that sort for our sakes But yet notwithstanding herewithall S. Paule bringeth vs alwayes backe too the will of God too shew that when our Lord Iesus Christ did in that wyze performe all that belonged too our saluation it was no let but that God in the meane whyle vttered his mercy in the same according as it is sayd in another text that God so loued the world that he spared not his onely sonne but deliuered him to death for vs. To the intent therfore that we should not think that the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ too pacifie God his father was after such a sort that he persuaded him to alter his purpose as men are inclined to such grosse earthly imaginacions S. Paule to shew vs that God was not reconcyled vnto vs after the maner of men telleth vs expresly that the cause why Iesus Christ was deliuered for our sinnes was for that God had so ordeyned it For if a man be angry with his childe some other man may steppe in too appease his wrath and such a one shall supply the roome of a third partie But the cace stoode not so with our Lord Iesus Christ when he offered himself in Sacrifize too do away all our sinnes to make vs way vnto God from whom we were shet out before He came not as one that stepped in of his owne head and as though God had not meddled with the matter How then God as hath bin touched not long since did both hate vs and loue vs before the reconciliation was made And why loued he vs Bicause we be his creatures And again although he saw we were so wretched and vtterly forlorne damned folke by reason of sin yet notwithstanding he had pitie vpon vs would not haue mankind to perish vtterly Thus yee see how God loued vs notwithstanding that in the persone of Adam we were fallen away frō him vtterly corrupted Therwithall he did also hate vs euen bicause he is the welspring of all rightuousnesse Therfore he abhorred the naughtinesse that was in vs by reason wherof there needed an attonemēt to be made in the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ by the sacrifize which he offered But yet must not that benefite bee fathered vppon any other than God Yee see then howe it was Gods dooing too sende his onely sonne and too giue him ouer vnto death for vs. And why To the ende that all hatred betweene him and vs shoulde bee done away This in effect is the thing that ought to be vnderstood of S. Paules woordes when he saith that Iesus Christ gaue himselfe to the death for our sinnes and yet notwithstanding that the same came not too passe without the wil of God who had determined the same aforehande in his owne euerlasting purpose Heere first of all we haue too magnifie the mercie that was shewed vs in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ For if God had but proclaymed a pardon and tolde vs that he woulde take vs to mercie though we were vnworthie of it that had bin verie much yea and it had bin impossible for vs to magnifie such a gracious goodnesse as it deserueth But seeing he hath lent vs such a gage of his loue as his owne sonne and gyueth himselfe to vs in his person thereby shewing himselfe to be our father it so farre passeth all that we haue sayde that if all our wittes were imployed too woondering at suche a goodnesse yet should wee neuer come to the fulnesse thereof Thus ye see what we haue to marke in the first place when Saint Paule speaketh too vs of Gods will Howbeeit let vs vnderstande that euen from the time that God had iust cause to hate vs and to abhorre vs yea and euen from the time that we were his enimies as the Scripture sayth in very deede he neuer ceassed to haue some regarde of vs and to extende his pitie so farre foorth as he would not haue vs to abyde in our destruction in so much that he hath not thought it ynough to declare the same by word of mouth but also hath giuen vs such a pledge as wee see that is to wit that his owne sonne hath answered for it Now seeing it is so that God hath shewed himselfe so gracious
and mercifull before we were reconciled to him what will he do now when we haue so sure a warrant and that the Gospell also is preached vnto vs to assure vs that we be knit vntoo our Lord Iesus Christ by fayth as members of his bodie Shall we now doubt of Gods loue towards vs when we haue so good a confirmation of it as Saint Paule fayth in the fift Chapter to the Romaines If so be that Iesus Christ sayth he came to put away all our sinnes at such times as there was yet deadly foad betweene god vs ought not all doubting to be troden vnder foote and we not be afrayde in any wise too call vpon our God but assure our selues of our owne saluation nowe when God hath so confirmed it vnto vs when hee hath admitted vs into his fauour when he calleth and allureth vs as gently as may be and when hee sheweth and certefieth vs that hee doth as it were hold open his armes to imbrace vs whensoeuer we will come vnto him Thus ye see what we haue to beare in minde in this streyne Furthermore let vs marke also the loue of our Lord Iesus Christ how that seeing hee hath giuen himselfe after that sort for our sinnes he will not suffer his death and passion to be vnprofitable nor the sacrifice which he hath once offered to be voyd and of none effect without bringing forth frute in vs. But as hee hath offered himselfe once for all so also will he be our continuall Mediator and Aduocate to the ende we may be partakers of the clennesse which he hath purchased for vs that beeing ridde of all our fowlenesse we may appeare cleane before God and speake vnto him with open mouth Lo how we ought to gather togither all the things that are shewed vs here for the stablishing of our faith that we may freely resort vnto our God not as straungers to him but as his owne children and familiar friendes And herewithall let vs learne also to shake off all the illusions and fancies of Satan who seeketh by all meanes too turne vs away from our Lorde Iesus Christ or else to darken the grace which we shoulde finde in him and when he can not abolish it vtterly he snarleth vs and putteth new meanes into our heades whereby to purchase fauor at Gods hande But let vs cut off all such things and so fasten all our wittes vpon our Lord Iesus Christ as he onely my suffize vs and we vtterly mislyke whatsoeuer shall come in our heade too purchase grace and fauor with assuring our selues that there is not any other thing that may cause God to receyue vs to mercie than the sacryfize whereby all righteousnesse and clennesse was purchased for vs. Furthermore vnder these woordes of Gods will it behoueth vs too comprehende a free goodnesse too exclude all that men are woont too make themselues beleeue of their owne merits for in that sence also are those wordes taken in the holy Scripture so that as I haue tolde you before the thing which is termed heere by the name of Will is termed elsewhere by the name of good pleasure Saint Paule therefore not onely sheweth that the welspring of our Redemption and Saluation consisteth in the ordinance and euerlasting purpose of God the father but also intendeth to beat down all pryde and presumption by shewing that wee must yeelde the whole prayse of our righteousnesse too the free fauour of God which had no regarde at all of our deseruings For let vs examine our selues and what shall God find in vs but vtter wretchednesse And that is the verie cause why God voutsafeth his mercie vpon vs. So then let vs assure our selues that hencefoorth wee may freely lift vp our eyes to heauen and preferre our prayers and supplications vnto God bycause he hath preuented vs according as it as sayd in S. Iohn that he had not tarried till we loued him for that was impossible bicause we be wholy bent vnto euill and are vtterly giuen ouer to it but had loued vs euen though wee were his enimies And so ye see that the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ was too the ende too reconcile vs to God his father as wee haue shewed alreadie That therefore is in effect the thing that wee haue to beare in minde Nowe Saint Paule addeth immediately that it was to deliuer vs from this wicked worlde Heere he sheweth why we bee called too the knowledge of our Lorde Iesus Christ and also why he hath set so great store by vs as to redeeme vs as he hath done namely to the ende we shoulde not abide in our filth and vncleannesse but be withdrawne away from it by him In verie deed that is not the cause of our saluation but the ende and marke wherat God loked in ordeyning vs to saluation The thing therefore which it standeth vs on hand to haue an eie vnto when our redemption is spokē of is that we must begin at the free fauor which God bare vnto vs when he determined in his euerlasting purpose that we should be brought backe againe vnto him by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christ And so that was the principall cause Another cause thereof is Iesus Christ in whome wee finde all that is requisite for our assurance For there we see our sinnes blotted out inasmuch as hee is ordeyned to be our borrow and hath made such amendes for vs as nothing can stop vs from comming too God That is the seconde poynt which wee haue too remember heere Now the meane whereby we be made partakers of our Lorde Iesus Christ is our imbracing of the promises of the Gospel by true faith For the faythlesse haue no profite at all by the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ but rather are so much the more damnable bicause they reiect the meane that God had ordeyned and theyr vnthankfulnesse shall be so much the more grieuously punished bicause they haue troden vnder foote the bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christ which was the ransome for their soules Therfore it standeth vs on hande to receyue the promises of the Gospell by fayth if we desire that Iesus Christ should communicate himselfe vnto vs and that he should bring vs to the possession and inioyment of the benefites which he hath purchased for vs so as they belong not too any other than such as are members of his bodie and are graffed into him and receyue him by fayth according as it is sayde in the first Chapter of Saint Iohn that God accepteth and auoucheth those for his children which beleeue in his only sonne Thus ye see what we haue to remember in the thirde place when we come too the scanning of our saluation Nowe remayneth that God bee glorified in vs as good reason is that he shoulde be And in that respect also Saint Paule in the thirde to the Romaynes sayth that wheras God hath giuen vs the meanes in our Lorde Iesus Christ
vs expressely that the Sonne of God gaue himselfe And hee contenteth not himselfe too say that Christ gaue himselfe for the worlde in common for that had bin but a slender saying but sheweth that euerie of vs must applie too himselfe particularly the vertue of the death and passion of oure Lorde Iesus Christ VVhereas it is sayde that the Sonne of God was crucified we must not onely thinke that the same was done for the Redemption of the worlde but also euerie of vs must on his owne behalfe ioyne himselfe too our Lorde Iesus Christ and conclude It is for me that hee hath suffered Likewise when wee bee baptized as it is not for any one man alone so is not the water sprinckled vppon all men in common but euerie man is baptized seuerally in his owne behalfe too the ende that euerie of vs may applie it particularly too himselfe too saye that wee bee all members of our Lorde Iesus Christ Also when wee receyue the holy Supper euery man taketh his owne portion too shewe vs that oure Lorde Iesus Christ is communicated vntoo vs yea euen to euerie one of vs. S. Paule therefore dooth purposely vse that maner of speech too the ende wee shoulde not haue any colde imagination after the maner of diuerse ignorant persons which take themselues too bee Christians and yet in the meane while are as wretched beastes But when we once knowe that the thing which was done for the redemption of the whole worlde perteyneth to euery of vs seuerally it behoueth euery of vs to say also on his owne behalfe The sonne of God hath loued me so deerly that he hath giuen himself to death for me Furthermore the worde Loue is not superfluous here for Saint Paules intent is too magnifie the gracious goodnesse of our Lorde Iesus Christ as if he shoulde say that we be verie wretches if we accept not such a benefite when it is offered vs seeing that God in sending vs his sonne had none other respect but to our miseries which hee intended too relieue Also our Lord Iesus Christ did so neglect himselfe that he spared not his life for our welfare And what was the cause of it The loue that he bare vs. Seeing it is so must wee not needes be worse than out of our wittes if we accept not such a benefite But it is a verie common doctrine in the holy Scripture that God so loued the worlde that hee spared not his onely sonne but gaue him too death for vs and also that our Lorde Iesus Christ at such time as wee were his deadly enimies as sayth Saint Paule did confirme a maruellous loue towardes vs in that he offered himself in sacrifice to make attonement betweene God and vs and too doo away all our sinnes so as they might no more come to account Lo heere a warrant of our saluation so as wee ought to thinke our selues throughly assured of it Howbeit S. Paule ment purposely here too rebuke mens vnthankefulnesse in that they accept not the benefite which God graunteth them so bountifully yea and of hys owne free goodnesse For it behoueth vs too call to minde howe Saint Iohn in his Canonicall Epistle sayeth that we loued not God first as if shoulde saye wee did not preuent him as those thinke they doo which say I haue done him suche seruice and such For alas what is it that wee can do too him but that he loued vs yea euen at such time as we were his deadly enimies and came euen then to seeke vs out in the verie deepest of the bottomlesse Dungeons And therevppon Saint Paule addeth that hee dooth not dispize or shake off the grace of God This is the knitting vppe of the things that wee haue hythertoo seene For heere he ment too shewe that the Diuell must needes possesse those that make none accounte of Gods mercie that is vttered in our Lorde Iesus Christ and dayly offered vs in his Gospell For looke howe oft the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ is preached vntoo vs and the infinite goodnesse of our God talked of so oft is this message renued vntoo vs that our Lorde Iesus Christ calleth vs vntoo hym to the ende we should forsake the worlde and being out of all hope in our selues fasten and settle our whole trust in him Sith it is so it is good reason that we should not reiect the grace of God And S. Paule in saying so ment to call backe suche as had gone astray before and too shewe them the way as if he had sayde whereas the poore ignorant soules that neuer heard worde of the Gospel might be excuzed we must needes be worse than damnable seeing we refuze the grace of God when it is offered vs for it smelleth of such an vnthankefulnesse as can by no meanes be excused Saint Paule therefore dooth heere make mention of those whome our Lorde Iesus Christ calleth too the hope of saluation by his Gospell and yet doo still welter in their owne wretchednesse and become brutishe not knowing whither there bee a better lyfe or no◠or else of suche as are sufficiently tormented wyth inwarde heartbyting and yet seeke no remedie nor cōfort Yet notwithstanding all they too whome our Lorde Iesus Christ hath not preached his Gospell shall not fayle to perishe without mercie They cannot defende themselues by ignorance I say that all the heathen folke and Idolaters that euer were must haue their mouthes stopped And what shal become of vs then which haue had our eares beaten dayly with the message that God sendeth vs which is that hee requireth nothing but that we should be drawne vnto him wherevnto he incourageth yea and beseecheth vs as we haue seene in the second to the Corinthians It is not a great shame for vs that God should so farre abace himselfe in the person of his onely sonne that he should beseech vs Let vs fall to attonement sayth he And what hath he done on hys side VVhat hath hee offended vs Nay contrariwise wee ceasse not to prouoke him dayly agaynst vs and yet he commeth too say vnto vs I will fall too attonement with you whereas notwithstanding there is nothing but spitefulnesse in vs we be like little feends and to be short we bee damned and forlorne and yet commeth he to seeke vnto vs and desireth nothing but too haue th◠attonement made After that maner speaketh Saint Paule woorde for woorde But nowe what will become of vs if wee reiect such grace seing that God offereth it vs so freely This is it which is ment by that saying And therevppon hee concludeth in the ende that if wee seeke rightuousnesse in the Lawe Iesus Chryst dyed in vayne As if hee shoulde say that if wee iutende to inioy the grace that is conteyned in the Gospell wee muste vtterly gyue ouer the fonde opinion of our owne merites For men are deceyued by bearing themselues in hand that there is euer somwhat of value in
there is none of vs but he shall finde that he prouoketh God too vse suche sharpenesse towardes him as if a father bee as kinde harted as is possible to be wished yet if he haue vnruly children so as they be â—eude and froward he shall bee prouoked after suche a fashion that he shall as it were chaunge his nature bycause he knoweth not at what end too begin with them and is fayne after a sort too transforme himselfe Euen so is it with vs. For we haue a father which in goodnesse surmounteth all that can bee seene among men but we on our side as I sayd afore in steede of yeelding obediently vnto him as we ought to do and in steede of offering our selues redily to walke as he commaundeth so soone as he doth but speake the woord do nothing but stray VVe haue our lustes alwayes inordinate and boyling wee haue our replies alwayes readie coyned and although our mouth speake not yet it appeereth that there is no such calmnesse in our hartes as too be contented to submit our selues to God as we ought to do Seyng then that we be conuicted to our faces by experience that God had neede to be so rough and sharp towardes vs let vs suffer him to do whatsoeuer he knoweth too be for our welfare And no doubt but the Galathians were as nyce as wee and had as itching eares as wee haue and yet were they fayne too be rebuked so sharply by reason of their vnthankfulnesse As for S. Paule we know he indeuered by all humilitie and meeldnesse too drawe all such to the obedience of our Lord Iesus Christ as were committed and appoynted too his Apostleship He likeneth himself and not without cause too a nurce which will beare with hir nurse childe and not spare any thing too shew the loue that shee beareth it VVee shall see hereafter that he will say Be yee as I am for I am as you bee I seeke nothing but too fashion my selfe vnto you and to bring to passe that wee may agree in one And yet notwithstanding necessitie hath constreyned him too crie out as you heare now Yee vnwize yee fooles yee vndiscreete or witlesse as beasts who hath bewitched you after that sorte must you not needes bee possessed with the Diuell Here are very harde woordes and no doubt but the Galathians were greeued at them at the firste sight Yet neuerthelesse it was meete for them to feele that S. Paule vsed not that maner of speach and language without cause Therefore whensoeuer we bee rebuked let vs blame our owne faultes for it and yeeld our selues giltie for wee shall gayne nothing by checking againe VVhen we haue disputed what we can wee may peraduenture iustifie our cace afore men but wee shall alwayes be giltie before God Moreouer it behoueth vs too marke well the reason that is added heere by S. Paule when he sayeth yee muste needes bee bewitched if yee obey not the truth seyng that our Lorde Iesus Christe hath bin as it were peynted out liuely before you yea and euen crucified among you In speaking after that fashion S. Paule sheweth with what force and effectualnesse he had preached the Gospell Therfore he likneth the doctrine which he had brought vnto a picture therevnto inlargeth it yet better saying that the matter which hee had preached among the Galathians ought too auayle asmuch as if they had seene the Sonne of God crucified among them and his bloud sheaded out for the spirituall washing of their soules For so much then as they had bin taught so faythfully they could no more excuse themselues of their backesliding But first of all we see here whiche is the true maner of preaching the Gospell namely to giue knowledge of Gods loue towardes vs in that he spared not his onely Sonne but gaue him too the death for vs according as in very deede all the treasures of wisedome and vnderstanding are layed vp in our Lord Iesus Christ as it is sayd in another place too the Colossians Sith it is so if we bee desirous to profite well in the Gospell lette vs learne too acknowledge the grace that is purchaced for vs by our Lorde Iesus Christe for without that all that wee haue is nothing Many will brag that they bee well learned in Gods word but the true triall too knowe whither it bee so or no is if wee perceyue howe greate neede wee haue that God shoulde poure out his mercie vpon vs too succour vs by drawing vs out of the gulf of Hell and therevpon coÌ„clude that wee cannot be clenzed and washed from any of all our spottes but by the bloud of Gods sonne nor obtayne rightuousnesse but by the obedience that he hath yeelded nor haue any satisfaction for vs but by the sacrifize that he hath offered nor come in Gods fauour but by his meanes nor open our mouthes too call vppon him but by his intercession Therefore when wee bee throughly persuaded of the gracious benefites that are brought vs by the sonne of God then may wee say wee haue some vnderstanding in the Gospell but without that wee haue nothing but imagination and follie Marke that for one poynt And therewith let vs marke that it is not ynough for vs too know slightly that our Lord Iesus Christ hath bought vs so deerely but that we must continue still in the doctrine of the Gospell till it bee throughly printed in our hartes as though his bloud gushed downe too apply the frute that commeth of it too our vse and that is too the end to waken vs out of our drowsinesse For we shal see many that take themselues too bee very great Clerkes if they vnderstande but three or foure woordes of the Gospell at a glaunce And yet the same shall soone bee defaced and put out of rememberance bycause that whereas wee ought too seeke too bee filled with the benefites that our Lord Iesus Christ hath brought vs they holde themselues contented with a tast of them God then punisheth the vnthankfulnesse of such folke and their despizing of his goodnesse And therfore it standeth vs so much the more on hand to put forth apply all our indeuer to be well settled in the foresayd doctrine that is too wit of knowing whervnto the death and passioÌ„ of Gods sonne and the inestimable benefites which we haue receyued do auayle vs. Again on the other side we be warned that our sins are the heynouser before God if after wee haue bin taught his will wee turne head backe againe and sin not through ignoraÌ„ce but through contempt and wilfulnesse For if we shake off his yoke it is a sure proofe that wee bee loth to be subiect to him and play the wilde beasts True it is that euen the ignorantest folk in the world are reproued by their own sinfulnesse for asmuch as hypocrisie reigneth in all men but yet if coÌ„parison bee made betweene those that neuer heard one woord of the truth and vs
howe he voutsafeth right well as yee would say too make him selfe lowe too the ende wee shoulde not haue any excuse to say wee were not able to mount vp to suche a heighth But howe soeuer the cace stande if wee looke well vpon the Gospell wee shall finde that the marke whereat it ameth is to bereeue vs of our selues and of all that belongeth too our flesh to the ende wee should come vnto him But on the contrarie side men abuse the fauour that God sheweth them in setting suche visible signes afore them by bearing them selues in hande that the whole perfection of their holynesse is to bee founde there and that that is the thing whervnto they must hold them And the same is not a vyce of two dayes or yesterdays breeding but it hath reigned from the beginning of the world and continueth yet still and which worse is men thinke it not inough to ouerthrow the thing that God had set vp to draw them vnto him but they doo also forge and frame many hinderances to keepe thēselues aloofe from him This would be darke if it were not declared by example God had in his lawe ordeyned Sacrifices shadowes and figures for a time yet did he it not for any pleasure that he had in those bare things but by reason of the rudenesse of the people who were as then like little children whom he ment to trayne still forwarde too a spirituall seruice by meanes agreeable too their rawnesse That is the cause why the Ceremonies of the Lawe are saide to be as it were fleshly For why God intended too teache his people grosly too come thither as they ought to doo But howe soeuer they fared the patterne that was shewed vnto Moyses in the mount was heauenly Then were there two things in all the Ceremonies of the Lawe For when men washed them selues at their entring into the Temple when they offered the Sacrifices when they vsed lightes and perfumes and when the Priest clothed him selfe with his speciall apparell all those things as in respecte of the outwarde shewe might well bee called fleshly and temporall but as in respecte of their ende they were spirituall But what did the Iewes They gazed vpon the figures without considering wherfore God had ordeyned them and bare them selues in hand that they had very well discharged their duetie in comming to Churche and in dooing the things that were commaunded them outwardly But truely they disguised God after their owne fancie as he himselfe mocketh them for it by his Prophets saying that he dwelleth not in houses made with mens hands and that the very heauen is not able too comprehende his maiestie which is infinite Furthermore the Papists at this day thinking it not inough to abuse the things that are conteyned in Gods lawe haue so put too peece after peece as there is none end at al of their follie and yet notwithstanding they intitle them to bee the seruice of God But whatsoeuer they saye they bee nothing else than ingling trickes and masking toyes But nowe let vs come to that which is spoken heere S. Paule compareth the spirite with the fleshe VVhat meaneth he by the spirite All the doctrine which God setteth foorth too vs in his Gospell For there is a spirituall guyding so as wee bee no more hilde vnder the olde shadowes as the Iewes were Yee see then that God in these dayes reuealeth him selfe fully vnto vs and hauing beaten downe and disanulled all the shadowes of the Lawe sheweth vs that he will haue vs to come right foorth vnto him and not haue any thing remayne to hold vs backe heere beneath any more Vnder the lawe onely the Priest preaced neere vnto God and all the people kepte them selues a farre off But wee haue our Lorde Iesus Christ who is our Priest by whome the waye is opened vs in his bloud to make vs to come vnto God his father as the Apostle speaketh of him in the Epistle to the Hebrues Then if wee receiue the Gospell as it becommeth vs God will deale with vs after such sorte as if wee were meete to come neere vnto him and will leaue all the things whiche he had ordeyned in olde time for suche as were more rude and grosse Thus yee see why S. Paule vpbraydeth the Galathians with their beginning in the spirite that is too say for that they had had the doctrine of the Gospell whiche had shewed them the things that had bin hidden from the Iewes or at leastwise had bin shewed them but aloofe vnder darke shadowes Therevpon he vpbraydeth them that they intended too ende in the fleshe that is too say with these lower things And it is all one as if he had sayde God hath beene so gracious too you as to haue taught you his will out of hande and you will needes be hilde still in your Apsie and in your first principles He hathe giuen you a highe and perfect knowledge whereby yee haue perceyued the inestimable loue which he beareth you in our Lorde Iesus Christ and will you nowe returne agayne too your Apsie and forget the things that haue bin taught you VVere not that a peruerting of all order and a putting away of the grace that he had offered you But we know that naturally when men intend to learne any thing they begin at the smallest poynts and afterwarde in all crafts and all trades proceede by little and little through experience For if a man should teache a childe highe sciences without teaching him first his Apsie and to write and reade and afterwarde his grammer to guide him foorthe by degrees what a thing were it Agayne when a childe is well forwarde and come to mans age if he should bee set backe agayne too his Apsie after he hathe well profited it would bee a playne mockerie In like wyse is it with handicraftes For it is well knowen that he which commeth newly into a shop shall not bee of skill too vnderstand as much at the first day as he shall bee at the ende of a yeere or twayne but first he must bee taught his principles and afterwarde growe more and more in cunning But if that he which hath learned his crafte doo at the foure yeares ende turne backe ageine too that which he ought too haue knowen the first day in so dooyng he shall shewe himselfe to bee a beast and that he hath lost his tyme. But nowe let vs apply this lesson too our selues Truely for as muche as we bee heauie and earthy wee had neede to haue the things chawed vnto vs which wee bee not able too digest yet notwithstanding God is so gracious and charie too vs as too teache vs spiritually that is too say after a higher and excellenter maner than he taught the fathers vnder the Lawe VVe see that Abraham had not this priuiledge and yet neuerthelesse he is the father of the faythfull and it behoueth vs to be fashioned like vnto him as we shall see a
all the faithfull to all his children But yet doth he graunt vs other speciall graces besides as when he giueth vs men that teach vs his woord faythfully or that gouerne the common welth wisely or whiche haue other giftes for in so doing he giueth vs certayne tokens that he dwelleth among vs and thereby also he bindeth vs so much the more vntoo him Let vs marke the reason that S. Paule setteth downe heere He blameth the vnthankfulnesse of the Galathians for that they considered not how it came vnto them by the preachyng of the Gospell And he sayeth it purposely bicause men will alwayes make fayre protestations ynow that they meene not to reiect Gods grace and yet doo shew the cleane contrarie in their dooyngs As howe They that are loth too suffer themselues too be taught and would driue away all the ministers of Gods woord if they could they which through enuie spitefulnesse could find in their harts to abolish the remeÌ„brance of al those whom God hath stablished too maynteyne the welfare of his people they say I doo shew well ynough that they would haue God too holde himselfe a farre off from them and that they bee loth to come at him For he setteth before them the meanes to come too him and they voutchsafe not too take it but do thrust it from them So then whereas S. Paule findeth fault with the GalathiaÌ„s it was not for that they protested openly with full mouth that they woulde none of Gods spirit or that they hild skorne of his giftes but too shewe them that they had very ill regarded Gods vttering of the giftes of his spirite in their Churche VVhat ought wee then too gather vppon this Text. That if God giue vs meanes too come vntoo him wee must take them awoorth euen by fashioning of our selues vnto them For if the Gospell bee preached among vs and wee wilfully forget what is told vs it is all one as if wee reiected God and turned our backe vppon him of purpose too stray away from him VVherefore if wee intend that God should continue his grace towardes vs let vs hold vs too the meanes that he hath ordeyned for vs that is to say let vs suffer our selues to be taught by such as he sendeth vnto vs let euery of vs exercyze himself alone also in reading the holy scripture let such as haue done good in edifying the Church haue roome place among vs and let vs not shet the gate against the holy Ghost This in effect is the thing that wee haue to beare in minde Furthermore for asmuch as S. Paules intent here is to bring backe the faithfull to the Gospell let vs assure our selues that if we swarue neuer so litle from it we be streyght in the high way to destruction And so there is none other knitting of God vnto meÌ„ than by meanes of the Gospell which must go as a chayne that cannot bee broken betwixt theÌ„ And Paule doth purposely once againe call it the preaching of faith to shewe vs how great neede wee haue that God should preuent vs. For vntil such time as he haue reached vs his hand in our Lord Iesus Christe and drawne vs out of the gulfe of confusion wherein wee bee by nature what are wee Moreouer wee see howe bountifull he sheweth himselfe towardes vs in that he giueth himselfe fully to vs in the persone of his only Sonne surely it is much more than if he gaue vs heauen and earth and all the goodes that are in them For what are all other things in coÌ„parison of our Lord Iesus Christ VVherfore let vs marke that seing that God hauing declared vntoo vs that wee bee vtterly vnfurnished of all goodnesse addeth that he will not keepe backe any thing from vs nor shew himselfe a nigard towards vs if wee seeke too him for all things that wee want wee must be contented with it and if wee swarue neuer so little one way or other we deserue well to bee vtterly bereft and dispossessed euen of that which wee haue receyued alreadie And therevppon S. Paule bringeth vs backe too the example of Abraham bycause he is the father of all the faythfull and moreouer bycause that in his person it pleazed god to shew how we may become rightuous to be saued for there is none other way to bring vs to the kingdome of heauen than the same that he went There is but onely one way and that is set foorth too vs in the example of Abraham S. Paule therefore sayeth that Abraham beleeued God and the same was reckened too him for rightuousnesse and therefore that if we will be Abrahams children wee must beleeue Heere we haue too call too rememberance the thing that hath bin declared alreadie heretofore that is too say what this woorde fayth or beâ—eefe importeth It is not a single beleeuing that there is but one God which gouerneth the worlde but an assuring of our selues that he taketh vs for his children and that wee may fully and freely call vppon him as our father bycause he accepteth vs for our Lord Iesus Christes sake Then if wee bee sure of the fauour and fatherly loue of our God and take suche warrantize of it by his promises that wee haue our looke wholly fastened vppon our Lord Iesus Christe in whom wee finde meanes too come vnto God and too go freely vntoo him that is the very thing whiche S. Paule ment by that woord Fayth And so when he sayeth that too bee Ahrahams children wee must bee faythfull it is all one as if he sayd that wee cannot bee faythfull Christians nor members of the Church but by fayth that is to say except we be bereft of all opinioÌ„ of our owne deseruings moreouer so beaten downe and dismayed in our selues as we may not wote where too become nor seeke any other meanes of saluatioÌ„ than in the free goodnesse which God offereth vs when he telleth vs that wee be fordone damned in our sinnes and yet notwithstanding that we must not ceasse to haue full hope and trust of saluation in Iesus Christ Thus yee see what it is for a man to bee a Christian that is too wit to be vtterly out of hart in himself in coÌ„sideration that he bringeth nothing with him but sin and cursednesse and yet vpon the feeling of himself to be so vtterly voyde of all well deseruing to come vnto God to be clothed with the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ For it is not ynough for vs to be out of hart in our selues as we see that Cain was who beyng as it were vpon the racke confesseth his fault howbeit that was but through despayre and so consequently there was nothing in him but murmuring and blasphemie against God in like cace is it with all reprobates or cast awayes but wee must so taste of the loue of our God as wee may be able to settle our selues vpon it and be out of all doubt that he will
Beholde I Paule doo tell you that if yee be circumcised Christ shall profite you nothing at all 3 And agayne I protest to euery man that is circuÌ„cised that he is bounde to keepe the vvhole lavve WE haue seene heeretofore that to haue a state of continuance in the Churche wee muste bee grounded vpon our Lord Iesus Christ For many doo boast themselues to be Gods children who notwithstanding are not begotten of the true seede which maketh the differeÌ„ce wherby God auoweth and acknowledgeth vs for his children Therfore if we wil be truly knit to our Lord Iesus Christ we must hold fast the doctrine of the Gospell that he as our heade and mediator may ioyne vs to God his father Therwithall I haue declared that the cause why S. Paul speaketh so of boÌ„d free seed is for that they which seeke their righteousnesse in their owne vertues do alienate theÌ„selues froÌ„ our lord Iesus Christ froÌ„ his grace For by that meanes they bind theÌ„selues to an impossibilitie that is to say to satisfie God in keeping his coÌ„maundements But there is such weaknes in vs as none of vs is able to perform the least point of the law and therfore much lesse can we attaine to the perfectioÌ„ that is shewed vs heere And for that cause S. Paul coÌ„cludeth now â–ª that we must stand fast in the freedome which our Lord Iesus Christ hath purchased for vs. It is certayn that he treateth heere of the ceremonies of the law but yet must we always resort to the welhead and cheefe poynt For if the matter concerned no further than the keeping of a holyday or the forbearing of some kinde of meate it were not of so great weighâ— that suche strife should bee moued for it in the Church But Sainct Paule pored not vppon a matter so slight and of so small importance He had an eye to the doctrine he considered that if meÌ„ should be tyde to do this thing or that thing of necessitie it were an excluding of them from the hope of saluation For if I must needes performe a thing vnder peine of deadly sinne then if I fayle I am become a transgresser and there is no shift for me bycause God is my iudge and I must be fayne to come too account and there is no meanes to redeeme me Now it is certaine that al of vs are subiect to the keeping of the law but yet notwithstanding there is a remedie for it which is to runne vnto our Lord Iesus Christ in all our needes who was made subiect to the law to purchace vs freedome and bare our curse to discharge vs of it Now if any necessitie be layd vpon vs againe too say that the doing of this or that is sinne then cannot our Lord Iesus Christ stand vs in any more stead as I sayde afore by reason whereof we must needes bee plunged in our owne cursednesse without any manner of releefe Therefore it is not without cause that Sainct Paule exhorteth the Galathians to hold their owne and not too suffer themselues to be brought into bondage For by that meanes he faith that they shall be bereft of inestimable benefyte euen so farre foorth as they shall be falne quite away from Gods grace or fauour and vtterly separated from our Lord Iesus Christ in whome lieth all our welfare and happinesse Now that wee may the better conceiue S. Paules meening and also reape the frute that is offered vs in thys text Let vs marke that by this word Libertie oâ— freedome it is meant that we may walke with full confidence before God and that hee will alwayes be fauorable so that although wee bee giltie of many offences yet we shall be quit of them for our Lord Iesus Christes sake and moreouer that it is not in mans power to bridle vs or too hold vs in bondage but that it ought to suffise vs to yeld ourselues obedient vnto God howbeit not after a slauish and constreyned fashion but as children yeeld themselues subiect too their father knowing well that their father will not handle them roughly Thus ye see what is meant by the worde libertie or freedome whiche S. Paule vseth Neuerthelesse to the end that this shortnesse bee not darksome I will declare it more aâ—â—â—ge So long as we be in doubt whither God do loue vs or hate vs there will always bee trouble and vnquietnesse in our consciences and we shall be as it were locked vp in prison So then there will be no freedome in our mindes till we know and be throughly perswaded that God is at one wyth vs and that he receiueth vs into his fauoure grace though we be not worthy of it But it is impossible for vs to haue any certeintie of it except we haue our quittance alwayes before our eyes which was made vs in the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Chryste VVhy so For as I said afore we be indetted vnto God many wais yea infinite wayes For we be bouÌ„d to keepe the law and we breake it a hundred times a day yea euen or euer we thinke of it Again we offend euen in grosse faultes But howsoeuer we deale we cannot assure ourselues of Gods loue vnlesse wee bee discharged againste him of the obligation of euerlasting death wherein we staÌ„d bound Now we atteine that benefyte when we be perswaded by the Gospel that the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ was shed to wash away al our spottes and that his death is a sufficient sacrifise too appease Gods wrath and to wipe out the remembrance of al our offences iniquities Ye see then that the way to set vs free is to know that God receiueth vs to mercie for our Lord Iesus Christs sake that our faults sins shal not hinder vs to find fauor alwais in his sight or to haue familiar accesse vnto him as children haue vntoo theyr fathers SecoÌ„dly we must not be wauering too fro to make coÌ„science of euery thing that meÌ„ deuise of their owne heads but walke stedfastly according to gods word knowing moreouer that our coÌ„scieÌ„ces are free that whither men coÌ„mand or forbid any thing it is nothing to vs I meene as in respect of the spirituall regiment of our soules For we talke not heere of ciuil policie nor of the common life of men but of our saluation So then all things ought too bee free vntoo vs when they bee not forbidden vs by Gods owne mouth Yet is it not ynough that we haue Gods word for our guide without mingling any thing at all with it but as I haue touched alreadye we must therewithall know that God accepteth our affection when he seeth vs willing to obey him and that although there be much faultinesse and ouer many infirmities in vs and that we come halting vnto him and 〈◊〉 that all that euer wee doo were trifling toyes if he listed to examin them with rigorâ— yet neuerthelesse he taketh al in good woorth And
outward gouernement And the better to expresse that hee alledgeth a similitude which we ought to be well acquainted with For if a father leaue his children fatherlesse and vnder yeeres of discretion he will appoint tutors and gouernors of them till they come too full age VVhen the father is deceassed his children shall be vnder Tutors and gouerners without enioying of the goodes that their father hath left them â–ª and yet do the goodes beloÌ„g to them neuerthelesse they haue not the rule of themselues but in sted of following their wanton appetite men giue them schoolebutter with a rodde Thus ye see that although the children be heires yet haue they not libertie at the firste day bycause they bee too weake and haue nother wisedome nor discretion Now according to this similitude Sainct Paule sayth that the fathers that is to say the Iewes which lyued vnder the law were Gods childreÌ„ and heires as well as we but that the Church was theÌ„ as it were vnder age as a yong child needed a bridle and therefore they were in â—â—â—age subiectioÌ„ of the law S. Paule then compareth Gods law whereby the Iewes were hylde in streight awe vnder the yoke of Ceremonies I say he compareth it to a Tutorship But nowe is that time past and gone sayth he for God hath sent his only sonne in somuch that in our Lorde we bee men groweÌ„ and are come to such perfectioÌ„ of age that the gouernment which was vnder the law is now superfluous vnprofitable yea it should be altogither contrary to Gods will and to the order which he hath stablished And so we see whereat S. Paule amed For it is a thing of great importance to know that our Lorde Iesus Christ is no newcome thing as though god had sodenly bethought him to remedie the destruction of mankind For Christ had that power from the beginning and it behoued all men to seeke their saluation in him for the faith hath always bin one selfsame as the Apostle alledgeth in the Epistle to the Hebrues And truly Abels sacrifices were not accepted for any worthinesse that was in his own person nor for any valew that was in him but only by the meanes of faith faith was faine to be his foundatioÌ„ and buttresse In respect whereof also the Apostle sayth that our Lorde Iesus Christ whiche was yesterday is also to day and shall be stil to the end Therefore we must be well resolued of this point as a thing vndoubted out of all question namely that wee in these days haue not any newe hope of atteining to saluation but the very same that hath bin at al times heretofore and that the Gospell is not a newfound doctrine forged within these few yeeres but the very same doctrine wherein all the rightuous men that euer were haue bin instructed And truly it hath bin said heretofore that we be made the childreÌ„ of adoption when we once haue our Lord Iesus Christ For S. Paule intended to rebuke the folie presumptuousnes that was in the Iewes for that they boasted always of their earthly linage He sheweth that in this behalf we must haue respect of nothing but of the incorruptible seede of Gods word whereby wee bee begotten new agayne Now when God adopteth vs and receiueth vs to bee his children theÌ„ doth he auow vs to be the spiritual ofspring of Abraham How then caÌ„ we be AbrahaÌ„s children except we agree with him in faith Ye see then that Paules handling of this point here is to good purpose namely to do vs to vnâ—â—â—staÌ„d that froÌ„ al time out of mind then hath not bin any other meane to renue men to saluation and too bring them into Gods fauour and loue than by trusting in Iesus Christ and by fleeing altogither vnto him for refuge Thus yee see why it is sayd that yong children are masters of the house and that the inheritance belongeth to them though they do not yet enioy it by reason of their age And heere we haue also to marke further that it wer great wrong to the fathers of old time to shet them out of the felowship and onement of the faith that is shewed heere by Sainct Paule For their life was of all mens most miserable bycause God kept them occupyed with many afflictions and the liues of the fathers specially of those whome God marked out too make them excellent were all mirrors of inuincible patience For what things indured Abraham How hard and great incounters dyd hee heare out VVhat manner of temptations did Isaac and likewise Iacob abide Again what vertues see we in Dauid Now if they had set their mind vpon this world they had bin in worse plight than the brute beasts Therefore as I haue sayd afore it must needes bee that they looked higher and that did they witnesse sufficiently not only by word of mouth but also by deede Then let vs marke well the point that is set downe heere whiche is that the fathers hoped for the selfsame heritage that we looke for euen by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ And for asmuch as we agree with Abraham Dauid the other holy kings Prophets in faith we shall be gathred into the heauenly life with theÌ„ obtein the same crowne of saluatioÌ„ with theÌ„ which is the reward of faith as S. Peter termeth it in his first Epistle Furthermore wheras S. Paule sayth that the child differeth nothing froÌ„ a seruant he doth it always to magnify Gods grace towards vs and the priuiledge which we obteine by meanes of the Gospell It is much for vs to be called the children of Abraham but it is much more wheÌ„ it is said of vs that God hath aduanced vs to a higher degree by the Gospell than euer Abraham came vnto For in asmuch as our Lord Iesus Christ was not yet come he was vnder the yoke of the law But we at this day are free from it and so ye see that God hath exalted vs aboue all the Patriarks and Prophets And wel ought we to acknowledge this grace and to esteeme it as it deserueth to the end weâ—â—â—ay giue ourselues to the seruing of God with the earnester affection and zele But as I haue touched already we must marke that S. Paule speakes not heere of any seueral person For there is none of vs all but he ought to confesse himselfe to be much rawer and weaker in faith then were the Prophets and Patriarkes and that doth their liues shew full well Then if we be not come to such perfection as they were how is it sayd that they were as little children and that we be nowadays as it were at the state of men I told you before how S. Paul speaketh not of one man or other but of the common gouernment of the Church For he speaketh not of the men themselues but of the fashion that God vsed in guiding those that are his This will be shewed the better by
woman with chylde which longeth to see hir childe borne into the worlde and although shee indure paine yet will not wreake hir selfe vppon hir babe by strangling it but bee more chare of it than of hir owne lyfe Saint Paule will vse the sayde similitude So then hee meeneth not here too stryke sayle as they say too please suche as had neede too bee rebuked but rather aduaunced him selfe as farre as hee coulde to winne them according also as hee will say that hee hathe pratled with them as a Nurse dooth with hir childe and that might well bee done wythout hardening menne in theyr sinnes Not that they shoulde bee too much borne withall for when a Nurse stoupeth too teache hir yong childe too go whome shee holdeth by the hande hir intent is not too make hym too tumble nor too teache hym too haulte nor too make hym suche a Cockney that hee shoulde not bee able too go when hee commeth too mannes age but contrarywyse when shee intendeth too staye the childes arme shee will take him by the hande or by some other part of him So then we see after what maner we must fashion our selues to such as are weake It is not too harden them in their naughtinesse but rather to amende them neuerthelesse we must go by measure hauing alwayes an eie to our owne abilitie And truely it is not for naught that S. Paule in another text exhorteth the stronger sort and the forwarder sort to applie themselues to such as are yet rawe and weake For if a man had neuer so great and excellent vertues that he were as an Angell yet surely if hee bee so rigorous that hee will haue euerie man too bee as perfect as himselfe all his vertues will bee but smoke VVhy so For the meeldenesse and gentlenesse which God commandeth vs serue to giue as it were a taste and sauour to all vertues And the better that a man knowes himselfe the more will he be thinke hym of the vyces that are in him which haue neede to bee borne withall and therefore that hee must also beare with others Againe hee will consider too what ende God hath aduaunced hym namely to shewe other menne the way and finally he will beare with himselfe least of all men And heereby may a man haue a good incling too discerne whether the admonitions proceede of pure loue or whether they proceede of too muche sternnesse For if in rebuking other menne a man take not heede to himselfe and flatter not himself ne cast forth his choler to finde fault with this man or that mannes vyce but in the meane while is vtterly steyned himselfe and woulde fayne bee plundged in it ouer head and eares it is certaine that all is but hipocrisie But when a man reyneth himselfe short and desyreth not to bee more borne withall than his neighbours if therewithall he be rigorous it is to be acknowledged that he hath the zeale of God and of his holy spirit in him and that he procureth the welfare of al men Thus ye see in effect why Saint Paule sayeth here that he intended to fashion himselfe to the Galathians Nowe hee addeth further that they had not hurt or offended him in any thing meaning thereby that hee vndertooke not any priuate quarell agaynst them For the verie things that marre all when doctrine and Admonitions come to bee put foorth are that eyther wee bee of opinion that the partie which speaketh is not woorthie too bee heard or that wee beare some hatred or pritch towardes him â—â—â—ure heartes For it is impossible that we shoulde take any thing in good part at his hande wheÌ„ we shal haue coÌ„ceyued any such opinion or fancie of him I see a man that speakes as an Angell nowe if I surmyze that hee hates mee and seekes too byte mee or that hee goes aboute too discouer my shame surely I shall not take any profite by heering of him But this cannot excuze vs for it is a lewde fault and althoughe it were true that a man hated vs and that hee rebuked vs vppon malice and spyte yet ought wee too learne too bee conformable The verie Heathen men coulde well ynough say that our foes did vs sometymes more good than our freendes For why they that loue one another will winke at many things and ouerpasse all without thinking amisse But their enimies keepe watch to take aduauntage of them whome they mislyke and when they spie any fault they misse not to blaze it abrode as sayth Salomon yea and sometymes when they woulde fayne fall out with a man they gyrde at him vnder pretence of giuing him warning Neuerthelesse when our enimyes doo so surely God giueth vs a meane too bring vs backe againe for the Diuell may nowe and then serue the turne of a Phisition towardes vs according as we haue seene howe Saint Paule sayeth that hee was buffeted by the same Messenger that is too witte of Satan which thing was done to beate downe all pride in him Therefore when our enimies come too syft vs after that fashion and seeke nothing else but too finde faultes with vs God dooth by that meanes waken vs bycause we were asleepe before in our owne flatteryes and if wee were wise and well aduised surely our enimies should oftentymes do vs more good than our friends as I sayde afore and as the Heathen men knewe well ynough And it is a great shame for vs that the blinde wretches which were plunged in darkenesse shoulde see more clearely than wee that haue the light of saluation and that wee shoulde not knowe the thing which those sillie deccyued soules perceyued And yet notwithstanding it is as yee woulde sa a peece of our nature and menne make an ordinarie rule of it that if they haue once taken any lewde conceyte that a man hateth them they bee so eagre and forepossessed with it that they cannot abyde too receyue any correction at his hande For this consâ—â—â—ration Saint Paule protesteth heere that in reprouing the Galathians hee dealeth not with any cace or quarell of his owne VVee sayeth hee haue bin freendes heeretofore I might perchaunce be dispyzed too the worldewarde my comming vnto you was not with any great pompe I was no paynted fellowe but I brought you the pure doctrine of the Gospell And althoughe I was a man withoute any great gaynesse so as I was not accounted of too the worldewarde yet notwithstanding you receyued mee as an Angell of God yea euen as Iesus Christ himselfe and whereof commeth nowe this alteration I holde on styll in doyng my duetie and why then are you so alienated from mee See if yee can alledge any other thing than that you hate Gods truth and cannot abyde it And what a shame is it that yee shoulde so hate Gods truth that yee shoulde disdeyne it in my persone bycause I am the Minister of it Nowe then wee haue to gather vpon thys Text first that such as haue the charge
to teache and too carie abrode the doctrine of thâ— Gospell muste aboue all things eschue quarelles and contentions at leastwyse if they intende to haue theyr preaching to preuayle and bee profitable I say quarelles and contentions for theyr owne peculiar matters And so yee see howe wee must abstayne from all quarâ—lles least the gate bee shette agaynst vs and wee bee disbarred of all libertie of rebuking men when neede shall requyre that wee may protest with Saint Paule that we deale not wyth them for any desire of reuenge enmitie or euill will but onely for desyre of theyr welfare let vs bee sure of that too the intente it maye open vs a gappe and giue vs a waye too all maner of rebukings Marke that for one poynt Againe let vs also be well aduized that if our vices be touched wee cast not a blocke in the way by conceyuing and surmising this false opinion in our heades that it is done of hatred for that is the pollicie of Satan Although men be inclinable to thinke that other men do bite them and nip them of hatred yet let vs not thinke that they doo it of their owne mere motion but by the Diuels meanes who snarleth them after that fashion If we bee rebuked when wee haue done amysse whence soeuer the same commeth surely it is a message sente of God bycause hee will not haue vs too perishe but would haue vs to returne vnto the right way notwithstanding that the partie which findeth fault with vs doo it not of a good and pure affection but seeketh onely to spite vs or to wreake his teene vppon vs for yet doth God neuerthelesse reache vs his hande too the ende we should not perish But beholde Satan on the contrarie parte stoppeth vs from receyuing of the medicine and putteth vs in the heade that the rebuking of our faults commeth not of good will but that there is a pad in the straw so as we be either too much sifted or too sore bitten or else that there is some other secrete grudge lurking vnseene All these imaginations doth Satan mingle with mennes admonitions to the intent we should bee out of loue with them and refuze them and by that meanes rebell agaynst God VVherefore let vs beare well in minde what is sayde heere to the ende that when we be warned of our faultes we may consider that God to the intent he would not be our iudge himselfe appoynteth as it were attourneyes solliciters in his name to come and charge vs with our offences VVhen a mortal man rebuketh me for my misdoings it is Gods will he shoulde do so and he hath appoynted him in his place And too what ende That we should not come before his Maiestie to yeelde an account of them â–ª for it were better for vs too bee drowned a hundred thousande tymes Gop then dooth pitie vs when hee sendeth vs mortall men to bee our iudges yea euen to bee oure iudges to put vs too some shame and thereby to styrre vs vppe afterward to returne againe into the right way Therefore whensoeuer God is so mercifull vntoo vs let vs profite our selues by such grace and beware that we inuenim not our selues with opinions that come incontinently in our heads as that the partie hateth vs that hee seeketh vs that there is some hartburning that there is some enmitie and that there is I wote not what Let all this geere bee troden vnder foote and let vs accept their warnings if they be true To bee short if any man blame vs we cannot do better than to consider what our owne conscience telleth vs of it Marke this for a speciall poynt that wee must not looke what the persone is that speaketh nor passe whither there bee any grudge or enmitie in him but onely what our owne conscience iudgeth of the matter and then must we needes conclude I am rightly reproued It is a maruelous thing that they which do so chafe and storme and grind their teeth wheÌ„ they be rebuked should neuerthelesse condemne theÌ„selues continually whither they would or no if they entered into their owne consciences and yet had much leuer to play the mad bedlems against God and too spite him by all meanes possible than to humble themselues in acknowledging their offences Yee see then that the way which we haue to keepe when we be found fault with is too herken vnto such as may make vs too enter into account and specially too haue an eye too that which is in vs. And where shall wee finde that Euen written and ingrauen in our consciences And although wee perceyue it not throughly yet let vs mistrust our selues for noman is a coÌ„petent iudge in his owne cace as they say True it is that God doth already make vs iudges in part but yet must wee rather receyue the condemnation whiche wee perceyue not than carpe agaynst it before wee haue well and throughly weyed whither wee bee faultie or no. But there are a number that are well apayde to shet vp or rather too seele vp their eyes that they might not see their own shame when a man comes to prouoke them to amendment they fall to skirmishing at the first push with did they ouershoote themselues so And then all is dispatcht they wil heare no further of the matter let a hundred things bee proued against them and all is nothing with them They do but wring their mouth awrie at it For they would alwaies cleere themselues and although they bee a laughing stocke euen too little children they passe not for it but glory still of the hardening of themselues in their owne leudnesse and filthinesse Therfore let vs keepe our selues from falling into such wilfull stubbornnesse and in iudging vnfeynedly of our vices according to truth let vs also be lowly-minded too humble our selues and to beate downe all pryde in vs too the end that nothing may let vs from acknowledging freely that wee haue done amisse This is the effect of that which wee haue to remember vppon this text Now a man might thinke it straunge that S. Paule should say that the Galathians had receyued him as an Angell of God yea or rather as Iesus Christ. For what perfection of holinesse so euer was in him yet could he not match with the Angelles as wee see how he speaketh in the seuenth 〈◊〉 the Romanes where he acknowledgeth himself too bee wretched and sheweth that he is as a poore captiue and slaue of the world vnder the bondage of sinne Although S. Paule had an earnest desire too serue God yet notwithstanding he knew he did but drag his legges after him and that hee had many infirmities to plucke him backe And heere he sayeth that he was receyued as an Angell yea and he stayeth not there but addeth further as Iesus Christ who as we know is the very Sonne of God and highest King whiche hath souerain power ouer all creatures But heere the cace concerneth not Sainct Paules life nor
I sayde at the beginning that is too wit that whereas our Lord Iesus Christe hath tolde vs that he will haue vs too heere those that come in his name as if he spake in his owne persone he ment not thereby too make them idolles among men too the ende that such as haue charge to speake in his name should be exalted too haue any tirannie but he ment that his woord should be receyued reuerently and without gaynsaying And whereas S. Paule sayeth heere that he was receyued as an Angell or rather as Iesus Christ it is as much to say as he came not in his owne name but indeuered too preach Gods grace purely and too make men too followe Iesus Christ to frame themselues wholly vnto him that he might haue his due preheminence that the Gospell might be receyued without gaynsaying and that it might bring foorth such frute as it ought too doo that is to wit that it might be the power of God too the saluation of all beleeuers as it is sayd in the beginning of the Epistle too the Romanes Now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs so to feele them as we may be moued more and more to amendment and that it may please him to beare with our infirmities till he haue ridde vs quite and cleane of all and so renewed vs according too his owne image so as all may bee pure and cleane in vs and his glory shewe it self there and we more and more fight in such wise agaynst our own sinfulnesse as it may bee vtterly emptied out of vs and he so fill vs with the grace of his holy spirit as we may draw others therevnto so as all of vs may with one common consent indeuer to serue to his glory and giue ouer our selues wholly therevnto And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. The. 28. Sermon which is the fifth vpon the fourth Chapter 15 VVhere is then your blissednesse for I beare you vvitnesse that if it had 〈◊〉 possible you vvoulde haue plucked out your eyes and giuen them vnto mee 16 Am I then become your enemie bicause I tell you the truth 17 They be ielous ouer you hovvbeit not for any good Nay rather they meene to shet you out too the end you should be fond of them 18 It is good too bee alvvayes earnest minded in good things not only vvhē I am present vvith you 19 My little children of vvhom I trauell in birth again till Christ be fashioned in you 20 I vvould I vvere vvith you novv could chaunge my voyce for I stand in doubt of you WEe neede no teaching to seeke the thing which we thinke to be good and profitable for vs for euery man is inclined to that by nature yea too much giuen vnto it But the mischief is that we know not the true profite frō the thing that is harmfull but are oftentimes so blinded with our foolish lusts that euery of vs ouerthroweth himself wilfully Not that we forget the thing which I said to be imprinted in our hartes but for that we be caried away by our vnruly lustes or else so bleared with the vanities of this world that we haue no discretion at all to iudge rightly And therfore we ought to flee vnto God continually so much the more that he may giue vs skill to discerne what is good for vs to the intent we may serue him and haue our mindes so wholly set vpon him as we may neuer be remoued specially for somuch as it oftentimes falleth out that suche as are taken to be very wise to the worldward become lyke little children according to the alteratiō of their desires giuing vp the things which they had set much store by and gadding after some pelting trifle that cōmeth in their sight so as there is no stay at all in them Sometimes we shall see a chiefe runne after three or foure at once and if there come a thing that he fought for he catcheth at that by and by and anon after if he spie an apple or a cherrie or some other thing that likes him he leaues all the residue too runne after that Euen so play wee no doubt but we alwayes thinke our selues wise ynough and wee take scorne too bee taught at any mannes hande or too bee warned what is good for vs for it seemes too vs too bee an offering of wrong too vs but yet experience sheweth that wee want bothe wit and reason For what is the cause that men doo so tosse and turmoyle themselues out of measure and yet runne astray all their lyfe long As I sayde afore all of vs with one common accorde holde this principle that wee desire too seeke our owne profit there is nother greate nor small but he is inclined vntoo that But lette vs see wherevntoo men apply their mindes there is not that man whose affections boyle not within him in somuch that ye shall see the greatest number as yee would say racke themselues and their mindes neuer ceasse day nor night too runne still vppon the things that come afore them whereby they hope for any profite And when they haue well tormented themselues a man shall scarsly finde one among a thousande that hath his affections well ordered in somuch that it were much better for them too bee a sleepe all the time of their lyfe than too take so much trauell without knowing why or wherefore Nowe then seyng that the moste parte of vs are proued not to discerne betwixt good and euill as were requisite and expedient wee haue neede to submit our selues vnto God praying him too guyde vs by his holy spirite And specially when the souerayne felicitie or welfare commeth in question surely whereas wee shoulde bee caried away and rauished in loue with it wee bee haled another way and doo nothing but fiske too and fro and there is so greate inconstancie and lightnesse in vs that the thing whiche wee loue more deerely than our lyfe too day shall bee as good as despyzed too morrowe And that also is the cause why Sainct Paule dooth in this texte vpbrayde the Galathians with their forgetting of their owne happinesse For this saying of our Lord Iesus Christs that looke where a mannes treasure is there is his harte also is taken of the cōmon order of nature He termeth that thing our treasure which we set most store by and whervpon we do wholly repose our selues for there are many things which men do well like of the which neuerthelesse they can easly finde in their harts too forbeare Though a man see a fayre and costly thing yet can he content himself quietly with his owne state still if he haue wherewith too maintayne himself But if wee esteeme our life vnhappie or vnfortunate without the inioying of any welfare at all surely we shall bee tossed with continuall vnquietnesse till wee haue
as yee bee thinke yee that these things wyll go for payment No for God will not allow any of them They reply vnto it agein and say why not Shall God bee no more serued VVhat shall wee doo for hym Verily it seemeth to them that vnlesse they go to Masse bee shriuen and pay some raunsome and doo one thing or other there is nothing at all doone And in deede we see how they leaue the principall vndoone For euen they that are the deuoutest of them will not sticke at all some too keepe whores some to blaspheme God and some too robbe and spoyle other men in so much that if they which pretend greatest holinesse can finde occasion too pill and poll their neybours they will byte theÌ„ to the bones Their crueltie shall be so excessiue that they shall bee brute beasts rather than men Therevnto they bee full of suttletie and wylinesse It is nothing with them too forsweare themselues if they may beguile any man by it For they nuzell themselues in all kynde of leawdnesse bearing themselues in hand that God must serue them for a cloke when they fall once too making of faire countenances that it may bee saide they bee deuout or holy folke Yee see then that this hypocrisie is as a denne of theeues as our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe termeth it And it is an ordinarie matter for men to forget the cheefe principall when they giue themselues to Ceremonies according also as our Lord Iesus vpbraydeth them saying for your owne traditions sakes you haue abolished the lawe of God my father And for the same cause it is sayd in the fifth Psalme Thinkest thou that I will drinke the bloud of brute beastes If I bee hungrie saith God thinkest thou that all is not myne This is the thing that I would haue thee to offer vntoo mee namely the sacrifice of praise Now we see Paules meaning He mocketh the hypocrites which thinke that all is mard if there bee not store of gawdes and gewgawes when men should go vntoo God and that they may not go to him as it were with banner displayed According whervnto wee see how they pranke vp things with pompe of lampes perfumes tapers gay disguised cotes puppets and such other things VVhen they haue this geere once to their owne seeming they bee so well cloked that God knowes no more what they doo and that their vices are well sheltred vnder such shadow and yet for al that they doo but spite him openly Now S. Paule laugheth that opinion too scorne saying that although we haue none of al those pomps there is ynough besides wherwith 〈◊〉 God to keepe vs occupied that is charitie But to be short S. Paule ment to tell vs heere that Gods seruice is spirituall For when wee loue our neybours it is a token that we loue God I meane when we loue them according to Gods ordinance For it is no loue too loue a man for our owne profites sake but to loue euen our enemies so as we be patient to beare the wrongs that are done vs so as we streine ourselues to do good too such as haue neede of our help and so as none of vs be giueÌ„ to himself nor to his owne peculiar profit but that we indeuer as meÌ„bers of one body to helpe eche other as much as is possible If wee bee once at that point then doth our life sufficiently answer for vs and witnesse that wee loue God But wee cannot loue him before wee know him Therefore is charitie an infallible signe and token that wee be willing to serue God not in paying him with chaffe in sted of corne but by louing our neybor truly and vnfeinedly And so let the Papistes brag as much as they list of their gewgawes and gay shewes wherewith they thinke to cousin God as it were to make a mockingstocke of him yet shal the thing that is vttered heere by S. Paules mouth stand alwayes sure that is too with that such things are naughtworth before God And why For if Circumcision were abolished when the time and terme of it was expyred what shall become of the things that haue bin foolishly and malapertly forged in the shoppes of mens owne fancies which tooke vpon them that which belonged not too them nor was by any meanes lawfull for them to doo Yee see then what wee haue too beare in minde But before wee go any further we must assoyle a doubt which the Papists cast heere For to their seeming it maketh wholly on their side when S. Paule sayth that fayth which woorketh by charitie is the thing that maketh all the faythfull perfect And therevpon they conclude that onely faith dooth not purchace vs grace but fayth and charitie matched togither Put the cace it were so whereto would it serue them For wherevpon doo they ground their merites but vpon childishe toyes as who should say they would appease God with a Rattle but S. Paules meaning is farre otherwise For although he haue hitherto shewed the true way how too bee in Gods fauour yet notwithstanding he mindeth not too ground our rightuousnesse or our hope 〈◊〉 â—aluation vppon charitie VVhat then It is ynough for him too shewe that God can finde meanes ynow to keepe the faithfull occupyed although they haue no Ceremonies wherewith the hypocrites beguile themselues in making that their principall To bee short we see that S. Paule is so farre off from fauoring the Papists any thing at all that he fighteth directly ageinst them Nowe vnder the colour of that which is spoken heere they haue imagined that faith is but a single knowledge that there is a God and that his only sonne Iesus Christ is come into the world for the redeeming and sauing of mankynd notwythstanding that the same knowledge bee without any affection more than if a man should tell vs some storie and we should beleeue it hold it for a certeintie After that maner doo the Papists speake of faith say that when faith is all alone it hath not yet hir ful shape before God but when it is ioyned with a hartie good wil loue of God then is it full fashioned say they But when the scripture speaketh to vs of faith it meaneth the knowledge that is giueÌ„ vs by the holy Ghost not which flittereth in our owne braine but which is sealed in our harts in such wise as God must needes haue wrought wonderfully in vs before we can haue bin inlightened fashioned in faith for there is nothing but darknesse in our minds The lyght must come from aboue Agein wee bee vtterly inclyned to distrust â–ª and therfore the holy Ghost must be faine too set this seale vpon vs that wee bee throughly saued by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christ Furthermore it is not ynoughe too knowe generally that Chryst is our Redeemer but fayth importeth that euery of vs must acknowledge him too bee hys Redeemer And is that possible too bee
euery thing neuer beeing resolued of any one poynt Of which sort also are the Papists who haue an infinite number of doubts among them And no maruell at all for they knowe not too what master they must yeeld their account Euery of them talkes according to the disposition of his owne brayne one sayes to my seeming such a thing would be good another sayes Lo this my deuotion telleth me and the third says it were good yet that this or that were doone more Now when they be once entred into suche a maze at length they fall to doubting whether they may kembe their heades or no and make a scrupulousnesse with whiche finger they shoulde feede themselues and of euery thing else To bee short there is neyther ende nor measure of their fondnesse VVhen S. Paule intendeth to shew what it is to be wrapped in mens traditions he saith that wheÌ„ they haue once forbidden too eate flesh anone after they forbid to tast it and when they haue forbiddeÌ„ to tast it soone after they forbid to touch it Yee see then that the way for vs to maynteyne the libertie that is purchased for vs by the death passion of our lord Iesus Christ is first too knowe in what wise God will bee serued and honored to the ende wee be not tossed with so many scruples of conscience for want of discerning what is good or euill but determine fully and certenly with our selues to follow Gods word assuring our selues also that in so dooing wee can not doo amisse And secondly to serue one anothers turne that none of vs bee so addicted to his owne selfe as to ouermate his fellowes but bee so gentle kindharted as euery of vs haue an eye wherin he may aduauntage or succor his neybour absteyning froÌ„ all offence giuing so as it be not sayd I care not for suche a one or for suche a one I passe not whether he sinke or swim but that for as much as our Lorde Iesus Christ hath linked vs â—â—gither too bee members of his Churche wee holde fast the sayde doctrine that is too witte first that God be honored and serued among vs as he commaundeth and secondly that wee agree in suche wise togither as wee labour through meeknesse to matche our selues one with another and to serue one anothers turne notwithstanding that wee be free still to Godwarde as in respect of our consciences And now let vs fall down before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to make vs so too feele them as it may humble vs before hym and drawe vs too true repentance and wee go forwarde therin more and more groning continually vnder the burthen of our sinne till wee be quite clensed and vtterly ridded of it And that it may please the same good God to beare with vs and not to handle vs so rigorously as he could doo but to guide vs in suche wise by his holy spirite as he may both forgiue and forget our sinnes till we be fully clensed froÌ„ them That it may please him to graunt this grace not only to vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth c. The. 35. Sermon which is the fifth vpon the fifth Chapter 14 For all the Lavve is fulfilled in one vvorde vvhich is this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy self 15 If yee bite and deuour one another bevvare that yee be not consumed one of another 16 But I say vnto you vvalke after the spirite and yee shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 17 Surely the flesh lusteth contrarie too the spirite and the spirite contrarie to the flesh For these things are one agaynst another so as yee can not do all things as yee vvould 18 But and if yee be led by the spirite then are yee not vnder the Lavve WE see that Moyses intending to bring the lawe into a summe to the ende wee might knowe what was taught vs and tolde vs sayth that God will be loued of vs as good reason it is that we should first sticke vnto him be knit vnto him and afterward that there should be such a bonde of friendship among our selues as we might bee knit togither as members of one bodie And our Lord Iesus Christ also sayth that that is the thing wherby his disciples may be knowen shewing therin that he brought not vp any doctrine contrarie to that which god had always giuen to the people of olde time And for that cause S. Paule sayth now that the fulfilling of the lawe consisteth in this worde that we loue our neibours Not that God ought in the meane while to be forgotten as I haue tolde you heeretofore for it is good reason that hee should be set formost and bee preferred before all his creatures in so muche that for his sake wee ought to forget euen our father and mother our wife and children and all that euer is in this world Neuerthelesse to loue God and to loue our neibours in their degree are not things contrarie For when euery man walketh in charitie thereby he sheweth the loue that he beareth to his God according also as I haue declared And that is the cause why I stande no longer vpon these poynts To be short if wee be giuen to our selues it is a token that wee know not what it is to cary Gods yoke for that is the thing whervnto our own nature driueth vs. Now as we shal see anone men are wholly inclined to all euil therwithal they giue the bridle to all their lusts they make war agaynst God al their whole life is nothing else but a rebellion which sheweth that the diuell doth so possesse al our affectioÌ„s that God can not way with vs til we haue beateÌ„ down al that is of our own nature Now then we know that he which loueth his neibours seeketh not his owne nor is giueÌ„ to himself That therfore is a true certeÌ„ profe that we be desirous to obey God to rule our life according to his word Also our Lord Iesus Christ beginneth at the same poynt wheÌ„ he intendeth to shew briefly what his doctrine is It is saith he a learning to renounce or forsake ourselues For so long as we followe our own trace we must needes go ful coÌ„trary to Gods wil. So then it is not without cause that S. Paule saith in this text that the whole law coÌ„sisteth in this poynt that we loue our neibours But it behoueth vs to mark that by this word neibour God meeneth not our kinsfolk friends at whose haÌ„ds we hope for some profite or aduantage or which haue deserued some recoÌ„pence at our hands but he wil haue vs to haue an eye to the coÌ„mon aliance which he hath set amoÌ„g vs. Therfore we be al formed after his image we beare his mark Besides this we be al of one nature that ought to hold vs in true vnitie brotherhod But many
who hath exempted vs from it gouerneth vs. To be short the marke that he shooteth at is that Christians shuld be free from the bondage of the law Not all those whiche haue the name of Christianitie in their mouth or which make their braggs of it but such as shewe by their deeds that they be meÌ„bers of our Lord Iesus Christ inasmuchas they be begotteÌ„ agein by his holy spirit For mens liues must be answerable therevnto or else all their protestations are nothing worth yea they shal be proued Lyers vnlesse it appeare by their works that they speake truly and vnfeinedly Besides this wheras S. Paule 〈…〉 all goodnes al coÌ„mendable thing 〈◊〉 â—â—utes of the spirit therby he coÌ„firmeth the thing that I told you heretofore which is that if ther be any one drop of goodnes in vs the same is not of our own growing neither can we chaleÌ„ge the praise of it without doing wrong and iniurie vnto God For they be all of them frutes of his grace he is faine to put them into vs by his holie spirite Ye see then that here againe we be humbled to the end that none of vs should deceiue himself in thinking that he hath any vertue or stayednesse or louingnesse or any other like thing of his own For vntil such time as God haue shaped vs new ageyne we be like a peece of grounde that is barrein yea and starke naught For we not only beare not any good thing but also bring forth exceeding much euill till our Lord haue rid vs of it like a naughtie grounde whiche not onely is vnprofitable too the owner in that it yeldeth him neither corne wine nor other necessary things but also bringeth foorth thistles thornes wicked weeds Euen at the same point are we And now wee haue to marke according also as S Paule hath declared heeretofore that loue is the summe and substance of the lawe which he hath set down here in the formost ranke not to make vs forget the calling vpon God nor the affiance which we oughte to haue in all his promises and the whole seruice that is conteined in the first table of the law S. Paule holdeth not scorne of those things neither would he haue them reiected but the matter that he treateth of is how men may giue sure proofe to the worldward whether they be rightly mynded to the obeying of God or no. And I haue told you alreadie that such proof is seene by our louing of our neyghbours when wee bee not giuen euery man too his owne profyte but laboure in common too nourishe good peace and vnitie and put to our helping hande also so farre as God giueth vs abilitie meanes wherwith to do them good to whom we be bound by his woorde Thus yee see why S. Paule setteth downe the woorde Loue in the first place It is not to the intent we should so loue our neyghbours that God should be thrust backe behynde vs but bycause that in hauyng mutuall loue and frendship one with an other wee shewe ourselues to be rightly giueÌ„ dedicated to god which thing caÌ„not be with 〈…〉 trust in him nor without resortiÌ„g vnto him by praier and supplicaâ—â—â—n Furthermore seing that all the things which beare the name of vertue and are iustly commended among meÌ„ are called the frutes of the spirit surely it is much more likely that when we should come vnto God and bee armed ageinst all temptations and be earnest in praying by meanes of faith we be not ready for it if the holy Ghost worke not in vs. Then of natural inclination there is not any thing in vs wherby we take hold of the doctrine of the Gospell neither are wee so lightsome as to mount vp vnto God to talke familiarly with him by prayer and supplication but the holy Ghost must dispose vs too it by inlightening our harts with his grace by mouing our harts to cal vpoÌ„ him Lo what we haue to remeÌ„ber heere Now wheras S. Paule matcheth ioy with loue it is not only to do vs to vnderstand that we shall be quiet to Godward and haue cheerfull hartes when he shall haue receyued vs to mercie and shewed himselfe too fauor vs but he speaketh of another kind of ioy which is that there bee no hartburning among vs to make vs lowre one at another nor spite to withdrawe vs froÌ„ our neybors but that we be gentle fellowlike yea and that we be glad when wee can ayde and succor them that haue neede of vs. In the .xiiij. to the Romans S. Paul saith that the kingdome of heaueÌ„ is ioy of spirit howbeit he taketh that word in another meaning For wee may reioyce in God when he witnesseth vnto vs that he receiueth vs for our Lord Iesus Christes sake and without that we must needes be vexed and turmoyled with such vnrest as we shal liue in continual trouble It is true that the despisers of God do sport theÌ„selues as much as may be in their iollitie but yet haue they neuer any rest or ioy for they bee faine too suffer much hartburning inwardly and God dooth so sting them with sundry hartbytings as they be alwayes in heauinesse and vexation in so much that when they would be merrie they be faine to play the brute beasts and to shake off al vnderstanding so as the discerning of good and euill is quite and cleane daunted in them Now it is a cursed ioy when men stray away after that fashion from God and forget what they bee But as I haue told you already S. Paule speaketh heere of the ioy that we haue in being conuersant with our neybors And after the same maner also is the word fayth 〈…〉 faithfulnesse and soundnesse of hart 〈◊〉 is a faith that respecteth God and that is the sure beleef which we haue of his promises according wherevnto it is sayde that wee bee iustified by fayth bicause it appeareth that God abolisheth and mortifieth in vs whatsoeuer is of our owne nature Therefore in that fayth wee must bee grounded vpon Gods onely mercy which is shewed vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ But howe come wee to the possessing of so great a benefite By trusting vnto Gods promises and by receyuing them with all obedientnesse acknowledging our selues to bee damned and forlorne and resting onely vpon him Yee see then that oure fayth which respecteth God is an assurance whiche wee conceyue of his goodnesse and loue towards vs to the ende wee may preace vnto him not doubting but that he heareth vs. And for that cause also S. Paule sayth that those whiche haue suche fayth doo trust boldly in God and therewithall doo also freely and boldly pray vnto him But in this present texte S. Paule taketh fayth for the faythfulnesse which wee perfourme one to another when we walke vprightly so as wee go not about to deceiue our neybour through lewdnesse or suttletie nor vse any double dealing nor any dissimulation to