A most weighty cause to moue vs to doe good to our neighbours Wherfore should it grieue vs to deserue so well of all men when as God hath before dealt so bountifully kindely and gently with vs with whom without comparison we are lesse and haue lesse of him deserued then any being compared to vs can be or can deserue of vs As therefore God hath with exceeding bountifulnes and kindenes most gently behaued him selfe toward vs of his mercy graunting and giuing vnto vs all thinges so ought we to doe all thinges with all charitie and good will toward our neighbours albeit they haue otherwise deserued forasmuch as we were like vnto them subiect to all sinnes and euill desires Here we see how the Apostle will haue vs to be affected toward men How we must behaue our selues toward men He will haue vs subiect to them that be in authoritie kinde vnto others and readie to doe well vnto them with all gentlenes although they be euill blinde and in errour that we grudge not to beare these thinges and as much as lyeth in vs endeuour to doe them good taking all things in good part considering that God hath so dealt with vs when we were euill and wicked like vnto them This word appeared we haue elsewhere declared to signifie the reuelation of the Gospell whereby Christ appeared in the world Albeit the vnskilfulnes of Ministers hath wrested it to the carnall natiuitie of Christ He vseth not here the word grace which he vsed before Tit. 2.11 but hath set in steed therof two other words of maruelous comfort bountifulnes and loue toward men which he attributeth to our God The first is called of the Grecians Chrestotes Bountifulnes and is that kindnes gentlenes and sweetenes of conditions wherewith they that be endued with them all of vs are with pleasure conuersant maruelously delighted with their companie so that they doe with this their gentlenes and kindnes allure greatly prouoke all men to loue them For such can suffer all without griefe they contemne no man they repell or put none from them with bitter hard and disordered conditions accesse vnto them is not hard but they are so open and ready for al that euery one dare resort vnto them and desire their helpe And to conclude they are such men as the Gospells describe Christ vnto vs whom they declare to be gentle to all a despiser of none which denieth no benefit to any pliant prepared and ready to do good to all So God also by the Gospell is preached and offered vnto vs wholy good bountifull and sweete open to all reiecting none bearing all our sinnes and offences repelling no man from him with excessiue seueritie For we read and heare nothing to be declared in the Gospell but meere grace and meere goodnes whereby he doth most mercifully beare vs most gently handle vs and not any man according to his deserts This is the time of grace wherein it is graunted to all to goe with great boldnes vnto the throne of grace as it is written Heb. 4. and Psal 34 Come vnto him and be enlightened and your faces shall not be ashamed that is he will not suffer you to pray and come in vaine neither to returne with confusion being frustrate The other word is Philanthropia loue of men Loue toward men as couetousnes may be called loue of money as Dauid 2. Sam. 1. calleth the desire of women the loue of women And the Philosophers cal certaine liuing creatures Philanthropa that is louing toward men as are horses dogges dolphins For these creatures are by nature delighted with man they desire his company do willingly serue him as though they were moued with some reason sense of humanity This name such loue the Apostle here attributeth to our God which Moses also did before him Deut. 33 where he speaketh thus of God The Lord appeared hauing in his right hand a law of fire and he loued the people The meaning therefore of the Apostle is this Our God hath in the Gospell shewed him selfe vnto vs not onely bountifull kinde gentle and sweete which can beare and will receiue all but also he so loueth vs that of his owne accord he adioyneth him self vnto vs seeketh to haue to doe with vs voluntarily sheweth and offereth his grace and bountifulnes vnto vs and most gently embraceth as many as only doe not refuse his grace and loue and desire to drawe nie vnto him What should he doe more Who can not see hereby why we count the Gospell a preaching ioyfull and full of all consolation of God in Christ For what can be spoken more louingly and sweetely to a sinnefull and afflicted conscience then these wordes O lamentable case how miserably hath Satan by the lawes of his Pope oppressed and obscured this souereigne synceritie of the word of God Now let no man restraine these two wordes bountifulnes loue toward men to the persons No respect of persons with God for God is plainly without respect of persons bountifull to all and a louer of all otherwise if we shoulde here make a difference betweene men we shoulde acknowledge that some thing is receiued through our merits and not all thinges through his mercy Where it must be well marked that God is sayd to be a louer of men not of this or that nature onely not held with loue of the person and therefore these two bountifulnes and loue toward men must be taken after a generall sort that in all thinges the chiefe praise may be attributed to his mercy that no man trust in his owne merits neither be terrified with sinnes but that all togither doe trust to his grace which he voluntarily offereth vnto vs with so great kindnes and loue toward vs. For if any respect of person might be had here it should surely be had of them which are rich in the works of righteousnes but Paul expressely reiecteth these saying Not by the workes of righteousnes which we had done Howe much lesse then shall this bountifulnes and loue of our God toward men appeare because of any mans wisedome power nobilitie riches or any such thing when as no respect is had of works of righteousnes Great is the grace of God toward vs which appeareth in the Gospell yea and nothing but grace which admitteth no merit at all of ours vtterly taketh away all boasting and glorying and setteth forth the glory of God alone who freely giueth it vnto vs being vnworthy So in this text these two faith and loue are taught to receiue benefits of God and bestow them on our neighbours which the Scripture doth very often repeate so that euen the doctrine of saluation consisteth wholy in them The doctrin of our saluation consisteth in faith and loue neither can one be separated from the other For he that doth not firmely trust in the diuine grace can not but be remisse and slow to doe well to his
that great holy man notwithstāding continueth still in the same mynde and supposeth that he shall receiue great honour singular praise because of his precious life thinking that he had fulfilled the commaundement whereupon also he looketh for a ioyfull aunswere that the Lord should say Good maister your maistership hath done all thinges But Christ aunswereth him Do this Which in deede is as much to say as Thou art altogether a naughtie felowe thou hast neuer in all thy life fulfilled so much as one letter thereof so shewing vnto him how euell and naughtie he was Like vnto this Lawyer are all they which do most grieuously offend against the first commaundement and thinke that God is to be loued no more then the wordes sound for and that thereby it is fulfilled the commaundement therefore remaineth in their mouth and doth as it were flote aboue the heart and pearseth it not How God must be loued of vs. but I must go much farther then so I must loue God so that I can be content to forsake all creatures for his sake and if it shall seeme good vnto him my body and life I must loue him aboue all things for he is ielous and can not suffer that any thing be loued aboue him but vnder him he permitteth vs to loue any thinge Euen as the husband can suffer that his wife loue her maydes the house houshold thinges cattel and such like howbeit he suffereth her not to loue any with that loue wherewith she is bound vnto him but himselfe yea he will haue her leaue all such thinges for his sake Againe the wife requireth the same of her husband After the same sort God can suffer that we loue his creatures yea therefore they are created are good The sunne is a goodly creature gold and siluer and whatsoeuer by nature is faire procureth vs to loue it which maketh it deare vnto vs neither is God offended thereat But that I should cleaue vnto the creature and loue it equally with him that neither will he neither can he suffer yea he will haue me both to deny and forsake all these thinges when he requireth it of me and will haue me content although I neuer see the sunne money riches c The loue of creatures must be farre inferiour to the loue which we must beare toward him As he is the soueraigne good so will he also be chiefly loued before all other good thinges If he will not suffer that I shal loue any thing equally with him much lesse will he suffer that I shall loue any thing aboue him Thou seest now as I thinke what it is to loue God with all the heart with all the soule with all the mynde What it is to loue God with all the heart To loue God with all the heart is to loue God aboue all creatures that is although creatures be verie amiable and deare vnto me and I take great delight in them yet must I so loue them that I do contemne and forsake them when my God and Lord requireth that of me To loue God with all the soule What it is to loue God with all the soule is to bestow our whole life body at his pleasure as if the loue of creatures or any tentation assaile thee or would ouercome thee thou mayst say I will rather part from all these then I will forsake my God whether he cast me of either kill me either drowne me or whatsoeuer through his permission shall come vnto me I had rather leaue all thinges then him I will depend on that my Lord rather then vpon all creatures or vpon any other thing whatsoeuer it be Whatsoeuer I haue and am I will bestow but him will I not forsake The soule in the Scriptures signifieth the life of the body whatsoeuer is done by the fiue senses as to eate to drinke to sleepe to wake to see to heare to smell to taste and whatsoeuer the soule worketh by the bodye To loue God with all the strength To loue God with all the strength is for Gods cause to renounce all the members and limmes of the body so that one will offer to perill whatsoeuer he is able in his flesh and body before he will commit that which is against God To loue God with all the minde To loue God with all the mynde is to enterprise nothing but that which many please God whereby he vnderstādeth the thought which is in man that that also be referred to God and to all thinges that be acceptable vnto him Thou perceiuest now what this commaundement of God containeth in it Thou shalt loue God Thou Thou sayth he and that wholy euen euerie part of thee not thy handes not thy mouth not thy knees alone They which do these thinges as it is said do truely fulfill it but no man liueth in the earth which doth so yea we do all otherwise Wherefore the law doth here make vs all sinners so that not so much as the least iote or point thereof is fulfilled of them that are most holy of all in the world For no man doth so cleaue with all his heart vnto God that he can leaue all thinges for his sake We alas are gone so farre that we can not suffer so much as a litle word nay we will not forgoe the value of a halpenie for Gods cause We are farre of from louing God as we ought How can it be that we should loue God when his will is not setled in our mynde If I loue God I can not but loue his will also Now if God send sicknes pouertie shame and ignominie it is his will whereat what do we we murmur we grudge our mynde is caried hither and thither we take it most vnpatiently and yet is this the least What would we do if we should leaue our body and life for God Christ his sake then would we shew our selues after an other sort But in the meane season we do like vnto this Pharise Lawyer we lead an honest life outwardly we worship God we serue him we fast we pray and behaue our selues in outward appearaunce iustly and holily But God doth not require that of vs but that we should bend our selues to do his will with pleasure and loue cheerefully louingly Wherefore whatsoeuer the Lord sayth here to the Lawyer he sayth it to all vs to wit that we haue yet done nothing but that all thinges do yet remaine to be done All men therefore are giltie of death and subiect to Satan All men are lyers vaine filthie and whatsoeuer they pretend it is nothing worth We are wise in our owne matters that we may scrape togither money and goods and we can speake most sweetely and fayrely before men and cūningly propound or set forth our matter What doth God care for these thinges He requireth of vs that we loue him with our whole heart which no mā liuing is able to performe whereupon of
thee whatsoeuer he is able do thou likewise to thy neighbour Wilt thou worke workes deriue them to thy neighbour who is compassed with troubles miseries Thou must doe nothing for this cause that Christ hath neede thereof whereby thou maist enrich him for neither was he bountiful to this ende that he might any thing profit his father thereby or that he might receiue any commoditie of him but he did it onely for this cause that therein the father might be well pleased inasmuch as he submitteth him selfe wholy to his fathers will and loueth vs with so great affection After the same sort we also must doe in our works toward our neighbour which we ought therefore onely to doe that we may giue thanks to the father that he sheweth his fauour vnto vs for that he hath giuen his beloued sonne vnto me to bestow vpon me whatsoeuer he hath When I beleue this vndoutedly I burst forth and say If God sheweth vnto me so great benefits and fauour in his beloued sonne that he suffereth him to bestow all things vpon me I also will doe the like againe and bestow all thinges whereby I may doe good to my neighbour and loue him And so I doe not lift vp myne eyes vnto heauen but I go thether where my neighbour is oppressed with aduersitie pouertie sicknes sinne or errour and I helpe him wherein soeuer I am able Thus doe thou whosoeuer thou art which mindest to do true good works as thou wouldest haue done to thy selfe if thou were troubled with pouertie so doe thou to thy neighbour being poore Againe if thy neighbour be a sinner and thou seest it but thou thy self art without sinne and hast a holy natiuitie goe preach vnto him whereby he also may be deliuered But thou must doe all these things freely in euery respect as Christ hath done for thee without all workes and merits of pure grace loue and mercy Such workes see thou doe if thou wilt doe good and Christian workes in deede God hath no neede of them neuertheles thou must doe them in respect of him inasmuch as it so pleaseth him and he will haue it to be so This onely is rightly to doe good workes which those hypocrites do not which will merit heauen by their chastity pouertie obedience Vnto whom I pray you are such works of theirs good I my selfe neede them not neither doe they profit my neighbour wherefore it is mere deceit whereas a name is giuen to workes as though they did merit heauen when as they are nothing worth neither profitable to others Laye vppe these thinges in your hartes and do also according to them In all this text being discussed from the beginning to the ending ye haue these two thinges namely faith and loue If ye shall keepe these then both the holy natiuitie of Christ shall be a helpe commoditie and comfort vnto you and also ye shall be spiritually the children of his mother as Christ Iesus is her childe carnally An exposition of the song of the Angells Glory be to God on high c. Glory be to God on high and in earth peace good will towards men Forasmuch as this song is very common and there be fewe that rightly vnderstande it when as notwithstanding it contayneth many thinges in it I thinke good to handle it somewhat at large The Angells in this hymne apply three things to three glory to God peace to the earth and good will vnto men The first is the honour or glory of God Glory due to God alone with which we must beginne that in all thinges prayse and glory may be asscribed to God as to him which doeth giueth and hath all thinges so that none may chalenge any good thing at all vnto him selfe neither ought to count it his owne Glory is so due to God onely that no part therof may be deriued to any other Adam being perswaded of Satan went about to take this glory to him selfe whereby all men fell into the displeasure of God haue that vice so throughly fixed in their mind that no other thing can be so hardly pluckt away from them Euery man pleaseth him selfe no man can abide to seeme that he is nothing or is able to doe nothing whereof come almost all euills so many contentions warres and innumerable other discommodities This glory Christ gaue to God his father teaching that all our thinges are nothing before God but sinnes which deserue his wrath and indignation and nothing lesse then glory Wherfore there is no cause that we should euen neuer so litle please our selues or glory in them but rather that we should be ashamed and feare being set in so great perill and confusion that so all our glory and pleasing of our selues may passe away and come to nothing and we may reioyce being destitute of our owne glorie that we may be found saued in Christ alone The second is peace in earth For Where true peace is and where it is not as where the glory of God is not and where euery one seeketh his owne glory there can not be peace according as Salomon sayth Prouerb 13. Among the proude there is euer strife so contrariwise where the glory of God is knowne there true peace also must needes be For why should they contend why should they disagree which doe know euery one of them that they haue no good thing of their owne but that all thinges which are which they haue and which they are able to doe come from God to whose power also they commit all thinges they in the meane season being very wel content that they haue God fauorable vnto them Howe also can it be that when one counteth nothing of him selfe and the thinges that be his he should be so carefull of him selfe and his thinges that he should moue contention with any because of them Such beleeue that Christ onely is made all thinges vnto them him they thinke on and for him alone they contend Hereupon it certainly followeth that there can be no contention or discord at al among true Christians The peace of Christians described by Esai Esai 11.9 which maner of peace of Christians Esay declareth sayth No man shall doe euill vnto an other no man shall destroy an other in my holy hill that is in the Church of Christ The cause hereof he addeth next after The earth is full of the knowledge of God that is for all know God as to whom all good thinges doe belong and all their owne things they confesse to be nothing but sinnes they may easily therefore haue peace among them selues Esai 2.4 Wherefore the same Esay sayth in an other place They shall breake their swordes into mattocks their speares to make sythes and one shall not lift vp a weapon against an other neither shall they learne ro fight from thence forth Hereupon Christ is called the king of peace or the prince of peace of whom Salomon was a figure who
that Christ being raysed from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion ouer him For in that he died he died once to sinne but in that he liueth he liueth to God Likevvise thinke ye also that ye are dead to sinne but are aliue to God in Iesus Christ our Lord. Thus much concerning the first appearance Now we will speake somewhat of the second that is of the baptisme of Christ Three thīgs to be considered in Christes Baptisme In the baptisme of Christ three thinges are to be considered The first that the heauens were opened when he was baptized The seconde that the holy Ghost was seene in the likenes of a doue The third that the voice of the father was heard which sayd This is my beloued sonne in vvhome I am vvell pleased Whereas Christ vouchsaued to be baptised with water he hath hallowed baptisme made the water thereof holy that he which is baptized in his name might become likewise holy and cleane from sinne and might haue the heauens open Now Christ was not baptized for him selfe for he was not infected with the spot of any sinne as S. Peter sayth 1. Pet. 2. He behaued him selfe like vnto a good Phisitian which before the sicke doth first drinke some bitter potion that the sicke may more gladly and boldly doe the same afterward For we in baptisme drinke a bitter potion namely the mortification of the olde Adam which with the bitternes thereof doth greatly trouble vs. For that dipping into the water or sprinkling with it doth signifie nothing els but that that old Adam should perish die This is greatly furthered by the crosse which God according to his diuine will layeth vpon vs which we ought not to cast from vs but beare it willingly with a patient mind But that this might be easier for vs to doe euen Christ hath taken it vpon him selfe he suffered him selfe to be baptized and tooke his crosse and caried it nothing resisting or gaynesaying and so was obedient to his father vnto the death euen the death of the crosse as Paule sayth Philip. 2. that he might deliuer vs from sinnes and might againe appease his heauēly father which surely he did of his mere grace without any desert of ours whereof we haue baptisme a signe pledge as Paule sayth vnto Titus But vvhen that bountifulnes and that loue of God our Sauiour tovvard man appeared not by the vvorks of righteousnes vvhich vve had done but according to his mercy he saued vs by the vvashing of the nevve birth and the renuing of the holy Ghost vvhich he shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour that vve being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life Secondly the holy Ghost appeareth here in the likenes of a doue when Christ is baptized The second thing to be considered in the baptisme of Christ whereby is signified that we also doe receiue the holy Ghost in our baptisme which ruleth and guideth vs according to the will of God which is present with vs helpeth vs in bearing the burden of the holy crosse which exhorteth vs is instant vpon vs enforceth vs and when we yeld to the burden of the crosse is present and helpeth vs if we fall rayseth vs vp againe and is with vs as a certeine faithfull companion in our iorney He also maketh the burden of the crosse light which we were very vnable to beare if he did not put to his helpe If so be that thou fall into sinne remember to goe backe vnto thy Baptisme for this is the onely ship wherein we passe ouer Wherefore take heede of them which make two tables wherby we passe ouer the sea of sinnes namely baptisme and repentance Beleeue them not whatsoeuer they handle it is mere delusion baptisme is the beginning of repentance As often therefore as thou fallest into sinne haue recourse vnto thy baptisme there thou shalt againe obtaine the holy Ghost who may be present with thee For repentance is nothing else but a displeasing of him selfe a detesting of his wicked life and a renuing of the man which is represented in baptisme After such a renuing of the life followeth the prayse of God and thankesgiuing vnto him for the grace receiued then such a man bursteth forth behaueth him self friendly toward his neighbour doth good to him in all thinges This is signified by that that the holy Ghost appeared vpon Christ in the likenes of a doue for a doue wanteth the gall Such they also become which receiue the holy Ghost in baptisme to witte they are gentle and without all bitternes toward all Thirdly The third thing to be considered in the baptisme of Christ the voyce of the father is heard in the baptisme of Christ which sayth This is my beloued Sonne in vvhom I am well pleased This is that Sauiour which deliuereth vs from the tyrannie of sinne death Satan and hell And here we must learne how we must come vnto God He that desireth to be the grations deare childe of God the father must attaine vnto this through Christ through him alone the beloued sonne who sitteth in the bosom of his father vnto whom alone the father looketh without whom he alloweth nothing and whatsoeuer pleaseth the father it pleaseth him in respect of this his sonne Wherefore he that desireth to goe to the father must cleaue to this beloued sonne must lay him selfe vpon his backe For by this voice all titles albeit they seeme very goodly and holy are taken away nothing is of value or estimation with the father but onely this his beloued sonne he is in his especiall fauour Now he that desireth to be in fauour with the father and to be beloued of him let him flie into the bosom of the sonne by whom afterward he findeth accesse to the father as Paule sayth Ephe. 1. that through Christ we are adopted without this Christ we are the enemies of God Whosoeuer therefore cleaueth to Christ through faith he abideth in the fauour of God he also shall be made beloued and acceptable as Christ is and shall haue felowship with the father and the sonne But where this is not done there is nothing but wrath there no honestie no vertue no free will neither prayer nor fasting nor other workes shall profit thou shalt but trifle with all these For this is a most mighty and most excellent voice This is my beloued sonne in whom all thinges consist and are comprehended which are extant in the whole Scripture Euen as all things are deliuered into the handes of Christ and gathered into one that they may obey him as S. Paule sayth For when God sayth This is my beloued sonne by shewing Christ only and shewing and naming no other he maketh it plaine enough that none is his beloued sonne beside him If so be that other are not beloued sonnes it is certaine that they are the children of wrath
Abraham In the time of Abraham God did somewhat shewe forth his mercy he declared that he would send a Sauiour who should deliuer vs againe from death both of body and soule for albeit the body should dye yet it should not alwayes remayne in death but rise againe with the Lord Christ The wordes which God spake to Abraham Gen. 22. are thus In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Here miserable men had a cause to hope and looke for a Sauiour which should deliuer them From that time all the Prophets did diuersly foretell of this aboue measure flowing fountaine of all mercy that is of this seede of the Lord Christ how that he at the last should come that all which beleued in him might obtaine saluation by that promise which can not be reuoked If so be that men would now open their eyes they must needes confesse and say that a straunge and incredible thinge is done with vs that man being in the state of damnation cursed desperate should be restored by the natiuitie of one man Hereupon the Prophets cryed out with ardent prayers and vnspeakeable groning that God would vouchsafe to sende the Sauiour whom he had promised By faith in this Sauiour the Israelites afterward obtained the lawe and this honour before all people that they were called the elect people of God By which ordinances written of Moses the anointed was plainely figured and signified whom this text which we haue now in hand setteth forth what he is from whence he is and by the afore sayd faith all obtayned saluation from Abraham vnto Dauid euen as many as were saued In the time of Dauid God made the comming of the Messias to be more manifestly declared that it might be certainly knowne of what stocke he should come namely of the stocke of Dauid as when God sayd vnto Dauid 2. Sam. 7.12 VVhen thy dayes be fulfilled thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers and I will set vp thy seede after thee which shall proceede out of thy body and wil stablish his kingdom He shall build an house for my name and I vvill stablish the throne of his kingdom for euer I will be his father and he shall be my sonne And yet more plainely in the Psalme The Lord hath made a faithfull othe vnto Dauid Psal 132.11 and he shall not shrinke from it Of the frute of thy bodye shall I set vppon thy seat Here Christ is described that he shall be a king and an eternall king Psal 45.6 as it is mentioned of him in an other Psalme Thy throne O Lord endureth for euer the scepter of righteousnes is the scepter of thy kingdome Who pertaineth to the kingdom of Christ and who to the kingdom of Satan Howebeit he is a spirituall king which ruleth the worlde by his worde and whosoeuer receiueth his word pertaineth to his kingdom But he that is not vnder this scepter neither heareth his worde is not of God neither pertaineth to his kingdom but is subiect to the kingdom of Satan vnder whose tyrannie we all are vntill the Lord doth deliuer vs from it defend vs with his scepter which is then done when we beleeue in him Forasmuch therefore as our saluation doth come meerly by the promise of God let euery one assuredly perswade him selfe that he shal neuer obtaine saluation wtout this promise although he should do the workes of all Sainctes yet they should profit him nothing hereunto Contrariwise if we lay hold on the scepter of this king that is of the promise of God we shal not perish although the sinnes of the whole world should lye vpon vs they shal be all swallowed vp in him albeit no good worke be done of vs. As we see in the theefe which hong by the Lord on the crosse who layd hold on the word of God beleued in Christ and therefore he obtayned the promised Paradise Here is no dout left let vs onely beleue that it is so and it is so in deede all thinges which men teach or which we haue done or can doe being set aside Here all thinges must giue place at the comming of this new king that he alone may rule reigne in vs. Let a man intermedle with those thinges that are written of this king as being his owne matters and as pertaining all vnto him Whatsoeuer is written of Christ it is written for our comfort For whatsoeuer is written any where of Christ it is written for our comfort that we may thereby feede and cherish our faith To the establishing of such faith God hath mercifully left vnto vs his promise written and hath suffered to be published that he will performe that which he hath promised Whosoeuer apprehendeth this in his hart it must needes be that with sighing he thirst for such Scripture and promise of God who of his grace being not prouoked of vs offereth vnto vs and bestoweth vpon vs such goodnes and mercy But let vs now come to our present text which not with words only but also with a certeine force pearseth the hart and poureth into it loue pleasure ioy gladnes c. As if an Angell should now come from heauen and say vnto vs miserable and condemned wretches after this sort Behold O man thou hast sinned wherfore thou hast deserued to be condemned for euer This being heard the hart must needes tremble Now although all this be true yet neuertheles God of his grace hath mercy vppon thee sendeth to thee a Sauiour as he promised to Abraham and his seede Be of a good cheere and giue thankes to God Loe here is the booke of the generation of Iesus Christ who is the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham so that this is not onely done but also written that thou mayst be certaine thereof Neither will he neither can he deceiue beleue onely and thou shalt haue all things Now it is to be noted that Matthew setteth Dauid before Abraham although the promise was first made to Abraham and came afterward to Dauid which promise made to Dauid the Prophets did afterward publish more abroad and did by it comfort the people As in the 11. chapter of Esai where the Prophet sayth thus There shall come a rod forth of the stocke of Iesse and a graffe shall growe out of his roote Ieremie likewise sayth thus chap. 23. Behold the time commeth sayth the Lord that I wil raise vp the righteous braunch of Dauid which king shall beare rule and he shall prosper with wisedom and shall set vp equitie righteousnes againe in the earth And many other such prophecies there are to be found in the writings of the Prophetes which they foretold of Dauid that his kingdom should be raysed vp as that Angell also declared vnto Marie when he sayd Luke 1.32 The Lord God shall giue vnto him the throne of his father Dauid Why Matthew setteth Dauid before Abraham Luke 1.54 he shall
exceedingly reioyce being deliuered from all euell Moreouer neither doth the shepeheard therefore seeke it that when he hath found it he may wrathfully fight with it or handle it ill for that it hath gone astray or cast it to the woulfe to be torne in pieces but all his care and thought is that he may most gentlely allure it to himselfe and may deale with it most louingly to wit lay it on his shoulders and carie it vntill he hath brought it vnto the rest of the flocke This is that picture resembled in this creature silly beast whereby Christ sheweth vnto vs what affection of mynde he beareth and what he doth toward vs and also what we ought to promise our selues concerning him For seeing this is manifestly true in nature the same is much more true in the kingdom of Christ which is the kingdom of grace loue and consolation Therefore see that thou also do set before thy selfe the sheepe pertaining to this shepeheard then shalt thou truly vnderstand how much greater and vehementer care he hath taken to preserue it also with how great study and diligence yea and from the heart he is carefull for it that he may finde it and bring it home againe For he will haue his maruelous and continuall kindenes and the vnspeakeable flames of his most feruent loue to be shewed or rather poured forth vpon miserable fearefull and trembling consciences which vnfeynedly lament their sinnes and desire to be deliuered from them and such are his true sheepe The parable of the shepeheard the lost sheepe resembleth Christ the Christiā that is strayed out of the way For with a man that hath lost this shepeheard and heareth him not the case standeth as with the lost sheepe which being estraunged from his shepeheard strayeth more and more from him And although it be called by the voices of others and runneth vnto them thinking that it shal fynde his owne shepeheard yet failing of his purpose it findeth him not but alway runneth from corner to corner straying vp and downe and stil wandreth farther out of the way Neither it is succoured with any comfort or helpe before it heare the voice of the true shepeheard sounding againe in his eares euen as we learne the same to be true by daily experience and euerie man trieth it in his owne heart For the Gospell of Christ being taken away or not exercised here some false maister or author of some sect in an other place some fanaticall felowe thrusteth in himselfe one peruerteth the Supper of the Lord the other baptisme one teacheth this the other that of a singular holines of life both which allureth to himselfe the miserable and straying sheepe and sheweth himselfe so as though he were he true shepeheard But by the means of these the sheepe is entangled onely with greater errours vntill it wandreth quite and altogither out of the way To these commeth the deuill also with his cogitations which he craftely putteth into the heart Alas if thou hadst done this or that or hadst not done c. with all which he practizeth nothing els but that he may make it fall into greater errours that it may not know where to abyde And this truly falleth out Christ being remoued out of sight and the article of him being extinguished Whatsoeuer moreouer shal be taught counseled shewed by what meanes soeuer all thinges neuertheles become worse and draw nere vnto destruction vnles the true shepeheard come with his voice and call backe and bring againe the straying sheepe Hereupon it appeareth that it is exceeding necessarie conuenient that we learne to know Christ well It is very necessarie to learne to know Christ a right that we do not behold him as a cruell tyranne or as an angrie iudge as the preachers hitherto haue set him forth to the people and the deuel himselfe sheweth him to the hearts of mē no otherwise to be thought vpon and cōsidered who hath drawne his sword already against vs But as the sheepe doth naturally looke on the shepeheard not as on him of whom it shall be terrified chased and slaine but so soone as it beholdeth him is cheered and put in hope of helpe is no more in feare or solitarines but forthwith speedely goeth to him with all boldnes So also when we desire to conceyue a trust and hope of helpe and to be strengthened and eased with comfort then the voice of our shepeheard that is of Christ must be knowne and learned well of vs all voices of other shepeheards not regarded which draw vs only into errours and tosse vs vp and downe and that onely article must be heard and comprehended in minde which Christ so louingly and comfortably painteth in our heart as by any meanes it can be painted that I may with all confidence and boldnes say The Lord Iesus Christ is my onely shepeheard and I alas the lost shepe which hath strayed in the desert but am troubled with no small anguish of mynde for my wretched life desyring with most feruent affectiō both to haue God fauourable vnto me also to haue peace in my conscience But truely I vnderstand here that he is no lesse desirous of me then I am of him I labour with great carefullnes to come vnto him and he is carefull and desyreth greatly that he may bring me againe vnto himselfe If we were certainly thus perswaded of his affection towarde vs and did graue in our minde that it so greatly desireth after vs and is so sweetely poured forth vpon vs it can not be that we should abhorre and feare him but we would with a cheerefull minde runne vnto him and tary only with him abyding to heare the doctrine or voice of no other For the doctrine of an other cōming betweene either of Moses or of any one what soeuer doth nothing els but trouble and disquiet the conscience No peace or quietnes but in Christ alone so that it can neuer fynde any peace or quietnes Therefore Christ sayth Matth. 11. Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden and I will ease you Take my yoke on you and ye shall fynde rest vnto your soules c. As though he saide runne and seeke in what places soeuer ye will heare and learne what soeuer can be preached vnto you yet shall ye fynde no quietnes of heart ye shall fynde no peace but in me alone We wil easily permit good workes to be preached a righteous life to be taught the ten cōmaundements to be deliuered by instruction and all things els which serue to the amendement of life but so farre onely as they are taught to the vnrulely and vntractable common sort also to force and bridle the wantonnes of our old Adam But they which preach to the conscience wrapped in anguishes and terrours because of synne ought to preach no other word then of Christ For this is that lost and miserable shepe of whom no other maister is to
These things are written for the instruction and comfort of all vs whereby we ought to learne howe deepely sometime Christ hideth his grace from vs and how we must not iudge of God according to our owne sense and opinion but onely according to his wordes For we see here that albeit Christ shewed him selfe very hard to this woman yet he did not plainely deny to helpe her but whatsoeuer he aunswered howsoeuer it seemed to pretend a deniall yet was it not a deniall but did hange in dout and left an entraunce for faith although but small For he sayd not at her first petition I will not heare her but he held his peace neither promising nor denying helpe So to the second petition which the Apostles made he sayth not she is not of the house of Israel I can not therefore performe that which she desireth but he onely sayth I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israell leauing all thinges in doute and in the middest betweene a plaine graunt and a deniall So when she had the third time desired him he sayth not thou art a dogge get thee hence the bread of the children is not due vnto thee but he sayth It is not good to take the childrens bread c. againe leauing in dout whether she was a dogge or no. Neuertheles all these sayinges doe pretende outwardly rather a deniall of helpe then prouoke her to hope but in very deede they did containe in them rather a promise and hope then a deniall Yea there was nothing but a promise and a certaine expectation of helpe howbeit most deepely hid and altogither secret vnder that silence and aunswers although they were hard and a deniall onely sounded outwardly By these it is shewed how our hart is wont to be affected in tentation For according as that feeleth in tentation so Christ here behaueth him selfe It feeleth all thinges to be denied when as it is farre otherwise Wherefore it is requisite that leauing it owne feeling by a sure faith in the word of God it conceiue and hold fast the promise of helpe deepely hidden vnder the deniall and yeeld vnto the sentence of God toward vs as this woman did so shall we ouercome and take the Lord in his wordes that he can not but helpe vs. So that if we feele in our conscience at any time God rebuking vs pronouncing vs sinners and vnworthy of the kingdom of heauen then we feele as it were hell and it seemeth vnto vs that we are past all hope and recouerie for euer When God pronounceth vs sinners we ought to acknowledge and confesse our sinnes pray former eye which God hath promised to them that be penitent for their sinnes then if any had the skill of this woman that he could take the Lord in his owne iudgement and say yea Lord I am a sinner and altogither vnworthy of thy grace but thou hast promised forgiuenes to sinners neither didst thou come to call the righteous but as Paule sayth to saue sinners he truely shoulde bringe to passe that the Lorde should be enforced euen by his owne iudgement to haue mercy vpon him So did Manasses when being penitēt he prayed for pardon as we read in his prayer He yeelded to the iudgement of God acknowledging him selfe a most grieuous sinner and so he bound God with his promise which had promised forgiuenes of sinne to sinners not to the righteous The same also did Dauid obserue Psal 51. Against thee onely sayth he haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight that thou mightest be iustified in thy saying and found pure when thou art iudged For that doth purchase vnto vs all displeasure that we disdayne to suffer the iudgement of the Lord and doe against our wills yeeld vnto his sentence when he pronounceth vs sinners Such a great thing is it to acknowledge sinnes and to embrace the iudgement of God We all confesse our selues sinners in words but as soone as the Lorde speaketh that in our hart and pronounceth vs sinners we doe not abide by that which before we confessed we had leuer be counted righteous and free from that iudgement But it must needes be if God must be iust in his wordes that thou be a sinner then also maist thou vse the right of sinners which God him selfe hath giuen vnto them namely to pray with a sure expectation of forgiuenes of sinnes Then is it not permitted vnto thee onely to feede vnder the table of crummes after the maner of dogges but being a child of the houshold thou shalt sit at the very table hauing God nowe howe great soeuer he be giuen vnto thee according to thy desire Hereof also we haue an historicall exposition of this text according to the allegories For as it chaunceth to this woman her daughter being sicke for whom through faith she obtayned health by a miracle so also falleth it out with vs when we are deliuered from the spirituall sicknes to wit sinnes which truely are a most grieuous and troublesom Deuill vnto vs. For as she acknowledged her selfe a dogge so must we acknowledge our selues sinners and iudged vnto hell the Lord pronouncing it which if we can doe as she coulde we shall be safe We haue already spoken elsewhere of other thinges whereof there might be occasion to speake out of this text as howe one may obtaine grace and safetie by the faith of an other as here it fell out to the daughter of this woman Christ the Disciples the woman in this place are examples of loue This thinge also that Christ his Disciples and the woman are here examples of loue forasmuch as none of them pray for seeke or doe those thinges that are their owne but euery one that which is an others is very manifest by it selfe and easily acknowledged of euery one especially seing that we haue so largely entreated hereof in an other place A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER WHEREIN IS TAVGHT THAT WE ARE SAVED freely by grace without the workes and merits of men Tit. 3. Verse 4. WHen that bountifulnes that loue of God our Sauiour towarde men appeared 5. Not by the workes of righteousnes which we had done but according to his mercie he saued vs by the washing of the newe birth and the renuing of the holy Ghost 6. Which he shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour 7. That we being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life PAVLE hauing willed before that all shoulde be put in mind to be obedient to such as be in authoritie and ready to euery good worke to speake euill of no man to be no fighters but gentle shewing all meekenes vnto all men c these fewe wordes being put betweene that we our selues were in times past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing diuers lustes and voluptuousnes c he added those wordes which we haue already mentioned as if he should say
neighbour and so witnes the faintnes and weakenes of faith which is the fountaine of all duties and benefites As contrariwise the stronger faith that one is endued with so much more dutifully and with readier minde he endeuoureth to deserue well of his neighbours All both doctrine and life worthy of Christ that all thinges may be declared most briefly manifestly and sufficiently consist of these two By faith and loue man is made as it were a meane betwene God his neighbours faith and loue Whereby man is made as it were a meane betwene God and his neighbours that he may receiue of God from aboue and may giue to his neighbours beneath be as it were a conduit pipe through which the fountaine of the diuine goodnes doth continually flow to his neighbours And such men are like vnto God which in Christ receiue of God whatsoeuer he hath and doe againe by their good deedes declare them selues as it were the gods of other and fullfill the prophecie of the Prophet Psalme 82 I haue sayde ye are gods and ye all are children of the most high We are children of the most high by faith whereby of nothinge we are made the heires of God And we are gods by loue which maketh vs beneficiall to our neighbour forasmuch as the nature of God is nothinge but bountifulnes and Paul here sayth the bountifulnes and loue of God toward men The meanes to be partaker of the bountifulnes and loue of God is to beleeue which he doth with incomparable plentie daily poure forth vpon euery one as we see We must onely endeuour that euery one doe nothing doubt that these thinges are spoken to him that the bountifulnes and loue of God to manward is reuealed and offered to euery one that by these wordes he may establish exercise and strengthen his faith being certain that they are most true and that God both vndoutedly is and alwayes will be bountifull and louing toward him If thou canst beleeue this it will assuredly so come vnto thee thou maist then with a full confidence pray and desire of him whatsoeuer thou wilt and complayne vnto him of whatsoeuer doth grieue thee or other But if thou want this faith it had bene better for thee neuer to haue heard any thing hereof for that by thy infidelity thou reprouest of falshood these wordes so precious and full of consolation and grace making so light account of them as not beleeuing that they be true Which surely is a great contempt and dishonour of God that scarce a more grieuous sinne can be committed of thee Contrariwise if thou be endued with this faith it can not be but that thy hart being thereby cheered should euen as it were laughe and leape for holy ioy in God being void of all care and trouble and be made aboue measure confident For how can any discouragement any whit of sorrowe remayne in that hart which douteth not that God is gracious and bountifull vnto it and beareth a singular affection of loue toward it that it is a delight and pleasure vnto him to doe it good and enioy it as a friende Surely the hart is necessarily delighted with this spirituall ioy and pleasure or vndoutedly it wanteth faith Paule in the Epistle to the Gal. calleth this to receiue the holy Ghost by the Gospell For the Gospell is so pleasant a preaching of the grace and goodnes of God that while it is preached and heard it bringeth the holy Ghost with it no otherwise then the beames of the sunne doe naturally bring heat with them How could the Apostle vse more pleasaunt and sweete words I dare say that I haue in the whole Scripture redde none more pleasaunt and so sweete words of the grace of God as these two Chrestotes Philanthropia that is bountifulnes and loue toward men How louing God is toward vs. in which the grace of God is so described as wherby he doth not onely forgiue our sinnes but doth also desire to be conuersaunt with vs and is ready to doe the part of a very friend toward vs voluntarily offering him selfe to helpe vs in al thinges also to bestowe more benefits vpon vs then we can desire or aske that we may presume of him no otherwise then of a most neare familiar friend of whom we may obtayne all thinges in whose eyes we are most deare and euen delightfull Thinke in thy minde of a most perfect friend which hath fulfilled all the partes of friendship toward thee thou shalt haue after a sort a forme although yet farre vnlike of the diuine goodnes and kindenes which is here attributed to our God by the name of bountifulnes and loue toward men But when thou hast a sounde faith in this bountifulnes and loue to manward and thereby doost liue in thy God so bountifull gracious and gentle to thee reioycest and art full of all good thinges being certayne of his continuall grace what shouldest thou doe any longer in earth what in this life He that is partaker of the bountifulnes and loue of God can not be idle Thou canst not in this case be idle as surely that loue of God and pleasure which thou enioyest in him will not suffer thee to be idle Thou shalt be enflamed with a marueilous study and desire to doe what things soeuer thou canst know will be an honour vnto thy God so louing and bountifull vnto thee and will turne to praise glory and thankes giuing vnto him Thou shalt haue no choise of works thou shalt passe for no precept thou shalt feele no compulsion of the law hauing a most ready will and pleasure to doe whatsoeuer thinges thou shalt know to be acceptable vnto God whether they be contemptible or noble small or great thou shalt count them alike But first of all it shall be thy desire that this blessed knowledge of God may be common also to the rest whereupon by and by thy loue will here shew it selfe and will assay all meanes to make this truth of saluation manifest vnto all it will publish and repete it wheresoeuer it shall be able reiecting and condemning whatsoeuer other either teach or say that agreeth not with this truth Satan the world can not abide falshood to be reproued the truth to be preached therfore they persecute them which preach the truth Whereby it will come to passe that Satan the worlde which heare nothing so vnwillingly as this truth can not abide that their things should be condemned wil rise against thee with all their might wil by by trouble thee all the great learned rich mightie of the world wil condemne thee of heresie and madnes and will leaue no meane vnattempted vntill if they be able they haue dispatcht thee of thy life Thus with Christ thy Lord thou shalt be persecuted suffer extreme ignominie thy body life goods name friendes and all things being brought into perill vntill they haue thrust
Angels should alwayes haue to do with vs there should not be so much fayth neither should it be so pleasaunt as when we are taught and guided by them that are partakers of our nature whom we do better know and with whom we do more familiarly associat our selues And so that there may be some by whom other also may be conuerted both by doctrine and good examples it is not meete that we should by and by after Baptisme be taken into heauen wherein notwithstanding we are already admitted citizens A practize of Satan Antichrist to delude mē with Purgatory Hereupon if one weye all things rightly it can not be douted that it is a practize and miracle of Satan and Antichrist that so much is spent for Purgatories sake such faith as this being put quite out of mens myndes For men are taught by their workes to saue themselues from Purgatorie or at the least to deliuer themselues out from thence as though saluation were not yet giuen vs and it were necessarie to come vnto it by other meanes then by faith alone which howe it disagreeth with the Scripture and a Christian life there is no man that doth not see but he that seeth nothing in the Scripture For thus the holy Scriptures do teach euerie where that who soeuer doth not receiue saluation by meere grace through fayth before all workes he shall neuer be partaker thereof And that who soeuer referre their good workes not to the profite of their neighbours but to their owne commoditie being more carefull of their owne saluation then of their neighbours haue no good workes at all All the workes of these are voide of fayth and infected with pernitious errour It had bin greatly to be wished that Purgatorie had neuer bin inuented and neuer mention made thereof in the pulpit for it hath bin cause of such hinderance to Christian veritie and syncere truth as can not be recouered For we see it now brought to passe by the meanes of Satan that almost al prayers are directed to onely Purgatorie with this vngodly and pestilent opinion whereby miserable men thinke that they shal be redeemed from thence and obtaine saluation by the workes of men Whereby the riches of Baptisme and fayth are had in no reputatiō and they at the last of Christians become Heathen O most pernitious abomination Christians should be taught as Christ and Paul teach them that after Baptisme and absolution from synnes they should so liue that they should be ready euery houre to receiue death with desire looking for the reuelation of saluation already receiued Now by the opinion of Purgatorie they are made secure and slothfull so that they differre the study of godlines euen to their death and thinke by contrition and confession they shall amend all things as though there were some synnes remaining for which they must go into Purgatorie they hope that by Masses for the departed and other bequests that they are persuaded to make in their testamēts or last willes they shal be redeemed out of purgatorie but these miserable men are in these things vtterly deceiued and shall at length trie them to be farre otherwise By the washing of the new birth He setteth forth the grace of God giuen to vs in Baptisme with wordes verie full of praise and commendation He calleth Baptisme a washing whereby not the feete and handes but the whole man is at once washed purified and saued so that to the summe and inheritaunce of saluation there is neede of nothing but onely fayth in this grace of God that it may remaine and be acknowledged the worke of grace alone that we are saued without all our workes and merits and so also there may remaine in vs pure loue praise giuing of thankes and glorie of the diuine mercie without all glorie and pleasing of our selues in our owne strength and endeuour as it hath bin already sayd often and at large Humane righteousnes is also a washing but not whereby the whole man is so washed but that Pharisaicall washing whereby onely the apparell and vessells which are outward are made cleane whereof it is spoken Matth. 23. Whereby it commeth to passe that men seeme vnto themselues pure but inwardly neuertheles they remaine ful of filthines Baptisme what maner of washing it is Therefore he called Baptisme not a corporall or outward washing but the washing of regeneration or new birth by which not those thinges that are outward are washed and onely the outward man made cleane but the whole nature of man is altered and changed into an other nature that is the carnall natiuitie is thereby destroyed with all the inheritaunce of synnes and perdition Saluation cōmeth not by workes Whereby he againe witnesseth that our saluation is giuen vs at once so that it is not to be gotten by workes For not one or two members are wont to be borne as the handes or feete but the whole man which can not worke this that he may be borne a man but is first borne that he may worke Likewise our workes do not purifie or saue vs but when as before we are pure iustified and saued we worke freely those things which may be profit to our neighbour and honour to God And this is the simple and pure knowledge of the diuine grace whereby a man learneth to know both God and himselfe to praise God alone to humble and cast downe himselfe to trust in God to despeire of himselfe This doctrine of saluation they maruelously hinder which vrge men with lawes precepts and workes and teach them to seeke thereby to be saued He that is truely baptized is become a new creature And the renewing That this washing and new birth may be more fully vnderstood he hath added the renewing that thou maiest vnderstand that he that is truly baptized is become a new man and a new creature endued with a new disposition which now is farre otherwise affected loueth liueth speaketh and doth farre otherwise thē he was wont or could before So the Apostle sayth Gal. 6 In Christ neither circumcision auaileth any thing nor vncircumcision that is no workes of the Lawe are of any value or importaunce but a new creature As if he should say Saluatiō can not be perfected by ioyning togither certaine good workes but the whole man must be at once renewed and his nature chaūged whereupon true good workes will follow of themselues not by peecemeale but togither with great plentie Of this new birth whereby the whole man is renewed Christ speaketh Ioh. 3 He that is not borne againe can not see the kingdome of God Here againe it manifestly appeareth that nothing is here done by our workes but that it behoueth that man how great soeuer he be must die and be chaunged into an other which is done in Baptisme if we beleeue The cōdemned shal be borne again but not renewed The condemned also shal be borne againe in the last day but they shal not
the Father hauing fulfilled his will in all thinges and thereby merited eternall life For seeing that he hath no neede of this merit he giueth it vnto vs which beleeue in him that before God all his thinges may be imputed to vs and by them we may receiue saluation See how rich a thing sound faith is and how great good things it bringeth with it See also how precious a thing the Gospell is and how great a treasure it is to haue it purely preached and contrariwise how great a discommoditie there is where it is not preached or not rightly preached the inuentions of men being mingled with it or thrust in stede of it Take heede therefore of such deceiuers and of their counterfet faith rest not in thy selfe but get thee vnder the winges of Christ keepe thy selfe vnder his protection trust that thou art heire of eternall life not by thy owne righteousnes or grace which thou hast receiued but whereby he is righteous and acceptable before God Hereunto pertaineth this saying Psal 91. He will couer thee vnder his winges and thou shalt be safe vnder his fethers And in the Songe of Salomon it is said My spouse is a doue building her neast in the caues of the rockes and in the holes of the wall that is in the woundes of Christ And this in deede is a true Christian faith which resteth not in it selfe as the Scholemen dreamed but reposeth it selfe wholy in Christ and as it trusteth in him so it resteth in him hauing receiued eternall saluation Whereas he saith that we are made heires of eternall life according to hope beside that he proueth that we without all our owne merits by onely hope of grace are borne againe heires of eternall life and do not become heires by working whereof we haue already spoken at large he also teacheth this that our saluation and eternall life is as yet hid although if we beleeue we do verely possesse it and this body being put of and the kingdome of Christ reuealed all thinges shall appeare manifestly The weapons of this text Our owne righteousnes and good workes are of no power to saue vs. This text fighteth most mightily and with most plaine words against all righteousnes and good workes of mans reason and free will For the wordes are plaine Not by the workes of righteousnes which we had done but according to his mercie he saued vs by the washing c. All which wordes do vtterly ouerthrow our righteousnes attributing all things to the washing of the newe birth and the renewing of the holy Ghost to Christ and his grace How can there notwithstanding any presumption as yet remaine in vs Wherefore let all sacred and prophane lawes haue a fayre shew let all sacrificing priests monkes and nunnes boast of themselues let all religious and honest men and women seeme goodly in outward appearaunce let them euen rayse the dead if faith in Christ be absent whereof we haue now spoken so much all these things are to no purpose These most false shewes do as yet deceiue the whole world and seduce almost euerie one They make the Gospell obscure and extinguish the faith of Christ All their workes and orders although they appeare goodly and they thinke them to haue merited neuer so much do auaile no more vnto saluation then the workes of beastes or of artificers whereby they do maintaine themselues and theirs yea they do most hurtfully hinder it Therefore that I may conclude take heede as much as thou art able of these wolues which vnder a faire pretence counterfet themselues sheepe and learne and accustome thy selfe with a sound faith to cleaue vnto Christ alone A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. FOrasmuch as there is often mention made in the new Testament of these wordes the kingdom of heauē the kingdom of God the kingdom of Christ and it is very profitable and expedient for a Christian to know these to wit that they are nothing els but remission of sinnes and grace preached and offered by the Gospell For in this kingdom thou shalt finde nothing but grace and goodnes pardon and forgiuenes of sinnes loue and gentlenes I therefore thinke it good to entreate somewhat at large of the state of this kingdom and of forgiuenes of sinnes The kingdom of God whereby he reigneth ouer all the faithfull and as a faithfull king defendeth punisheth rewardeth guideth and directeth them c. they againe from their hart trust in him suffer his fatherly chastisement and correction with a patient mind and alwayes serue him through obedience is not worldly or temporal but spiritual Neither consisteth it in meate and drinke The kingdō of God wherin it consisteth or in any outward thing but onely in iustification quieting and consolation of the hart and conscience of man Wherfore it is nothing els but forgiuenes and taking away of sinnes by which consciences are defiled troubled and disquieted A similitude For euen as a worldly and temporall kingdom is ordayned to this ende that men may liue quietly peaceably one with an other So the kingdom of God giueth these thinges spiritually and destroyeth the kingdom of sinne and is nothing else but an abolishing and pardoning of offences God reigneth in the hartes inasmuch as he worketh in them by his word peace quietnes and consolation euen as sinne worketh the contrary namely vnquietnes anguish and all kinde of euills Herein God sheweth his maiestie and grace in this life that he taketh away and pardoneth mens sinnes and this is the kingdome of grace Nowe when as sinne with his gard that is Satan death and hell shall trouble man no more then at the last the kingdom of glory and absolute felicitie shall be The kingdō of God is gouerned not by the law but by the Gospell Hereupon it followeth first that the kingdom of God is ruled or gouerned by no law no not by the law of God much lesse by the lawes of men but onely by the Gospell and faith in God by which harts are purified comforted and quieted whiles that the holy Ghost poureth loue and the knowledge of God into them maketh man as it were one thinge and one spirit with God so that his affection is set vpon the same thinge he willeth and desireth the same thinge he seeketh and loueth the same thinge that God doth Neither standeth the case otherwise here then it doth betweene two frendes which beare good wil one to an other and agree one with an other in all thinges Hereof it commeth that a man in this kingdome of God is perfect mercifull pitifull and bountifull toward his neighbour seeing that he knoweth by the instinct of the holy Ghost that God is of the same affection toward him and toward all men and doth poure forth his goodnes plentifully Such affection of God no man can know by the lawe but onely by the spirit and word of the Gospell None therefore shal obtaine
quietnes comfort and peace of the hart or attaine vnto the kingdom of God by any law And they which prescribe many lawes doe withdraw men from the kingdom of God to the kingdom of sinne wherein is nothing els but vnquietnes anguish affliction aduersitie and all kind of euills tormenting the conscience Like as on the contrary in the kingdom and knowledge of God there is meere ioy peace and consolation of harts How Christ reigneth in the kingdō of God Secondly In this kingdom of God the Lord Christ reigneth no otherwise then as a Maister of an Hospitall among the sicke poore and diseased For vnto this kingdome none pertaine but sinnefull and miserable men vnto whome their sinnes are forgiuen Hereupon Christ sayth in the Gospell Luke 6 VVo be to you that are riche which haue receiued your consolation But contrariwise the poore miserable and succourles receiue comfort and ioy by the Gospel for Christ came to call sinners onely and not the righteous that all glory may be referred to God alone Christ putteth away sinne after two sortes for that he forgiueth sinnes of his grace and meere mercy Such abolishing or putting away of sinne wherein Christ reigneth as King of the kingdome of God is done of him after two sortes first thus in that he remitteth pardoneth and couereth sinnes so that God will not regard remember or reuenge them although they be in a man As it is in the 32 Psalme Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord wil not impute sinne in whose spirit there is no guile And in Esay cap. 43 God sayth I am euen I am he that for myne owne selfs sake do away thine offences and forget thy sinnes so that I vvill neuer thinke vpon them Secondely thus in that he purgeth or rather scoureth sinnes by diuers crosses and afflictions For they are two things to remit sinnes and to weaken the body of sinne that it may not reigne in vs. If a man beleeue and is baptized then all his sinnes are forgiuen him But afterwarde sinne must be scoured or abated by manifold affliction and mortification as long as he shall liue Sinne sticketh in vs as long as the mortal body remaineth but for Christes sake it is not imputed in the wrath of God but freely remitted True Christians reioyce in affliction and the force thereof diminished by his fatherly chastisement In such chastisement for their amendement true Christians haue had great comfort peace and ioye as Paule sayth Rom. 5 Then being iustified by faith vve haue peace toward God through our Lord Iesus Christ by vvhō also through faith vve haue had this accesse into this grace wherin we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God Neither that onely but also vve reioyce in tribulations knovving that tribulation bringeth forth patience and patience experience experience hope And hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shed abroad in our harts by the holy Ghost vvhich is giuen vnto vs. So thou hast two thinges to be considered The first that in this kingdom of God we are iustified The seconde that by tribulation and affliction we are glorified without which we can not attaine vnto glory Thirdly good Christians are not knowen by this when any suffer manifold tribulation chastisement that the body of sinne may be weakened and they brought to amendement For herein they doe altogither differ amonge them selues one suffereth this an other that one is chastised thus an other otherwise so that euen they very Apostles did not loue and suffer alike But they are knowen in forgiuenes of sinnes or iustification by faith wherein God turneth his anger from them receiueth them vnto grace and counteth them for his deare children and imputeth no sinne to them vnto condemnation Herein are all alike euen as all liue vnder one heauen Wherefore they doe most grossely erre stumble which measure Christians by maners workes and the outwarde maner of liuing euen as the Pharisees were wont to doe and did therefore finde fault with Christ for that he did not obserue their ceremonies but was a frend of Publicanes and sinners As that Pharise sayd within him selfe Luke 7 If this man were a Prophet he would surely haue knowne who and vvhat maner of vvoman this is vvhich toucheth him for she is a sinner A similitude Heare nowe an example of those thinges which are before sayd A Phisitian which goeth about to cure the sicke doth first promise him health by the assistance and helpe of God whereby he putteth him in great hope and comfort Afterward he beginneth to purge to clense and strengthen and such like thinges which make to the recouering of health So God also when he hath remitted sinnes and receiued man into the bosom of grace doth lay on him all kind of afflictions and doth scoure him and renue him from day to day in the knowledge and loue of God vntil he become safe pure and renued which then at the last commeth to passe when this mortall body dyeth Fourthly in these two partitions of the kingdom of God two sortes of men are founde Two sortes of men abuse the kingdom of grace which abuse the same kingdome of the grace of God and the Gospell Some become sluggish and slothfull saying Well if sinnes be pardoned freely of meere grace and be washed away in baptisme there is no neede that I should adde any thinge of mine owne Other thinke contrariwise that they shal put away their sinnes by works and so trusting to their owne merits they are proud and arrogant and in respect of them selues contemne other which doe not so The first of these contemne Gods grace the other oppugne it as not sufficient and so they represent swine and dogges Now all this appeareth by the Gospell by which Christ reigneth in the kingdom of God For some abuse it vnto carnall libertie other contrariwise are perswaded that it is not sufficient to saluation but that their workes also doe helpe somewhat and by this they deny and contemne the grace of God Hereof thou mayst read more in the Epistle to the Romanes wherein these two sortes of men are plainly set forth Fiftly this kingdom of God or remission of sinnes hath no bounde or measure Matth. 18.21.22 as that place of the Gospell doth very well shew where Peter asketh the Lord Lord how oft shal my brother sinne against me and I shall forgiue him vnto seuen times Iesus sayd vnto him I say not to thee vnto seuen times but vnto seuenty times seuen times that is as often as shall be needefull After this followeth a parable We must forgiue our neighbour if we will haue God to forgiue vs. which the Lorde there putteth forth wherein he most seuerely admonisheth vs if we will not fal out of the fauour of God that we forgiue our neighbour his offences without all
holde no water An other for that thou darest say I am without sinne and giltles tush his wrath can not come vpon me behold I will reason with thee because thou darest say I haue not offended First he sayth that his spouse is turned into an harlot and hath estraunged her selfe from God the fountaine of life from whom life saluation euery good thing floweth him they haue forsaken Secondly they set vp their owne traditions and digge vnto them selues a fountaine of their owne which can holde no water So our Papistes trust to their owne inuentions to their founding of Masses to their fastinges prayers and such like things Which appeare to be as a fountaine out of which they would draw life and blessednes or saluation when as notwithstanding it is able to hold no water they forsake God the fountaine of life Afterward he sayth they dare rise against me that I should not be angrie with them alleging that their workes be iust and they will goe to law with me Beholde this is an other sinne that they goe about to defende their workes Whereupon God also sayth I wil cōtend with thee in iudgment wil shew how thou gaddest hither and thither to change thy wayes So faith pertaineth to God alone Faith obtaineth all good thinges of God whereunto it belongeth to obtaine all whatsoeuer thinges are necessary as well temporall thinges as eternall and so to obtaine them that it thinke not that it hath merited in any thing Also it must againe apply it self downward toward our neighbour with out looking for any recompense not that blessednes consisteth in that deriuing of faith to wit charity for neither doth God require that who will haue the conscience to rest onely in him euen as the spouse must cleaue onely to her husbande and to no other so also God requireth of vs that we trust in him alone These things Christ declareth when he saith Be ye mercifull as your father is mercifull Wherefore I must so order my conscience toward God that I vndoutedly beleeue that I haue him a bountifull and mercifull father as I will afterward declare and that I also do shew mercy toward my neighbour Which faith must be inward and caried vpward vnto God but workes must be without and deriued downward to our neighbour After this sort Abraham did when at the mountaine in the countrie of Moria he ascended to God he left his seruaunts and asses below at the bottome of the mountaine taking onely Isaac with him The same must be done of vs if we will ascend vnto God that we may come to him with Isaac onely that is with faith seruaunts and asses that is workes are to be left below Thus much for the entraunce of this text concerning faith and workes to wit that faith must pearce inward and vpward but workes must go without and downeward whereby at the length it commeth to passe that we are righteous before God and men for that we giue due honour vnto God and beleeue according to his word and satisfie our neighbour in the dutie of loue Nowe let vs see the very wordes of the text in order Be ye mercifull as your Father is mercifull How our heauenly Father is mercifull toward vs. How therefore is our heauenly father mercifull after that sort that he giueth vs all good thinges corporall and spiritual transitorie and eternall freely and of his mercy For if he should giue vnto vs according to our desert he should giue vnto vs nothing but hell fire and eternall damnation What soeuer therefore good thinges he bestoweth vpon vs he bestoweth them of his meere mercy He seeth vs sticke fast in death therefore he hath mercy vpon vs and giueth vs life he seeth vs to be the children of hell therefore he taking pitie vpon vs giueth vnto vs heauen He seeth vs to be miserable and naked hungerie and thirsty it pitying him hereof he clotheth vs and refresheth vs with meat drinke maketh vs full of all good things So what soeuer we haue either in body or in spirit he giueth it vs of his meere mercy without any merit or desert of ours Whereupon Christ here saith Imitate your father be ye mercifull like vnto him This is not simple mercy What kinde of mercy reason teacheth vs to vse such as reason teacheth for that is greedy of her owne commoditie which giueth onely to great and learned men and to them that deserue it it loueth them that be fayre and beautifull it giueth vnto them of whom it looketh for profit and commoditie againe which is a mercy diuided begging and as it were torne and broken in peeces For if I shall giue to him that hath deserued or if I shall regard fayrenes or friendship it is a bargaine or det and not mercy Hereof Christ speaketh in the same chapter before this text in this wise Luke 6. If ye loue them which loue you what thanke shall ye haue and if ye do good for them which do good for you what thanke shall ye haue for euen the synners do the same and if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receiue what thanke shall ye haue for euen the synners lend to synners to receiue the like But the mercy of Christians must not seeke her owne but so behaue it selfe that it be indifferent that it regard all alike with open eyes both freinds and foes euen as our heauenly father doth Where true mercy is not neither is there any true faith And where soeuer this mercy is not neither is there faith also For thy heart being setled in faith so that thou knowest God to haue shewed himselfe thy God so gentle and bountifull without thy desert and of mere grace when thou wast as yet his enemie and the childe of euerlasting malediction thy heart I say being setled in this faith thou canst not containe thy selfe but that thou shew thy selfe againe so to thy neighbour that wholy for the loue of God and for thy neighbours commodities sake Take heede therefore what difference thou make betweene a friend and an enemie betweene the worthy and vnworthy for ye see all which are in this text rehearsed to haue otherwise deserued of vs then that we should loue them or do well vnto them And the same thing the Lord meaneth when he sayeth Luke 6 But loue your enemies do well vnto them lend looking for nothing againe and your reward shal be great and ye shal be the children of the most High for he is kinde vnto the vnkinde and to the euell An obiectiō But how commeth it to passe that a certain contrarie thing to that which we haue taught seemeth to appeare in this text where he saith Be ye merciful as your heauēly Father is merciful againe Iudge not and ye shal not be iudged condemne not ye shall not be condemned forgiue and it shal be forgiuen you All which authorities sound so that
guide other whē thou thy selfe art blinder thē a moule so that he which foloweth thee doth fall with thee into the ditch Of such as iudge themselues to excell others thinke themselues to be followed more thē the word of God S. Paul speaketh Rom. 2 Behold saith he thou art called a Iew restest in the law gloriest in God knowest his will and triest the thinges that dissent from it in that thou art instructed by the law perswadest thy selfe that thou art a guide of the blinde a light of them which are in darknes an instructer of them which lacke discretiō a teacher of the vnlearned which hast the forme of knowledge of the truth in the law Thou therefore which teachest an other teachest thou not thy selfe thou that preachest A mā should not steale doest thou steale thou that sayest A man should not cōmit adulterie doest thou cōmit adulterie thou that abhorrest idols cōmittest thou sacrilege thou that gloriest in the law through breaking the law dishonourest thou God Whereupō he also sayth in the beginning of the same chapter to hypocrites Therefore thou art inexcusable O man who soeuer thou art that cōdemnest for in that that thou condemnest an other thou condemnest thy selfe for thou that condemnest doest the same thinges But we know that the iudgement of God is according to truth against them which commit such things And thinkest thou this O thou man that cōdemnest thē which do such things doest the same that thou shalt escape the iudgement of God Loe this is to speake the truth to hypocrites who go about to shew the way to other which they themselues know not leading so other mē into the ditch with thē Therfore the Lord saith The disciple is not aboue his maister but who soeuer wil be a perfect disciple shal be as his maister This is a common prouerbe I can learne no more of my maister then he knoweth himselfe Wherefore doth the Lord speake this prouerbe because of two sortes of maisters the one is blynde whom if I shall follow I also my selfe shall become blynde he himselfe falleth into the ditch and I follow The other maister is the mercifull father of whom we must learne mercy whom if we follow we also do become mercifull like as he is if we were mercifull daily we should also become perfect as he is perfect but that commeth not to passe as long as we are in this life The second part of mercy is The second part of mercy to forgiue that we forgiue them which haue endamaged vs or hurt vs by any meanes A Christian can neuer be so hurt but he ought to forgiue not onely seuen times but seuenty times seuen times as the Lord sayd vnto Peter Matth. 18. Wherefore God forgiueth a Christian his synne or infirmitie that he also may forgiue other their infirmitie which Christ setteth forth els where in a most goodly parable which he cōcludeth in these wordes Matth. 18.35 So likewise shall mine heauenly Father do vnto you except ye forgiue from your hearts ech one to his brother their trespasses And so we praye daily in the Lords prayer with an addition saying forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Is this a hard matter if I a wretched synner do forgiue my neighbour his trespasses and his infirmitie whereas the Lord will forgiue me my synnes and my infirmities If one had killed my father what were this being compared to my synne wherewith I haue offended God and prouoked him to anger The third part of mercy is The third part of mercy to giue to the poore needy that we giue to them that be in miserie and neede and that we helpe them Whereof Iohn speaketh thus 1. Iohn 3 VVhosoeuer hath this worldes good and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him For where the loue of God is it is moued to shew it selfe euē in outward works Hereunto also pertaineth the saying of Christ Matth. 5 Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy Wherefore the Lord addeth a promise in the Gospell saying Giue and it shal be giuen vnto you a good measure pressed downe shaken togither running ouer shall men giue into your bosome And continuing on his speech he sayth For with what measure ye meat with the same shall men meat to you againe Thus much shall suffice concerning the partes of mercy which we ought to shew to our neighbours Matth. 7.12 Vnto which the speciall wordes of Christ ought to exhort vs who when in the Gospell of Matthew he had spoken much of a Christian life and of loue to be shewed to our brethren thus concludeth saying VVhat soeuer ye would that men should do to you euen so do ye to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Now euerie one is so affected that being cast downe and in distres he would wish all the world to helpe him If I be a miserable sinner drowned in sinnes bearing a burdened and troubled conscience I would that the whole world should comfort me should helpe and succour me should couer my sinne and shame So I also ought to behaue my selfe toward my neighbour not to iudge him not to condemne him but to forgiue him his offences to helpe him to prouide for him to lend vnto him giue him euen as I would wish to be done vnto my selfe if I were driuen into distres necessitie exile or pouerty And herein truly Christians are knowne if they loue one an other if one do such workes of mercy vnto an other as Christ sayd vnto his disciples at his last Supper I giue you a new commaundement that ye loue one an other as I haue loued you By this shal all men know that ye are my disciples if ye haue loue one to an other Thus ye haue the meaning of this text it remaineth that we call vpon God for grace A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE SVMME OF CHRISTIAN LIFE 1. Tim. 1. Verse 5. THE ende of the commaundement is loue out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith vnfeined 6. From the which thinges some haue erred and haue turned vnto vaine iangling 7. They would be doctours of the Lawe and yet vnderstand not what they speake neither whereof they affirme IT is well knowne vnto you dearely beloued brethren Gods worde must be heard and learned with how great seueritie God hath commaunded his worde to be heard and learned For he most highly esteemeth it and hath bestowed much labour in defending it and publishing it to the world He hath suffred all the Prophets to come into perils and daungers at the last also he sent his owne sonne because of his worde whom he suffered to die euen the death of the crosse And what persecutions haue not the Apostles themselues abode for the wordes sake what afflictions haue
Gospell promiseth that Christ is giuen to vs that he may take away our sinnes and be our high Priest Mediatour and Aduocate before God that so we may nothing dout but that our sinnes through Christ onely and his workes are forgiuen vs and that we are reconciled to God and that by this meanes our conscience is deliuered and comforted The beleeuing hart reioyceth in the Lord. When such a faith possesseth the hart and the Gospell is so receiued in deede then God appeareth sweete altogither louing neither feeleth the hart any thing but the fauour grace of God it standeth with a stronge and bold confidence it feareth not lest any euill come vnto it it being quiet from all feare of vengeance and displeasure is merie and glad of so incomparable grace and goodnes of God giuen vnto it freely and most aboundantly in Christ Wherefore there must needes forthwith proceede from such a faith loue ioy peace gladnes giuing of thankes prayse a certaine meruelous delight in God as in a most deare and fauorable father which dealeth so fatherly with vs and poureth forth his giftes so plentifully and in so great a measure vpon them that doe not deserue them Behold of such ioy Paule speaketh here which truely where it is there can be no place for sinne or feare of death or hell yea nothing is there but a ioyfull quiet and omnipotent trust in God and in his fauour Wherefore it is called ioy in the Lord not in gold or siluer gluttonie or drunkennes in delicates or singing health knowledge wisedom power glory friendship fauour no nor in good workes holines or whatsoeuer is without God Of these thou shalt take but a deceitfull and vaine ioy Vaine ioy which can not pearse the hart or enter vnto the bottom thereof whereof thou mayst rightly say that which is wont to be spoken as a prouerbe amonge the Germanes This man reioyceth but he feeleth not any ioy in his hart There is one ful perfect ioy which the beleeuers take of and in the Lord which is nothing els then to commit them selues vnto him and of him alone to reioyce trust and presume as of a most fauourable and louing father Whatsoeuer ioy is not after this sort the Lord doth contemne and reiect it whereof Ieremie speaketh chap. 9 Let not the wise man reioyce in his wisedom nor the stronge man in his strength neither the rich man in his riches but whoso will reioyce let him reioyce in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me And Paule 2. Cor. 10. sayth Let him that reioyceth reioyce in the Lord. He addeth that we must reioyce alwayes We must alwayes reioyce in the Lord. where he toucheth them which onely halfe the time doe reioyce in the Lorde and praise him that is when all thinges fall out according to their desire but when aduersitie commeth they chaunge ioy with sadnes and sorow of whom the 48 Psalme speaketh So longe as thou doost well vnto him he will speake good of thee But the Prophet him selfe sayth not so I will alway blesse God his prayse shal euer be in my mouth Psal 34 And he hath a iust cause so to doe for who shall hurt him vnto whom God is mercifull surely sinne shall not hurt him neither death nor hel wherfore the Prophet sayth in an other place Yea though I walke through the valley of the shadow of death I will feare no euill Psal 23. And Paule sayth Rom. 8 VVho shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shal tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or peril or sword I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor things to come nor heigth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Againe I say reioyce This repetition of the Apostle confirmeth his exhortation and truely not without a cause forasmuch as we liue in the middes of sinnes and therefore in the middes of tribulations both which do moue vs vnto sadnes heauines Wherefore the Apostle purposing to comfort vs against these exhorteth vs that we should alwayes reioyce in the Lord Though the faithfull sometime fal into sinne yet they must not therefore ceasse to reioyce in the Lord. albeit we sometime fall into sinnes For it is meete the more God with his goodnes exceedeth the euill of sinne so much more alwayes to reioyce in him when we are sorowfull because of our sinnes which albeit by nature they bring sadnes and sorow with them yet forasmuch as they can not bringe so much hurt as Christ if we beleeue in him bringeth profit and safetie ioy in the Lord ought alwayes to haue the first place with vs and farre to ouercome the sorow and sadnes that commeth by reason of our sinnes For we must alwayes thinke on that which Iohn writeth If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the reconciliation for our sinnes 1. Ioh. 2. Let your patient minde be knowne vnto all men He hath already taught howe men ought to behaue them selues toward God namely that they must serue him with a cheerfull hart and continuall ioy now he declareth in few wordes how the beleeuers ought to behaue them selues toward men saying Let your patient mind be knowne vnto all men Which wordes are thus much in effect Be ioyful toward God alwaies reioycing in of him What it is to let our patient mind be knowne vnto all men but toward men be of a patiēt mind pliant applying your selues to all so behauing your selues that ye be ready to do and suffer all things to yeeld in euery thing as much as may be by any meanes without transgressing the commaundement of God whereby ye may approue your selues to all men and please all in that which is good not onely hurting none but also taking in good worth all things of al men interpreting aright the sayings of al men accepting them in the better part that mē may plainly see you to be them vnto whom all things are alike which take in good part whatsoeuer betideth you which stick in nothing which would not disagree with any man for any cause which be rich with the rich poore with the poore reioycing with them that reioyce weeping with them that weepe to be briefe which be made all things to all men that all men must needes acknowledge that ye are grieuous to none but agreeable of a patient mind pliant and obedient toward all in all thinges The Greeke worde epieices which the Apostle here vseth meaneth the same which signifieth in our tongue a patient and pliant mind whereby one doth so apply and shew him selfe indifferent to others that he is the same to one that he is to an other applying him selfe indifferently to the will of all not
which being neglected we ought to haue cleaued onely to Christ Hereupon S. Paule sayth that the Gospell was promised of God by the Prophetes concerning his sonne He reduceth and bringeth it into such a streight that in the Gospell nothing is of any importaunce which concerneth not Iesus Christ He that knoweth this let him giue thankes to God that he knoweth where he may seeke for consolation and helpe and in whom he may repose his trust Christ in this dayes Gospell is set forth vnto vs that he is conuersaunt in the myddest of the people and draweth all the world vnto himselfe with his gentlenes and sweete doctrine that they maye cleaue vnto him in their heart that they maye commit themselues to his goodnes and hope that they shall obtaine of him both spirituall and corporall good thinges Neither dothe he receiue any thinge of them vpon whom he bestoweth benefites nay he obtaineth nothing of them but ignominie and scorning as is declared in this text A benefite proceedeth from him for which he receiueth a mocke and reproch Why the Gospell is preached Nowe the Gospell is preached and offered to the whole world that we may learne to know this man well and how we must be made Christians and not how we must be made good Other treatises besyde the Gospell teach of those thinges whereby men may be made good as the writinges of the Philosophers and the rules of the ciuill lawe The liues also of the Saincts haue especiall respecte vnto this that men may imitate them It belongeth not to the Gospell to make good men but to make Christian men For it is farre more excellent to be a Christian then an honest and good man A Christian can say nothing of his owne goodnes or righteousnes for he fyndeth in himselfe nothinge either good or righteous but he must flie to the righteousnes which is an others and which commeth vnto him from an other Hereupon Christ is sette forth vnto vs as a continuall fountaine which alwayes ouerfloweth with meere goodnes and grace for which he receiueth nothinge of vs but that the godly do acknowledge so great goodnes and grace doe giue him thankes for the same doe prayse and loue him others in the meane season mocking him such a reward he receiueth of them A Christian whereof so called Wherefore one is not therefore called a Christian for that he worketh much for there is an other thinge which is cause hereof namely for that he receiueth and draweth from Christ If one receiueth nothing any more of Christ neither is he any more a Christian so that the name of a Christian commeth onely by receiuing and not by giuing or doing If thou thinke that because of thy workes and deedes thou art a Christian thou hast euen then lost the name of Christ Good workes in deede are to be done counsell thereunto is to be giuen and receiued but no man is therefore called a Christian neither is any therefore a Christian Wherefore if any will more inwardly weye this name in this respect onely a Christian is to be acknowledged inasmuch as he receiueth of Christ alone Euen as one is called white of the whitenes that is in him blacke of the blacknes great of his stature so a Christian is called of Christ whom he hath in himselfe and of whom he receiueth that which is good Now if one be named a Christian of Christ he taketh not that name of his owne workes whereupon it plainly also foloweth that no man is made a Christian by workes Which if it be true as it is true and certaine it shall folow that Orders and Sects doe nothinge pertaine to the name of Christ neither doe make a Christian Wherefore they which preach or teach in the Church and ordaine preceptes workes and decrees are deceiuers who albeit they pretend a Christian name yet profite they nothinge for vnder the colour of that name they endeuour to burden and oppres vs with commaundements and workes Of workes giuing thy selfe to fasting and prayers thou mayest be called abstinent and temperat but by no meanes a Christian For although thou didest laye all thy workes togither yea and ioynedst the works of all other to thine yet neither so hast thou Christ neither art thou therefore called a Christian Christ is a certaine other more excellent thinge then either the lawe or mans tradition He is the sonne of God who is ready to giue onely not to receiue when as I am such a one that I do receiue of him I haue him also whom if I haue I am by good right called a Christian Moreouer the Gospel preacheth Christ also to be the greatest and most highly exalted person in the world not that he doth terrifie men but that he poureth forth all earthly and heauenly good thinges so that all men must trust in him must haue their hope reposed in him and alwayes receiue onely of him If any synne terrifie me in my conscience and the preachers of the lawe endeuour to helpe me with their workes they shall preuaile nothinge with me For then Christ alone can helpe and none besyde him yea others make the case worse whether it be Peter or Paule or the blessed virgine Marie her selfe the mother of God For Christ onely perfourmeth all thinges who in his word declareth that if I beleeue my synne is forgiuen me freely without all both worke and merit by pure grace through fayth in Christ Which word when I shall receiue I receiue also comfort that my synnes be forgiuen me as well before God as before men and I therefore giue thankes to God through Christ which giueth the holy Ghost and his grace vnto me that sinne may not hurt me neither here nor in the last iudgement If I feare death and would not die willingly in this Christ I shall finde comfort and remedie that I shall not greatly passe for death If because of the wrath of God I be afraid he is my Mediator And to be briefe he that hath not this Christ the wrath of God alwaies remaineth ouer him and in that state he standeth Wherefore he that desireth to haue a glad conscience A glad conscience how it is obtained which is not afraid of sinne death hell and the wrath of God must take heede that he repose his trust in this Mediator Christ For he is a fountaine abounding with grace which giueth both temporall and eternall life Endeuour thou to thinke and feele him euen in thy hart to be such a one then shalt thou obtaine all thinges for he aboundeth and ouerfloweth neither can he but giue flowe and abound if that thou canst beleeue Then also shalt thou be a right Christian howbeit by receiuing onely of Christ and not by giuing It is a verie rich and precious word which Paule prayseth so greatly neither can he euer prayse it sufficiently whereby God so gently offereth his sonne that he maye poure forthe his grace vpon all which doe
not refuse to receiue it Hereupon it moreouer foloweth If soe be that a Christian doeth good workes whereby he sheweth loue to his neighbour he is not therefore made a Christian or righteous but he must needes be a Christian and righteous before He doeth good workes in deede but they doe not make him a Christian The tree bringeth forth and giueth fruite and not the fruite the tree Soe none is made a Christian by workes but by Christ Hereof now ye may vnderstand what kynde of people Christians be namely that they be a company which cleaue vnto Christ Christians what they are and are of one spirit and gifte with him Hereupon it is that all Christians are alike neither hath one more of Christ then an other S. Peter is not better then the Theefe on the crosse Marie the mother of God doth not excell Marie Magdalen the synnefull woman There is in deede a difference in outward thinges and doinges so the worke of the holy virgin Marie was greater then the worke of Marie Magdalen Peter had a greater worke then the Theefe if thou consider the works but we are not therefore Christians The holy virgine Marie is not a Christian because of her great worke for that she did beare Christ so vnspeakeable a treasure in her wombe as Christ himselfe said to the woman which cried vnto him from among the people Luke 11 Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the pappes which thou hast sucked yea rather sayth he blessed are they that heare the worde of God and keepe it In which place thou seest that he preferreth the faithfull euen aboue his mother For Christians do therefore beare their name because they beleeue in Christ A virgine and a mother are two notable names howbeit they are nothinge being compared to the true name of the faithfull Wherefore we are all alike in Christ through faith albeit S. Peter haue a stronger faith then I yet myne is as well fayth in Christ as his For the same Christ is offered of God the father vnto all companies and people whom he that hath obtained hath him whole whether he be strong or weake for that skilleth not The woman mentioned in our text which was troubled so many yeares with her disease dothe receiue and apprehend Christ as well as the virgine Marie his mother Wherefore there is one Christian spirite one excelleth with an other in the noblenes of byrth S. Peter is enforced to call me his brother and I againe deare be bolde to call him my brother Yea Christ himselfe is touched with care of vs and counteth vs for his brethren as he saide after his resurrection to Marie Magdalen Ioh. 20 I ascende vnto my Father and to your Father and to my God and your God And S. Paule calleth Christ the first borne among many brethren Whereof also he writeth excellently in the first Epistle to the Corinthians where entreating of false brethren he speaketh thus 1. Cor. 8.9 Take heede lest by any meanes this power of yours be an occasion of falling to them that are weake For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sitte at table in the idols temple shall not the conscience of him which is weake be boldened to eate those thinges which are sacrificed to idols and so through thy knowledge shall the weake brother perish for whom Christ died Now when ye sinne so against your brethren and wounde their weake conscience ye sinne against Christ Here thou seest if a Christian be offended or euell be done vnto him the same is done vnto Christ This therefore is the summe of the whole Gospell The summe of the Gospell that we maye learne so to knowe Christ that the name onely doe not remayn◠but that we maye knowe that all that we haue we haue it from him If we be Christians we haue all thinges then God is our father and we are Lordes of all both heauenly and earthly thinges which is gotten of vs by no worke be it neuer soe great Thou seest nowe how farre they be from the name of Christ which be vnder the kingdom of the Pope They that will preach the Gospell must preach nothing els besyde the onely person which is Christ not Marie so farre must they be from preaching the Pope or any worke albeit precious they must preach offer Christ onely vnto vs none besyde him When now he is preached vnto thee as a iudge as he shall come in the last day and how that good workes are to be done of thee for which thou mayst be rewarded of him thou shalt so receiue it surely without all dout he shal be vnto thee a iudge and not a sauiour And if he be so set forth vnto thee as he was wont to be painted that his mother sheweth him her pappes that is properly to preach Satan and not Christ who giueth onely and receiueth not This is certaine when thou shalt haue receiued of him thē good workes do flow forth of their owne accord being not compelled as is set forth in this dayes Gospell wherein moreouer is declared that Christ preacheth the Gospell to the people now it is not a common worke to preach For it is a great benefit vnto vs that he is become our maister and instructer that he teacheth vs by what meanes we may come to the knowledge of him this is a parte of his great goodnes and grace For as long as he was here in the earth he cessed not to teach that we might altogether receiue him for the Messias and Sauiour and by his workes also did helpe and relieue euerie one when the case so required The exceeding gentlenes and boūtifulnes of Christ Thou fyndest no man in the Gospell to whom helpe was denied or which at any time asked any thinge of the Lord which was not giuen him For how many soeuer went vnto him that were blynde deafe lame sicke of the palsey had the dropsie he receiued all and helped them all according to their desire and healed them of all kindes of diseases Luke 6.19 as Luke sayth All the whole multitude sought to touch him for there went vertue out of him and healed them all So doeth he also to this woman The woman heareth him preaching and perceiueth him to be a bountifull and gracious man which sheweth himselfe gentle to the whole world whereupon she hath an affection both to loue him and to cleaue vnto him For she maketh accompt forasmuch as he putteth awaye none from him that he would not denie her his goodnes wherefore leauing all the Apostles she casteth both her hearte and confidence vpon Christ alone and thinketh thus with her selfe If I may touch but the hemme of his garment I shal be whole She thought no other thinge in her heart but certainly he will helpe me if so be that I shall touch his garment with myne hand yet hath she not so good a corage that she dare come before his face