vs expressely that the Sonne of God gaue himselfe And hee contenteth not himselfe too say that Christ gaue himselfe for the worlde in common for that had bin but a slender saying but sheweth that euerie of vs must applie too himselfe particularly the vertue of the death and passion of oure Lorde Iesus Christ VVhereas it is sayde that the Sonne of God was crucified we must not onely thinke that the same was done for the Redemption of the worlde but also euerie of vs must on his owne behalfe ioyne himselfe too our Lorde Iesus Christ and conclude It is for me that hee hath suffered Likewise when wee bee baptized as it is not for any one man alone so is not the water sprinckled vppon all men in common but euerie man is baptized seuerally in his owne behalfe too the ende that euerie of vs may applie it particularly too himselfe too saye that wee bee all members of our Lorde Iesus Christ Also when wee receyue the holy Supper euery man taketh his owne portion too shewe vs that oure Lorde Iesus Christ is communicated vntoo vs yea euen to euerie one of vs. S. Paule therefore dooth purposely vse that maner of speech too the ende wee shoulde not haue any colde imagination after the maner of diuerse ignorant persons which take themselues too bee Christians and yet in the meane while are as wretched beastes But when we once knowe that the thing which was done for the redemption of the whole worlde perteyneth to euery of vs seuerally it behoueth euery of vs to say also on his owne behalfe The sonne of God hath loued me so deerly that he hath giuen himself to death for me Furthermore the worde Loue is not superfluous here for Saint Paules intent is too magnifie the gracious goodnesse of our Lorde Iesus Christ as if he shoulde say that we be verie wretches if we accept not such a benefite when it is offered vs seeing that God in sending vs his sonne had none other respect but to our miseries which hee intended too relieue Also our Lord Iesus Christ did so neglect himselfe that he spared not his life for our welfare And what was the cause of it The loue that he bare vs. Seeing it is so must wee not needes be worse than out of our wittes if we accept not such a benefite But it is a verie common doctrine in the holy Scripture that God so loued the worlde that hee spared not his onely sonne but gaue him too death for vs and also that our Lorde Iesus Christ at such time as wee were his deadly enimies as sayth Saint Paule did confirme a maruellous loue towardes vs in that he offered himself in sacrifice to make attonement betweene God and vs and too doo away all our sinnes so as they might no more come to account Lo heere a warrant of our saluation so as wee ought to thinke our selues throughly assured of it Howbeit S. Paule ment purposely here too rebuke mens vnthankefulnesse in that they accept not the benefite which God graunteth them so bountifully yea and of hys owne free goodnesse For it behoueth vs too call to minde howe Saint Iohn in his Canonicall Epistle sayeth that we loued not God first as if shoulde saye wee did not preuent him as those thinke they doo which say I haue done him suche seruice and such For alas what is it that wee can do too him but that he loued vs yea euen at such time as we were his deadly enimies and came euen then to seeke vs out in the verie deepest of the bottomlesse Dungeons And therevppon Saint Paule addeth that hee dooth not dispize or shake off the grace of God This is the knitting vppe of the things that wee haue hythertoo seene For heere he ment too shewe that the Diuell must needes possesse those that make none accounte of Gods mercie that is vttered in our Lorde Iesus Christ and dayly offered vs in his Gospell For looke howe oft the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ is preached vntoo vs and the infinite goodnesse of our God talked of so oft is this message renued vntoo vs that our Lorde Iesus Christ calleth vs vntoo hym to the ende we should forsake the worlde and being out of all hope in our selues fasten and settle our whole trust in him Sith it is so it is good reason that we should not reiect the grace of God And S. Paule in saying so ment to call backe suche as had gone astray before and too shewe them the way as if he had sayde whereas the poore ignorant soules that neuer heard worde of the Gospel might be excuzed we must needes be worse than damnable seeing we refuze the grace of God when it is offered vs for it smelleth of such an vnthankefulnesse as can by no meanes be excused Saint Paule therefore dooth heere make mention of those whome our Lorde Iesus Christ calleth too the hope of saluation by his Gospell and yet doo still welter in their owne wretchednesse and become brutishe not knowing whither there bee a better lyfe or no◠or else of suche as are sufficiently tormented wyth inwarde heartbyting and yet seeke no remedie nor cōfort Yet notwithstanding all they too whome our Lorde Iesus Christ hath not preached his Gospell shall not fayle to perishe without mercie They cannot defende themselues by ignorance I say that all the heathen folke and Idolaters that euer were must haue their mouthes stopped And what shal become of vs then which haue had our eares beaten dayly with the message that God sendeth vs which is that hee requireth nothing but that we should be drawne vnto him wherevnto he incourageth yea and beseecheth vs as we haue seene in the second to the Corinthians It is not a great shame for vs that God should so farre abace himselfe in the person of his onely sonne that he should beseech vs Let vs fall to attonement sayth he And what hath he done on hys side VVhat hath hee offended vs Nay contrariwise wee ceasse not to prouoke him dayly agaynst vs and yet he commeth too say vnto vs I will fall too attonement with you whereas notwithstanding there is nothing but spitefulnesse in vs we be like little feends and to be short we bee damned and forlorne and yet commeth he to seeke vnto vs and desireth nothing but too haue th◠attonement made After that maner speaketh Saint Paule woorde for woorde But nowe what will become of vs if wee reiect such grace seing that God offereth it vs so freely This is it which is ment by that saying And therevppon hee concludeth in the ende that if wee seeke rightuousnesse in the Lawe Iesus Chryst dyed in vayne As if hee shoulde say that if wee iutende to inioy the grace that is conteyned in the Gospell wee muste vtterly gyue ouer the fonde opinion of our owne merites For men are deceyued by bearing themselues in hand that there is euer somwhat of value in
¶ SERMONS of M. Iohn Caluine vpon the Epistle of Saincte Paule to the Galathians ¶ Imprinted at London by Lucas Harison and George Bishop 1574. TO THE RIGHT HONOrable Sir William Cecill knight Baron of Burleygh Lord high Treasurer of England Mayster of the Queenes Maiesties Courtes of Wardes and Liueries Knight of the most noble order of the Garter and one of hir highnesse most honorable priuie Counsell continuance of health with prosperitie and increace of honour YOur Lordships great goodnesse diuerse times shevved tovvards mee abiding still fresh in my remembrance to my no small comfort calleth vpoÌ„ me continually to shevv some token of thankfulnesse for the same For needes I must confesse that it hath vttered it selfe many and sundrie vvayes and that if I may vvith your Lordships good leaue say as I think not vvithout a certaine freendly or rather fatherly care of my vveldoing specially in that loÌ„g coÌ„tinued sute of mine in the Exchecquer vvhere your iust fauour I meene in respect of the iust cace and not of any desert of mine procuring mee credit and helpe to the furtherance of my matter hath bin the very maintenance and safetie of my right vvhich else had bin troden vnder foote by the ouer mightinesse of mine aduersaries And heere it behoueth mee also too acknovvledge the vpright administracion of Iustice extended vvith fauour in that so intricate cace both by the Iudges and Chauncelour and by all other the Queenes maiesties officers of that Court. For after many heerings of the matter vvith great patience and circumspection and vvith shevving of suche recordes for both partes as vvere knovven or thought to make for the manifesting of the cace at length vvhen the matter could not grovve too speedie end by reason of certain difficulties and incidents falling thereinto about the first enterance of your honour into the office of high Treasurer it vvas by consent of the Court put in coÌ„primise to such persones as both parties are very vvell contented vvith By meanes vvherof being discharged of my former continuall cares trauels expenses and troubles I had the freer libertie to follovve this mine accustomed exercize of translating vvhich mee thought vvas too mee a singular benefite And my rehersing of these things is not to diminish the thank vvhich I ovve to your honour by interlacing of other mens doings but to shevv to hovv many I am beholden through your goodnesse and that I am loth to be vnmindfull of my duetie tovvardes you or them so farre as oportunitie may vvell serue to vvitnesse the same Novv then to the iâ—â—ent I might the better accoÌ„plish this my desire tovvardes your honour I bethought me of the counsel of the vvise Philosopher Seneca in his bookes of Benefiting the effect vvherof consisteth chiefly in these three poynts namely that the thing vvhich is done or bestovved too vtter thankfulnesse vvithall ought to be very good very durable and very acceptable to the partie that is to receiue it That the tvvo former poynts are in this vvorke vvhich I vpon trust of your Lordships former goodnesse and accustomed fauour do take vpon mee to dedicate to your name and that the third poynt also shall accompanie it the reasons that persvvade mee are these The things that of their ovvne nature tende only to the vvelfare and benefite of man must of necessitie be very good and of the things that are good those are alvvaies best vvhich may redound to the coÌ„moditie of most persones and vvhich being once possessed cannot be taken avvay against the vvill of the possesser Seing then that the foundation of this vvorke is a parcell of holy scripture and that as sayeth S. Paule all Scripture giuen by inspiratioÌ„ of God is profitable to teach to reproue to amend and to furnish men vvith rightuousnesse that they may be perfect and forevvard to al good vvorkes in somuch that it is the povver of God tending to the vvelfare of all that beleeue both Ievves and Gentyles and therevvithall conteyneth promises not only of this present life but also of the life too come it caÌ„not but be of the self same nature propertie and operation that the rest of the scriptures are bicause as sayeth S. Peter the scripture came not by the vvill of man but holy men of God spake as they vvere moued by the holie Ghost And herevpon springeth another coÌ„mendacion to the proofe of the goodnesse of this vvorke that the Author therof is God the souerain goodnesse it selfe and not man To be short the same reasons may serue also to proue the durablenesse thereof For besides that God him selfe protesteth that his vvord shall indure for euer and that the very heauens shal perish before any one iote of his sayings take not effect in asmuch as this booke coÌ„teyneth not vvorldly vncertaine and perishing but heauenly assured and euerlasting benefites nor things auaylable to fevve but profitable to all vnlesse they theÌ„selues be to blame and moreouer that God is the Author thereof it must by all likelyhood needes continue vvith other of the same sort at leastvvise among the godly not for a day or tvvo but so long as men shall haue neede to be edified and strengthened in Christ VVhich thing vvill appeere yet more plainly if besides these generalities vvhich it hath coÌ„mon vvith all the residue of holy scripture vve consider the vvorke more peculiarly and neerly in it self vvhich consisteth of tvvoo partes too vvit of Text and of exposition of the Text. The substance of the text of this vvhole Epistle to the Galathians is this that vvhen God hath once voutchsafed to inlighten men vvith the true knovvledge of his gospell it behoueth them to stand stedfast in the truth vvhich they haue imbraced to shevv by their godly conuersation that they be the children of light so as they nother turne backe againe as renegates or as svvine to the myre nor be caried too and fro vvith euery blast of doctrine like vvauering reedes or like little children that are soone vveerie of the things that they haue and fond of euery nevv thing that they see Hereoutof spring other more particular poynts concerning free iustification by fayth concerning Christen libertie concerning the abolishing of Ceremonies concerning the force and effect of the lavv and concerning the pure conuersatioÌ„ of christian lyfe For the order vvhich the vvriters of holy Scripture obserue vvell neere in all their Preachings and exhortations is first to lay the foundacion of faith in our Lord Iesus Christ and aftervvard to build vp the vvorkes of charitie and true holinesse of life vvithout the vvhich faith is not onely naked but also dead Thus much concerning the Texte and the contents of the same The exposition vvhereof being vttered in Sermons by that learned and godly minister of Christ Maister Caluin vvhose ovvne doings tending alvvaies too the benefite of Gods Churche may yeelde him farre more credite than any commendacion of mine can doo containeth not any
a mutual agreement melodie betwene God and vs then hath baptisme the effect whereof S. Paule treateth and discourseth in this text And so the thing that maketh vs Gods children and clothed vs with Iesus Christ is that God draweth vs out of the corruption wherin we were by nature and will haue Iesus Christ to be our head and vs ingraffed into him to be parttakers of his goods Therfore looke when we receiue that then is all accōplished that is figured by baptisme If hypocrites brag of their baptisme S. Paule sheweth them that it is but vanitie and illusion saying that the circumcision of the letter is nothing that is to say if we loke no further but to the outward and visible Sacrament it is all of no value Euen so is it with baptisme it shall stand them in no sted which with their mouthes vaunt themselues to be Christians and great pillers of the Church forasmuch as they defile the thing which God had dedicated to so excellent an vse as I haue told you before Then let vs marke well that S. Paule speaketh this sentence not to all without exception which beare the signe and mark of baptisme outwardly but to such as fare the better by their baptisme Againe S. Paule meeneth not that baptisme that is to say the water hath the power to chaunge vs in such wise that we should be clothed with our Lord Iesus Christ for by that meanes God should be robbed of the prayse that is due to himself alone But he sheweth here the meane whereby we be certified that we be the members of our Lord Iesus Christs bodie I haue tolde you alredie that we must not seeke any other cause of it than Gods mere goodnesse for if we fetch windlasses one wher or other it is like as if a mā were a thirst and would turne his back to the fountaine to seeke water Therfore let vs learne that it is only God which knitteth vs to our Lord Iesus Christ of his own mere goodnesse that he doth it by the secrete power of his holy spirit and yet notwithstanding ceasseth not too woorke by baptisme as by an inferiour instrument according as wee see how all light cōmeth of him in somuch that there was light in the world euen before there was eyther Sunne or Moone And yet neuerthelesse God hath stablished the Sunne whereby we haue light heere bylowe euen vnto this day But yet doth not the Sunne serue too diminish the power that is in God alone Againe it is sayd that man liueth not by bread onely but by euery woord that procedeth out of Gods mouth And in good sooth the bread it selfe is a dead thing VVho giueth it vs It is God that inspireth life into vs for wee liue in him as S. Paule sayeth in the .xvij. of the Actes And yet notwithstanding it is his will too doo it by bread and he applieth it dayly too our vse too the intent we should bee fed with it So then there is none inconuenience that wee should bee clothed with our Lord Iesus Christ by baptisme and yet notwithstanding that the same should proceede of Gods meere grace and that it shoulde bee done by the secrete working of the holy Ghost surmounting the whole order of nature whereof baptisme dothe certifie vs bycause we bee rude and earthly God therefore is fayne too drawe by little and little by reason of our infirmitie too make vs too conceyue the things that otherwise are too high for vs. For where are our wings too stie with aboue the heauens VVee haue much a doo to creepe heere beneath vpon the earth and therefore God is fayne too come downe to vs which thing he doth by his Sacramentes Thus are we clothed with our Lord Iesus Christe by baptisme according also as S. Paule she weth by another similitude in the sixth to the Romanes For he sayeth that we bee greffed into the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ too the end also to bee made partakers of his resurrection and life This similitude of greffyng is as fit as the other of clothing For take mee the syen of a tree and cut mee of the head or some bough of another tree and greffe mee that little syen into it that was taken from another and yee see they growe bothe into one so as they become bothe one substance and the roote yeeldeth his sap too the little sprig that was taken from another tree Euen after the same maner are wee greffed intoo our Lord Iesus Christe sayeth S. Paule and that is too the end that our old man should be crucified in him and we be raysed vp againe in newnesse of life But heere wee haue first too marke howe gratious and bountifull God hath and still doth shew himselfe towardes vs in that it pleaseth him too vnite vs too his owne sonne for that passeth all the benefites whiche wee can conceyue in our imaginacion And therefore also doth S. Paule proue that all things which God hath do belong vnto vs and that we haue the inioying of them whē we once possesse his Sonne Seing sayeth hee that God hath not spared his owne Sonne how should he not giue vs all things with him Too be short God coulde not haue vttered the infinite treasures better than by ioyning vs after that maner to his only Sonne It is more than if he had giuen vs heauen and earth For surely if wee compare Iesus Christ with all the goodes of the worlde yea and all the goodes that are aboue the earthly world he farre surmounteth them all Marke that for one poynt Furthermore let vs vnderstand that God hath so vnited vs to our Lord Iesus Christ as wee must be fayne to haue all our lyfe in him And it serueth to humble vs the better and to make vs perceyue how horrible a thing it is to bee wrapped in the cursednesse of Adam For if the holy Scripture told vs not that wee muste be vnited to our Lord Iesus Christ before wee can bee in Gods fauour wee should not feele sufficiently the wretchednesse wherein we be hild by nature nother should wee hate our sinnes so much as we ought to do But now that it is tolde vs how it is impossible yea though all the Angels should come to our ayde that all the world shoulde helpe forward the matter and too bee short that although nothing wanted yet it were impossible for vs to come neere vntoo God or that he should looke vpō vs with a fatherly coūtenance yea or that he should acknowledge vs for his creatures til we be clothed with our Lord Iesus Christ This were ynough to make vs abhorre our selues And needes must it be that we be worse than lothely seing there is none other meanes to appease Gods wrath towards vs and to set vs againe in his fauour than by his couering of our sinnes by his clenzing of vs frō al our filthinesse infection by
and mercifull before we were reconciled to him what will he do now when we haue so sure a warrant and that the Gospell also is preached vnto vs to assure vs that we be knit vntoo our Lord Iesus Christ by fayth as members of his bodie Shall we now doubt of Gods loue towards vs when we haue so good a confirmation of it as Saint Paule fayth in the fift Chapter to the Romaines If so be that Iesus Christ sayth he came to put away all our sinnes at such times as there was yet deadly foad betweene god vs ought not all doubting to be troden vnder foote and we not be afrayde in any wise too call vpon our God but assure our selues of our owne saluation nowe when God hath so confirmed it vnto vs when hee hath admitted vs into his fauour when he calleth and allureth vs as gently as may be and when hee sheweth and certefieth vs that hee doth as it were hold open his armes to imbrace vs whensoeuer we will come vnto him Thus ye see what we haue to beare in minde in this streyne Furthermore let vs marke also the loue of our Lord Iesus Christ how that seeing hee hath giuen himselfe after that sort for our sinnes he will not suffer his death and passion to be vnprofitable nor the sacrifice which he hath once offered to be voyd and of none effect without bringing forth frute in vs. But as hee hath offered himselfe once for all so also will he be our continuall Mediator and Aduocate to the ende we may be partakers of the clennesse which he hath purchased for vs that beeing ridde of all our fowlenesse we may appeare cleane before God and speake vnto him with open mouth Lo how we ought to gather togither all the things that are shewed vs here for the stablishing of our faith that we may freely resort vnto our God not as straungers to him but as his owne children and familiar friendes And herewithall let vs learne also to shake off all the illusions and fancies of Satan who seeketh by all meanes too turne vs away from our Lorde Iesus Christ or else to darken the grace which we shoulde finde in him and when he can not abolish it vtterly he snarleth vs and putteth new meanes into our heades whereby to purchase fauor at Gods hande But let vs cut off all such things and so fasten all our wittes vpon our Lord Iesus Christ as he onely my suffize vs and we vtterly mislyke whatsoeuer shall come in our heade too purchase grace and fauor with assuring our selues that there is not any other thing that may cause God to receyue vs to mercie than the sacryfize whereby all righteousnesse and clennesse was purchased for vs. Furthermore vnder these woordes of Gods will it behoueth vs too comprehende a free goodnesse too exclude all that men are woont too make themselues beleeue of their owne merits for in that sence also are those wordes taken in the holy Scripture so that as I haue tolde you before the thing which is termed heere by the name of Will is termed elsewhere by the name of good pleasure Saint Paule therefore not onely sheweth that the welspring of our Redemption and Saluation consisteth in the ordinance and euerlasting purpose of God the father but also intendeth to beat down all pryde and presumption by shewing that wee must yeelde the whole prayse of our righteousnesse too the free fauour of God which had no regarde at all of our deseruings For let vs examine our selues and what shall God find in vs but vtter wretchednesse And that is the verie cause why God voutsafeth his mercie vpon vs. So then let vs assure our selues that hencefoorth wee may freely lift vp our eyes to heauen and preferre our prayers and supplications vnto God bycause he hath preuented vs according as it as sayd in S. Iohn that he had not tarried till we loued him for that was impossible bicause we be wholy bent vnto euill and are vtterly giuen ouer to it but had loued vs euen though wee were his enimies And so ye see that the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ was too the ende too reconcile vs to God his father as wee haue shewed alreadie That therefore is in effect the thing that wee haue to beare in minde Nowe Saint Paule addeth immediately that it was to deliuer vs from this wicked worlde Heere he sheweth why we bee called too the knowledge of our Lorde Iesus Christ and also why he hath set so great store by vs as to redeeme vs as he hath done namely to the ende we shoulde not abide in our filth and vncleannesse but be withdrawne away from it by him In verie deed that is not the cause of our saluation but the ende and marke wherat God loked in ordeyning vs to saluation The thing therefore which it standeth vs on hand to haue an eie vnto when our redemption is spokē of is that we must begin at the free fauor which God bare vnto vs when he determined in his euerlasting purpose that we should be brought backe againe vnto him by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christ And so that was the principall cause Another cause thereof is Iesus Christ in whome wee finde all that is requisite for our assurance For there we see our sinnes blotted out inasmuch as hee is ordeyned to be our borrow and hath made such amendes for vs as nothing can stop vs from comming too God That is the seconde poynt which wee haue too remember heere Now the meane whereby we be made partakers of our Lorde Iesus Christ is our imbracing of the promises of the Gospel by true faith For the faythlesse haue no profite at all by the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ but rather are so much the more damnable bicause they reiect the meane that God had ordeyned and theyr vnthankfulnesse shall be so much the more grieuously punished bicause they haue troden vnder foote the bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christ which was the ransome for their soules Therfore it standeth vs on hande to receyue the promises of the Gospell by fayth if we desire that Iesus Christ should communicate himselfe vnto vs and that he should bring vs to the possession and inioyment of the benefites which he hath purchased for vs so as they belong not too any other than such as are members of his bodie and are graffed into him and receyue him by fayth according as it is sayde in the first Chapter of Saint Iohn that God accepteth and auoucheth those for his children which beleeue in his only sonne Thus ye see what we haue to remember in the thirde place when we come too the scanning of our saluation Nowe remayneth that God bee glorified in vs as good reason is that he shoulde be And in that respect also Saint Paule in the thirde to the Romaynes sayth that wheras God hath giuen vs the meanes in our Lorde Iesus Christ
Christe And therevppon S. Paule sayeth that it is nothing else but that there bee some among them which trouble them and would ouerthrowe the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christe Heere S. Paule sheweth that what soeuer men bring besides the Gospell is euery whit of it but starke smoke and that in the end it will bee perceyued that the Diuell did cast gewgawes in their wayes too couzen sillie fooles that could not rest wholly vppon Gods truth It is none other thing sayeth hee but that some trouble you Truely this woord Other importeth that it is nothing else or nothing at all Neuerthelesse Sainct Paule declareth that the Galathians may well pretend that they whiche came from Ierusalem and from the countrie of Iewrie had tolde them that they ought not too separate the Lawe from the Gospell No no sayeth hee there is no more but one Iesus Christe nother is there any more than one doctrine that leadeth vs vntoo him and holdeth vs in the faith where through wee obtayne saluation by his meanes So then all such as intend too cleaue vntoo the pure knowledge of the Gospell and to continue in the same muste not seeke any other perfection than that as for them that go any further they be troublers that ouerthrow and disorder all things And this saying is well woorthie too bee marked too the ende wee may knowe that when our Lorde hath done vs the grace too teache vs in his schoole wee muste no more haue a wauering fayth too reele too and fro but a resolute iudgement and determination too say this is the thing wherein wee must liue and die But ye shall see many that will not speake openly agaynst the doctrine of the Gospell but will suffer the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ too be preached If a man aske them what it is that they finde fault with nothing say they But let an Altar bee neuer so soone set vp and puppets vpon it and by and by they runne to it they must needes go heare Masse and see al the rest of the Popish trash they care not which way the world go and when all those disorders are set afore them they thinke not that there is any difference at all But let vs marke that such beastlinesse bewrayeth that there is no fayth in them And why For the thing wherein we may shewe yea and as in respect of our selues feele whither wee bee faythfull is too haue suche skill of the Gospell as to conclude that it is Gods infallible truthe and that it cannot leade vs amisse if wee followe it Contrarywize the Papistes haue deuized an Implicate fayth as they terme it and that is ynough for them and although the wretched soules wote not what they meane themselues yet notwithstanding beholde say they I referre my selfe too our mother the holy Churche I beleeue as shee beleeueth But such folke shewe openly that they haue no fayth at all ne knowe by what meanes too bee saued Neuerthelesse it is sayd that wee obtayne rightuousnesse and saluation by fayth namely for that wee imbrace Christ as the partie by whom all good things are imparted vnto vs. Then if our Lord Iesus Christ bee vnknowen it is no longer fayth but a grosse Illusion of Satan who hath bewitched the Popish doctors too speake after that sorte and thereby we see that they haue no knowledge of God but are vtterly giuen ouer too a lewd minde VVherefore let vs marke well that whereas S. Paule sayeth heere that there is none other Gospell it is too hold vs still in such stedfastnesse that after we haue once learned what our Lord Iesus Christ is wee may continue in him and vtterly giue ouer all things that are contrarie too the doctrine of the Gospell Haue wee once such skill it will serue vs too fight agaynst Satan and all the diuersitie of opinions that are at this day in the worlde so as wee shall not bee shaken downe what trouble soeuer happen nor finally bee turned aside from the certaintie of our fayth But if wee wauer after such a sorte that wee become like little children who if one man offer them an apple at one side they runne thither and if another man offer some other pleasant thing atother side they runne thither likewize and leauing the first go too yeeld themselues too the second I say if wee bee so fickle minded it is a token that there is nothing but mere vnbeleefe in vs. Then let vs assure our selues that there must bee such a mutuall agreement betweene our fayth and the Gospell that wee must giue our selues wholly therevnto and neuer bee plucked from it and our knowing of the things that are conteyned in it muste bee too rest our selues vppon them as I haue sayd already heretofore Not that all men can bee teachers a like for it is very certayne that the most parte of those whom our Lord Iesus Christ hath in his flocke comprehend not the tenth part of the vnderstanding of the holy Scripture but that how soeuer the world go it behoueth vs all to be grounded in these poynts namely that there is but one God the father of whom we haue al things and who hath adopted vs of his owne mere mercie That there is but one onely Iesus Christe by whose meanes wee be made parttakers of all good things And that wee bee begotten new agayne by the holy Ghost And as touchyng our Lord Iesus Christ it standeth vs on hand too bee well assured that he is our aduocate and that without him wee cannot come vnto God nor durst once open our mouthes to call him our father saue in respect that we be members of our Lord Iesus Christ and that he beareth woorde for vs as our spokesman and patron guyding vs as it were by the hand too bring vs vnto God his father If wee knowe not these things it is certayne that wee can obtayne no Saluation And that is the cause why S. Paule blameth the Galathians for that they considered not that there is but one onely Gospell whiche could not bee altered without doyng of wrong too our Lord Iesus Christe who all onely ought too haue all audience Therewithall also he warneth vs that when soeuer there come any busie bodies to turne vs from the pure simplicitie which wee ought too hold vs too concernyng God and our Lord Iesus Christ wee ought too holde them accursed For as shall bee sayd more fully hereafter they ouerthrow the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ And it is a right horrible thing that the Gospell which is the foundacion of our fayth and the key too open vs the gate of Paradice should bee ouerthrowen For that is all our welfare that is the kingdome of God from whence we after a sort are banished and wee can by no meanes come vntoo him vntill he haue made vs way by meanes of his Gospell to the end wee may be his people and he our king and wee bee guided and gouerned
the thing that wee haue too beare in minde But by the way it ought too make Paules doctrine of the more authoritie that he speaketh so boldly in the mayntenance of it and that not through humane rashnesse and presumption but in the name of God For in very deede he standeth not heere vppon the praysing of himselfe in his owne persone and that doth he shewe right well in that he sayeth If I my self He setteth himself formost as if he had sayd Let mee euen mee my selfe I say bee taken for a Diuell if I chaunge the doctrine or if you finde me to haue swarued in any maner of wize Heere S. Paule sheweth that he ment not too purchace reputation too himselfe ne fought in his owne quarell to haue it sayd of him that he was a fineheaded fellow or a wyze and excellent man no but he raungeth himself in aray with the faythfull and sayeth let vs all imbrace the doctrine of that Mayster too whose charge God hath cōmitted vs and vnto whose gouerment we ought too bee submitted For although I bee he that taught you the doctrine yet is it not mine but Gods who is vnchaungeable and although yee should see me chaunge yet bee not you remoued nor abashed for it but esteeme mee as a Diuell hold mee accursed and for your own partes continue you stil settled in the truth which you haue learned and as for mee curse you mee and ban you mee yea and the very Angelles of heauen too rather than too chaunge any whit of the truthe of Gods Sonne or too turne aside from it Heere wee see well ynough that S. Paule sought not aught else but that Gods truth might haue such reuerence among men as it deserueth and bee so receyued as all our wittes all our thoughts all our lustes and all our affections might bee subdued and hilde prysoners vnder it and that it might not be lawfull for any liuyng creature to chaūge aught therof but that God only might speake by the mouth of his only Sonne and we hold him for our Mayster yea and euery of vs obey him without gaynsaying That is the thing which S. Paule sought How beit for asmuch as wee cannot now lay forth the rest it shall bee reserued till the next Sunday if it please God Now let vs fall down before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him too make vs perceiue them more and more and that the feeling of them may draw vs too right repentance and cause vs too growe and increace in fayth so as wee may bee true sacrifizes too him that like as our Lord Iesus offered himself for our redemption so wee also may bethinke vs too dedicate our selues wholly vnto him and be guyded by him in such stedfastnesse that nother in lyfe nor death wee may not seeke any other contentation and rest than too apply our selues too his good will nor glorie in any other thing than in the Saluation that is purchaced for vs in him That it may please him too graunt this grace not only to vs but also too all people and nations of the earth c. The. 4. Sermon vpon the first Chapter 8 But if I my selfe or an Angell from heauen tell you othervvise than I haue tolde you cursed be he 9 As I sayd afore so say I yet agayne if any man tell you othervvize than you haue receyued cursed bee he c. WEe haue seene heretofore that we must be sure of the truth of the Gospell or else our fayth is no fayth but rather an opinion if we be ready to stagger too and fro Now then the very proofe which we ought to make of our fayth is to bee fully setled and resolued in our selues that God hath taught vs and that he hath so vttered his will vnto vs that if we swarue from it one way or other it is all one as if wee did wilfully cast our selues away And for this cause wee must not only receyue Gods woord as good holy but also beare such honour too it as to hate whatsoeuer is agaynst it yea or which agreeth not fully with it For when as S. Paule speaketh heere of an other Gospell his meanyng is that if men disguyze the pure simplicitie which they haue learned of him there remayneth nothing else but vntruth and corruption VVherfore let vs learne to set such store by Gods doctrine that wee may not only esteeme it in it self but also reiect as diuelish things what soeuer shall be brought contrarie or repugnant vntoo it And truly Sainct Paule thinkes it not ynough too speake of men but mounteth euen vntoo the Angelles of Heauen and sayeth that wee muste rather hold them accursed than alter any whit of the fayth which wee haue of the Gospell He dothe well too speake of himself first and he doeth that too shewe that he had no regard of his owne persone but that he ment simply too honour God and too cause his woord to bee receyued of all the worlde without gaynsaying Therefore it was needefull that Sainct Paule should vse that protestation for if any man exempt his owne doctrine by priuiledge he maketh the same a priuate cace But he that teacheth ought too raunge himselfe in the common aray and too submitte himself obediently too the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christe so as wee may not haue any other Mayster in this worlde of whom too hold our fayth but that the Sonne of God may haue all soueraintie ouer vs as belongeth vntoo him And Sainct Paule speaketh purposely of the Angelles bycause the false Apostles and deceyuers that were come intoo the countrie of Galatia pretended the name of Peter Iohn and Iames and therefore he setteth a barre in their way saying that when they had all that could bee on theyr side yea and that the whole world tooke parte with them all that was nothing Moreouer though they had the very Angelles of heauē with them yet should God neuerthelesse ouer rule thē by his word all creatures be thrust downe For if any thing lift vp it self against Gods truth wherin his image shineth forth and his maiestie and glorie ought to be knowen the same ought also to be condemned to be hild as accursed It might perchaunce seeme at the first blush that S. Paule vsed an excessiue fashion For too what purpose bringeth he in the Angels seyng wee know how they be wholly giuen too do Gods will According as it is sayde expresly in the. 103. Psalme and as we see moreouer through the whole holy Scripture that they haue not any other regard than simply to obey God Seing then that it is impossible that the Angelles shoulde falsifie the pure truthe Sainct Paule shoulde not haue brought them in Yea it might bee thought that he dooth them wrong and iniurie considering that God hath giuen them the grace too abyde in his obedience and too walke quietly as he hath appoynted them But it
is not without cause that Sainct Paule speaketh so for asmuch as the Diuell doth alwayes indeuer too bring the things that may bee well liked of to ouerthrowe the pure doctrine withall And wee see how that euen Gods name hath at all times bin pretended by deceyuers and although they brought nothing but illusions and mockeries yet not withstanding they protested with ful mouth that they were sent of God By reason wherof the Prophets had much ado in fighting against such as labored to abuse the worlde vnder suche couert in so much that they were faine too come to the triall to know whither God spake by their mouth or no. And wee knowe also how Sainct Peter sayeth that like as among the people of olde time there were many deceyuers whiche troubled the Churche and brought all things in a broyle so wee also in these dayes muste looke too haue vnderlinges of Satans whiche shall labour too sowe darnell among vs and the Churche muste still bee subiect too the same inconuenience bycause God intendeth too bewray and trie whither wee bee his in truthe or no. For the Hypocrites will soone bee shaken downe when they find occasion to chaunge They be so light headed and fleeting that they must needes be trotting too and fro But Gods children which haue taken liuely and deepe roote in the Gospell will neuer be remoued And therefore doth God also giue bridle to Satan who rayzeth vp false Prophetes as it is sayd in the thirtenth chapter of Deuteronomie bycause God intendeth too know by experience whither wee loue him or no that is too say whither we beare him the honour that he deserueth by resting vpō him yea and by resting vpon him with a true and vnchaungeable cōstancie Nowe seing that the Deuill hath in such wise troubled the Church and so sowen his errours as he hath taken couert vnder the name of God it behoueth for the mayntayning of that point article that Gods woord abide in his full and perfect state For when the Paynims worshipped their Idols they alwayes abused the name of God and all that they did was Religion as they termed it and to theyr owne seeming there was none other holinesse in the worlde but the following of their fond deuices But contrarywise the holy Scripture telleth vs that all their Gods were but Diuels And what agreement is there betwene those two sayings Yea but for asmuch as the thing that the Heathen men tooke in hād was but a masking to vnhalow the name of God and to conuey it ouer to their Idolles therfore it is requisite that that fond opiniō should be cut of And we see at this day how the Pope all the filthie puddle of his Clergie do beare vs in hand that they be Christes vicares that they represent the Church and are the successors of the Apostles Al this geere must be beaten downe or else wee shall neuer know what fayth we ought to sticke vnto Ye see thē after what maner S. Paule alledgeth here the Angels As if he should say what soeuer authoritie of men be alledged it cānot in any wise preiudice God or his word For his woord must haue the vpper hand and all high excellent things in this world must stoupe be brought low and not only the mortall creatures but euē the Angels also in somuch that if it could come to passe which thing is vnpossible that an Angell should set himself against God he ought to be abhorred And let vs not thinke that the Angels are wronged herein For what is all their glorie and dignitie It is too do seruis to their Maker and to our Lord Iesus Christ who is their head as well as ours So then if a man make bold with theyr name too the end that Iesus Christe bee glorified and that his Gospell may abyde in perfect soundnesse vnappayred therein the Angelles are willing too yeelde so their name serue to such vse for that is their cheefe desire Thus yee see why Sainct Paule maketh bold with the name of the Angelles although he meene not that they can at any time shrinke from their obedience vnto God And he repeteth the same sentence agayne saying that who soeuer shall bring any new Gospell let him bee bilde as accursed Nowe firste of all wee see heere how God intendeth too bee honored and serued at our handes namely not with straunge Ceremonies and fashions as men are woont too doo but our cheefe seruis is to herken vnto him and as ye would say to brydle our selues holding all our senses prisoners vnder his woord when he speaketh vnto vs according also as he himself protesteth in his prophet Ieremie Haue I sayth he demaunded Sacrifize of thy fathers No but the thing that I required of them and which I still require of you as the homage that you owe vnto me is that you herken to my voyce In that text God sheweth that men may well ouerlabour thēselues in bringing their owne deuotions to him vpon hope to please him thereby but all shall be but filthinesse till wee haue learned to herken to his voyce and to obey him Marke wel this poynt which is very notable least we labour in vayne as we see the wretched Papists doo For it hath alwayes bin a common disease in the world that men knowing wel that they were created to serue God haue tormēted thēselues taken much paine to do it yet all hath bin vayne vnauaylable bicause they began not at the right poynt of ruling their life by the will of God and of setling thēselues fully to take nothing in hand but that whiche he cōmaunded them Yee see then that the meanes too haue our seruis acceptable vnto God at this day is too giue eare vnto him too suffer ourselues to be taught by his word to be gouerned altogither therby and to frame our life with al our deedes thoughts fully according to the same And herein we see the benefite that God hath giuen vs in calling vs to the knowledge of his Gospell On the otherside we see as I sayd afore how the poore Papistes ryse early busie thēselues about this that without end or ceassing of their trauels yet in the meane while not only the time is lost their labor is vaine vnprofitable but also they thēselues are abhominable before God Then seying the cace standeth so let vs make account of the grace that God hath graūted vs in declaring his will vnto vs let vs vnderstand that wee must not walke at aduenture but discerne betweene good and euill howbeit not after our owne wit and imaginaciō but by goyng to Gods schoole by learning the things that he alloweth assuring our selues that nothing deserueth too bee esteemed saue the framing of our selues to the rule which he hath giuē vs by his word Marke that for a principle And herewithall we see also what the maiestie of the Gospell is that
vs too the bottome of Hell And in good sooth as the wretched vnbeleeuers rack themselues they doo but double their owne condemnacion for the Diuell snarleth them so much the more in their damnation Therfore let vs acknowledge that wee haue bin rebelles too God euer since the time that wee would needes serue him so after our owne fancie and that there was nothing in all our whole lyfe but errour too make vs stray all the world ouer and too plucke vs backe rather than too set vs foreward and finally that all the deuotions whiche men deuyze are but slightes and illusions of Satan to sinke vs down too the deepest dungeons of death So then let vs returne too this obedientnesse and acknowledge that there is no way for vs too rule our life wel but by being taught in the schoole of the Sonne of God But doo wee thinke that the Superstitions that raigne now adayes in the world and haue their full scope there are better than the traditions that were in the tyme of S. Paule It is true that there were many wicked corruptions in the Churche of the Iewes For Sectes were sprung vp and the Pharisies whiche were yet the purest and soundest of all the rest had mingled many gewgawes with the seruis of God in somuche that all was corrupted among them But howsoeuer they fared yet Sainct Paule had alwayes the lawe and the holy Scripture As for the traditions whereof he speaketh he tooke them as appurtenances but yet in the meane whyle his mynde was too mayntayne the Lawe of Moyses whiche had Gods woorde in it and the vnchaungeable truthe and whiche ought too haue the same reuerence to the worldes end Yet notwithstanding he had but the letter of the lawe as wee haue seene heretofore in the Epistle too the Corinthians But now adayes as for them that bee the deuoutest in the Popedome what haue they VVhen they haue alledged all that they can it is certayne that the holy Scripture is as good as buryed among them and noman makes account of it They will not say that it ought to be cast away for that were too great a blasphemie and men would abhorre it But what soeuer they pretend the Gospell is nothing with them in comparison of that which hath bin ordeyned by their holy Councelles and by our moother holy Churche Yea and they are not ashamed too say that the Gospell al the holy Scripture is as a noze of waxe so as there is no certaintie in it but that it muste bee interpreted altogither by men Lo how Iesus Christ is mocked and skorned Thinke yee that such men may make vs beleeue all their owne inuentions when as they be so manifestly contrary to themselues Then let vs marke that if S. Paule did so condemne himselfe with his owne mouthe in the things that he did when he followed not our Lord Iesus Christ no excuse shal be auayleable nor go for payment before God when men swarue aside from the simplicitie of the Gospell This is in effect the thing that we haue to gather vpon his text But let vs marke therewithall that God vttered a singular grace in S. Paule too the end that by his example wee might know that our calling too saluation hath bin of his meere and vndeserued goodnesse And furthermore that if we haue sliddē backe and broken our promis made in Baptime to our Lord Iesus Christ yet how soeuer the cace stand we shall not fayle to be receyued to mercie so we confesse freely without hypocrisie that there was nothing in vs but confusion and that God must haue bin fayne to remedie the matter of his wōderfull goodnesse True it is as I haue touched afore that S. Paule was taken for a holy man and it might well haue bin sayd that God had accepted his deuotions and that there had bin some good preparation in him afore hand howbeit all that was but a pluckyng of him backe as I haue touched already in the thirde too the Philippians where he sayth he could not take hold of Iesus Christ and of the incomprehensible benefites that are in him vntill he had mislyked all the things that he had earst esteemed and had in reputation as his owne rightuousnesse and holinesse VVee see then after what sorte God wrought in the persone of Paule in somuch that in the first to Timothie he setteth foorth himself for an example patterne saying that Iesus Christ had shewed in him that he was come to saue all wretched sinners to the end we should not doubt too bee receyued when we keepe the right way VVhat did Frewill in S. Paule for the bringing of him to the obediēce of the Gospel nothing but God was fayne too thunder downe vpon him from heauen too driue out the pryde and presumption that was in him He was not only drawē by the hand but also God did caste so thicke scales vppon his eyes that hee was as a blynde wretche And besides that he was stricken too the ground and astonished too shewe that the knowledge and cunning whiche he thought himselfe too haue before was but starke blindnesse and that this darknesse had serued too bring him too a new light For if God had lette him still alone in his perfect plight surely there woulde alwayes haue remayned some foolish selfeweenyng in him and he would alwayes haue mingled some tricke of his owne deuyce and brayne with the doctrine of our Lord Iesus Christ therfore it behoued him to be blinded to abide so For in asmuch as he had earst bin in great reputation and bin tempted to hold his state still it was requisite that he should be brought downe and lifted vp againe and caried like a little babe or rather like a carkesse or dead body Thus yee see how it behoued S. Paule too bee corrected after a violent maner whereby wee see that nother free will nor deuotion nor holynesse stoode him in any steede but that all ought too bee attributed to the meere mercy of God And in very deede wee see how he yeeldeth a pure and vnconstrayned confession thereof Then seyng it is so let vs marke also that when God calleth vs too him it is not for that he seeth vs disposed therevnto or for that wee bee in any good readinesse too it afore hand but bycause it pleaseth him too drawe vs of his owne meere mercie as we shall see yet more at large hereafter And if we minde too be parttakers of the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christe as S. Paule was the way what wee must take is to confesse that there is nothing at all in vs but that wee must bee fayne too receyue from aboue all the things whereof wee bee destitute and too haue God woorke in vs after such a sorte as the prayse of our saluation may bee reserued too him alone without any exception And in that respect also S. Paule addeth that when it had pleazed God
VVherefore lette vs put away all such pryde and confesse that wee bee beholden too God for all things Howbeit let vs also consider therewithall that Sainct Paules rehearsing of this chaunge is too assure vs throughly that the doctrine whiche he deliuered vs in his lyfe and which wee haue nowe still in wryting is not of this world nor forged of his owne brayne but a thing wherevnto he was prepared of God And wee haue neede to bee grounded vppon suche a certaintie for else whereas our fayth ought too gette the vpper hande of Satan and of all things that are agaynst our Saluation it should alwayes stagger yea and bee but a waueryng opinion But nowe let vs see a little what battelles wee haue too indure If wee leaned vntoo men what shoulde become of vs what steadinesse would there bee in vs Seyng wee bee dayly assayled with so many temptations that by all lykelihood wee should bee ouerwhelmed and perishe as for example in that our nature is so wholly inclined too distrust too lying too vanitie and too deceyt and againe in that we haue so many lustes which are as stormes whirlwindes to ouerthrow all our fayth were it possible for vs too stand or too haue any constancie if we were not grounded vpon God and knew that the doctrine which wee followe is the pure truth that proceedeth out of his mouth Then standeth it vs on hande too haue that first of all True it is that among the Papists men wil content themselues with some imaginacion For it is ynough with them too beleeue as the Church beleeueth as they say Howbeit in the meane whyle the Diuell holdeth them in his nettes and they be like sillie beasts that are starke blind But as for vs wee muste bee out of all doubt that we be taught of God and that the woord which we follow is his Therefore it behoueth vs to giue eare too the preaching of the doctrine which was brought by S. Paule and therewithall too consider that S. Paule did not thrust himself in of his owne head but that God serued his owne turne by him as by an instrument that he had ordayned too that purpose Thus yee see wherevntoo it behoueth vs too referre that which is spoken heere For had S. Paule followed Christianitie from his childehood or had he learned it at schoole truly it had bin a gift of God but then had not we had such an open auouchmeÌ„t and euident record as we haue by his chaunge in that of a rauening woolfe he became not onely a sheepe but also a sheepeheard and whereas he had bin a deadly enemy of the Gospell now he is become a seruant of our Lord Iesus Christ wheras erst he had nothing in him but blasphemie crueltie pryde and rebellion wee see he hath the zeale of Gods spirite he hath all humilitie and meekenesse Seyng then that wee perceyue so great and suddayne a chaunge it is as much as if God had vttered his power of purpose that S. Paule should not be taken for a mortall man And verely for the same cause also did God take vp Moyses intoo the Mountayne and keepe him there by the space of fortie dayes when he intended too haue his lawe published For had Moyses foorthwith preached the things which he knew by reuelation surely he had discharged himself of his duetie as a true seruant of God but the thing had not bin knowen too be so excellent as it was in that God kept him fortie dayes vppon the Mountayne and afterwarde made him come downe with a shyning face so as meÌ„ could no more abyde too looke vppon him without dazeling of their eyes than too looke vpon the brightnesse of the Sunne but he was fayne too put a veyle before him Therefore all these things serue too proue that he deuised not the law of his owne head but was as an Angel of heauen yea and muche more excellent than an Angell for somuch as God had ordeyned him therevntoo In lyke cace is it with the Apostles for Iesus Christe could well haue chozen such as had bin exercyzed a long whyle aforehand in the Lawe and holy Scriptures and had some countenance to the worldward and had already purchaced some reputacioÌ„ and degree among men but he choze poore sillie soules and handycraftes men without any learning at all and yet notwithstanding made them too speake after suche a straunge fashion that through the eloquence and hyghnesse of knowledge which was in them they passed all suche as had bin esteemed moste skilfull and sharpwitted in the worlde VVee see then that by Gods so suddayne chaunging of them their doctrine was made of so much the more authoritie vntoo vs. Euen so standeth the cace concerning Sainct Paule That then is a thing which ought too confirme vs and when soeuer wee bee taught by that whiche hee hath left in wryting let vs assure our selues that God speaketh too vs and that he was the instrument of our Lorde Iesus Christe He addeth furthermore that he did not then commune with flesh and bloud that is too say with any mortall man but went streytwayes into Arabie where be abode three yeares and from thence returned too Ierusalem too see Peter and sawe not any other of the Disciples than him and Iames. Herein it might seeme at the first blushe that S. Paule had to greatly disdeyned the rest of the Apostles For although he had the knowledge of the Gospell yet might he well haue bin more confirmed and the consent and agreement that Gods children haue among themselues doth strengthen them the more as wee finde by experience It seemeth then that Sainct Paule disdayned a meane that was fit for himselfe and might haue stoode the whole Churche in good steade But there was a speciall reason that drewe him the other way which was that men should not surmyze that it came to passe by worldly meanes for it was not yet sufficiently knowen Then if he had gone too Ierusalem and communed with the Apostles men woulde haue sayde this man is in sâ—me doubt and therefore he went thither too dispute and in the ende was ouercome And so it would haue bin thought that it had bin of mannes doyng and the glorie of God had bin so much darkened thereby But when as Sainct Paule had bin a man full of crueltie that sought nothing but too abolishe the memoriall of the Gospell a sheader of the bloud of the Martyrs a blasphemer of God and an inforcer of the poore weakelings too renounce Iesus Christe when as men sawe him too bee such a one that is too say as a man besides himself with such rage as he would neuer leaue till he had borne downe the Gospell and yet notwithstanding sawe him so chaunged in one minute of an hower and noman spake to him yea and blinded and beaten downe too the earth so as he lay there lyke a poore dead man and afterwarde was rayzed vp agayne as it were
out of his graue and his eyes by miracle opened so as God sente a man vntoo him of no greate fame named Ananias who baptized him strengthened him and made him too receyue the visâ—ble tokens of the holy Ghost and that therevppon he went his way into Arabie a countrie where Iesus Christe had neuer bin spoken of afore for although the Iewes had bin somewhat dispersed yet was the Gospell vtterly vnknowen I say when wee see howe Sainct Paule went that way too woorke who is he that can say that he learned aught of men or that he had bin wonne too it by disputation or by reason or by any other maner of worldly meanes at all Nay rather wee shall bee constrayned too graunt that what soeuer was too bee found in him was of Gods putting intoo him That then was the speciall reason why Sainct Paule communed not with the Apostles And truely heere he speaketh of them as it were in way of skorne terming them flesh and bloud Howbeit it is not a defacing of the giftes whiche they had receyued of God when wee make comparison betweene our Lorde Iesus Christ and them And wee ought too marke that well For when wee speake of men surely they may well bee called fleshe and bloud as wee see they bee called in the firste of Iohn Yee see then that men of their owne nature are nothing but corruption And for asmuche as they would fayne presume to much of their owne wisedome and power or of their owne rightuousnesse and courage therefore too put away all that pryde and fonde ouerweening God sayeth VVhat are yee fleshe and bloud Yea and sometymes by this saying flesh and bloud the holy Scripture meaneth this sinfull nature of ours whiche wee haue since the fall of Adam For wee haue no more the vncorruptnesse that was in vs but contrarywise wee bee vtterly ignorant or rather beastly and there is nothing but filthinesse in vs so as wee be not able too doo any thing that is aught woorth furtherfoorth than God gouerneth vs. Lo in what wize we be termed flesh and bloud And therefore it is sayd that our beyng inlightened in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ commeth not to vs by heritage nor is had of flesh and bloud but that we bee madâ— the children of God through his begetting of vs newe agayne by his holy spirite yea euen after a speciall maner For wee woulde holde altogither with the worlde if he should let vs alone too our selues Againe in the sixtenth of Sainct Mathew it is sayde that flâ—she and bloud had not tolde Peter and his fellowes that Iesus Christ was the sonne of God but the heauenly father Thus ye see how men are called flesh and bloud namely when they bee compared vntoo God to shewe that wee haue not ought but corruption in vs. True it is that our soules are immortall neuerthelesse the Scripture speaketh so of vs in way of contempt to the ende wee shoulde bee voyde of presumption But as for the Apostles they were alreadie regenerated by Gods spirite and therefore there was more in them than fleshe and bloud as wee haue seene by the Text last alledged Yet notwithstanding whensoeuer they bee compared with God then must al that is of our owne nature be comprehended vnder the termes of fleshe and bloud And why For else it shoulde come in question too knowe whether the Apostles might by their owne woorthinesse and excellencie preiudice the Gospell as the foresayde troublers pretended to shrowd themselues withall But Saint Paule sheweth that if God withdraw that which is his there shall remaine nothing either in Peter Iohn or Iames but that they be the sonnes of Adam as other men are so as there is nothing in them but corruption So then let vs not abuse the gracions giftes that God hath put into them to deface the Maiestie of him and the Gospell Thus ye see after what maner Saint Paule speaketh here of the Apostles For wee haue heard howe hee sayde heeretoofore that if an Angell from heauen should gainsay the Gospell he ought to bee hated and cursed as if hee were a Diuell And how so Is it meete that men should speake so reprochfully of the Angels which are so noble creatures and which are called the heauenly principalities and powers of God It is no wrong at all too doo so too them when it commeth to the yeelding of soueraine dominion too our Lorde Iesus Christ who is their heade for it behoueth them too be placed vnder him Therefore let vs not thinke wee haue anie wrong offered vs though we were troden a hundred tymes vnder foote so it bee to the exalting of Gods name and that our Lorde Iesus Christ may haue his dutie and supremacie reserued vnto him so as hee may bee heard both of great and small and all men submit themselues too him in true obedience of fayth Nowe herevppon we may gather howe blinde the wretched Papistes are in honouring the Apostles and Martyrs in such wise that God is robbed of his honour and seruice insomuch as it should seeme that all that belongeth and is reserued to him is put to the spoile and pray among them For what difference make they betweene him and hys creatures And besides that our Lorde Iesus Christ is as good as buryed bycause they plucke awaye the office from him that was giuen him For in sted of beeing our Aduocate too giue vs enterance vntoo God his father and that wee shoulde go right foorth vntoo him if wee intende too haue our prayers and supplications heard they haue sette vp an infinite multitude of Aduocates Patrones and Intercessours and Iesus Christ is Iacke out of office Nowe when wee see that the creatures haue obteyned such honour among men that by that meanes God is as it were thrust backe and his worde borne downe thereby we perceyue that the Diuill hath turned all vpside downe Therefore how soeuer the world go let our esteeming of men be after such a sort as God may hold still that which is his owne and if we compare him with his creatures let vs consider that all is but vanitie and whatsoeuer commendation they haue here the same is a recorde which God giueth vs of hys loue to the ende we should keepe onwards vnto him and he be exalted Yea and let vs consider that we cannot honour God as he deserueth but by submitting our selues to his worde For all they that make many Ceremonies to beare men in hande that they desire to serue God are mislyked of him vntill such time as they be subdued to him and also to his worde And that also is a cause why S. Paule stryueth for the authoritie of the Gospell For hee thinkes it not ynough too haue God and Iesus Christ talked of but hee will also haue euerie man to receyue the doctrine conteyned in the Gospel without gainsaying And heereby wee see how that nowadayes all Religion is decayed and
there is nothing but hellishe confuzion in Poperie For there is talking ynough of our Lorde Iesus Christ but after what sort Knowe they his power Can they tell too what ende hee is sent of God his Father and what benefytes hee bringeth vs No whit at all He shall be called the Sauiour of the worlde and in the meane whyle euerie man seeketh his saluation in himselfe or at some Saints hand of his owne forging Lo at what poynt they be And therefore so much the more doth it stande vs vpon to beare in minde the thing that is shewed vs heere which is that whensoeuer God is spoken of the verie Sunne and Moone must needes be darkened as it is sayde in the Prophete and there is not any that must not bee thrust vnder foote too the ende that God may haue all preeminence And forasmuch as God accepteth any honour or seruice that wee doo vntoo him vntill wee bee subiect too his woorde let vs receyue the whole doctrine of the Gospell and let nothing plucke vs backe from yeelding such reuerence therevnto as too submit our selues too all that is conteyned therein This in effect is the thing that wee haue too gather vppon this place where the Apostles are termed flesh and bloud ▪ Furthermore whereas Saint Paule addeth that hee went to Ierusalem too see Peter it is a sure recorde that his former speaking of his going intoo Arabie was not of any pride or disdayne but too the ende that Gods grace might bee knowne and that no worldly meanes might bee made as a veyle too keepe men from knowing that Iesus Christ had wrought by singular myracle in that a man whiche had bin so stubborne before had beene brought too the lure Thus yee see on the on the one syde howe Saint Paule ment too reserue vntoo God his due and on the other side that yet notwithstanding he ment to shewe there was good agreement betwene him and the other Apostles And euen so must we do For in many men there are alwayes two euill extremities too bee found in that behalfe There are some scoffers which make pretence to magnifie gods grace and in the meane time are but traytors to God full of poyson pride preferring their owne dreames and dotages before him If a man say vnto them how now Seeing that God hath graunted grace to many men and they be knowen to be men wel seene in the holy scriptures and they imploy themselues faithfully in preaching the Gospell to vs therefore why do ye not agree with them O say they I haue not to do with any man liuing vpon earth I ground my selfe vppon none but God These are the prowde and stately which pretend to haue the holy Ghost in their heades certaine reuelations of the holy Ghost and yet notwithstanding they breake the vnitie of the Church and dispize Gods gracious giftes So much the more therefore doth it stande vs on hande to keepe the measure that we see heere For although Saint Paule haue on the one side declared that he went straight wayes into Arabie as soone as he was conuerted too the ende it might be knowne that Iesus Christ had bin hys only maister and teacher as indeed he only ought alwayes to haue preeminence ouer vs yet neuerthelesse he hath also well shewed on the other syde that he ment to be in vnitie of good concorde with the rest of the Apostles and was desirous too haue it knowne to the whole worlde that his minde was too agree with them and that they were as instruments of the holy Ghost For as I haue shewed afore it is no small helpe too the confirmation of our fayth when we be so linked togither that God calleth not any one mā alone but hath many that submit themselues too him so that it is seene that they be guided all by one spirite that they bee all of one minde that they ame all at one marke and that they shew themselues to be Gods children by going on forwarde too the heritage of the heauenly life That helpe then is fit for the confirmation of our fayth and it was for Saint Paule too shewe that hee was rightly linked with the Apostles and ment not too separate himselfe from them VVherfore let vs marke the maner of dealing that is shewed vs here to the intent we swarue not to the one extremitie or the other But there are some so lightheaded that they will giue ouer the doctrine of the Gospell for right naught and as soone as they heare a man speake by and by they must receyue whatsoeuer hee sayth Howbeeit if we bee no better settled than so shall we bee able too withstande all the alarums whiche the Diuell our mortall enimie will giue vs Then must men stand stoute to their tackling and all of vs from the most too the least must sticke fast togither too our Lorde Iesus Christ For like as he is our heade so must he also bee exalted and as the Prophete Esay sayth he is the marke that all men must looke at Sith it is so let vs learne to forbeare our resting in such wise vpon the outwarde appearance of men that the same shoulde impeache the maiestie of Gods Sonne But yet neuerthelesse when we be once fully settled vpon that poynt we must all of vs be contented to be taught of him that is giuen vs too bee our teacher and not be so prowde as to stande euerie man in his owne conceyt for so shall we but make variance in the Church but desire to agree togither and euery of vs put forth that which is giuen him that the vnitie of our fayth may be as a bonde to knit vs togither so as we may make one Temple of God For it is not sayde for nought that we be the liuely stones whereof Gods Temple is builded Now if euerie of vs shoulde bee sundred from other and left alone by himselfe what woulde become of it Shoulde there be any building No but contrariwize there woulde be vtter desolation If we couet to haue God dwell among vs and too bee of householde with vs wee must worship him truely and euery of vs apply himselfe as much as hee can possibly to his neighbours Not that we must shrinke from God to cleaue to men for it were better that we shoulde all of vs bee at discorde one with another and togither by the eares as whot as fire among our selues but when wee bee knitte vnto God that is a good harmonie and that is the meane for vs to holde the way that Saint Paule hilde who woulde not match himselfe with the Apostles to darken Gods glorie or to hinder the doctrine of the Gospell and yet notwithstanding fayled not to come from a straunge countrey to seke them yea euen with great trauell and with the induring of right hard temptation for as we see they charged him to haue bin a persecuter of God his truth Seeing that S.
yea euen in the Church that like well of the thing that is done of a pure and right meaning zeale insomuch that some backbyte it through enuie others are so squeymish as a man cannot by any meanes content them and other some are full of wicked slaunderousnesse and lying Therefore forasmuch as we see howe men doo oftentymes cause vs to swarue one way or other let vs learne to giue our selues in suche wise vntoo God as we may stedfastly continue in the way which hee sheweth vs and not excuze our selues by our owne weaknesse seeing that Saint Paule goeth before vs and reacheth vs his hande He was a fraile man as we be and yet did God strengthen him in such wise by his holy spirite that he ouerpassed suche lettes VVherefore seeing wee perceyue our selues to bee weake let vs beseech God to arme vs with such constancie as wee may not ceasse to discharge our duetie towardes him though some misreport vs some blame vs and othersome mocke vs and make none account of all our labour when we indeuer to doo well Although then that our labour seeme to bee lost and mispent yet let it suffice vs that God lyketh and alloweth of it And so yee see what wee haue too gather vppon that Text. Aboue all things let vs not couet to be renowmed and too get great fame in this worlde for let vs streyne our selues as muche as may bee possibly and yet shall wee neuer bee better than Saint Paule was After he had preached the Gospell in such wyse yea euen as a man continually rapt vp intoo heauen insomuche that although the reuelation whereof he speaketh in the seconde too the Corinthians was exhibited too him but for one tyme yet the frute of it shewed it selfe all the tyme of his lyfe yet notwithstanding hee was vnknowne in the meane while yea euen in all the Churches of Iewrie And so it might seme well that hee had not greatly profyted seeing that all his labour was buryed But it was ynough for him that God edified the furthest straungers by his meanes VVee see then that hee sought not too bee muche renowmed nor too purchase credite and authoritie among men As concerning that hee sayeth the Churches of Iewrie that were in Christ hee addeth that worde of purpose bicause there was yet still some seede of God among the Iewes and the promises were so giuen too them as they were not vtterly cut off vntill such time as they renounced Iesus Christ quite and cleane and thereby were vtterly bereft of the inheritance of the life that was assigned vntoo them For like as God had chosen the lyne of Abraham so our Lorde Iesus Christ came intoo the worlde too bee the minister of those whome God had so adopted and to performe the promises that had bin giuen to their fathers Our Lorde Iesus Christ reiected not the Iewes too whome the promises belonged according also as it is sayde in the seconde of the Actes but the Church of God abode among them still and their Circumcision was not a thing deuised by man And although they were al growen out of kinde and many errours and wicked opinions were crept in among them so as Gods seruice was turmoyled and Religion corrupted yet notwithstanding that people was acknowledged for Gods householde flocke The Sinagoges therefore that had not yet bewrayed their vnbeleefe by withdrawing themselues from Iesus Christ are reckened heere by Saint Paule for Churches howbeeit not for perfect Churches for they were not yet regenerated in Iesus Christ For then was the renuing of the whole worlde when Iesus Christ was sent too bring home vntoo God both those that were neare hande and those that were farre off neare hande as the Iewes which had the lawe still and a farre off as the heathen men who had no likelihood of the heauenly kingdome bicause God had left them like poore wilde beastes and they were strayed away in their owne superstitions and Idolatries But Iesus Christ came to gather all togither and to knit all things togither again that were scattered afore And thereby we see how the law ought to haue led the Iewes to the Gospell as it is sayde throughout all the holy Scripture And it is very needfull for vs to knowe the same least wee surmize that none of all the things that are conteyned in the law can stand vs in any stead in these dayes For it is certaine that although the Ceremonies be no more in vse yet the truth and substance of them remaine alwayes vntoo vs so as wee cannot euen at this day be faythfull but we must also be the children of Abraham and the disciples of Moyses Not that we must be hilde still vnder the olde shadowes but that wee must match things togither which cannot be put asunder that is to wit the Law and the Gospell But yet further let vs vnderstande that we cannot at this day be counted for the Church before God that is to say all the companies of men in the worlde cannot obteyne that honourable tytle â–ª except we bee in Iesus Christ For that head must knitte vs vnto God his father and by that meanes must we haue enterance into the kingdome of heauen And therefore as for all them that knowe not Iesus Christ although they bee marked with baptisme and beare the name of Christians yet are they but as â—otten members vtâ—erly cut off notwithstanding that they pretende too bee of the troupe and number of Gods children Thus yee see still what wee haue too marke vppon this Text. Furthermore Saint Paule addeth that thâ— common report was that hee which had earst persecuted the fayth dyd preach the same and that God was glorified by that meanes Heere once agayne wee see that Saint Paule preacheth not his owne prayses for hee condemneth himselfe too haue beene an enimie and persecuter of the Church True it is that hee speaketh of the common report but yet doth hee rehearce the verie thing as it was done in deede So then hee cloketh not the thing that was too hys owne reproche and shame Aâ—man might haue cast him in the teeth that hee had persecuted the poore faythfull ones that hee had too the vttermost of his power shed innocent bloud yea and that hee had compelled the weaklings to blaspheme But yet for al this he granteth to this inditement of his owne accord and speaketh not as most men do who make as it were a glorie of it that they haue bin enimies of the Gospell It is certaine that Saint Paule in making suche rehersall was touched with earnest sorinesse for that misbehauiour of his according as in another Text hee sayth that hee is not worthie to bee called an Apostle Nowe then yee may bee sure he felt alwayes some pricking in his heart for that hee had earst so rebelled agaynst God and bin so euill myndeâ— yea and altogither spitefull agaynst the Gospell â–ª Neuerthelesse howsoeuer the world went
iudges agaynst them than themselues For euery of vs ought too condemne himselfe as S. Paule exhorteth vs and specially when we consider how we haue bin wretched vnbeleeuers and as good as beastes wee ought too bee ashamed of our owne leudnesse Sainct Paule therefore wiste well there had bin cause for him too mislyke of himselfe and too bee ashamed of his striuing agaynst the Gospell and therewithall disdeyned not the goodnesse that had bin in Iohn and Iames. At suche tyme as Peter and Iohn were scurged and whipped for the Gospel Sainct Paule was a murtherer and passed not too say that they were rightly dealt withall and that it made no matter But yet for all that hee ameth at the marke which I spake of afore namely that for asmuch as God had so aduaunced him within a little whyle his former misbehauiour in tymes paste ought not to hinder the receyuing of the gracious gifts that were in him that they might not profite too the common edifying of the Churche Thus yee see in effect that the thing which wee haue too beare in minde is that if it bee late ere wee bee called too the Gospell wee muste bee sorie that wee haue spent our tyme so ill and specially that wee haue liued like wretched brute beasts without knowing who is our father too whom wee ought too doo homage bothe for our life and for all the goodes which we haue receyued of him Therefore wee ought too bee sorie for that Againe when wee see a man returne that was gone astray wee muste acknowledge suche chaunge too bee a miracle of God For if a man haue bin a wilde beast and past all hope of beyng brought vnto God and yet afterward becommeth as a sheepe and submitteth himselfe willingly too the obedience of our Lord Iesus Christe it cannot bee but that the hand of God hath passed vppon him Therefore it behoueth vs too know what all men haue bin aforetimes and euery man ought too bee his owne iudge in that behalfe but yet for all that when a man hath bin slowe in comming vntoo God if God woorke in him with suche power as it is seene that he mindeth too set him forewarder in one day than some other men in ten yeeres his so doyng muste not cause vs too plucke backe him that was able too edifie as men sometimes doo saying what was such a one a twoo or three yeeres ago suche sayings are nought woorth Lette vs rather vnderstand that our Lorde hath shewed himselfe so much the more too the end too be honored And therewithall for asmuch as Gods gifts ought not too bee vnprofitable let vs suffer them too bee applyed to the profite and welfare of the faythfull Yee see then that our looking what men haue bin aforetimes must not bee to despyze them still for it may bee that God gaue hym the brydle for a tyme too the intent too bryng hym downe so as he became an vnthrift or liued in ignorance and knew not goodnesse or had not any excellent or commendable qualitie in him and yet for all that God will sette him as it were vppon the scaffold and shewe by effect that he intendeth too bee serued by him Therefore it behoueth vs too take in good woorth the thing that God giueth and offereth vntoo vs in that wyze Thus yee see what wee haue to beare in minde and how needefull it is that wee should so doo for there is not any thing contayned heere whereof wee haue not the experience nowe adayes As touchyng the woordes where Sainct Paule sayeth that God accepteth not any mannes persone it is all one as if hee had sayde that God is not tied too the things that are seene of vs or whiche wee haue in estimation but that he is free too bestowe his giftes on whom he listeth and how he listeth Many men when they heere this woorde Persone spoken of doo beguyle themselues and wrest it agaynst the meeening of the holy Ghoste And therevppon many men suppoze that God accepteth not any one man more than another for then thinke they he should be partiall But see how they darken Gods free Election as who shoulde say hee were beholden too men and that if he choze any of them the same ought too bee generall without exception in so muche that too their seemyng Gods grace flieth in the ayre lyke a Tennisball and it is in our power and free will too reache out our hande too catche it and too apply it too our vse Thus are diuerse besotted yea euen with too grosse ignorance bycause they vnderstande not what is ment by the woorde persone But the holy Scripture telleth vs that God in voutchsafing too chooze menne and too set them in a more excellent state and too bestowe the giftes of his holie Spirite vppon them stayeth not vppon any thing at all in the partie ne passeth whither he bee whyte or blacke olde or yong noble or vnnoble riche or poore beloued or behated of menne fayre or foule God thinketh not vppon any of these small tryfles for if he shoulde delay too loue vs till he found some good thing in vs hee shoulde lette vs alone still in suche plight as wee bee That therefore is the cause why Sainct Paule sayeth expresly that God regardeth not any mannes persone And so wee see now what wee haue too gather vppon that Text. First of all as I haue sayde already let vs learne too receyue Gods giftes and too make our owne profite of them when they bee offered vs and let vs not take occasion too refuze them as many men doo whiche labour too cloke their vnkindnesse by alledging one thing or other But whither they alledge antiquitie or what soeuer thing else lette it not hinder vs too take profite by those whom God sendeth too vs for though they bee not past three dayes old nor can magnifie themselues among men nor haue done many exploytes and valeant enterpryzes yet is it no matter too vs so wee perceyue that our Lord hath giuen them such giftes as may bee auayleable too our edification and therefore let euery of vs stoupe and become teachable assuring our selues that if wee refuze the good that is offered vs by man wee do not wrong too the man but for asmuch as God is the author thereof and wee hold skorne too receyue that which commeth of him we be woorthie too bee vtterly bereft of the thyng that he is mynded too bestowe vppon vs and of the benefites which he hath after a sorte put intoo our hand Lo what wee haue too beare away Furthermore lette vs learne also not too bring any imaginacion of selfe value when wee come vntoo God But let him that is noble mightie or riche too the worldwarde lay away all selfe estimation and acknowledge it too bee vtterly nothing before God and lette him that is poore and miserable assure himselfe that he is not quite shaken off though men despyze him Also let vs
themselues froÌ„ al corruptions of the flesh and on the other side be led to our Lord Iesus Christ to repose their trust in him to rest wholly there So then as touching those that would haue the ceremonies of the Law kept as if it were of necessitie that meÌ„ should be precisely bound to theÌ„ vpon paine of deadly sinne as they terme it it is certayne that their meening was to set vp a seruis of God contrarie too his will and meening and that they were as good as Cousiners for why they peruerted the naturall meening of the Law Marke that for one schoole poynt Another is that they taught men to set vp their bristles to glory in theÌ„selues that was an abolishing of Gods glory for we caÌ„not chaleÌ„dge aught be it neuer so little to ourselues but we rob and rende away that which belongeth vnto him Ye see then how it is a diuelish trayterousnesse when men presume vpon their owne power as though they had any sparke of righteousnesse in themselues And besydes that it is an entering into the gulfe of hell when we weene to get saluation by our owne workes For we renounce the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Chryste where we should seeke all our righteousnesse Agayne the Diuell maketh vs to beleeue wonders â–ª howbeit it is but to make vs to fall into destruction VVherefore let vs marke well that S. Paule treateth heere of the manner of iustification before God that is to say of the meane whereby we bee brought into his fauour bycause it is the principall poynt whiche we ought to learne and without that all the religion or deuotion that can be named is but smoke and leazings And it is not for naught that Sainct Paule entereth into that question For manye men make this allegation â–ª How now The cace concerned the Ceremonies of the law and why then doth Sainct Paule as ye would saye fling himselfe ouerthwart the feelds VVhy speaketh hee of righteousnesse of mans saluation of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and fynally of all the whole lawe Nowe on the one part it behoued hym too deale wyth all those thynges â–ª as for example when we in these dayes teache that men must not keepe the superstitions of the Papists nor any of the thyngs that haue bin so deuised by the witte of man wee shall not only debate whither fleshe may be eaten vppon frydayes or whyther suche a wake vigil or Sainctes euen bee too be kept or whyther thys thyng or that thing be to be done but we shall treate generally whither it bee lawfull for a mortall man to make lawes to bring mennes consciences into tyrannicall bondage For God hathe reserued to himselfe alone the authoritie and prerogatiue to be called the lawmaker to the intent that no man should vsurp any such preheminence in the Church Then seeing that the spirituall gouernement of our soules ought to be taken out of Gods pure word we may coÌ„clude that nother Pope nor any other man of what calling soeuer he be hath power to burthen vs with any lawes or ought to attempt any thing that is against the doctrine whiche we haue of God Then may we well enter into that generall discourse and that is bycause the reason of them is alike in all points If we should dispute onely about the eating of fish or flesh it would be but a fond disputation For euery man must eate according as is for his health or as hee can get and therefore such disputation shoulde not concerne the health of mens soules or the matter that were requisite for them to rest their conscience vpon But when we take in hand too shewe that it is not for any liuing creature to aduance himselfe so hygh as to lay lawes vppon mennes necks the other disputation is fully resolued and dispatched Againe when as men say that in babbling paternosters to buy out their sinnes and in gadding on pilgrimage to get there the things which in poperie are tearmed the workes of supererogation that is to saye workes of ouerplus that men do more than God commaundeth them they raunsome theÌ„selues and make him some recompence for the faultes that they haue committed If we speake simply of pilgrimages and go not to the ground and welspring of the matter it will be a cold and sleÌ„der discourse But if we declare how all our satisfaction is in the things that are purchaced for vs by the death and passion of oure Lord Iesus Christ and therewithall that God vtterly misliketh all that is of our owne inuention and that he will be serued with obedience then do we lay foorthe the cace as it ought to be and may bring it to a sure and certaine conclusion After that manner did S. Paule For he regarded not only what the Iewes sayd how it behoued them to forbeare the eating of swines flesh and to keepe suche a feast or such a feast and all the residue of the Ceremonies but he marked to what end they said it namely how they went about too shew that the keeping of the law was of necessitie of saluation and that was a yoke of bondage vpon mens consciences that could not be borne Againe he saw how the libertie that was purchaced vs by our Lord Iesus Christ was taken away and that was another point that compelled him to enter into that discourse But the cheefe point that he treateth of heere is that such as would haue had men to keepe the Ceremonies had a secret meening that the same was an acceptable seruis vnto God and of such importance as meÌ„ shuld purchace righteousnesse and soulehealth by it and to be short that it was a meritorious thing But S. Paule sheweth that it is impossible for meÌ„ to purchace righteousnesse before God by their works Now therefore we see for what cause S. Paule treated generally of our iustification when as notwithstaâ—ding hys aduersaries pretended no more but the keeping of the Ceremoniall lawe and the continuing thereof still as before the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ so as men should still offer sacrifise and do the rest of the shadowes and auncient figures And heereby we see also what a follie it is for the Papists to thinke themselues escaped in saying that S. Paule speaketh heere but of the works of the law and not of the morall works True it is that they be not the first founders of that dotage For the Diuell hath always had his ministers to cousin the people But we must not rest vpon the authoritie of men specially of such as haue nother religioÌ„ nor feare of God in them Although that many of the Monkes haue bin reported to be men of greate skill yet notwithstanding they haue bin but fantasticall fellowes and neuer had any tast of the feare of God Euen those that were called the auncient doctors haue peruerted the kindly sense of the holy scripture and were as vtterly bewitched by Satan and yet the wretched
wretched it is nor also the remedie which wee must apply too it For to the intent we may put our trust in our Lord Iesus Christ wee must vnderstand that wee be vtterly forlorne as well by reason of the sinne of Adam as by reason of the infinite number of iniquities wherein we be saped yea and wee must fully beleeue it But we should neuer perceyue that our sinnes condemne vs curse vs before God except wee knew that wee haue neede of rightuousnesse And on the otherside wee should not know Gods rightuousnesse if we should singly say that we be saued by faith and by grace For God cannot once renounce himself bycause he is the soueraine rightuousnesse and there is nothing in him but purenesse and perfection by reason whereof he must needes hate euill Now it is so that wee be full of corruption there is nothing but euill in vs and therefore God must needes hate vs. And if he hate vs wo woorth vs for then are we damned Then standeth it vs on hand to be made rightuous before we can be in Gods fauour That is to say it behoueth vs to be purged of our faults and misdeedes for else as I sayd wee shall neuer be able to conceyue that God intendeth too shewe vs mercie But in acknowledging our selues too be sinners wee perceyue by and by that God muste needes hate sinne and that although he hate sinne yet not withstāding he findeth meanes to saue vs which is by forgetting our offences and by clenzing and purging them with the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ who is our spirituall washing God then purgeth vs in that wize too the ende wee should bee receyued of him and being made parttakers of his loue bee assured of our saluation Thus yee see why the Scripture vseth the woorde Iustifie But the Papistes descant vppon it like blinde buzzardes VVhat say they shoulde wee bee iustified by fayth Fayth is no such vertue as maketh men perfect and how then shall it make vs rightuous They consider not that this rightuousnesse whereof the Scripture speaketh is Gods couering of our sinnes as I declared afore and his taking of them quyte and cleane away for the sake and by the meane of our Lord Iesus Christe and by the vertue of the Sacrifize of his death and Passion How soeuer the cace standeth it is sayd that wee be counted rightuous before God bycause he releaseth and forgiueth our sinnes And after the same maner doth Sainct Paule speake of it in the fourth to the Romanes where he sayeth that Dauid hath well declared in effect howe wee bee iustified by fayth when he sayeth Blissed is the man whose iniquities God hath forgotten and whose sinnes he hath couered And in another place he sayeth that our Lord Iesus Christe who knewe no sinne nor had any spot in him was made sinne for vs that is too say receyued all the condemnation of our faultes too the end that wee should become Gods rightuousnesse in him that is too say too the end that being greffed into his persone and made one body with him wee might be taken for rightuous bycause there was such perfectnesse in his obedience that our sinnes were buried and rid quite and cleane away Thus much concerning the woord Iustifie ▪ Now as touching the woord Fayth or beleefe S. Paule addeth for a declation that they had beleeued in Iesus Christ. If a man aske an vnlearned persone what Fayth is he will perchaunce answere that it is too beleeue but he shall not be able too tell what is ment or imported by any of them both VVill wee then haue the vnderstanding of them according too the rawe capacitie of the vnskilfullest sorte VVee must alwayes marke that our Lord Iesus Christe is set too bee the butte of our fayth and beleefe Do wee obtayne saluation by fayth It is asmuche too say as wee beleeue in our Lord Iesus Christe But let vs now cōsider why our Lord Iesus Christ is set before our eyes for our fayth too ame at and too reste wholly vppon It is bycause wee shall finde in him what soeuer belongeth too the making of vs rightuous I haue tolde you already that wee bee taken for rightuous before God when he forgiueth our sinnes and calleth thē not too account any more And how shall wee obtayne that but by the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ which was shed to wash vs withall For in asmuch as he hath made full amendes for vs by his death and passion therefore God is appeazed towardes vs condicionally that we seeke not to pay him with any other thing than with the sacrifize that was offered vp to him by his only sonne our Lord Iesus Christ who is called Gods wel beloued sonne too the ende that wee should be beloued in him and the rightuous to the end we should be made parttakers of his rightuousnesse and the holy too the end we should be made holie in him Thus then yee see why wee muste haue an eye to our Lord Iesus Christ when wee intend too know what the woorde Fayth importeth But the Papistes stande wilfully in their owne conceyt bycause they neuer tasted what it is to beleeue and that do they shew well ynough by their allegacions How is it possible say they that a man should bee iustified by beleeuing seyng that the very Diuels doo beleeue It is true and S. Iames vseth the same reason How beit in that place he mocketh at suche as pretend a vayne and fonde cloke of Christianitie and fayth and in the meane whyle shewe no frutes at all of it But the Papistes beguyle themselues yet much more grosly in saying that Fayth is too beleeue in God and that God is the marke that fayth ameth at so as it seemeth too them that too make vp beleefe there needeth no more but to imagine that there is some one certayne God that made the worlde and which gouerneth all things And so they fall faste a sleepe in their ignorance and yet ceasse not too take themselues for good Christians and Catholikes as they themselues bable although they be altogither dulled in deede But it is no woonder that they fight so agaynst the doctrine of the holy Scripture and with suche vnamendable wilfulnesse denie that a man can bee saued by fayth seyng they haue nother discretion nor vnderstāding for they wote not what the matter meeneth So muche the more therefore doth it stande vs vppon too marke well what Sainct Paule telleth vs heere that is too witte that if wee looke not vntoo Iesus Christe wee knowe not what fayth is And the reason thereof is for that we know not what it is too haue forgiuenesse of sinnes to come vnto God to be able to put our trust in him and to call vpon him nother do we know any more what it is to haue our consciences quiet and to hope for the euerlasting life All these things we want till Iesus
all the faithfull to all his children But yet doth he graunt vs other speciall graces besides as when he giueth vs men that teach vs his woord faythfully or that gouerne the common welth wisely or whiche haue other giftes for in so doing he giueth vs certayne tokens that he dwelleth among vs and thereby also he bindeth vs so much the more vntoo him Let vs marke the reason that S. Paule setteth downe heere He blameth the vnthankfulnesse of the Galathians for that they considered not how it came vnto them by the preachyng of the Gospell And he sayeth it purposely bicause men will alwayes make fayre protestations ynow that they meene not to reiect Gods grace and yet doo shew the cleane contrarie in their dooyngs As howe They that are loth too suffer themselues too be taught and would driue away all the ministers of Gods woord if they could they which through enuie spitefulnesse could find in their harts to abolish the remeÌ„brance of al those whom God hath stablished too maynteyne the welfare of his people they say I doo shew well ynough that they would haue God too holde himselfe a farre off from them and that they bee loth to come at him For he setteth before them the meanes to come too him and they voutchsafe not too take it but do thrust it from them So then whereas S. Paule findeth fault with the GalathiaÌ„s it was not for that they protested openly with full mouth that they woulde none of Gods spirit or that they hild skorne of his giftes but too shewe them that they had very ill regarded Gods vttering of the giftes of his spirite in their Churche VVhat ought wee then too gather vppon this Text. That if God giue vs meanes too come vntoo him wee must take them awoorth euen by fashioning of our selues vnto them For if the Gospell bee preached among vs and wee wilfully forget what is told vs it is all one as if wee reiected God and turned our backe vppon him of purpose too stray away from him VVherefore if wee intend that God should continue his grace towardes vs let vs hold vs too the meanes that he hath ordeyned for vs that is to say let vs suffer our selues to be taught by such as he sendeth vnto vs let euery of vs exercyze himself alone also in reading the holy scripture let such as haue done good in edifying the Church haue roome place among vs and let vs not shet the gate against the holy Ghost This in effect is the thing that wee haue to beare in minde Furthermore for asmuch as S. Paules intent here is to bring backe the faithfull to the Gospell let vs assure our selues that if we swarue neuer so litle from it we be streyght in the high way to destruction And so there is none other knitting of God vnto meÌ„ than by meanes of the Gospell which must go as a chayne that cannot bee broken betwixt theÌ„ And Paule doth purposely once againe call it the preaching of faith to shewe vs how great neede wee haue that God should preuent vs. For vntil such time as he haue reached vs his hand in our Lord Iesus Christe and drawne vs out of the gulfe of confusion wherein wee bee by nature what are wee Moreouer wee see howe bountifull he sheweth himselfe towardes vs in that he giueth himselfe fully to vs in the persone of his only Sonne surely it is much more than if he gaue vs heauen and earth and all the goodes that are in them For what are all other things in coÌ„parison of our Lord Iesus Christ VVherfore let vs marke that seing that God hauing declared vntoo vs that wee bee vtterly vnfurnished of all goodnesse addeth that he will not keepe backe any thing from vs nor shew himselfe a nigard towards vs if wee seeke too him for all things that wee want wee must be contented with it and if wee swarue neuer so little one way or other we deserue well to bee vtterly bereft and dispossessed euen of that which wee haue receyued alreadie And therevppon S. Paule bringeth vs backe too the example of Abraham bycause he is the father of all the faythfull and moreouer bycause that in his person it pleazed god to shew how we may become rightuous to be saued for there is none other way to bring vs to the kingdome of heauen than the same that he went There is but onely one way and that is set foorth too vs in the example of Abraham S. Paule therefore sayeth that Abraham beleeued God and the same was reckened too him for rightuousnesse and therefore that if we will be Abrahams children wee must beleeue Heere we haue too call too rememberance the thing that hath bin declared alreadie heretofore that is too say what this woorde fayth or beâ—eefe importeth It is not a single beleeuing that there is but one God which gouerneth the worlde but an assuring of our selues that he taketh vs for his children and that wee may fully and freely call vppon him as our father bycause he accepteth vs for our Lord Iesus Christes sake Then if wee bee sure of the fauour and fatherly loue of our God and take suche warrantize of it by his promises that wee haue our looke wholly fastened vppon our Lord Iesus Christe in whom wee finde meanes too come vnto God and too go freely vntoo him that is the very thing whiche S. Paule ment by that woord Fayth And so when he sayeth that too bee Ahrahams children wee must bee faythfull it is all one as if he sayd that wee cannot bee faythfull Christians nor members of the Church but by fayth that is to say except we be bereft of all opinioÌ„ of our owne deseruings moreouer so beaten downe and dismayed in our selues as we may not wote where too become nor seeke any other meanes of saluatioÌ„ than in the free goodnesse which God offereth vs when he telleth vs that wee be fordone damned in our sinnes and yet notwithstanding that we must not ceasse to haue full hope and trust of saluation in Iesus Christ Thus yee see what it is for a man to bee a Christian that is too wit to be vtterly out of hart in himself in coÌ„sideration that he bringeth nothing with him but sin and cursednesse and yet vpon the feeling of himself to be so vtterly voyde of all well deseruing to come vnto God to be clothed with the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ For it is not ynough for vs to be out of hart in our selues as we see that Cain was who beyng as it were vpon the racke confesseth his fault howbeit that was but through despayre and so consequently there was nothing in him but murmuring and blasphemie against God in like cace is it with all reprobates or cast awayes but wee must so taste of the loue of our God as wee may be able to settle our selues vpon it and be out of all doubt that he will
staues end too the intent too humble him as he doth all the rest of the faithfull Then could not Abraham bring aught of him selfe for looke what goodnesse so euer he had he hild it of God and of hys free goodnesse And moreouer the same was yet still vnsufficient too saue him for by nature he was vtterly lost and damned as all the rest of Adams lyne is Therefore it stoode hym in hand that God shoulde receyue him through pardoning of his sinnes and looke vpon him singly in his faythe But let vs marke also that Gods iustifying of vs is by fayth that is to say by his owne meere and alonely goodnesse and that thervpon it behoueth vs to rest in his promise by the vertue wherof he alloweth and accepteth vs yea and our works also not in respect that they come of our selues but for that we do theÌ„ by the grace of his holy spirite and therfore dooth he accept them and allowe them as righteous yea euen so farre foorth as to rewarde them as the whole scripture doth plentifully witnesse And yet dooth all this also proceede of fayth For when wee bee iustified that is too say accepted for righteous before God then also are our works iustified that is to say God accepteth them for rightfull although there be not any worthinesse in them nor any cause at al why he should receiue them Then like as wee our selues are iustified by Gods onely free goodnesse when wee receyue his promises by fayth euen so bee our workes iustified by the selfe same meane After that maner was Abraham iustified in his person and then likewise were his workes also iustified before God But howsoeuer the world go if yee consider the originall cause and welspring of all yee muste needes conclude that nothing else was made account of but onely fayth For had God listed to sift Abrahams life he had bin coÌ„demned as all other mortall men are But his intent was to take him for his owne and nothing perswaded or moued him thervnto but his own mere mercy Also Abraham had his eyes shut agaynst all vayne trustes wherewith men deceyue them selues he knewe there was nothing able to bring him to lyfe saue the onely mercy of God To bee short like as Abraham had no regarde but of Gods meere mercie so God had no regarde but onely of Abrahams fayth and by that meanes was he iustified So then let vs leaue all things that men imagine to bring them selues in fauour with God by mingling this and that with fayth for they are all but falshods and illusions of Satan and let fayth haue such foundation as this that is too wit that with al humilitie we acknowledge our selues to bee then righteous when God forgiueth vs our sinnes and that by the same meanes our works also are reckned for good and righteous bicause God listeth not to sifte them narrowly but taketh them in good worth of his fatherly goodnesse Thus yee see what wee haue too gather vpon that text Now that the blessednesse of Abraham belongeth vnto vs and is ment vnto vs it appeareth by that which I haue touched alreadie and by that S. Paule auoucheth that all natiâ—ons should be blessed in Abraham And nowe remayneth too see the reason that S. Paule addeth on the contrarie part For men by their good wils can neuer finde in their harts too giue ouer the opinion which they haue of their owne righteousnesse excepte they bee compelled and inforced too it For althoughe wee bee saped in so many vices as is oughly to beholde yet the worst and deepest rooted vice in our nature is pride or presumptuousnesse whiche is a selfewilled weening that there is somewhat in vs in so muche that although God tell vs that we be right nought and that there is nothing in vs but leaudnesse filthinesse and vnclennesse and that all the vertue which we dreame vpon is but vanitie leasing yet can he not compasse to humble vs til we our selues perceiue our owne neede and haue it proued to our faces And therfore it behoueth vs to marke well the reason which S. Paule addeth heere to drawe vs to the pure fayth and to turne vs away from all the vayne trustes which we can haue in our owne deseruings All they sayth he that are of the law are accursed For it is written Cursed be he that continueth not in all the things that are written and conteyned in this booke too doo them VVhen as S. Paule sayth that all they which are of the lawe are cursed he meaneth that so long as men rest and muse vpon their owne works and thinke to obteyne grace by that meane before God they be cursed For as I haue declared heeretofore like as he that forsaketh him selfe and renounceth al that he hath of his owne and groundeth him selfe vpon the only mercy of God is of fayth so contrariwyse hee that thinketh too bring any seruice wherewith too binde God vnto him or imagineth to recompence him with his merites is of the Lawe But sainct Paule saythe that suche are cursed And why He alleageth the saying of Moyses Cursed bee hee that perfourmeth not all that is written heere It had beene sayde afore Cursed bee he that serueth straunge Gods Cursed bee he that blasphemeth God Cursed be he that breaketh the Sabboth day Cursed bee he that is stubborne agaynst his father and mother Cursed bee he that defileth another mans wyfe After the rehearsing of all these Curses and after the solemne vttering of them it behoued the people too answere Amen Amen as if there had passed some couenaunt and that God on hys side had made demaunde saying I wyll haue you too serue mee after thys maner yea euen without fayling in any poynte and in suche wise as yee keepe touche wyth mee through stitche in all things that I commaunde you and the people on theyr side shoulde answere Amen yea Lord we be contented to be all damned if we serue thee not and then afterward God should come and conclude Cursed bee he that performeth not all that euer is conteyned in this booke that is too say which misseth in any one poynt and the people should answere agayne sobeit Nowe seeing that the lawe curseth all suche as performe it not to the full let vs see if there bee any one that dooth it It is certayne that al men froÌ„ the greatest too the least are gyltie For why let vs consider the summe of the Lawe which is that wee should loue God wyth all our hart with all our minde with all our power and with al our strength and our neighbour as our self and then let euery of vs try his own life he shal neede none other iudge than him self to coÌ„demne him For although we loued God with an vncorrupted and sounde hart vnfaynedly yet can it not bee but that wee must bee drawen diuersly with many vanities Yea put the cace that a man were as perfect as an Angell
God with his owne mouth sayd determinately that who soeuer hung vppon tree should be accursed and yet for all that that it was his will therewithall that his owne Sonne should bee hanged on tree And why so Too the end he shoulde beare our burthen according as he is our pledge ordeyned to be the principall detter in our behalf To the end then that wee might bee set free from the curse of the Lawe Iesus Christe became accursed Nowe at the first fight it might seeme hard and straunge that the Lord of glorie he that hath all soueraine dominion and before whose maiestie the verie Angelles of heauen do tremble and are abashed should be subiect too cursing But wee muste go backe too that whiche S. Paule hath treated of in the first to the Corinthians namely that the doctrine of the Gospell is foolishnesse too mankind yea euen too the wyzest of them and that it was Gods will too humble vs after that maner bycause of our vnthankfulnesse For we should haue a good instruction to leade vs vnto God yea euen in wisedome if we could profite our selues by the things that are shewed vs in the whole order of heauen earth But for asmuch as men are blinde and shet their eyes agaynst this wisedome that God setteth afore them therfore he is fayne too take a new way to the woode and too draw them to him as it were by folie So then let vs not iudge after our owne mother wit of the thing that is declared heere which is that the sonne of God was put vnder the curse but rather let vs bee rauished at such a secrete and giue the glorie vntoo our God seyng he hath so loued our soules as too pay so inestimable a pryce for the raunsoming of them And so little ought this thing to imbace the maiestie of our Lord Iesus Christ or to deface that which is giuen him in the holy Scripture as wee rather haue cause too glorifie him the more for it And for proofe thereof our Lord Iesus Christe as sayeth S. Paule committed no robberie when he shewed himselfe in his infinite glorie And yet notwithstanding he abaced himselfe willing and not onely clothed himself with our nature and became a passible mā but also submitted himself to a death that was both shamefull before men yea and accursed before God Then must it needes bee that we were very deere vnto him seing he yeelded himself too such extremitie for our redemption If wee could taste the meening hereof surely wee would giue our selues wholly too the magnifying of that grace which cānot be sufficiently expressed by woordes and surpasseth all wisedome of man Seyng therefore that wee comprehend it not nor can vtter the hundredth part of it let vs yet be as it were astonished at it in considering so much of it as we be able too comprehend But heere we see still the leudnesse and frowardnesse of men in that whereas S. Paule sayeth that our Lorde Iesus Christ became accursed for vs it passeth and slippeth away from vs. Yea and there are some so leud that they take occasiō of stumbling and of flinging out of the way and of estraunging themselues quite and cleane from the Churche when they heare this maner of our reedeming set afore vs. VVhat say they was it of necessitie that the sonne of God who is the fountayne of all goodnesse and ought too make vs all holy should be cursed It seemeth too them that God in so doyng ment too peruert all order and reason But as I haue declared alreadie it is certaine that God condemneth mens vnkindnesse by bringing them to such a kinde of foolishnesse bycause they came not too him by wisedome when he shewed them that way Neuerthe later howsoeuer the cace stande needes muste our wittes shrinke and our reason bee vtterly confounded so as wee may honour Gods secretes and wonder at them though they bee hidden from vs. And againe whensoeuer it is sayd vnto vs that the sonne of God became accursed for vs it would become vs to enter into the examinacion of our sinnes In so doing we shall perceyue how lothly wee be before God till our sinnes and offences bee washed away by the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ Had all the Angelles of heauen vndertaken for vs it had bin no sufficient bayle Then was there none other satisfaction than the persone of our Lord Iesus Christe And he came not into the world too discharge vs of the bonde of euerlasting death wherein we were bound by his diuine and heauenly power How then By weakenesse And not onely so but also he was fayne to bee counted accursed or else we should haue lien still ouerwhelmed with the burthen and haue perished all of vs in that gulf Therefore when wee see that the sonne of God who not only is the vnspotted Lambe and the mirrour of all rightuousnesse holinesse and perfection but also the very welspring thereof was hilde accursed for vs ought wee not at the sight thereof to conceyue such a terrour for our sinnes that wee should be as good as swallowed vp with despayre till we be plucked backe againe by the infinite grace and goodnesse of our God So then let vs marke well that when it is tolde vs that wee were raunsomed from the curse of the Lawe God intendeth thereby to bryng vs to true humilitie But that cannot bee vnlesse men be vtterly cōfounded in themselues so as they be ashamed too loke vpon themselues and therewithall also afrayd and dismayed knowing that Gods wrath wayteth readie for them till our Lord Iesus Christe doo remedie the matter Thus yee see that all our whole lyfe is lothsome before God and there is no way for vs too come too attonement with him till our Lord Iesus Christ take vpon him the cursednesse that is in vs and beare it in his owne persone And therefore as oft as wee reade this text let euery of vs awake and set himselfe before Gods iudgement seate that wee may feele there as it were a gulf to swallow vs vp quyte and cleane and thereat bee abashed for very shame of our selues and on the other side so much the more magnifie the grace that is purchaced for vs in the persone of the sonne of God and keepe our selues warely from diminishing his dignitie in that he is sayd to be accursed and rather thereby be the more prouoked to yeeld him his due and deserued prayse for that he hath shewed himself to esteeme our welfare so highly ▪ Furthermore let vs make our profit of that pledge of our saluation and of the loue that God beareth vs so as we doubt not but that God liketh well of vs when we come to him seyng he hath bought vs so deere that as S. Peter telleth vs in his first canonicall Epistle it was nother golde nor siluer nor any corruptible thing but it was our Lord Iesus Christ himself that was payd for our raunsome Therefore
fashion Let vs go forward with the whole processe VVe see that without faith there should be no bond to knit any Church togither nor any assurance whereby to know which is the seede of Abraham or to discerne it from the rest of the world but by resorting to the head that is too wit to our Lord Iesus Christ Ye see then that the vnion of the body dependeth vpon the head that is to wit vppon the Redeemer Seeing it doth so not without cause doth Sainct Paule say that it was not spoken of many seedes but that wee must come too one man if we will haue the spirituall people that is to say if wee will haue the Churche of God our Lorde Iesus Christ must bee the marke that we must begin to looke at and wee must bee gathered vnto him and those that are of his body and cleaue vntoo him by fayth are the folke that are reckened for Gods children and houshold and are verily the seede of Abraham as he discourseth more at large in the Epistle to the Romanes where he sayth that all they which come of the seede of Israell after the flesh are not therefore Israelites And why For there was but one promised chylde which was Isaac So then wee must come to our Lorde Iesus Christe in whome all Gods promises are Yea and Amen and in whome they haue theyr substance For without him there is nothing else but soattering And therefore it is said in the first Chapter to the Colossians that our Lorde Iesus Christs office is to gather togither all things that were scattered as well in heauen as in earthe and that without him al should go to wrecke But now we see more cleerely how Sainct Paules meening is that before the law was published to the world wherevpâ—â— was put and added this condition that it behoued vs to fulfill all that is conteined therein God had yeelded a record of his will before hand whiche was that bycause hee saw mankind damned and forlorne he inteÌ„ded to draw out a chosen sort to hymselfe and to be mercifull to them And that was not for one linage alone but for all nations as the scripture expresseth And there of the foundation was layd in our Lord Iesus Christ For asmuch then as our Lord Iesus Christe was already in the tyme of Abraham ordeyned to be a mediator to make attonemeÌ„t betweene God and vs so that if we go in his name to seeke fauour it is ready for vs and we cannot be disappointed of our hope seeing it is so stablished there is no chaunge but wee must assure ourselues that God accepteth vs at this day so we rest wholly vpoÌ„ our Lord Iesus Christ knowing that it was no vncerteine couenant whiche was so ratifyed in his name but that it shall endure for euer and be always of force Ye see then that we may come freely before God and call vpon him as our father bycause he hath adopted vs for his chidreÌ„ whiche thing he hath not done in respect of any worthinesse that was in vs but of his owne meere mercie and bycause we bee made one with our Lord Iesus Christ by faith And by the way like as we must reiect all opinion and imagination of obteyning fauour at Gods hand by our owne deseruings and of assuring our owne saluation so must we looke wel to that which is told vs heere namely that we cannot be partakers of such a benefite but by faith Now as I haue sayd afore faith importeth an imbracing of Gods mercy whiche thing cannot bee done except wee bee touched earnestly with our own wretchednesse for it is not for naught that our Lord Iesus Christ setteth our cursednesse before vs as it were in a glasse by taking vpon him to be accursed for vs. Faith therefore cannot be without repentance for it is vnpossible that we shoulde seeke our welfare in God or desire mercie at his hand till miserie touch vs to the quicke and make vs to mislike of it And so these skoffers whiche mocke God weltring still in their vyces and beeing as it were sotted in them must not looke that euer Iesus Christ shoulde recken them in the number of hys for they cannot by any meanes come at him nother doth he call any other than suche as are so ouerloden and forweeryed as they can no longer hold out and lye groning vnder the burthen of their sinnes Thus ye see how it behoueth vs to resort to our Lord Iesus Christe and that although we cannot bring any desert vnto him and that all the Ceremonies of the law and all the profers that we can make vnto him do nothing at all further our saluation yet we must be prepared to suche lowlinesse as we may perceiue our state to be right miserable till God haue taken vs to his mercy and we must be so beaten downe in ourselues as wee may feele the curse that should light vpon vs if we were not raunsomed with so high and excellent a price as I haue declared heeretofore Yee see then that by faythe wee receiue the promis of the spirite and thereby are linked to oure Lord Iesus Christ and too the spirituall seede of Abraham For although we be not borne of his linage yet is it ynough that wee be made atone with him by faith For then are wee begotten againe of that incorruptible seed wherof S. Peter speaketh that is to wit of Gods word such as it is conteyned in the Gospell And beeing so begotten agayne we know that God auoweth vs too be of the body of his only sonne And although wee come of the Gentiles yet fayle we not for all that to be ioyned to the Church whervntoo there needeth no more but only fayth and as for all merites and vertues of men they must vtterly ceasse in that behalfe and men must acknowledge that they cannot bring any thing but confusion so as they must be faine to seeke all at Gods hande and that by the meanes whiche hee hymselfe hath appointed Now sith it is so let vs learne to leaue our wandering heere and there as we see lightheaded men do whiche are neuer contented with that which God telleth them but are euer adding somewhat of theyr owne deuice Let vs beware of such mingling as shall be treated of more at large after dinner by Gods will And let Iesus Chryste alone suffise vs seeyng that our welfare dependeth wholly vppon hym alone and wee shall want nothing if wee bee partakers of hym as we see how Sainct Paule bringeth vs backe too that poynte Furthermore let vs learne also too holde vs too Gods truth assuring ourselues that hee cannot abyde too haue any adding vntoo it bycause that were a marring reuersing and falsifying of his couenant wherein oure welfare consisteth But when we haue once imbraced our Lorde Iesus Christ let vs abyde fast in him and let hym suffise vs for all and then maye wee call vppon GOD with full mouth
moued at his threatnings Men will alwayes vse shiftes and wee neede not to seeke farre for example thereof for as I sayde wee haue experience of it in our selues The other is that although we yeelde God his due honor in beleeuing his worde too bee true and infallible yet wee will alwayes bee adding vnto it and that doo wee see too muche in the Papacie VVhereof commeth that confusion or mazeworke whiche wee see too bee in the seruing of God the great number and diuersitie of fashions and the great store of abuses and falsehoods but of that men haue not yeelded too the things which God sheweth them but haue made additions and confused medlies of things that came of their owne brayne In what maner doo the Papistes indeuer them selues too serue God Euery man hathe his seuerall deuotion by him selfe and therewithall an infinite number of gewgawes Theyr saying is that the Churche hath commaunded all but what soeuer it bee it is all of mans inuenting And what a thing is that Dyd not God sufficiently foresee what he woulde lyke of He telleth vs that in the Lawe wee haue all perfection and that he will not haue vs too holde any other rule Agayne he addeth that he had leuer haue obedientnesse than all the sacrifices in the world His minde is too holde men in awe that they shoulde not presume to mingle any thing of their owne brayne and imagination But what and if God haue sayde so Yet will men beare him downe that this and that were good and they will needes adde a hundred times more than he had ordeined Yea and which worse is they holde scorne of that which he requireth and exacteth most straightly and in the meane while magnifie fond toyes and pelting trash which not only are of no value before him but also lothsome to him bicause he disalloweth all things that men thrust vpon him after that fashion to spite him with Now then we see hereby how eager and presumptuous also men haue always bin in thrusting themselues forward to serue God after their own liking howbeit that was but a peruerting of all the holy scripture For beholde whereas God telleth vs that the cheefe sacrifice which he demaundeth of vs is that we should resort vnto him and offer vp our requests after the maner which he hath appoynted to be the meane for vs to come familiarly and boldly vnto him that is to wit by making our Lorde Iesus Christ our aduocate Men will needes haue vs pray vnto Saincts deceassed and to make them our patrons and aduocates to be a meane betweene God and vs when wee go about too seeke his fauour As muche is to be sayde of all the rest of their doctrine God hathe commaunded vs too pray one for another and they say wee must pray for the wretched soules that are in Purgatorie And who hathe commaunded all this Men haue surmised that so it should be and according to their surmising so it must bee Lo what their rashnesse is God hath ordeyned his sacraments for vs too assure vs of his promises by their meanes and he will haue them to bee as Seales of ouermeasure that our infirmitie may bee the better succoured VVee haue Baptisme whereby God dooth vs to wit that wee bee washed and clensed from all our spottes by the bloudshed of hys only sonne that therewithall he accepteth vs as his members of his body bringeth vs into his Church Nowe the Papists are not contented with this simplicitie but will needes haue spittle and taper lighte and other gewgawes that are irkesome to thinke of And whence come suche additions but of this diuelish boldnesse that when God had stablished all that was meete and conuenient for the turne and in such wise as nothing was to be misliked men coulde not finde in their hearts too take it in good worth but as I sayde afore were inflamed with such an ouer eagernesse and outrage as they must needes bee adding mingling chaunging interlacing and turmoyling without ende or measure So muche the more therefore doth it stand vs vpon to hold fast that which God sheweth vs by S. Paule namely that for as muche as God hath authorized his worde it is not lawfull for men to adde any thing too it but that all our wisdome is to ioyne with him and too receyu◠without scanning what soeuer commeth out of his mouth And if this be verified of the promise that was made vnto Abraham much more reason is it that we now a dayes should keepe the same modestie seeing we haue much fuller instruction in the Gospel Truely the substance of the thing that is preached vnto vs now a dayes differeth not from that which Abrahā heard of Gods owne mouth But what soeuer it be we haue now a much more familiar maner of teaching bicause our Lorde Iesus Christ who is the day sunne of righteousnesse is manyfested vnto vs. Seeing then that there is no hardnesse at all vnto vs if we list to giue eare is it not an intollerable trayterousnesse if our lusts be still itching too adde one thing or other Howsoeuer wee fare let vs learne to holde vs to that which God hath taught vs. For we may not deale otherwise than with such modestie in that behalfe bicause that if we swarue neuer so little aside from that rule by and by wee bee in Satans snares readie to be caried one way or other to all confusion But let vs bee well aduised and seeing that S. Paule saythe heere that the lawe could not any whit impeache the promise which was made before what shall become of vs in these dayes if wee wyll needes haue the inuentions of mens foolishe heades to impeache the purenesse of the Gospell so as it may not bee perceyued whither God or his creatures bee more master Thus yee see what ought to holde vs in awe that wee passe not our bounds but that our fayth bee alwayes wholly ruled and directed by the single worde of God and that wee reiect what soeuer is added by man And that is in effect the thing whiche wee haue too gather heere Nowe as touching that S. Paule sayth that the couenant was established of God towarde Iesus Christ foure hundred yeeres before the Lawe Heerein wee see the same thing whiche I touched this morning namely that when God vttered him selfe to be a father whether it were towards Abraham or towards Noe or towards any other it was not but by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christ For there is as it were a deadly foade betweene God and man in respecte that they be corrupted by originall sinne in so much that if God let vs alone in our natural plight surely al our thoughts are cursed al our affections are crooked frowarde and full of stubbornesse al our wittes are bestayned with vices so that wee haue not one sounde and vninfected place in vs from the crowne of our head to the sole of our
lowlinesse seeke the mercie that is profered them in Iesus Christ and by his meanes bee able to receyue it and inioy it And heerevpon Saint Paule addeth that the Lawe was ordeyned or deliuered by the hande of Angelles and in the hande of a Mediator Here he authoriseth the Lawe too shewe that it ought to bee receyued with all reuerence but yet not be applyed too any other ende than God hath appoynted For proofe hereof he speaketh of the Angels as if he had sayd that God had witnesses ynow to giue authoritie to his Law and therewithall shewed how it ought to be taken herd But the cheefest matter is in his setting downe of the Mediator that is to wit our Lord Iesus Christ True it is that many men haue taken this saying to be ment of Moyses as though he had bin called the Mediator betwene God and men as in respect of doctrine but that can by no meanes stande For Paule dooth first set downe the Angels and afterward addeth the Mediator as cheefe and he is here in higher degree than they which cannot bee verified of the person of Moyses Moreouer we see what Saint Paule discourseth He sheweth that there was no diuersitie betweene the Lawe and the Gospell in the free promise of saluation For the confirming thereof he bringeth in our Lorde Iesus Christ and sayeth that when the Lawe was gyuen it was done by his hande and direction Truely this woorde Hande in the holy Scripture dooth oftentymes import force power or strength but heere wee see howe Saint Paule maketh comparison betweene Iesus Christ and the Angelles He setteth downe the Angels that were assembled there to make his Law to bee heard among men and too bee receyued of them wythout gainsaying Therefore they were as witnesses of Gods Maiestie but hee setteth downe the Mediator as the greater The hande therefore importeth direction as if he had sayde that hee had highest place and was cheefe Commissioner in setting out the Lawe And we must not thinke this strauuge for when the Angell appered vntoo Moyses hee sayde I am the Euerlasting There hee is named an Angell Therefore is hee Gods messenger as the worde betokeneth and yet notwithstanding hee sayeth I am the Euerlasting that haue my beeing of my selfe which saying could not be verified of any creature and as for the Angels they were made of nothing as well as we Then had it bin highe treason for an Angell too haue taken vppon him the tytle that agreeth to none but God alone Therefore must wee conclude that that Angell was Iesus Christ who executed the office of Mediator aforehande accordingly as Saint Paule treateth thereof in the first too the Corinthians where he speaketh of the Iewes rebelliousnesse and of their prouoking of God to displeasure by their murmuring and wicked lusts He sayeth that they tempted Iesus Christ which led them and guided thē through the wildernesse No doubt therfore but that our Lord Iesus Christ was euen thē the Mediator yea euen to reconcile men to God his father after diuerse maners And heere ye see why the Apostle in the Epistle too the Hebrewes sayeth that the same Iesus Christ whiche is too day was yesterday and shall bee still tomorrowe euen too the worldes ende too the intent that men shoulde holde themselues too him and not wander any more in straunge doctrines But nowe hee addeth Iesus Christ then hathe bin a meane betwixt God and men to the intent that poore sinners might find some releefe and that although they had some hartbytings by beeing troubled with Gods iudgements yet neuerthelesse they might also be cōforted seing that God offered thē a Mediator by whom they might obteyne grace to come vnto him Howbeeit Iesus Christ is our Mediator after another fashion also which is that by him God hath alwayes communicated himselfe to men For there is suche a distance betwixt God and vs so long as wee bee estraunged from him by sinne that wee cannot come at hym And hee will not come downe too vs for his part except it bee by the Mediator according also as it is shewed in Iacobs vision in Genesis For there it is sayde that Iacob sawe a Ladder vpon the toppe whereof sate God in his Maiestie and the Angels went vp and downe vpon that ladder And no doubt but that in that figure or Image our Lord Iesus Christ was represented vnto Iacob to shewe that men are banished from Gods kingdome till there be a meane that reacheth vp from beneath as our Lorde Iesus Christ doth who being on the one side God manifested dooth surmount all the heauens and on the other side being ioyned vnto vs in that hee is clothed with our nature and is become a man yea euen a frayle and mortall man sinne excepted hath taken vpon him and borne our infirmities though he himselfe were without spot So then ye see howe the lawe was giuen long ago by the hande of our Lorde Iesus Christ VVherevpon it followeth that there is no contrarietie betwene the Lawe and the Gospell For Iesus Christ is alwayes one without any variablenesse Nowe let vs see what Saint Paule addeth namely that the Mediator is not of one but that God is one In saying that the Mediator is not of one he meeneth that our Lorde Iesus Christ came too gather toogither againe all things that were scattered bothe in heauen and earth accordingly also as hee speaketh of it in the first too the Collossians Truely some haue taken the meening of this text to bee that Iesus Christ was of mo natures than one or that although hee were the Mediator betweene God men yet did it not follow that there was diuersitie betwene the Lawe and the Gospell But doubtlesse Saint Paules meening heere is to gather againe the Iewes and the Gentiles as if hee had sayde Iesus Christ was the Mediator in giuing of the Lawe as the partie by whose meanes god ment to humble men that they might be partakers of his grace Howbeit let vs marke that our Lorde Iesus Christ who was the continuall Mediator in giuing the Lawe too the Iewes had therewithall a Commission that stretched yet further that is to wit to gather and knit togither againe the Gentiles which were estraunged from God For although God did for a time preferre the lynage of Abraham before all the rest of the worlde yet notwithstanding in the ende our Lorde made vs parttakers of the saluation wherevnto we were straungers and it behoued vs that were farre off to be gathered togither againe as those that had bin neere neighbours afore And therefore Saint Paule in another text calling Iesus Christ our peace sayth that he hath ioyned and knit vs vnto God euen vs that had bin neere him before as well the Iewes which had the Lawe as those that had bin vtterly deuided from them They that earst had none acquayntance with God were in the ende gathered togither agayne into the body
Christ who is the fountayne and welspring of all blissednesse Nowe let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him too make vs perceyue them more and more so as we may mislike of them and not onely confesse them with our mouth but also lay open our hearts before him and submit our selues wholly to his holy word and that in suche wise as wee may bee comforted by his free goodnesse as it is shewed vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ and he reforme vs also by his holy spirite too the ende that whereas wee of our selues be full of rebelliousnesse we may by his gouerning become teachable and readie to follow his holy will and to giue our selues ouer all wholly vnto him And let vs pray vnto him for all these things saying Almightie God heauenly father c. The .xxij. Sermon which is the eyght vpon the third Chapter 21 Is the lavv then agaynst the promises of God God forbyd For if the lavve vvere giuen too iustifie truely ryghtuousnesse shoulde come by the Lavve 22 But the Scripture hath shut vp all vnder sinne to the intent that the promise by the saythe of Iesus Christ should begiuen to those that beleeue 23 Novv before that fayth came vve vvere kept vnder the lavve shut vp to come to the fayth that vvas to bee reuealed 24 By meanes vvhereof the Lavv vvas our scholemaster to leade vs vnto Christ that vvee might bee iustified by fayth 25 But novv that fayth is come vvee bee no more vnder the Scholemaster WE haue alreadie this morning dispatched this poynt that the Law was not giuen in vayne though it coulde not bring vs too righteousnesse to make vs acceptable to God SecoÌ„dly it was shewed you that Gods giuing of hys Lawe was not to the intent we should seeke our righteousnesse and saluation there as though his grace had bin weake and vnsufficient but for a farre other respect that is to wit to giue men suche knowledge of their sinnes as they might be ashamed of them in theÌ„ selues for otherwise they could not be touched to the quicke to flee to our Lorde Iesus Christ for refuge as we see too much And now S. Paule moueth another question namely whether the lawe bee agaynst the promises For surely when it is sayde that the lawe promiseth vs saluation vpon condition that wee deserue it and the promise of the Gospell telleth vs that wee shall bee taken into Gods fauour without any deseruing a man would thinke there were some contrarietie in the matter As if a man shoulde offer mee a house so I would pay wel for it and did set me a price of it and another man should say vnto me no thou shalt haue it for nothing There is great contrarietie in these sayings And it seemeth that in speaking after that fashion God vnsayeth that which he had spoken in hys law where he sayth Serue me and keepe my commaundements you shall not misse of your wages For in the Gospell he speaketh another language saying I require nothing of you for yee bee so wretched that ye can giue me nothing but I receyue you into my kingdome frankly and of mine owne free goodnesse without any desert of yours your heritage is assigned to you euen bicause it is my good pleasure to doo it Heerevpon S. Paule declareth that although God speake after another maner and fashion in the lawe than in the Gospel yet notwithstanding when we haue well considered the marke that he shooteth at wee shal perceyue there is no contrarietie in the matter For as I haue tolde you this morning Gods promising of rewarde to our works is not to beguyle vs but to stop our mouthes that wee might not repine agaynst him as we see that the world doth which is alwayes ready to carpe at him with diuelish malapertnesse wheÌ„ he handleth them not after their owne will and liking God then cutteth off all occasion of grudging when he telleth vs that wee shall not be disappoynted of our wages for our wel seruing of him Furthermore let euery of vs examine him selfe well and he shal finde that that is not the match wherby we must obteyne saluation for there is none of vs all but he may condemne him self by his own life if he iudge without flattering But after that God hath spoken after that fashioÌ„ he offereth vs remedie in the Gospell and telleth vs that for as much as we be damned and can not hope to attayne any saluation by our works he him selfe offered it vs of his own free goodnesse bicause it pleaseth him so to doo And for that cause S. Paule answereth If the law had bin giuen to iustifie I coulde wel inough graunt that righteousnesse should be giuen vs by it But let vs see whether God ment that or no. It is certayne he ment it not Then sendeth he vs to Gods purpose as if he should say that the Hypocrites which are so puffed vp with pride ouerweening that they think they be able to iustifie them selues to win heauen are il expounders of Gods law yea falsifiers therof For men must alwayes haue an eye to the intent of the speaker Now God ment not to set men a gog with any trust in their own wit deseruings for we be too much giuen to that of our own nature VVe see it hath bin a common error through the whole world in all ages Therfore we nede no scholing to persuade vs that we be able folke that we can bind God to vs by our vertuous doings But contrariwise God hath giuen vs his lawe to the intent we should be wounded with it as with a sword the stripe be so deadly as we might be constrayned to flee to him for succor Seeing then that Gods will it to slea vs by the Law it is not giuen vs to make vs righteous And therfore they that seeke their life welfare there beguile them selues and there is no reason why they should alledge for theÌ„ selues yea how so God hath promised me it No but they must consider to what end he saith so Now we see how S. Paul hath discussed this question that there is no contrarietie betweene the Law the Gospel though God alter the maner of his speech at the first blush Now he addeth afterwarde That the Scripture hath shut vp all â—â—â—der sinne that we might obteyne the promise by the fayth of our Lorde Iesus Christ. VVhen he sayth that the scripture hathe shutte vp all vnder sinne he sheweth that men are too-too blockishe too thinke that God ment too assigne them a due wages or hire when he dyd set them downe this condition He that dooth these thinges shall liue in them Lette them reade the whole lawe let them searche the contents and substance of it let them looke well vpon the whole holy Scripture and they shall finde that it accuseth and condemneth all men from the moste to the
least without any exception Now if we be al condemned euen by the law what would we more Must it not needs be that we be tootoo much blinded with hypocrisie when we will needes binde God to vs after this sorte notwithstanding that we be farre wyde from all righteousnesse and he hath tolde vs that we can not compasse it in his sighte but that we must bee vtterly ouerwhelmed S. Paule alledgeth not heere any text too shewe that the Scripture hath shut vp all vnder sinne but taketh it as vtterly certayne and which ought not to bee doubted of any more among the faithfull And for proofe thereof wee see that euen from the creation of the world we be all of vs corrupted in Adam His sinne condemned not him selfe onely but also all his whole ofspring and all of vs are falne in that fal of his And thervpon it is sayd that al our thoughts are rebellings agaynst God and there is nothing but naughtinesse in vs. VVhat then is mans wit A warehouse of all wickednesse And seeing that God hath auouched it to be so at a word what shal wee gayne by chalenging this or that too our selues For all our startingholes shal but increase our miserie bicause that in so doing wee spite God and kindle his wrath so much the more For wherto serued all the sacrifices but to shew vs to our faces that all men are vtterly accursed so long as they continue in them And although there were no sacrifices at all yet very experience sheweth it Let euery of vs enter into himselfe let him consider what maner a one he is and let him viewe himselfe in the perfection which the holy scripture requireth at our hands he shal wel find that there is no way for him but to imbrace the promise of Gods mercy which he maketh vnto vs wheÌ„ he sayth that our iniquities shal be wiped out that there is no way for vs to come to him but only by his loue And doth he not hereby still bewray our sinne specially seeing he setteth down Iesus Christ for our rightuousnesse But if any maÌ„ list to haue a larger certener discourse hereof let him ad that which S. Paule setteth down in the third to the Romans where he setteth foorth the thing largely which is touched here briefly then shal he see yet better how the scripture hath shut vp all vnder sinne For there S. Paule alleageth the texts that serue to bewray mans nature till Gods haue drawen him backe changed him and fashioned him new agayne Like as when he sayth that God looked downe heere bylowe to see if he could find any soundnesse and all were corrupted yea and festered in their naughtinesse and there was not so much as one that sought after God Nowe it is certayne that there there is no speaking of two or three but generally of all men in whom God hath not wrought to gouerne them by his holy spirite Therefore it is all one as if Dauid did shewe vs in a paynted table what maner of ones wee bee by birth and heritage Afterwarde he addeth that which is written in the fiftith Psalme and in all the residue and finally alleageth Esay also to shewe that God was fayne to serue his turne with his own arme when he purposed to redeme men VVhat is it sayth he that men haue done in that behalfe For they do but runne forwarde and cast themselues headlong intoo all cursednesse and transgression They doo but wander they loue shifting sutteltie falshod and lying to bee short when God had looked that men should haue helped to bring themselues too saluation they were rather a hundred thousand times more in danger of perishing S. Paule therefore alleadgeth all those things Nowe let vs flatter our selues as muche as wee list yet can not the things bee called backe which God hath pronounced vpon vs. And as ofte as wee reade the sayde textes and heare Sainct Paules expounding of them in the forealledged chapter it is for vs too cast downe our heads and to receyue the shame which we deserue namely to be berefte of all glory and too seeke at Gods hande the things that we want And thus ye see how the scripture hathe shut vp all vnder sinne In the eleuenth chapter to the Romans he saith that God hath shut vp all vnder sinne too the intent to haue mercie on all But there heâ—â—seth yet one steppe higher For he speaketh not of the things that are told vs in the law and the prophets but of Gods secret iudgement in that it was his will that all of vs shoulde bee as good as drowned in destruction to the intent that there should be no saluation but only by his goodnesse Then if it be demaunded why God hath suffered men to fall into so miserable plight it is bycause he will haue vs beholden to his only mercy for all things Truly this will seeme straunge to many fantasticall persons whiche would fayne restrayne God to their measure and are so rash that when Gods determinations passe beyond theyr fleshly reason by and by they condemne him for spitefull and cruell Yet for all that S. Paule will haue vs too rest vpon thys saying that God hath shet vp all vnder sin that is to say that he could well haue created vs much stedfaster and perfecter than he hath done He could haue preserued vs as he doth his Angells He could haue giuen vs such constancie in the person of Adam that wee shoulde haue entered into the heritage of heauen without dying Yea and he could haue made that no mo should haue falne in the person of Adam but Adam alone But he listed not so to do If it be demaunded why the mischeefe spreaded out further is it not bycause God would haue it so Therefore we must in this cace as it were brydle and imprison ourselues and receiue the doctrine in suche wyse as Sainct Paule hath vttered it namely that God hath put vs all vnder sinne to the intent we should resort to him for mercie But it is not ynough that God hath so determined it in his secrete purpose it was requisite also that the determination shoulde be published and knowen For vntill such time as men perceyue themselues too be condemned they will still be weltring in some vayne selftrust and boast of themselues as we see too much The Scripture therefore must be fayne to bring vs to this vnderstanding that euery of vs may condemne himselfe for a sinner as it were with his owne mouth yea and that we do it vnfeynedly And why Bycause it is by beleeuing that we obteyne the promis that is to say the rightuousnesse that is freely promised vs. In the sayd text of the eleuenth to the Romanes whych I alledged euen now Sainct Paule sayth to the intent to shew mercy vpon all but heere he sheweth that it is not for all men to be partakers of it in generall For
that lyued vnder the Lawe Howbeit heerewithall let vs take good heede that this benefit and prerogatiue turne not to our double condēnation for our vnthankfulnesse in not making account of so great a good turne so offered vnto vs. Nowe although Abraham were still hilde vnder after the maner of a childe as I haue sayd alreadie yet forsooke he both his kinsfolke and natiue Countrie and went as a poore wayfayrer into a straunge lande where he was hunted and tossed from post to piller in continuall languishing And if he had repented him could he not haue returned into his owne Countrey againe Yes but the Apostle in the eleuenth to the Hebrewes telleth vs that he had such a trustfulnesse and so constant a fayth that he hilde out euen to the last push insomuch that hee shewed by effect that his minde was wholy set vpon the kingdowme of heauen and not intangled with this worlde and yet notwithstanding for all that both hee and the rest of the holy fathers walked after that maner before vs yet tary they still for vs at this day and receyued not the promises which are manifested to vs in the Gospell For while they liued they had but a small taste of that which is reueled to vs nowadayes which is layde open before vs. VVo be to vs therfore if we be not warned and inflamed to receyue Gods offer whē he vttereth the infinite riches of his goodnesse to winne vs and to draw vs in such wise from this worlde as we may come to yeelde our selues freely vnto him Then if suche gracious dealing moue vs not too come vntoo him nowe that wee bee menne growen notwithstanding oure rawnesse and infirmitie and too take the yoke whiche hee layeth vppon vs and too suffer hym too gouerne vs vnder hys obedience yea and too take courage and stoutnesse too vs to defye Sathan and the whole worlde and all the allurements thereof say if we ouermayster not all these conflictes surely wee shall pay right deerely for the grace that is offered vs in the Gospell And therefore lette euerye of vs bestyrre hymselfe and take oportunitie whyle God allureth vs and whyle the tyme of saluation and daye of fauour is present And seeing wee bee so feeble that wee doo but dragge oure legges after vs let vs praye God too strengthen vs and too redresse oure lazynesse and coldenesse Also let euerie of vs streyne and inforce hymselfe and sythe wee bee so hemmed in with the snares that Sathan hath layde for vs let vs walke so muche the more in the feare of God that wee may ouercome all Sathans lettes and wyles and go forwarde in the way that God hath set vs in and followe the fathers that are gone afore vs which tarie still for our companie that we might be gathered vp all togither intoo the heauenly lyfe at the blessed comming of oure Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of oure good God wyth acknowledgement of oure faultes praying hym that wee maye so mislyke of them as wee maye not onely bee sorye and seeke forgyuenesse of them but also bee renued by true repentaunce and go forwarde and bee confyrmed in it more and more tyll wee bee cleane ridde of all vyces and bee so fashioned lyke too hys Image as hys glorie maye shyne foorth in vs euen tyll we enter into the full possession of the inheritance that he hath promised vs. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people c. The. 23. Sermon which is the ninth vpon the third Chapter 26 For all of you are Gods children through the fayth vvhich is in Iesus Christ 27 Surely as many of you as are baptised haue put on Christ 28 There is neyther Ievve nor Greeke there is neyther bonde nor free there is neither male nor female For yeare all one in Iesus Christ 29 Novv if ye be Christs thē are you Abrahams seede and heyres according to the promise WE haue seene heretofore to what dignitie we be aduaunced by the Gospell For not only we be called to be of the felowship company of the holy fathers whom God honored so highly but also our state is yet more woorthie and noble bicause we be deliuered from the bondage of the Lawe whervnder they were hilde And for the better confirming of this doctrine S. Paule addeth that we be al made the children of God by beleeuing in our Lord Iesus Christ according also as it is sayd in the first Chapter of S. Iohns Gospell For there this dignitie is commended to vs as it deserueth namely that we haue preeminence and prerogatiue to be counted Gods children through fayth verely for our Lorde Iesus Christs sake who is his only and naturall sonne For that tytle belongeth alonely to him by right and is cōmunicated to vs but only by grace inasmuch as God hath voutsafed to adopt vs for his sake So thē Iesus Christ is the hed of the Church howbeit for his sake god acknowledgeth auoweth vs for his children And here we see that the word Beleefe importeth more thā mē cōmōly take it to do according also as I haue declared before For they that are not exercized in the holy Scripture thinke it straunge that God should honor vs so highly for beleeuing to their seeming fayth is not so great a vertue that it ought to obteyn so great a benefite But I haue shewed you heeretofore that our beleeuing in Iesus Christ is not as the crediting of some storie when we heare it or reade it but a receyuing and conceyuing of him inwardly with full assurednesse as hee is offered vs by God hys father Therefore when wee imbrace our Lorde Iesus Christ as the partie that hath made amendes for our sinnes too reconcyle vs too God so as wee repose the whole trust of our welfare in him not doubting but that hee hath brought vs all that is for the inheriting of heauen I say if wee bee once assured of that it is no maruell though God acknowledge vs as his children for our beleefes sake Howbeeit therewithall we must call to our remembrance what we haue discoursed before namely that this benefite of God in acknowledging vs to bee his children commeth not of any desert of fayth neyther must wee wey it heere in the balance what maner of vertue it is for wee bee made Gods children by free adoption If a man demaunde the cause I answere that the verie well spring and foundation is not too bee sought elsewhere than in Gods onely goodnesse inasmuche as it pleased him too pitie vs. Neuerthelesse it is brought to passe by the meanes of fayth as I haue saide alreadie bycause that beeing rid of all fonde ouerweening and acknowledging our selues to be damned in our owne nature wee flee for refuge to our Lorde Iesus Christ Thus you see in effect what S. Paule ment to say And he goeth on still with the matter to
the end we shoulde knowe that onely fayth ought to suffice vs to the atteyning of saluation without seeking any other meanes one way or other too helpe vs. VVhat shoulde wee desyre more than that God shoulde acknowledge vs for his children VVill we needes haue an ouerplus added too so inestimable a benefite Ye see then that our full felicitie and perfect glorie is that we haue leaue to call vppon God as our father not doubting but that seeing he hath receyued vs into his fauour hee will also handle vs as his owne children But howe shall we come by that Saint Paule sayth it is onely fayth that maketh vs parttakers of that dignitie Then let vs conclude that the Lawe can nothing aduauntage vs or else it must needes bee that wee bee woonderfull couetous yea and as good as out of our wits to desire more than too be the children of God The Angelles are greatly honoured in the holy Scripture and yet the cheefe tytle that is giuen them is that they be the children of God Now seeing that we we I say poore wormes of the earth in whom there is nothing but filthynesse no nor aught but corruption of sinne bee matched with the Angelles insomuch that God openeth vs the kingdome of heauen and intendeth too haue vs fellowes with them who bee vertues are nere about him seing I say that we be made partakers of that glorie shall we be so presumptuous to seeke I wot not what moreouer Truely it is not onely fayth that maketh vs to obteyne that benefite VVherfore lette vs learne to renounce all other meanes that may bee set before vs for when men offer vs any other helpes as though the fayth that we haue in him were not sufficient it is but a turning of vs away from our Lorde Iesus Christ That then is Saint Paules meaning But wee shall neuer conceyue the frute that is conteined in this texte except we alwayes beare in minde that by this worde Fayth S. Paule meaneth to exclude all the desert worthinesse that men suppose or imagin thēselues able to bring with thē vnto God VVhen they will needs go through with the matter by their owne power and vertues It is all one as if they would cut off a peece of the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ But he cannot be rent in peeces or deuided Therefore all the working of our saluation must come of him alone and we must not skulk heere and there nor seeke bywayes but come right forth vnto him by the streyte way of fayth Herevpon S. Paule addeth that beeing baptised in Iesus Christ we haue put him on And this is too take away a doubt that might be cast heere namely howe it is possible that we should become the children of God seeing that that dignitie is peculiar to our Lorde Iesus Christ For whereas he is called the Sonne of God the Apostle sheweth that that tytle cannot be verified of the verie Angels of heauen True it is as I haue sayde heretofore that they be named the children of God howbeeit that is not without an addition So is it out of doubt that there is not any creature to whom that dignitie belongeth But nowe seeing that Iesus Christ is the only sonne of God howe doth the same extende vntoo vs S. Paule declareth that it is by reason of the vnion that is betwixt him and vs according as it is sayd in the .xvij. Chapter of S. Iohn Then if we were not one with our Lorde Iesus Christ surely wee should haue none acquaintance at all wyth God for we be quite cutte off from all hope of lyfe by sinne Yea and wee must needes be as deadly enimies vnto him and he vnto vs till hee haue altered and renued vs. Howsoeuer the worlde go beeing separated from Iesus Christ and considered in our owne nature we bee vnworthie too be called men and therefore much lesse can we boast that God is our father But here as I sayde Saint Paule intended to assoyle that question saying that by Baptisme we be clothed with our Lord Iesus Christ And this similitude of clothing is verie ryfe in the holy Scripture and it betokeneth in effect that Iesus Christ is our apparell or rayment whereby all is couered and buryed that might make vs to be reiected at Gods hand and grace is purchased vnto vs so as he doth not any more sift vs and search vs in our selues but accepteth vs as if we came in the very person of his owne Sonne To be short Saint Paule ment to shew here the vnion that is betwene our Lord Iesus Christ and all the faythfull which are the members of his body And like as all the substance of a tree commeth from the root and al the powers and abilities of a natural bodie come from the head euen so is it betwene the sonne of God and vs. For as I haue sayd alredy we haue not so much as one drop of the heauenly life but of his inspyring or breathing into vs. Therefore if we will come vnto God and be partakers of the holy Ghost and of the giftes that belong to the endlesse life let vs be in Iesus Christ and not thinke our selues to be any thing or aught worth of our selues And for the same cause our Lorde Iesus Christ in the sayd text which I alledged out of the xvij of S. Iohn setting out the true and perfect happinesse of his fayeth Father I pray thee that they may bee made one with vs. Ye see then that the way for vs to get out of the dungeon of death wherein we were drowned is to be vnited to our Lord Iesus Christ by the bond of fayth Now S. Paule sayth that that is done in Baptisme Not that all they which are baptized are true members of Iesus Christ in deede for we see the cleane contrarie insomuch that there are some which vnhallow and defile all the holinesse of Baptisme and are giltie of high treason too God bicause that whereas they professe to holde of Iesus Christ they despyze and spyte him and are as dung and filthinesse too marre all things Baptisme then maketh vs not all Christians and againe wee knowe that too bee made the childe of God is too great a benefite to bee fathered vppon a corruptible Element VVhat is the water Too say that the water begetteth or regenerateth vs againe and that thereby we be deliuered from death and obteyne the glorie wherein God lyfteth vs vp too himselfe as say I a peruerting of all order But first of all let vs marke here that when Saint Paule speaketh of Baptisme he presupposeth that we receyue the thing that is offered vnto vs in it Many that are baptised do wype away the grace of God and notwithstanding that it be offered them yet they make themselues vnworthie of it through their vnbeleef lewdnesse and rebellion Thus yee see that the power of baptisme is disfeated in many men But when there happeneth
the euerlasting sacrifise to God hys father to wash away all our offences and misdeedes Now lyke as God sheweth vs that fauoure so let vs on our side beware that we let not the thing slip that is set afore vs as many folke do who whē they haue gotten the vnderstanding of a two or three wordes of the Gospel do fall to florishing and thinke themselues to haue too much whereas notwithstanding they haue but a confused imagination Therefore it is not to be wondered at though they be vtterly at their wittes ends in euery temptation be it neuer so small so as all that they weene themselues to haue learned serueth them to no purpose for God doth by that meanes punish their negligence VVherefore in asmuche as God hath graunted vs the grace to knowe hys sonne let the foresaid representation be printed in vs as oft as we come to any Sermon and let vs bee renued in knowledge and remembrance that when the Diuell shall labour to darken and finally to deface the fayth which we shall conceiue he may gaine nothing at our hands bicause we haue the liuely impression of Christes sacrifize so deepely grauen in our hartes as it may well bee sayd that he is truely and throughly fashioned in vs. And herein it to is be seene that the Papistes haue vtterly renounced our Lord Iesus Christ For they cokes the world saying that it is ynough too haue a confused faith and that men must not bee too inquisitiue and that it is perlous for men to indeuer themselues to profit in the Gospell Behold their blasphemies But heere wee see how S. Paule telleth the Galathians that it is a great shame for them that Iesus Christ Christ should bee fashioned new ageyne in them saying that it is all one as if they were doted and had not receiued the doctrine as they ought too haue done which had bin preached among them Therefore if wee doo our dutie and bee as good scholers too Godwarde as he is a good and faithful scholemaister towardes vs surely wee shall not haue an intangled fayth of some confused imagination but wee shall beholde the sonne of God as he is spoken of the Corinthians where it is sayde that the Gospell is the true looking glasse wherein wee behold Iesus Christ as it were in the face Not that wee see him with our eyes for that is reserued to the last day at what time we shall be lyke vnto God As then his glorie shall bee fully discoured vntoo vs but as nowe wee behold our Lord Iesus Christ in the Gospell so farre forth as is meete for vs and as our weaknesse and rudenesse will beare that wee may bee transformed and fashioned like vnto him And wheras S. Paule addeth that he would faine be with the Galathians to change his speeche bicause he was sorie for them therein he bewrayeth ageine howe grosse and intolerable their fault is sithe he woteth not at which ende too begin with them and that although he haue bred them in Iesus Christ and fed them vp with the doctrin of the Gospell yet he knoweth not how to rule them any more whereas notwithstanding a mother ought to knowe the complexion and nature of hir childe Needes then must those men bee vtterly froward and leaudmynded whose fathers and mothers are at their wits end and wote not how to behaue themselues and when their children are become eyther serpents full of poyson or Lyons full of pryde and stubbornnesse so as they be past teaching or handling it must needes be that they are become feendes And yet doth S Paule vpbrayd the Galathians with it Howbeit in stead of blaming them let vs see if the like vice bee not to bee founde in vs namely that when God openeth his mouth to teache vs he finde vs so fickle-headed that he must be fayne to alter his speeche at euery turne It is true that he can welinough weeld our hearts when it shall please him But we treate not heere of his secrete power whereby he worketh in his chosen VVe treate heere but only of our owne nature how beastly it is if it be considered in it selfe and of the preaching of the Gospel Are not they that would preach the doctrine of our Lorde Iesus Christ faythfully striken continually in heauinesse to see men so beastly as they shew them selues to bee For our tasting of the goodnes of our God ought to tame vs. Surely we ought to giue good eare to his doctrine and if wee could bee drawn vnto him by gentlenesse or if wee would bee warned with euery little beckening of his finger like the childe that seeketh too please his father who as soone as his father dooth but speake the worde hath his feete readie out of hande too runne whither soeuer his father sendeth him and both his hands ready to doo whatsoeuer he commaundeth him he should not neede to vse long processe with vs. But when God speaketh to vs we be so dulwitted as we wote not what he meeneth or else wee stop our eares that cry he neuer so loude it is to no purpose for wee abide alwayes at one poynte Therefore the thing that S. Paule hath spoken in this text serueth not for any one people alone but it is all one as if he blamed the whole world in all ages for vnthankfulnesse saying that God is after a sorte greeued with vs for beeing so crooked and frowarde and for the great number of lurking holes and hypocrisies that are in vs in so muche that if he vse vs gently wee become so muche the more sturdie and if he handle vs roughly wee kicke agaynst the spurre And in good soothe wee see what his gentlenesse and roughnesse auayle vs that is to wit so little that our leaudnesse must needes be ouergreat seeing he can not winne vs by the one nor by the other Therefore let vs bethinke our selues throughly Furthermore forasmuch as God is willing to beget vs by his word to the end we should be his children and in the end obteyne inheritance whervnto he hath adopted vs by our Lord Iesus Christ and which he hath purchased for vs by the death passion of him that is the true only heire as oft as we come to Sermons or any of vs reade the holy Scripture let vs consider to what end it serueth And moreouer if wee finde not suche power and efficacie in Gods worde when wee heare it preached or read let vs blame our own naughtinesse or dulnesse for it assuring our selues that the worlde doth still holde vs backe and hinder vs too much and let vs pray God that his worde may not bee vnprofitable to vs. Besides this when we be once reformed by it so as we are become his children let vs dayly feede vpon it assuring our selues that wee haue neede of it all the time of our life and that wee bee not yet come to the perfection wherevnto wee must tende VVherefore let that stirre
a man of a hundred yeeres old his wife also pricked much about the same age who had bin barrein all the foretime of hir life was full fourscore ten yeres old or thereabouts ere she might conceiue be with child in somuch that eueÌ„ she hir selfe also thought it to be but a tale and a laughing matter when the message was brought him by the Angels Yee see then that Isaac was borne by promise For in that cace God wroughte by miracle too the ende it might bee knowen that our Lord Iesus should bee sent into the worlde not after the common order of nature but as proceeding of Gods goodnesse and woonderfull forepurpose But howsoeuer the cace stande yee see heere in the house of Abraham who is as it were a figure and image of the Churche two women with their two children borne of eyther of them one Now as tâ—â—ching Agar S. Paule sayth that shee representeth mount Sinay where the Lawe is giuen and he calleth it a mountayne of Arabie to shewe that it was not in the holy land which God had appoynted to be the inheritaÌ„ce of his people Also Sara representeth Ierusalem not the Ierusalem sayth he which is now standing for that was corrupted and gone away from the lawe and pure doctrine of God I say from the lawe not after the maner that S. Paule taketh it heere to engender vnto bondage but according to the couenant that God had made with his people in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ For as muche then as the Ierusalem which was in S. Paules time had forsaken Iesus Christ and by that meanes disanulled Gods couenaunt S. Paule sayth that it must be coupled with Agar or mount Sinay It is to no purpose sayth he that the Iewes make their brags vnder colour of their Temple Sacrifices and such other things that they bee Gods chosen and peculiar people for notwithstanding all that geere yet are they as good as banished and rooted out of the holy land and haue no more but a vayne title of the law For let a man looke vpoÌ„ the state of Ierusalem as it is now to be seene and it differeth nothing at all from Sinay But there is a Ierusalem from aboue saith he â–ª that is to wit the Church which breedeth vs before God and shee hauing the incorruptible seede of the Gospel beareth children that are free and vnbounde and she is the mother of all the faythfull according as it is written Reioyce thou poore barein woman And Esay speaketh not to any one woman but termeth Gods Churche so by a similitude which Church should for a time be greatly scattered His saying then is very well thou shalt be an ofcast and there shal be as it were a kinde of diuorce betweene God and thee but in the ende he will multiplie thee agayne and thou shalt haue mo childreÌ„ than if thou haddest flourished of all the while in prosperitie and that came to passe when the Gospell was preached openly too the world For then the Church had not only the childreÌ„ of Abraham or some one certayne people but through the heauenly seede of the Gospell shee brought foorth infinite children vnto God of all Nations and Countreys farre and wide according to the power which God vttered through the whole world Lo heere in effecte the substance of the texte which I 〈◊〉 rehearsed But first of all wee haue to marke that whereas S. Paule sayth that these things are spoken by an Allegorie he ment not too impeache the naturall sense of the holy Scripture as wee see howe some haue doone who through their foolish curiositie of seeking fonde speculations in the holy Scripture haue turmoyled and disordered all things esteeming the literall sense to be nothing worth This was the cause that all things were falsified and peruerted and there hath not bin a more diuelishe deuice than these allegories whiche haue borne such sway in the world and as yet still delight many men so much that they bee as it were bewitched with them bicause they be very fauourable and plausible O noble exposition saye they And why so Bicause that when as it toucheth neyther heauen nor earth the sillie people are rauished at it and it is an easie matter too hang in suspence and mamering at it But Sainct Paule mente not that the things whiche Moyses reporteth of Isaac and Ismaell shoulde onely serue for suche curious speculations but he sheweth that in that storie wee see in effecte the state of the Churche bicause that at that time there was no Churche in the worlde gouerned by God but onely the house of Abraham There was as yet Salem where Melchisedeck was kyng Howe be it for as much as the same wente still too decaye God gathered a people in the person of Abraham whereby he gaue an incling that he woulde bee called vpon by those whome he had sholed out from the rest of the worlde Therefore wee muste not reade this storie of Moyses coldly without looking any further that is too say without consideration of the things that happened in that house wherin the state of the Church is shewed vs. Marke that for one poynt But nowe too come too the principall let vs marke that whereas Sainct Paule likeneth Agar Abrahams bonde woman vntoo mounte Sinay and vntoo the Lawe that was published there he meeneth not the Lawe with the whole contentes and substance of it For in the Law there are promises of saluation which wee must hope for by our Lorde Iesus Christ as Sainct Paule declareth in dyuers places and as wee our selues haue seene Then if we could take the Lawe in hys ryghte and lawfull vse it is certayne that wee shoulde haue there theâ— corruptible seede of lyfe and God would bee our father and we should be set free by him The lawe in deede hath ingendred vntoo bondage as in outward respect as hath bin declared heretofore Although the fathers of olde time were Gods children and heyres of the kingdome of heauen as well as we yet were they vnder tutors and gouerners For they were as yet like little children and the perfection of things was reserued to the coÌ„ming of our Lord Iesus Christ and the Ceremonies were as brydles and thongs so that they which kept them had not the full freedome that God graunteth vs to inioy now adayes as it is purchaced for vs by our Lord Iesus Christe Yet notwithstanding S. Paule speaking heere of the Lawe that ingendereth vnto bondage taketh it for the false opinion which they had against whom he disputeth For he will adde anon that all such as are so ingendred shall in the end be banished and driuen out of Gods house and heritage Now although the fathers were ingendred in outward boÌ„dage as is sayd of them in the viij to the Romanes yet were they free by the spirit of faith which ouer ruled the bondage or else they had bin cut of from all hope of saluation To
be short S. Paule speaketh heere of the lawe after the interpretation wherewith it had bin corrupted by the hypocrites that buzied their heades aboute pelting trifles and woulde needes make meritorious deedes of them and in the meane whyle did cast mennes consciences into so streyt bondes as was ynough too choke them But hereof ynough hath bin sayd heeretofore Neuerthelesse wee must call to minde howe the lawe hath bin compared with the Gospell bicause that such as will needes purchace themselues rightuousnesse by it do beare thēselues in hand that God is bound vnto thē for their doing of their dutie and they think they do it throughly in deede VVhen they heere this promis he that doth these things shall liue by and by they streyn thēselues and they beleue that they shall bring the matter about to performe al that euer God requireth and cōmaundeth And when they haue once gottē the promis by the end streytwayes they looke for the wages too they neuer thinke any more that their saluation is a free gift but that they haue deserued and earned Gods promis so that the eternall life is with thē but a recōpence of their deserts Thus yee see what is ment by the Lawe when S. Paule compareth it with the Gospell And as touching the Gospell he doth vs to wit that it is a doctrine wherby God sheweth himself to be our father with couenant that we should be set free frō the condemnation of Satan and sinne yea and from the curse of the law For as wee haue seene afore it is sayd that all such as fulfill not the lawe in all poynts shall be accursed Nowe the cace is so that all of vs are indaūgered And by that meanes all the world is swallowed vp in despayre and there is no remedie vnlesse God drawe wretched sinners out of that condemnation and acquit them of the sentence that was pronounced against them Nowe then wee see after what maner S. Paule tooke the name of the Lawe namely that he ment not that the doctrine which is conteyned in Moyses doth not make vs rightly the children of God or that it contayneth not the promises which were for the euerlasting saluation of mankinde but onely that before Iesus Christ came into the worlde there was not yet any ful libertie or freedome as there is now adayes moreouer that the hipocrites abused the law by their false interpretations For they surmyzed that they could make God amends and thereby purchace fauour at his hand And therefore S. Paule sayeth that we shall alwayes be in bondage till wee be begotten againe by another kinde of seede that is to wit by the Gospell But let vs marke well these wordes where it is sayd that Agar or Sinay representeth the Ierusalem which was at that time that is too wit the same Citie which had erst bin Gods sanctuarie should haue bin the welspring of all heauenly doctrine according too Esay and Micheas which say The law shall come from Sion and the woord of God from Ierusalem Howbeit for asmuch as the Iewes were corrupt and had mingled their own inuentiōs glozes with the purenesse of the true doctrine yea and had forsaken Iesus Christ the fountaine of life S. Paule sayeth that that Ierusalem of theirs is like Agar the bondmayd like the mountayne Sinay which cannot ingender but to condemnatiō and that is a thing well woorthie to be marked for it serueth too shewe that God did neuer so tie his grace to any one place but that he punished the thanklesnesse of the inhabiters whē they would not haue the wit to make their benefit of the good things that he had put into their hands Behold Ierusalem is called Gods holy citie his royal palace his house and the plac◠of his abode all these titles are giuē it in the holy Scripture And yet notwithstanding S. Paule sayeth that she is become like Sinay a barrein hill in a deserte and elendge place and out of the bounds of the holy land which God calleth his resting place and the heritage of his faithful and chozen Seing there was such a chaunge in the Citie of Ierusalem which had bin chozen of God and honored with so many goodly and excellent titles what shall become of al such people as do now adayes refuze the doctrine of the Gospell Although they were exalted to the like honour yet could God wel ynough make them to tumble into all reproch VVe see what is sayd of all those Cities where our Lord Iesus Christ had preached the Gospel as of Capernaum and the rest For they might haue boasted of their hauing of the message of saluation first afore all others and of Christes being conuersant among them rahter than at Ierusalē But he sayeth thou shalt be cast down to the bottom of hel and that was bicause they were stubborne maliciously wilfull in disdeyning to receyue the grace that was preached vnto them Yea we see what Ieremie sayeth of Silo. Bycause the Iewes boasted so much of their towne of Ierusalē vnder the colour of the Tēple and the altar Go your wayes to Silo sayeth he was not the Ark placed there a lōg time did not mē resort thither frō all coastes to worship God did they not offer sacrifizes there And what see ye now a terrible tokē of Gods vengeāce bicause they had not profited thēselues by the benefite that was offered to thē first of all Now therfore let vs apply this to our own instructiō that whensoeuer God shall haue bin so gracious to vs as to make his abode among vs as it were to plant his royall seege with vs too reigne ouer vs wee may walke in feare warenesse indeuering on our side to obey him to shrowd our selues soberly aduisedly vnder his wings For if wee thinke to hold him boūd vnto vs thervpō presume to be wilfull in our own cōceyt vnhalow the gratious gifts which he had dedicated to our saluatiō surely such lewdnesse shal not abide vnpunished So thē we be warned by the exāple of Ierusalē to yeeld our selues peasably to the obeying of our God to suffer him to gouerne vs applying our selues to him in al respects without puffing vp into vayne presūptiō whē he shal haue bestowed any of his spiritual gifts vpō vs but rather cōfessing that we be so much the 〈◊〉 beholdē vnto him thervpō taking occasion to humble our selues And heere by the way we see what a fondnesse it is of the Papistes too tie God vnto Rome vnder colour as they say that it is the Apostolike sea Let vs put the cace it were so although we know not why for all that they alledge of S. Peter is but tales and starke lies It is very certaine that S. Paule was hild prisoner at Rome and it may be gathered that he was euen put too death there Beholde all the holinesse of Rome is this that
the Gospell was persecuted there and that that Diuelish dungeon hath bin defiled with the bloud of the martirs as it were to prouoke gods wrath and too confederate it self too fight against the truthe and as much â–ª as may be to abolish the name and remembrance of our Lord Iesus Christ Behold heere all the woorthinesse of Rome But now admit that they had the recordes which the Citie of Ierusalem had whereof not withstanding they finde not one sillable in the holy Scripture It is not sayd that God will reygne or haue any dwelling in the Citie of Rome nor that it shoulde bee named the moother church nor haue any other dignitie or preheminence at all In deede Sainct Paule sayeth that the faith of the Romanes yet they were then but a handfull of people was at that time knowen euerywhere euen to their great renowme For yee must not thinke that those whiche bare the swoorde there were the Christians but they were a fewe folke gatherd togither in couert Those dooth S. Paule prayse and coÌ„mend but yet doth it not follow that the Church was ouer all the whole towne of Rome notwithstanding whatsoeuer it were wee see what happened too Ierusalem Sainct Paule telleth vs that it differed not from Agar or Sinay which is an vnholy and defiled place so that the holynesse thereof was vtterly done away bycause it continued not in the pure doctrine of the Gospell Therefore wee may conclude that suche as haue bin neerest vntoo God and too whome he hath communicated himselfe moste familiarly shall bee shaken off as straungers if they abyde not in the purenesse of the truth which is the vnseparable bande whereby wee bee made one with our God But surely wee see that now adayes the pure doctrine of our Lord Iesus Christ is not onely shaken off troden vnder foote despyzed skorned at Rome but also cruelly persecuted with fire â—â—ord finally that there is no religion at all there For that place is so full of filth and lewdenesse that if a man go thither it is a wonder that euer he should returne with any feare of God or with any good seede in him VVee see then that it is as a dungeon of hell and would God that they which haue bin there had rather brokeÌ„ their neckes than lifted vp a foote to go thither For we see presently that the countrie of Fraunce hath bin infected with all vngodlinesse by it so that the moste part of them are become no better than hogges and dogges hauing lesse religion in them than brute beasts But yet as I haue touched heretofore wee bee warned hereby too walke in feare and warinesse and too take good heede that we be not bereft depriued of the benefite which wee haue receyued if we abuse it least God poure out his horrible wrath vppon vs and wee become as a mirrour and patterne of reproche after the maner of Ierusalem whiche S. Paule doth heere set vpon the scaffold not withstanding that it had bin so highly honored before Furthermore let vs marke that vnder the figure of Abraham God doth heere shewe himselfe a father too all his and so ye see we bee begotten of God so as wee haue roume in his Church But yet is it not ynough for vs too call vpon God as our father except we be rightly begotten againe by the incorruptible seede which is vnto vs as a pledge of euerlasting lyfe and saluation If it be asked how then is it possible that wee should bee begotten of God and yet notwithstanding be as it were a bastardseede The answere is that wee by our owne vice and naughtinesse doo marre Gods seede whiche is his woorde for so is it named by S. Peter But it is certaine that in respect that the woorde proceedeth from God it contayneth in it self nothing but all goodnesse And againe we see what purenesse shyneth there howe that all the treasures of Gods rightuousnesse mercie goodnesse are vttered there Thus then you see what maner of thing Gods woord is and what is the nature thereof Neuerthelesse when we corrupt it and falsifie it by our own fancies and make a minglemangle of it we may still be takeÌ„ for Gods children howbeit we shall be but as bastard children as shal be declared more at large by Gods leaue after dinner For then will S. Paule declare that although Ismaell were the eldest Sonne yet was he in the ende driuen out of the house wherein he had taken the chiefe roome vpon him howbeit that he was but a bastard and also borne of a bondwoman Then let vs marke that we must not onely be begotten by Gods woord into a pure fayth and God by his holy spirit inlighten vs that we may know his will according as he witnesseth it vnto vs. For if we chaunge his woord after our owne fancie and disguyze it truly it may be called Gods seede still but yet is it not so in deede what soeuer wee make of it bicause it abideth not in his own soundnesse And heere ye see the cause why so many do now adayes falsly name themselues Christians according as the Papistes will well ynough confesse that they beleeue in God and that they bee contented too hold themselues too the holy Scripture But yet for all that it is apparant that they bee vtterly peruerted and that as touching the Scripture whereas they ought too receyue it with all reuerence they turne it too their owne lyking yea and make a mockage and scoffe of it and as I sayd erewhyles they spewe out this blasphemie agaynst it that it is a noze of waxe and that menne may turne it which way they list and moreouer it is apparant that they haue turmoyled all things by their owne forgeries For what else doo men call Gods seruis in poperie but the things that men haue sette downe of their owne brayne There is no mention of ruling themselues by Gods coÌ„maundement and ordinance God must be thrust out of his place and men take vpoÌ„ them that which belongeth vnto him chalendging authoritie too bring folkes consciences into bondage and to make what lawes they thinke good But that is to villanous and outrageous a corruption On the other side wheÌ„ce doo the Papistes draw the Articles of their fayth euen out of their owne decrees for they recke not too drawe any resolution out of the holy Scripture So then they passe not a whit what is in the holy Scripture but if any thing be agreed vpoÌ„ and receyued by common opinion that is as an Oracle from heauen with them And wee see also that when they intend to proue any of their toyes the first reason that they make is that it is receyued and that antiquitie ought to preuayle as who woulde say that there were any prescription in the matter and therevpon they pull out certaine textes of the Scripture by the heares of the head and these must also help forward the matter But
when all comes to all it is but flat mockerie it is apparaÌ„t that they wilfully corrupt Gods woord For there is such grosse and beastly ignorance in them that very children might iustly spitte in their faces for it So then the Papists are a fayre looking glasse too vs at this day for the things that are conteyned heere in S. Paule that is to wit that many of them vaunt themselues to be Gods children and householdmeynie of his Churche and yet notwithstanding are but bastard slippes and of a corrupted seede bicause that in stead of cleauing throughly to the pure doctrine which were able too beget them againe into the hope of the heauenly life they be so giuen to their owne minglings that there is not any more soundnesse in them But we neede not to go any further too shewe that the matter which S. Paule treateth of heere is verified too much of the Popedome For where aboutes is our greatest strife now adayes but for freewill for merites for satisfactions and for such other things The Papists say that we are able by our owne freewill to purchace grace at Gods hand not that we neede not too be ayded and succored by his holy spirit but bicause there is a certaine matching togither say they betweene God and vs so as God worketh one peece and wee another Thus doo they make vs Gods marrowes and like as our strength would be to weake if it were not succored on Gods behalf so should Gods grace say they be vnauaylable if we made it not of force by our owne mouing therevnto And herevpon agayne they forge build their merites there is none other talk among theÌ„ but of purchacing the realme of paradice by making God beholden too them then step forth their merites and satisfactions to raunsome all the faults that they haue coÌ„mitted Thus ye see in effect what the Papistes prate and iangle Therevpon they conclude that it is blasphemie too say that Gods Lawe is impossible and that wee bee not able too performe it saying that there is no man but he may fully discharge himselfe of it when he listeth It is an easie matter for them too prate after that fashyon in the shadowe but they that say so are naughtie ruffians drunkardes swearers and folke giuen too all villanie and outrage For menne knowe well ynough what the holynesse of the Moonkes of the shauelings and of all the whole rable of their rifraffe and Cankerwoormes is But wee on our side say that wee bee bâ—â—ne the bondslaues of sinne and are hâ—ld in so streyt bandes vnder the tyrannie of Satan that we cannot so much as thinke one good thought of well doing but go forward still vnto al euil like as if an Asse should alwayes beare his yoke or burthen with him and yet wee sinne not but willingly But how soeuer we fare we be so saped in sinne that naturally wee cannot do any thing but offend God and therfore that he must be fayne to inlarge vs and set vs at libertie by his holy spirite Moreouer wee say that the law of God is vnpossible to be fulfilled and that it sheweth vs our duetie to the end to condemne vs to stop our mouthes too make vs come before God as wretched offenders too obtayne grace at his hand for the sinnes which we haue coÌ„mitted and to confound vs with shame to the end we should graunt our selues to bee daÌ„ned and seeke to be saued at Gods hand through the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ Finally wee say that too iustifie our selues before him is a thing that passeth all our abilitie and that he supplieth our wants bicause he sifteth vs not with rigour nor entereth into accouÌ„t with vs that when we haue offended him there is none other satisfactioÌ„ for it than the sacrifize that was offered by our Lord Iesus Christ nor any other clenzing than to plundge our selues ouer head and eares in his bloud Thus ye see how the doctrine which is coÌ„tayned in S. Paule is to be put in practize in respect of the disputatioÌ„s of the Papists against vs. For it is certain that for all their bragging and false preteÌ„ding of the name of God and for all their saying that they be his children bicause they be begotten by the holy scripture they shew that their mother is Agar or Sinay and consequently that they be bondmen borne and do tie the rope about their owne necke bycause they haue no will to go vnto God too receyue the freedome that he offereth them but wil rather vsurpe to themselues the thing that beloÌ„geth to God only and wil needes iustifie theÌ„selues by their own merites and fulfill the lawe of themselues Therefore they bee bondchildren and continue slaues stil and in the end must be driuen quite out of the house As for vs wee shall see hereafter what proofe the doctrine hath which we holde what it bringeth with it which is that we haue none other freedome than is giueÌ„ vs by the doctrine of the gospell according also as our Lord Iesus Christ sheweth in the viij of S. Iohn that it is his peculâ—â—â— office to make vs free that the drawing of vs out of damnation is a speciall priuiledge giuen vnto him by God his father Therefore when wee come too our Lorde Iesus Christ and in him seeke for all things that wee want knowing that by his meanes we be deliuered from the yoke of the law which we are not able to beare and which not onely made vs too stoupe but also weyed vs downe to the bottome of hell if is the true seede that begetteth vs againe into full freedome too bee Gods children not onely to be bruted so in this worlde but also to bee auowed so at his hande before his Angels that in 〈…〉 wee may come too the heritage that is bought so dearely for vs and which wee cannot attaine to by our owne power but by the meanes of him to whome it belongeth who communicateth it vnto vs according as he offreth it vs dayly by his Gospell But nowe let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them better than we haue done so as it may make vs to growe and increase more and more in true repentance that our comming vnto him may bee in all lowlynesse without hypocrisie beeing ashamed of our wretchednesse and not seeking any other remedie than in our Lorde Iesus Christ and that forasmuche as our good God hath adopted vs and sealed the grace of his adoption in our heartes by his holy spirit we may stand stedfast in the purenesse of his Gospell without adding any thing of our owne and without marring it by our owne interpretations and that hee so holde vs in the obedience of fayth by his holy spirite that lyke as he hath begonne too shewe himselfe bountifull towardes vs so we also may go continually forward to the
sayd perfection without swaruing asyde at any time And so let vs all say Almightie God our heauenly father c. The. 30. Sermon which is the seuenth vpon the fourth Chapter 26 But the Ierusalem vvhiche is from aboue is free vvhich is the mother of vs all 27 For it is vvritten be glad thou barrein vvhich bearest no children breake forth and crie thou that trauellest not for the desolate hath many mo children than she that hath a husband 28 And vve my brethren vve be children of promise after the maner of Isaac 29 But like as then hee that vvas borne after the flesh persecuted him that vvas borne after the spirit euen so is it novv 30 Neuerthelesse vvhat sayth the scripture Cast out the bondvvoman and hir sonne for the sonne of the bondwoman shal not be heire with the sonne of the free vvoman 31 So then brethren vve be not children of the bondvvoman but of the free vvoman WE haue seene this morning that many do boast themselues to be faithfull pretending falsly to be Gods childrē are so taken to the worldwarde who notwithstanding are but bastards and God disclaymeth them bicause they haue corrupted the good seede whiche is the pure doctrine wherby we be begotten new again to be made partakers of the free adoption wherto God calleth vs. Thē all that we haue to do is not to be counted too bee of the Church except we be of the pure sound seed that is to say except we follow Gods worde without any corruption or mingling And for this cause doth S. Paule bring vs backe too the heauenly Ierusalem that we might know who is our mother Truly to speake properly such as peruert the naturall sense of the scripture are not the children of God and all their crying and calling vpon him as their father is but starke lying and hypocrisie Howbeit forasmuch as they be taken to be of that degree S. Paule discerneth them out by their mother too the end we might know which are Gods true and lawfull children and allowed of him For the 〈◊〉 of the Church is oftentimes pretended at al aduenture and in these dayes the Papists make a buckler of it to sheeld their errours withall And bicause the holy scripture is against them they thinke it may serue them for a couert that they as they wene haue the Church on their side Yea but S. Paule telleth vs that we must be wise to discern which is the true Church For the Iewes had colour ynough to shew that God had his abiding place in Ierusalem bicause hee had chosen it out with assurance that he woulde rest there for euer as we haue seene this morning And yet notwithstanding the very same Ierusalem became as a denne of theeues bicause our Lord Iesus Christ was crucified there and the Iewes were for their vnfaythfulnesse cut vtterly off from the house of God bicause they had indeuered to the vttermost of their power to abolish his truth Though the name of Ierusalē had earst bin honorable yet was it then had in reproch and disdein both before the Angels and before all the faithfull Euen so at this day wee ought to consider well which is the Church to the ende that we be not children of a bastarde seede and so God shake vs off and banishe vs out of his house for pretēding his name so falsly through hypocrisie before men In deede it is a verie excellent honor that God giueth to his Church in saying that she is the mother of all the faythfull and it agreeth with S. Paules report in another place where he sayeth that shee is as it were the piller that vpholdeth Gods truth in thys worlde Not that the truth hath any neede to be mainteyned by vs which are inclined to all lightnesse and inconstancie and which haue nothing in vs by nature but vntruth for what stedinesse is there to be found in vs to say that Gods truth shoulde stay vpon men But bicause that of his infinite goodnesse it is his will to haue his worde preached here beneath and hee hath committed the charge thereof to such as he calleth therto in respect where of the Church is called the mother of vs all For as our lord Iesus Christ telleth vs we haue but one father which is God yea and he is the father as well of our bodies as of our soules Howbeit God is our spirituall father without hauing any make yet notwithstāding he begetteth vs into the hope of eternall life and that is by the meanes of his Church wherinto he hath put the said incorruptible seed according as he saith by the Prophete Esay My worde sayth he shall be in thy mouth and continue with thy children from time too time and with all those that shall come of thy race Thus ye see how God intendeth to gouerne his faithfull ones namely by his worde which he maketh to bee as a pledge and inestimable treasure of saluation in his Church to the ende that we should be begotten and nurrished with it Therfore as I haue touched alreadie we had neede too bee so much the more skilfuller in discerning the Church For seeing it is the mother of Gods childrē the name of it ought not to be dishonored and trampled vnder foote nor yet defiled as it is seene to be nowadayes There is not a more common treacherie than to put forth the name of the Church to deface and darkē Gods truth For whereat do the Papists ame nowadayes in vaunting with full mouth and full throte that they be the Church but to stoppe Gods mouth and to thrust his worde vnder foote that it might no more be spoken of and that in the meane while the things that men haue forged after their own lyking should be receyued without any gainsaying and sticked to and obeyed VVe see then that men which are but earthwormes and rottennesse are put into the balance agaynst God and all vnder pretence of the Church But here Saint Paule warneth vs to seeke the Church which hath the pure doctrine whereby wee were adopted of God to be his children Nowe I haue tolde you heretofore that the whole matter lyeth in our being ingreffed into the bodie of our Lorde Iesus Christ and also in our acknowledging that wee be accursed by nature that all our workes are but filthinesse that the Diuell holdeth vs subiect to his tyrannie and that there is none other helpe for vs but that God should receyue vs to mercie and pitie Therefore let vs go into Gods house by the sayde gate that is to wit by acknowledging that there is none other way for vs to get in but by the onely mere grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ Thus ye see howe the Church doth breede vs and beare vs verely euen by the foresayde incorruptible seede Nowe that we may sore the better by this text wee haue two poyntes too marke The one is that we must not be like these
vnlesse our Lorde Iesus doo dwell in vs and reygne in vs and that wee bee inflamed with the loue of hym too gyue ourselues wholly vntoo him The Papists therfore neuer wist what faith meaneth notwithstanding that they chatter of it not altogither so well as Pyes in a Cage which doo yet vnderstande some woordes heere and there but they shewe so shamefull a beastlinesse as they may bee gazingstockes of Gods horrible vengeance in that they haue so forgotten the whole Phrase of the holy Ghost and haue no more skill of the holy scripture than a Paynim or a Turke that hath bin alwayes in â—â—â—athennesse and neuer herde of God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe Lo in what taking the Papists are Now then let vs marke well that S. Paule hath not here imagined a shapelesse or vnfashioned fayth as they doe nor ment too set downe charitie as the cause of our righteousnesse but onely intended to shew that we haue inough to serue God with without snarling of our selues in a sort of pelting trifles Howbeit that wee may fare the better by this texte for wee must nowe come too an ende and the tyme wyll not suffer vs too proceede any further if the Papistes nowe adayes doo make their bragges that they haue a more apparant seruice of God than wee and a seruice that hath a gayer glosse let vs on our side bee well aduised that we despyse euerywhit of it For why God will not bee serued after meÌ„â— lykings Marke that for one poynt Besydes this the things which the Papistes call Gods seruice are pelting trifles imagined and forged in their owne brayne so that it is all reiected notwithstanding that men doo greatly delight in them and lyke well of them And therefore let vs haue an eye too serue God as he commaundeth VVherin wil he haue vs to be occupyed Not in needelesse things but he will haue a true tryall of vs which deceyueth not And what shall that bee To walke vprightly and faithfully with our neyghbors euery of vs to helpe where neede is according to his abilitie that no man be giuen wholly to himselfe that wee be trustie that we deale soundly and faithfully that wee liue peasably and that if wee see any man destitute of succor and too stand in neede of our helpe wee in that case doe as it were offer a sacrifice vntoo God knowing that he calleth vs too it to shew what loue we beare towardes him For if we loue not our neybours which are as it were visible groundes too worke kyndnesse vpon howe shall wee loue God sayth S. Iohn in his Epistle whom wee see not and which is absent from vs and hath no neede of any thing Therefore if wee wyll serue God well let vs learne too yeelde him such obedience as he lyketh of that is too saye let vs walke in suche faythfulnesse and freendlinesse as none of vs beguyle fleece or ouerreach hys neyghbour and moreouer that wee not onely absteyne from all wrongfull or wicked dealing but also that all suche as are called Christians do well bethinke them of our Lord Iesus Christs saying which is Cursed bee you that haue your seuerall deuotions alone by your selues and occupy your heads about small trifles making conscience of euery thing and yet in the meane whyle leaue the principall poynts of the lawe vndone that is too wit faithfulnesse Iustice rightuousnesse and mercie As if he should say Is it not a straunge thing that meÌ„ should so mocke with God making a countenance to honour him as though they tooke him but for a babe God wil haue meÌ„ to walk faithfully and vprightly he wil haue euery maÌ„ to pitie to succor the needie he wil haue no man to do his brother wrong and behold they on the contrary part will needes buzie themselues about Mooneshine in the water and things of no valew They will bee full of crueltie craft and maliciousnesse and yet thinke to pacifie God with things of nothing Therefore let vs learne to serue God with charitie that is to say let vs learne to giue ourselues to the things that he calleth vs to to hold ourselues as it were at a stay too the rule which he giueth vs by his woord Furthermore wheÌ„ we walk vprightly after that fashion we must not for mens sakes forget God For as I said afore that is the thing wherin he trieth our charitie and by that meanes we shew the reuerence loue that we beare towards him And therfore we ceasse not to call vpon God when we loue our neyghbors nother intend we to displease God vnder colour of doyng them seruice but he is alwayes our marke on whom we haue our eyes fastened Neuerthelesse too conclude like as wee indeuer to liue as God commaundeth by his word and passe not for the gawdies gewgawes and Ceremonies of the hypocrites but walke rightly in purenesse of life and in al faithfulnesse and vpright dealing as I said erst knowing neuerthelesse that when we haue done all it serueth not to iustifie vs or too purchace vs fauor in his sight and that although wee be sure that he taketh in good worth the willingnesse which we haue to honor hym yet his so dooing is but bicause he accepteth vs in our Lord Iesus Christ as I haue declared heretofore bicause we repose the trust of our saluatioÌ„ in him Euen so also shal we walk in charitie labor to discharge our duetie knowing that by reason of our feeblenesse we be not able to come neere that which God pointeth vs to but yet that we be in the way thitherward that he must be faine too take vs to mercy wherupon we doubt not but that all our workes do like him wel when they be so dedicated too him by the blud of our Lord Iesus Christ for he is the true preest that offereth vp our oblations maketh theÌ„ acceptable to God he must be faine to step in to make our works pleasant to God his father specially seing that eueÌ„ our prayers the very prayses which we yeeld vntoo him should be but filthinesse if they were not purified by our Lord Iesus Christ according also as the Apostle sayth that it is he by whoÌ„ we offer vp vnto God the Calues of our lippes that is to say the sacrifices of praise wherby he is glorified But now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him to make vs perceiue theÌ„ more and more that we may be so touched with theÌ„ as it may bring vs to true repentance and that wee may seeke all our wants in our Lord Iesus Christ that there may be such humilitie in vs that being vtterly brought downe hauing put away al false presumptuousnesse wherewith wee may bee deceiued wee may not tend to any other end than to be receiued through the mere mercie of our God so as we may come
to be condemned if they follow not Gods word but howsoeuer they fare we offend much more grosly wheÌ„ God hath once bin so gracious vnto vs as to call vs vnto him to shewe vs his will Then if wee turne head and forsake oure holy calling from heauen after we haue bin taught in Gods schole and entred into the way surely our fault is double we deserue much sorer punishment This is it that S. Paul ment in this text by saying how now You ran well Surely this forwardnesse of fayth is a great vertue namely when we be readie to answere God as soone as he speaketh the word to vs but yet is it nothing worth without holding out Then if we be so fickle and inconstant that when we haue gone forward a step or twayne we be readie to runne back ageyne or else to start out on the one side or on the other suche vnthankfulnesse is much more shamefull than if we had neuer harkened to God at all for we can not 〈◊〉 â—ore sheelde our selues by ignorance as they doo which are bred brought vp in errour and misknowledge who will say if we knew which is the truth we would not doo so as we should neede to be pulled by the eare but we be in doubt and we wote not on which side to turne vs. Then if they which haue begonne to followe God yea and haue had some certayne and infallible instruction by his worde doo afterward starte aside or go backe agayne doo they not shew that they doo it not of ignorance but of wilfulnesse and stubbornesse as though they mente of set purpose to spyte God Now it behoueth vs to marke well this thing specially for so muche as God is so gracious vnto vs as too shewe vs whiche is the waye of saluation whiche thing he dooth not too the rest of the worlde For wee see many blinde wretches that runne and trotte vp and downe and wote not what they doo but yet they shewe some desire of seruing God If a man aske them whether they thinke they doo well or no they answere yea howbeeit it is but a weening they bee not sure of it But wee on our side haue the warrant of the holy Ghost whiche oughte too bee sealed in our hearts that the doctrine whiche is preached vnto vs is not deuised by men but that God is the very author of it The holy Scripture is sufficiently proued wee know without adding of any thyng that God is oure guyde so that nowe a dayes there is not so very a dullarde or idiote but hee is iustly too bee condemned if hee receyue not the doctrine that is preached and set foorth and maye vppon hys owne knowledge iudge that hee dooth manifestly make wylfull warre agaynst God Seeing that oure Lorde hathe doone vs the prerogatiue too call vs too him and dooth still dayly allure vs and incorage vs to come forwarde till wee bee come to our races ende if wee bee weery to heare him and euery of vs would fayne take his owne scope to followe whatsoeuer his owne lust liketh what excuse or shift can wee hope to haue that we should not bee condemned with the Galathians for falling to our owne byasse after wee haue runne well and bin well forwarde on our way Yea and wee must also marke this saying which S. Paule interlaceth Who hath letted you sayth he He might haue sayde simply as he sayde in the begynning of the Epystle â–ª that they were quyte gone away yea and vtterly reuolted as Apostates or backslyders But he vseth the worde Let too shewe that it is not inough for vs not to turne quite and cleane away from God but that if wee doo but stoppe or linger that wee go not right foorth on still nor continue alwayes stedfastly in comming neerer and neerer vnto God it is alreadie a very dangerous matter So then let vs be ware of Satans wyles and not onely be afrayde of vtter reuolting from the obedience of oure God but also beare well in minde that when the Diuell shall once haue cooled vs and made vs too slake our pace so as wee fall to loytering in our gooing he shall haue gayned ouer much at our hands Thus ye see in effect what we haue to gather vpon this text Now to condemne the vnthankfulnesse of the Galathians the better he addeth that that counsell came not of him that called them In the first chapter he had sayde I maruell that yee bee so soone caryed away from Iesus Christ which called you to the grace of his Gospell For it is good reason that God should be heard when he openeth his holy mouth to teach vs. VVhat are wee VVretched wormes of the earth and rottennesse and yet notwithstanding our Lorde maketh his voyce to ring from heaueÌ„ to assure vs that if he inlighten guyde vs we can not do amisse and therefore that wee must depende wholly vpon him and reste vpon his truthe But if wee giue eare to this and that and when God speaketh wee be soaring in the ayre and hearken to one that whistleth and to another that singeth Is it not too shamefull an vnthankfulnesse If a Scholemaster see his scholers prattling togither while he speaketh to them or buylding of Castles in Spayne so as they heare not what he sayth the rodde must bee fayne too walke among them and good right it should so Verily a man can not abide that his mate or companion shoulde muse vppon other matters when he is talking with him but he will take it in scorne and derision But beholde God calleth vs and yet if there come any deceyuer to whisper vs in the eare wee hearken too him and followe his counsell which is a token that there was neuer any knowledge in vs too discerne the maiestie of oure God and too yeelde him the reuerence that he deserueth VVee knowe that the chief honor that he requireth 〈◊〉 is to haue our wittes minds bent to vnderstande what he commaundeth and appoynteth For that cause therfore S. Paule sayth that the sayde counsell came not of God who had called the Galathians Now it is certayne that he had called them long afore that time Neuerthelesse he thinketh it not inough to haue tolde vs once for all how wee should walke but also he holdeth on still according also as wee haue neede too haue the remembraunce of that doctrine to be renued dayly Then seeing it is so that God is alwayes at hande with vs yea as the Prophet Esay sayth both early and late that is to saye seeing he hath a continuall care to bring vs to him selfe and to draw vs neerer and neerer it is certayne that our fault is so much the haynouser if wee haue one of our eares in the fielde and the other in the towne as the Prouerbe sayth and that we be not wholly giuen too him and to his worde To be short we see heere that the true perfection of Gods children
thus Furthermore wheÌ„ the wicked sort which set their tongues to sale lyke harlots in a Brothelhouse and cast out blasphemies agaynst God and his woorde finde any cloke eyther too despize or too reiect the Gospell by and by many wretched folke haue theyr tongues fyled to say Alas we see that this doctrine bringeth great stumblingblockes with it Yea and Iesus Christ shoulde not bee that whiche the holy Scripture reporteth him too bee if the Gospell caused not many stumblings But yet muste wee not bee dismayed at them wee muste rather ouercome them Thus ye see what wee haue too gather vppon this streyne where Saint Paule sayeth that wee shall neuer holde out in the fayth of the Gospell except wee bee armed with such constancio as not to turne out of the way let Satan do what hee can Verely as I sayde afore wee must as much as wee can eschue all stumblingblocks and go on forwarde and put theâ—â—side VVe haue seene heretofore how euery of vs ought to behaue himselfe insomuch that the Prophete Esay speaking of the preaching of the Gospell sayth that the way must bee made leuell and that the thing which was rough and crooked before must now be made smooth and streyt VVell then we must do what we can that it may be so Howbeeit forasmuch as God wil haue vs to be humbled and that there must needs be stumblingblocks and comberances and it cannot be but that Iesus Christ must reigne in the mids of his enemies let vs go forward and defie all Satans practizes and not mislike of the Gospell for it though we see neuer so many stumblings and stumblingblockes abrode in the world Now S. Paul hauing sayd so addeth I would to God that al they which trouble you were cut off It may seeme at the first blush that S. Paule is moued here with to much choler when he wisheth that all those which sow their darnell and errours abrode to peruert Gods pure doctrine shoulde bee dispatched that the diuell might possesse theÌ„ and that they might neuer find mercy at Gods hand For so doth the word Cut off betoken But we must mark that the zele which we ought to haue of Gods glorie forgetteth all worldly respects when they be put into the balance togither Howbeeit before we go any further let vs first note that in this word Cut off S. Paul hath spoken by a similitude For those rascals that had corrupted and falsified the doctrine of the Gospell stroue for Circumcizion VVell then sayth he pare off and cut off as much as ye list and yet all your seeking is but to haue other meÌ„ busied about such pelting trifles as wel as your selues But as for me I would that all such deceyuers were quite and cleane cut off and that God would sinke them or root theÌ„ out so cast theÌ„ off and damne theÌ„ as they might not haue any hope of saluation Nowe let vs come to that which I haue touched I tolde you shortly that wheÌ„ men make war agaynst God we must become such deadly enemies vnto them as we must vtterly put out of minde all kinred and friendship and al that else is for otherwise we do not our dutie in any wise vnto our God who seing he beareth the name of our father and doth vs the honor to take vs for his children ought at the least to haue his glorie esteemed of vs aboue all things But wee muste passe on yet further For what is the Maiestie of God Agayne howe precious ought 〈◊〉 truthe too bee vntoo vs Moreouer seeing that he doth so ioyne his glorie with our welfare as we cannot procure the one without the other yea and that we can neyther profite him nor disprofite him though we were neuer so zealous to mainteyne his quarell for he hath no neede of vs neither needeth hee to borow our helping hand but yet he maketh vs his deputies or agents too none other ende but that euerie of vs shoulde seeke his owne profite howbeeit not of this worlde nor in these corruptible things but in the euerlasting saluation of oure soules seeing I say that God imployeth vs after such sort and we notwithstanding bee still retchlesse and colde is this treacherie of ours excusable Nay wee must come to that which is sayde in the Psalme The zeale of thine house hath eaten mee vp and the raylings of them that rayled on thee I haue taken to my selfe Certes this was fully accomplished in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ as in the heade of the Church And Saint Paule sheweth that wee must be fashioned like vnto him as our patterne so that whensoeuer we see Gods honour defaced by men euerie of vs must set himselfe manfully agaynst it Thus yee see breefly that the rule which wee must gather heere is that wee must preferre Gods honour before all things yea euen before a whole million of liues if we had them Then is it not for vs to spare men when they streyne themselues to the vttermost of their power to trample Gods name vnder foot to turmoyl the doctrine of saluation to bring to passe that we might no more knowe what religion to sticke vntoo and to driue away all peace vtterly out of the Church Therefore if wee see men applie their indeuers that way is it not reason that we should bee their aduersaries Truly if it bee possible wee must procure freendship and agreement with all men yea on our owne behalfe and so farre forth as lyeth in vs sayth Saint Paule to the Romanes But when wee see these naughtipackes aduaunce themselues agaynst God and thrust forth their hornes too dosse at him it is good reason that euery of vs should steppe forwarde and shewe in deed that wee bee no more our owne men but that for as much as our Lorde Iesus Christ hath bought and payde for vs so deerely hee ought of right to be Lorde both of our life and of our death Ye see then why Saint Paule maketh heere so sharpe a wishe naâ—â—ly that they which had troubled the Galathians might bee vtterly alienated from God and drowned in the gulfe of damnation Now if it be obiected that this wish is agaynst the rule of charitie the answere is easie inough For we bee bound to loue our enimies yea though they persecute vexe vs and although they seeke nothing but our destruction yet must we procure their welfare saluatioÌ„ to the vttermost of our power and we must haue pitie compassion of them to see theÌ„ so giuen ouer vnto Satan Thus ye see what charitie importeth But yet for al this God must be aboue all as I haue declared already Therfore Charitie is betweene man and man VVhen any man shall haue done me wrong I must forget it Though he beare me malice yet must I procure his welfare But when it commeth to the maynteyning of Gods quarel there meÌ„ must be esteemed lesse than nothing as I haue sayd already
suche as are so firie at the first dashe that reason can neither appease them nor stay them Therefore when men be so hot and fling themselues at al aduenture things must bee alledged agreeable to their nature to make them ashamed that they may bee drawen too the obedience of God S. Paule then ment heere to bring vs by little and little to the ouercomming of all our affections which are to farre out of square too the end that whensoeuer wee bee prouoked to hate any man or to be reuenged of him we may consider thus with our selues what will bee the end of it but that we shall one of vs consume another lyke dogges and cattes And when we haue considered that wee must proceede yet further which is that althoughe our hatred myght aduauÌ„tage vs neuer so much although we might alwayes haue the vpper hand of our enemyes and although wee could bring all our practizes and attempts to effect I say although wee might haue aduauntage by gyuing head to our passions yet were it but a prouoking of Gods wrath seing we could not yeelde so farre vnto him as to loue those that are vnworthie Sith the case standeth so let vs bee afraid submit ourselues with all humilitie And forasmuch as it is a hard thing let vs fight so much the more manfully tyll God haue gotten the maysterie and wee renounced our selues as I sayde forsaking all our owne nature too the ende that wee may keepe the sacred vnitie which he did set among vs when it pleased him that wee should bee one flesh Now herevpon Sainct Paule addeth that if wee mind to restreine the lustes of our fleshe from reigning in vs wee muste walke in the spirit Furthermore the battell is ryght harde so that wee doo not what wee would do but although God haue reformed vs and touched vs to the quick so as wee would fayne please him in all poynts yet notwithstanding wee shall not yet atteyne too perfection bycause our owne nature will alwayes leade vs vntoo euill But before wee go any further wee must marke that by the word Fleshe Sainct Paule meaneth all that is in man and 〈◊〉 what euer we bring with vs by our birth According also as our Lord Iesus Christ declareth sufficiently in the third of Iohn That which is borne of fleshe sayth he is flesh By the woorde Spirit he meaneth not the Soule of man but the grace whych God giueth vs when he bringeth vs backe to his obedience correcteth our vyces all that is contrarie to his word And the terming of men by the name of Flesh in the holy scripture is in way of contempte But yet in this texte it is a marke of vyce and corruption Sometymes when the Scripture speaketh of flesh it saythe verie well what else are men but fleshe that is too say but rottennesse Ageine all fleshe is grasse And ageine what are the Aegyptians They bee fleshe and not spirit Yee see then that vnder this woord fleshe men are taught their owne frayltie and doone to vnderstand that they be but earth and dust wormes and woormes meate And this serues first of all to humble them But when fleshe is matched ageynst Spirite then are not men taken in their first state as they were created of God but it serueth too shewe that they bee corrupted and full of infection and wickednesse so as there is no taste at all in them to discerne aright but they are vtterly peruerted in all their lustes Yee see then that whereas our Lord Iesus Christ sayth wee bee fleshe euen from our birth his meaning is that wee bee blind wretches which haue no wit at all too come vntoo God and that although he haue put an vnderstandyng in vs to discerne good euill yet notwithstaÌ„ding wee bee growen brutish and cannot come to him and al the reason that we haue serueth but to make vs vnexcusable and finally that we couet nothing but vtter euil that loke how many affections wee haue so many are the enemyes that fighte ageynst all ryghtuousnesse Lo how the holie Ghost blazeth our armes wheras most men bragge of their owne free wyll and of their vertues it is sayd that there is nothing in vs but starke corruption that the same is as an enmitie against God and separateth vs from his rightuousnesse True it is that our Soule or mind is oftentimes called by the name of Spirit for the woord Spirite or Ghoste betokeneth an inuisible substance which cannot be seen nor felt as can a body The Angells are Spirites and so are the Diuells also Howbeit these are corrupted spirites and alienated from God so as there is nothing but vtter wickednesse iâ—â—â—em So then our soules also are Spirites but yet they bee spirits infected with sin which thing happened too them when wee were chaunged and abaced and Gods image defaced in vs by the fall of Adam Now then there had need to be some renewment therof and that renewment is called spirit which is when God reformeth vs and maketh vs new creatures by his holy spirit The first poynt wherof is that we be inlightened so as we conceiue the things that were hidden from vs by nature for faith is the speciall gift of God bycause it is impossible for man to conceiue the things that are for his soule health vnlesse God haue wrought in him Yee see then that fayth is a gift of the spirit as wee shall see hereafter in due time and place insomuch that as wee haue not one good motion to come vnto God and to frame ourselues to his will except he gouerne vs so also forasmuch as he hath adopted vs he giueth vs his holy spirit which is the true marke that sheweth vs to bee Gods children Too bee short looke whatsoeuer God putteth intoo his chosen and faithfull ones too correct theyr wicked and sinfull nature the same is comprehended vnder the word Spirit Now S. Paule sayth that wee must walke after the spirit and then wee shall not fulfill the lustes of our fleshe Hereby he giueth warning too such as delight too much in their owne vyces and take leaue to do naughtily vnder pretence that they be not able too withstand it Heere he wakeneth them vp and telleth them that they be without excuse and that although they bee giuen vntoo naughtinesse yet they ought too seeke the remedie of it And what is that Truely wee shall not finde it in ourselues but God will supply in that behalfe by giuing vs grace to fight in such wyse against all our lustes and wicked affections as his holy spirite shall reigne in vs and get the vpper hande of them God will not deceiue vs in making vs such promise and therefore let vs hye vs to him as diseased folke to a Phisition To bee short S. Paule hath an eye to the excuse that men would bring and are wont too bring in this cace O say they wee bee fleshly and charitie
downe into the worlde nor what grace he imparteth vnto vs by his Gospell they knowe not neyther what fayth nor what prayer is and yet for all that they will needes haue leaue to doo what they liste and that folke should lay the bridle looce in their necke Of these wylde Christians there are tootoo many nowe a dayes In the meane while the doctrine of God is blamed by their meanes For the enimies of the truthe vpbrayde vs with all suche as are loose liuers now a dayes and say that the same springeth of our preaching For this cause S. Paule hath answered his aduersaries and also armed and fenced vs to answere them to the ende to stoppe the mouthes of all raylers and of all suche as doo falsly slander the doctrine of the Gospell First of all therfore when the wicked sort say that we giue an inordinate libertie to all suche as seeke nothing but to doo lewdly Let vs looke backe to S. Paule who telleth them that the libertie which we speake of serueth for none but such as are a law to them selues namely through the working of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ But yet notwithstanding this ought to serue for a warning to all suche as imagine a libertie after their owne liking Therefore let them vnderstande that first of all it behoueth them to become members of our Lorde Iesus Christ VVil we then eate quietly without making any 〈…〉 VVill wee bee exempted from all 〈…〉 whiche doo nowe a dayes vexe the simple and ignorant sorte in the Papacie Let vs vnderstande what Iesus Christ is and let vs bee throughly his Let him gouerne vs and let his death and passion shewe their power and effectualnesse in our whole life Thus yee see what we haue to beare in binde in this text And heere S. Paule sheweth agayne that the true perfection of Gods children consisteth in abacing themselues so as they followe not the rule of their owne brayne and affections for wee bee vtterly corrupted Then can wee not bee but rebels agaynst God all the time of our life till wee haue kylled all the sinfulnesse of oure owne nature Marke this for one poynt that our lyfe shall neuer bee framed to the will of God excepte wee bee vtterly chaunged bothe in our thoughts and in our affections Secondly S. Paule sheweth that that can not be done but by communicating with our Lorde Iesus Christ for it is not without cause that he vseth this worde Crucified For thereby he declareth that so long as wee bee separated from our Lorde Iesus Christ and cast off from him and not knit vnto him by fayth our nature will alwayes bring foorth hir owne frutes that is to say nothing but all maner of naughtinesse and vice Thus ye see that first of all Freewill is beaten downe Secondly it is shewed vs that wee can not be partakers of any of Gods giftes nor of his holy spirite but by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christ according as I haue tolde you alreadie that wee must all drawe of his fulnesse for he is the onely fountayne that is able too suffice vs. And if wee seeke neuer so farre aboute elsewhere wee shall finde nothing but drythe and wee shall continue a thirst styll and if wee thinke too fill our selues it will bee but wyndinesse and misweening wherewith wee shall burste and yet not gather any good nourishment or substance Nowe heerevppon Sainct Paule concludeth that if wee liue after the spirite wee shoulde also walke after the spirite And it is a more easie declaration of the thing that I haue touched alreadie It had beene inough too haue auouched that wee can not bee set free but by crucifying all oure wicked lustes howe bee it for as 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Hypocrisie is so great that they doo alwayes finde â—â—aâ—ting holes and 〈…〉 man would bee esteemed as an Angell though his life bee out of order therefore Sainct Paule intended for a confirmation too adde this saying â–ª that if wee liue after the spirite wee must therewithall walke after the spirite As if hee should say that it is not inough for men too protest them selues to haue Gods spirite dwelling in their heart but they muste shewe that he is there for he is not idle Therfore if a man will discerne whether Gods spirit dwell in vs or no he must come to our works and to our life and according as our conuersation is so may he see what we be and what is within vs and giue iudgement by our outwarde workes that are apparant As for example if one would beare mee in hande that a blocke were a liuing a man too see too It stirreth neyther head nor foote thrust at it and shoue at it and yet there appeareth no lyfe in it and shall he then make mee beleeue that a peece of stone remoueth from place too place or hath any power in it or is a creature that hath a soule Euen so is it with those that boast them selues to be spirituall For although the vnbeleeuers and enimies of God be aliue as in respect of the body yet are they dead in respect of the heauenly life bicause their soule is vtterly corrupted but wee liue to Godwarde through the grace of his holy spirite And if this grace be in vs it can not bee idle as I sayde afore And that is the cause why S. Paul sayth that our conuersation will shewe whether we liue in the spirite or no. The worde walke is very rife in the holy scripture when the whole ordering of our life is mentioned neuerthelesse heere is not onely walking The worde that S. Paul vseth importeth more that is to wit too walke orderly as if he should say that we must frame our selues to the thing that is conformable too the will of God and of his holy spirite and that our life must bee so well ruled as it maye bee knowen that God gouerneth vs in deede and that our Lorde Iesus Christ holdeth vs too him selfe as the members of his body and that he hath truly witnessed that he dwelleth in vs by his holy spirite Therefore at a worde this thing muste needes bee knowen Nowe to bee shorte S. Paule ment heere to bewray the hypocrisie of all suche as make fayre protestation with their mouthe and woulde haue men to beleeue wonderous well of their zeale and yet in all their whole lyfe doo shew 〈…〉 at all too come neere God nor any 〈◊〉 of hys worde All such folke then are heere condemned of lying and vnfaythfulnesse And therefore that wee may discerne which are Gods children let vs come to the examining of our liues True it is as I haue touched heeretofore that sometimes the ignorant wretches and suche as neuer had any instruction in the Lawe shall haue some apparance of vertue But if a man sounde them throughly he shall finde it is but a shadowe and that they bee not well bent eyther too loue their neibours or to walke
the maner of the holy Scripture is to terme the giftes of the holy Ghost the spirit of truth the spirit of the feare of God the spirite of wisedome such other like bycause the fulnesse of all goodnesse is in him Yee see then that the summe of that whiche S. Paule teacheth heere is that we must not onely loue vertue and like well of such as walke in all perfection and in whom wee can find no blame but ouermore wee must be gentle in bearing with the faultes of suche as are not yet so well confirmed in the feare of God as were requisite too the ende we may bring them backe agayne into the right way that are turned aside or thrust out of it For if there should be no meeldnesse nor gentlenesse in vs as soone as a man had committed any faulte wee shoulde as it were plundge him in despayre and this is seene too much for that cause therefore Sainct Paule telleth vs that the meekenesse or meeldnesse of Gods children must trie it selfe by releeuing such as are fallen through weakenesse yea and that in such sort as it may be knowen that their saluation is procured Nowe I haue tolde you that there are two extremities or two vyces wherof wee muste beware The one is that we winke when any of our freendes haue offended God in so muche that euen when he hath giuen some cause of stumbling wee let it slippe bycause wee be loth too purchace his displeasure by rebuking him And now adayes yee see that the common way of maynteyning freendship in the world as too giue leaue and licence of all misdoyng through Diuelishe dissimulation For no man can abide too haue his galled backe rubbed nother doo any menne take warnings in good woorth sauing they whom God hath touched and to whom he hath giuen the spirite of obedience too yeelde themselues teachable Therefore suche maner of men as these will say with Dauid that they had leuer too bee 〈…〉 and with all sharpnesse than too haue the oyntments of the flatter 〈◊〉 â—â—ich serue but too rocke men asleepe in their vyces Neuerthelesse ye shall coÌ„monly see that all meÌ„ couet to be borne withall and to haue no woord spoken to them what soeuer they do nor to haue their heads troubled with their vices and misdoings Euery maÌ„ verifieth this in so much that God is forgotteÌ„ as the Prophet Esay sayeth there is no defender any where that maynteyneth the truth for there is as great confuzion and disorder as may be and yet men do let all slip True it is that if wrong be done to any man he will not sticke to say that such licentiousnesse ought too be redressed but he sayeth not so for any zele he hath to maynteyne the honour of God it is but onely for his owne peculiar aduauntage and for the regard that he hath to himselfe Thus yee see that God hath not any proctors or Aduocates to pleade his cace but euery man is for himselfe Therefore when wee see any man doo amisse let vs learne that it is no loue nor charitie too cloke his euill doings so as wee should dissemble them and make no countenance at all of them but that if wee haue a care of him that is so fallen wee muste turne him away If a man bee in the myre wee will reache him our hande too helpe him out and if wee passe by him and will not seeme too see him shall he not say it is too shamefull an vnkindnesse Euen so is it when wee suffer a man too fall a sleepe in his sinnes for by that meanes he is sunke downe too the bottome of perdition Then is it too greate a trayterousnesse if wee doo wittingly suffer a man too vndoo himselfe vtterly and therewithall wee shewe also that there is no zele of God in vs. For if he bee our father ought it not at leastwyze too greeue vs and make vs sorie when wee see wrong and iniurie offered vntoo him So then if the soules whiche our Lorde Iesus Christ hath bought so deerly bee precious vntoo vs or if wee set so much by Gods honour as it deserueth it is certayne that wee will not so beare with mens faultes but that we will indeuer too amend them Marke that for one poynt But there is also a contrarie vyce namely ouer greate rigorousnesse For this is a propertie of the Hypocrites that if they spie a mote in their neighbours eye they crie out alarum vppon him and they must needes follow him with hew crie whereas in the meane while a great beame in their 〈…〉 as our Lorde Iesus speaketh of them For 〈◊〉 therefore as there are many that wyden their consciences to swallow vp a whole Oxe in their owne caces and in the meane season can streyne at a gnat when it toucheth other men therefore we must beware that wee bee not to rough and sharpe in rebuking of our brother Besydes this there are also that haue an vnaduised zeale so as they bee too sowre and bitter and they are of opinion that they discharge not themselues except they proclayme mens faults alowde as it were by the sounde of a trumpet And howe many warnings are made nowadayes with an vpright carefulnesse If a man see any of his neighbours fall to naughtinesse he ought if he can haue accesse and enterance to him too tell him his fault but wee will none of that For as I sayde euerie man vnderpryeth other and lyes in wayt for him like a spie too see if he can finde any thing amisse in him and then vseth he sternnesse to the vttermost True it is that such as are handled ouerroughly after that fashion cannot complaine of it For whereof commeth the naughtinesse that is too riâ—e nowadayes among men that no man is warned secretly to the ende he might be brought backe vnto God but that the vices which were done in couert are blazed abrode yea euen to the diffaming of the partie It is for that euery of vs shetteth the gate bycause our eares are too itching and we cannot abide too bee tolde the truth but will needes keepe the possession of all naughtinesse as though God were deposed from his authoritie and had no prerogatiue of iudgement ouer vs. Forasmuch then as euery man woulde exempt himself from correction therfore all are worthie to be handled hardly after that fashion and too bee delt with like enemies and not like brethren For there can be no brotherhod among vs vnlesse correction take place so as euery man be subiect to it yea euen willingly And bycause we will not in any wise be rebuked therefore we deserue well to be handled with such excessiue rygour For this cause Saint Paul setteth downe the meane which is that we must haue a care one of another so that if any man stumble he may bee helped vp againe And howe By good warnings For that is the remedie which God hath stablished for vs by
his worde Howbeeit that in the meane while 〈…〉 so eager in rebuking other mens faults as too forget to put 〈…〉 that is to say to vse the sayd spirite of meekenesse For it were to smal purpose to haue Suger in our mouth as many men haue and in the meane time to beare poyson in our heart And therefore Saint Paule speaketh not here alonely of the tongue ne sayth that we must haue intioing wordes but that in rebuking mens faults we must alwayes be led and moued therto by an earnest desire to our neighbours saluation For it is certaine that if we couet the soule health of such as do amisse wee will behaue our selues soberly and that sobernesse will bring with it the moderation that Saint Paule speaketh of so as wee shall not bee ouereager nor depart from the fountaine which is too beware that wee bee not too hastie in fynding fault wee wote not why nor too what ende but that wee haue a care too fetche him backe againe that is in an euill-trade and be desirous to bring him with vs vntoo God To be short wee must couet to haue him our brother that God may bee serued of vs all and mainteyned in his state If wee bee so mynded surely the rest will followe after But vnder the woorde Spirite wee bee warned moreouer as I sayde euen nowe that we must be fashioned lyke vntoo God forsomuch as hee hath vouchsafed too choose vs for his children accordingly as our Lord Iesus Christ telleth vs saying Bee yee lyke vntoo your heauenly father who hath pitie euen on theÌ„ that are vnworthie of it VVherfore if we desire to be hilde and auowed for Gods children let vs haue an eye to the nature of him which calleth vs too the likenesse of his owne Image which is that we be meeld and gentle Now God in his gentlenesse flattereth not such as haue done amisse For he hateth iniquitie and must needes alwayes shewe himselfe an enemie to it But we see the thing that is sayde namely that God dooth in such wise correct his children that the chastizements which hee vseth begin at his owne house and at his owne housholde folke Yet for al that he thundereth not against poore sinners but wayteth for them paciently incouraging them drawing theÌ„ bearing with them setting his grace before them and shewing them that he is readie to receyue them and hath his armes stretched out to imbrace them if they will come vnto him Ye see then that the first thing which we haue to consider is that we must fashion our 〈…〉 example of our God so as we oppresse 〈…〉 the first daâ—he in whoÌ„ we see any infirmitie but rather labour to winne them bycause they bee as lost soules And heerevpon we may also gather that such as nowadayes woulde haue vyces cloked yea and borne oute vnder pretence that God is pacient and gentle do falsly corrupt the holy scripture For nowadayes if neuer so detestable crymes bee committed by and by they alledge mercie ô they must be pitied yea but such folke blaspheme God in that they woulde haue vs too bee more mercifull than hee is Surely wee knowe him too bee the welspringâ— of all goodnesse and it is ynough for vs if wee can followe him a great way off and it were a thing to be greatly desired that we coulde come neerer and neerer vntoo him But when wee haue streyned our selues too the vttermost it is verie much if wee can haue in vs but some little sparke of the mercie which is infinite in God Neuerthelesse God promiseth not his grace but to suche as returne vntoo him True it is that hee toucheth them with hys holy spirite and chaungeth their myndes but yet must repentance alwayes bee matched with forgiuenesse of sinnes Now after what maner is it that men would be pitifull It is that they might mocke God too his face that men shoulde winke at their lewdnesse yea and sooth them vp in it that God should be reiected and that such as are readie to do still worse and worse shoulde bee borne withall and borne out But I haue tolde you that it is too cursed a blasphemie when men transforme good intoo euill after that fashion Then according to Saint Paules exhortation let vs lerne to bring a mekenesse that may be of Gods spirite not too allowe of the euill or to deface the good but too amende things modestly with discretion Therewithall let vs learne also to pray God to gouerne vs when the cace requireth that we shoulde correct our neighbours assuring our selfe that of our owne nature wee shall neuer be able too doo it VVee knowe that to serue God and to imploy our selues faythfull in that behalfe wee must first receyue of him the things that wee want Nowe then let a man streyne himselfe as farre as hee list â–ª and hee shall not finde himselfe able to bring one droppe of goodnesse of his owne But when wee come too correcting there wee repreâ—◠〈…〉 God and if I mynde to tell a man his fault I come not to him in 〈◊〉 priuate name as his superiour but in the name of God Nowe then seeing it is so that we execute Gods office in rebuking such as haue done amisse how shall we be fit for that purpose except he guide and direct vs therevnto Therefore let vs learne to desire him to guide and rule vs by his holy spirite when any admonition is to be made to bring such backe againe as are gone out of the right way And herewithall wee must marke also as I haue sayd afore that Saint Paule speaketh not heere of such as are saped in wickednesse in contempt of God and in rebelliousnesse but of such as are ouertaken so as they haue some good will to doo well and yet notwithstanding doo fall through infirmitie Therefore this matter must be handled very skilfully and discretely For if we will deale alike with all men it is certaine that we shall oftentymes do wrong too such as haue neede too bee borne withall and in the meane while doo nothing but inflame the despyzers of God and make them more malapart than they were before Then as I sayd we must put a difference betwene the one and the other For when the Prophete Ezechiell speaketh of the good shepheard hee sayth that he must beare with the shepe that are weake and if any of them be infected he must heale them by good medicins But if he should keepe one maner of vsage without putting a difference betweene one and another howe should he shewe himselfe to be a sheepherd in so doing In like cace is it with all suche as deale with the rebuking of their neighbours that haue done amisse As for example if there be a shamelesse naughtipacke that dayly runneth headlong into all naughtinesse which maketh none account of Gods woorde nor doth any thing but marre others like a scabbed Ramme that spreadeth his infection through the whole
that wee muste put away all opinion of our owne wisedome and of all the vertues that wee can imagine our selues too haue For it is sayde heere in one word that wee must thinke our selues to be nothing And in very deede the saying that is set downe heere muste bee layde foorth thus Seeing that men are nothing at all they that presume vpon their owne vertues and glory of them beguile them selues willingly Therefore let vs take this parte namely that wee bee nothing It is true that God hath lefte still some markes in vs whereby it may bee perceyued that hee hath exalted vs in worthinesse and excellencie aboue the brute beastes in as muche as it was his wyll to create vs after his owne image Then if wee haue respecte too the thing that God dyd put into vs the same oughte too bee esteemed still â–ª but yet for all that in respecte of oure owne persons wee bee nothing For wee bee wholly bounde vnto him 〈…〉 that wee haue receyued haue wee receyued it for our owne â—â—â—thinesse sake Is it giuen men too make them owne estimation and prayse of it â–ª No but rather too increase our shame bicause that all the vnderstanding iudgement and discretion that is in vs is corrupted and marred by our owne naughtinesse Too bee shorte wee bee like a stinking and rotten vessell and Gods giftes are as good wine that is put into the vessell and so by that meanes all is marde Euen so is it with vs. VVe bee vessels And what maner of vessels Vessels infected wyth the corruption of sinne God putteth of his giftes into vs too the ende he mighte bee glorified by it Nowe maye wee deserue too haue any prayse thereby before men No but rather blame bicause that wee by our sinfulnesse doo marre the good thyngs that God hathe put intoo vs. Moreouer where as it is sayde that wee bee nothing it is bicause wee can not but apply all oure vnderstanding and reason vntoo euill and for that wee wyll needes bee counted wyse when as notwithstanding God auoweth that there is nothing but naughtinesse in vs and that all oure thoughtes are but vanities leasings illusions and deceiptes Agayne where as too our seeming wee haue a wyll wherby wee choose bothe good and euill the same will is a bondslaue too sinne so as wee doo nothing else but fighte agaynst God As muche is too bee sayde of all oure affections And if we haue any thing else that seemeth commendable God distributeth it too euery man as it pleaseth him selfe and moreouer he is fayne too continue the thing that he hath begonne as wee see by experience VVhat cause then hathe he too boast whiche hathe a sharpe and suttle witte seeing it is not he that hath made him selfe to excell as though he had bin his owne maker Therefore wee must holde all things of God and doo him homage for them Agayne we see that euen they which take them selues to bee iollyest fellowes eueÌ„ they that are most honored in the world who must not be replied agaynst when they haue once spoken the worde I say wee shall see euen them made brutishe when it pleaseth God So then let vs conclude that Sainct Paule dooth iustly abolishe heere all the power that men presume to haue to the ende that they maye bee rightly humbled that is to wit to 〈…〉 our selues to bee aught woorth Marke 〈◊〉 or one poynt Now herevpon he mocketh the fonde vaynegloriousnesse whiche rauisheth their wittes bicause there is not any man that would willingly bee beguyled And in very deede it is a greefe to vs when wee see any man go about to winde vs in by wylynesse and dissimulation and we can by no meanes brooke it and yet for all that we shall finde no greater deceyuers in the worlde too vs than our selues Euery man deceyues himselfe euery man ouerthrowes him selfe yea and that in a manner willingly and what a follie is that Nowe then wee see S. Paules drifte and also the lesson that wee haue too gather of that sentence For as much as euery of vs will needes aduaunce him selfe by abacing his fellowes therefore S. Paule telleth vs that if wee make a good and righte tryall of the things that are in vs there will not bee founde so muche as one drop of vertue that deserueth prayse at leastwise in respecte of our owne persons For wee bee nothing and there needed but one blast too make cleane dispatche of vs. Therefore it is but a foolishe ouerweening that letteth vs too walke in simplicitie And so let vs vnderstande first of all that wee can not chalenge any thing too our selues without treason to God bicause it is a robbing of him of the right that belongeth to him and which ought to be reserued vnto him and that is to our owne destruction For in good fayth what shall we gayne by it when we shall haue abused men and when we shall haue bin taken for other than we be To be shorte when we shall haue bin as Idols what will bee the ende of it but our owne decay and confusion Then seeing it is so let vs learne too bee cast down layde flat vpon the ground that we may be throughly grounded in our God And to bring that to passe let vs learne to magnifie him only And in the meane while if it please him to exalte vs let vs not ceasse to keepe our selues in continuall awe with sobernesse and modestie knowing that wee haue nothing of our owne and that whatsoeuer God hath giuen vnto vs he muste be fayne to preserue it in vs from time to time and that wee must so holde all things of him as to make a willing sacrifice and oblation of them vnto him indeuoring to imploy ourselues in the seruice 〈…〉 the measure of grace which wee haue receiued of him yeelding the prayse thereof too him vnto whom it belongeth This is in effect the thing that wee haue too remember vppon this streyne Truely it is harde too bring vs too this reasonablenesse And in good soothe wee see the great contentions that are nowe a dayes about Freewill and mens owne vertues as though men were able to aduaunce them selues and to take the grace of God and by that meane to deserue well But all this proceedeth of this that men are forepossessed with such diuelishe pride as they wyll euermore needes bee somewhat of them selues And therefore it standeth vs so muche the more on handâ— too put this doctrine in practise Certaynely wee can not profite at all in Gods schole nor in the holy Scripture till we haue knowen that wee bee nothing at all too the ende wee may come too drawe out of the fulnesse of our Lorde Iesus Christ But that can wee not doo excepte wee bee first vtterly dryed vp in our selues and confesse with Dauid that wee bee as the earth that is scorched and clouen with heate and haue no whit of wetting or moysture other