he is saued thorowlye by him and he that seeth this with supernatural vnderstandinge hauinge no respect to him self nor his workes but only to the goodnes of God discouered in Christ vpon the Crosse caÌ„not by any meanes be disceiued because that light which he hath to be in the fauor of God elect to saluacion can not growe but onlye of the bountye of God consydered in Christ wherof can spring no false nor deceitfull knowledge Full well may he be be giled and shalbe that doth behold his workes and by them thincketh that he is in the fauour of God and his soÌ„ne But seing him selfe in Christ saued chosen in the fauour of God it muste nedes be said that he seeth the truthe and that which is once trewe although it were but for the twincke of an eie must be saide to be euer true he then which beleueth in Christe were it but a mynute of an houre in perceyuynge of hym selfe elect by Christ seeth that which is true therfore shall it euer be true that he is one of the legitimaâ— sonnes of God so that the same his faythe be not in anye maner founded vpon him self nor his own worckes but in christ and the diuine excellence and that it be not a certeine trifleinge lighte baren and deade opinion but a liuely faithe It must be said then that Iudas had neuer perfect faith nether was elect to saluacioÌ„ although he was chosen to the apostelshippe and the like say I of al y â— reprobate al such theÌ„ as haue had at ani time liuely belefe to be saued bi christ may be sure of their saluation And so also they whiche haue once at the least bene perfectely geuen to God and committed to his gouernaunce vpon the couenaunte that he shall serue him selfe of them accordynge to his owne purpose and with truste that by Christ and his mere goodnes he hath accepted them for hys owne they maye also beleue that they are saued bycause that he shal be no lesse God to them then they shal be promysed of hym Therfore hauing had in that couenaunte lyuely faythe that God wyll forgeue them as his Chyldren in suche sorte that he wyll conducte them to saluacion althoughe they as muche as lyeth iu them were contynuallye prompte to all euyl yet is it necessary to saye that sence God hathe taken theym for hys as they knowe by the lyuely faythe that they haue hadde thereof that they shal ouercome that wyckednesse and haue honoure thereby For hys goodnes passeth their euelnes he wold not haue inspired theÌ„ to gyue them selfes if from without beginning he had not elected them and takeÌ„ theÌ„ for his own Some peraduenture wyl say if we were onlye ones sure to haue ben for a litle time in the fauour of god to haue had his spirit in vs and liuely faith in him that we did beleue surely to be his elect yet we know not if it haue bene a perfect fayth or not wee feare it to haue bene a certeyne cold opinion and least we were begyled in beleuing to be in gods fauoure elected of him I answer that thys is an euideÌ„t sygne that ye neuer had hytherto liuely fayth and knowledge of Christ For as it is vnpossible to haue fyre within the brest and not â—ele it so is it impossible to haue in the hart christ the holy ghost ardent charity and the fiery light of fayth and not to perceiue it thys is for that his lighte is so clere and effectuous that not only it maketh them to se and lyuelye to fele with the spirite that Christe is deade for them vpon the crosse that they are electe and saued but also it dothe make them knowe that it whyche they see is by diuine inspiracion that it is the holye spirit whiche testifieth vnto theyr spirite that thei are the sonnes of God Whose testimonye is more clere open firme and certein then al the outward oracles and miracles of the world which without the inward testimonie of the spirit can leaue vs none other theÌ„ doutful Now y t he that hath in him Christ and the spirite of God doth fele know and perceiue it it is clere by Christ which sayde that the world knew not the holy gost but that he was knowen of them in whome he was And by saynct Iohn which sayd also In this we know that Christ is in vs euen by the holy gost whiche he hathe geuen vs. Therfore sayd Paul trie your selues make some profe of your selues is it possible that ye should not knowe Christ in you if ye be not reprobate And in an other place â–ª know ye not how ye are the temple of God that the holy gost dwelleth in you The holy spirite goth searching throughout and iudgeth euery thing fayth is so clere y t it sheweth vs the profuÌ„ditie of god thou wilt that it be blynde of it selfe Yea Paul sayth that the holy gost is geuen to vs to the ende we might know those thinges that haue ben geuen vs of Christ The kyngdome of God is peace as wryteth Esai and Paul without seruile feare in much certentie Therefore as Chryst sawe that he was in the fauoure of his father and his beloued sonne so also do the electe se them selues all thoughe not wyth so cleare lyghte and certenty but that they goo somtyme doubtynge stumbling and wauering Bnt they ought wyth the Apostles to pray Christ to augmeÌ„t their faith And seke with their good workes continually to make knoweÌ„ to theÌ„ selfs more perfect their saluacion and vocacioÌ„ that therby as by the effectes or fruites they shuld come in to the ful riches of certein perswacion and vnderstandinge of their election and saluation Paule also knew he was in the fauour of God in faith hope and charitye elected the sonne of God safe and sure and that he had the holy goste and Christ wythin hym when he sayd that he was one of them that Christ was come to saue and that he knew in whome he beleued that he looked for the Crowne that nothynge could seperate hym froÌ„ the loue of God which had elected him before the constitution of the world that he had the spirite of adopcion of the sonnes of God and that Christe was he who lyued and spake in him Saint IhoÌ„ also saied we are sure we know God and that we liue in him worldlie and carnall beastes are they which know not God in the holye gost nor those thynges which be his euen as meÌ„ not regenerate they are rustical paysauÌ„ts of so abiecte and base a spirite that they can not beleue that God hath loued them so much that by the death of his onlye begotten and most intierly beloued sonne he would saue them take them for his chyldren and make them hys hepres But astonied of theyr sinnes they are euer afrayed of hell Where the regenerate fele in such sorte the charitie of God in Christ
and an vnderstanding and light aboue a natural maÌ„ he must also be the sonne and lawful heyre of God And then he may say I sound of mynde and ready of spirit and remembraunce albeit as touching my flesh syck make my testament and â—equeath fyrst of al my being and substaunce to god he gaue it to me and also preserued it and of hym I recognise to haue it and for it I render him thanckes I leaue to him like wise the giftes graces benefites temporal bodely and gostly that I haue had or shall heare after receyue for they â—e his and from hym by grace I acknowledge to haue receyued all as Paule sayeth what hast thou that thou hast not receiued at gods handes Yea for asmuch as al the slaunders misreportes persecucioÌ„s sickenes and misfortunes which I haue already or shal from hence forth suffer and euen death self I confesse by the vnderstanding that the Lord hath geuen me that thei haue beue and shalbe his giftes and graces geuen and graunted of a great loue for my wealth and profit wherfore as his deuyne rewardes I graunt to haue had theÌ„ of god for them I thancke him and as hys owne I leaue and restore them to him And for so much as I caÌ„not but acknowledge that I haue gone alwaies backward from him so often as I wolde rule my selfe by my blynde iudgement folyshe wisdome and deuelishe spirite nether did so much as go one steppe forthe toward God but wheÌ„ I was moued dryuen and thrust forwarde of his holy spirit Wherefore I commit to the highest God my most deare father and to his gouernance al the world and specially my self in him as I may I wil help my selfe with myne owne wytte and fredome namely by makynge it obedyent to hym â–ª Moreouer if euer I haue spoken or shal from hence forth vtter any word if I haue done or shal do anye worcke that is to hym pleasaunte if I haue had or after this tyme shal haue thoughte desyre or wil that good is â–ª I geue it to God and at hys handes I professe that I haue had al my goodnes so that if it were gods wil to take from me al that he hath geuen me there shuld in me remayne nothynge but onely sinnes those are myne own and al other thinges he his Thus be my sinnes if I shuld go before gods presence I were but dampned if I were mynded to make satisfaction I could not no nor yet anye sayncte that euer was ther is none whose loue is so greate to take my sinnes vppon him and satisfy for them and appease gods anger saue Christ alone wherfore to him I bequeath my synnes I leaue to hym my pride vnkindenes vnbeleue mistrust arrogancy enuy wrath ambitioÌ„ and al my vnnumerable wickednes I geue to him my euil thoughtes affectioÌ„s and desires to be short I make one fagot boundel of al my offences present past and to come and geue them to Christ hauynge sure fayth and stedfast hope that he wil accept them for his own and hath euen already taken them and for them hath satisfyed on the crosse hys father layed them on hys necke and he did not ones agayn say it but of great loue allowed them for hys and to consume and burn them in the flame of his deuine loue he bore them on his innocente shoulders vppon the crosse as Peter writeth and so was offered a sacrifice for vs. Now seing I haue left al my sins to Christ and geuen to God my substaunce and being withal other giftes and graces that he bestowed on me I remayn naked wythout eyther good or euyl and truly to say I am rather nothyng In that I haue restored to God my beinge that I hadde by creatyon and byrthe But for because it is impossible that he shuld saue me wythout being and so it is y â— he wil saue me therfore first I carye wyth me Christ him selfe which is my life God hathe so loued me that he hathe geuen hymselfe to me For so hath God loued y â— world that for theyr syns he hath geuen vs his only begutten sonne I cary also with me hys spirit that was of his eternal father geuen me of his most roiâ—l liberaliti as wel declareth Paule wher he sayeth God hath sent the spirit of his sonne into our hartes wherby we cry and cal father father And in that he hathe geuen me hym he hath restored me to myself and former being With a new substance and nature spiritual so that for the possibility of my saluacioÌ„ I haue a being but yet lacke I treasure to discharge my great dets and to appeare rych in goddes syght in consideracioÌ„ wher of I beare with me Christes watching abstinences trauayles praiers persecutions slaunders I take with me hys teares hys swet hys bloud and al that euer he dyd or suffered in thre and thirty yeres is myne euery deale and with liuely faith I embrace it as for mine own I cary beside this with me hys pacyence mekenes loue and al other hys denyne vertues his gifts and graces hys treasures and al that he hath mereted and desâ—rued hys lyfe passion deathe resurreccion and assension be mine ye all y t euer he hath done or shal from henceforthe do is mine and what nedeth more to say if God haue geuen vs his owne sonne howe hathe not he with him geuen vs al thynges wherfore with faithe I embrace my sweete Iesus for mine owne he is my rightwysenes wysdom raunsome and holines he is my strengthe he is my spirite my lyghte lyfe hope and al my goodnes euen Christ him selfe in hyslaste wyl bequethed me all y â— he had of the father Wherfore he sayth I entertayne you at my table as my father hathe vsed me as my father hath made me hys heyre so nowe I ordein you I wil that as you be my brethren so you shalbe my folowers And in another place he sayeth I haue loued you as mi father hath loued me sithen I am nowe through Christe so ryche of treasures vertuouse and graces â–ª I shal be hable not onely to satisfy for my dettes but also to purchase infinite paradise when soeuer they shalbe soulde Who shalbe nowe either to accuse or coÌ„demne me after that Christ hathe thus clothed me with his innocensy rightwisenes holynes loue with all his vertuse graces treasures merites and with his own selfe I may with no lesse boldenes and suretye then Christ appeare before God I am his sonne as he is and heyre of heauen semblably I am innocent as Christ is now that he hathe satisfied for me and payed my raunsome and rewarded me wyth his innocency Christe saied I hallow my self that they also maye be holye euen he is oure holynes and we be his members Wherfore it is as possible for God not to loue me as it is possible that he shuld not loue Christ by reason wherof Paule sayeth who shall
seÌ„ding of y â— holy ghost if we feele it not in our selues and if we do feale it we shalbe forced with Paul to saye the spirite of God rendrethe testymony to oure spirite that we are the sonnes of God therfore heires and saued Neither is it inough that there is a church of God but thou must beleue to be a porcion thereof one of the lyuely stones therfore one of the electe And to beleue the coÌ„munioÌ„ of sayntes thou must feele that as a meÌ„ber of Christ he doth perticipate his grace w t the and y â— thou art therby saued y u must also be leue y e remission of syns y â— is not ouly that he dothe pardon synnes but that he hathe pardoned the thine and so elected the. EueÌ„ so thou must beleue that thou shalt ryse glorious and haue life euerlasting TheÌ„ there is no article of oure fayth y â— can be beleued in suche sorte as it ought to be of those whiche doo not beleue they are elected To the Christian it is then necessary to beleue that God is hys God and father that he worketh all for his benefite â–ª and that Christe is come was borne hath liued dyed and risen agayne for his saluacion so that w t lyuelye faith he eÌ„braceth Christ wholi for his owne with al his treasure grace And lykewyse al his life death resurreccyon assention glorye and perceiueth the charitie of God in Christ as if there hadde bene no mo but only him selfe in the world and that Christe for him onlye wold haue wrought and suffered no les then he hath done The which when thou dost beleue thou shalt perceyue thou art electe Yea he that beleueth not he is electe can not praye as he ought beynge withoute fayth wythout the whiche after Paul we cannot effectuously recommend vs to god bicause y â— we must ask in faith if we wil askin veriti be hard now if y u beleue not to be his soÌ„ne heir how caÌ„st y u as Christ taughte saye our father as a soÌ„ne wyth coÌ„fideÌ„ce aske him grace Praier may wel be made of inside ls and Ipocrits but lyke folishe scoffers and mockers WheÌ„ y u saiest halowed be thy name thy kyngdom come thou must haue in the the spirit of aâ— opcion of the sonne of God And as y e soÌ„ne is moued of vehemente loue pure and sincere to desyre the kyngdome and glori of y e father so must thou seyng the the sonne of God wyth a deuyne spirit by the force of loue aske and desyre that thy heauenly father be honored and reygne in hys electe w t out rebellyon Lykewyse shalt thou neuer thanke God wyth all thy herte if thou beleue not to be one of y e electe yea if y u shalte doubte therin or thincke to be dampned in thy hart and in thy lyfe and paradnenture also with thy words thou wylte dysprayse him that he hath giuen the a beyng that he hath create the world sente Christe and so the rest his benefytes and wilt say If I am not saued what do these thyngs profit me it had ben better for me y â— I had neuer ben as Christ sayd of Iudas If I shalbe damned the death of Christ serueth me not but doth inflame burne w t al y e rest of hys benefyts y u canst not in perfection theÌ„ thaÌ„cke god if y u feare daÌ„pnacioÌ„ But who so beleueth he is one of y e elect therby y â— al thynges serue hym to saluacion euen the verye troubles he holdeth for a specyall grace benefyte in theym perceyuynge the goodâ—es of God he gyueth hym thankes wyth all his herte Who shal he be that committeth hym selfe holy to the gouernaunce of God as euery one ought to do if he beleue not that God is hys father that he pardoneth hym doth take of him most singuler cure Otherwise they shall neuer truste in God but wyth Adam shal feare hym and flye seking to hide hym selfe from the face of God nether is it possyble to loue God in veryty honor hym as he ought to be honored and approue for iust and holy all his workes and so delite wholye in hym if he fele not in Christ so muche the goodnes of God that he se hym selfe hys sonne also heire If he know not him self to be a sonne he shal feare as a seruaunt in al his workes haue respect to him selfe his pains displeasures incommodytyes dyshonoures hel or els to this paradise not to y e glori of God As he y â— seeth hym selfe a soÌ„ne lord of al heire sure therof such a one worketh only by streÌ„gth of spirit vehemeÌ„ci of loue to the glory of god to whoÌ„ he hath turned hys whole intent to that end ordreth his whole life Also it can not be possible to loue thy neighbour as thy self as a brother in Christ meÌ„ber w t the of the same bodye if thou do not beleue to be in the number of the sonnes of God And fynally ther caÌ„not one good worcke be done but of them that are regenerate sonnes of God members of Christe and haue in them the holy spirit which testifieth in their hertes that they â—e the sonnes of God And mai parteli be sene howe false and vngodlye is the doctrine of the antichristians that where as it is cheifelye necessarie to beleue that we are elected also aboue all thinges most commodious thei force theÌ„ selues to withdraw euery one froÌ„ this fayth perswading them to stand in doubte as thoughe they had wherin to mistruste the goodnes of God vppon whome onlie dependeth oure saluacion as our daÌ„pnacion doth of our selues But let vs praye to God to open oure eyes to the ende they maye no longer blaspheme but render to God all honoure lande and glorye by Iesu Christe oure Lorde Amen The .xvii. Sermon If it be good to seeke to know wherefore God hathe some electe and some reprobate THy desyre maye be wycked as it is in manye to whome it appeareth that it should haue bene better if God who beinge of power as he is had elected al meÌ„ â–ª and semeth theym that in thys God hathe lacked of charitye yea in theyr language they saye in theyr heart secretely If we had bene God we woulde haue elected all and would haue had more charitie theÌ„ he Now behold whether this be vngodlye folyshe proude plasphemy or not They Imagyne to haue more loue to the souls then he that for to saue theym gaue hys onlye begotten and dearlye beloued sonne vpon the crosse There are some other to whome it semeth on the one syde that God can not erre and on the other parti hearinge that he hath reproued many they thinke the coÌ„trary Thei are not certeine by fayth that God can not erre and that al that he willeth must nedes be iuste Therfore
CERTAYNE Sermons of the ryghte famous and excellente Clerk Master Barnardine Ochine Borne within the famous vniuersitie of Siena in Italy now also an exyle in thys lyfe for the faithful testimony of Iesus Christe Faythfully translated into Englyshe * Psalme cxvii ¶ I wyl not dye but lyue and declare the workes of the Lord. ¶ Imprinted at London by Ihon Day dwelling ouer Aldersgate beneth S. Martins ¶ These bookes are to bee solde at hys shop in Chepesyde by the Litle Counduit at the sygne of the Resurrection Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum Per septenium The Contentes of thys Booke i. Vvhat shyng God is ii How to know God by hys creatures iii. If Philosophi serue to true Theologie or diuinitie and in what maner iiii How we ought to vse the holye Scriptures in atâ—aynynge the knowledge of God v. Of the inconueniences that are happened and dayly happeÌ„ by the abuse of the holye Scriptures vi If to be good deuines it behoue vs to haue the humane science or not vii How a christiaÌ„ ought to make hys last wyll and testamente viii How we shoulde answer the Diuel when he teÌ„teth vs and namelye in the ende of our lyfe ix Howe answer is to be made at the iudgement seat of God x. Bi what meane to come to heauen xi How God hath satisfied for our synnes and hath purchased Paradise for vs xii Vvhether predestinaâ—â—oÌ„ ought to be wrytteÌ„ spoken or thought xiii How excellente oure eleccion is xiiii If we may knowe in thys preseÌ„t life whether we be of the elect in the grace or fauoure of God or not xv â—hether it be good to knowe or to beleue that we are electe xvi Vvhether it be necessarye to saluacion to beleue that we are electe or no. xvii If it be good to know wherefore God hathe electe some and some reprobate xviii Of the diuers effectes it worcketh in manne to beleue that oure eleccion is al in the hand of God that of him onlye it dependeth xix Howe it oughte to be answered to them which lament that God hathe create theÌ„ forseing their daÌ„pnacioÌ„ xx Vvherefore God hath elected vs. xxi Vvhether the electe can be dampned or not xxii Vvhether god do aggrauat harden blinde the heartes of men and in what manner xxiii Howe God doth dispence hys grace xxiiii If man haue liberty or not and in what manner xxv Of y â— effect wrought by the spirite of God when it entreth the soule FINIS ¶ The Preface WHo wel considereth where vnto we are created good Christen Reader shall find that of al our trauailes ther resteth no fruite as proueth the holy spirite of prophecy by the mouthe of Salomon sayinge I haue looked vpon al the thynges vnder the sunne and haue founde none other but vanity Onely reserued the Image of God in vs beyng the spirit that susteyneth not the natural lyfe alone but also al the holy and vertuous thoughts which God hath created immortal vnto his own likenes as thou maiest wel parceyue if thou consider the substaunce of the natural body that hauyng the spirit is al liuely not only moueth ech finger hand foote eye toung materially but also wyth the thoughte penetrateth the heauens and in maner conceiueth a substance in the immortality of Gods euerlastyng kyngdom and wanting the spirite resteth dead priuate of al those vertues though wel thou shalt se that it lacketh nether hand foote eye tunge nor other member Thys I saye vnto thee gentle reader to the entent that thou shouldest know that the almyghty creatour is serued not of vanities that is to say of bodely or worldlye exercises but of spirituall thoughtes whyche are the iuste and true sacrifyces vnto God And therby to draw the to remember the maruaile of hys workes and to thinke more vnto thine end theÌ„ to thy life Disposing thy selfe to learne the sciences that this lytle boke shal teach the which treateth of none other but of the spiritual thynges and beareth in iâ— the substaunce of the holy scripture wyth so vehemeÌ„t reasons and so good perswacions that it suffiseth to draw froÌ„ the thy stony hart and to reneu in the a carnal hart if thou be one of them to whom God hath determined to gyue hys grace One of theÌ„ I say y â— wyth lyuely fayth confesse Christ the son of god to haue suffered for their synnes As the Authour hereof sufficieÌ„tly perswadeth the who being a man of great yeares and wonderful reputacioÌ„ for the loue of Christe and of the truthe hath rather chosen exyle and persecucion then contynuaunce of wealthe honours and frendshyp A man of profouÌ„d learnyng The most notable preacher of al Itali Famous for the great example of hys good lyfe Estemed and honored of all Princes not â—or hys age onely beyng a man of .lxx. yeares or therabouts but also for hys infinite vertues and modesty And fynally so beloued of al people that in what place so euer he preached ther hath euer bene founde greate prease of audyence All thys notwythstandyng at lengthâ—because he syncerely folowed the true Gospel and did not forbeare to reprehend the publyke abuses of the Romish church he was persecuted of Paul the thyrde and constrayned to forsake Italy to flee into Germani Wher he hath not ceased with his penne to folow the vertuous exhortacyons that before tyme wyth hys mouthe he preached And now God of his merci hath brought hym hither vnto vs preacheth in the Italyan toung wâ—yche all men vnderstand not I haue translated vâ— of hys Sermons out of hys toung in to Englysh Intending to translate the rest very shortely if these shalâ—e thankefully receiued to the entent that hys â—atyue toung therby may be maâ—e oures and that the glory of God may the better be set forth Vnto whoÌ„ al honour is â—ue worlde wythout end So be it ¶ SermoÌ„s of master Barnardyne Ochyne borne wyth in the famous vniuersitie of Siena in Italye nowe also an exyle in thys lyfe for the faythefull testimonye of Iesus Chri ¶ The first Sermon What thynge God is IGnoraunce specially of the heauenly thinges is the greatest lack that caÌ„ be in man and aboue all other the ignoraunce or lacke of knowledge of god For as it is impossible to attaine the science of Philosophye Astrologie Geometry or of any other like without the ground or fyrst principals So without the knowledge of God the true be ginnyng and princypall of true deuynitie is impossible to haue any lyght of the truth necessary proffitable to the ghostly health And lykewise as the knowledge of the first principals of one science depeÌ„deth y e knowledge of all the trouthe and conclusyons that that science conteineth â–ª So of the true knowledge of God dependeth the knowledge of all the circumstaunces and truthe of Theologie or Deuinite Wherefore seing how much pestiferous and detestable the ignoraunce of God is and how much necessary the true knowledge
that that Phylosophy is now so proud that wyth the suppressyng and persecutyng of Christ the gospel the grace faith it hath alwayes magnifyed the carnal man his light hys powers And is become so frenetyke that onles it be healed by fayth it wyll beleue nothing to be true but that it thynketh good nether is it possyble to perswade hym in any truth if fyrst declared vnto hym by hys frenetike reasons it be not conformable to hys blind iudgement Conclude therfore that Philosophy lyeth low in the darke vale of vnderstandyng and cannot lift the head to y e high and supernatural thynges in respect wherof it is vtterly blynde and knoweth not nether by experyence nor reuelatyon so that in it it is impossyble to establysh the foundacyon of the faith For as y e feling passeth not the region of the sensyble thynges So lykewyse cannot humayn reason nor Phylosophy passe the regioÌ„ of the natural thinges â–ª The natural man as wryteth Paule vnderstandeth not the thyngs of the spirit and because he is not capax that is perseneth it not he mocketh and scorneth it Yea he persecuteth banisheth with standeth denyeth and repugneth the myracles reuelacyons prophetes the grace fayth the holye scryptures God Christ and his members If they hear the Gospel preached of a faithful man they say he is mad furyous or possessed of the deuel as was said of Christ If of a learned man they say his great studye hath brought hym out of hys wyts whych also was layed to Paule If of an ignorauÌ„t how say they can he be learened that neuer studyed letters And if of a pore wretch as touchynge the worlde they saye to hym as was sayed to the borne blynde man Thou wast borne in synne and wylte thou teache me And so in effect can in no wyse abide to heare the thynges of God Go read the holy scriptures and thou shalt fynde that the carnal wysdome and humayne reasoÌ„ hathe alwayes rebelled agaynst God She is the same that fygured by the serpent perswaded our fyrst parentes to tast of the prohibited apple and that beleued not the word of God and that afterwardes taughte them selues That made Cain to slea hys brother Abel and that perswaded the worlde in the tyme of Noe that the general diluge or flud shuld not come She caused the buyldynge of the towre of Babel She prouoked Pharao to resyst God She induced the people of God to murmure agaynst hym and to worship the goldeÌ„ calfe moued the Gentiles to ydolatry It is that harlot y t made Salomon loose hys wittes and stirred his father to kyl Vriâ— And fynallye she is the same that persecuted the Patriarckes prophetes Apostles Martirs saintes of the old and new testamente Beholde whether she be a wycked fole or not that put Christ on the crosse and wher as Christ crucifyed is the ryght wysdome of God she accounteth it for a mere madnes Sureli ther is no thyng that hath so much fauoured the kingdome of Antechrist as she which hath introduced all the supersticions hipocrisies Idolatryes and euyls that haue bene coÌ„mitted vnder color of holines The faith hath not hadde a greater ennemy then she The church of Christ was a paradyse whyles y e symple fayth reygned But takyng in hand the Scepter of humain reason it is become a confused BabiloÌ„ And wheras the cleare sure and infallyble fayth by geuyng light of the truth magnyfying Christ hys grace and the Gospell doth adnichilate or bryng to nought the fleshlye man and maketh the parson symple pure immaculate vertuous and holye The darke blynde deceitful frenetyke foolysh and heretical carnal reason wysdome and Phylosophy condemâ—neth and oppresseth the truth And to proue and extolle the erroures persecuteth crucyfyeth and buryeth Christ the grace the gospel and magnifieth the carnal man eueÌ„ to the heauen Al the harlots together haue not so much corrupted the world as this only carnal reason prudence and false Philosophye No nor the symple ignoraunce hath not so much confused the world as y â— humayne scyence wysdome and Philosophy which maketh men bold vnshamefast hoote lyers proud contencious frenetike folysh and wycked Wherfore Paul exhorted the Colossions to beware of her deceyt because as God sayth by the Prophet Esay she begyleth the parsons For the wise of the world be y e most deceiued most foles most wicked and most contrary to Christ And it requireth a speciall miracle to conuert one of theÌ„ Read the christian histories thou shalt fynde that those be they which euermore haue bene the first to persecute y e gospel And they are very wycked and folysh that wyl ground Christ vpoÌ„ Aristotel euen lyke vnto theym that wyll bâ—ylde a Iowre vpon a wheaten straw Christ and not the Phylosophy is the only true foundation of his church and of the true supernatural diuinity of the which he is the onli workmaster and not Aristotell I praye the what hath Aristotle to do with Christ Many haue enforsed them selues to agre Aristotle wyth Plato but they could neuer bring it to passe because Aristotel beginning at y â— lowest of the sensible thynges ryseth in the ende to as hygh as maye be And Plato beginneth wheras Aristotle endeth Consyder now how it is possyble to agree hym wyth Christ though many wyl make hym a piller of the gospel a ladder to clyme to heauen Let vs therfore repute the sciences of the world as vain being lyke vnto the harlots that with theyr flattering wordes and deceites corrupt the mindes And let vs coÌ„syder that if the priestes of the old TestameÌ„t wer prohibited to take a commune woman for a wyfe how much more the Christian that is al wholy consecrate and dedycate to God ought to flee and eschewe the vayne scyences and only seruing him self of them as of most vise handmaidens to knit hymself in spyryte and wyth hart mynde to apply hym self to that pure and immaculate virgin of the holy Theology or deuinity To the inteÌ„t that euerlastingly we may render to God al laud honour and glorye by oure Sauioure Iesu Christ Amen The .iiii. Sermon Howe we oughte to vse the holye scryptures in attayninge the knowledge of God THe knowledge of the holy scâ—â—ptures is not ynoughe to proue that we haue sufficyent lyghte of God because it is possible that a man may by his prompt me mory attayn the holy scriptures and theyr interpretacyons in hys mynde by force of hys natural wytte naturally vnderstaÌ„d them and be neuertheles for all that without fayth spirit and lyuely lyght of God For therto it behoueth hym to haue the spirite and supernatural lyght that God with hys fauour do open and penetrate y t minde by hys deuyne grace So that therefore we must not accoÌ„pt the holy scriptures for our last end or for our supreame Quene or Emperesse but for meanes that serue to y â— faith to the spirite and to the true
knowledge of God much more then the creatures And we ought to serue our selues of them in dyuers wayes for that they fyrst incyte and teach vs to repayre to God sayinge in him is the cheif bouÌ„ty go to him for he is faithful and hath promysed to make you tast al vertue and goodnes in him Yea thoughe they do not make the lyuely to know God yet worke they as the Samaritaâ—e dyd y t sent the Samaritanes to Christ who other wyse made them taste and feele that which the Samaritane had sayd of him vnto them in suche wyse that wheÌ„ they returned they confessed saying we beleued not at all by thy wordes we our selues haue heard and know that thys is truly the sauyour of the world And so the holy scryptures do sende the to Christ to the ende that he may open thy hart and make the in spirit liuely to vnderstand that whych al ready thou hast red in the dead letter that thou maist sai vnto y â— scriptures we neuer beleued by thy words the which being wythout spirite could not make vs tast finâ—ly the great bouÌ„ty of god It is true that by thy words we haue bene prouoked to go to Christ who speaking vnto vs in spirit hathe made vs to fele in the haâ—t a more cleare hyâ—h and deuyne effecte of that thou hast spokeÌ„ They erre therfore that fedyng theÌ„ selues of the letter and not of the spyryte do fyre them selues in the holy scriptureâ— and seke none other light but that Yea I say that for one houres studye they ought to prai a thousand to demauÌ„d of God the true vnderstandyng of theym â–ª And lyke as the Paâ—tonistes heald opinion that the sensyble thynges geueth vs occasyon to study in the boke of the minde in whiche they say is imprynted al the verity So must we cousyder that the holy scryptures do cal vs to Christ in whome as Paul sayeth be hyd al the treasures of wysdom and knowledge This is no lesse then true that lyke as if thou haddest a frend whom thou hast not tryed though alwayes thou haste trauayled to proue hym thou woldest not inwardly know hym for a frynde though he wer euer in thyue eye because the profe hath not roted hym in thy minde So albeit the holy scriptures do cal and exhort the to seke God in spyryte it is yet impossyble y t thou shuldest fynde god in truth in y e scryptures if fyrst by spyryt thou haue hym not at the harte They serue also an other maner that many tymes happeneth As wher god maketh the in spyryte wyth lyuely faythe to feele a â—euyne truth Afterwardes readyng the holy scryptures thou fyndest that crudulyty wrytten that thou haste so conceyued And therof restyng contented thou conâ—yrfmst thy self in the fayth of that truth notwythstandyug that it ought to suffyse the of the fyrst inspyracyon of the holy ghoste And so moreouer because that in Christ is y e end of the law al the promyses fulfylled and al y â— Prophecyes veryfyed the shadowes fygures and scryptures of the olde TestameÌ„t he that readeth it and seeth all fulfylled in Christ is forced to satysfy hym selfe of the truthe and to establysh hym self in fayth For Christ seÌ„t the Iewes that wold not beleue hym to the holy scryptures as to theÌ„ that wytnessed of hym Afterwardes albeit that in the church of God to be satysfied grounded and establyshed in the deuyne celestyal and supernaturall veryty it behoueth in effect to come to the inward witnes of the holy ghost without whome we can not know whych scryptures be of God be holy and whych not Neuertheles after y â— our holy scriptures be of god we ought to serue ourselues of them as of a certayn infallyble supreame outward rule to teach reprehend correct and exhorte the others to conuynce theÌ„ that speake agaynst it For as Paule wryteth amongest the exteriour things we haue not a more sure cleare perfect aud stedfast rule then thys wyth whiche we ought in spyrit to rule al our words workes dedes and lyfe The holy scriptures moreouer shew vnto vs though farre of our country By her we haue lyght of God of hys promyses also â—hys threatenynges And they nourysh in vs the fayth hope charyte fear and other vertues They comfort vs in our trobles aud in prosperyty exhort vs to be temperate They discouer the vaâ—ytyes of the world our myseries and the bouÌ„ty of god â–ª And who that studyeth them must of force retyre or wythdraw hym self from y e worldly thoughtes and settle hys minde to mortyfy hys vyces inordinate desyres aud affeccions So that the study of them is very profytable to them that duly vse it But it behoueth not to study as the Iewe who fyxeth hym in the vtermost rynd of the letter whiche as Paule sayth kylleth and beholding Moses wyth the face couered and not enteryng into Sanâ—ta Sanctorum but as the true Christian to whom is geueÌ„ the knowledge of God celestyall Reygne or Kyngedome wythoute parables that wyth the lyuely tast and feelyng of God in Christe beholdynge hym wyth lyuelye fayth in the face discouered and entrynge into Sancta Sanctorum to se wyth clere supernatural lyght the high resplendente secretes of god To whom be geuen all laud honoure and glory by oure Sauyoure Iesu Christ Amen The .v. Sermon Of thin conueniences that are happened and daylye happen by the abuse of the holy scriptures THe holy scryptures of them selues be the good gyftes of God and of the holy Ghost Neuertheles they may be vsed of vs wel or euyl as by experyence it is manyfest For wheras gods elect serue theÌ„ selues of it to Gods honour the reprobate contrarywyse serue them selues of it to his dyshonour through theyr own faute not of the scryptures in so much that in respect of theyr wicked maligniti it hath perehauÌ„ce done hurt in som waies to y e world though At length God of hys infynyte bounty reduceth al thynges to hys honoure and glory For fyrst the scryptures annoyed them who haue bene diligent to gather together many bokes and neglygent to study them Thynkynge them selfes fully learned wheÌ„ they haue had theyr lybrary ful of bokes Other some studying haue not attained to imprynte the truthe that they found in their myndes and therefore haue wrytten it in papers so that reaâ—â—yng moost ignoraunt al theyr learnynge consysteth in theyr wrytyngs and losyng them they also lose their scyence Whych was one of the argumeÌ„ts that caused Plato to condempne letters sayinge that before scrypture was founde the menne were much better learened then since because they were forced to wryte in theyr myndes that that afterwardes they haue wrytten in paper I passe ouer that many haue consumed theyr tyme in the dishonoure of God in readynge and wrytynge of thynges curyous and peruycious to the health And that many transported of Curiosity haue wylled to se so many bokes that in
the end they remained coÌ„fused with out frute As doth the fyelde whereon they cast ouermuch seede And of some that by those meanes haue lost their wits But that whych importeth much more is that they thynke the true knowledge of Theolegy or deuynyty consysteth in letters whych is vtterly false because they geue not true and lyuely lyght of the supernatural thynges y â— cannot otherwyse be knowen of vs but by spyryte reuelatyon fayth spyrytuall taste lyuely vnderstandyng and sure experieÌ„ce For lyke as the Phylosopher wythout experyence can haue no knowledge although he beare in mynde al that is wrytten not hauynge practysed he must reast only in opynyon grounded vpon Arystotle Plato and the other Philosophers which moueth hym to beleue theyr wrytyng to be true being neuertheles in very dede more ignorauÌ„t then is the poore paisaunt or husbandman that by labouryng of the earth wythout sekynge letters fyndeth the operacion of many natural thynges that proueth hys scyence to be somewhat theirs none though well they study foreuer and wante experyence So lykewyse one symple ydeot wythout learnynge if he haue fayth lyuely taste and spyrytuall vnderstandyng of God is a greater deuyne then all the learened men of the worlde that be wythout spirite Yea he is a deuyne and they none For that of y e heauenly supernatural thynges he knoweth so much as he tasteth and experimeÌ„teth by fayth and the learned man hath onlye a barrayne ydle colde and deade opynyon whyche standeth wythout faythe in desperacyon and accompanyed of euery vyce Now therfore it appeareth that of thys erroure by thynkynge that true Theology or deuynyty consysteth in learnyng there are innumerable inconueniences growen and chefely that many wantynge letters not hauynge tyme to study thynkyng that by other wayes it is impossyble to become dyuynes haue not dysposed them selues to demaund of God with meke hart and ferueÌ„t desyre the lyght of the deuyne thyngs And moreouer they haue fled and wythdrawen them selues from the intellygence or vnderstandynge of the holy scryptures as from aterryble ruyne because theyr wyse learened and holy men haue perswaded them y â— no man may vnderstand it but they only y â— are learned Condempnynge them y â— wryte in the vulgare tongue as if the true diuinity depended of the Hebrue Greke or Latin letters or of that wytte that hath wel studied theÌ„ â–ª Behold now therfore whether thys be not a most rawe and wycked opynyon beinge the verye cause that hath moued me thus to wryte in my natural tongue to thin tent that knowing the true Theologi to be open to euery language and to the symple our own nacion shuld not be pryuate who haue none other but the mother tounge Ther be many that studying the holy scriptures wythout spyryt lyuely fayth aud supernatural lyght haue not only not attayued the true knowledge of the bouÌ„ty of god and theyr owne proper myseryes but the more they haue studied the more by the dri and deade letter they are become blynde of God and of them selues Yea vnfaythfull vnkynde proud arrogaunt presumptuous confencious and repleate of al othervices Wheras the supernatural true Theology or deuynyty shewing the great bounty of God declaring in our selues our own miseryes maketh vs faythful thankful iust humble modest geÌ„tle quiet conformable And moreouer they be so blinde that not knowing theyr own wreÌ„tchednes they not only forbeare to humble themselfes before God and of hym hartely to demaund help lyghte and grace but also leauynge prayer for theyr study and the spirit for theyr learninge they presume to be masters of the others as Paule writeth and so inflambed of theyr scyence haue sâ—anndered the world wheras charyty edifieth And being consequently without spirite they study and vnderstand the holy scriptures accordinge to theyr own iudgmeÌ„ts diuersli as their wits study are variable euery one according hys fantasy expoundeth them thinkinge he hath perfectly and iustly couceiued them Wherof are growen infinite sectes and he resyes In stead of y â— if they had bene good and true deuines and had had the spirit of gods gift they had vnderstand theÌ„ in truth and veryty whereof followeth none other â—nt vâ—you of fayth both in spirit charyty Many also beleuyng by the study of the holy scryptures to attain true Theology perfect knowledge of God aud consequeÌ„tly the chefe felycyty possible to the lyuynge man haue geuen them selues to studye the scriptures and walking by them to ioyn to the supreme felicity of gods knowledg because they wanted the spirit they nether caÌ„ arryue at the true and liuely light taste and spiritual vnderstanding of God nor yet to the true felycyty Wherof it groweth that they fal to the bottome of infidelyty in such wise that thei beleue that ther is none other light faith or deuinity then that their barrein and dead opinion nor other felicity theÌ„ that theyr misery and so seming to haue at tayned the heygthe of vertues before they haue once tasted of them they despraise theÌ„ These and such other inconuenyences are growen and contynuallye growe throughe them that know not how they ought to vse the holy scryptures in such wyse y â— by their default and not of the scripture they haue perchaunce done hurt to the world But for that we ought not to condemne the letters as many haue done but the men y â— knowe not to vse them as they shuld be vsed to the honoure of God To whome be al honour and glory by oure sauioure Iesu Christe Amen ¶ The .vi. Sermon If to be good deuynes it behoue vs to haue the humain sciences or not THere be many that thinke it is not possyble to attayne the perfection of Theology if fyrst a man learne not Gramer Dialectica Philosophy Metaphisica Yea Scotus Thomas Bonauenture such other I confesse my selfe to haue bene in that errour and therfore am now moued to compassyon of them that reaste blynded wythal If it wer as they say we shulde be moost bouÌ„den vnto the inuentours of those scyences syns that by theÌ„ we may be good deuynes and wythout them not And then I praye you if they happened to peryshe or those authours to be loste shoulde it not follow that also the world shuld lacke deuinity And lykewyse if the learned menne iâ— those scyences be onelye the good deuynes and consequentlye sainctes the contrarye wherof is clearly seene then might wel the simple and vnlearned people despayre of al ghostly health and the true and necessari diuinity hange vpon humayne scyences So by that reasoÌ„ it shuld behoue vs to say that the Apostles and in maner al the saynctes Yea and the blessed virgin Mary were not good deuynes not withstandyng that they haue taughte others No nor Christe neuer learned those humayne sciences yet was he the most excellent deuyne Therfore we must knowe that one humayne scyence leadeth vâ— to clyâ—e to an other much
possible might haue ouer man Aud if he procede forth to induce the to despayre by settynge before the thy greate synnes I wyll the to say to hym Go to Christ which as Ihon wryteth is myne attournei and aduocate he can make the an aunswere for me reason there with hym if thou haue any claime or title in me as thou sayest doest thou not know that he hath taken my synnes for hys owne and hathe for them made satisfactyon most plentuously therfore hast thou no ryght in me at al. If he chaunce to say his death is not inough to sane the answere him if Adam by tasting one apple with one only sinne was hable to damne me how is it that so manye holy workes of Christ which tasted for my sake of great loue the most bytter death be not sufficient to saue me If the disobedience of Adam had power to condemn me much more the obedyence of Christe is stronge inough to saue me yea the gift of Christ is aboue and excedeth the synne of Adā Christ hath more auayled and holpen vs then Adam annoied and harmed vs by reason the light of Christ is of more force effect then the darkenes of our fyrst parent the goodnes of Christes surmounteth and passeth y ◠malice of man and his vertue preuaileth aboue oure frailty one teare of Christe hathe bene more pleasaunt to God thē al the sins of the world be displeasaunt Christ hath be able to do more to appeace hym then we to prouoke hym to anger Christes liuing was more formal and ordinary then oures was out of order and frame Christ hath doone more to the honour of God then we haue done to his dishonoure Wherfore I maye wel say Christ that is my wisdom right wisnes holynes and redempcion is sufficient inough to saue me And if haply he shuld say it is not sufficient for thy saluacion to beleue in Christe the be houeth to keepe his commaundementes thou must loue God wythal thy hart thy neyghbour as thy self and desire nor couet any thing worldly which thinges because thou doest not ergo thou art dampned if fayth only wer inough I also and al the deuels shuld be saued because as it is writtē euen the deuels beleue and feare They beleue that God made and created heauē and earth and that Christ came dyed rose ascēded into heauen that he sent the holy ghost and that he shal come to iudge the quicke dead and yet are not we therfore saued and that because we obserue not his deuine preceptes Wherfore thou also art but lost he wyl thus labour to bring the vnder the law to thinke that thou must be iustified not by Christ but by perfourminge and fulfillinge of the lawe to the end y t thou shuld despair But I wyl that thou make answere and say if thou diddest beleue as by gods grace I beleue that is that God for thy wealthe hath created the worlde and semblably preserueth it in such sort that thou couldest fele in the creatures the loue of God and lykewyse wold beleue firmely that Christ came and dyed for thy sinnes for to saue the and for thy sake and profit and in lyke manner of the other articles thou also should be saued and then when thou haddest a liuely feling of the goodnes and loue of God thou woldest loue hym and thy neyghbour likewyse and beynge rauyshed into God wouldest begynne to set litle store by the world as al good Christen men and women do If it fortune that he say he is cursed that kepeth not and obserueth the lawe wherfore thou arte one of myne saye to hym agayne for that cause Christ dyed on the crosse for to delyuer me from all curses and in so much as I am alreadye of Christ I am deade to the lawe Agayne if he replye saying wher be thy workes whereby thou trustest to be saued answer I trust not to be saued bi mi works for they be such that if I shuld haue regard or respect to them I feare me to be damned yea I were surely acertained of my damnacion I hope only to be saued by Christ and hys workes whyche be myne owne and so much rather myne then they I dyd myself as that the spirite of Christe geuen to me is more entyer to me then myne own life or any other thyng Further if he shulde endeuour to proue the to be none of the elect by reason of the innumerable and outragiouse synnes that thou hast committed for prosperites or aduersities thou hast had for the great euylles wherin thou art founde at thy deathe or for the temptacyons thou haste susteyned sayinge that God preserueth his elected from the lyke euyls Make hym answer and say rather dothe God practyse them in diuerse such manners albeit of euerything they be certified to the honoure of God thou shalt moreouer say to hym thus I geue more credite and truste to Christe whiche when he was deade for me on the crosse tould me I was saued then to the that arte alwayes a lyer and father of erroures I wyll thou tel hym how thou geuest more fayth to Christ alone then to al the reasons and authorities of the world thou may by syde thys saye to him the spirit of God beareth witnes to mi spirit that I am the sonne of god and to him muste I rather truste then to the. When he shall saye if thou were the sonne of God he would not leaue the in such punishmentes as thou art in but would geue the sonne release and easement answere hym In case it were as thou sayest Christ shulde not haue bene the sonne of God sithen on the crosse he had no comfort nor sensual tast or feling so that he sayd my God my god why hast thou forsaken me it sufficeth to me that he sheweth me so much fauoure for I am contented with all that pleaseth hym as Christ also was yea in his sufferinge he felt excedingly the infinite loue of the father Beside these if he say thou art the sonne of Adam ergo thou art accursed Answere thou thus I am blessed agayne by brynge borne of God and by meane of that blessed sede Christ as God long agone promised Adam when he sayed In thy sede al nacyons shalbe blessed thou shalt tel hym how thou art despoiled and bereft of the old Adam clothed with Iesu Christ as Paul teacheth and aduertiseth the What time as he shal declare to the that Christ is wroth angry and sharp make him answere how Christ is not such one for he is the health and hope of sinners and whylest we be in this life present he is vttered to vs pitifull sweete and oure Iesus that is our sauiour◠and al be it he seme to speake sharpe and cruel wordes to the woman of Canany yet in heart he gaue her confidēce and boldnes and shewed him self to her ful of swetenes and
that they knowe them selues to be saued Neyther canne they once thyncke that Christe who hathe all his fathers power and shall be theyr iudge wyll refuse lose or dampne them and geue sentence agaynst hys brethren and members for whom he dyed on the crosse and would dye agayne if it were necessarie They haue in them also the holye ghoste for an earnest of theyr saluation But if God had geuen vs nothyng but our beynge should not we for that onlye benefite feele so muche the greate goodnes of God that we myghte be sure and certayne of our saluacyon And nowe he in euery creature doth sparkle towardes vs loue wyth innumerable benefites yea in Christ vpon the Crosse casteth he the flame of perfecte charitye and shall not we feele so muche the goodnes of God that we should beleue to be hys electe If one onlye shoulde be saued I wolde truste suerly to be he if all the men angels wold tel me that I were dampned I cold not beleue them although they dyd alledge al the reasonnes possible but I wolde euer gyue more truste to Christe alone who vpon the crosse wyth hys bloude and deathe doeth tel me I am saued theÌ„ I wold to al the rest for he alone hath more power in me theÌ„ all the reasons authorities without him Prouided only y t I se him w t liuely faythe dead for my saluacion Yea in that case seing my selfe by Christe to be the sonne of God I wold with Paule excommunicate the very angels as superior to them if they wold sai the contrary or gainesaie the gospel and y â— great loue and benefit which in that case I shuld fele by Christ Paraduenture y u wilte say it semeth me not that I caÌ„ be sure of my saluacion because I am fre to do euell so may I sinne and be damned Our lyfe is in such sort variable y â— to giue a certeyne iudgment we must tarye the end for euerye one wold haue thought that Iudas shuld haue bene saued when he was called of Christ yet it is sene that it is contrary I auswere thou begilest thy selfe in thinking thy saluacion dependeth vpon the lykelyhode of thy worckes Paule affirmeth that God hathe â—ected vs by his mere mercy in Christe not because we wer holy or for that he fore saw oure good workes but because we shoulde be holy and should do good works perseueryng in theÌ„ we should dye in his fauonr and grace Inwardlye dothe God call hys electe geueth them knowledge of hym and doth iustifie glorifie them Therfore doth Paul adde and say if god be with vs who caÌ„ be against vs And he ment if we be once electe we can no more lose our selues meanyng there is nothing that can let the eleccion of God Yea euery thing serueth to saluacion euen sinne Therfore wher thou saieste thou mayst sinne it is true and peraduenture thou shalt syn Neuertheles if thou be the electe thou shalt algates ryse agayne and be saued wherof thou mayst be certein and sure so that once at the least thou haue perceyued thy selfe in Christ and by Christ saued neither thou oughtest so much to dispayre in thy selfe as that thou shuldest not muchemore truste in the goodnes of God knowynge that the Gospel is not the lawe but mercye and knowe thou that when the electe fall in anye synne whyche God doth not permytte but for the benefyte of them and the other electe whilest they are in that erroure they fele in them selues a certeyne hydden vertue whyche wyth holdeth and refrayneth them from doynge worsse it biteth nyppeth and reprehendeth them of the euel fact and doth enduce and spurre them to conuerte There remayneth euer a certeyne hate of synne althoughe they be some time ouercome of frailtye So that they are neuer turne from God with al their power nor run wholy to vyce wyth a lose brydell God hath them euer for hys owne and gouerneth them as hys lawefull Chyldren And speaking ofteÌ„ in their hertes he saith y â— which he said to his Apostles feare not litle flocke for it hathe pleased youre father to giue you his kingdom of his mere goodnes although you be vnworthi And if thou woldest bring in SalomoÌ„ who sayth none knoweth whether he be worthy of hate or loue I answere It is clere chyflie by the words whych folow that he ment that man were he neuer so iust wise was so blinde in this world that he cannot know by the worckes of God y â— is by prosperity or aduersiti whether of him self he be worthy of hate or loue And this is bicause God giueth his gifts so indifferently to the good and euell to theelect and reprobat Thou wilt say yet Paul said mi coÌ„scieÌ„ce doth not reproue me yet am I not therby iustified before God therefore it can not be knowen But I answere that thentent of Paul was to saye that thoughe by grace of the Lorde he had ministred the Gospell in suche sorte that hys conscyence dyd not rebuke hym of any erroure which was imputed vnto hym for a sclaunder of false christians neuertheles he held not him selfe iuste for this neyther was he iuste he iudged him selfe iuste by Christ and not by preaching the Gospel irreprehensibly in the syght of man but yet not in the presence of God for that he hath not preached it w t the whole force of spirit fayth and loue So y â— here Paul did condeÌ„ne the opinioÌ„ of them which iudge theÌ„ selues iuste by theyr owne workes but he doth not reproue the iudgement of those which iudge theÌ„ selues righteous saued by the bountie of God death of his only begotten soÌ„ne but doth approue it Wyth Paule also a greeth Iob when he sayde that although he were iuste he durste not iudge him selfe so that is he durste not holde hym for ryghteous by hys owne proper ryghtuousenes and worckes but by the iustice of Christe Sence then that it maye and oughte to bee knowen of vs that wee are in the fauoure of God and hys electe lette vs force vs continuallye to encrease in more knoweledge of the goodnes of God so that firmelye established in the lyuelye faythe of oure saluacyon we maye as children render him all honoure laude and glorye â—y Iesus Christe oure Lorde Amen The .xv. Sermon Whether it be good or euell to beleue that we are elect SOme saye that it is euell to beleue that we are electe bycause that as the beleif to be reprobate bringeth men in dispeyr so y â— belief of eleccioÌ„ is cause of presumpcioÌ„ But the iust the holy flye both y e one the other extremiti They are not exalted in presuÌ„pcion beleuing to be elect nor fallen in y e bottomles pytte of dyspeyre wyth beleif of dampnacion but kepe the meane waye euer standing betwene both And I say that it is true that none ought to dispeyre or 〈◊〉 to
presume but assuredlye to hope and beleue to be saued and elected Mary by oure owne worckes this is an euyll vyce and ought to be fled But to beleue to be elected and saued by the liberalitie of God by the deathe of Christe vpon the crosse and hys workes thys is no presumpcioÌ„ but a hope which hath regard as diuine theological vertue not to oure merytes but onelye to God by Christ And as we caÌ„ not loue him so much but y â— we euer lacke of y â— perfectioÌ„ so can we not to much hope trust in hym Yea we lacke euer bycause we do not promise of god so much as we should do he y â— beleueth to be saued becoÌ„meth not proud nether magnifieth him selfe nor his workes but the goodnes of God the grace y â— we haue by Christ Therfore is it not euel Per adueÌ„ture y u wilt saie one ought to stande in fere I agre therto in the reureÌ„d soÌ„nelike feare y â— which importeth obseruauÌ„ce of reuereÌ„â—e to God but now not so vile for we ar no more seruaÌ„tes but soÌ„nes not Hebrues but Christians we are not vnder the lawe but grace we haue God for oure father not onelye for a Lorde Therfore our office is to loue him like chyldren not to feare him as seruauntes sence that we haue the spirit not of seruitude but of adopcioÌ„ of y â— sonnes of God If our saluacioÌ„ did depeÌ„de in any part vpon our selfes I woulde saye we ought to fere our daÌ„nacioÌ„ yea to be sure therof but sence it is al in y â— haÌ„des of God therfore beholdinge not our selues but his goodnes discouered in Christ vpoÌ„ the cros we may be sure and certayne of our saluaon Perfect chariti chafeth away al seruile feare faith neuer douteth if it be perfecte the feare then of our daÌ„nacyon groweth of imperfeccioÌ„ of our charitye fayth hope We ought neuer to frare the mercyfulnes of God but our owne wyckednes Thou woldest saye if we were wholie coÌ„firmed in grace we shuld not nede to feare but we synne dayly therfore it is necessary to staÌ„d in doubte I aunswere that yet thou gost aboute to builde my hope vpon my workes the whych shuld be no hope but a presumpcion If we shoulde hope wyth condicioÌ„ if we do well and perseuer therein my hope shuld stande wyth desperaciun for of my selfe I know I ought to despaire If I had the synnes of the whole world yet wold I most stedfastly beleue to be saued without any feare of daÌ„pnaciou neyther maye thys be sayde to be euell for that I woulde not builde my hope but vpon Christe If thou woldest say y â— feare of dâ—mpnacioÌ„ causeth meÌ„ to abstain froÌ„ sinne therfore it is good I aunswer that it causeth men to refrayne in their own loue as doth the fear of death wherby they become dayly more sensual in them selues and therefore trulye worse inwardly Feare worketh wrathe in God euen as the law doth and although it cause the abstaine froÌ„ some euill outward worke uenerthelesse the venime remaineth within the which is so much y â— worse as it is more vnited to the inward partes yea that feare geuen to the vngodly is the scorge of God The electe knowing that God in this present life doth punyshe more the legittimate childreÌ„ then the bastardes abstaine also by thys feare more theÌ„ the other But truly the loue of God the quycke feelynge of hys great goodnes to beleue firmely by Christ and his grace to be the sones of God elect and sure in deede are those thinges whiche mortifie vs to the world and to our selues and maketh synne displeasaunt to vs euen froÌ„ the botome of the hert Therfore wher y â— seruice feare maketh Ipocrites y â— sonlyke loue maketh true christiaÌ„s If y u woldest say to beleue so is a thynge verye perilous because y â— hereof they take occasioÌ„ to lyue idle yea to geue theÌ„ self to alvice saying I wyll make my paradise in this world for euery wai I shalbe saued seÌ„ce y â— alredi I am elect I answer that wheÌ„ one beleueth to be elect and perceiueth in spirit the mercifulnes of God in Christe then God tasted in Christ hath in the hert such efficacie and strength that he cannot offende but is forced to dyspraise the world is rapt to so hygh estate that he falleth to obliuion of the world him selfe and his paradise setting only God be fore his eies Therfore sayth saynte Iohn Who so hath thys fayth sanctyfyeth hym self So as theÌ„ of chariti springeth but goodnes â–ª euen so is it of thys faith hope Knowest thou wherin is the paril In beleuing to be elected by their workes and by beleuynge in Christe not sted fastly but to haue only a certaine barraine idle and a dead opinion therof the which staÌ„deth in y â— worst life in suche sorte that of that colde and vnfruteful fayth they maye take occasyon to geue theÌ„ to Idelnes and al vice But nowe not of that perfect fayth the whych is effectuous in doing worckes by loue being an enflamed lyght the whiche is neuer wythoute burning If also thou wouldest say in beleuinge to be elect thou shouldest peraduenture be begyled therefore it is euell I wold yet answer that I would soner geue faithe to the holy gost whiche testifieth in y e hartes of the electe that thei are the sonnes of God as Paule wryteth then to the that woldest put me in doubt of it The electe to heare inwardlye in their hertes a spirituall voyce quycke and deuyne whiche biddeth theym not doubte and that they are sure of theire saluacion that God loueth them and hathe taken them for his chyldren and that they cannot perishe the testymonye of God is greater then mans Therfore not onlie he is to be beleued afore man but he deseruethe to haue giuen vnto him vndoubted credite If thou woldest sai it might be not the spirite of God but their imagynacyons I saye that what so euer it is they knowe better then thou for that as Paule saythe none knoweth what is in maÌ„ but the spyryte of man that is wythin hym Farder I am sure that the same spyryt whiche saith to me I am elected is the spyrit of God because the faythe I haue of the eleccion spryngeth not of my worckes but onlye of the goodnes of god vnderstaÌ„d in Christe and for that of hys goodnes can growe nether gyle nor falshod therfore am I sure to be in the trueth Deceites falshedes mai do come of the belefe to be saued by workes and elected Moreouer the lyght whyche the electe haue of theyr saluacyon is so cleare that they do not onlye se them selues sure thereof but they knowe also that the lyghte and knowledge they haue is supernaturall deuyne But we suppose as thou sayst that in beleuynge to be electe only by Christe and the
goodnes of God I myghte be begiled whiche is false and impossyble yet wolde I styll say let me be deceyued for it is good to be so begyled sence I can fynd nothyng that so much doth kyndel me into a syncere and pure loue of god as to beleue to be elected bi his mere goodnes Therfore vsinge it to make me inamored of God I ought not to be wythdrawen chifely for y â— I am happy only by that fayth of y e whyche whosoeuer is voide is not yet entred in to the kyngdom of God wher is nothynge but ryghtuousnes peace and Ioie Finally Paul beleued to be elected as in many places he saythe yea he gloryed therin neuerthelesse in God and so to beleue he induced others the whiche if it had bene euel he wolde not haue done Therefore if it be not euel let vs also with Paule glorivs by God in Christe who lykewyse induced the Apostles to beleue y â— theyr names were writeÌ„ in heauen that theyr heaueÌ„ly reward was pleÌ„tuous that they shulde iudge the xii tribes therby brought them to beleue they were elect and that is also sure that if that belefe had bene euell he wold not haue caused it Thou wilt saie thou oughtest not to compare thy selfe equall wyth the sainctes I saie it is true that I oughte not to presume to be like them or holy by myne owne worckes for while I presume of my self I muste of force become a deuell but it is not euell to compare with the saintes in veritie for they were humble and in beleuing that they were elect they gaue to God all laude and glorye because they did not beleue to be of the electe for their merites but for Christes And wold to God I mighte beleue y â— firmelye and with stedfast fayth the sacred scriptures are ful that we ought not to despeire of our saluacion but that we ought to hope and beleue to be all readye saued and dayly to certifie our selues therof bi doinge good worckes which are a testimonie to vs of oure election and that we shulde also increase in charitye to take from vs all feare of oure dampnacioÌ„ to the end we may serue God without feare in rightuousnes and holinesse as Zacharie sayde And likewise we ought to demauÌ„d perseuerauÌ„ce in the good w t faith to obtein it Therfore to trust to be saued of the elected to hope beleue to be saued of the elect is not euel Paul al so saith oure hope was neuer confounded nor dyd shame to them that had it And lykewyse that fayth was neuer begiled Wherfore then is it euyll that I bleue stedfastly to be saued by Christ Let vs beholde then with open eyes of liuely fayeth Christ vpon the crosse in whome we se presentelye the goodnes of God in the face in such sort as we may beynge pylgrimes to the ende we may render to him al laud honour and glory through Iesus Christ oure Lorde AMEN ¶ The .xvi. Sermon Whether it be necessary to saluacion to beleue that we are elected or not FAyth is very necessarye because that wythout it not onlye God can not be pleased but he that beleueth not shalbe condempned and is already iudged But it is also impossible that one that doth not beleue to be elected shoulde beleue as he ought to do any of the artycles necessarye to saluacion And to proue that this is true if thou beleuest not that thou art onâ— of the elect thou beleuest not in god in the maner that thou arte bound bycause that it suffyseth not to haue a certeine dead opiuioÌ„ that God is but thou must effectuouslye beleue that he is thy God y t he loueth the that he is propiciatory to the y t he is coÌ„tinually beneficial to y â— that he hath most special cure of the causeth euery thinge to serue the to saluacion therfore that y u arte electe Yea who so beleueth not that he is electe doeth not fele in spirite the benefyte of Christe Therfore being without Christ he is with oute God and knoweth him not as Paule wryteth Then how is it possible that thou mayst beleue perfectli that he is thy father if thou do not beleue that thou art his soÌ„ne and therfore his heire saued Thou canst also neuer earnestly beleue that God is omnipotente if thou vnderstande not that coÌ„tinually he vseth his omnipoteÌ„cy towards the in doynge the good Whyche when w t the spirite thou didst proue thou shouldest of force beleue thy selfe to be hys heyre if thou beleue not thou art electe how canste thou beleue that God hathe created the heauens and the earth that he susteineth gouerneth all to thy behofe hauing of the most singluler cure it is nedeful that with liuely fayth embrasing al the world for thy owne thou perceiue effectuallye the goodnes of God in euerye creature And when that is thou shalte be inforced to beleue y â— thou arte the sonne of God Thou canste not also beleue in Iesu that is that he is to the Iesus and sauioure if thou beleue not that thou art saued neyther canste thoâ— beleue that he is thy Chryste that is to saye a Prophete kyng and prieste if thou fele not in spirite that he doth illuminate aud lyghten the as a prophet rule the as a king and as an only prieste is offred for the vpon the crosse The which if thou dydst beleue thou shuldest also beleue to be elected Howe shalt y u beleue y t Iesus is the only begoâ—teâ— sonne of God thy Lord come into y â— world to saue the aud genen to the wyth al his deuine treasures and graces if thou dost not beleue thy selfe to be one of hys lambes y â— canste not beleue as thou art bounde to do that he dyed for the nor perceiue his excessiue charitye so that wyth Paul y u maist saye nothinge can separate me froÌ„ the charitie of God It is necessarye to beleue that Christ vpon the cros hath satysfyed for thy synnes and that he hath reconciled the satysfyed to his father and saued the therefore that y u art the son of God he that beleueth as he ought y â— Christ is ryseÌ„ to instify vs doth also know him self saued so he y â— perfectly doth vnderstand that Chryst our head is asceÌ„ded into heueÌ„ entred for vs in possessioÌ„ of paradyse perceiueth him self risen with Christ alredy bi hope being asceÌ„ded into heaueÌ„ practiseth with y â— mynde in Paradyse where Christ is sytting in peace able possessioÌ„ of things celestial he sayth w t Paul we are made safe by hope it sufficeth not to beleue y â— he shal iudge the quick the dead y â— which also y e deuils beleue but that the seÌ„tence shalbe al in thy fauour hauing to thi iudge him y â— died vpoÌ„ y â— crosse forthe We caÌ„not liuely beleue y â—
theÌ„ y t haue y t knowledge of y â— truth they find that it is al in the hands of God â— they iudge when their eies are somewhat opened to the goodnes of god theyr owne miseries that it staÌ„deth wel and that so it is beste but then harkenynge to humane prudence the whyche not being wholye mortyfyed wolde haue parte of the glorye to it selfe so proude it is And as that that is blynd and seeth not the impotencie and malignitie of man it perswadeth hym y t maâ— might in some parte be saued by hym selfe wher els he mai despair if it staÌ„d al in y t haÌ„d of God Therfore it coÌ„cludeth that it were better if it dyd depend vpon vs and chiefly for that men become negligeÌ„t in thynkyng that it depeÌ„deth wholâ— vpoÌ„ God wher thei wold styrre them selues to be ferueÌ„t if they dyd beleue that in any part it rested in theÌ„ And although such finde the contrary in the sacred scriptures neuertheles they forcetheÌ„ wyth y e obscure lyghte of theyr blynde prudeÌ„ce to draw it out of the texte expounding it as may best serue to theyr purpose But y â— godly perceyue on the one syde in such sort theyr own proper ignorauÌ„cy fraylty impotency malice And on the other partye the great bouÌ„ty of god in Christ crucyfyed y t it contenteth them to be so al in the hand of God not only for y t it hath so pleased god but also for theyr own commoditie because that wheras if in the leaste iote it depended vpon them they should hold theÌ„ selues daÌ„ned Now they fele so much the excellencie of god that certified of their saluacion thei know theÌ„ selues elected hold it to be sure seyng by fayth that it is al in the haÌ„d of one their so mighty sapyeÌ„t excelleÌ„t loving father Wherfore by this benefite thei ar stirred to loue hym singularly to thaÌ„ke laude and serue hym as childreÌ„ for his mere glori without respecte at all to them selues their hel or heauen And if god wold set in theyr handes although he woulde be bound that they should be able to do al thinges w t ease toward theyr saluacioÌ„ yet they wolde not accept the bargayne that is because they knowe that they are contrary enemies and traitours to them selues so that if they had paraâ—yse in theyr handes then they should let it fal to the ground And also for y t they do make experiment and proue so gret charyty of god in Christ that it certifieth them of their eleccyon They cannot thynke that Christ beyng theyr iudge and dying vpon the crosse for them should geue sentence against them yea they know that who so be leueth in hym shall not be iudged but shal be so certayne of his saluacion that he shal not nede to makâ— disscussion of his lyfe for there shal not be any to accuse hym nether should it be coÌ„uenieÌ„t that those which haue the spirite of God and are hys sonnes the brethren and members of Christ should be examined iudged But with Christe they shalbe iudges of the other Therfore the elect sure of theyr saluacioÌ„ wolde not chaÌ„ge Christ theyr udge wyth any in this world although it were theyr deare frynd or â—ere parent Yea if God did put in their arbitrement to haue Christe for theyr iudge or els to be their owne iudges of theÌ„ selues with full power to geue sentence in their fauour althoughe it were not iuste yet to be approued they wold for all thys chuse Christe to be theyr iudge for that they truste more in him then in them selues Also thei loue god so much that they wold not glory but only in him by Christe And this is al there true glorye Yea if they could let or disturbe the deuine counsayle or if it were necessary to be dampned they would chuse rather to be in payne for the wyll of God then in al the pleasures disagreinge to the deuine wil if it were possible they count them selues vnworthy to suffer for the wyl of God They holde themselues happye to honoure hym with sufferynge and wyth beynge wher it pleaseth to theyr lord they lamente only of the iniuryes they haue done to God but of that whiche God wyl do of them with the spirite they are contente although y t fleshe be repugnaunte and wold not suffer Thys shuld be a hel to them wheÌ„ God if it were possible wold not dispose them to his glori but to vse them to his honoure they wolde satisfy them selues withall and content theÌ„ to know it so to be the deuyne plesure now those are in a continuall paradise by fayth al readye they haue had the sentence geuen in their fauoure by hope they are ascended into heaueÌ„ saying with Paul we are made safe by hope and by loue they enioy God In them theÌ„ of y â— belief that their eleccioÌ„ is all in the handes of God groweth firme 〈◊〉 and hope to be saued the loue of god leiâ—â—e 〈…〉 pure and christian vertues w t the frutes of good workes I woulde haue pitie on the fyrst sorte but their desperacioÌ„ groweth of an vngodlye mynde yea it is most impâ—â—tye to despayre of the goodnes of God moste perfecte shewed in Christe crucified as in one his Imeli image I haue compassion of the second and enuye at the thyrde The seconde maye easelye be cured wyth shewynge them their frailtye ignorauncy and malice and on the other party the omnipotency infinite sappence perfect goodnes pity mercy and charity of God shewed in Christe vpon the crosse Of the first I do not despaire vtterly but I know well it is very difficile to cure theÌ„ but God is of power of the stones to rayse vp chyldren to AbrahaÌ„ they haue nede to be praied for and that the Lord take froÌ„ before their eies suche veiles of ignorauncye make them see their owne great miseries and the incomprehensible goodnes of God to the ende y â— reknowledgeing al their wealthe to come of God they maye render hym al honor laude and glory by Iesu Chryste oure Lorde Amen ¶ The .xix. Sermon Howe it ought to be answerd to theÌ„ that lament that God hath created them forseyng theyr damnacyon THere are many the whych althoughe of God they haue had their beynge many other benefytes neuerthelesse they thanke hym not but are vngratefull They are sorye and lamente of all the wealth they haue had of hym saying Lord if the beyng wher thou hast geuen vs with the rest of thi gyftes dyd serue vs to saluacicoÌ„ we shuld thaÌ„k y e therfore But bicause they serue vs not but to daÌ„pnacioÌ„ therfore we caÌ„not but coÌ„plaine vs of the. Nowe to these oughte to be of answered thus Eyther you beleue to be y t elect or not If thei sai yea it ought to be said to theÌ„ ye shuld thaÌ„k God of so much grace that he hath shewed to you alreadye in chosynge you froÌ„
it resteth not therfore that Iesus is not the Messias for y t the promises were made to the spiritual Hebrues the which in faith do imitate folow AbrahaÌ„ they ar y â— elect When God also in Mala. sheweth to the Iues that he hath loued theÌ„ because he loued Iacob of whom they descended and hated Esau His reason had bene vnuailable if God dyd loue and chose by workes For the Iewes might haue answered if thou didest loue Iacob and the Hebrues it was because thou dydest forese theyr good works and in lyke case thou woldest haue done to Esau and the Gentils if thou haddest foresene and good workes in them But Paule sheweth that the Messias is come also to y e geÌ„tils because God geueth hys gyfts with out hauinge respect to workes If thou demaund wherfore he hath elected theÌ„ Paul answereth because it is written I wil shew mercye on whom it pleaseth me Therfore Paule doth in ferre and bring in that paradyse is not hys that wil nor that runnethor laboreth by hym selfe to get it but his that God wyl shew mercy vnto He myght also haue answered that althoughe God hated Esau before he was borne before he dyd sinne he is not therefore wicked for he had hym not in hate or he did forese his wickednes But he saith that he doth indurate whoÌ„ he wyl to set forth the brightnes of his glorye And to hys purpose he doth alledge the example of Pharao Now tell me how it is possible that God can forse in vs any good if he determin not to geue it vs. Thou wilt say he saw that some could vse well frewil and some not â–ª therfore he chose the first and refused the seconde they coulde not vse it wel wythout his grace Wherfore then did he determyne to geue y t grace of wel vsyng to the one and not to the other It behoueth to returne to the deuine wyll and say because it pleased hym not for the vsing wel of fre wyl is the effecte and frute and not the cause of election PeradueÌ„ture thou wylte saye he dyd determyne to geue grace to all but he sawe that some wold vse it wel and those he chose and some euel and those he forsoke But tell me the vse of that grace is also the gyft of god wherfore dyd he not determine to geue that grace to all also to vse it Thou muste nedes sayat laste also because it pleased hym not If y u wylte say those that vsed it not well was not because they lacked y â— grace to vse it no more then the other but they dyd not occupyeâ—t when they had it the defalt was theirs and not of God nor of the grace If it were so we shuld haue wherin to glorye in our selues But Paul is in the contrarie willeth that to God ought to be rendred all honour and glorye so as froÌ„ hym commeth al goodnes We might also of our selues seperate vs froÌ„ the reprobate and so our hope shuld not be al wholy in God our saluacioÌ„ could not be certeyn and sure as Christ saide nor the cause of our eleccion so hidde as Paule saieth it is yea fre mercye shuld be no more fre merci if we might be saued by worckes and paradise shuld be a rewarde and not a gyfte cleane agaynst Paule The Hebrues dyd mo worckes theÌ„ the gentils and neuer theles he did chose the gentils and reproued the Iewes that soughte to be iustified by theyr workes God from the beginning for sawe in vs nothing but repugnancy and rebellioÌ„ agaynst his grace being by the sinne of Adam the childrene of ire prone and enclined to all euyl Paul calleth our election the eleccion of fre mercye Dauid sayth he saued me because he loued me and because it pleased him He saueth then his electe because he delyteth in them and dystrybuteth hys mercy after his own wyl TheÌ„ he hath begotten vs voluntarily by mere mercye and not by our workes so that the xii Apostels dyd not chose Christe but he chose theÌ„ to the Apostelship So wee be not they that haue chosen God to saue vs but God is he that hathe chosen vs to saluacion Euen as Paul was called withoute workes by free mercy because it pleased God so he was elected to shewe his mercye and the aboundaunt ryches of his glorie It is humility it selfe to beleue that we are chosen by grace Thys opynion geueth al glory to god and to vs onlye confusion And because we can not erre in glorifying to much the fre mercye and bountye of God and a batinge the pryde of man Therfore it is most sure yea although it stode not wyth the holye scryptures as it doth And the more it displeaseth the carnal man becauseit coÌ„foundeth al his glory so much the more it is pleasing to the spiritual because it magnifieth God Christ his fre mercy the gospel And to say my opinion it pleaseth me best to be all wholy in the hande of God Yea if mine eleccioÌ„ wer in my custody I wold if I myghte render it vnto God in whose hand it must of force be better and more sure Yea woe to vs if in the least point it did depend vpoÌ„ our selues Sethen what becommeth of them that imagine although falsely that it dependith only vpon the goodly workes that they do to make theÌ„ selues elected again wher on y e other partie y u shalt se that those which with lyuely faith beleue to be by the mere mercy of God and by the deathe of Christe in the noumber of the electe and sonnes of God for that they fele in Christe and by Christ the greate charitie of God are by strengthe of the spirite and loue forced to do worckes to bee wondered at not seruile for they see them selues heyres but the workes of a son sincere and pure to the glory of their lyuely father beynge preuented by soue If thou woldest beleue we arâ— not worthy to be so elected by fre mercy I wold answer nether that Christ shuld suffer for vs vpoÌ„ the câ—osse but dyd he not therfore die Christ hath not elected vs because we were worthy therof but for the glory of his goodnes The cause of oure eleccyon is not theu to bee soughte but at the deuyne wyll Of the reprobat I entend not to dyspute wherfore god hath cast them of because it is nether nedeful to vs nor profitable to know It serneth to humble vs and to knowe better y e great goodnes of God that we are elected by his grace and not by our workes The Christiane oughte to beleue to be one of the chosen and it ought to suffise hym to haue Christe for hys booke in the whych he seeth hymselfe electe and to knowe that that apperteyneth to hym And althoughe Paule to the Romanes spake a worde therof it was but
firme and the diuine purposes stedfaste and that the Lorde knoweth his wyth perfect infallible knowledge whych ought to be to vs a sure foundacyon whereupon we maye stablyshe vndoubted fayth of our saluacioÌ„ To this purpose Paule sayd that those that God hath knowen for his and therfore elected purposed to saue them those he hath predestynate to be conformable to the Image of his sonne and those hauynge them after created he doth call wyth an inward callynge in such sort that they aunswere agayne for because they are the soÌ„nes of God therfore they heard hys voyce and beleue by beinge ordeined to eternall lyfe Yea he draweth them and geueth them a newe hearte and these that he calleth he iustifyeth he geueth them Christ and the â—yght of hym faythe hope and charity and all other christyane vertues apparelynge them he doth enriche them wyth many gyftes treasurs and graces afterward doth happely glorify them Therefore from the fyrste to the laste it foloweth that the electe must nedes he saued Paule added and sayd if God be wyth vs who can be agaynste vs meaninge if God hath elected vs and determined to saue vs he beynge omnipotente and hathe taken vp on him this enterprise to saue vs who shall let him Yea he would haue sayde no man because that Christe sayde none can take them out of the handes of my father it happeneth not to God as to man whyche manye tymes doeth wyll a thynge seketh and canne not fynde as the Hebrewes whyche sought theyr saluacyon and coulde not atchieue it and that because they foughte it not by Christ by fre mercye nor by faythe but by workes It is not so wyth God because that he when he wylleth any thynge it commeth to passe and his eleccioÌ„ as writeth Paule commeth to effecte Moreouer God hath geuen hys electe to Christe and braweth them to hym and those that go to hym drawen of the father he chaseth not awaye as hym selfe sayde he loseth them not but knoweth them for hys shepe he calleth them to hym they heare hys voyce he prayeth for them moste effectuously and is euer hearde For them he shed hys bloude and gaue his life euen as for them onely he was sent and came into the world to them he doth manyfest God geueth theym lyfe and maketh them happye They are then in good handes beinge in Christes out of the whyche nonâ— shall take them as hym selfe hath sayde They may peryshe that are the sonnes of perdicion as Iudas but not the chyldren of eleccion The elect are sure for ther was neuer one of them that peryshed nor neuer shal yea it is vnpossible for christ speking of y â— fals prophets which should be in y â— kingdoÌ„ of Antichrist said they shuld seduce the very elect if it were possible for to shew that it was nor â—ossible yea for theyre sakes those dayes shall be shortened Al that God hath wrought aud shal worke is for his electe for whome he dyd create the world preserue the same sente Christe into the world and wylled that for them he shuld dye vpon the crosse for them he hath moost speciall care If God made suche accompt of y t Hebrues y t to thend their name shuld not be forgotteÌ„ on y t earthe he dyd ordeine y t if y â— first brother died without chyld the seconde was bounde to rayse vp sede to his brother thinkest thou y t he wil not make rekning of his elect whose nams are writteÌ„ in heauen Yea I wyll thou know that although Christe be he by whose meanes all y e elect are saued neuertheles not by his impoteÌ„cy being geuen to hym all power but because the thynge of it selfe is impossible Christ caÌ„ not saue a reprobate nor dam an elect â–ª Now much lesse is it in oure power if we be elect to daÌ„pne our selues or if we be reprobate to saue our selues yet ought we not to cease to worke well because y t if we are sure to be dampned we are yet bounde euery way for his infinite goodnes mooste highly to honour him Let vs then geue thaÌ„â—ses to god that hath not only by mere mercy elected vs for his but to thend we might be sure of our saluacioÌ„ hath ordeyned y t our dampnacion shal not lye in our own power beyng his electe and wyth thys geueth vs such grace that we may in thys presente life render him al laude honour and glory by Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ The .xxii. Sermon Whether God do agrauate harden and blynd the heartes of men or not and in what maner IT is reade in the holye scriptures that God put in Saul a wycked spirit to vexe him a liyng spirit in the mouth of y e prophetes to begyle Achab that by Sathan he moued y e hert of Dauid to nuÌ„ber the people agaynst his precepte And moreouer he doth harden blynd and make grosse y e hertes of persons and geueth them ouer into a peruerse mynd And Paul wryteth that he hath shut vp al meÌ„ in vnbeleif sinne And although manye helde for vngodlines this maner of speaking therfore thei do not only abstayn froÌ„ pronouÌ„cing such like words but also go about to expouÌ„d make theÌ„ better emeÌ„dinge them forcecyng theÌ„ selues to bring them after their phantasye to suche a way y t they haue a kind of godlines therin And I thynke they are moued to do this to thend y t of these things men should not take occasion to thinke that God were the cause of synne or els to imagine wyth the Maniches to be .ii. first beginnings the one good cause of the good the other euell cause of y e euell â–ª Neuerthelesse I will not oughte not may not wyll to be more holye then God that speaketh in holye scriptures And it is more wyckednes to wyl to correct the toÌ„ge of the holy gost because that none speaketh nor can speake more circuÌ„spectlye then he nor with greater thyrst of our saluacion w t the zeale and honour of God With al this euery one oughte to knowe that we are the cause of synne and not God yea it can not be thought that God is a God if it be not thought that he is wythout faulte without euell infinitely good and iust Therefore as to vs is due all coufusion ignominie dishonor reproch and euel so to God al honour laude and glory It is not euel then to pronouÌ„ce these wordes to the maner that they are writteÌ„ saying that God doth agrauate harden and blynd but it is good Thou wylte saie tell me how these wordes are to be vnderstande that God dothe harden blynd aud such syke so that thereby I may not take any occasion of offeÌ„ce I aunswere that after the opynyon of some God doth harden and so blynde the hearte of a person in as muche as he foreseâ—th and fore preacheth his hardenes as he did
rocke he hathe the greate deuyl to chase awaye And if in the lunatycke soÌ„ne there was a greate commocion when Christ oute of his bodye wold haue drawen the malignaunte spirite y t had possessed hym thynck what commocion there is when he chaseth hym from the soule in the whyche he dwelleth more wyllyngely And know that it maketh a coÌ„mocion not onli outward in ceremonies as do coÌ„monly y â— false christians when it is neare Easter but there is a coÌ„mocion within the verye bowels of the soule and inward part of the herte there is nothing that so caÌ„ perce the soule as doth the spirite of god when it entreth into it by speciall slidinge Not only it spoileth vs of the olde Adam wyth hys concupisence and doth cloth vs with Christ wyth all his vertues but also maketh vs to be borne a new that as if a poore man were sodenly made an Emperoure he shoulde be wholy chaunged so he that of a vile sinner is made the soÌ„ne of God chauÌ„geth thoughtes effectes desyres and wyll chaungeth frenshipes practises wordes worckes and life and of humayne beastly carnal earth and deuelyshe he becommeth heauenly spirituall angelicall and deuine as did Paul goyng to Damasco when Christ did enter hys hert Ther was a mutacion from the ryghte hande of God When the spirite of the Lorde entreth in a person he is chaunged into a nother man for that diyng to the world he beginneth to lyne to him self And if when Christ dyd enter into the temple he purged it from those that bought and sold thyncke if wheÌ„ he entreth into the spiritual temple he clenseth it from euery vnclennes of sinne there resteth not in it any thyng of dampnacion he healeth it moste perfectly so that if the vncleane woman was healed at the touche of the hemme of Christs garment y u mayst thinke what it is wheÌ„ Christ in spirite entryng into the soule and the person with lyuely fayth imbraceth him wholy for hys Also as when the sonne beames enter into thy house thou perceiuest in the ayre eueÌ„ to the smalest mote whych y u couldest not se before so wheÌ„ in the soule do enter the beames of lyght of the diuine grace the sinnes are perceyued in more cleare maner Yea as the prodigial soÌ„ne neuer knew nor perceiued truly his own errour til with such pitie he was imbraced of his father had profe how greate was y e fatherly goodnes and charitie which he had offended so the sinner when he conuerteth begynneth with the spirit to taste the diuine goodnes he beginneth also to know his malice pride and ingratitude with the rest his vnlawful sinnes He restoreth w t Zacheus that which is not his if Christ enter into his house and dyspenseth the superfluous thynges yea beyng rych wyth the treasures of Christ he leaueth al wyth vnmeasurable loue He can not participate or take part of the bountye of god that doth not coÌ„municate distribut to others The lyuelye flame muste nedes breake forth or els beyng smoudered it queÌ„cheth and the fountaynes that contynuallye receiue ruÌ„ning water must of force ouer flowe so they that haue in them the holye gost by the testimony wherof they are sure to be the sonnes of God haue contynuallye one suche and so entire sincere pure gladnes which groweth of the liuely knowledge y t they haue of the greate goodnes of god that they caÌ„ not expresse it nor they caÌ„not coÌ„preheÌ„d theÌ„ selfes Therfore not being able to w thold theÌ„ selues they spring leape for ioy with Iohn Baptist with his mother they make exclamacioÌ„ as to Zacharye so are their toÌ„ges losed so y t although in praysyng of god they perceiue with Moses that they stammer and are of an vnlearned toÌ„g neuertheles with the Apostles they can not kepe scilence of that which they haue herd sene felt wyth the spirit they must nedes speake by the superabundauÌ„ce of loue that they haue they desire wyth the woman of Samarye that euery one shoulde taste that which they them selues haue had experieÌ„ce of And although for preachynge the gospell they be persecuted for al that they do not desiste and leaue of but triumphing in al thei perseuer and go forth euen to the deth they feele in such sorte in the herte the charity of god that not onlye it is swete to theÌ„ to suffer for his loue but wyth the Apostels they reioice therin And for that they participate of that greate charitie of Christe by beynge his members Therfore wyth hym they pardon al men beyng ready to shed their bloud and put theyr lyfe for their enemies with Paul also to be accursed from Christe And this because that as to Stenen so the heauens are opened to them in suche sorte that in spirite with clere supernatural lyght of fayth they se the glory of god in hauing geuen his only begotteÌ„ dearly beloued soÌ„ne for them vpon the crosse they rest also quiet as the shyp when Christ entered into it they haue the peace of coÌ„scyence knowing with certeyne fayth that god by Christ by hys mercy hath pardoned them They haue also quietnes of mynde in suche maner that thoughe they were in al the perils necessyties of the world yet alwayes aprouing for iust the iudgemenâ—es of god knowing that he is their only father that he hath most singuler cure of them that euery thynge serueth them to saluacion they stand most surely quiet in peace traÌ„quility These suche for that they walke accordyng to the vocacion of god haue honour of euery enterprise that they take in hand they can not be letted or resisted no more theÌ„ God Yea it is force that euery one feare theym as Herode feared Saint Iohn Baptyste for that he had in hym the spirit of the Lorde as Abimelech did AbrahaÌ„ Isaac They are daylye more firme stablyshed in good purposes to doo euer better beyng lyfted vp coÌ„tinualy to a greater perfeccion with Paule althoughe their mind be conuersaunt in heauen neuertheles descendyng by ChristiaÌ„ pytye to fele the miseryes of theyr brethren they laboure also to drawe them to Christ and moue theÌ„ to haue the spirite to be in veryty Christianes not Ipocrites As y e very grape doth moue the birdes to taste therof and not the pyt fal And finally although with the Apostels they neuer remayne wyth Christ and wyth the Canauite whiche woulde not departe for his vngentle wordes neuertheles they are prompte and ready for his honour and glorye to leaue wyth the Samaritane hys swete presence And what is more to be sayde when the spirite of God doothe enter into a soule he suffereth it not to slepe nor stand in idlenesse but maketh it worcke thynges merueylous and inexplicable for the loue of God to whome be euer al laâ—d honour and glory by Iesu Christe our