see what it was that was accomplished in the person of the some of God Colos 2.14 when as he was sent into the world that is that in suffering for the remission of our sins hee hath made vs righteous Not that we are in truth altogither so for there wanteth a great deale of it but wee are so farre righteous as that GOD will not iudge vs according to our desertes and contrariwise he by his infinite goodnesse supporteth vs and the obedience which Iesus Christ performed is approoued and allowed vnto vs. As if any man should paie our debts why then we are discharged Euē so is our Lord Iesus Christ as it were appointed to be the principall debtter for vs and therby dischargeth vs before God Neither can the diuell haue any thing wherwith to accuse vs when as we shall trust vnto the satisfaction which was paide for vs by the sonne of God And therefore it is not without cause that he is called a priest Howbeit we for our parts are rightly to consider what fruit and benefite wee are to receiue by this his office of priesthood For it is not for him selfe alone but for our profite and welfare that the father by a solemne oath bestowed this estate and dignitie vpon him Now wee are here to note that he is called a Priest for euer to the end this honour might be reserued to him and transported to none other If this point then had been so well considered as it ought and as the Apostle most notably setteth it downe in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Hebr. 7.8.9.10 Hebrewes The abhomination that hath been brought into the world and which to this day ruleth and reigneth therein had neuer beene for the Pope maketh his priests with this cōdition to appaise God For these are the very words which he vseth when hee charmeth them that is to say hee priesteth them with these words of authoritie WE GIVE THEE POWER TO OFFER SACRIFICE VNTO GOD TO APPAISE HIM What an horrible blasphemy is this For this is as much as to make GOD a lyar and to make voyd the solemne oath which hee hath pronounced with his owne mouth and which is spoken of in the hundreth and tenth Psalme that wee haue alledged where God saith That Iesus Christ shall bee a Priest for euer euen he alone that is according to the order of Melchisedech who hath not his like or match And yet notwithstanding behold how the Popish Priest bragge that they offer vp Iesus Christ and that they are Gods Priests to make reconciliation for the sinnes both of the quicke and of the dead For they are not content to redeem such as by them selues out of their clowches as out of the hands of the eues but will haue also their Priesting witcherie extend it selfe euen to the dead Wee see heere that there is a constraint more then manifest betweene this decree which is pronounced and spoken by the holie mouth of GOD and that which Antichrist hath falsly deuised and which euen at this day hee still vpholdeth and mainteineth Wee are therefore to note that Iesus Christ did not offer vp himselfe onely once for all to the end to appaise the wrath of God his father towardes vs and to paie all our debtes but that also the power of this oblation which hee made should endure for euer and qee permanent And therefore we may see why the Apostle vseth this similitude Hebr. 10.29 That the way is as it were a freshe consecrated vnto vs by the blood of Iesus Christ our Lorde as if hee should haue said that the blood which was once shed for our saluation is neuer drawne drie but daily ouerfloweth our soules by the power of his holy spirit which bedeweth vs with the same as S. Peter in the first Chapter of his first canonicall Epistle speaketh Mark also why Iesus Christ in his Supper saith This is my blood of the new Testament and so consequently sor euer as if hee should haue said that wee should not thinke that he had made a reconciliation which should not endure and as though it had bin but for a day or a yeare only but that at this day hee occupieth the place of a priest Because hee is the Mediator vnto God his father in the power of the death and passion which once he suffered and doth make intercession for vs as that we are assured that we are acceptable vnto God when as we come vnto him in the name of our Aduocat and are grounded and setled vppon the oblation which he once made to the end it might serue vs at this day and vnto the worlds end I haue alreadie said that it were not inough that wee were thus set at one with God and our sinnes forgiuen vs without we were eftsoons defended and conserued vnder his mightie hand and protection And therefore it was meet that Iesus Christ should be a king For all the saluation that we must looke for from the hand of God must come from our Lord Iesus Christ We must not flie in the ayre to looke a farre of for that which we want for he giueth and offreth himselfe vnto vs. And therefore we must in the person of this Redeemer finde out all fulnesse of that which is requisite for our saluation For that cause is our Lord Iesus Christ called a king the vnction which was bestowed on him apperteineth vnto his kingdome to the ende wee might be enriched with all his benefites and defended against all our enemies to haue him to be an inuincible fortresse for vs. And although we be set vpon yet shall wee haue alwaies the victorie Thus we see how the riches of the kingdom of heauen are bestowed vpon vs. And forsomuch as Iesus Christ was replenished with them in all perfection and fulnes wee for our parts are voyd of them and want them And thefore we must come and begge them of him that he might deale liberally with vs in helping of vs which hee doth when as he bestoweth the graces of his holie spirit vpon vs that we might be reformed according to his image and the diuell repulsed and put to flight Now I pray you what strength haue we of our selues For the least temptation in the world will throw vs downe yea and our very shadow will make vs as it were vanish away But it is said that when Iesus Christ shall take vs into his protection we shall be in such a fortresse as that all the enemies wee haue shall neuer be able to haue power ouer vs. Now wee see a great deale better that it is not without cause that God vsed a solemne oath when as he made our Lord Iesus Christ a King and Priest after the order of Melchisedech Now the Apostle goeth further and standeth vppon the names for Melchisedech signifieth a king of righteousnes Hee sheweth vs then hereby that the kingdom of the sonne of God is not common neither yet to bee esteemed lyke
SERMON of Maister Iohn Caluin on the Historie of Melchisedech Wherein is also handled Abrahams courage in rescuing his Nephew Lot and his Godlines in paying tithes to Melchisedech Also Abrahams Faith in belieuing God comprehending foure Sermons And Abrahams Obedience in offering his sonne Isaack in three Sermons Translated out of French by Thomas Stocker Gent. LONDON Printed by Iohn Windet and are to be sold at the shop of Andrew Maunsell in the Royall Exchaunge 1592. TO THE RIGHT HONOrable Syr Robert Cycill Knight one of her Maiesties most honourable priuie Councell AS it hath been for the most part right Honorable a very commendable and orderlie course amongest the learned as well diuine as prophane writers to publish their workes to bee read and heard of the common people either in their owne vulgare toong for their benefit or els in Hebrew Greeke or Latin for the learneder sort so hath been also their maner to dedicate them vnto some honorable or worshipfull personages for the patronizing of those their paines and trauels which their doings haue at this present made mee presume vppon your honourable curtesie to dedicate this my trauell of these Sermons of Maister Iohn Caluin translated by me out of French into English for the benefit of my Country men that vnderstand not the same language Most humbly beseeching you Sir to accept hereof as a tokeÌ„ of my pore good will towards you not in respect of my trauell which is but rude and of no worth but in regard of the worthines of the matter and of the graue and reuerend handling thereof by mine Authour The Lord of Lords increase all honorable and godly vertues in you that you may be as excellent a Magistrate in this common-weale as your honourable and most wise father hath of long time been and stil is with prosperitie in this life to his diuine pleasure and after the course of this time ended perpetuall ioy and felicitie Your Honors at commandment Thomas Stocker The Translator to the Christian Reader THou shalt receiue here ChristiaÌ„ Reader these fewe Sermons of Maister Iohn Caluin for thy benefit if thou wilt diligently read them without a preiudicate mind Where in the first three thou shalt finde how Abram deliuered his nephew Lot from the hands of those which had taken him prisoner and wherein also is handled who they are that ought to take warre in hand and how farre they ought to proceed therein In the next foure is handled the doctrine of iustification and saluation by Faith onely whereby such as are ledde away by a false opinion of their good workes and frree will may greatly profit themselues and lay fast hold vpon Iesus Christ alone for their righteousnes and sanctfication knowing how greatly these two graces must bee distinguâ—shed and not confused and that although they bee neuer so closely tied and linked togither yet whosoeuer he is that will be said to be reputed to be righteous and acceptable before God by the benefit of his onely beloued sonne and in the meane while haue no care nor conscience ne yet will shew any signe and token of the amendment of his life and liue in an holy conuâ—rsation that man I say must needs diuide them and cut in sunder the inseperable bond of them as much as in him lieth striueth to dismember Iesus Christ who by his righteousnes hauing made vs good trees doth also sanctifie vs to cause vs beare bring forth good fruit In the last three there is haÌ„dled AbrahaÌ„s obedience in the sacrificing of his son Isahac which was a woÌ„derfull trial so that in this thou maist see that Abraham who is by the spirit of God named the father of the faithfull was all the course of his life maruellously tried And therfore as many as will be indeed the children of faithful Abraham must walke in his steppes and abide many hard trials all their life long except it shall please the Lord in great mercy to forbeare them Let vs therfore beseech the Lord of all mercy in the name of this great mediator by whom alone we haue accesse vnto the throne of grace daily to purge vs more and more to the end that by his holie spirit we may bring foorth more and better fruit then we haue yet heretofore dene that it may all serue for his glory and the edification of his whole Church Farewell Faultes escaped in the Printing Page Line Faultes Corrections Pa. 4. Li. 24. been peaceably liued peaceably 60. li. 1. mighty aray mighty Army 60. li. 15. and vnto himselfe and not vnto himself 65. li. 30 Aduichilate Adnichilate 84. li. 28. and to apply then to apply 86. li. 14 sophisled sophisted 102. li. 7. Aduichilate Adnichilate 102. li. 18. may remoue might remoue 102. li. 18. the same may remoue might remoue 109. li. 6. OF HER OF HVR 158.  without we haue without doubt we haue THE FIRST SERMON of the Historie of Melchisedech wherin is also handled the deliuerance of Lot done by Abram Gen. Cap. 14. 13 Then came one that had escaped and tolde Abram the Hebrew which dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner who were confederate with Abram 14 When Abram heard that his brother was taken hee brought foorth of them that were borne and brought vp in his house three hundreth and eighteene and pursued them vnto Dan. 15 Then he and his seruants diuided themselues against them by night and smote them and pursued them vnto Hobah which is on the left side of Damascus 16 And he recouered all the substance c. WE are to proceed in the historie which yesterday we began with all concerning Lots deliuerance And first wee may behold the great goodnes fauour of God towards Abram in giuing him the meane for the rescuing of him And mark why Moses especially saith That one which had escaped came vnto Abram the Hebrewe True it is that this word is not spoken by way of reproach For the Tribe of Eber was there so called And Eber was descended of Sem as heretofore wee haue declared so that now God had seperated Abram in such sort as that he should not be tainted or polluted amongst the Cananites Neuertheles how euer it is Moses gaue him this title as if hee should haue said Thou art but a straunger a new come ghuest in the land of Canaan And besides no maruell though there was no account made of him sith he had neither kinsfolkes nor yet friendes there And yet for all that God graunted him such fauour and priuiledge as that when time and place serued hee was aduertised of the euill that was betide his Nephew that he might helpe to rescue him Now Moses addeth that hee was in league with some of his neighbours And yet we see that he was not long before driuen to wander from place to place this way and that by reason he was euery where discurteously entreated for where euer hee
vnto other kingdomes But that the propertie thereof is to make vs righteous For earthly Princes may verie well bee called righteous whilst they faithfully execute their office abstaine from outrages tiranny crueltie and render to euery man his due in this sort they may be said to be righteous Howbeit there is another manner of righteousnes In the son of God and it is it whereof we are made partakers A man may be as it were an Angel in all vertues neuertheles this serueth no further then for his owne person He may giue good example vnto others correct thē that haue done amisse look that men liue honestly according to the law but to make other righteous passeth all mans power And therefore the righteousnes of our Lord Iesus christ is not shut vp within himself to haue it for himself only but so to cōmunicat it vnto vs as that by his means we may be made iust before god And how shuld that be we haue alreadie shewed that God reputeth vs for iust innocent when as it pleaseth him to bury our sins iniquities And again accordingly as he hath regenerated vs by the spirit of our lord Iesus christ that is also to cloath vs with his righteousnes Howbeit this is but in part whiles we liue in this vorld our sins are fully forgiuē vs without exceptiō yet notwithstāding we are not so reformed but that there stil remaineth in vs infirmities and sins And therfore we must imbrace this righteousnes that is to saie vnto the remission of our sins But how euer it is wee see in what sort our Lord Iesus Christ maketh vs partakers of his righteousnes Here we see the first point that we are to note The second is of the place Salem And Salem is as much to say as peace And the Apostle sheweth vs that ouer and besides the righteousnes which wee receiue from our Lord Iesus Christ we eftsoones enioy a peace which he only openeth which by none other meane we can obtaine And although the wicked contemners of God striue to bee at rest and peace yet doth the Lord so awaken them with a spirit of phrensie as that they are like men halfe dead For marke how the wicked striue to bee at rest and peace That is they forget God as much as in them lieth so become very brutish And yet in despight of their teeth God will put them in minde of him and when hee appeareth vnto them they tremble as before their Iudge And besides they haue an hundreth thousand witnesses for their own consciences are more then all the actions in the world yea they cannot but condemne themselues And although God seemeth to hold his peace yet cannot the wicked be pardoned but that they must needes be enforced to feele their curse Esay 48.22 and 57.21 And therefore as Esaie witnesseth There is no peace for the wicked But as S. Paul saith to the Ephesians Christ is our peace because hee hath conioyned and vnited vs vnto God his father Ephes 2.14 Marke also why in the first chapter to the Romanes hee saith That beeing iustified by faith wee are at peace with God Hee maketh a difference of the peace of the wicked that is to say betweene the peace which they seeke after and cannot finde it and the peace of the faithfull The wicked wil turne their backe vpon God and flie from him as farre as they possibly can but the faithful come before him and acknowledge him for their father because they know that he wil not impute their sinnes vnto them forsomuch as Iesus Christ hath forgiuen them them And thus haue they peace and reioyce in the infinite mercies which hee hath bestowed vppon them And therfore it is not without cause that Iesus Christ is called the king of peace And there is more in it then so for the faithfull are not only assured for the time present but also for the time to come For they knowe that God hath begun his work in them conditionally that he wil performe it Philip. 1.6 And therfore their trust is that hee will neuer faile them but that he will more and more guide and gouerne them vntill they come vnto his kingdome Thus we see how we haue peace and shall possesse it in Iesus Christ because that without him we cannot be but the enemies of God and as we make warre against him through our sinnes and rebellions hee cannot choose also but arme himselfe against vs. Heere is also to bee noted that hee was a Priest for euer when as Melchisedech was brought in as yesterday was touched without beginning without end and without any petygree And it was to this ende that wee might knowe that although our Lorde Iesus Christ was in the fulnes of time sent yet that he was the sonne of the eternall God that hee was also appointed to be the Redeemer before the creation of the world Colos 1.15 16.17 For hee is the first borne of all creatures because that in him by him all things were made also that he according to the wonderfull counsell of God should restore all things forsomuch as all things both in heauen in earth were dissipated after the fall of Adam who ouerthrew all the creatures with him Howbeit all things were restored by our Lord Iesus Christ knowing also as the Apostle in the last Chapter to the Hebrewes saith That Iesus Christ is yesterday Heb. 13.8 and to day and the same for euer that his power doth and shall shew it selfe vnto the end of the world Marke then how wee must altogither haue recourse vnto this power which the fathers themselues felt and proued before such time as he was manifested in the flesh nothing doubting that although men may be absent from him and that there is a great space betweene heauen and earth yet notwithstanding that we shall continually bee quickened by his life enriched by his benefites and vpholden and preserued by his power For seeing the Sunne which is but an insensible creature fructifieth the earth giueth heate thereunto and that God by meane thereof nourisheth and vpholdeth vs what shall it be in respect of Iesus Christ who is no insensible creature no no creature at all but verie God manifested in the flesh yea our Mediatour on whome GOD hath bestowed whatsoeuer is requisite for our saluation Thus wee see in summe what wee haue to learne heereby Now where the Papists all such as beare the name of Christians ought by this place of Moses to bee taught that Iesus Christ is an onelie King and Priest that hath vnited vs vnto GOD his Father and who also is the cause that the Father holdeth vs vnder his protection they haue turned it cleane contrarie to that which is here set downe And this error was not begunne by the Papists let vs not laie more vpon them then in deede is due vnto them for they haue blasphemies inough amongst
more to encrease his graces in vs. And besides these praiers of ours must haue regard vnto the times past concerning our giuing of thanks and praises vnto him for the same that is we must protest that whatsoeuer good wee haue commeth from him and bee so contented as that although wee should be neuer so much vexed and grieued yet must we still reioyce forsomuch as we haue knowne and proued him to bee a father vnto vs and hath also shewed himselfe to bee such a one in deed by reason of the benefites which hee hath heeretofore bestowed vppon vs. And this is it which wee are heere to obserue As concerning the words of Melchisedech BLESSED BE GOD WHICH HATH DELIVERED THINE ENEMIES INTO THINE HAND The same telleth vs that all victorie commeth from GOD. And also that Abram through his owne industrie prowes and valure discomfite not the Kings of whome mention is made but GOD whiche conducted him True it is that Abram surprised his enemies in the night as wee haue heard and hee did it because hee was no expert man of warre now to what ende serueth all this saue onely to shewe that it was GOD whiche gaue him that prosperous successe Wee see also that although DAVID had a strong and mightie araie and had valiant and renowmed souldiers and himselfe likewise an expert man of warre besides that God had made him a king Psal 18.32.33 yet hee saith That it was God that had giuen him the feet of an Hart that it was he that had aduanced him and so strengthened him as that he brake in sunder the barres of brasse that it was he that had ouerthrowne his enemie Dauid then protesteth that there was nothing in him as of himselfe that got him all his victories Seeing then that Dauid who in the iudgement of men had the means to discomfit his enemies and yet confesseth without hipocrisie that all was to be attributed vnto God and vnto himselfe to the end that his name might thereby bee glorified what shall we then say Abram who neuer in all his life followed the warres neither yet euer knew as a man would say how to draw a sword And yet notwithstanding that hee should vanquish such a multitude of people who were alreadie puffed vp with presumption by reason they had discomfited their enemies and pilled and sacked fiue Cities and therefore we must needs conclude that it was the Lord which did it Now therefore how euer it is wee are to gather from this place that if wee lift vp but one of our fingers we must confesse it to be God that conducteth vs thereunto to the end wee might not take vpon vs any thing with a presumptuous arrogancy as if we could do any thing of our selues and were men of abilitie and great power Let those then which are to take in hand warres or gouernments of common weales or any other matters of importance put themselues into rhe hands of God knowing that it is not without cause that hee is called the God of Hostes And thus much for this point Moreouer wee are to apply this vnto a second vse which is concerning the spirituall power that is giuen vnto vs to surmount ouercome Sathan with all and whatsoeuer is against our saluation We fight not faith Paul against flesh blood but against principalities powers in high places against the diuels which haue fiery dartes flying Thus wee see how wee must bee exercised Seeing then that the diuell is our principall enemie and that the darts swords and all the meanes which he hath to hurt vs are spirituall let vs learne to call vpon our God For what power haue we Or what agilitie And therefore it is God that must fight for vs and let vs bee quiet stil and stand as if we had our hands bound behind vs and yet not so neither but that we must do our endeuours because all the faithfull must valiantly fight against the lustes of their flesh and yet must the power come from aboue and they aduichilate all opinion of their free-will and strength which is the drunkennes of Popery when as they proudly lift themselues vp against GOD. To bee short wee must therefore I say acknowledge that we can do nothing as of our selues neither as concerning our bodies or yet our soules But seeing that God hath taken the charge vpon him to conduct vs let vs vnderstand and bee fullie perswaded that hee hath strength inough for vs and that wee can doo nothing without him and yet are able to do all things by him and through him Let vs now prostrate our selues and fall downe before the maiestie of our good God in acknowledging our oftences beseechyng him to touch vs daily more and more with such repentance as that wee may groane to obtaine forgiuenes of all our iniquities which make vs indebted ynto him seeke after him by that meane which he hath establushed vs in that is by the meane of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ knowing that sith wee are reconciled by his death and passion that God will not leaue vs but accept vs for his welbeloued children although wee bee miserable wretched creatures full of sinne and iniquitie Morcouer that it would please him by his holy spirit so to streng then vs as that wee may feele that the principall power and dominion was not giuen in vaine vnto our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ for so much as he hath enriched vs with spirituall blessings of which in our owne nature we are altogither bare That he will not onely shew vs this fauour but vnto all other people also c. THE THIRD SERMON of Melchisedech wherein is treated of the vse and right of tithes and also of an oath Gen. Cap. 14. And Abram gaue tithe of all vnto Melchisedech 21 Then the king of Sodome saide to Abram giue me the persons and take the goods to thy selfe 22 And Abram said to the king of Sodome I haue lift vp mine hand vnto the Lord the most high God possessor of heauen and earth 23 That I will not take of all that is thine so much as a thread or shoolatchet lest thou shouldest saie I haue made Abram rich 24 Saue onely that which the yoong men haue eaten and the part of the men which went with mee Aner Eshcol and Mamre let them take their parts IT was yesterday handled by vs at large that Melchisedech of whom mention here is made was a figure image of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ because hee was in dignitie aboue Abram who was the Father of the Church and as it is likewise said in the Psalme That the Redeemer that was to come Psal 110.2.4 should not be onely a king but also a priest after the order of Melchisedech We haue also shewed why all this was spoken to what purpose it serueth vs and what benefite wee receiue thereby Lastly the blessing likewise was set foorth that is that
done whatsoeuer is commanded vs yet must we needes confesse that we are vnprofitable seruants And why so what are we at our owne choise and libertie to doo what wee lust Is there anie thing in vs that is our owne no verely and therefore cannot we plead any merit albeit we perfectly fulfilled the law Whereuppon then dependeth the confidence which wee take in our workes Forsooth euen vpon this promise That whosoever shall do these thinges shall liue by them For God bounde himselfe hereunto of his owne accord albeit hee was not in reason tied vnto it Wherefore when as S. Paul speaketh of the workes of the law he sheweth that although God hath promised to all those to whom he hath made promise that how many soeuer shall accomplish all which hee hath commanded by the righteousnes of the law shall be reputed taken to be righteous and haue thereby euerlasting life notwithstanding that the workes of the law cannot do it And why so because they still leaue vs vnder the curse of the law and condemnation for wee can do nothing else but sinne so long as we remain in this tabernacle of the flesh and hee whatsoeuer hee is that shall thinke himselfe to be most righteous shall neuer be able to acquite and discharge himselfe of the hundreth part of his duetie therein What shall we then doo but euen hold downe our heades and prostrate our selues at the feete of our Iudge and so craue pardon and forgiuenes as heereafter shall be more largely let downe Let vs now then returne vnto the place depending vpon that which I haue alreadie touched which is that Iesus Christ is set before vs to iustitie vs in all things whereof the law of Moses was neuer able to do For it shuld seem that they thought themselues to be holpeÌ„ as wel by the ceremonies as also by all the rest of the law to make them of great account before God and to be able to please him for if they failed then had they the sacrifices as fit remedies as the sprinkeling of blood to cleanse them certaine washings also to make satisfaction vnto God and many other promises besides It should seeme then that all this was nothing to make them acceptable before God but contrariwise that Iesus Christ must come to iustifie vs of those thinges whereof the law was neuer able to do What is ment by this saying to iustifie vs of things That is to saie to pardon and forgiue vs them Wee see now by this place which I haue alreadie spoken of that the righteousnes which Moses here speaketh of is not a thing resident in our persons But Gods free forgiuing of vs when as hee is mercifull and louing vnto vs albeit we are no whit worthy thereof for this which Moses heere setteth downe shal neuer be able to be found in any man whatsoeuer but in Iesus Christ who must onely iustifie vs and how is that that is if the Diuell shall accuse vs and God readie to iudge and condemne vs then will Iesus Christ answere for vs as our suretie Thus we see how the obedience of Iesus Christ serueth vs as a cloake to couer al our rebellions and iniquities It is he that hath satisfied for vs and discharged vs of all our debtes by the merit of his death shed his precious bloud to wash vs withall To be short we finde in the person of the Sonne of God whatsoeuer is requisite to make vs acceptable before him because our sinnes are not imputed vnto vs. Here then we see in summe what we are to remember from this place We are now to proceed somewhat further that is to say that when God hath once for all receiued vs thus to mercy how hee continueth holdeth and voweth vs for righteous all the daies of our liues and euen in death also for this is the principal point wherat we must aime come vnto howbeit we cannot at this time staÌ„d to handle it Let it suffice theÌ„ to the end things might be well kept in minde that wee know vnderstand what the open way is that wee must haue to be partakers of the euerlasting saluation which commeth vnto vs by Iesus Christ the sonne of God that is wee must know vnderstand how miserable wretched our state and condition is not by confessing the same with our mouthes onely or hauing a vain imagination swimming in our brains therof But to be so sorrowfully wounded and greeued as that wee be confounded before the maiestie of God euen to the very hating detesting of our owne selues And wheÌ„ we shall thus rightly iudge of our selues then shall wee be sure that God will forgiue vs. And when wee shall bee thus mortified in our selues then shall wee finde life in Iesus Christ For it is not inough that we knowe our selues to bee verie wretched sicke creatures and poore and needie souleâ—â— but we must be dead altogither to the end we might by the onely grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be reuiued And that hereupon we may bee so humbled as the scripture willeth vs which is to giue vnto god that honor that is due vnto him And it is not without cause that Dauid speaketh Psal 51.17 when as he saith That it is an humble and contrite heart which God requireth For wee shall neuer come vnto him except wee bee altogither cast downe in our selues And then wee must carry this minde and affection with vs that we are wonderfully grieued perplexed in our distresses and then will we in deed confesse that we are not righteous And then also shall our desire and affection be so enflamed as that we shall not looke for our righteousnes in our merits but cleane contrary and hauing cast away all arrogancy looke for all our benefit and saluation in his onely Sonne and so when wee haue once knowne that hee hath pluckt vs out of the shadow of death our mouthes shall then be open and disposed to preach his vnspeakable praises according to that saying of Saint Peter treating of the end of our saluation in the first Chapiter of his first Canonicall Epistle Let vs now prostrate our selues before the maiestie of our good God in acknowledging our sinnes beseeching him to cause vs more and more to feele them and so to gouerne vs by his holie spirit as that we seek after nothing els but the glorifying and blessing of his holie name and to acknowledge how many maner of waies we are bound vnto him euen holding of him all the hope of life we haue and al that while not to be weary in seruing of him but do the best wee can to conforme vs vnto his holie will vntil such time as hee hath so spoiled vs of all the corruptions of our flesh as that we may be wholy cloathed with his righteousnes So shall wee all say O Almightie God and heauenly Father c. THE THIRD SERMON of Iustification Gen. Cap. 15. 6 Abram beleeued the
Lord and hee counted that vnto him for Righteousnes WE heard yesterday that wee must in no case part stakes with God in the matter of our saluatioÌ„ but all praise must bee giuen to him for it For when we shall throughly looke into whatsoeuer can be found in vs wee must conclude that we are so voyd of all integritie as that there is nothing in vs but all corruption and so consequently nothing but death Ro. 1.17 Ga. 3.11 Now it is not inough for vs to know that God alone is to be glorified and we our selues as it were to bee assured to bee of no worth for if we do not so without wee haue shutte vp the gate of saluation against our selues For where Saint Paul alledgeth out of the Prophet Habacuck That wee liue by faith wee are thereby taught that faith is as it were the keye that openeth vnto vs the kingdome of heauen If it bee then our inheritance wee must needes beeing the children come thether and wee cannot bee the children of God as Saint Iohn in his first Chapiter saith but by faith Ioh. â— 12 Nowe this faith as we haue alreadie sayd importeth a certaintie And see also why it is sayd That wee may crie with open mouth that God is our Father and that except hee be so wee cannot bee reputed to bee his children And from whence commeth this crie Forsooth as Saint Paul saith as well in the eighth to the Romanes Ro. 8 1â— Gala. 5.6 as also in the fifth to the Galathians euen from the spirite of adoption And therefore the spirite of GOD doth so certefie our spirite that we are his children by adoption as that wee may without scruple or doubt call vppon him as our Father And in another place also it is saide Eph. 1.13.14 2. Cor. 1.22 That hee is called the seale of the inheritance of saluation which we wait and looke for Seeing then it is so that the certaintie of faith importeth that we are gods adopted children and that our saluation is grounded therupoÌ„ there must also be put to a seal as a signe and token that it is infallible Here then wee see that it is not inough for vs to confesse that God is the author of our saluatioÌ„ the same to be attributed to him only but we must also on the other sides come vnto him priuatly cal vpoÌ„ him as our father and be fully resolued that he will not forsake vs. Now this certaintie the Papists could neuer skill of but doo strongly and constantly repugne it saying that wee may not in anie wise resolue that God alloweth and liketh vs and that we stand in his grace and fauour but onely that wee may haue some probable coniecture thereof Now to say thus is vtterly to ouerthrow the whole foundation of Christianitie And in very deed when Saint Paul speaketh of this matter hee driueth vs vnto this reason Ro. 4.14 which is that if we depend vpon the law and trust vnto it then is Faith but vaine and the promise made of none effect And why so Forsooth it is not because God is not faithfull for his part but because we shal neuer be able to attaine vnto the accomplishment of that which is required for our saluation For God doth verâ—ly promise vs recompense when as we shall haue serued him and kept whatsoeuer he hath commanded vs from the one end to the other God vndoubtedly promiseth vs all that Now this is an impossible condition For neuer man yet hath accomplished the lawe nor neuer shall So then we for our parts are neuer able to effect performe this promise And therfore we shall alwaies be reasoning wauering and out of quiet and in the end fall into dispaire when as we shall go about to bring our workes with vs to keepe Audite and an account with God for it is saide in the 144. Psalme Psa 144.2 Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for no man liuing shall be iustified in thy sight And therfore we must conclude that we shal be euer vexed and troubled and our spirits wonderfully perplexed if we had not saluation elfe where then from our merits And for the better vnderstanding hereof let vs wel weigh consider of that which hath been alreadie spoken that is wee must not thinke to paie God with nifles For it is a fearefull thing to haue him against vs. Now he cannot otherwise be but so long as wee shall presume vpon workes For we do euen so much derogate from him and robbe him of his right as hath been heretofore shewed that whosoeuer hath not his mouth stopped from attributing vnto himselfe the least glorie and his mouth wide to confesse God only to be iust without doubt that man opposeth himself vnto his maiestie Now we shal neuer obtaine our sute against him but the condemnation will stil light vpon our owne heads And therfore let vs not wittingly and in deed prouoke his wrath against vs besides it cannot be chosen but that wee must needs be out of our wits when as we wil trust vnto our merites And heerein is a twyfold abuse which also bringeth with it a third The one is when as we thinke to recken with God hand ouer head as the Papists do And although they faile in many things yet make they themselues belieue that hee accepteth them Now God hath promised nothing but to such as shall accomplish the whole lawe And therefore let vs note well these words That whosoeuer shall do all the things written in the lawe Leuâ— 18.5 shall liue by them It is not saide one part onely Which also agreeth with the saying of Saint Iames Iam. 2.11 That hee which forbad to commit adulterie forbad also to steale For although a man shall haue liued all the dayes of his life chastly and yet bee guiltie of some other precept hee is neuerthelesse but a damned soule Mat. 19.6 And why so Forsooth because that that which God hath coupled togither we must not seperate The righteousnes of the lawe is coupled and vnited togither and therefore we must not pretend to cut it in pieces gobets nor deuide it Let vs now then consider whether we be able in part or in whole so to acquite our selues as that the whole course of our life may not bee amended Alas what are wee then And as Salomon saith who can saie I haue cleansed mine hart Pro. 20.9 In very deed there are a great many that thinke they haue because there are a great many of hypocrites in the world And therefore that man as I haue alreadie said that is at that point must needs be more then sensles for if he consider with what a iudge he hath to deale withall how euer it fall out when as wee shall haue well bethoght vs of all the matter without doubt if wee bring with vs vnto him one ounce or perhappes an halfe ounce there will
charitable because they right well knowe that they shall not loose their labour as it is written Yea but how know they that Forsooth by the testimonie of the Gospell Now what are the words of the Gospel Verily Rom. 3. that God will bee mercifull vnto vs if so wee beleeue in his onelie sonne For the righteousnes which is there offered vs as saint Paul saith hath borne witnes of the law But is not holpen by the law that is to say by whatsoeuer works we are able to doo But because wee are grounded on the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ This Text then sheweth vs that the faithfull may bee a great deale better and more earnestly disposed to serue God because they knowe that their paines shall be accepted And yet notwithstanding they rest themselues vpon this free goodnes which is promised them because they flie vnto our Sauiour Iesus Christ Heere wee see how grosly the Papists are deceiued For from this word Reward they draw the word Merite as if they would play the Alcumistes Now there is great difference betweene the one and the other For what importeth this word Merite To Merite is to make God bound vnto vs that we might say I haue wel deserued this thing or that I am worthy of it And he which doth not acknowledge the Merite is vnthankfull if hee discharge his duetie vnto him vnto whom he is bound and beholden If we could then deserue any thing at Gods handes it must needs follow that he for his part should he beholden vnto vs and doo vs wrong if he paid vs not that which he ought vs. True it is that he is pur debtor but a voluntary debtor For hee shall neuer find any thing in vs why hee should be beholden vnto vs but bindeth himselfe by his promises Now in very deede hee hath promised vs Reward but it is of his owne free gift and of no desert of ours for that were to come from a poste to a pudding-prick to go so from one to another and to conclude that these two words are all one where there is so great diuersitie Wherefore let vs not meruaile though the Papistes still conclude their Arguments thus and storme when we say That works cannot iustifie vs. For their supposall is false that is to say that if GOD rewardeth those that are his that therefore he is bound to doo it and that they are also worthy of it and that their workes import some Merite Nowe all this is not worth a straw The reason I haue alredy shewed to wit that when God promiseth vs Reward it is not because that wee are worthy thereof but because it pleaseth him to adde grace vnto grace and all of his meere mercie goodnes and liberalitie Now we are alwaies to keepe this in minde and in very deede what should we look for at his hands if we had nothing but that that we deserue Assuredly we should be driuen to that vnquietnes vvhereof vvee erst spake that vve should alvvaies bee in doubt and perplexed And therefore our faith must bee certaine And this is that in summe vvhich heere vve are to remember Let vs now come vnto the wordes of Saint Iames who seemeth to be contrarie vnto S. Paul and all the rest of the holie Scriptures as we haue alreadie spoken Iames. 2.24 For Saint Iames saith That we are not iustified by faith but by workes A man would thinke that there could not be found two places more contrarie one to the other as to say That we are iustified by faith onely without works and that we are iustified by workes and not by faith and yet notwithstanding it is most certaine that S. Iames who spake by the spirite of God gainsaid not the doctrine which was preached and published from the beginning in the Church ratified by the Prophets and which hath beene lastly more notably confirmed by our Lorde Iesus Christ and by his Apostles Howbeit the solution is verie easie when as wee shall looke into the drift and meaning of S. Iames For he reasoneth not there what true faith may do neither doeth he speake at all of true faith but of a counterfait faith and such as is but like vnto an image and an illusion For he reasoneth there against such as vnder the colour of Christianitie will take libertie to do al wickednes as at this daye there are too too many And besides the diuel doth so bestirre himselfe to blind vs as he would make vs beleeue that all our sinnes are forgiuen vs and so vnder the name of Christianitie would make vs become verie brutish and thereby peruert all And to bring also the doctrine of the Gospell professors into a slaunder to the end also it might be thought that the doctrine of the Gospell did ouerthrow good workes would not haue vs worship and serue God as the Papistes at this day despitefully reproche vs therewithall VVherefore S. Iames seeing many dissolute and profane people thus falsly abuse the name of the Gospell and pretended the name Faith He saith well Let mee see thy faith without workes and I will shewe thee my faith by my workes whereby he sufficiently sheweth that his meaning was not to speake of such a faith as we haue defined that is that we should be certaine and sure of the goodnes of God by his word and knowe him to be our Father through our Lorde Iesus Christ Now S. Iames speaketh not of such a faith as this is and that which is not such a one cannot bring foorth workes VVe haue alreadie said that by faith we receiue the spirite of our Lord Iesus Christ And he and his spirite cannot be separated And wee knowe that it is said That it is not giuen vnto vs onely for righteousnes but for sanctification also that is to say that wee might be purged of all the filthie lustes of our flesh That we might be made like vnto the righteousnes of God So then if S. Iames had spoken of this true faith it had beene great follie for him to haue said Shewe me thy faith without workes and I will shewe thee my faith by my worlds as is he would haue said that true faith is so conioyned with good workes as without them it is dead to wit it is no faith as afterward he saith And therefore S. Iames right well sheweth that he spake not of a faith which embraceth the promises of God and by which we are certified of our saluation And herein the Papistes do grossely abuse them-selues to forge vnto themselues a faith which they call vnformed that is to say without figure or shape and say that faith of it selfe is as it were but like a piece of earth or claye which a man shoulde take to dawbe withall Here yee see say they what faith is And besides they saie that when Charitie is conioyned thereto then it is like a pot that is made of the same piece or lump of earth which before
shevve your selues like vnto him or else you mocke God in prophaning so holy and sacred a thing as the name of faith and righteousnes is Here vve see saint Iames his meaning out of this Text But these Popish mastiue Curres can no vvhit skill of this and vvhat is the reason Verily because they contemne God hovvbeit you shall heare them vvith open mouth talke of good vvorkes and a man vvoulde thinke to heare them debate thereof that they vvere Angels and yet you may see vvhat they are And I vvould to God that the vvhole state of their life vvere not altogether dissolute for a man shall finde neither Monke nor Fryar Doctor nor yet any of that shorne Rable but they are either rybauldes skorners of God vvhoremongers drunkards blasphemers To bee short it shoulde seeme that they had conspired vvith the Diuell to bring the vvhole vvorld vnto confusion And yet for all this they vvil pretend good vvorks and speake of nothing else And therefore it is no meruaile although they bee so blind But to speak but a vvord of that vvhich vve haue explaned out of saint Iames vve are to note that vve ar iustified but not vvithout vvorks yet vve are iustified vvithout vvorks vvhen vve say that vvee are iustified but not vvithout vvorkes vve separate not this And hovv so verily because that he vvho is iustified before God by faith is as much to say that God forgiueth him his sinnes beleeueth in the passion and death of our Lord Iesus Christ and knoweth that by his resurrection he receiueth life from him So then vvhosoeuer beleeueth after this sort is not iustified vvithout vvorkes And vvhy Because that God bestovveth his holie spirit vpon him vvhich so reformeth him as that good vvorkes cannot be chosen but be ioyned together vvith faith And yet is the other saying also true to vvite that vve are iustified vvithout vvorkes that is to saie vvithout any helpe of good vvorkes so as vve alvvaies remain bound vnto God Here vvee see tvvo places vvithout altering the vvordes vvherein it should seeme they vvere altogether diuers and sundry as to say that we are iustified without works that we are not iustified without works howbeit the meaning is that works are not for all this the cause of our saluation as to make them merite any whit before God so as to accept vs according to our worthines But it is because that as I haue already said our Sauiour Iesus Christ beareth vs not onely a simple grace and fauour but a double that is to say that on the one side he couereth all our iniquities and offences through his pure obedience and appeaseth the wrath of God his father by that Sacrifice which hee offered vp once for all to make satisfaction for our sinnes And yet hee so ruleth and gouerneth vs in the meane while by his holy spirite whome hee hath receiued in all fulnes and resteth vpon him that if so be we doo not abuse his grace bestowed vpon vs we are freed from the bands of Sathan that we might take good heede as S. Peter saith not to follow the lusts and desires of the flesh This then wee see may suffice for the exposition of this place Nowe Moses addeth immediately following that God spake againe vnto Abram and said I am the Lord which brought thee out of Vr of the Chaldees to giue thee this Land to inherite it Here we see that God reitereateth his promises for the confirming nourishing and increasing of Abram his faith vntill such time as it was growne vnto a full perfection VVherevppon wee are to conclude that although Abram was the mirrour and patterne of all the faithfull and the very Image of righteousnes yet was his faith imperfect For else the promise that is here set downe were superfluous For if the faith of Abram was so throughly confirmed as that it coulde not bee amended God needed not to haue spoken any more And why so The promises haue this vse and benefit that they draw vs vnto faith and when wee haue gotten it they are to leade vs to the right way to incourage and stirre vs vp to goe on valiantly to refresh vs when we are almost weary to augment our vertue when it beginneth to faile and to be weake Here I say we see why our Sauiour Iesus Christ testifieth declareth vnto vs of his meere goodnes that he is our God that is to begin faith in vs or els to bring it to perfection And therefore wee must conclude that it was needfull for Abram to goe somewhat further And hereby we see that although our faith be vnperfect yet that God ceaseth not to iustifie vs. And what is the reason Because he imputeth not the infirmity that is in it vnto vs but how euer it is wee are here admonished by this place not to bee preuented by any foolish opinion of our owne as a great many of men are who thinke themselues to be such great Clarks as that they will not once vouchsafe to come any more vnto the schoole of God Let vs therefore vnderstand and know that although our faith were greater and more powerfull than now it is yet must wee be schollers all our life long to haue the word of God sounding in our cares and to haue our memories rubbed ouer refreshed that we might not forget that which wee haue learned that that which hath not taken deepe roote in our heartes may receiue a better and deeper impression and that God when he hath cast his seede into vs according to saint Paul his comparison wee may daily water it in vs For it were not inough to haue the seede cast into the grounde without God shoulde sende downe raine from heauen and bedewe it for when the husband-man shall haue done his duety in tilling the lande it is to no purpose without GOD should giue increase thereof from heauen Euen so must it bee with vs when as wee shall haue receiued the seede of the incorruptible life GOD must raine downe from heauen that is to say hee must continually benefite and strengthen our faith which cannot be except we be daily instructed from his mouth Let vs nowe come to the contents of this sentence I am the Lord which brought the out of Vr of the chaldees These words here are inserted for Abram to cause him to eschew all Idolatry and superstition wherein he had been hertofore brought vp For as it is often shewed vnto vs out of the holy Scripture that we must not worship God confusedly nor imagine him to bee such a one as we thinke But wee must know what God that is which we must flie vnto and must bee separated distinguished from all the imaginations deuises of mans braine whereby we so greatly deceiue our selues and are also deceiued by Sathan And that is the reason which S. Paul maketh in his Epistle to the Hebrewes the eleuenth Chapter and the sixth verse saying When wee will come
liuing God In all this as I haue already said hee shewed very excellent vertues But Moses addeth another sacrifice which is farre greater and much more exquisite that is Abraham was inforced to kill his sonne yea euen his owne only sonne Nowe this was an Obedience vnto God beyond all measure surpassing any mans power to performe although in very deede we ought to be his both in life and death But that which is here commaunded Abraham to doo is farre beyond all the rest For the matter in question is not onely of Abraham his full Obedience towards God in forsaking himselfe and in hauing his sonne to bee taken from him which was giuen him and so to bee quite and cleane rid of him when as it should please God to take him from him and to suffer all this patiently This I say is not the question but the matter is that hee must kill him with his owne handes Now this is such an hard and strange thing as that the very hearing of it once spoken off is able to astonish and kill the very heart of any man It is not then without cause that Moses from the nineteenth Chapter after he had hertofore spoken of the life of Abraham setteth downe this Acte Gen. 12.1 and saith that after these thinges God againe tempted him Now it was a very great temptation when as God tooke him from his fathers house for so the wordes import when he said Get thee out of thy fathers house and from all thy kinsfolkes and from the place where thou wert borne and I pray you where could hee finde a better place to dwell in This is the Countrie which I meane to bring thee vnto a Country forsooth which he neuer knewe and therefore he must be there like a feather cast into the wind not knowing which way to winde himselfe This I say was a grieuous temptation to Abraham when as he must needs go whither God called him not knowing whither and yet neuertheles this was as it were his a b c. Thus we see how God beginneth when as he meneth to teach in his school And hee was no sooner come into the lande but that hee was eftsoones driuen out thereof as it were with famine and his wife also taken from him And the next time also we see that hee was vexed in euery place and could haue no rest any where for there was not any one within all the Country which did not set himselfe against him and yet he patiently endured and suffered all these thinges And yet notwithstanding hee did not once muâ—mure against GOD but indured all the troubles and afflictions that were laid vpon him without discouragement being farre vnlike vnto those that are so delicate and effeminate as that if GOD deale not with them to their owne good liking they will clout it vp together and quite and cleane forget their obedience towardes his Maiestie And although Abraham was this roughly handâ—ed yet conunued he the course hee began But how long suffered he all these tryals hee was not onely thus dealt withall three or fower yeares together but was so tumbled and tossed as that vvhen he had passed tvventy thirty and forty years in that Land he was to beginne againe to abide vvorse stormes than hee had at any time before bidden as to bee inforced to forsake the loue of his eldest sonne and to bee vtterly spoiled of him vvhich vvas to him more griefe and sorrovv than a very kinde of death it selfe After hee had sustained these great and most grieuous temptations that GOD had promised to giue him the Land yet vvas hee so baited as if hee had not beene vvorthy once to haue set his foote in any place of the Land God had also promised him seede Gen. 15.3 but that came not neither vntill such time as hee was foure score yeares olde and his wife barren so as it seemed vnto them that this promise was but a very mockerie And when hee was an hundred yeares olde he had Isaak But Ismael must be thrust out of the dores and bee banished as heretofore we haue heard If we could well sauour and tast these temptations without doubt we should be wonderfully amazed to see Abraham haue such a powerfull and constant faith to fight against such assaults and to ouercome them Now then when it is saide After these things it is to shew that God meaneth to set before vs in the person of Abraham such a spectacle as that whensoeuer wee shall come to the fight it shall not bee hurtfull vnto vs to followe his steppes neither yet thinke it strange or any newe thing to conforme and fashion our selues like vnto him who is father of the whole Church But yet this is most certain that although euery man woulde throughly looke vnto the temptations which he is to suffer yet shall he not be able to see the hundreth part of that which wee see in Abraham And therefore this is to bee noted that as God had bountifully bestowed the giftes and graces of his holy spirite vpon him so also meant hee to make a through tryall of his faith for God will not haue his gifts lie a rusting and bee vnprofitable in vs But will deale with euery man according to that measure of his graces which he hath vouchsafed vs. For hee prepareth vs to indure them or els vve vvere neuer able to vndergoe them nor once moue one finger to doo vvel except the Lord doth so dispose the same and giueth vs the power to doo it And therefore whensoeuer he putteth vs to the Combat he bestoweth the graces of his holy spirite vpon vs. Now forsomuch as Abraham had great perfection in comparison of vs according as wee are men see how God also prooued him with such strange sorts of tryalls as wee are neuer able to come nere vnto Howbeit so much the lesse excuse haue wee for our idlenes coldnes and wantonnes if we follow not at least in some measure our father Abraham And although the constancy of our faith be not equal vnto his yet if wee indeuour not our selues to follow him some what aloofe as we say according to our abilitie and infirmitie without doubt we shall be without all excuse So then wee haue from hence to gather That Abraham was all his life long tormented both in soule and bodie and yet when it was come eueÌ„ to the vpcast as we say God would needs prooue him without all comparison more liuely than euer at any time before he had done so that it had beene able to haue madehim a hundred thousand times to haue dispaired had he not in most wonderfuâ— manner confirmed him therein by his holy spirit To vvhat ende is this matter of Abrahams recited vs The benefite that euery one shuld make of these temptations of Abraham It is not because vve should vvonder at his vertue and magnifie and commende his so great povver and strength But to the end to
of this doctrine at this day as euer vvee had For generally if vvee make profession of Christianity VVee must looke to bee eseemed as heretiques and dogs and to haue the vvorld iudge vs to seeke nothing els but innouations and troubles and to bee very Rebels and that vvee haue forsaken God and to bee short that vvee are farre vvorse than Apostataes Thus vve see hovv the Papists speake daily of vs. Novv if vvee be so effeminate and haue such itching eares as vve see a great many that vvould faine keepe themselues in their good reputation vvithout doubt vve shall cunningly davvbe and smooth ouer euery thing and so in the end forsake God VVherefore vvee are so much the rather rightly to meditate vppon this doctrine To vvit vvee must not care vvhat reputation vve haue vvith men so that vve be approued before God VVe may also come to particulars as if any man shall vvalke in the simplicitie of his heart godly and honestly yee shall haue some fall a scoffing at him yee shall haue other some call him hypocrite and another sort vvill say that he doth it for gaine Thus we see how the Diuell by these subtle practises goeth about to make vs become dissolute VVherefore we are to learne so to apply all our senses vnto God as that although men neuer so vniustly blame vs yet let not vs be mooued once to bend or yeeld but haue an eie alwaies vnto the way that is set before vs. VVe see also what collection we are to make heereof what a strong faith Abraham had when he was thus qualified for hee premeditated these things as if he had been at his ease For if we be any whit passioned then haue a purpose to doo good yet shall our mindes many times be carryed away and shal become so blockish as that wee cannot tell at which end to beginne nor what order to take VVe see it in those that are of the greatest magnanimitie that when they are perplexed they wil not goe so directly to a matter as otherwise they could Now Abraham must needs haue a troubled minde amongst all the fantasies which were in his head as to thinke surely my Seruants will keepe me from dooing this Act because they will thinke me to be mad and in steede of binding my sonne they will bind me and carry mee backe in spite of my teeth into some house and there keepe me like a mad and sauáge beast as if God had vtterly condemned me Now Abraham foresaw all these thinges Hereby wee may iudge that in the middest of these darknesses he was so enlightened by the spirite of God as that he had alwaies counsell discretion accordingly as he had need therof VVe are therefore by his example let to vnderstand that when wee haue such great passions as may astonish vs so as wee knowe not which way to turne vs Let vs beseech the Lord to direct vs. And although our natural senses be confounded yet that the brightnes of the faith which wee haue may so ouercome as that wee may knowe which way to hold Now Moses hath here before recyted that God sent yet a farre more sharpe torture vnto his seruant Abraham than to any of the rest For as he was going on the way with his sonne Isaak he said vnto his father My father wee must not thinke that this speâ—ch came from Isaak at all a verie venture â—s we say But God had determined so to racke the fâ—ith of Abraham as if he would haue rent his heart in pieces For there was nothing in the world that wouâ—d haue so grieued Abraham as these kinde and louing words My father Now this was a sword to wound Abraham euen to death and yet as I haue alreadie said all this came from the counsell of God who meaneth here to set before vs a patterne and glasse of this his great constancie that whensoeuer wee shal be put to fight against all the temptations of the world wee might vnderstand that hardly shal we be able to abide the hundreth part of that he abode yet he ouercame it Then Abraham said vnto him Here am I my sonne And soone after Isaak said vnto him Loe here is wood fire we are going to do sacrifice to what purpose for here is neuer a beast to offer in sacrifice Isaak right wel knew that they went to offer a burnt offring vnto God but he knew not what it was that should be offred therefore he asked Was it possible for Abraham to be thus racked be able to beare it Yea forsooth for God would not abate him an inch of it because we might learn to haue so much the greater courage Thus we see what we haue here to retaine True it is that Moses recyteth this simply plainly Now if we should read these things without thinking why they were written without doubt we shuld haue but a cold pul of it neither should we be greatly moued with it But when as we shal haue throughly considered in what estate Abraham was and how mightily his heart was distressed ther vpon shall come to iudge when this strange temptation was put vpon him and into what anguish he might be driuen when as his sonne said vnto him My father First to see AbrahaÌ„ marke the simplicitie of his sonne then after to think with him selfe Alas poore boye thou knowest not for what purpose thou art prepared As for example If a poore man should be led to his death not knowing any thing therof although he were nothing to vs and wee not present when as he should be thus dealt withall but did only thinke vpon it and saye in our selues what a straunge thing is this to heare of a poore man ledd to the shambles as a lambe to be slaine no whit doubting of any such thing Surely the verie thinking of it would make vs shed teares Now behold Abraham he seeth his owne sonne and besides he seeth him as a lambe lead by himselfe to the shambles and him selfe also to be the man that must cut his throat and afterward burne him to ashes and to heare his soone which was with him speake so simply Where is the beast for the burnt offering To be short wee see that although God at this dâ—y should send vs all the afflictions that could be deuised yet shoulde they be nothing in respect of that which Abraham here did beare And if wee woulde alledge our infirmities and saye that our humaine passions would so carrie vs away as that wee should neuer be able to do it Why Let vs thinke that Abraham was no more made either of Iron or Steele than wee are But fall out as it would he was fully resolued to giue the whole mastrie superioritie vnto God and so subiect himselfe as to renounce and forsake him selfe Thus wee see whither we must bend our selues to come although we haue many lets by the way and although wee thinke wee
said the word that he is of power able to accomplish the same as hereafter it shall be more at large handled In that God brought Abram out of his Tent where he dwelt and made him looke vp to heauen to behold the Starres thereof wee shall not need to busie our selues about this childish subtiltie as how God compareth the church to the Starres because we are citizens of the kingdome of heauen dwelling here vppon earth as strangers alwaies trauelling further For this is not the meaning of the place And also where wee haue heeretofore spoken of dust some men in a speculatiue sort haue thought the Church to bee there set downe vnder the image and figure of dust and that the world shuld make no account of it these are nothing els but more trifling toyes without any sound ground But we see why God set before his seruant Abram the Starres of heauen to looke vppon them euen that hee might behold his power not by his owne discourse reason iudge of the truth of this promise which in the naturall conceipt of man was incredible For we shall neuer haue faith vntill such time as this fault bee amended and corrected to wit to leaue our owne naturall iudgement and cast away all our owne wisedome that we might attribute vnto God alone the honor due vnto him Now let vs see if this be not a most notable excellent glasse of the infinit power of God to behold this infinite multitude of Starres of heauen created in a moment And we see also in the Psalme why this miracle is magnified where it is said Psal 147.4 That it is he that numbreth the multitude of the Stars giueth them their names that is to say it is hee that maketh them subiect vnto him and to his gouernment And therefore when we open our eyes to behold the Stars we must by and by looke vnto their creation for in a minute assoone as God had spoken the word behold the heauen was full of this army royall as the scripture calleth them Thus we see that the heauenly hostes were created in a minute and are continually obedient vnto his maiestie We see that all the Stars keep their due course and compasse and although their reuolution be euery way great that the Planets may remoue the firmament may be all mixed togither yet wee see that they are all so directed as that wee are enforced to wonder at it Seeing then it is so no maruell though this glasse was let before the eyes of Abram for therein hee might haue thus concluded sith GOD in a moment furnished all heauen with Starres where before was not one may hee not also furnish not onely my house but an whole Country yea many Countries whensoeuer hee meaneth to bestowe posteritie vppon mee For his power is no whit lessened for hee did not onely create the world at once but after hee had created it hee miraculously preserued the same continually And therefore Abram had a sure and certaine token and as it were a pawne giuen him And heerein wee see that God knew some infirmitie to bee in him not that hee distrusted that which God had promised but because hee was a man he could not keepe himselfe within such compasse but that hee would needs aske the question how it could be possible that in his seede all the nations of the world should be blessed and therefore because his faith was somewhat weake as yesterday wee heard wee see why God after this manner added vnto him this aide and helpe And so wee haue to note in this place as in all the rest that God supporteth vs in all our weakenesse Not that we should flatter pur selues for wee are to fight against all our passions against al our euill thoughtes and affections to giue place vnto the truth of God and to hold it for certaine and infallible howbeit whatsoeuer wee doo it cannot bee but that it must in some sort bee weake and although wee know not our owne faults yet God knoweth them well inough How then should we do if hee of his infinite goodnes spared vs not Here then we see what wee are to consider from this Text where it is sayde That God confirmed Abram both in his word and in his promise as we might daily see the like in our selues if wee were not blinded in our owne malice because we regard not so narrowly and diligently the workes of God as we should But if we made benefite of all the meanes which God offreth vs that we might assure our selues of his promises wee should see that where he spared his seruant Abram as hee knoweth vs to be an hundreth times more weake that he will not for his part forget any thing which may confirme our faith Now heereupon Moses addeth and saith THAT ABRAM BELEEVED GOD and it was imputed to him for righteousnes Here wee see a Text plaine inough and at the first sight not greatly to bee stood vpon and yet the Iewes are so blockish and blinde as that they know not what it meaneth And amongst Christians also hardlie shall we find one amonst an hundreth which vnderstandeth onely the meaning of these words For if these three or foure words were truly vnderstood THAT ABRAM BELEEVED and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes without doubt it wold ouerthrow the whole state of Popery all superstitions which at this day beare sway should cease and all controuersies now in dispute be appaised For this is the key which openeth what soeuer is requisite for our saluation this is the meanes to decide all controuersies this is the foundation of all true religion to be short this is it that setteth open the heauens vnto vs if we can comprehend that which Moses heere in a word setteth downe vnto vs. And so much the more are we to detest these dogges that are so shameles as to dare to obscure such a maruellous cleare light of which sort are they which say that Abram was taken to be a wise man and that that was a vertue in him to beleeue God now we should in verie deed abhorre these dogges For these are the most wicked blasphemies that Sathan is anyway possibly able to spue out Now as for the Iewes wee are no whit to maruell at them because they had no expositor No doubt of it God mightily shined in the face of Moses howbeit they had a vale before them as S. Paul saith 2. Cor. 3.14.15 and therfore they passed ouer these words without thinking of them what they imported But they which professe themselues to bee Christians are able to shew the meaning hereof by the authoritie of Saint Paul Rom. 4.3 Gala. 3.6 when these I say shall manifestly set themselues against God and like mastiue curres fight so impudently as we see them do what reason haue they for it I do not now speake of Papists but I speake of these diuellish spirites which
will bee called Christians and will also with open mouth make profession therof and yet notwithstanding are such as bee farre worse then the Papists for they neuer went thus farre in Popery to saie that those which were damned and cursed before God could any way possibly bee saued without faith The very Papists themselues wil grant this and these dogs do vtterly reiect raze out euerie whit of this as if there were nothing els said but this So Abram a very wise man and this was the vertue in him which made him beleeue God Here we see a sort of villaines that would be accounted to be famous men and bee called Maisters and Doctours and yet are so madde and so possessed with furie as that they would vtterly ouerthrow all Wherefore wee are to bee so much the more attentiue and heedfull vnto that which is here conteined For on the one side Moses saith THAT ABRAM BELEEVED GOD and on the other side he addeth that this beleefe or faith was imputed to him for righteousnes And first we are here to define what BELEEFE is for otherwise wee shall make nothing of it And here we see how the Papists are entangled in their errors for although they confesse in part that wee are iustified by faith yet can they not fully conceiue and accept it And what is the reason Forsooth it is because they vnderstand not what this word Faith or Beleefe meaneth And for the better vnderstanding hereof we must ioyn somthing betweene faith and the promise For a man may sing well with one voice alone howbeit there will bee no perfect melodie without ther be many tunable voices agreeing togither Euen so is it with faith for if the word of God goeth not before and faith agree therwith there will neuer be any good hermony For the word of God faith are two things which cannot be seperated For so a man may speake exceeding much of beleefe and yet notwithstanding it should be as we say like an hie Almaine a barbarous kinde of speech as it is amongst the Papists vntill such time as wee bee come vnto this point that God must speak we must haue our eares open attentiue to obey and giue place vnto his word What thē is Belief It is to receiue whatsoeuer is spokē vnto vs from the mouth of god with such reuerēce as that we hold it to be certain sure And yet wee must do more then all this for God wil somtimes speak in such sort as that we shal be no whit the better to heare him We haue seene heretofore that whē he spake vnto Cayn and asked him where his brother was the Cain right well knew that he must answer before his iudge in despite of his teeth neuertheles he grombled and was angry saying who made mee my brothers keeper Adam also heard the like voice where art thou howbeit hee was so afeard as that he would haue hid himself and haue been glad to haue found some bottomles dungeon to haue fled from the presence of God Wherefore it is not inough for vs to heare the word of God with that authoritie that it deserueth but it must also be therewithall quallified that is to say it must be such a sure and certaine word vnto vs as may make vs approach neere vnto God and make vs partakers of his bountie and goodnes and not to doubt but that he wil be our Father and Sauiour and so therupon may be bold to call vppon him and hold our selues for his children flie vnto him for succour and aide Thus we see how Abram beleeued it was no fantasticall opinion which hee had conceiued in his braine Ro. 10.17 for Faith as S. Paul saith commeth by hearing and by hearing of the word of God Abram then heard and was taught before he beleeued Neither was hee instructed by anie creature or mortall man but knew right well that it was GOD which called him to be one of his children Now this had not been inough as wee haue already sayd but Abram heard these words I AM THINE EXCEEDING Gen. 15. 1 GREAT REWARD I AM THY DEFENCE FEARE NOT FOR I AM THE ALMIGHTIE GOD WHICH HATH BROVGHT THEE OVT OF CHALDE AND OVT OF HER OF THE CHALDEANS and as hereafter wee shall see and as we haue already partly handled it in the twelfth Chapter That Abram beleeued not God in hearing I cannot tell what and which apperteined nothing vnto him or to heare some perticuler speech but he beleeued God when as hee verily beleeued that hee was kept and reserued to be an inheritour of the kingdome of heauen Thus we see what his faith was But for the better vnderstanding hereof wee are to note that there is a perticuler faith and a faith also which comprehendeth whatsoeuer is requisite for our saluation As if God should now threaten vs it might so fall out as that it would moue and touch the hearts of verie hypocrites contemners of his word Now this is said to be a perticuler faith For how many do we see when as the iudgements of God are set before them to be amazed and seared as it were within with an hotte yron looking on euery side when they should fall vpon them and why so Forsooth the reason is that although they would stomacke and brag out the matter neuer so much yet shall they bee driuen to acknowledge and vnderstand that they shal neuer be able to escape the heauenly iudge his handes These men then I say haue a certain kind of faith howbeit it is but in part and it is such a peece of faith as will do them no good as for example you shall see some men assure themselues vppon a perticuler promise when as they are in daunger for if a man shall come and saie vnto them that God will haue compassion vppon them they can lyke verie well of this speech howbeit it is but onelie in an expectation Againe we shall see another man extreemly sicke or suffering great pouertie and it may be that hee will call vppon GOD for aide Another man may bee brought vnto such an extreame daunger as that hee is as it were at his wittes ende yet hee hath a good hope because hee knoweth that God can helpe him Nowe these are but perticuler beleefes and can not saue vs and so consequently not iustefie vs but when wee shall assure our selues of our adoption wherein consisteth all our felicitie this is it that maketh vs hope that GOD will bee our Father vnto the ende because hee hath promised that his children shall not perish and that wee maye call vppon him as vppon our GOD for our vndoubted saluation Now then when as wee shall haue this promise by which God vniteth vs vnto him selfe and so allyeth him selfe vnto vs as that wee neuer doubt that hee will forget vs this then is such a faith as comprehendeth within it all the promises 1. Timo. 4.8 For as Shint