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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08447	Certaine godly and very profitable sermons of faith, hope and charitie. First set foorth by Master Barnardine Occhine, of Siena in Italy, and now lately collected, and translated out of the Italian tongue, into the English by William Phiston of London student. Published for the profit of such as desire to vnderstand the truth of the gospell.	Ochino, Bernardino, 1487-1564.; Phiston, William.	1580 (1580)	STC 18769; ESTC S103131	141,223	250

wrought for the glory of God but we ought at least to do so héereafter and then euery thing that we shal do shal be acceptable vnto God so that our purpose be right vnto him Euery man therfore ought to haue God for his last ende before his eyes to order al his life vnto him with chusing those things that serue most to his glory with forsaking those things which do hinder or stay vs wtout regarding things which appertaine not to vs which we shall be constrained to doe at any time when being in loue with God we féele with the spirit in Christ his great goodnesse Let vs pray to God therfore that he would giue vs a liuely light of him to the intent that hauing alwayes our eyes open to his honour we maye render vnto him all prayse thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen How that the Law of the Gospell is more perfect then all other Lawes Sermon 11. AS there is but one onely God one onely Christ one onely holy Ghost one onely Faith one onely Church and one onely Gospell so lykewise vnto the world is but one onely diuine Lawe imprinted alreadye by God in the minde of man darkened by sinne expressed somewhat by morall Philosophy but much better by Moses and most perfectlye by Christ and a new by Christ the spirit of God being the guyde powred in imprinted and written in the bowels and in the hearts of the regenerate as God afore time promised by his Prophet They call notwithstanding the naturall Law those canons rules and truth practised of that which is right and of that which is not right imprinted in the booke of the minde in the which euery one reading when he commeth to yeares of discretion without any other master and booke he discerneth by himselfe good from euil And the truth it self inasmuch as by Moses it was expressed in tables is called the Law writtē wheras afterward by Christ the holy Ghost being the guide it was in a more perfect manner imprinted in the harts of the regenerate that is called the Euangelical law of grace of the spirit Wher is to be noted that although a philosopher hath for example imprinted in minde this truth that God ought not to be dishonoured but honored knew that this thing is most right yet notwithstandinge hée obserued not this most iust lawe Yea the Iewes albeit they had this same truth not only imprinted in the minds but also expressed in the tables of Moses discerned the righteous from the vnrighteous that with greater light then the Philosophers they could in no wise obserue that iust honest law bicause they were letted by their concupisences But in a Christian already by faith regenerated the goodnesse of God thorough Christ is in such sort imprinted in his heart that by the liuely spirituall tast feeling which he hath in Christ of God he cannot dishonour him yea by the spirit which he hath the which preuayleth agaynst his carnall concupisences he is constrayned to honour him And this according to the measure of fayth which he hath The Philosopher then albeit he knew in part his bounden duetie he did not therfore fulfill it bicause the flesh resisted him And in lyke case also the Iew albeit he knew that better then all the Philosophers what the wil of God is neuerthelesse béeing without Christ without grace he obeied it not Wherefore he shall be punished the more grieuously as hée had greater knowledge of the lawe of God The naturall lawe therefore much more the written law is the Minister of death and damnation whereas the euangelicall law of spirite of grace is the minister of lyfe saluation Wherefore Paul speaking of it sayd the lawe of the spirit of lyfe in Christ Iesu hath deliuered mée from the law of death of sinne The written law therefore is vnperfect although the naturall lawe be much more vnperfect séeing that albeit they shew those thinges which ought to be done they doe not therefore giue the grace to be able to obserue them The law naturall then was as it were in darknesse the lawe of Moses in shadowes the euangelicall law in light The law natural came at midnight Moses lawe at the morning and the euangelicall law at noone day The naturall lawe came with a little candle burning Moses lawe with a great torch but couered the euangelical law with the cléere light of the Sun The natural law saw god in his creatures Moses law in the Scriptures the euangelical law in Christ The natural law séeth not Christ Moses law saw him and shewed him a farre off the euangelicall law hath seene him openly imbraced him for his owne The natural law hath imbraced no man Moses law hath painted him out with giuing him coulours the euangelical law hath giuen him spirit The naturall lawe made him serue by reasons Moses lawe for feare the euangelicall lawe for loue The natural lawe deliuereth vs from worldly infamy Moses law from the tyranny of Pharao and the euangelicall law from the tyranny of the world of the flesh of sinne and of the diuell The naturall law hath for the guide vnderstandinge Moses lawe a piller of fire and the euangelicall lawe the holy Ghost The natural lawe is the lawe of the Philosophers Moses law hath him for the author the euangelicall law is of Christ The naturall lawe féedeth men with worldly thinges Moses law with Manna and the euangelical law with God The natural law buildeth vp a worldly common wealth Moses law the holy citie of Hierusalem and the euangelicall lawe the heauenly countrey By the naturall law we were straungers by Moses law seruants and by the euangelicall frée and the sonnes of God The naturall law guided vs to a certeine humaine felicity Moses lawe into the land of promise and the euangelicall law vnto heauen The natural law is a burthen fit for humaine strength Moses lawe is a burthen sharp grieuous and the euangelicall lawe is pleasant delectable The naturall law hath a respect to the comelines of vertues Moses law vnto felicitie and the euangelical law vnto the glory of God The naturall conducteth thee into Aegipt there leaueth thee Moses law deliuereth thée frō thence maketh thée walk thorough the desert the euangelical law bringeth thée into the land of promise The natural law begetteth thee vnto the world Moses law killeth thée vnto God the euangelical law raiseth thée againe The natural law accuseth thée Moses law condemneth thée and the euangelicall law saueth thée The naturall law awaketh man when he sléepeth Moses law maketh him to tremble and the euangelical law setteth him at rest The naturall lawe maketh men righteous in their owne sight Moses law in the sight of the world and the euangelicall law maketh them righteous in the sight of God The naturall lawe promiseth not any thing that is supernaturall Moses law maketh promises of most rich diuine thinges and the euangelicall lawe obserueth them The naturall lawe maketh vs men Moses law maketh vs Angells and the euangelicall law euen as Gods Wherfore the natural law is good Moses law better the euangelicall law best and most perfect Let vs pray therefore vnto the Lorde that hée would imprint it in our heartes to the intent that we may render to him all prayse honour and glory thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen FINIS ❧ IMPRINTED AT London by Thomas East dwelling betwéene Paules Wharfe and Baynards Castle 1580. MIEVLX VAVLT MOVRIR EN VERTV QVE VIVRE EN HONCTE

we muste beléeue some other thing then myracles if we woulde be tryed to be of a true Faith There be also some which beléeue as their Churche beléeueth and thinke that so they are tryed to be in a true Faith and this bicause they beléeue that their Church that is their Prelates be the successours of Christ and of the Apostles and that they haue in them the holy Ghost therefore that they cannot erre And I say that the true successors of Christe and of the Apostles and the true Pastors be those whiche with the spirite of God in preaching the Gospel doe féede the hungry soules with the sincere and pure worde of God and with good examples and lyuing and the church of Christ be not they alone but also all those which haue a liuely Faith in Christe Nowe these cannot erre in thinges appertaining to saluation among whiche are the liuely members of Christ and those which haue the spirite of God But héere standeth the matter howe wée shoulde knowe which Church this is and who be the true successours of the Apostles All the heretykes euen the very Antichristians haue their Churche and euery of them doe thinke that their Church is the Church of Christ they all haue their Prelates and them they account in stéede of the Apostles yea their Pope or Patriarch they holde to be in the roome of Christ If then it were sufficient to beléeue as their Church beléeueth it might of necessitie be saide that the Faith of Heretikes and of Antichristians were true It is néedefull therefore first to vnderstande that our Church is the Church of Christ and that our Prelates be no Mummers or Masking Apostles but their true successours Which are knowne not by the Coapes and Myters by their solemne Titles by Ritches by Power Dignitie Ceremonies Hypocrysies humaine deuises nor other outward glystering showe of the worlde but we must sée if they haue the spirite a lyuelye Faith Hope and Charitie Math. 7. and this may be knowne by their fruites and by their workes and by séeing that amongst them the Gospell is preached and if the sacraments bée admynistred according to the institution of Christ I knowe not how it is possible that any one of those which are practised in the kingdome of Antichrist can perswade themselues that theirs is the Church of Christ and their Prelates the successours of the Apostles séeing with them are such great wickednesse publike Idolatries superstitions heresies and abhominations and that there is in them no sparkle of the spirite nor any signe of true Christian Religion that they cannot preach the Gospell and that the true Christians be by them more greuously persecuted and put to death then euer the Martyrs were by any tyrantes I cannot tel how their Prelates dare say that they be the Pastors and successours of the Apostles being rauening Wolues and the Ministers of Sathan If we were bounde to order our selues according to them and to beléeue as they beléeue we should of necessitie be without Faith as they are It is true which Christ saide that he will be with the Apostles Mat. 28. and with their true successours yea with his electe and this in not suffering them to perish and moreouer in hauing such a care ouer them that all things shal serue for their safety Ioan. 10. Rom. 8. Ioan. 1.8 But it is not so ment now that God doth not sometimes suffer for their benefite them to fall and to erre the which we reade euen of sainct Peter Thou canst not therefore be tryed that thine is the true Faith Gal. 2. which beléeuing that which thy Church beléeueth except thou first know that thy Church is the Church of Christ and that in it dwelleth the holy Ghost Which thing thou canst not vnderstande with-out the spirite and light supernatural Thou wilt say wil it not be sufficient that I haue a purpose to be willing for to beléeue that which the true Church of God beléeueth I answere no for as much as it is néedefull for thée to beléeue all that which is necessarie to saluation and the purpose of being willing to beléeue the trueth sufficeth not for if it did euery one would be saued Some others there be which thinke themselues tryed to be in a true Faith for that they beléeue according as they finde it written in the holy scriptures But first if they haue not the spirite and light supernaturall they shall neuer be sure and certain that that which is written in the olde and newe Testament is of God but shal euer go on doubting wauering and suspecting whether they be all humaine inuentions or whether they haue bene corrupted by heretykes They shall not also vnderstande what is their true interpretation and meaning For if that the tryall of our Faith depended vppon the holy scriptures the simple which doe not vnderstande them could not be tryed of their Faith Those also which were before Moyses time and therefore before the holy Scriptures were written coulde not haue bene tryed of their Faith If also the bookes were lost it muste of necessitie bée that all true and perfecte Faith shoulde decay I deny not nowe but that the Holy scriptures doe serue for Faith being studyed in such sort as they ought but they are not sufficient yea a man may studye them by force of humaine witte and as the Saincts haue expounded them and yet be without the Spirite Wherefore many thincke that they are pure in Faith if they doe not beléeue but holding a pledge of humaine reason and onely such thinges as bée conformable there-to as though humaine reason were the rule of Faith and the iudge of thinges that be diuine and supernaturall These woulde not say so if they vnderstoode that thorough the sinne of our first Parentes our humaine reason if by Faith it be not healed is weake blynde franticke and foolish and so stiffenecked that it alloweth nothing but that which liketh the blind iudgement therof yea it maketh a mocke at 〈◊〉 supernaturall thinges bicause it is not capable of those things that bée diuine where-vnto no man can ascende but onely by the Ladder of Faith If the triall of Faith depended vppon humaine reasons the Philosophers shoulde haue bene the best Christians of all men There haue bene also whiche haue thought and saide that when a man by his industry doth all that he can to haue Faith that is that he studyeth the holy Scriptures and disposeth himselfe to heare the worde of God and frameth him-selfe by all the meanes he can to the trueth with praying to God that he would lighten him that in such a case hauing done that is possible for him to do he may be sure certaine that he is in the trueth for that it cannot be thought that God forsaketh those which doe as much as they know and as is possible for their saluation If in such a case they cōtinue in darkenes their ignorance should be inuincyble therefore

Or be not men capable of the things of God except they be learned The holy scriptures and chiefelye the Gospel ought to be had in euery language to be preached reade and taught to all men and likewise to be hearde of euery one studyed and learned as they did before time in the primitiue Church of Christ To this ende was giuen to the Apostles the gifte of tongues and they were enioyned that they shoulde goe preaching the Gospel thorough all the worlde Christ would that it should be vnderstoode of all men and likewise would the Apostles Before time the holy Scriptures were translated out of Hebrewe and also out of Gréeke into Latine bicause the Latine tongue especially in Italie was common to all men there-fore they said the Créede the Gospel the Psalmes the Lords prayer other prayers in Latine but nowe séeing that the common Italian tongue is no more Latine we ought to haue those things which be necessary to be knowne brought into a tongue which may be vnderstoode which thing I say were also conuenient in all other nations I say not nowe that the ministers of the worde of God are not bounde to studie and vnderstande better the holy scriptures then the simple people that they may be able as Paul writeth to instruct others and moreouer to resist and ouercome those which shall gaine-say the trueth But to others concerning the thinges whiche be of God it is sufficient for them to knowe as much as is néedefull for their saluation They doe not euill but well if they studie the holy scriptures so that they studie them in such sort as they ought But I thinke that the heades of the kingdome of Antichrist with their subtile and deuilish craftinesse are forced so to hide these thinges bicause they might be so worshipped like diuyne creatures and as though they among all others had the light of diuine secreates They also haue deuised so to kéepe close the trueth that it should not be declared bicause if men should haue the light of the holy scriptures they shoulde see the doctrin of Antichrist to be not only vnprofitable vaine but false wicked contrary and repugning against Christ and his Gospel They will say that if the vnlearned should studie the scriptures they should easilye fall into many errours and heresies and there-fore it is not good And I say 1. Cor. ● that the wise of this worlde doe so much more easily fall as that by their greater prudence humaine wisedome which being compared to God is but foolishnesse they are further of from God aduersaryes and enemies of Christ of grace of Faith and of the Gospel and in as much as with greater force they doe withstand the holy Ghost As it hath béen séene by experience that where as the simple people haue receiued the Gospel and beléeued in Christ Ioan. 7. the worldly wise men haue not beléeued but haue persecuted him And the errours heresies are growen of their learned doctours as is to be séene by hereticall doctrine and theologie of Antichrist And albeit that the vnlearned by studying the holye scriptures do sometimes fall into errours it is not thorough defect of the scriptures nor yet bicause it is not good that euery bodie should studie it but thorough their owne defect for that they doe not study it with humilytie purenesse and a right purpose as they ought They craue not at Gods hande the true vnderstanding thereof with such zeale and Faith as of duetye they shoulde wherefore they néede not withdraw themselues from studying it but apply themselues to studie it as is conuenient Otherwise forasmuch as many good thinges are vsed to the dishonour of God men had néede euen to withdrawe themselues from all companyes and to heare the word of God But they will say if the ignorant would study the word of God they cannot vnderstand it Then according to that opinion they vnderstande it by force of the letter and humaine wisdome and not by diuine reuelation contrarye to saint Paul which would that the interpretation and vnderstanding of the holy scriptures shoulde be the gift of God 1. Cor. 12 Luc. 24. It must néedes be for that Christ opened the mindes of the Apostles to the intent that they shoulde vnderstande the holy scriptures and for that they thorough their simplicitie made smaller resistance against the holy ghost then the wise men of the worlde therefore that they vnderstoode it better forasmuch as they studyed it with reuerence and for the glory of God and in such sort as they ought And if they will say they cannot vnderstande the harde places I will say that God is able to giue them light as well as to thée and more too whiche be so much the apter to vnderstand then the worldly learned as that not hauing their so much dead learning they haue occasion to be more humble to which sort of people God reuealeth his secretes Math. 11. And if by and by they doe not vnderstand thinking that they please not God he immediately giueth them light so that with yelding thankes vnto God they passe away to the vnderstāding of the other places do not as you that be proud which not séeking to haue light from God nor hauing patience to tary with humblenesse vntill the Lord giue you the right vnderstanding ye haue expounded them falselye and vngodly according to your owne fantasie so you be fallen into a thousand errours They will saye that in studying the scriptures they would be contented to haue vs onely which can-not erre for their Masters and to vnderstand them according as we haue expounded wée would not say that it were euill that they should studye them but forasmuch as there be many Wolues and especially in these our times which being cloathed in the manner of Shéepe doe preach new doctrines and do not expound the holy scriptures in many places after our fashion therefore we doe not onely excommunicate persecute and burne whosoeuer sticke vnto their opinions but who so doe read those bookes And if we feared not that it would be accompted vnto vs for a great impietie we would not onely forbid vnto the vnlearned the studye of holy Scriptures but we woulde burne the Epistles of Saint Paul and the Gospell bicause we would not suffer men to haue any further knowledge séeing of studying them doe grow euery day new Heretickes To this I first say that if that be true which Christ sayd that by the fruites by the lyfe and by the workes Mat. 7. false Prophets shall be knowen we maye make a sure iudgement that you be no true shepheards nor Pastors of soules but most rauening Wolues inasmuch as ye féede not the soules with the word of God but persecute euen to the death those which preach it being with your wicked lyuing an offence to all the world Is it possible that you should be so blinde peruerse obstinate that you see not how