of them selues Verse 4. But when the fulnes of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the law Verse 5. That he might redeeme them which were vnder the law that we might receiue the adoption of the sonnes After Paule hath taught that righteousnes and faith can not come to vs by the Law neither that we can deserue it by nature he sheweth him by whom we obtaine true righteousnes faith and which is the author of our iustification Now this could not come vnto vs without any price for it cost a verie great price euen the sonne of God The Apostle therefore sayth The fulnes of time how it is to be vnderstood When the fulnes of time was come that is when the time was ended that time I say wherein it behoued vs to liue children and seruaunts vnder the discipline of the Lawe Wherefore the Maister of sentences hath erred here who interpreted the fulnes of time the time of grace which began at the birth of Christ plaine contrarie to the Apostle who whereas he hath written the fulnes of time this man hath interpreted it the time of fulnes For Paul speaketh of the time which was appointed of the father to the sonne wherein he should liue vnder tuters Now as this time was full come to the Iewes and ended when Christ came in the flesh so is it daily fulfilled to others when they come vnto the knowledge of Christ and do chaunge the seruitude of the Lawe with the faith of the sonnes And this in deede is that comming whereby alone we obtaine the libertie of sonnes without which that corporall comming would auaile nothing For Christ euen for this cause hath come vnto vs that beleeuing in him we may be restored to true libertie by which faith they of the aunciēt time also obtained the libertie of the spirit And so whereas he should come to the holy men of olde time he came euen then forasmuch as by faith they felt him to be their true Sauiour and deliuerer howbeit he is not yet come to our Iewes although he is gone awaye againe in body long since for they do not beleeue in him All from the beginning of the world to the end must trust vnto the comming of Christ whereby alone seruitude is chaunged with libertie but yet by fayth either in Christ being to come as it was before he was borne or in him being come as it is now Wherefore as soone as thou beginnest to beleeue in Christ he commeth vnto thee a deliuerer and Sauiour now the time of bondage is ended that is as the Apostle speaketh the fulnes thereof is come This place surely is verie copious and containeth in it diuers thinges most worthie to be knowne so that I greatly feare that it shall not be handled of vs according to the worthines thereof For it teacheth that it is not sufficient to beleeue that Christ is come but that we must also beleeue that he was sent of God is the sonne of God and also verie man borne of a Virgine who alone hath fulfilled the Lawe and that not for himselfe but for vs that is for our saluations sake Let vs wey and consider these thinges in order First it is sufficiently taught in the Gospell of Iohn that Christ is the sonne of God and was sent of God which he that beleeueth not is in a most miserable case as Christ himselfe pronounceth Ioh. 8 Except ye beleeue that I am he ye shall dye in your synnes And Ioh. 1 In it was life and that life was the light of men For this cause the mynde of man neither may nor ought to enioy any other thing then that soueraigne good so that it should be satisfied with any other then with it whereof it was made and which is the fountaine of all good thinges wherefore it is not the will of God that we should beleeue or repose our trust in any other thing neither doth this honour belong to any other And therefore God himselfe ioyned himselfe to man Why it was requisite that God should be made mā being made man that he might more forcibly allure men into him and stirre them vp to beleeue in him No good could come vnto God hereby but it was necessarie for vs that he should be made man lest that we should beleeue in any other thing thē in God alone For if we should beleeue in Christ and not in God as God should be depriued of his honour so should we be depriued of life and saluation For we must beleeue in one God who is the verie truth and we without him can neither liue nor obtaine saluation Whereas therefore the Apostle sayth God sent forth his Sonne it is thereby manifest that he was before he came and was made man Now if he be a sonne he is more then a man or an Angell which seeing they are the highest creatures surely he is also true God For to be the sonne of God is more then to be an Angell as it is els where declared Againe Christ a distinct person from the Father seeing that he is sent of God and is his sonne he must needes be an other person And so the Apostle teacheth here that the Father and the Sonne are one God and two persons Of the holy Ghost it shal be spoken hereafter The second thing which ought here to be considered is that Christ is verie man and the sonne of man This Paul teacheth when he sayth Christ verie man made of a woman For surely that that is made or borne of a woman is man A woman by nature bringeth forth nothing but verie man This it is necessarie that we beleeue as the Lord himselfe declareth Ioh. 6 in these wordes Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blood ye haue no life in you But to eate and drinke his flesh and blood What it is to eat drinke the flesh and blood of Christ is nothing els but to beleeue that Christ tooke these vpō him in deed and did also yeeld them to death for our sake This is that couenaunt which was promised to Abraham In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Gen. 22. Christ is this seede and therefore the true sonne of Abraham his flesh and blood Hereupon it appeareth that they preuaile nothing We must come vnto God by Christ which make a proper waye vnto themselues to God by their owne workes and godlines and neglecting Christ striue to come directly vnto God as the Turkes and Iewes doe This Christ alone is the mediatour blessed seede by whom thou must receiue blessing otherwise thou shalt continue for euer in malediction This couenāt of God shal not be violated of because any Thus Christ himselfe sayth Ioh. 6 No man commeth to the Father but by me The nature of God is otherwise higher then that we are able to attaine vnto it
morning and the daye of the power of Christ wherein we are conceiued and borne the children of God as deaw to wit without the labour of men by the onely grace of the holy Ghost from heauen The most pleasaunt and comfortable sunne Iesus Christ maketh this daye whom the Scripture hereupon calleth the sunne of righteousnes Christ the sunne of righteousnes God sayth Mala. 4 To you that feare my name shall that sunne of righteousnes arise and helth shal be vnder this winges For as many as beleeue in Christ do receiue of him the beames of his grace and righteousnes and doe obtaine saluation vnder his winges Whereupon it is saide Psal 118 This is the daye which the Lord hath made we will reioyce and be glad in it as though he saide This corporall sunne maketh the corporall daye but God himselfe maketh this daye euen he is that sunne from whence those beames and that daye come wherewith the whole world is enlightned Finally hereupon he calleth himselfe the light of the world Ioh. 9. And Psal 19 The heauens declare the glorie of God that is euen as these bodily heauens do bring the sunne and the day and the sunne is caried in them so the Apostles haue in themselues and bring by preaching the true sunne which is Christ c Whereupon it followeth In the heauens he hath set a tabernacle for the sunne which commeth forth as a bridegrome out of his chamber and reioiceth as a giant to runne his course His setting forth is from the vtmost part of heauen and his circuit vnto the vtmost part thereof and there is nothing hid from his heat All this is said of the exceeding pleasaunt beginning or rising of this day that is of the Gospel which the Scripture euery where meruelously setteth forth For it is a word which quickneth maketh glad willing cheerefull and ready to do good workes and finally it bringeth with it all good thinges Wherefore it is called the Gospell or glad tydinges for that it is a pleasaunt and prosperous message of the grace of God and of all good thinges The Gospell reuealeth vnto vs all thinges that are needfull for vs to know But who is able to rehearse all those thinges which this day reuealeth maketh manifest vnto vs For it teacheth all things what God is what we are whatsoeuer is past and to come of heauen hell the earth Angels and Deuels By this lampe is shewed vnto vs how we ought to behaue our selues in all these thinges and toward all from whence we are and whither we go Yet neuertheles Satan hath deceiued vs miserable creatures that neglecting such a day whereby all thinges might be cleere and manifest vnto vs we seeke the truth of Philosophers and heathen men who haue not so much as by a dreame knowne any whit of these thinges and so we haue suffered our selues to be blynded with mens traditions and to be thrust backe againe into the night For it is not light whatsoeuer is not this day otherwise Paul and the whole Scripture should in vaine extoll this day alone and call all other beside it the night Surely the burden of Gods displeasure must needes be most grieuous for that contrarie to so plaine and manifest places of Scripture we haue sought an other light although the Lord himselfe calleth himselfe the light and sunne of the worlde And if other proofes were wantinge this one is sufficient that vniuersities doe so impudently both set vp and glorie of Aristotle as a light vnto them in whom they exercise themselues much more then in Christ yea nothing in Christ but altogither in Aristotle Let vs therefore cast awaye the workes of darkenes and let vs put on the armour of light As Christ is the sunne By light is here signified and ment faith and the Gospell the daye so fayth is the light whereby to see and watch in this daye For it would not profit albeit the sunne did shine and make the day if the eyes did not perceiue the light Wherefore although the Gospell be begon and preached in the whole world yet none are lightened but they that receiue it and by fayth being made capable of the light doe arise out of sleepe But to them that as yet sleepe this sunne and daye bring no profite of which they receiue no light no more then if no sunne or daye had shined And this is that season and hower whereof he speaketh VVelbeloued brethren forasmuch as we know this that it is now time that vve should arise out of sleepe c. It is a spirituall time and season although begun in this outward time as it doth daily also come wherein we ought to arise out of sleepe and lay aside the workes of darkenes Whereby Paule sheweth that he doth not speake to them which are yet voide of fayth for as it is saide he teacheth not faith here but the workes and frutes of fayth when as he saith We know that the time is come and that the night being passed the daye is at hand they which beleeue not can not know these thinges Now if thou obiect and saye what reason or cause is there that he should write these thinges to the faithfull inasmuch as they know that it is time c. Thou must call to mynde that in the beginning of the exposition of this text of the Apostle we haue saide that the office of preaching is of two sortes one of teaching We haue neede of cōtinuall exhortation an other of exhorting and mouing Now a man can not attaine vnto that knowledge that it should not be needefull that he be alwayes moued and kept in a continuall and fresh meditation of those thinges which he hath learned least the deuell the world and the fleshe which are enemies that neuer graunt truce neither slacke their assault doe make him wearie and slouthfull that he maye at the last sleepe and become altogither negligent in good thinges For the deuell sayth Peter is such an enemie as goeth about continually like a roring Lion seeking whom he maye deuoure Wherefore he sayth VVatch and be sober Paule also will haue vs doe the same thinge here For seeinge that the Deuell the fleshe and the worlde keepe no meane nor make no ende of fightinge against vs neither must there be any meane kept or ende made of exhortinge prouokinge and mouinge vs to watche and worke Hereupon the holie Ghost is called an exhorter inasmuch as he inuiteth and moueth vs vnto good Paule calleth the workes of light armour and why For the same cause Paul also vseth here chosen wordes the workes of darkenes he calleth not armour but the workes of light he calleth armour not workes vndoutedly that he might shewe that there is a fight that labour and trauell is required and that it can not be obtained without perill to watche and liue well forasmuch as so mightie enemies the deuell the flesh and the world do without ceassing
other of litle and therefore is it meete that euery one haue regard of him selfe and gouerne his owne body according to the present doctrine of Paule whereas he sayth Take no thought for the flesh to fulfil the lustes thereof that is obey the wisedom therof so farre that ye deny not the necessary things which it requireth but graunt it not those things which it requireth to the fulfilling of the lustes thereof more then necessitie to pleasure onely If a better rule of moderation could haue bene giuen beside this Paule would not haue concealed it Hereby thou seest that the popish ordinaunces Popish ordinaunces forbidding the eating of flesh contrary to the Gospell which forbid the eating of flesh and certaine meates are quite contrary to the Gospell Which Paule hath plainly foretolde 1. Tim. 4 The Spirit sayth he speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith shall giue heede vnto spirits of errour doctrines of deuils which speake lyes through hypocrisie forbidding to mary and commaunding to abstaine from meates which God hath created to be receiued with giuing thankes No man surely can deny that these wordes doe briefly reproue the orders of Monkes and sacrificing Priestes so cleare and manifest are both these wordes and also their preposterous religion Moreouer thou seest here also godly Reader that Paul doth not teach that dotage womanly holines of certaine which choose vnto them selues certaine dayes wherein to fast to certaine Sainctes one to this an other to that all which are blinde proceedings and builded vpon their owne workes True religion is without choyce of meates and dayes all the life long to vse modestie and sobrietie For seeing that these must be the armour of light and it is requisite that all our life be vndefiled and chast it behoueth vs surely neuer to put of this armour but we must be found alwayes sober temperate watching labouring and praying But those doting holy ones one day tast nothing but bread water afterward three whole moneths they daily be drunken and eate excessiuely euen vntill they be not well in their wits Others fast so that at the euening they eate no meate but in the meane season they make them selues drunke with drinking Who is able to rehearse all their dotages and all their works of darkenes all which proceede from hence for that foolish men consider regard the worke not the vse of the worke they make of armour a glasse they are altogither ignorant whereunto it is profitable to fast and abstaine they are like vnto him which caried a sword to this ende that he might looke vpon it and knew not how to vse it when he was beaten These thinges may suffize to haue bene spoken for the exposition of this text A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER WHEREIN IS TAVGHT HOW THE FAITHFVLL ought to reioyce in God let their patient mind be knovvne vnto men Philip. 4. Verse 4. REioyce in the Lord alway againe I say reioyce 5. Let your patient mind be knowne vnto all men The Lord is at hād 6. Be nothinge carefull but in all thinges let your requests be shewed vnto God in praier supplication with giuing of thanks 7. And the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding shall preserue your harts minds in Christ Iesus THis text in deede is but short neuertheles it doth most plentifully abound with right Christian doctrine instructing first howe we ought to behaue our selues toward God secondly how toward our neighbours saying first Reioyce in the Lorde alway Ioy in the Lord a frute of faith without which there is no true ioy but sadnes feare This ioy is a frute of faith most certainly following it as Paule witnesseth Gal. 5 where he sayth The frute of the Spirit is loue ioy peace longe suffering gentlenes goodnes faith meekenes temperancie c. Neither can it be that that hart should reioyce in the Lorde which hath not yet beleeued in him Whereupon it commeth to passe that where no faith is there can be nothing but feare trembling horrour and sadnes as often as such either remember God or heare him named yea hatred and enmitie of God remaineth in such harts the cause whereof is for that the hart voyd of faith findeth it selfe defiled with sinnes wherby it douteth not but that it hath deserued the vengeance of God that sinnes can not but be hated of God which is iust so when it doth not beleeue that God will be mercifull and fauourable vnto it how can it not but detest all memorie of him so farre is it of that it can reioyce in the Lord the reuenger of sinnes These two things the knowledge of sinne and of the vengeance of God prepared for sinnes are in the hart of the vnbeleeuer which hart as it is vnbeleeuing so hath it no hope of pardon and therefore what other thing can these thinges worke in it but cause it to be troubled cast downe and alwayes fearefull and greatly terrified and to thinke that the vengeance of God doth euery moment hang ouer it that so that may be verified which Salomon sayth Pro. 28.1 The vngodly fleeth when no man pursueth him And that which is sayd Deut. 28 The Lord shall giue thee a fearefull hart and thy life shall hang in dout before thee If a man will much perswade such a hart to haue ioy in the Lord he shall doe euen as if he perswaded the water that it should burne like vnto the fire for it can cast none of this ioy it alwayes feeleth in conscience that the reuenging hande of God is heauie vpon it Whereupon the Prophet sayth Psal 32. Be glad O ye righteous and reioyce in the Lorde and be ioyfull all ye that are true of hart for this ioy in the Lorde can not be but in the righteous and them that are vpright in hart And therefore it is manifest that this part of Scripture was writtē not to sinners but to the righteous Saincts Sinners must first be shewed how they may be deliuered from sinnes and may obtaine God to be fauorable vnto them which when they haue learned and so obtained it followeth that they do of their owne accord reioyce in the Lorde being deliuered from remorse of conscience But if any demaund how one may be deliuered from remorse of conscience and haue God mercifull vnto him that is declared before at large and shall hereafter be copiously spoken of How a man may be deliuered from remorse of conscience and be assured of Gods fauour He which seeketh to haue a free and glad conscience and God gentle and fauourable let him not begin at his owne workes as the deceitfull Papists teach onely tormenting consciences and increasing the wrath of God but let him despeire of him selfe and of all his owne workes let him embrace God in Christ hauing a sure faith in the Gospell that he shall receiue whatsoeuer it promiseth But the
they are void of faith whereby it moueth them to seeke helpe some other where and not to presume of their owne strength to satisfie it For it requireth a ready will and hartes of sonnes which alone can satisfie it it vtterly refuseth seruaunts and them that be vnwilling But these of Cains broode doe not onely of their owne accord confesse that they want this faith which maketh the sonnes of God but also they persecute it they feele and know also ful wel how vnwillingly they beare the lawe and had rather to be free from it neuertheles they thinke that they shal become righteous by these their vnwilling and constrained workes They will continue seruaunts will not be chaunged into sonnes and yet they would enioy the goods of a straunge father They do all thinges cleane out of order wheras by the law they ought to learne that they are seruaunts and vnwilling to doe that which is good and therefore should by faith aspire to the state of sonnes notwithstanding they goe so farre that they seeke to satisfie and fulfill it by their owne works onely And thereby they doe altogither hinder the ende of the law and striue against faith and grace whereunto if they were not blind the law would direct and driue them And so they continue alwayes a blinde blockish and miserable people These thinges Paule teacheth Rom. 3. and 7. and doth freely pronounce that no man is iustified before God by the works of the lawe No man is iustified by the lawe adding no other cause hereof then this for that the knowledge of sinne only commeth by the law If thou wilt know howe this commeth to passe consider well some one of Cains brood and thou shalt by and by see it verified First he worketh his workes according to the lawe with great griefe and labour and yet he therewith confesseth that he is vncertaine whether he be the sonne of God and holy Yea he condemneth and curseth this faith as the most pernitious arrogancie and errour of all other and will continue in his douting vntil he be made certaine by his workes Here thou seest plainly that such a man is not good or righteous seeing that he wanteth this faith and beleefe that he is counted acceptable before God and his sonne yea he is an enemie of this faith and therefore of righteousnes also Wherefore neither can his workes be counted good although they pretend a faire shew of fulfilling the lawe And thus is it easie to vnderstand that which Paule sayth that no man is iustified before God by the workes of the lawe For the worker must be iustified before God before he worketh any good thing although before men which esteeme a man by outward thinges and not by the mind they are counted righteous which apply them selues to the doing of good workes For men iudge the worker by the works God iudgeth the workes by the worker Nowe the first precept requireth that we acknowledge worship one God that is that we trust and rest in him alone which in deede is the true faith whereby we become the sonnes of God But how easie is it by this precept to know that sinne is both in him of Cains brood in thy selfe inasmuch as both of you want such a faith euen by your owne nature which thou couldest not know but by meanes of this law And this is that which Paul meaneth when he sayth That by the law commeth the knowledge of sinne Rom. 3.20 Now thou canst be deliuered from this euill of infidelitie neither by thyne owne power nor by the power of the lawe wherefore all thy workes whereby thou goest about to satisfie the lawe can be nothing but workes of the lawe of farre lesse importance then that they are able to iustifie thee before God who counteth them only righteous which truly beleeue in him for they onely acknowledge him the true God are his sonnes and doe truely fulfill the law But if thou shouldest euen kill thy selfe with workes yet is it so farre of that thy hart can obtaine this faith thereby that thy workes are euen a hinderance that thou canst not knowe it yea they are a cause that thou doost persecute it Hereupon it is that he that studieth to fulfill the law without faith is afflicted for the deuils sake and not for Gods sake and continueth a persecutour both of faith and of the lawe vntill he come to him selfe and doth plainly ceasse to trust in him selfe and in his owne workes doth giue this glory vnto God who iustifieth the vngodly acknowledgeth him selfe to be nothing and figheth for God his grace whereof he doth now know being taught by the law that he hath neede Then faith and grace come and fil him being emptie satisfie him being hungry by and by follow good workes which are truely good Neither are they now the workes of the law but of the spirit of faith and grace and they are called in the Scriptures the workes of God which he worketh in vs. For whatsoeuer we do of our owne power strength All that we doe of our selues being not assisted by the grace of God is euill and is not wrought in vs by his grace without dout it is a worke of the law and auaileth nothing to iustification but is both euill and hated of God because of the infidelitie wherein it is done Againe whatsoeuer he of Cains brood worketh he doth nothing from his hart nothing freely and with a willing mind except he be as it were hyred with some reward or be commaunded to doe some such thinge whereunto he ought otherwise to be ready of him selfe Euen as an euill and vnthriftie seruaunt suffereth him selfe to be brought to no worke vnles he be hyred with a reward or commaunded whereunto he ought otherwise to be willing of himselfe Nowe how vnpleasaunt is it to a man to haue such seruaunts But they of Cains brood be plainly such they would do no good worke at all if they were not either compelled by the feare of hell or allured by the hope of present good thinges Whereby againe thou seest that these haue no mind to the law they gape only for gaine or are moued with feare whereby they bewray them selues that they doe rather hate the law from their hart and had leuer that there were no law at all Wherefore it is plainly manifest that they are not good and consequently that neither their workes be good for how should euill men worke good workes Moreouer those their workes which in apparance shew seeme to be good are either wrested from them by feare or are bought with promises An euill hart can doe nothing that is good But this naughtines of the hart vnwillingnes to doe good the lawe bewrayeth when it teacheth that God doth not greatly esteeme what the hand doth but what the hart doth which seeing it hateth the law that is good who wil deny it to be most euill Surely it
can be fulfilled of no man but of him which being free from the Lawe is no more vnder it We must accustome our selues also to the maner of Paules speeche that we may know assuredly who is vnder the Lawe Who be vnder the Law and who is not vnder the Lawe As many therefore as worke good workes because the Lawe hath so commaunded being brought thereunto either with feare of punishmēt or hope of reward are vnder the Lawe and are compelled to do good thinges and to be honest being not brought hereunto of their owne voluntarie will Wherefore the Lawe hath dominion ouer them whose seruaunts and captiues they are Now such are all men that are not yet regenerate by Christ which euerie one may easily learne with himselfe by experience euerie mans own conscience shewing it vnto him We all finde our selues so affected that if no Lawe did vrge vs both the feare of punishment and hope of reward were awaye and it were plainly free for vs to do what we list we would do altogether those thinges that are euell and omit the thinges that are good especially either tentation mouing vs or occasion prouoking vs. But now forasmuch as the Law stayeth vs with the threatninges and promises thereof we do oftentimes abstaine from euell thinges and do those thinges that be good howbeit we do them not for the loue of goodnes and hatred of euel but onely for feare of punishment and respect of reward wherefore being left wholy to our selues we are seruaunts of the Lawe neither do we heare it any otherwise then seruaunts do their hard and cruell maister They which are not vnder the Lawe described of what sort they be But they that are not vnder the Lawe that is are not so against their wills in subiection vnder the dominion thereof they of their owne accord do good workes and abstaine from euell being neither terrified with the threatninges of the Law nor allured with the promises thereof but euen for that they do of their voluntarie will beare a loue to honestie and hate that which is dishonest and are also from their heart delighted with the Lawe of God so that if there were no Lawe made notwithstanding they would desire to liue no otherwise then the Lawe commaundeth as to shun those thinges that be euell and applie themselues to honest studies and exercises They that are such are sonnes whom not nature but that onely blessed seede of Abraham that is Christ could make such renuing by his grace and spirit the heartes of them that beleeue in him What it is not to be vnder the Law Wherefore not to be vnder the Lawe is not to be free from the Lawe that they may do those things that are contrarie thereunto and omit those thinges that are good but it is to do good thinges and abstaine from wicked thinges not through compulsion or necessitie of the Lawe but by free loue and with pleasure euen as if no Law commaunded them and their owne nature brought them hereunto as in deede it doth howbeit the new nature of the spirit A similitude not that olde nature of the flesh For as there is neede of no Lawe for the body which may compell it to eate to drinke to digest A similitude to sleepe to go to stand to sit and to do the other workes of nature for that it is ready to do them of it owne nature when the case so requireth and when it is meete without all respect either of reward or punishment and may not vnfitly be said as concerning these thinges not to be vnder a law notwithstanding thereupon nothing lesse foloweth then that it doth therefore abstaine from such workes vnto which in deede it so much more applieth if selfe as they are lesse commaunded and are more naturall vnto it After the same sort altogither doth the godly man behaue himselfe concerning the workes of godlines he is caried to the doing of them by that his new nature of the spirit albeit there were no lawe at all and all both hope of reward and feare of punishment were awaye This onely is the true libertie of a Christian man and the deliueraunce of him from the lawe whereof Paul speaketh 1. Tim. 1 The Lawe is not giuen vnto a righteous man Which is as much as if he had said A righteous man of his owne accord doth good thinges and abstaineth from euell hauing no regard either of reward or of punishment The same thing also he meaneth by that saying Rom. 6 Ye are not vnder the Lawe but vnder Grace that is ye are sonnes not seruaunts Ye liue holily being compelled or enforced with nothing but of your free and of it selfe ready will To the same effect pertaineth that saying also Rom. 8 Ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but ye haue receiued the Spirit of adoption of the sonnes The Lawe maketh a fearfull that is a right seruile and cainish spirit but Grace giueth the free spirit of sonnes like vnto Abels by Christ the blessed seede of Abraham Whereof the 51. Psalme speaketh Stablish me with thy free spirit Whereupon in the 118. Psalme Christian people are said to be of a free will Moreouer Christ hath so fulfilled the Lawe that he onely of all mankynde hath of his owne accord satisfied it being with no thing compelled or enforced thereunto neither is any other able to do the same vnles he receiue it of him and by him And therefore Paul saith here He was made vnder the Lawe that he might redeeme them which were vnder the Lawe The fifte thing therefore that Paul here commendeth vnto vs to be beleeued Why Christ was made vnder the Law is that Christ for our sake was made vnder the Lawe that he might deliuer vs from the bondage of the Law and of vnwilling seruaunts make vs free sonnes whereupon he saith That he might redeeme them which were vnder the Lawe that is might deliuer them from the Law ▪ Now he deliuereth from the Lawe by the meanes aforesaid not by destroying or vtterly abolishing the Lawe How Christ deliuereth frō the Law but by fulfilling it and giuing a free spirit which shall do all thinges willingly without any respect either of the threatninges or the promises of the Lawe no otherwise then if there were no lawe at all giuen and is caried thereunto of his owne nature After which sort Adam and Eue were effected before they had synned How the spirit of libertie is obtained But by what meanes is this spirit giuen libertie gotten No otherwise then by faith For he that truly beleeueth that Christ came for this cause that he might deliuer vs from the Lawe and that he hath deliuered him already he I say hath in deede receiued the spirit of libertie and doth verily obtaine that which he beleeueth for both faith and this spirit of sonnes come togither Whereupon Paul sayth here that Christ hath deliuered
thinges surely I ought to glory of if I be a true Christian But this seemeth difficult and hard God admitteth no sinne my fearefull and weake conscience is against me How am I his seruaunt when as notwithstanding I feele in my selfe that I serue the deuill and doe not knowe that I am holy I speake not here of the common sort of Christians such as I and such like are but of sincere Christians which haue a good conscience and in whose hartes the spirit of God abideth whose conscience albeit it be frayle and weake and they feele their sinnes yet they are enforced to say Howsoeuer sinne is yet I know no sinne by my selfe neither am I subiect to death and hell and for this cause they striue and at the last ouercome that therefore they would euen die in that confidence But I finde it farre otherwise if I set my life before my sight Here life and the word must be separated farre asunder If thou wilt consider life I will set also before thee the liues of S. Peter Paule or Iohn thou shalt finde euen them not to haue liued without sinne When thou desirest to be holy before God We must trust not to our life and workes but to the mere mercy and grace of God trust not to thy life vnlesse thou wilt perish for euer For thou must trust to onely mercy and grace and not to life or workes otherwise thy case will be very ill Wherefore our hart must be so affected that it say Lorde if thou shouldest call me to an account I should not be able either by life or workes to stande in thy sight no although I were euen Iohn the Baptist Neuertheles therefore I glory that I am godly thy seruaunt for that thou doest giue vnto me continually and also for that as thou hast promised to Abraham thou doest for thy Christs sake vouchsafe to shew thy mercy vnto me if so be that I of my selfe be not godly and righteous yet he is godly and righteous for me If I be prophane he is holy if I be not the seruaunt of God he is the seruaunt of God if I be not without feare and carefulnes yet he is voyd of all feare and carefulnes that so I may as it were transferre my selfe from my selfe and perse into him glory that in Christ by Christ I am good Thus he will haue vs to glory that we are godly and holy but not by our owne merit for we must glory of our selues as of most desperate wretches And that this may be plaine marke our life consider our good conuersation and maners weye how foolishly men apply them selues to the Gospell that I am almost in dout whether I should preach any more or no. For as soone as these thinges are taught in a sermon that saluation consisteth not in our works or life but in the giftes of God euery one is slow to doe good no man will liue an honest life and be any more obedient they falsly affirme euery where that good workes are inhibited Neuertheles God requireth of vs that we lead an honest life outwardly and he that doth not so shall at length finde his due punishment Nowe if it happen that we liue godlily and honestly outwardly Satan by and by frameth his wickednes Neither doe I know at this day how to order my selfe in this matter not because of my owne person but because of life For if we preach of an honest and godly life the worlde by by furiously attempteth without iudgement * They endeuour by their good works to attayne to saluation We must neither presume of good workes nor neglect to leade a godly life to build ladders to heauen which God neither can neither wil by any meanes suffer Againe a dishonest and ignominious life doth not become Christians neither doth a delicate life become them What therefore must we then doe They which haue respect onely to an honest and fayre life it were better for them to be adulterers and adulteresses and altogether to wallow in the myre And yet notwithstanding God will not haue vs to lead our life filthily and dishonestly For neither can he suffer that adiudging thee euen vnto hell therefore if thou so doe And if thou lead an honest life thou wilt sticke in it and arrogate vnto thy selfe which againe he can not suffer Thou must therefore so prouide that thou remaine in the middle pathe declining neither to the right hand nor to the left and that thou lead a quiet fayre and amiable life in the sight of the world which also may be acceptable before God and yet that thou doe not therefore so greatly esteeme it nor count so of it as though thou doest merit any thing of God thereby Thus a Christian continueth the holy seruaunt of God without feare not by his good workes and holy life but by the grace of Christ Blasphemous to affirme our selues holy by our works But he that affirmeth that he is holy by his workes is blasphemous against God robbeth God of his honour and denieth Christ for whom it were better that he were ten times an homicide or an adulterer then that he should thereby affirme him selfe to be a Christian yea godly and holy for he doth plainly dishonour Christ and it is as much as to affirme that there is no Christ for he is therefore called Christ for that he is our grace mercy redemption and holines If I should not attribute to the diuine mercy that God him selfe doth saue me what should this be else but to say that he is neither holy nor blessed Wherefore if I be a Christian I must confesse that I am holy and a Christian for this cause for that Christ him selfe is holy And albeit my conscience doth reproue me of sinne yet I must still perseuer in this that his holines is greater then my sinnes Thus I must liue honestly outwardly but inwardly rest and trust in him alone It followeth moreouer how Zacharias turneth his speech to the child and sayth Verse 76. And thou child shalt be called the Prophet of the most High for thou shalt goe before the face of the Lord to prepare his wayes This shall be thy office Thou shalt be the first and shalt first begin that is thou shalt be the Prophet of the most High But what maner of prophecie shall that be how shall it be done After this sort Iohn the forerunner of Christ Thou shalt be the forerunner of the Lorde shalt prepare his wayes When any Prince commeth certaine goe before him to prepare way and place for him and say Giue place depart out of the way Iohn doing the like runneth before and crieth vnto the people Goe aside turne out of the waye giue place the Lorde him selfe commeth Such a seruaunt is Iohn whom the Lord by and by followeth Such thinges no Prophet at any time hath spokē but they haue prophesied of these things that a Prophet
of a preface sheweth what gaue Christ cause to make this sermon where he sayth Then resorted vnto him all the Publicans and sinners to heare him In which wordes he plainly signifieth with what mē Christ kept companie With what kind of men Christ was conuersant namely with them which in the sight of all men liued as it did not become them and were openly called sinners and euell persons Whereby it appeareth that the Pharisees semed to haue sufficient cause to finde fault with Christ for that he which would be counted holy did familiarly keepe companie with such men Publicans what they were For they were commonly called Publicans at that time to whom the Romās did let out some citie or custome or some charge or ouersight in matters for a certain summe of money as the Turke or Venetians do now commit to some one some citie or office for which a certain summe of money is yearly to be payed and what soeuer they shall scrape togither by vniust exactions aboue this summe that is their owne So also the aforesaid Publicans did which so gathered those tributes and money wherewith they were charged that they themselues also might haue some gaine thereby And seing that a summe of money to be paide for some citie or office was not small they desirous to gaine thereby did by all meanes deale vniustly and vsed extortion in all thinges in all places and with all persons For the Lordes and maisters held them so hardly and straightly that they could not get much thereby if they would deale rightly and iustly and oppresse no man with vniust exactions Whereupon they had a verie euell report abroad that they were most vniust exactors and endued with small honestie and integritie of life Likewise the rest in generall were called sinners which otherwise liued dishonestly and wretchedly were defiled with filthie offences as with couetousnes with whoredome with surfetting and drunkennes and such like Such resort here vnto Christ and come to heare him when as before they had knowen him by report to be excellent and famous both in wordes and deedes Howbeit it is certaine that in them although they semed euen desperate there was a sparke of vertue and honestie in asmuch as they longed after Christ both couering to heare his doctrine and also earnestly desiring to see the workes which he did when before they knewe him to be a good man and heard no ill report either of his doctrine or workes so that their life did farre differ from his Neuertheles they are so wel disposed that they are not his enemies neither refuse or flie his company but runne vnto him not of any euell purpose or intent but to see and heare some good thing whereby they may amend their life The malitious dealing of the Scribes Pharisees Contrariwise the Pharises and Scribes which were counted most righteous and holy are such poysonfull beastes that they are not only sore displeased at Christ whom they cā abide neither to see nor heare but also they can not be content that miserable sinners should come vnto him and heare him whereby they being led by repentance might amend Yea they do also beside this murmur and reproue Christ for that he admitted vnto him and receiued Publicās and sinners saying Behold is this that holy and famous man Who will now say that he is of God when as he hath society with so wicked wretches yea rather he is a drinker of wine and a glutton as they say elsewhere Luke 7.34 a freind to Publicans and sinners Such a report he is cōstrained to beare of the holy Pharises not for that he giuing himselfe to gluttonie and surfetting accustomed to feede excessiuely and followe riotous pleasure togither with them but onely because he admitted such into his company and did not contemptuously reiect them For in their opinion he should haue gone with a sad and austere countenance in base apparell haue remained seuered from the conuersation and companie of men and refused their felowshippe lest that by familiar custome with them he should be defiled and should haue done as they were accustomed to do after the maner of holy men Of whom Esaie writeth that they studied for such puritie that they did feare and suffer against their will euen the touching of a sinner Which in deede plainly appeareth Luke 7. in the Pharise murmuring against Christ because he suffred himselfe to be touched of the sinfull woman And it was they that would alway be his maisters prescribe vnto him rules whereby to liue and behaue himselfe in this life Therefore in this place they murmur for that he did not applie himselfe vnto thē neither did disdaine the cōpany conuersation of such sinners according to their example Now Christ also is somewhat stout plainly shewing here The stoutne of Christ that he can suffer the maistership of none but that he is altogither free exempt from the commaundements of all as commonly in the Gospels we see him to be at his owne will pleasure who neuertheles otherwise was both gētler and also more seruiceable then all the rest But when as they would deale with him by lawes be his maisters thē all friendship ceassed for he did not otherwise leape back then the adamant layd vpon the anuyle striken speaking and doing onely the contrary of that which they require of him although they seeme to speake euen rightly and well alleaging thereunto also the worde of God As they doe here where they come and say thou must doe thus thou must follow the conuersation of honest men thou must flee the companye of wicked men This truly is a substantial doctrine and confirmed by testimony of the Scripture For Moses him selfe commaundeth the Iewes to auoid euill men take away euil from amonge them By this text they confirme their sayings come with their Moses Christ compared to the Vnicorne and would make Christ subiect to their lawes and haue him ruled by them But Christ neuertheles will be at his owne libertie And he is not vnlike the Vnicorne which beast men deny that he can be taken aliue with what kind of hunting soeuer he be assayled He suffereth him selfe to be wounded to be striken with darts and to be slayne Christ is impatient of lawes to be taken he doth not suffer him selfe No otherwise doth Christ also who although he be set vpon by lawes yet doth he not suffer them but breaketh through as through a spiders web rebuking them most sharpely As Matth. 12. where they found fault with his Disciples because they had plucked the eares of corne on the Sabbath day alleaging the commaundement of God that the Sabbath was to be kept holy c. he auoucheth the cleane contrary tearing in sunder the commaundement affirming the contrary both in wordes and also by examples Also Matth. 16 where he declareth to his Apostles that he shall suffer and be
thy selfe from him all goodnes and loue Secondly thou plainly seest this also how by all maner of outward signes meanes he poureth forth his ioy and vnspeakeable goodnes and also hauing found his sheepe how louing he sheweth himselfe For surely he dealeth not with it by any law as by his right he might deale and driue it before him as he doth the rest or suffer it to go by him Howbeit he doth none of these but layeth it vpon his shoulders and all the iourny carieth it through the desert taking all the labour and trouble vpon himselfe that at the lest wise the sheepe may rest Neither doth he it grudginly but willingly for he is full of ioy for his sheepe recouered Now marke this also how wel it goeth with the shepe with how great quietnes and ease it lyeth on his shepeheards shoulders neither doth it vnwillingly see it selfe resting so sweetly being deliuered from the difficulty of the iourney as also voyd of all feare both of dogs and woulues that is of all errours and lyes yea and of all perils and mischiefes And this surely deserueth to be called a very pleasaunt picture exceeding amiable and comfortable to be looked vpon No otherwise doth our Lord Iesus Christ deale with vs whiles he deliuereth vs which he hath once done corporally by his passion and death but now doth eftsoones the same by his power and spiritually by the preaching of his word Wherefore he layeth vs vpon his shoulders carieth and defendeth vs so that we are safe from all perils of death and the deuell which albeit they terrifie vs and shew themselues so as though they would denour vs yet preuaile they nothing For whereas we are caried it is a safegard vnto vs and the same exempteth vs from all daungers and putteth awaye all feare As the shepe lying vpon the shepeheards shoulders is litle careful though the dogs barke much and the woulfe craftily goeth vp and downe but rather hanging downe the head is quiet and sleepeth soundly If we beleue assuredly in Christ Iesus we need not feare the deuell rage he neuer so sore So we also if we stand and abyde vnmoueably in this article I beleeue in Iesus Christ our Lord who suffred died rose againe for vs c. there is no cause why we should be carefull lest we perish or be deuoured of the deuell though he open his iaws neuer so wide For we are not then in our own waye neither walke we vpon our owne feete but we hange vpon the necke of our shepeheard and lye vpon his shoulders where we are safe enough For sinne death and hell although in deede they be terrible yet dare they not set vpon him otherwise if it were not for this we should be miserable shepe which should forthwith be brought into a lamētable and wretched case For euen as a shepe can not take heede and foresee to it selfe that it stray not out of the way vnles it be led of the shepeheard when it hath strayed and is lost can not by it selfe come againe to the shepeheard but must be sought and enquired for of him vntill he hath found it and so must be layd vpō his shoulders and brought home againe lest that it be againe frayed and chased from him or catcht of the woulfe and rent in pieces So we also our selues can profite our selues neither by helpe nor counsel that we might obtaine peace and quietnes of conscience and escape out of the hands of the deuell death and hell except Christ himselfe repeat his word vnto vs and call vs againe vnto him And although we come vnto him and now stand in faith yet is it not in our powre to keepe our selues therein or to stand by our owne strength vnles he eftsoones by the power of his Word hold lift vp and carie vs for that the deuell alwayes imagineth and purposeth deceit and destruction toward vs and goeth about like a roring lyon seeking whom he may deuour as S. Peter witnesseth Wherefore here is no place to boast of free will or of our owne strength which is none neither in beginning any thing neither in going forward therein much lesse in perseuering or continuing in it but Christ our shepeheard alone doth all things Howbeit we are sure hereof that whiles we lye vpon the shoulders of Christ we shall remayne safe from all terrour and misfortune For he will not suffer vs to be plucked or taken from his necke neither will he himselfe cast vs of being so glad and ioyfull that he hath found his lost shepe and brought it againe to the rest of the flocke And in a summe here is no terrour or trouble or exaction but mere life and grace whereby he handleth his shepe most louingly and gently But on the contrarie Moses not as a shepeheard of miserable and weake sheepe but as a maister of stronger cattell driueth his heards with a staffe and a rod three dayes iourney through the desert vntill they be tyred and wearie with walking of this shepeheard those hardedened and wilde ones are to be tamed and bridled And we also when we shal be vnder Moses to wit according to the flesh and the outward life must goe and do that which the law requireth But in that we are and are called Christians we must by no meanes suffer that any worke be layed vpon vs yea or exacted of vs but must giue our selues onely to Christ to be caried and gentlely lifted vp not vpon horses and charrets but euen vpon his onely shoulders Whē Christ carieth vs vpō his shoulders Which commeth to passe as I haue sayd when he suffreth the word to be preached vnto vs and we also beleeue the same that he died for vs that on the crosse he bare our sinnes in his body that he hath ouerthrowne the deuell death and synnes and put them vnder his feete and hath made and opened vnto vs entraunce to eternall life Wherefore we must not haue respect to our owne life how righteous and strong we are but we must studie vpon his one thing that we may rest lying vpon his shoulders In this circle we must haue no care of synne death life or pensiuenes inasmuch as we haue all things to the full in Christ who beareth and keepeth vs. Now he is not content with all these things both that with such great trauell he seeketh his shepe and also that hauing found it Exceeding ioy because of the sheepe which was lost and is foūd againe he carieth it with incredible ioy but it being brought againe he maketh festiual dayes exceedingly reioyceth calling togither his neighbours and friendes that they may reioyce with him Yea he affirmeth that God also in heauen with the whole heauenly host do reioyce ouer one synner that repenteth In which wordes he sheweth and declareth who he is which deserueth to be called his lost shepe namely such a synner as being led by repentaunce of his former life doth
differeth nothing from a seruaunt though he be Lord of all 2. But is vnder tuters and gouerners vntill the time appointed of the father 3. Euen so we when we were children were in bondage vnder the rudiments of the world 4. But when the fulnes of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the Lawe 5. That he might redeeme them which were vnder the Lawe that we might receiue the adoption of the sonnes 6. And because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts which cryeth Abba Father 7. Wherefore now thou art not a seruaunt but a sonne if thou be a sonne thou art also an heire of God through Christ THis text toucheth the very pith of Paules chiefe doctrine the cause why it is well vnderstood of so few is not for that it is so obscure and hard but because there is almost no knowledge of faith left in the world without which it can not be that one should rightly vnderstand Paule who euerie where intreateth of faith with such force of the spirit as he is able I must therefore speake somewhat that this text may be made plaine and that I may more conueniently bring light vnto it in expounding it I will speake a few wordes in maner of a preface First therefore we must vnderstād that that treatise wherein is intreated of good workes doth farre differ from that wherein is intreated of iustification as there is verie great difference betweene the substance and the working betweene a man his worke Now iustification is of man and not of workes for man is either iustified and saued or iudged and condemned and not workes Neither is it in controuersie among the godly that man is iustified by no worke but righteousnes must come vnto him from some other where then from his owne workes For Moses writeth of Abel after this sort The Lord had respect vnto Abel and to his oblation God first regardeth the man and thē the worke First he had respect to Abel himselfe then to his oblation because that Abel was first counted righteous entire and acceptable vnto God and then for his sake his oblation also was alowed and not he because of his oblation Againe God had no respect to Cain and therefore neither to his oblation where againe thou seest that regard is had first of the worker thē of the worke Of this place it is verie plainly gathered that no worke can be allowed of God whereas he which worketh that worke was not first acceptable to him and againe that no worke is disalowed of him vnles the authour thereof be disallowed before I thinke that these thinges wil be sufficient concerning this matter in this place of which it is easie to vnderstand that there are two sortes of workes some going before iustification and some following it and that these last are good workes in deede but that those other do onely appeare to be good Hereof commeth such disagreemēt betweene God and those counterfect holy ones for this cause nature and reason rise and rage against the holy Ghost this is that whereof almost all the whole Scripture intreateth The Lord in his word defineth that all workes that goe before iustification are euell and of no importaunce and requireth that man himselfe before all thinges be iustified Againe Man before he is regenerate can doe nothing that is good he pronounceth all men which are not yet regenerate and haue not chaunged that nature which they receiued of their parentes with the newe creature of Christ to be vnrighteous and wicked according to that saying Psal 116 All men are lyars that is vnable to performe their dutie and to doe those thinges which by right they ought And Gen. 6 The heart of man is alwayes ready vnto euell whereby vndoutedly it commeth to passe that he is able to do nothing that is good which hath the fountaine of actions that is his heart corrupted And if he do many workes which in outward shew seeme good God hath regard first to the worker then to the worke reason doth quite cōtrarie affirming that by his workes the worker is iustified they are no better then the oblation of Cain Here against commeth forth reason our reuerend maistres seeming to her selfe meruelous wise yet in deede is vnwise and blynde and is not ashamed to gainsay her God to reproue him of lying she being furnished with her follies and verie strawie armour to wit the light of nature free will the strength of nature also with the bookes of the heathen and with the doctrines of men She dareth with her euell sounding stringes make a noyce against God that the workes of a man euen not yet iustified are good workes and not workes like vnto Cains which God pronounceth yea and so good that he that worketh them is iustified by them For so Aristotle hath taught that he that worketh well is made good Vnto this saying she leaueth and sticketh vnmoueably and wresteth the Scripture cleane contrarie contending that God will haue respect first to the workes thē to the worker Such verie deuelish doctrine beareth the sway now euerie where in scholes colledges monasteries wherein no other saincts then Cain was haue rule and authoritie Now of this errour an other immediatly springeth They which attribute so much to workes do not accordingly esteeme the worker and sound iustification go so farre that they ascribe all merit and soueraigne righteousnes to workes done before iustification making almost no account of faith alleaging that which Iames saith that without workes it is dead Which sentence of the Apostle when they litle vnderstand they attribute almost nothing to faith they alwayes sticke to workes whereby they thinke they do merit exceedingly of God and are perswaded that for their workes sake they shall obtaine the fauour of God and by this meanes do they continually disagree with God shewing themselues to be the right posteritie of Cain God hath respect vnto man these to the workes of man God aloweth the workes for his sake that worketh these require that for the workes sake the worker may be crowned Now God goeth not from his sentence as it is meete and iust and these will seeme nothing lesse thē to erre in any respect They will not haue their good workes contemned reason to be nothing esteemed free will to be counted vneffectuall or surely if thou doest here striue against them they beginne to be angrie with God and count it a small matter to kill their brother Abel But here perhaps thou wilt say what is needfull to be done by what meanes shall I first of all become righteous and acceptable to God How shall I attaine to this perfect iustification The Gospell aunswereth preaching that it is necessarie that thou heare Christ and repose thy selfe wholy in him denying thy selfe distrusting all thine owne strength By this meanes thou shalt be chaunged from Cain
in an euell case And yet do not desire that thou maist feele nothing but this crie of the spirit thou must feele also an other terrible crie made whereby thou mayst be prouoked and vrged to this crie of the spirit which happeneth to all the saincts That is the crie of synnes which call most strongly and instantly vnto desperation but this crie must be ouercome of the spirit of Christ by godly calling vpō the Father and crying for his grace that the trust and confidence of grace may become greater then desperation The crie of the spirit Wherefore this crie of the spirit is nothing els but to be with all our heart touched with a very strong firme and vnmoueable trust of most deare sonnes toward God as our most tender and fauourable Father Hereby we may see howe farre a Christian life exceedeth nature which can doe nothing lesse then trust so in God A Christian life farre exceedeth nature The crie of them which trust in their owne works and not in Christ and call vpon him as a Father but is alwayes afraide and vttereth a voyce which is a witnes of exceeding feare Wo is me how cruell and vntolerable a Iudge art thou O God howe heauy is thy iudgement vnto me As Cain sayd Gen. 4 My iniquitie is more then that it may be forgiuen Thou hast cast me out this day from the vpper face of the earth and from thy face shall I be hid yea it shal come to passe that euery one that findeth me shall slay me c. This is a terrible and dreadfull crye which is necessarily heard of all such as be of Cains brood forasmuch as they trust to them selues and their owne workes and put not their trust in the sonne of God neither were and consider that he was sent of the Father made of a woman made vnder the lawe much lesse that all these thinges were done for their saluation They are continually tormented in their owne works the miserable men doe in vaine goe about by them to helpe them selues and to obtaine the grace of God And while their vngodlines is not herewith content it beginneth to persecute euen the sonnes of God as it is alwayes wont to doe yea at the last they growe vnto such crueltie that after the example of their father Cain they can not rest vntil they slay their righteous brother Abell in whome they doe also kill vnto them selues Christ Then the bloode of righteous Abel crieth vnto heauen against vnrighteous Cain neither ceasseth it to cry vntill the Lord hath reuenged it He asketh those Cains of their brother Abel yea of Christ but they deny all knowledge of Christ which labour not to become the sonnes of God and heires by Christ but to become righteous by their owne workes In the meane season the bloode of Christ continually crieth out against them euen nothing but punishment and vengeance when as for the elect it crieth by the spirit of Christ for nothing but grace reconciliation The Apostle vseth here a Sirian and a Greeke word saying Abba Pater For this word Abba in the Syrian tongue signifieth a Father by which name at this day the chiefe of Monasteries are wont to be called and by the same name Heremites in time past being holy men did call their Presidents at the last by vse it was also made a Latin word Wherefore that which Paul sayth is as much as Father Father or if thou hadst rather as My father Why the Apostle doubled the word Father But what is the cause why the Apostle doth double the word Father that is the crie of the spirit I will by your leaue bringe forth my iudgement and opinion hereof First I thinke that he would hereby shewe the force and straining of this holy cry For when as we cal any with great affection through no small necessitie we are wont eftsoones to double his name Nowe because that sinne and Cain doe alwayes goe about with desperation to stoppe this crie of the spirit for the grace of the father it is neede surely to crie most strongly and with a voice both doubled and exceedingly strained forth that is the trust of the grace of the Father ought to be most stronge and not able to be ouercome Againe such is the maner of the Scripture to witnes the certaintie of a thing sometime to double or iterate the words as Ioseph did to Pharao Gen. 41. So here also the spirit twise calleth vpon the Father whereby it may shewe the certaintie of his fatherly fauour and grace For the trust hereof ought to be no lesse certaine then great and vnmoueable Finally it is meete also to perseuer which againe this doubling of the name of father doth note vnto vs. For as soone as we begin to call God Father Satan with all his band moueth warre against vs and omitteth no meanes to wrest from vs this trust of sonnes toward God our Father wherefore thother Father must be diligently doubled that is our trust and confidence must be confirmed neither must we euer ceasse from calling vpon this Father but must most earnestly continue in this crie of the spirit whereby we may obtaine a certen sure experience of his fatherly goodnes by which our trust in him may be made most certaine and safe And perhaps Paul had respect hereunto when he first set downe Abba which is a word straunge to them to whom he wrote after adding Pater that is Father a familiar word and of their owne language meaning to signifie hereby that the beginning of so great trust in God is vnaccustomed and euen straunge vnto men but that when the mind hath a while exercised it and continued in it although assayled with tentations it becommeth euen familiar and almost naturall that we now enioy God as a domesticall Father and doe in euery thing most confidently call vpon him Verse 7. Wherefore now thou art not a seruaunt but a sonne if thou be a sonne thou art also an heire of God through Christ Nowe sayth he that is after the comming of the spirit of the sonnes after the knowledge of Christ thou art not a seruaunt For as it is sayd a sonne and a seruaunt are so contrary one to an other that the same man can not be both a sonne and a seruaunt A sonne and a seruaunt doe greatly differ We can not obtaine saluation by workes A sonne is free and willing a seruaunt is compelled and vnwilling a sonne liueth and resteth in faith a seruaunt in works And so by this place also it appeareth that we can obtaine no saluation of God by workes but before thou workest that which is acceptable vnto him it is necessary that thou haue receiued of him and possesse saluation and all things that thereupon works may freely flow forth to the honour of so gratious a father and to the profit of thy neighbours without any feare of punishment or loking for reward This that which Paule
9. this offence commeth because of our faith and can not be auoided of vs and therefore the blame thereof ought not to be layde vpon vs. Howbeit there is an other offence which proceedeth hereof for that our loue is not sufficient dutifull this commeth through vs inasmuch as our workes are the cause thereof because they do not so shine by faith that they wâ—iâ—h are conuersaunt with vs may thereby be prouoked to serue God as it is meete This offence is giuen through our fault whom it be commeth so to liue that the Iewes Heathen Princes of the world might haue no occasion to say Beholde how light and naughtie these men are yea and verie wicked wretches the doctrine of life which they follow must needes be euell and pestilent So our infamie and crimes are occasion of offence to others and of hatred and detestation of the most holy word of God For whereas we ought so to know preach and folow it that thereby both our neighbours might be brought vnto God and to the leading of a godly life and also the glorie of God set forth we by our naughty and slouthfull life bring to passe that it doth not onely bring no profit and commodity to our neighbours but is brought into hatred and made detestable through our meanes bearing our ignominie and reproche Now it is a most horrible synne and wickednes by our naughtines to make the word of God which is most holy and bringeth saluation to make it I say so odious and to repell and driue men from it to our owne and their most certaine destruction But in all thinges let vs behaue our selues as the ministers of God in much patience in afflictions c. Here he describeth in order the signes proper tokens of a Christian life wherewith it ought to be adorned in outward conuersation Not meaning that one is made a Christian and godly hereby but as he sayth that by these as by proper frutes and signes of Christianitie we should shew our selues to be both and behaue our selues as the ministers of God that is as Christians godly men And marke well that he sayth as the ministers of God It may seeme very straunge that the ministerie of God consisteth in these in many afflictions in necessities in distresses in stripes in prisons in tumults in watchings in fastings c. Among these he numbreth not Masses and prayers for the dead or other trifles of fained worship of God He rehearseth those things that pertaine to the true and right seruice of God whereby the body is chastised and the flesh tamed Which is well to be noted lest that any neglect fastings watchings and labour and make us count of them for that they do not iustifie They bring not righteousnes in deede yet are they frutes of righteousnes being obtained wherein thou mayst be exercised and whereby thou mayst keepe thy flesh in subiection and enforce it to do his dutie In tumults He rehearseth tumults or seditions among the rest not that it becommeth vs to teach or moue them who ought to obey Magistrates and with quietnes to liue obedient vnto all in that which is good as Paule teacheth Rom. 13 and Christ Matth. 22 Giue vnto Cesar those thinges that are Cesars but that we must beare tumultes of others as also necessities distresses stripes and imprisonments which we must cause or procure vnto none but suffer being procured and layde vpon vs by others Wherefore in the first place he setteth much patience which surely moueth no sedition or tumult but rather suffreth it and appeaseth it if it can But in the meane season it singularly comforteth vs at this time Christians commonly accused to raise sedition and tumults wheÌ„ they suffer the same being raised of other when as tumults are commonly imputed vnto vs for that this is incident to a Christian life that for the preaching of the Gospell it is accused to raise sedition which it rather suffereth being raised of other against the word of God For as in time past Achab accused the most holy Prophet Elias of sedition affirming that it was he that troubled Israell when as he himselfe in deede did trouble it so is it neither a shamefull nor new thinge for vs to be accused of the same when we preach the same word Let vs thinke when the enemies of God lay this reproche and sclaunder vpon vs that not onely Elias not onely the Apostles but Christ himselfe was counted of the Iewes a seditious felow crucified a title being writteÌ„ in three languages and put on the crosse that he should of all be counted as a seditious king of the Iewes which would haue moued that people against Cesar and adioined them to himselfe who in deede by word and example of his life taught nothing more themsubmissioÌ„ and obedience and liued so that he was ready to profit and minister vnto all As for the rest whereof the Apostle here maketh mention as patience affliction necessitie distres stripes prisons labour watchinges fasting puritie it is easie to vnderstand how they pertaine to the ministerie of God who truely disdaineth to haue slouthfull idle gluttonous and drowsie ministers and such as can not abide aduersitie and trouble â–ª But he specially reproueth our delicate ones which quietly enioy reuenues and rents and take their delight and pleasure thinking that it is an vnworthie thinge that they should labour for they are shauen weare long gownes and crie out in temples c. Howbeit these shall not be able to approue themselues before God God will haue none to be idle but also labour and so eate their owne bread who will haue all to labour and eate their owne and not other mens bread as it is written by Paule to the Thessalonians Who therefore teacheth here also that God is serued by labour and not that onely but that we also are thereby proued and commended to be the ministers of God In knowledge Paule taketh knowledge here for that which we call prudence or wisedom wherby we vse things with reason behauing our selues with discretion and comelines Of which knowledge the saying also of Paul Rom. 10. is vnderstood They haue the zeale of God but not according to knowledge that is they beare a zeale to the lawe not prudently not weying and coÌ„sidering all things well that they might do no vndecent thing Wherefore whereas he here expressely requireth knowledge in the ministerie of God Christians must frame their life prudently and with sufficieÌ„t discretion he thereby admonisheth vs that we frame our life with reason and order it prudently in all things keeping a meane and hauing an aduised rehard of our neighbours lest that in any thing we offende the weaker sort with vnseasonable vse of Christian libertie and that we do all thinges to the edifying of all So we must labour fast watch and applie our selues to chastitie and such other thinges not aboue measure that either the body may be
But this tentation doth not easily happen in these outward thinges as are bread apparell houses c. Thou mayst finde in deed some rash heads which for no cause do put their life goods good name in great daunger as they doe which goe on warfare of their owne accord which leape rashly into most deepe waters or goe voluntarily into other no small daungers Of whom Iesus the sonne of Syrach sayth Eccle. 3.27 He that loueth perill shall perish in it Whereof the Germanes haue a prouerbe Selfe do self haue what euery one followeth that he commeth vnto So is it almost vsuall that none are oftner drowned then they that are most exercised in swimming and none fal more perilously then they which vse to attempt hie matters We are seldō brought to tēpt God by not taking the vse of outward things which he hath giuen vs. But he shall be hardly founde which hauing a false and ouermuch confidence in God attempteth any such thing or vseth not the thinges present as bread apparell house and such like loking with perill while God prouide otherwise for him by miracle We read of a certaine Heremite who because he had vowed to take bread of no men brought him selfe into perill by hunger and so perished and vndoutedly went strait vnto hell because of that false faith and tempting of God which he learned no other where but of that deuill so that his madnes was altogither like that whereunto Satan here persuadeth Christ to wit that he shoulde cast him selfe downe from a pinnacle of the temple Howbeit thou shalt finde very few which doe follow this Heremite and doe differre to enioy corporall thinges present for that they hope that God will giue them other from heauen But in spirituall things which concerne the nourishment We are easily and often by the tentation of Satan brought to refuse the true spiritual foode of our soules and to seeke other contrary to the will and word of God not of the body but of the soule this tentation is wont to be both mighty and often In these God hath appoynted a certayne maner wherby the soule may be fedde nourished and strengthened both most commodiously and also most blessedly so that no good thing at all can be wanting vnto it This nourishment this strength this saluation is Christ our Sauiour in whom the Father hath most abundantly offered and giuen all good thinges But there are very few which desire him the moste parte seeke some other where whereby their soules may liue obtaine saluation Such are all they which seeke saluation by their works These are they whom Satan hauing sette on a pinnacle of the temple biddeth them cast them selues downe and they obey him They descende where as is no way that is they beleeue and trust in God yet so as they trust also in their owne works in which is no place at all for faith and trust no way or path vnto God wherefore throwing them selues downe headlong they breake their necke falling into vtter desperation Now Satan persuadeth miserable men vnto this madnes as also he persuaded Christ to cast him selfe downe from a pinnacle of the temple by places of Scripture peruerted and misapplied wherein workes are commaunded whereby he maketh them beleeue that the Angells shall keepe them that is that they shall be approued of God when as in deede they can by nothing so offend him as by that madde trust and confidence in workes For they acknowledge not that the Scripture doth no where require works without faith or that it doth euery where require a sound liuely faith from which works proceede We haue at large declared who are such namely incredulous hypocrites which are giuen to workes without faith which falsely boast of the name of Christians chalenging to them selues to be chiefe in the flock of Christ For this tentation must be in the holy citie Now these two tentations and the causes of them doe greatly differ In the former the cause why men doe not beleeue is neede and hunger for they are thereby moued to distrust God and despeire of his goodnes In the latter the cause why they doe not beleeue is ouermuch abundance for that miserable men are full of most plentifull and abundant treasure so that they loath it coueting to haue some other speciall thinge whereby they may procure the saluation of their soules So our case standeth ill in both respects If we haue nothinge we despeire and distrust God If we haue plentie of thinges we loath them and require other being then also voyde of faith Concerning the first we flie and hate scarsitie and seeke plentie concerning the latter we seeke scarsitie and flie plentie Howsoeuer God dealeth with vs we are not content our incredulitie is a bottomles pit of malice and vngodlines Againe the deuil tooke him vp into an exceeding high moūtaine Tentation by vaine glory pleasures and delights of the world Here he tempteth with vaine glorie power of the world as by the wordes of the deuil doth plainly appeare who shewing Christ the kingdoms of the world offered them to him if he would worship him By this tentation they are ouercome which reuolt from faith that they may enioy glorie and power here or at least doe so temper their faith that they lose not these thinges In the number of these are all heretikes and troublers of the Church which do therfore either leaue or oppugne the sinceritie of faith that being exempted out of the common number they may be extolled on hie So we may place this tentation on the right hand as the first assaileth vs on the left For as the first tentation is of aduersitie whereby we are moued to indignation impatiencie diffidence so this third tentation is of prosperitie whereby we are prouoked to delights glory pleasures and whatsoeuer is excellent and delectable in the world The second tentation is altogither spirituall whereby Satan by deceit and meruelous secret suttlery goeth about to withdraw man from faith For whom he can not ouercome with pouertie scarsitie necessitie misery them he tēpteth with riches fauour glorie delights power c so he assayleth vs on either side yea when he preuaileth by neither way he goeth about as Peter saith attēpteth all meanes that whom he can ouercome neither by aduersitie that is by the first tentation nor by prosperitie that is by the thirde tentation he may ouercome either by errour blindnes or false vnderstanding of the Scripture that is by the second tentation which is spirituall and therefore most hurtfull By which if he preuaile against any they are also ouercome both on the left side and on the right For whether they suffer such pouertie or enioy plenty of thinges whether they contend or yeelde vnto all thinges both is nothing while they are in errour either patience in aduersitie or constancie in prosperitie can be of no importance For in both euen heretikes
thou fynde comfort in thy conscience and say with Micheas VVho is such a God as thou Mich. 7. that pardonest wickednes castest all our synnes into the bottome of the sea Whosoeuer take not away synnes they are no Gods but idols whereupon he sayeth rightly that none is like vnto our God For other gods will fynde and not bring godlines but the Almightie God doth not finde it but bring it wherefore thou must not forthwith despeire if thy consciēce trembleth and feeleth synne For the more defiled that thou art so much the sooner doeth the Lord poure in his grace if so be thou be repentant and thirstest after it A great part goe so farre that they saye they merit grace whiles they dispose them selues thereunto which is as they interpret whiles they do that which lyeth in them and also that they doe satisfie for their synnes But it is not so The Scripture teacheth vs that it is God that taketh away synne and casteth it into the bottome of the sea We shall not put away synnes by our workes neither shall we be iustified of our selues God himselfe and none but he shall do the thinge of his meere grace as Esay sayth I am euen I am he onely Esa 43.25 that for myne owne selfes sake doe take awaye thine offences and forget thy synnes so that I will neuer thinke vpon them more And so must thou beleeue otherwise thou shalt neuer obtaine a ioyfull conscience Wherefore when as Peter sayd I am a synner he saide right It is true in deede there were causes why he might be afrayde of himselfe and humble himselfe but he ought not to refuse God but most willingly receiue him Wherfore when thou shalt feele thy synne like as Peter did and shalt perceiue that thou wouldest now flie from God then is it neede that thou do forthwith turne thy selfe and come more and more vnto him For if God should goe away and would not take away thy synne would not come vnto thee nor seeke thee yet the more thou perceiuest thy selfe a synner the more hast thou oughtest to make vnto him which see thou marke well and lay it vp in a myndefull memorie For as Sainct Peter doeth here so all consciences do which are terrified of synnes and would flie from God seeke an other god do not thou leaue so but come boldly and ioyne thy selfe neerer vnto God Otherwise if one goe away to seeke workes and helpe of an other god he is then found like the foolish Virgines which while they goe to get themselues oyle are in the meane season shut out But what doeth Christ when Peter so humbleth himselfe and by reason of his great feare and terrour desireth the Lord to depart from him did he leaue him in such desperation of himselfe No truly but he comforteth him saying thus Feare not from hēce forth thou shalt catch mē This is a ioyfull word God susteyneth the faithfull both in body spirit whereby weake heartes receiue comfort Now therefore that God hath a care for vs yea euen in those thinges that pertaine to the body ye see by this that he giueth Peter so many fishes he maketh him also so full and rich in spirit that he ought to bestow some of his plenty vpon others He maketh him a fisher both in body and in spirit in body for that he taketh many fishes which he may sell but in spirit he is a fisher of men For he hath the Gospel whereby other men must be brought to God by him and the kingdome of Christ be increased Loe it commeth to passe that where men beleeue the Lord giueth so much as succoureth and helpeth all men The faithfull man outwardly helpeth the needy with his substaunce and goods And from within he breaketh forth teacheth other and enricheth them also inwardly For such a man can not hold his peace but is enforced to shew and declare to others how he is delt with as it is in the 51. Psal Make me a cleane heart O God and renue a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me O giue me the comfort of thy helpe againe and stablish me with thy free Spirit Then shall I teach thy wayes vnto the wicked and synners shal be conuerted vnto thee And in an other Psalme also Dauid sayeth I beleeued Psal 116.10 and therefore will I speake Which is thus much in effect when I beleeue I knowe God and tast of his goodnes then I consider the case of other men and go and declare such knowledge and goodnes of God vnto them We see therefore in this text howe carefull God is for them that be his and that he doth susteine them both in body and in spirit But if he doth sometime differre any thinge without all doute it is through the fault of our incredulitie or because we haue now new begon to beleeue For where faith is new and litle there is sometime small and sclender helpe that we may learne to know the Lord and to trust in him But when we haue gone so farre that we trust strongly in God then nothing can be wanting to vs then God poureth vpon vs both corporall and spirituall good thinges and so aboundant treasures that we may be able to helpe others This in deede is to enrich the poore and to fill the hungrie Thus much shall suffize concerning this text A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER CONCERNING TRVST IN GOD IN PENVRIE AND DISTRESSE Marc. 8. Verse 1. IN those dayes when there was a verie great multitude and had nothing to eate Iesus called his disciples to him and said vnto them 2. I haue compassion on the multitude because they haue now cōtinued with me three dayes and haue nothing to eate 3. And if I send them awaye fasting to their own houses they would faint by the waye for ome of them came from farre 4. Then his disciples aunswered him whence can a man satisfie these with bread here in the wildernes 5. And he asked them how many loaues haue ye and they said seuen 6. Then he commaunded the multitude to sit downe on the ground and he tooke the seuen loaues and gaue thankes brake them and gaue to his disciples to set before them they did set them before the people 7. They had also a few small fishes and when he had giuen thankes he commaunded them also to be set before them 8. So they did eate and were suffised and they tooke vp of the broken meate that was left seuen baskets full 9. And they that had eatē were about 4. thousand so he sent them awaye I Hope dearely beloued that ye doe well vnderstand the meaning of this text For your vnderstanding is sufficiently well grounded in these mysteries so that ye doe easily perceiue what good is to be looked for in the Gospell and what is prescribed vnto vs therein namely the true nature and qualitie of
Father is knowne in the Sonne there doth yet happen a grosser thing in Philip who bursteth forth and will not be content with faith but will knowe the thinge assuredly by feeling and seeing Wherefore he sayth vnto the Lord Lord shew vs thy Father and it sufficeth vs. As though he would say if thou wilt also shew vnto vs a signe then will we beleeue Philip counteth it not sufficient to beleeue the worde but goeth about to come to the knowledge of the Father by an other meanes then by the word For seing that reason can not beleeue he requesteth to be certified by an other meanes and way By the interrogation therfore of Christ that followeth it is shewed that the conscience is made certaine and quiet by no other thing then by faith for that we must cleaue to the bare worde and looke for no other signe But Philip thought here that he should be much more certified if he did see the Father then if he beleeued the simple and bare word This incredulitie Christ reproueth somewhat sharpely and sayth Haue I bene so long time with you hast thou not knowne me As though he should say I teach and preach and yet thou knowest me not Doost thou not knowe that the Father will be knowne by me that my word is the worde and power of the Father by which alone he will be knowne and by nothing els For thou hast heard the voice of the Father from heauen after this sort This is my beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased heare him Doost thou not yet vnderstande howe the Father is knowne The Father is not seene with carnall eyes as Iohn in his first chapter sayth Ioh. 1.18 No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him Wherefore the Lord sayth to Philip Philip he that hath seene me hath seene the Father This saying is like vnto that former when he sayth If ye had knowne me ye should haue knowne my Father also That is forasmuch as the Father will be knowne by me seeke no other way to knowe him but beleue my word that I am he which sheweth vnto you the Father and will make you to know him in me Beleeue that by me thou hast accesse to the Father by this meanes thou shalt knowe the Father by faith thou shalt vnderstande the power and mercie of the Father and shalt feele him to be comfortable and gracious The Father will haue my word to be beleeued and them that beleeue it to be saued and obtaine eternall life Seeing therefore that these thinges be thus that we can not know the Father but in the Sonne and when we know the Sonne we know also the Father the Lord sayth moreouer vnto Philip How then sayest thou Shewe vs thy Father Beleeuest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father is in me As if he would say Forasmuch as there is no other way to know the Father but that which I haue shewed why I pray thee doost thou not beleeue my wordes seeing that I haue taught that I am the way the truth and the life Doost thou not beleeue that I am in the Father and the Father in me Beleeuest thou not that my diuinitie and the diuinitie of the Father is one and that the Father will be knowne by me But why is the Father knowne by the knowledge of the Sonne euen therefore for that the Sonne is in the Father and the Father in the Sonne For the word by which the Sonne is knowne is the power of the Sonne and of the Father Wherefore seing the Sonne is knowne by his word it necessarily followeth that the father also is knowne thereby Beleeue me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me at the least beleeue me for the very works sake Here he doth as it were appeale to workes that they may giue testimonie of the word As if he should say Seeing that ye can not be content to beleeue the word at the least beleeue the signes which beare witnes of the word and whereby the Father hath giuen testimonie of me For the works and signes are testimonies of the word By these words Christ meaneth nothing els but to confirme the consciences of his Disciples and of all vs against the offence of the crosse For consciences wil know and not beleeue the bare words of God but doe alwayes dout and say What if God careth not for thee and haue such like cogitations Holy godly men seeme for the most part to be neglected as abiects and most contemptible men inasmuch as the world according to the will lust thereof rageth and practizeth tyrannie against them and doth almost what it list Hereupon they are in anguish in daunger of faith desire to know the will of God toward them These Christ comforteth that they may seeke no other comfort but in him and in his death and beleue that he is life that he beareth rule and maketh aliue them that be dead And that they should nothing dout hereof he maketh them yet more certaine and sayth Verely verely I say vnto you he that beleeueth in me the vvorkes that I doe he shall doe also and greater then these shall he doe As if he should say Dout not any thing but that ye shall know the Father by me and that my word is the power of God that by my word ye shal be sustained although I be euen crucified Ye shall haue triall hereof in your selues for if ye beleeue in me ye shall not onely worke such workes and shew such signes as I doe but euen greater Which came to passe after the ascention of Christ when the Apostles wrought greater miracles as well among the Iewes as Gentiles then Christ him selfe But what is the cause hereof The Lord him selfe addeth it saying For I goe vnto my Father That is I will begin a kingdom where I will fulfill all thinges Here the Lord annexeth the conclusion of all the questions and consolations going before For a litle before Christ had taught that the Father is known by him and that is because he is in the Father he therefore is shewed by that worde by which the Father is shewed But that he might confirme this to wit that his worde is the power of the Father he added and sayd He that beleeueth in me the works that I do he shall doe also That is by faith in me ye also shall doe those works and know that my word is the vertue and power of God But why doth he say I goe to the Father I aunswere Because Christ is in the Father therefore doth he the workes of the Father but we doe them not also therefore but for that Christ who is in the Father is now in vs. For to goe to the Father is to fulfill all thinges as Paule according to the saying of the Psalme declareth to giue giftes vnto men to lighten and to sanctifie For this is the kingdom of Christ whereby he reigneth in earth in the hartes of the beleeuers and sitteth vpon the throne of his Father Dauid The Lord also speaketh these wordes I goe to the Father to comfort his Disciples For as he did before beginne to confirme them that they should not be troubled and offended although he should dye but courageously cleaue to him and beleue in him So here he promiseth them that they shall be glorified for he goeth to the Father who shall deliuer all thinges into his handes that he may mightely obtaine a kingdom ouer all things that are in heauen and earth Wherefore they ought nothing at all to feare He yet comforteth them more and sayth And whatsoeuer ye aske in my name that will I doe As if he should say As soone as I come to the Father there is no cause why ye should be carefull For those thinges that ye haue neede of and aske ye shall obtaine I wil doe this for you because I obtaine a kingdom And he peculiarly addeth in my Name whereby he excludeth all our merits For by Christ we are heard as also in Christ we are loued by whom also we are Priestes as Peter sayth to offer vp spirituall sacrifices and acceptable to God All these thinges sayth Christ I will doe for this cause That the Father may be glorified in the Sonne The Father is then glorified when glorie is giuen and ascribed vnto him not vnto vs. That is whē we acknowledge the we are saued not by our owne merits not by our owne wisedom and righteousnes but do put our trust in his mercie For he hath giuen his Sonne for our sinnes and whatsoeuer we purpose to aske we must aske it by this Sonne and we shall obtaine it Wherfore he repeateth these wordes and sayth If ye shall aske any thing in my Name I will doe it These wordes tend to this ende that he may make vs certainely beleue his wordes and cleaue vnto him This therefore is the summe of this conclusion He biddeth his Disciples and vs therefore beleeue for that he goeth to reigne Before he affirmeth that he wil shew forth a signe and testimonie of his kingdom so reigne that he will declare a notable token of his gouernment that we may feele and perceiue it to wit that he will doe so great works by vs as he him selfe hath done yea and greater also Also that he will heare vs when we pray and whatsoeuer we pray for vnto the Father in his name By these promises the hart must be confirmed made courageous against the gates of hell For Christ reigneth by his word wherefore it is needefull that we exactly know the vertue of the word for the kingdom of Christ is the power vertue of God These things I thought good to entreat of concerning this Gospell Let vs call vpon God for the ayde of his grace that we may be able to vnderstand them by them to strengthen our weake faith **** FINIS
pure and sincere word of God whereby the grace of God is preached and offered and notwithstanding to embrace it with no diligence neither to be chaunged or altered in life By this vnthankfull slothfulnes we deserue to haue it taken away againe as being vnworthy of it For we making so light of the Gospell are vndoutedly they which are bidden and called to the mariage but whiles being busied about other matters we despise this grace the good man of the house is angrie with vs sweareth that we shall neuer tast of his supper The same doth Paule now here admonish of that we take heede to our selues least that we receiue the Gospell vnthankfully without frute Yea Christ also admonished vs of the same VValke while ye haue the light Ioh. 12.35 least the darkenes come vpon you It ought surely to make vs more warie and heedefull euen for that we suffered so grieuous and pernitious darkenes vnder the Pope But we haue now forgotten all such thinges no thankfulnes no amendement is found among vs which how greatly to our owne hurt we neglect we shall shortly feele For he sayth I haue heard thee in a tyme accepted and in the day of saluation haue I succoured thee beholde nowe the accepted tyme. He describeth here the merueilous felicitie which is there where the Gospell flourisheth there is no wrath no reuengement all thinges are replenished with grace and saluation yea it is vnspeakeable howe great felicitie these wordes doe speake of Whereas he first sayth a tyme accepted A time accepted it is spoken by an Hebrewe figure and is as much as if thou say a gratious tyme and replenished with the fauour of God wherein God turneth away his anger and declareth nothing but loue toward vs and a ready will to helpe vs. Our sinnes are blotted out not onely those that be past but those also which as yet sticke in our flesh and that I may speake in a word the kingdom of mercie is present wherein nothing but forgiuenes of sinnes and restoring of grace is shewed heauen standeth open the right yeare of Iubile is come wherein all dettes are remitted and no grace is denied Whereupon he sayth In a time accepted haue I heard thee that is now I fauour thee am mercifull vnto thee whatsoeuer thou wilt haue pray for it and thou shalt obtayne it and certainly receiue it Onely let not the fault be in thy selfe pray while this time endureth The day of saluation Beholde nowe the day of saluation He calleth this the time and day of saluation that is of helpe and felicitie For we are not onely certayne hereof that God is mercifull and fauourable vnto vs and we acceptable vnto him but also as we beleeue and by faith are sure of his goodnes toward vs so he declareth in deede heareth them that crie vnto him helpeth and saueth them yea and maketh them plainly blessed We therefore worthely acknowledge and confesse this tyme to be the wished prosperous happie and very day of saluation For it behoueth that both be togither both that God fauour vs and also that he declare his fauour towards vs by worke or deede That he fauoureth vs the accepted tyme which is nowe present doth witnes that he doth also helpe vs and finish our saluation this other witnesseth to wit the day of saluation the day of helpe But as the state of the life of Christians is if thou wilt iudge according to the outward man thou wilt iudge it rather a tyme of affliction wrath and indignation wherein the Gospell is preached and wherein they liue then a time of grace and saluation Wherefore the wordes of the spirit must be spiritually vnderstood so shall we easily see perceiue that these noble and most pleasaunt names doe most rightly and properly belong to the tyme wherein the Gospell flourisheth that it is a tyme accepted that is full of grace and a time of saluation whereby surely all the riches and felicitie of Christes kingdom are notably commended and set forth vnto vs. Let vs giue no occasion of offence in any thinge Forasmuch therefore as there is so acceptable and gratious a tyme let vs sayth he vse it worthely and not receiue it in vayne First endeuouring to giue no occasion of offence to any man least that our office of preachinge Christ be reprehended No offence must be giuen whereby the Gospell may be reprehended Double occasion of offence may be giuen whereby the Gospel is reprehended whereby he sufficiently declareth what offence he meaneth namely that the doctrine of the Gospell may not be stumbled at as though he taught that which is not perfect and sound Nowe there may be giuen a double occasion of offence whereby the Gospell is reprehended one wherby the Heathen are offended when as some vnder a pretence of the Gospel seeke the libertie of the flesh wil not be obedient to magistrates turning the libertie of the spirit into fleshly licētiousnes These do meruelously offend the discreeter wiser sort of the Heathen and make that they hate the Gospell without a cause which they thinke doth teach this licentiousnes and so as it were with a certaine force they do by this their insolencie repell and driue them from the faith of Christ for they measuring all Christians by these do detest them as light men and troublers of the common wealth and therefore not to be suffered This offence therefore and this reprehension or rather hatred and persecution of the Gospel we acknowledge to come through these preposterous Christians An other offence is whereby euē Christians amōg themselues are sometime offended through the vnseasonable vse of Christian libertie in meates and other indifferent thinges whereat the weaker sort in faith do sometime stumble Whereof the Apostle hath giuen many preceptes 1. Cor. 8. Rom. 14. He exhorteth therefore here vnto that whereof he admonisheth in other wordes 1. Cor. 10 So behaue your selues that ye giue none offence neither to the Iewes nor to the Grecians nor to the Church of God euen as I please all men in all things not seeking mine owne profit but the profit of many that they might be saued The same he teacheth also Philip. 2. that euerie man looke not on his owne things but on the things of other men for so all offence should be easily taken away nay none at all should be giuen That our ministerie be not reprehended Though we cā not bring to passe that the word of God be not at all reprehended yet must we endeuour that it be not reprehended through our fault Who can bring to passe that our ministerie shall not be reprehended seeing that the Gospell is necessarily subiect to persecution no lesse then Christ himselfe In deede it is not in vs to make that the worde of God be not reprehended and persecuted of them which are ignoraunt of God and do not beleeue for it is a rocke of offence Esai 8. Rom.