downe into the worlde nor what grace he imparteth vnto vs by his Gospell they knowe not neyther what fayth nor what prayer is and yet for all that they will needes haue leaue to doo what they liste and that folke should lay the bridle looce in their necke Of these wylde Christians there are tootoo many nowe a dayes In the meane while the doctrine of God is blamed by their meanes For the enimies of the truthe vpbrayde vs with all suche as are loose liuers now a dayes and say that the same springeth of our preaching For this cause S. Paule hath answered his aduersaries and also armed and fenced vs to answere them to the ende to stoppe the mouthes of all raylers and of all suche as doo falsly slander the doctrine of the Gospell First of all therfore when the wicked sort say that we giue an inordinate libertie to all suche as seeke nothing but to doo lewdly Let vs looke backe to S. Paule who telleth them that the libertie which we speake of serueth for none but such as are a law to them selues namely through the working of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ But yet notwithstanding this ought to serue for a warning to all suche as imagine a libertie after their owne liking Therefore let them vnderstande that first of all it behoueth them to become members of our Lorde Iesus Christ VVil we then eate quietly without making any 〈…〉 VVill wee bee exempted from all 〈…〉 whiche doo nowe a dayes vexe the simple and ignorant sorte in the Papacie Let vs vnderstande what Iesus Christ is and let vs bee throughly his Let him gouerne vs and let his death and passion shewe their power and effectualnesse in our whole life Thus yee see what we haue to beare in binde in this text And heere S. Paule sheweth agayne that the true perfection of Gods children consisteth in abacing themselues so as they followe not the rule of their owne brayne and affections for wee bee vtterly corrupted Then can wee not bee but rebels agaynst God all the time of our life till wee haue kylled all the sinfulnesse of oure owne nature Marke this for one poynt that our lyfe shall neuer bee framed to the will of God excepte wee bee vtterly chaunged bothe in our thoughts and in our affections Secondly S. Paule sheweth that that can not be done but by communicating with our Lorde Iesus Christ for it is not without cause that he vseth this worde Crucified For thereby he declareth that so long as wee bee separated from our Lorde Iesus Christ and cast off from him and not knit vnto him by fayth our nature will alwayes bring foorth hir owne frutes that is to say nothing but all maner of naughtinesse and vice Thus ye see that first of all Freewill is beaten downe Secondly it is shewed vs that wee can not be partakers of any of Gods giftes nor of his holy spirite but by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christ according as I haue tolde you alreadie that wee must all drawe of his fulnesse for he is the onely fountayne that is able too suffice vs. And if wee seeke neuer so farre aboute elsewhere wee shall finde nothing but drythe and wee shall continue a thirst styll and if wee thinke too fill our selues it will bee but wyndinesse and misweening wherewith wee shall burste and yet not gather any good nourishment or substance Nowe heerevppon Sainct Paule concludeth that if wee liue after the spirite wee shoulde also walke after the spirite And it is a more easie declaration of the thing that I haue touched alreadie It had beene inough too haue auouched that wee can not bee set free but by crucifying all oure wicked lustes howe bee it for as 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Hypocrisie is so great that they doo alwayes finde â—â—aâ—ting holes and 〈…〉 man would bee esteemed as an Angell though his life bee out of order therefore Sainct Paule intended for a confirmation too adde this saying â–ª that if wee liue after the spirite wee must therewithall walke after the spirite As if hee should say that it is not inough for men too protest them selues to haue Gods spirite dwelling in their heart but they muste shewe that he is there for he is not idle Therfore if a man will discerne whether Gods spirit dwell in vs or no he must come to our works and to our life and according as our conuersation is so may he see what we be and what is within vs and giue iudgement by our outwarde workes that are apparant As for example if one would beare mee in hande that a blocke were a liuing a man too see too It stirreth neyther head nor foote thrust at it and shoue at it and yet there appeareth no lyfe in it and shall he then make mee beleeue that a peece of stone remoueth from place too place or hath any power in it or is a creature that hath a soule Euen so is it with those that boast them selues to be spirituall For although the vnbeleeuers and enimies of God be aliue as in respect of the body yet are they dead in respect of the heauenly life bicause their soule is vtterly corrupted but wee liue to Godwarde through the grace of his holy spirite And if this grace be in vs it can not bee idle as I sayde afore And that is the cause why S. Paul sayth that our conuersation will shewe whether we liue in the spirite or no. The worde walke is very rife in the holy scripture when the whole ordering of our life is mentioned neuerthelesse heere is not onely walking The worde that S. Paul vseth importeth more that is to wit too walke orderly as if he should say that we must frame our selues to the thing that is conformable too the will of God and of his holy spirite and that our life must bee so well ruled as it maye bee knowen that God gouerneth vs in deede and that our Lorde Iesus Christ holdeth vs too him selfe as the members of his body and that he hath truly witnessed that he dwelleth in vs by his holy spirite Therefore at a worde this thing muste needes bee knowen Nowe to bee shorte S. Paule ment heere to bewray the hypocrisie of all suche as make fayre protestation with their mouthe and woulde haue men to beleeue wonderous well of their zeale and yet in all their whole lyfe doo shew 〈…〉 at all too come neere God nor any 〈◊〉 of hys worde All such folke then are heere condemned of lying and vnfaythfulnesse And therefore that wee may discerne which are Gods children let vs come to the examining of our liues True it is as I haue touched heeretofore that sometimes the ignorant wretches and suche as neuer had any instruction in the Lawe shall haue some apparance of vertue But if a man sounde them throughly he shall finde it is but a shadowe and that they bee not well bent eyther too loue their neibours or to walke
vnder our feete thinke we that God wil suffer his grace too be so lightly esteemed and hild skorne of No. For wee cannot despise the doctrine of the Gospel but we must vnhalow the bloud of Gods sonne which he did shead for our redemption for the one cannot bee separated from the other VVhensoeuer and how often soeuer God speaketh to vs and offereth vs forgiuenesse of oure sinnes shewing himselfe readie to receiue vs to mercie so often is the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christe sprinkled vpon vs. All the teaching in the world cannot do vs any good except our Lord Iesus Christ be with it to apply the sheading of his bloud vnto vs. And if we despise the doctrine of the Gospel it is all one as if wee did spit at the holy bloud of Goddes sonne which thing is an intolerable trayterousnesse Therfore let vs looke narowlier to our selues and wey wel this text to the intent we stand stedfast and for asmuch as God hath called vs to so great a good turne and we do now know that is not by haphazard that the Gospel hath bin preached but bycause it was Gods will to vtter the infinite riches of his goodnesse towardes vs let vs stand in it and so sticke too it as nothing may thrust vs from it nor by any meanes euer shake vs down Lo in effect what we haue to beare away in this text Moreouer we be warned also which are the true pictures or peintings to leade vs too God The Papists say we must haue rememberances to teache vs and that images are the bookes of the vnlearned which are not apt to conceiue higher doctrine but hath Sainct Paule spoken heere but to three or four folke No It is generally and to all Christians without exception as well to great as small that he sayth that wheÌ„ the Gospell is preached then Iesus Christ is peinted out liuely and we must looke vpon him not with the fleshly eyes of our bodyes but with the spirituall eyes of our faith Then seeing it is so let vs learne that we haue no neede of Images and puppets to teach vs what is necessarie for our saluation nother neede wee a peece of wood stone or other suche pelting stuffe too put vs in rememberance of God for in all those things there is nothing but vanitie and leasing but we haue neede to haue Gods word preached and to indeuer and trauell to make the same familiar too vs that wee may there beholde God in his liuely image that is to saye in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ his only sonne according also as Sainct Paule sayeth in the second too the Corinthians where he protesteth that the doctrine which he brought vntoo them was not hidden from anie but the vnbeleeuers suche as perish whome the Diuell possesseth and which haue their eyes sealed vp And no wonder though they see not awhit in the open light But yet in the meane while the doctrine is so manifest vntoo vs as we may easly perceyue Gods will For he sheweth vs it familiarly ynough as oft as the Gospell is preached in somuch that wee neede not to make much running vp and downe not too fetch farre wyndlasses wee neede no more to say who shall stie vp aboue the Cloudes who shall go beyond sea who shall go downe intoo the deepe Haue we Gods word at leastwise haue wee it preached purely Then is Iesus Christ as it it were in the middes of vs and sheweth himself as it were hanging vppon the Crosse witnessing what hee dyd for vs when he suffered death to reconcyle vs to God his father There hee setteth vs downe a sure and vndeceyuable pledge or warrant and let vs content our selues with it For when we haue pleaded neuer so muche it will not excuse vs oure cace wyll alwayes go againste vs if wee bee not well assured in oure consciences that wee haue whollye leaned vntoo Goddes word which as I sayd bringeth vs so neere vnto God that it is the very vnion itselfe whiche we haue with him in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ And in good sooth we see how God dothe as it were stoup to our rudenesse and infirmitie For doth he speak in so loftie and darke a stile as we can vnderstand nothing No but contrariwise he abaceth hymselfe and therto thinkes it not ynough to haue spoken but also addeth Sacramentes to his worde whyche are the true pictures that we ought to haue Like as when we see the water of baptim it is a picture which sheweth vs that we be â—ull of filth and vncleannesse till we be washed and by whome VVe must seeke our washing from aboue Besides this it sheweth vs that we must be renued by the holy Ghost of God That then is a good picture And why Bycause it beareth Gods marke and is matched wyth hys worde As much is to bee sayde of the Lordes supper VVhen we see the morsells of bread and the droppes of wyne Very well they bee the Creatures whereof wee haue bin wont too take nurrishmeute and sustenaunce for our bodies but the same do leade vs to the lyfe of our soules and gyue vs to vnderstand that we haue no lyfe but in our Lorde Iesus Chryste And the cause why the wyne is added is to shew that he hath such vertue in him as we neede not to seeke any part of the thynges that we want any otherwhere but that he serueth vs for meate and drinke and all These I say are the good images that God hath set afore vs and now if we bee still soring in the aire and gadding after our owne lusts to say I would fayne haue more it is a disdeyning of the grace that is offered vs. So much the more therefore doth it stande vs on hand to marke well this streine where Sainct Paule by the poewr and in the name of God condemneth yea and with the power of the holy Ghost thundereth against all suche as haue bin taught the Gospell faithfully and afterward do turne aside and slip away from it And therevpon he addeth that he woulde fayne haue it knowen by what meane the holy Ghost is receyued For if they had receiued the holy Ghost by the works of the law Sainct Paule would haue graunted that there was some righteousnesse to be had by it But forasmuch as they had receiued him by the Gospell it must needes be concluded that they ought to haue rested vppon the record that God gaue them so apparantly And for the better vnderstanding of the thing that he meant too saye heere let vs marke that Gods spirit is giuen in common to all the faithfull for somuch as they be regenerated and made new creatures Besides this â–ª there are spiritual gifts which God destributeth according to such measure and portion as hee thinketh good but yet they redound all to the common welfare of the Church If we bee Christians we must needes haue Gods spirit as wee shall see
such renowme and authoritie as the things that proceeded from them should haue bin throughly receyued For their calling was lawfull it was well knowne that they did not thrust in themselues of their owne heades but that the sonne of God had chosen and appoynted them by his owne mouth yea and made them as it were new creatures being sillie soules and ignorant folke they were so chaunged as it appeared well that their doctrine came altogither of heauenly myracle For they had not learned ought but in Gods schole and he had in one instant of time so indued them with his grace and power that they became as instruments of the holy Ghost Yet notwithstanding the Diuell missed not too abuse their name and tytle too bring store of troubles and stumbling blockes into the Church ▪ For such as went in their companie made their brags when they came in far countrys that they had bin familiarly conuersant with them and yet for all that some of them were ful of vainglorie pride sought nothing but their own aduancement Othersome were selfwilled and could away with nothing but that which they had seene in the Citie of Ierusalem and in the land of Iewrie and they would haue had the whole world subiect to their Iure and therwithal would haue turned al things vpside down as they say Others were led yet with a more wicked minde so as they sought nothing else but to ouerthrow all that S. Paul had builded And all these as I sayd afore boasted that they had not learned any thing of him but that they had bin taught their doctrine by the Apostles themselues Thus yee see howe Sathan hath alwayes defaced Gods glorie euen vnder the shadow of the gracious giftes which hee had bestowed vpon his creatures And in good sooth we see how that vnder the names of the Apostles and of the virgin Marie the Idolatrie is the same at this day in the Popedom which it was among the Painims vnder the names of their fals gods for ther is nothing changed but only the names of thē As for the superstitiō it is as filthie and detestable in the Popedome as euer it was among the Heathen Heere therefore wee bee warned to bee wise to the intent that if the Diuell abuse Gods name wee may bee able to resist him and to discerne what authoritie men ought to haue and therewithall not to be ouerhastie of beleefe nor ouer easie to be moued and shaken with euerie winde For if wee haue not the constancie to walke in the doctrine that hath bin deliuered to vs when wee bee once fully resolued that it is Gods pure truth it will happen to vs as it did too the people of Galatia Yee see then that the thing which wee haue too beare in minde is in effect that when God hath giuen vs the grace too vnderstande his woorde wee must alwayes go forwarde in it and not be shaken lyke Reedes nor caryed too and fro nor led vp and downe like little babes but wee must haue the witte and discretion to sticke to the thing which wee knowe too bee offered vs of God Marke that for one poynt But by the way forasmuch as wee cannot haue such power in our selues let vs pray with all lowlinesse and earnestnesse vnto God too reforme vs by his holy spirit and too giue vs such stedfastnesse as wee may neuer swarue aside and that when we see all things turned vpside downe in this worlde yet notwithstanding this foundation may abide sure namely that forsomuch as God which cannot lie hath spoken to vs and shewed vs his will we may safely stande thervpon without turning any way from it Howbeit forsomuch as the Diuell hath many cunning knacks too thrust vs out of the way yea and that as I haue earst sayd he will not sticke to abuse Gods name to winde himselfe in and to get some accesse to vs it behoueth vs to vnderstand that our reuerencing of men must be in such wise as God may in the mean season continue vnimpeached and that our Lord may haue the whole maystrie ouer vs to himselfe as hee that is the teacher of the Church and that our fayth depend not neither vpon mens knowledge nor vpon any reputation that we haue of their wisdome power or holinesse but that our Lord Iesus may alwayes haue the preeminence for vs to rest and settle our selues vpon For if our fayth be not grounded vpon Gods pure truth which is vnvariable certeinly it will be but a loasing This is the thing that wee haue too gather of the example that is sette downe heere concerning the Galathians But by the way a man might thinke it straunge why Sainct Paule shoulde deale so roughly with them as wee shall see hereafter considering that the case stoode not vppon the open denying of God and the renouncing of the Gospell nor vpon the blaspheming of our Lord Iesus Christ or the setting forth of any notorious idolatrie but vpon the ceremonies of the Lawe For they against whom sainct Paule striueth in this Epistle mainteined none other thing but that the ceremonies of Moyses lawe were to be kept and that men were bounde to them vnder peyne of deadly sinne Now at the first blushe it myght be sayd that their cace was fauourable in that behalfe For the cace stoode not wyth them as it doth with the Pope who during his tyrannie hath forged many lawes and commanded this and that bringing poore soules into bondage but their saying was that inasmuche as the lawe was not of men but of God therfore it was to bee kept Heereby it should seeme that S. Paule had no cause to be so moued agaynst that opinion although it were not altogether sound and good Ageyne there is yet an other reason namely that wee muste not make so muche a doe about outward things as whether one day is to bee obserued more than an other or whether Swines flesh be not to be eaten as wel as mutton For whether a man obserue any ceremonies or whether he obserue none as for example If he forbeare the eating of Swines flesh or do any other like thing is his so doing an vtter forsaking of christianitie No Yet notwithstanding that is all the quarell that S. Paule hath yea and thervpon he crieth out that the Galathians are backsliders that they haue forsakē our Lord Iesus Chryst and that they are become renegates Some man wold say he vseth ouermuche vehemencie but herein wee be still warned that the diuell will now and then finde small trifles to draw vs from the Gospell ere we be aware and therfore it behoueth vs to be so muche the better aduised for of our selues we shal not be so but must in verie deede bee fayne to be gouerned by God And not without cause also is the spirit of wysedome fathered vpon him to the intent wee should seeke it in him Therfore let vs resort thyther and if any man goe about to
sayth expresly that he persecuted the Church of God that he made hauocke of all things and that he played the cutthrote as ye would say vntil God had changed him and of a rauening woolf made him a meeke sheepe and finally a sheepheard in his Church vnder our Lorde Iesus Christ Thus then we perceyue that S. Paule was sent vs by the hand of God and that he bringeth a sure marke so as we see he did not thrust himself in but that it was a worke of the holy Ghost and there was nothing of his owne coyning in the doctrine that he preached forsomuch as it behoued him too haue quite and cleane renounced himselfe to the end to giue and applie himself to the seruice of our Lord Iesus Christ For had S. Paule bin led with vainglorie wee bee sure he was honoured among his owne countrymen and he could haue wonne his spurres there Againe if he had stood vpoÌ„ the reputation of a holy life he was vnblameable On the other side he was at his ease liued in rest But it stood him on hand to haue made no more account of all the things that are to be desired to the worldward and which he had highly esteemed before than of dung durt as he himself protesteth to the Philippians and it behoued him to cast theÌ„ al away as things hurtfull forasmuch as he saw well how they were all of them impeachments that hindered him froÌ„ comming to our Lord Iesus Christ S. Paule therfore not onely gaue ouer the reputation which he had to be a great doctor therwithal a holy maÌ„ as it were a little Angel moreouer the rest ease commodities of the worlde but also did before god giue ouer all his opinion of purchasing eternall life by his own good workes All these things he reiected as abhominable knowing well that he was blinded with pride in that he had imagined that any thing was auaylable before God or that he could purchase any fauor by that meane It behoueth him say I not only to haue thrust all these things vnder foote but also to haue abhorred them as hee himselfe protesteth Forsomuch then as we see this we be so much the better confirmed in that which he sayth namely that in executing his office of Apostleship he had nothing of man nor of himself for he had bin quite cleane stripped out of all the things which he had made great accouÌ„t of before For in that he coÌ„fesseth himself to haue bin a persecuter of Gods Church we see that to the entent to mainteyne still the honour of God and the authoritie and maisterhod of our Lorde Iesus Christ whom he serued he doth not in any wise spare himselfe But behold also it behoueth vs to proceede in the like cace If we purpose to imploy our selues to Gods seruice it standeth vs on hande to forget our selues and not to be curious in seeking the things that are for our owne behoofe or for our owne honour Vntill such time then as we bee come to the vtter abasing of our selues wee can neuer giue our selues to the seruice of God wherevnto we bee called I speake purposely of those that haue the charge to preach the Gospell whom it behoueth too bee abaced in themselues or else they can neuer execute faythfully the charge that is committed vnto them On the other side we see howe Saint Paule doth not disguise any thing nor take any shadowe or couert to bee receyed among men but had rather reape the blame that hee had deserued and to bee shamed afore men than to couer himselfe with vaine startingholes For he sayth he had persecuted the Church bin a rouer and a cutthrote and had shedde innocent bloud But yet doth not this proue that Saint Paule had not indeuered to liue in holinesse and perfection for hee had bin a myrror of great vncorruptnesse He termeth himselfe vnblameable and not without cause For he sayth he was so blynded that he thought himselfe righteous before God bicause there was not any spot in him that coulde bee condemned by men Truely there was hypocrisie in him like as there is in all men that are not renued by Gods spirite VVhen they surmyze themselues to bee well lyked of all the worlde then is it certaine that they are nothing but corruption till God haue taken them into his guiding And so ye see that men shall bee abuzed bicause they sticke too theyr mother witte in iudging what is good and euill But contrariwise our Lorde Iesus Christ telleth vs that all the things which are highly esteemed afore men are abhominable before God Surely howsoeuer the cace stand S. Paule had indeuored himself to liue holily and without any blame or reproch And yet for al that when he was once conuerted hee coulde not say hee had done well and that his deuotion was woorthie too bee allowed But contrariwize hee declareth that he had bin a persecuter and that all this geere was nothing woorth VVhat is too be sayd then of that which now adayes is called deuotion and the seruis of God As for example in poperie those termes runne roundly ynough in eueryâ—mans mouth al things are done of good intent all men too their owne seeming haue affection and zeale and they beare themselues in hand that God is much beholden and indetted too them for the things whiche they doo Yea but wee know that God hath not commaunded them any of the things that they bring vnto him but euery of them behaueth himself after his owne fancie How soeuer the worlde go with them it is but an opinion that they weene they doo well and that is all One sayes it seemeth so to me another sayes I learned it so and so was I taught Now if God should allow all these things he should haue great burthens to beare For the things that men haue inuented of their own heads are but stinking dung before him And yet for all this euery man alledges this foolish bragge that he ment to serue God But therefore it is sayd in one woord by the Prophet Esay who hath required these things at your hands Lette him that set you a woorke pay you For as for mee I will neuer put this geere in my reckening booke I vtterly disclayme it bicause I require obedience Now S. Paule hath very wel gathered this matter For if he had iudged here of other men it shoulde haue had lesse power and force than when he speaketh of himself and in nowise spareth himself but sayeth that all the holinesse for which he had bin commended among men was but a the euerie bicause he had bin as a mad beast full of fiercenesse and rebellion against God Then if S. Paule make such a playne and free confession must not all mouthes bee stopped and al of vs vnderstand that when wee thought too haue serued God wee were as yee would say in a maze and it was but a leading of
heereafter For hee is called the earnestpenny and the Seale of the heritage that is promised vs and whyche wee looke for Yee see then that Gods spirit must dwell in vs if wee bee hys children But besides this there are also gracious giftes as for example there was in olde time the gift of Tungs the gyfte of prophesying the gift of healing and suche other lyke And euen still at thys day God sheweth well that hee hath not vtterly forsaken hys Church For although visible gyftes reygne not now as they did then yet notwithstanding we may see still that God doth by some meane or other vtter his operation among vs. Furthermore Sainct Paule speaketh heere to all men And therefore according to the common and ordinarie meening of it wee wil take this word Spirit for the renewmēt which God worketh in his children as it is sayd in the third Chapter of Sainct Iohn For in asmuch as we be borne of flesh there is nothing in vs but vtter corruption and we tend always towards the earth No doubt but men glory in their owne wisdome and moreouer thinke that they haue a free choyce and will of their owne to take the good and leaue the euil but those are but dreames For it is certayne that so long as we bee let alone in our owne nature wee tende euermore vntoo euill and the scripture also condemneth vs of it saying that there is not any thought conceyued in mannes mynde but the same is leawd and all our affections are enemies and rebells against God Therefore let vs not beguile ourselues any more with vayne flatteries but acknowledge ourselues too be vtterly marred in Adam so as there is nothing but sinfulnesse in vs. Notwithstanding God prouideth for that mischeefe when he toucheth vs too the quicke by hys holy spirite and so purgeth our harts as we desire to obey him and although we bee not so perfect as were requisite yet we fight against ourselues and go forward still to goodnesse And surely when Gods spirit is as a bridle to vs to hold vs backe in his obediēce it is a sure token that God dwelleth in vs and gouerneth vs as his flocke and holdeth vs for his children For we cannot bee counted Christians without this record that God warranteth himselfe to bee our father and that his holy spirit is as a seale thereof according as I haue already alledged the record of Sainct Paule out of the first to the Ephesians And now he sayth that the Galathians had receyued the spirite of God by the preaching of the Gospell Then seeing it is so it was for too be concluded that the workes of the law could not iustifye them And why For we must always come backe to thys principle which we haue treated of namely that in the Gospell we be vtterly stripped out of all the goodnesse and vertue whiche we thought ourselues to haue and that God doth vs such shame as we be fayne to come to him as quite confounded For although God set oure cursednesse afore vs in the law yet we perceiue it not so well there as in the Gospell And we see how the hipocrites do always flatter themselues and thinke too performe the thynges that are commaunded them But in the Gospell there are two things For God sheweth that there is nothing in vs but pouertie so as we must bee fayne to come to begge his grace with vtter acknowledgement of our bacenesse how that we haue done amisse and haue not one sparke of vertue in vs woorthy of commendation Now then seeing it is so Sainct Paule doth not without cause tell vs heere that such as receiue Gods spirit by the preaching of the Gospell must be voyd of all trust in their owne merites and acknowledge themselues beholden all wholly to Gods meere and free mercie for their whole saluation And why so For they be thinges that can no more match togither than fyre and water that we should be iustifyed by the Gospell and also iustifyed by the law VVhat then Is the Gospell contrary to the law No for as I haue declared already God is author as well of the one as of the other and there is no contrariworking in hym but the question heere concerneth the cace of our saluation God hath gyuen men hys lawe too shewe them the way too lyue well and thereby intended to bring them to suche condemnation as if hee shoulde preferre an inditement agaynst them and put a halter about theyr neckes For truly in the law we see nothing but ▪ Hell gaping open vppon vs that Gods vengeance is ready afore hand to incounter vs and that he is armed against vs as our enimie Those are the thynges whych the law setteth afore vs. But now is the Gospell gyuen vs for a remedy to the end that when we be so in despaire we should flee to the grace that is offered vs in our Lorde Iesus Christe and vnderstand that there is none other way to do vs good than the forgiuenesse of our sinnes whereby God doth so put away and wype out our offences as they come no more to account before him The thing then wherein our righteousnesse consisteth is that hee burdeneth vs not any more with the euil that is in vs. And althogh we see Gods intent and determination to be such both in the law and in the Gospell yet are we sure that there is no contrarietie in it Besydes this also if we be not iustifyed by the Gospell howe can wee attayne saluation by the lawe It is true that the lawe is a preparatiue too bryng vs to the Gospell for so long as men bee puffed vp wyth pryde Gods grace hath no enterance intoo them If a vessell be full of wind let a man labour to put what liquor hee will into it and he shall not get it in bycause the wynde beateth it backe and hindereth the putting of it in And we may perceyue it euen in mannes body for we must bee fayne too take similitudes of worldly things too leade vs to higher thinges If a man be hungrie and yet notwithstanding haue hys stomacke so puffed vp as it cannot abide any thyng hee may well bee full but what for that All is but wind he hath neuer the more nurrishment within for all that but rather the wind hindereth the entering in of any good sustenance to nurrish and mainteine him Euen so is it with the foolish presumpteousnesse that is in vs. VVe beare ourselues in hand that we be well furnished with all thinges that wee haue neede of howbeit that is but wind howsoeuer we fare and that wynd shetteth out Gods grace frō entering in But by the Gospel our Lord bringeth vs low sheweth vs our wretchednes And therefore it behoueth vs to come to it with a consideratiō that our Lord Iesus Christ is set foorth vnto vs there to the end that we seing that there is not one drop of goodnesse in vs
fashion Let vs go forward with the whole processe VVe see that without faith there should be no bond to knit any Church togither nor any assurance whereby to know which is the seede of Abraham or to discerne it from the rest of the world but by resorting to the head that is too wit to our Lord Iesus Christ Ye see then that the vnion of the body dependeth vpon the head that is to wit vppon the Redeemer Seeing it doth so not without cause doth Sainct Paule say that it was not spoken of many seedes but that wee must come too one man if we will haue the spirituall people that is to say if wee will haue the Churche of God our Lorde Iesus Christ must bee the marke that we must begin to looke at and wee must bee gathered vnto him and those that are of his body and cleaue vntoo him by fayth are the folke that are reckened for Gods children and houshold and are verily the seede of Abraham as he discourseth more at large in the Epistle to the Romanes where he sayth that all they which come of the seede of Israell after the flesh are not therefore Israelites And why For there was but one promised chylde which was Isaac So then wee must come to our Lorde Iesus Christe in whome all Gods promises are Yea and Amen and in whome they haue theyr substance For without him there is nothing else but soattering And therefore it is said in the first Chapter to the Colossians that our Lorde Iesus Christs office is to gather togither all things that were scattered as well in heauen as in earthe and that without him al should go to wrecke But now we see more cleerely how Sainct Paules meening is that before the law was published to the world wherevpâ—â— was put and added this condition that it behoued vs to fulfill all that is conteined therein God had yeelded a record of his will before hand whiche was that bycause hee saw mankind damned and forlorne he inteÌ„ded to draw out a chosen sort to hymselfe and to be mercifull to them And that was not for one linage alone but for all nations as the scripture expresseth And there of the foundation was layd in our Lord Iesus Christ For asmuch then as our Lord Iesus Christe was already in the tyme of Abraham ordeyned to be a mediator to make attonemeÌ„t betweene God and vs so that if we go in his name to seeke fauour it is ready for vs and we cannot be disappointed of our hope seeing it is so stablished there is no chaunge but wee must assure ourselues that God accepteth vs at this day so we rest wholly vpoÌ„ our Lord Iesus Christ knowing that it was no vncerteine couenant whiche was so ratifyed in his name but that it shall endure for euer and be always of force Ye see then that we may come freely before God and call vpon him as our father bycause he hath adopted vs for his chidreÌ„ whiche thing he hath not done in respect of any worthinesse that was in vs but of his owne meere mercie and bycause we bee made one with our Lord Iesus Christ by faith And by the way like as we must reiect all opinion and imagination of obteyning fauour at Gods hand by our owne deseruings and of assuring our owne saluation so must we looke wel to that which is told vs heere namely that we cannot be partakers of such a benefite but by faith Now as I haue sayd afore faith importeth an imbracing of Gods mercy whiche thing cannot bee done except wee bee touched earnestly with our own wretchednesse for it is not for naught that our Lord Iesus Christ setteth our cursednesse before vs as it were in a glasse by taking vpon him to be accursed for vs. Faith therefore cannot be without repentance for it is vnpossible that we shoulde seeke our welfare in God or desire mercie at his hand till miserie touch vs to the quicke and make vs to mislike of it And so these skoffers whiche mocke God weltring still in their vyces and beeing as it were sotted in them must not looke that euer Iesus Christ shoulde recken them in the number of hys for they cannot by any meanes come at him nother doth he call any other than suche as are so ouerloden and forweeryed as they can no longer hold out and lye groning vnder the burthen of their sinnes Thus ye see how it behoueth vs to resort to our Lord Iesus Christe and that although we cannot bring any desert vnto him and that all the Ceremonies of the law and all the profers that we can make vnto him do nothing at all further our saluation yet we must be prepared to suche lowlinesse as we may perceiue our state to be right miserable till God haue taken vs to his mercy and we must be so beaten downe in ourselues as wee may feele the curse that should light vpon vs if we were not raunsomed with so high and excellent a price as I haue declared heeretofore Yee see then that by faythe wee receiue the promis of the spirite and thereby are linked to oure Lord Iesus Christ and too the spirituall seede of Abraham For although we be not borne of his linage yet is it ynough that wee be made atone with him by faith For then are wee begotten againe of that incorruptible seed wherof S. Peter speaketh that is to wit of Gods word such as it is conteyned in the Gospell And beeing so begotten agayne we know that God auoweth vs too be of the body of his only sonne And although wee come of the Gentiles yet fayle we not for all that to be ioyned to the Church whervntoo there needeth no more but only fayth and as for all merites and vertues of men they must vtterly ceasse in that behalfe and men must acknowledge that they cannot bring any thing but confusion so as they must be faine to seeke all at Gods hande and that by the meanes whiche hee hymselfe hath appointed Now sith it is so let vs learne to leaue our wandering heere and there as we see lightheaded men do whiche are neuer contented with that which God telleth them but are euer adding somewhat of theyr owne deuice Let vs beware of such mingling as shall be treated of more at large after dinner by Gods will And let Iesus Chryste alone suffise vs seeyng that our welfare dependeth wholly vppon hym alone and wee shall want nothing if wee bee partakers of hym as we see how Sainct Paule bringeth vs backe too that poynte Furthermore let vs learne also too holde vs too Gods truth assuring ourselues that hee cannot abyde too haue any adding vntoo it bycause that were a marring reuersing and falsifying of his couenant wherein oure welfare consisteth But when we haue once imbraced our Lorde Iesus Christ let vs abyde fast in him and let hym suffise vs for all and then maye wee call vppon GOD with full mouth
promise of it as wee haue seene Heere yee see also why wee bee called Abrahams ofspring For wee belong no whit at all to him in respecte of the fleshe But fayth is a sufficient bonde too knit vs vnto him Furthermore wee see that our Lorde Iesus Christ who is the pledge of mens welfare is nowe reuealed vnto vs too the ende that wee shoulde haue the better assurance that wee bee ▪ hys and that hee wyll holde vs for the members of hys body And that is the cause why Christ sayde that Abraham sawe his daye and was glad of it The Iewes alledged the worthinesse of the Patriarke yea saith Christ as though your father Abraham had not rested vpon the things that were spoken too him concerning mee Therefore he sawe my day and it was the thing wherein he tooke all his comforte in so muche that he had not any other hope of saluation than by the beleefe which he had in the doctrine which is preached vnto you at this day by the Gospell That also is the very same thing that is spoken of Iohn Baptist by the Prophet Malachie namely that he was sent to knit the hearts and mindes of the fathers to the children And this is not spoken only of the person of Iohn Baptist but it belongeth also to the doctrine of the Gospell Yee see then that the thing wherevnto our Lorde calleth vs is that although Abrahā be rotten in the earth so long tyme ago yet wee may assure our selues that there is none other promise than that for vs too trust vnto so wee be knit vnto him by fayth and doo so agree togither as wee can call vpon God with the same minde wherewith he was gouerned according as in very deede he had his minde fixed vpon our Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe then for so muche as wee bee vnited vnto Abraham let vs tende to our Lorde Iesus Christ and let him be our aming marke and our shoote anker till wee be all assembled togither and gathered vp into the heauenly kingdome Lo what wee haue to consider when mention is made of the promise that was made before the lawe Yea and wee ought to bee greatly prouoked to constancie when wee perceyue that our father Abraham did alwayes wayte for our Lorde Iesus Christ althoughe it were so long ere he should be discouered to the world and it was tolde hym that hys seede shoulde bee hilde prisoners in a straunge lande After that God had tolde him that all the worlde should bee blissed in his seede he addeth and yet for all that thinke not that this shall bee performed within these twoo or three dayes or a hundred yeeres hence for thou thy selfe muste first die thou thy selfe muste firste bee conueyed hence intoo a straunge countrie where thyne ofspring shall bee oppressed with all tyrannie and crueltie Assure thy selfe I will be reuendged of it but yet must thy seede smart in the meane while Abraham herde all this Againe after that the lawe was giuen there passed other twoo thousand yeeres more ere our Lorde Iesus Christe came Nowe coulde Abraham neuer haue trusted too that which was spoken too him if he had not bin armed with heauenly power for he himselfe could not inioy the benefite that was offered him nother should his children inioy it that were too come Yee see then that two thousand and foure hundred yeeres were then to passe and yet notwithstanding Abraham repented him not that he had forsaken his fathers house as the Apostle declareth in the eleuenth too the Hebrewes but hilde on his race still albeit that God intended too trie his patience too the vttermoste Of much more reason ought wee now adayes too go on stedfastly whither soeuer God calleth vs and too hold vp our heades till we come too the crowne of glorie not withstandyng that as now it bee hidden from vs and that wee must bee fayne too beleeue and hope for things that surmount all our capacitie and which wee cannot perceyue Thus yee see how wee ought too put this text in vre Nowe herevpon S. Paule concludeth that if the inheritance come by the lawe it shall not come by fayth But God gaue Abraham all things in respect of fayth and therefore it is too bee concluded that the Lawe must needes ceasse when men go about to get fauour at Gods hand and the prayse of our saluation muste bee yeelded all wholly vntoo him S. Paule in speaking here of inheritance meeneth two things The one is that what soeuer God hath at any time promised vs is of his owne meere free goodnesse for an inheritance is not a wages or hyre True it is that a father in giuing his children their heritage may well say See how I take paynes for you Marke what shall come of it Yee shall haue my goodes among you But yet howe soeuer the father deale with them he hath none other respect than too his owne kinship He laboreth and taketh great paynes too prouide for such as are so alied vnto him Seing then that heritages are things of free gifte among men wee must not take eternall lyfe as a deserued wages or hyre at Gods hand For why it is an heritage Marke it for a sure grounde that heere all woorthinesse of men is excluded For when a man makes his children his heires he passeth not whither they haue done any greate woorke or no or whither they bee fayre or foule or whither they bee one thing or other but it is ynough for him that they bee his children and that his minde is too prouide for them Another poynt is that Sainct Paule in so saying giueth vs an incling that wee bee all of vs vtterly reiected of God so as wee cannot no not euen in this transitorie lyfe inioy any thing at all but by the onely meere grace of God True it is that the Sunne shyneth as well vppon the faythlesse as vppon the faithfull and all men are nurrished alike with the things that God giueth and graunteth vnto them but yet howsoeuer they fare the vnbeleeuers possesse not any thing by iust tytle They are but theeues and muste yeelde account of the benefites and goodes whiche they haue receyued of God euen too the last droppe of water bycause they were not sanctified but defiled them asmuche as in them lay bycause they had no fayth whiche as sayeth Sainct Paule is the thing whereby the benefites that God giueth vntoo vs are made cleane That is the way for vs too vse them lawfully but lette fayth bee away and there shall be nothing else but vnclennesse For why if my handes be foule and I handle the preciousest things in the worlde with them they shall bee rayed with the filthinesse of my handes Euen so is it when wee abuse Gods benefites The vnbeliefe that is in vs defileth all and in the ende all creatures muste crie out for vengeance vppon vs bycause wee abused them if we possessed them not with faith
a mutual agreement melodie betwene God and vs then hath baptisme the effect whereof S. Paule treateth and discourseth in this text And so the thing that maketh vs Gods children and clothed vs with Iesus Christ is that God draweth vs out of the corruption wherin we were by nature and will haue Iesus Christ to be our head and vs ingraffed into him to be parttakers of his goods Therfore looke when we receiue that then is all accōplished that is figured by baptisme If hypocrites brag of their baptisme S. Paule sheweth them that it is but vanitie and illusion saying that the circumcision of the letter is nothing that is to say if we loke no further but to the outward and visible Sacrament it is all of no value Euen so is it with baptisme it shall stand them in no sted which with their mouthes vaunt themselues to be Christians and great pillers of the Church forasmuch as they defile the thing which God had dedicated to so excellent an vse as I haue told you before Then let vs marke well that S. Paule speaketh this sentence not to all without exception which beare the signe and mark of baptisme outwardly but to such as fare the better by their baptisme Againe S. Paule meeneth not that baptisme that is to say the water hath the power to chaunge vs in such wise that we should be clothed with our Lord Iesus Christ for by that meanes God should be robbed of the prayse that is due to himself alone But he sheweth here the meane whereby we be certified that we be the members of our Lord Iesus Christs bodie I haue tolde you alredie that we must not seeke any other cause of it than Gods mere goodnesse for if we fetch windlasses one wher or other it is like as if a mā were a thirst and would turne his back to the fountaine to seeke water Therfore let vs learne that it is only God which knitteth vs to our Lord Iesus Christ of his own mere goodnesse that he doth it by the secrete power of his holy spirit and yet notwithstanding ceasseth not too woorke by baptisme as by an inferiour instrument according as wee see how all light cōmeth of him in somuch that there was light in the world euen before there was eyther Sunne or Moone And yet neuerthelesse God hath stablished the Sunne whereby we haue light heere bylowe euen vnto this day But yet doth not the Sunne serue too diminish the power that is in God alone Againe it is sayd that man liueth not by bread onely but by euery woord that procedeth out of Gods mouth And in good sooth the bread it selfe is a dead thing VVho giueth it vs It is God that inspireth life into vs for wee liue in him as S. Paule sayeth in the .xvij. of the Actes And yet notwithstanding it is his will too doo it by bread and he applieth it dayly too our vse too the intent we should bee fed with it So then there is none inconuenience that wee should bee clothed with our Lord Iesus Christ by baptisme and yet notwithstanding that the same should proceede of Gods meere grace and that it shoulde bee done by the secrete working of the holy Ghost surmounting the whole order of nature whereof baptisme dothe certifie vs bycause we bee rude and earthly God therefore is fayne too drawe by little and little by reason of our infirmitie too make vs too conceyue the things that otherwise are too high for vs. For where are our wings too stie with aboue the heauens VVee haue much a doo to creepe heere beneath vpon the earth and therefore God is fayne too come downe to vs which thing he doth by his Sacramentes Thus are we clothed with our Lord Iesus Christe by baptisme according also as S. Paule she weth by another similitude in the sixth to the Romanes For he sayeth that we bee greffed into the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ too the end also to bee made partakers of his resurrection and life This similitude of greffyng is as fit as the other of clothing For take mee the syen of a tree and cut mee of the head or some bough of another tree and greffe mee that little syen into it that was taken from another and yee see they growe bothe into one so as they become bothe one substance and the roote yeeldeth his sap too the little sprig that was taken from another tree Euen after the same maner are wee greffed intoo our Lord Iesus Christe sayeth S. Paule and that is too the end that our old man should be crucified in him and we be raysed vp againe in newnesse of life But heere wee haue first too marke howe gratious and bountifull God hath and still doth shew himselfe towardes vs in that it pleaseth him too vnite vs too his owne sonne for that passeth all the benefites whiche wee can conceyue in our imaginacion And therefore also doth S. Paule proue that all things which God hath do belong vnto vs and that we haue the inioying of them whē we once possesse his Sonne Seing sayeth hee that God hath not spared his owne Sonne how should he not giue vs all things with him Too be short God coulde not haue vttered the infinite treasures better than by ioyning vs after that maner to his only Sonne It is more than if he had giuen vs heauen and earth For surely if wee compare Iesus Christ with all the goodes of the worlde yea and all the goodes that are aboue the earthly world he farre surmounteth them all Marke that for one poynt Furthermore let vs vnderstand that God hath so vnited vs to our Lord Iesus Christ as wee must be fayne to haue all our lyfe in him And it serueth to humble vs the better and to make vs perceyue how horrible a thing it is to bee wrapped in the cursednesse of Adam For if the holy Scripture told vs not that wee muste be vnited to our Lord Iesus Christ before wee can bee in Gods fauour wee should not feele sufficiently the wretchednesse wherein we be hild by nature nother should wee hate our sinnes so much as we ought to do But now that it is tolde vs how it is impossible yea though all the Angels should come to our ayde that all the world shoulde helpe forward the matter and too bee short that although nothing wanted yet it were impossible for vs to come neere vntoo God or that he should looke vpō vs with a fatherly coūtenance yea or that he should acknowledge vs for his creatures til we be clothed with our Lord Iesus Christ This were ynough to make vs abhorre our selues And needes must it be that we be worse than lothely seing there is none other meanes to appease Gods wrath towards vs and to set vs againe in his fauour than by his couering of our sinnes by his clenzing of vs frō al our filthinesse infection by
prayeth to him as now in his own language and he heareth vs all For God needeth not to go to schole to learne this mans or that mans language And we knowe that in praying speech serueth too no other purpose than too styrre vs vp the more vnto it Also it serueth vs too witnesse before men with our mouthes that we repose all our trust in God Moreouer it serueth to helpe our infirmitie and bycause we bee lazie and colde our tongue had neede to driue forth our heart and to helpe our weaknesse and slouth which are ouergreat in vs. But God hath no neede of none of all this we neede not to crie out alowde when we would be heard at his hande for he knoweth the secrete thoughtes of our heartes Thus ye see in effect what we haue to marke And herein we see howe great sway the Diuell beareth in Poperie so that there is neyther prayer nor fayth To their seeming there is neyther deuotion nor holinesse except men babble in an vnknowne language and mumble it vp without knowing what they say And although the Preestes Monkes and Hypocrites say they vnderstande latine men knowe well inough what their vnderstanding is Besides this they make euen a rule of their iangling without knowing what they say and it is ynough with them to haue a finall intent for so do they terme it so they haue that finall intent before they babble their Domine labia to say we go to pray and to serue God although their minde be vpon their kitchin or vpon things much worse and much more shamefull they beare themselues in hande that all theyr prayers and supplications are acceptable to God The poore people haue their eyes bleared at it for they be made to beleeue that it is not lawfull for them to pray in a common language and therefore they shunne that as a bugge VVe see then that the Diuell hath besotted these wretches yea and vtterly bewitched them seeing they be so loth to receyue the foode of life that in stead of good bread and wholsome meate they receyue poyson and burst with it But for our owne part wee see the rule that is giuen vs heere and which wee ought to kepe which is that when wee pray vnto God wee must not step to it vnaduysedly without bethinking of vs what wee should demaunde or without knowing how wee shoulde behaue our selues towardes him And when wee call him our father let vs consider well that it is not for any woâ—thinesse of our own persons nor for any desert or worke of our own but bicause he hath vnited vs to our Lord Iesus Christ and gathereth vs altogither in him and bycause we be his bodie and God accepteth vs to fauour in his person And for that cause also doth Saint Paule adde that if wee bee children we be beyres also As if he should say that we inioy our inheritance euen now not that we bee entered into the possession of it to be partakers of the glorie that is promised vs but as in respect of the fathers of olde tyme which were shet out into the bodie of the Temple and had a veyle or Curteyne drawne before them with other figures and shadowes Nowe wee bee not lyke them in that cace but we repayre vnto God in such wise as wee bee franke and free And so is the adoption otherwise in our heartes nowadayes than it was in theirs in the time of the Lawe For we bee heyres after such a sort that yet notwithstanding wee bee also as pilgrims in this worlde and as sayth Saint Paule in the seconde to the Corinthians must be fayne to be absent from God till he haue ridde vs of this mortall bodie and haue taken vs out of this earthly pilgrimage and transitorie life Howsoeuer the cace stande wee muste magnifie Gods grace and seeing hee hath adopted vs to be his children let vs vnderstande that therein lyeth all oure happinesse and ioy Therefore let vs glorie in that yea euen so farre forth as to reioyce in the middes of the troubles and aduersities which wee haue too suffer Let vs not ceasse to haue an inwarde ioy continually in vs in as muche as God calleth vs and hath tolde vs that all the aduersities which wee indure shall bee turned to our welfare and saluation so wee holde on to the marke that is set before vs that is too wit so we go on still forwarde to our Lorde Iesus Christ and forsake all other things Nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our sinnes praying him to make vs so too feele them as it may humble vs before him and yet we not bee discouraged but that seing he vouchsafeth to accept well of vs hath also bounde himselfe to vs of his owne good will to heare our requestes when wee come too him with assured trust in him it may please him to graunt vs the grace to ouercome al distresses and lets â–ª and all debates and controuâ—â—â—es that Satan can put in our heartes so as we by experience feele the auaylablenesse of this promise that whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lorde shall be safe And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. The. 26. Sermon which is the third vpon the fourth Chapter 8 At such time as yee knevve not God you serued them that by nature are no Gods 9 But novv that you knovv God or rather are knowne of God hovv is it that you turne back againe to the vveake and beggerly Ceremonies vvherevnto ye vvoulde faine be in bondage againe as before 10 Ye obserue dayes monethes and times yeares 11 I am afrayde of you least I haue laboured in vaine about you WEe haue seene heretofore howe that after the GalathiaÌ„s had bin faithfully taught by S. Paul who had taken much paine among them they shrunke back againe not that they vtterly renounced Iesus Christ and the Gospel but that they had bin to easy in suffering themselues to be deceyued in folowing diuerse opinions as we see it is come to passe through the whole worlde For the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and baptisme as a marke of faith do in deed continue still but yet for all that wee see that all things are marred with superstition and Idolatrie So the Galathians pretended still to be of Gods Church and yet in the meane while they were bewrapped in many follies as specially in this that they should partly purchace grace and soule health at Gods hande by keeping the Ceremonies of the Law But that was to great a defacing of our Lorde Iesus Christ For it is impossible for him too bee our Sauiour vnlesse wee lay away all selfe weening and put oure whole trust in him VVee see then that the fault of the Galathians was that they were not so well grounded in the Gospell as to be firme stedfast and to shake off all errours but rather were
farre ouerseene as to take vpon him that he hath performed the whole Lawe Then if all of vs be found giltie of offence against God wee be as good as vtterly vndone till our Lord Iesus Christe reach vs his hand Therefore it followeth that wee must forget the rightuousnesse of the lawe and lay it vnder foote so as it may bee vtterly abolished and therevpon that wee go naked too our Lord Iesus Christe for remedie confessing our owne pouertie and not beyng ashamed too bee defaced with all reproche before God that we may be clothed againe with his glorie Thus ye see in effect what we haue too gather vpon this text where S. Paule sayeth that Iesus Christ is made vnprofitable if men hope to iustifie themselues by the Lawe For it hath bin too common an errour in all ages that at the first setting forth and first brunt men will needes pay God all that is due too him and in the end seeke startingholes when they see no power nor abilitie in them too doo it VVell say they though wee cannot doo all yet will wee do somewhat But in this cace it is not for vs to follow our owne imaginacions for God will iudge vs according too his owne woorde Therefore let vs not recken without our host as the Prouerb sayes by making our selues beleeue that God will accept what we think good but let vs vnderstand that Iesus Christ cannot boote vs at all except wee seeke the fulnesse of our saluation in him For it is not sayde in the Scripture that the father hath giuen vs him as a help to obtaine our saluation but that he is giuen vs to be our rightuousnesse and lyfe It followeth then that in our own selues there is nothing but wickednesse endlesse death til we haue recouered the thing in Iesus Christ which wee lost and were vtterly bereft of in Adam And these twoo things are ioyned here togither namely that Iesus Christ profiteth vs not at all and that wee be fallen from grace according as in very truth all the grace or fauour that we must finde at Gods hand is coÌ„municated to vs by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ And it is a very notable poynt For euery man will well ynough graunt that we must resort vntoo God bycause he is the welspring of all welfare But in the meane whyle the most part of men wander in their own windlasses and in stead of coÌ„ming vntoo God do go from him as it is too bee seene in the Papacie where wretched hipocrites the ignorant sort say that their gadding after their Sainctes and puppets their marâ—yring of theÌ„selues in their foolish deuotions is to get Gods fauour But in the meane whyle Iesus Christ is let alone and no man makes accouÌ„t of him but they rather hie theÌ„ to some stocke or stone which they call their Lady than to the Sonne of God And wherof coÌ„meth this Euen bicause they know not how God hath giuen vs his grace nor after what maner he will haue vs too seeke it nor what way and order it behoueth vs to hold Therefore when we be once throughly resolued that God is our father also know perfectly that what soeuer we haue neede of he will haue vs to draw it from out of our Lord Iesus Christ who is as a spring that was vnder the earth and afterward is opened and floweth abrode that euery man may take his fill of it then say I do we know that Gods grace cannot bee drayned drie but yet dooth it not come at vs but by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ Too bee short let vs marke that all that euer belongeth too our saluation is so put intoo the persone of Gods onely sonne that he alone must suffize vs and we go streyght vnto him and take all our contentation there And as I sayd afore let vs keepe our selues from this imagination of thinking to purchace any thing by our desertes for it separateth vs vtterly froÌ„ our Lord Iesus Christ Nowe herevpon S. Paule addeth that wee wayt for the hope of rightuousnesse by fayth in the spirite It serueth to confirme that which he hath sayd heretofore concerning the diuersitie that is betweene vs and the fathers that liued vnder the Lawe For howe was Abraham receyued intoo fauour but through fayth Yet notwithstanding he differed from vs in one thing For in asmuch as Iesus Christ was not yet discouered Ceremonies were giuen him and many mo were added at the publishing of the Lawe according too the neede which the people had too bee so led and guyded Too bee short the faythfull of all ages haue euer sought their whole rightuousenesse in the grace of God Neuerthelesse they were helped by the Ceremonies and shadowes bycause the Gospell was not yet so reueled vntoo them as it is vntoo vs nother was Iesus Christe who is the very pledge of rightuousnesse made yet so manifest But nowe lette vs come too that which Sainct Paule sayeth He setteth heere the spirite now adayes among the Christians to exclude all figures and shadowes as if he should say that it ought too suffize vs that the Sonne of God is appeered too vs for our rightuousnesse and therefore wee muste let go the Ceremonies bycause the shadowe were needelesse now adayes And not in this Texte alone dothe Sainct Paule match the woorde spirite agaynst the shadowes of the Lawe Truly when God in old time did ordeyne Circumcision Sacrifices and suche other things it was not too set folke at a gaze heere bylowe for all things that are contayned in the Lawe are in very deede spirituall There was a patterne of them shewed too Moyses on the Mountayne So then it is certayne that the fathers had a spirituall beleef as well as wee so as they knewe they were not washed and made cleane by three or foure droppes of water nor reconcyled too God by the sacrifizing of a Calfe or of some other brute beast but that oure Lorde Iesus Christe was their onely washyng and clenzing and that hee by the Sacrifyze of his deathe had discharged them quyte or at leastwyse should bycause the thyng was not yet done but the Fathers looked aloofe at the thing which was not yet disclozed And moreouer it is 〈◊〉 without cause that the sayde woord Spirit is set downe heere to shewe that the fathers could not imbrace the grace of our Lord Iesus Christe but by the meanes whiche our Lorde had ordeyned for the time Therefore when any man had done amisse he came with a sacrifice to acknowledge himself woorthie of death before God not too seeke his attonement in a Calfe or in a Sheepe or in any such other thing for that was too bee had in Iesus Christe but yet was it of necessitie that the figure of him should go before As much is to be sayd of the washings and of the residue of those things In these dayes we haue the body sayeth S. Paule and
euery thing neuer beeing resolued of any one poynt Of which sort also are the Papists who haue an infinite number of doubts among them And no maruell at all for they knowe not too what master they must yeeld their account Euery of them talkes according to the disposition of his owne brayne one sayes to my seeming such a thing would be good another sayes Lo this my deuotion telleth me and the third says it were good yet that this or that were doone more Now when they be once entred into suche a maze at length they fall to doubting whether they may kembe their heades or no and make a scrupulousnesse with whiche finger they shoulde feede themselues and of euery thing else To bee short there is neyther ende nor measure of their fondnesse VVhen S. Paule intendeth to shew what it is to be wrapped in mens traditions he saith that wheÌ„ they haue once forbidden too eate flesh anone after they forbid to tast it and when they haue forbiddeÌ„ to tast it soone after they forbid to touch it Yee see then that the way for vs to maynteyne the libertie that is purchased for vs by the death passion of our lord Iesus Christ is first too knowe in what wise God will bee serued and honored to the ende wee be not tossed with so many scruples of conscience for want of discerning what is good or euill but determine fully and certenly with our selues to follow Gods word assuring our selues also that in so dooing wee can not doo amisse And secondly to serue one anothers turne that none of vs bee so addicted to his owne selfe as to ouermate his fellowes but bee so gentle kindharted as euery of vs haue an eye wherin he may aduauntage or succor his neybour absteyning froÌ„ all offence giuing so as it be not sayd I care not for suche a one or for suche a one I passe not whether he sinke or swim but that for as much as our Lorde Iesus Christ hath linked vs â—â—gither too bee members of his Churche wee holde fast the sayde doctrine that is too witte first that God be honored and serued among vs as he commaundeth and secondly that wee agree in suche wise togither as wee labour through meeknesse to matche our selues one with another and to serue one anothers turne notwithstanding that wee be free still to Godwarde as in respect of our consciences And now let vs fall down before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to make vs so too feele them as it may humble vs before hym and drawe vs too true repentance and wee go forwarde therin more and more groning continually vnder the burthen of our sinne till wee be quite clensed and vtterly ridded of it And that it may please the same good God to beare with vs and not to handle vs so rigorously as he could doo but to guide vs in suche wise by his holy spirite as he may both forgiue and forget our sinnes till we be fully clensed froÌ„ them That it may please him to graunt this grace not only to vs but also to all people and Nations of the earth c. The. 35. Sermon which is the fifth vpon the fifth Chapter 14 For all the Lavve is fulfilled in one vvorde vvhich is this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy self 15 If yee bite and deuour one another bevvare that yee be not consumed one of another 16 But I say vnto you vvalke after the spirite and yee shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 17 Surely the flesh lusteth contrarie too the spirite and the spirite contrarie to the flesh For these things are one agaynst another so as yee can not do all things as yee vvould 18 But and if yee be led by the spirite then are yee not vnder the Lavve WE see that Moyses intending to bring the lawe into a summe to the ende wee might knowe what was taught vs and tolde vs sayth that God will be loued of vs as good reason it is that we should first sticke vnto him be knit vnto him and afterward that there should be such a bonde of friendship among our selues as we might bee knit togither as members of one bodie And our Lord Iesus Christ also sayth that that is the thing wherby his disciples may be knowen shewing therin that he brought not vp any doctrine contrarie to that which god had always giuen to the people of olde time And for that cause S. Paule sayth now that the fulfilling of the lawe consisteth in this worde that we loue our neibours Not that God ought in the meane while to be forgotten as I haue tolde you heeretofore for it is good reason that hee should be set formost and bee preferred before all his creatures in so muche that for his sake wee ought to forget euen our father and mother our wife and children and all that euer is in this world Neuerthelesse to loue God and to loue our neibours in their degree are not things contrarie For when euery man walketh in charitie thereby he sheweth the loue that he beareth to his God according also as I haue declared And that is the cause why I stande no longer vpon these poynts To be short if wee be giuen to our selues it is a token that wee know not what it is to cary Gods yoke for that is the thing whervnto our own nature driueth vs. Now as we shal see anone men are wholly inclined to all euil therwithal they giue the bridle to all their lusts they make war agaynst God al their whole life is nothing else but a rebellion which sheweth that the diuell doth so possesse al our affectioÌ„s that God can not way with vs til we haue beateÌ„ down al that is of our own nature Now then we know that he which loueth his neibours seeketh not his owne nor is giueÌ„ to himself That therfore is a true certeÌ„ profe that we be desirous to obey God to rule our life according to his word Also our Lord Iesus Christ beginneth at the same poynt wheÌ„ he intendeth to shew briefly what his doctrine is It is saith he a learning to renounce or forsake ourselues For so long as we followe our own trace we must needes go ful coÌ„trary to Gods wil. So then it is not without cause that S. Paule saith in this text that the whole law coÌ„sisteth in this poynt that we loue our neibours But it behoueth vs to mark that by this word neibour God meeneth not our kinsfolk friends at whose haÌ„ds we hope for some profite or aduantage or which haue deserued some recoÌ„pence at our hands but he wil haue vs to haue an eye to the coÌ„mon aliance which he hath set amoÌ„g vs. Therfore we be al formed after his image we beare his mark Besides this we be al of one nature that ought to hold vs in true vnitie brotherhod But many
is an Angelicall perfection and how then can wee keepe it seing wee be giuen to all euill and our owne sinfulnesse caryeth vs away If sinne reigned not in vs then it might be sayd that wee ought to bee vnited vntoo God but our frayltie is to great Thus yee see what excuce many folke alledge thinking to be quit by it But S. Paule sayth It is true that there is nothing but a gulfe of all naughtinesse in vs and that as long as men slumber after that fashion in their owne affections they must needes serue the diuell and become euery daye more beasts than other but seeke the remedie God calleth you to him by his Gospell he offereth you his holy spirit So then condemne the euill that yee may be sorie for it and God will so worke in you as he will get the vpper hand of all your affections Yee see then what S. Paule ment in this text Neuerthelesse therwithall he ment too giue an ouerthwart blowe to those ageinst whom he disputeth For I haue tolde you heeretofore that the deceyuers which had troubled the Church of that Countrie were giuen to many pelting tryfles which were vtterly needelesse in so much as they grounded all holynesse vppon the Ceremonies of the Lawe Now it is true that Gods inioyning of the Ceremonies for a time was not in vain for they were figures till the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ But now that he is come they bee vnprofitable things and things that hinder vs from walking as we should do For the Ceremonies and shadowes were helpes to bring the auncient fathers too our Lord Iesus Christ But if wee should holde them still now adayes they would make vs to turne our backe to Iesus Christ so that it is not without cause that S. Paule hath shewed heretofore that the keeping of such things is no more of any valew and he wil speake yet more of it hereafter Now then forasmuch as he had to dispute ageinst such as did set forth the Ceremonies he sayth vntoo them walke after the spirit As if he should say consider which is the true seruice of God it consisteth not in Lampes nor in Incense nor in Circumcision nor in the obseruing of dayes nor in forbearing too eate any certeine kind of meates These are not the things wheron God will haue his to rest but he will haue them to rest vpon his spirituall seruice Therefore walke yee in the spirit and then shall yet not fulfill the lustes of the fleshe Howbeit as I haue told you before this is not all But yet by the way S. Paule doth after an indirect maner glaunce at this that the deceyuers ageinst whom he stroue were graueled in those small and light â—â—ings which are but as introductions of this world and as traynementes of yong children For as much therfore as they were vtterly intangled in theÌ„ he telleth the Galathians that they must walke in the spirite Furthermore as I haue declared alreadie here he setteth downe the true meane too knit vs togither in loue For it is vnpossible for vs too come vntoo God and too forget all enmitie till wee haue fought manfully ageinst our owne affections And the remedie therof as I sayd is in God Therfore wee must pray him to increase the grace of his holy spirit more and more in vs and then wee shall finde that the fleshe how furious so euer it bee how great bubbles and boylings so euer it cast vp yea and though it seeme like a wyld beast that cannot be tamed I say wee shall find that it shall not be stronger than Gods spirit and the grace that shal bee giuen vs from aboue which shal be able too bring vs backe and too hold vs vnder the yoke and obedience of our God Too bee short S. Paule declareth that the cause why we cannot resist our leaud lustes proceedeth of our own negligence and coldnesse bycause euery of vs fodeth himselfe in hys naughtinesse by vaine selfsoothing and wee go not too God with such affection and zeale as were requisite Then let vs conclude that there is no excuse for men when they sinne For they delight in it and woulde fayne that God shoulde let them welter in it and as much as they can they flee the remedie and amendment of it yea and they bee so sotted in it as they passe not too prouoke Gods wrath bicause they cannot in any wise abyde too bee taught It is true that sometymes they will well ynoughe protest wyth theyr mouth that they would very faine haue their nature and inclination chaunged but yet would they still couenant with God that he should let them alone as they be without altering of any thing after the fashyon of a sicke man who if his disease doo presse hym wyll saye ô I woulde fayne bee healed but yet for all that when he commeth too receyuing of counsell at the Phisitions hand and that he should be appoynted a dyet he will not yeeld to that The Phisition giues him good Counsell and hath helpes ready to heale his disease but yet notwithstanding the patient excuseth himselfe saying O Sir my hart will not serue mee too doo it If a sicke man will needes drinke and in stead 〈◊〉 heate take colde and bee so vnruly as he cannot bee brydled but refuseth all that is ministred too him for his health and playes the mad bedlem he may well protest that he would fayne be cured but the flat contrarie appeereth Euen so is it with them that resort vnto God too pray him too gouerne them in such wise by his holy spirite as they may bee chaunged and forget all their lustes and put them vnder foote and yet in the meane while will needes continue and welter in them still Thus yee see in effect what wee haue to beare in mynd Neuerthelesse it is certeine that although wee pray to God earnestly and euery of vs streine himselfe to subdue his wicked affections yet we shall not ceasse too haue infirmities still howsoeuer the world go I speake not of the hypocrites I speake of the true childreÌ„ of God For they that haue profited most in all perfection go still as it were limping vntoo Godward neither doo they what they would as S. Paule will adde anon after and as he sheweth more at large in the vij to the Romans Neuerthelesse assone as the faithfull feele theyr disease they seeke the remedie of it in God yea and they seeke it earnestly vnfeinedly and perceiue that his succor surmouÌ„teth all their owne leaud affections According herevnto S. Paule sayth yee shall not fulfill the lustes of the fleshe He sayth not that of all our lyfe long Satan shal not tempt vs to do any euill nor that wee shall not haue store of prouocatioÌ„s for our flesh shal alwayes haue his stings to stir vs vp vnto naughtinesse Therefore we shal be tempted to all vices but yet shal we withstand theÌ„ by Gods grace And not without
leaue to do what they list and harden themselues in such wise ageinst Gods word Although then that they be had in reputatation to the worldward and be in a maner drunken in their owne pride and presumption and set more by themselues than reaâ—â—â— would they should yet wee see that God doth alwayes holde them as accursed So then the thing that wee haue to remember in effect is that we haue but one only rule which is conteyned in the Gospell And whither doth that rule leade vs Euen to this that we bring not to God what we our selues think good or what we haue deuized of our own head but that we submit ourselues wholly vnto him to his woord and coÌ„sider also that seing we haue all perfection in our Lord Iesus Christ we must be coÌ„tented with him alone specially for asmuch as we see God to be pitifull in hauing mercie vpon vs and that our life shall be happie and blissed of him so we go on foorth whither soeuer he calleth vs Lyke as on the contrarie parte what soeuer opinion the worlde haue of vs and how much so euer it fauour vs we must needes be accursed if we haue not the rule that Sainct Paule speaketh of heere And hee addeth Israell that belongeth too God too shewe that they whiche serue God after that spirituall maner shall alwayes bee acknowledged of him for his people For Sainct Paules enemies agaynst whom he disputed in all this Epistle woulde needes haue all the Ceremonies kept and that they shoulde bee the markes of the Churche as they surmyzed Likewise in these dayes the Papistes woulde haue men too keepe Oyle and Creame and diuers other things But Sainct Paules enemies had much more colour than the Papistes haue and their cace was much better in comparison Neuerthelesse Sainct Paule reiecteth all those things and sayeth that God muzeth not vppon any of those small toyes True it is that he had ordeyned the figures of the Lawe for a tyme and they had also some profite in them bycause they serued too leade the people too our Lord Iesus Christe But nowe that wee haue the substance and pithe of them in him wee muste gyue them quyte ouer Then of muche more lykelyhood they bee not the Israell of God that set foorth themselues with greate pompe before men but they that haue the true marke of God For when the Papistes speake too vs of the Churche the Pope muste needes bee there with his tryple Crowne the Bishoppes muste bee disguyzed too playe their enterlude there muste bee a sorte of horned beastes all muste glister the Priestes and Monkes muste bee present and the eyes of the simple soules muste bee dazeled Yee see then wherein the Churche of God consisteth after the opinion of the Papistes that is too wit in pompe and in tryfling and vnprofitable gewgawes And what say they too the Sacramentes They must haue this and that and to bee shorte they haue their maâ—kes whych they take to bee good stuffe But in the meane whyle let vs come too the Gospell VVhat shall a man fynde there Nothing but plaine simplicitie God will not haue the preachers of his word and the ministers of his sacramentes too bee disguised nor too make so many murlimewes neither is it his will that his sacramentes should bee defyled with mennes inuentions for all that is nothing before God Therefore let vs beare well in mynde the definition of the true Churche whiche Sainct Paule setteth downe heere too the end we bee not shaken when men say too vs. How nowe See I pray you how goodly things they bee They bee so in deede according too our naturall vnderstandyng For after as a man is fleshly and earthly so will he be alwayes inclined to followe the thing that caryeth a fayre shewe to his senses But it is not for vs too iudge of Gods seruice we must sticke too that which he hath determined for his sentence cannot bee repealed which is that wee must seeke al our whole wysedome in Iesus Christ which thing wee then doo when wee obey him and not else Furthermore let vs vnderstand that he will not haue vs any longer tyed too the outward things which he ordeined in the time of the Law but he will haue vs to be contented with Iesus Christ alone with the perfection that is in him And therevpon wee haue also too marke how he wisheth the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ too bee with their spirit For it sheweth that the worlde by reason of his vnthankefulnesse is not worthie too see the benefites that are offered it in Iesus Chryst The Gospell shall perchaunce bee preached ynoughe but yet in the meane whyle we see how euery man shrinkes back and wrytheth aside as thoughe wee had conspyred too forsake the good way of saluation too cast our selues intoo ruine and destruction And what is the cause thereof It is for that wee haue oure myndes emptie and the Diuel fynds always entrance into vs and thervpon tempteth and prouoketh vs too flitter in the ayre Too bee short vntill 〈◊〉 grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ bee with our spirit it is certeyn that wee shall alwayes bee as wayeryug reedes so as there shall bee neither holde nor stay in vs. Yee see then that the point wheretoo wee must come is not onely that God should poure out his grace vppon vs but that wee also shoulde so receiue it in harte and minde as it may take roote not to hold vs downe heere beneath but to lift vp our affections all our senses vnto God And bicause this doctrine can neuer passe vnspoken ageinst S. Paule doth heere defie all such as lift vp theÌ„selues ageinst it and saith Hereafter let no man trouble mee for I beare the markes of our Lord Iesus Christ in my body VVhen he speaketh of the markes of our Lord Iesus Christ he setteth them ageinst all the cotes armours of Princes ageinst all their Crownes and scepters ageinst all the cognisances or badges which they haue too honour theÌ„selues withal or to purchase theÌ„selues any maiestie or reuerence to the worldward VVhen a Prince intendeth to keepe his estate he will furnish and apparell himself in such sort as men shal not bee able to looke vpon him without dazeling of their eyes And they do it oftentimes bicause they haue not in themselues wherwith to win estimation but are faine to borrow it else where and so yee see it is the fashion of worldlings to set out themselues with pomp and brauerie and to vse many things to get themselues reputation To be short the world doth alwayes borrow of others bicause it hath nothing but vanitie in it selfe But S. Paule telleth vs that the marks of our Lord Iesus Christ are much better preciouser and of farre greater Maiestie than all the things wherwith the world is so rauished as wee see But by the way wee must see what he ment by these markes He hath