longâ— seeing wee were forlorne and damned in Adams fall How happeneth it that he hath not remedied it rather Surely S. Paule doth not altogither satisfie mens appetites but cutteth it quite off by the waste And in good sooth if God mente too content vs hee shoulde bee fayne too feede vs with many needelesse things but he intendeth too tâ—ye the obedientnesse of our fayth And Sainct Paule also dooth barre vs of that thing in saying that the fulnesse of time was not yet come And what meaneth he by the fulnesse of time He meaneth the time that God hath appoynted in his owne purpose and not according as men might haue iudged of it for they bee no competent iudges of that matter but muste submitte them selues to God and allowe of that whiche he hath stablished Thus yee see what S. Paule ment by saying that the full time was then come when God sente his onely sonne into the worlde Therefore let vs learne that our cheefe wisdome is this sobernesse of submitting our selues vnto God too accept for good and rightfull what soeuer thing he dooth knowing that on our owne part though wee haue neuer so muche vnderstanding it is but folly for vs too thinke our selues aught woorth or too take vppon vs the skill of any thing and that wee must learne too humble our selues to our God and not doo as many men doo who are so hastie as to say VVhat I thinke thus and thus is mine opinion For there is not any thing more contrarie to Gods doctrine than when men presume so much vpon them selues as too say thus must the matter go and so and so do I thinke or suppose Truely it becommeth vs too behilde as captiues as S. Paule sayth in the seconde too the Corinthians Let vs holde our selues in such awe as wee may not once lifte vp our heades too dispute agaynst God nor make any estimation of our selues as though we were of some abilitie Let vs holde vs contented with the libertie that he hath giuen vs and not abuse the grace that he hath graunted vs in preferring vs before those that were as Angels in this worlde and yet notwithstanding were not aduanced to the libertie which wee haue by the Gospell Furthermore S. Paule doth heere bring vs back to the thing which we ought to consider aboue all others which is that our beeing at the time of full age in these dayes is not in respect of any vertue that is in vs but in respect of our Lord Iesus Christ The difference betweene vs and the fathers of olde time is as I haue sayd already that they were led as vnder awe and wee bee nowe set free into 〈…〉 why are wee 〈◊〉 â–ª Is it bicause wee bee of more value thaâ— they◠〈◊〉 for that there is any worthinesse in vs No but bicause it pleased God too honor vs with the presence of his only Sonne VVill we then inioy the libertie of the Gospell Let vs go right foorth too our Lorde Iesus Christ who as he is glorified in him selfe wyll also bryng vs intoo the heauenly glory whereinto hee is gone before vs. This is the thing that Sainct Paule ment purposely too tell vs. As touching that it is added that he was made of woman and put vnder the Lawe it can not be dispatched at this time and therefore we will reserue it tyll an other time And nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowlegement of our faultes praying him to make vs so too feele them as wee may mourne and bee sory for them with true repentance and goo thither as he calleth vs that is too wit be so rightly bereft of our flesh and of all the corruptions therof as we may come to the ioy whereto he dayly calleth vs and vnto that vncorruptnesse wherein it behoueth vs to go forwarde all the time of our life That it maye please him too graunt this grace not onely too vs but also too all people and Nations of the earth c. The .xxv. Sermon which is the seconde vpon the fourth Chapter 4 But vvhen the tyme vvas fully come God sente hys sonne made of vvoman and made vnder the Lavve 5 Too the intente too redeeme those that vvere vnder the Lavve that vve might receyue the adoption of children 6 And forasmuche as you bee children God hath sent the spirite of his sonne into your hearts crying Abba that is to say father 7 VVherfore now thou art not a seruant but a sonne and if thou bee a sonne thou arte also an heyre vvith Christ I Haue tolde you already why S. Paule speakes heere of the fulnesse of time namely to abate meÌ„s curiositie who by their good willes would seeke to farre into Gods secretes yea and take vpon them so boldly as to reply against God if he behaue not himself after their fancie To the intent therfore that the faythfull may content theÌ„selues with the order that God hath kept in sending of our Lord Iesus Christ he sayeth that the due season was not before for that matter dependeth vpon the only good pleasure of God and vpoÌ„ his vnchaungeable purpose wherevnto it behoueth vs too submit our selues And now S. Paule sayeth that our Lord Iesus Christ was made of woman and put vnder the lawe to acquite those that were vnder the lawe First he sayeth that he was clothed with our nature for else he could not haue yeelded obedience to God in our behalfe that wee might be set free Howbeit for asmuch as he was conceyued after a woÌ„derfull maner therefore doth S. Paule say he was made or begotten of a woman It is true that he was of the seede of Dauid neuerthelesse I haue told you already that there was a secrete working of the holie Ghost in his conception But how soeuer it was our Lorde Iesus Christe tooke our nature vppon him too the end he might yeeld obedience to God his father as it were in our persone And that was the cause why he tooke our nature vppon him And this subiection whereof he speaketh was not of constraint but of good will For wee know that the Sonne of God hath all superioritie and soueraintie in so much that euen the Angelles and all the principalities must bowe their knees before him too doo him honour How then could he bee subiect too the Lawe seyng that the Lawe is such a bondage This doth no whit deface the Maiestie of Gods sonne for asmuch as he abaced himself of his owne good will Therefore as it is sayd in the second too the Philippians there is no contrarietie in that he might make himselfe equall with God without robberie and yet that he abaced himselfe also So then for asmuch as this doing of his proceeded of his owne meere and vnconstreyned goodnesse he continued alwayes in his owne state not withstanding that before men he had the shape and fashion of a seruant as S. Paule also specifieth in the same place
here which is to be separated from the world And those two things are well worthie to bee marked Some fantastical persons haue imagined such a perfection that whē we be once regenerated in our Lord Iesus Christ we haue no more need of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Insomuch that they say we keepe the worlde still to their Apsie when wee preach that we cannot become righteous but by fayth nor come in Gods fauor but by his forgiuing of our sins and by his couering of thē through his owne goodnesse But that is a diuelish pride and yet among Papists there is no more praise than that giuen vnto Gods goodnesse So then let vs abhorre such harebraynes and all their blasphemies when they go about to be witch vs so farre as too make vs beleeue that we haue no more neede too be pitied of God nor to haue our sinnes forgiuen vs. But let vs trust vnto it that it standeth vs on hād to sigh and grone al our life long and that there is none other hope to assure vs of our saluation but first to yeeld our selues giltie and then to be out of all doubt that the bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christ doth continually wash vs pure and cleane Mark that for one poynt And therwithall let our indeuor alwayes be to bee separated from this wicked worlde And how Euen by praying vntoo God too touche vs first with his holy spirite and afterwarde too increase his giftes in vs and too mortifie the lustes of the fleshe And sithe wee feele such a battell so as we be fayne too inforce our selues or else that wee do but lympe and halt in going vntoo God insomuch that we make many a false steppe and oftentymes happen to trippe and stumble let vs mourne continually seeing wee fayle at all assayes Thus ye see howe wee may bee deliuered from this wicked worlde Namely not by beeing set vtterly free from sinne like as also when S. Paule saith that God hath deliuered vs from oure sinnes to the intent we should liue perfectly and vndefiled before him it is not for that there can be found any such purenesse in any man so long as he is in this worlde for all our thoughts do continually rebell agaynst God yea and euen the righteoussest men of all shall euermore finde themselues behinde hande and perceyue that they do still dragge their legges after them But yet howsoeuer the worlde go wee perceyue on the other syde that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath alreadie ridded vs by fayth out of the bondage of the Diuell and will maintaine vs agaynst all assaults If we fall to examination and euery man trie what is in himselfe we shall finde that when on the one side there is any good desire in vs so as wee seeke to honour God on the other side our owne nature leadeth vs the contrarie way so as we would fayne keepe aloofe from him insomuch that the faythfull must needes feele both those two motions in them selues namely that when on the one side as Saint Peter cheereth vs the holy Ghost counselleth vs too giue our selues to all holinesse of life on the other side we feele our selues to be plucked backe by many wicked affections so as we cannot come neare vnto God as we faine woulde do And that is the cause why Saint Paule in the vij Chapter too the Romaynes sigheth and confesseth that he is vnhappie bicause he cannot do the good that he is desirous to do nor vtterly eschew the euill that he hateth abhorreth Thus ye see that the thing which wee haue to marke concerning the deliuerance that is mencioned heere is that our Lord Iesus Christ hath not so regenerated vs alreadie by his holy spirite as to set vs in full freedome to walke as we would wish and to runne so swiftly and with so cheerfull a courage as were requisite But his deliuering of vs is to make vs holde on our way still towardes our marke that is to say to make vs yeelde our selues wholy in obedience vnto God and to withdraw our selues from our corruptions and too forsake them more and more vntill the tyme of full perfection be come which is when our Lord God shall haue throughly repayred his Image in vs. Now by the way although the Galathians were partly slipt away and had giuen eare to the buzibodies that had disguized the Gospel and made such a mingle mangle of it that Iesus Christ was as good as ouerwhelmed and buried yet notwithstanding S. Paule matcheth them still with the faythfull for whom the sacrifize was offered according also as he placeth them in the Church of God He speaketh not to the Renegates that had forsaken Iesus Christ True it is that he will anon shew them their fault but yet for all that he mindeth not to exclude them vtterly from the hope of saluation For ther were no cause for him to write to them if it were not to draw them backe againe and to winne them and to bring them againe into the good way Forasmuch then as S. Paule laboureth to bring backe the Galathians into the way of saluation as need was therefore he admitteth them still to the inestimable benefit that is purchased for vs by the sonne of God and reckeneth them still as separated from the worlde knitting them to the felowship of those whome God accepteth and auoweth for his children And that is bicause there was yet some seede of the Gospell in them and although they were snarled in some errours yet they had not vtterly forsaken God nor gone quite away from the Gospell For that consideration therefore Saint Paule holdeth them backe and reckeneth them still in the number of the faythfull And so although we bee not worthie of it yet will God recken vs as of his householde for his woordes sake which is preached among vs. No doubt but it shall bee to our sorer damnation if God call vs and wee answere him not But if wee haue any good desire too come vntoo him and yet haue still many vyces and infirmities in vs he accepteth vs as his owne for his woordes sake And wee bee called his Church not for that we be worthie of that tytle but bicause that as the Citie of Ierusalem was called the holy Citie in respect of the promises namely that the Gospell should come from thence and that the Redeemer of the worlde shoulde be manifested there so by like reason we be called the faythfull and the children of God and are mustered in the aray of his Church when the Gospell is preached among vs and men consent therevnto although it be not with such reuerence and perfectnesse as were meete Neuerthelesse how soeuer the cace stande Saint Paules vsing of such mildene 〈◊〉 towardes the Galathians is not to foad them in their vyces nor too sooth them vp with fonde flatterie after the maner of many men whom we see desirous to bee flattered after that sort but we shall
the end we shoulde knowe that onely fayth ought to suffice vs to the atteyning of saluation without seeking any other meanes one way or other too helpe vs. VVhat shoulde wee desyre more than that God shoulde acknowledge vs for his children VVill we needes haue an ouerplus added too so inestimable a benefite Ye see then that our full felicitie and perfect glorie is that we haue leaue to call vppon God as our father not doubting but that seeing he hath receyued vs into his fauour hee will also handle vs as his owne children But howe shall we come by that Saint Paule sayth it is onely fayth that maketh vs parttakers of that dignitie Then let vs conclude that the Lawe can nothing aduauntage vs or else it must needes bee that wee bee woonderfull couetous yea and as good as out of our wits to desire more than too be the children of God The Angelles are greatly honoured in the holy Scripture and yet the cheefe tytle that is giuen them is that they be the children of God Now seeing that we we I say poore wormes of the earth in whom there is nothing but filthynesse no nor aught but corruption of sinne bee matched with the Angelles insomuch that God openeth vs the kingdome of heauen and intendeth too haue vs fellowes with them who bee vertues are nere about him seing I say that we be made partakers of that glorie shall we be so presumptuous to seeke I wot not what moreouer Truely it is not onely fayth that maketh vs to obteyne that benefite VVherfore lette vs learne to renounce all other meanes that may bee set before vs for when men offer vs any other helpes as though the fayth that we haue in him were not sufficient it is but a turning of vs away from our Lorde Iesus Christ That then is Saint Paules meaning But wee shall neuer conceyue the frute that is conteined in this texte except we alwayes beare in minde that by this worde Fayth S. Paule meaneth to exclude all the desert worthinesse that men suppose or imagin thēselues able to bring with thē vnto God VVhen they will needs go through with the matter by their owne power and vertues It is all one as if they would cut off a peece of the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ But he cannot be rent in peeces or deuided Therefore all the working of our saluation must come of him alone and we must not skulk heere and there nor seeke bywayes but come right forth vnto him by the streyte way of fayth Herevpon S. Paule addeth that beeing baptised in Iesus Christ we haue put him on And this is too take away a doubt that might be cast heere namely howe it is possible that we should become the children of God seeing that that dignitie is peculiar to our Lorde Iesus Christ For whereas he is called the Sonne of God the Apostle sheweth that that tytle cannot be verified of the verie Angels of heauen True it is as I haue sayde heretofore that they be named the children of God howbeeit that is not without an addition So is it out of doubt that there is not any creature to whom that dignitie belongeth But nowe seeing that Iesus Christ is the only sonne of God howe doth the same extende vntoo vs S. Paule declareth that it is by reason of the vnion that is betwixt him and vs according as it is sayd in the .xvij. Chapter of S. Iohn Then if we were not one with our Lorde Iesus Christ surely wee should haue none acquaintance at all wyth God for we be quite cutte off from all hope of lyfe by sinne Yea and wee must needes be as deadly enimies vnto him and he vnto vs till hee haue altered and renued vs. Howsoeuer the worlde go beeing separated from Iesus Christ and considered in our owne nature we bee vnworthie too be called men and therefore much lesse can we boast that God is our father But here as I sayde Saint Paule intended to assoyle that question saying that by Baptisme we be clothed with our Lord Iesus Christ And this similitude of clothing is verie ryfe in the holy Scripture and it betokeneth in effect that Iesus Christ is our apparell or rayment whereby all is couered and buryed that might make vs to be reiected at Gods hand and grace is purchased vnto vs so as he doth not any more sift vs and search vs in our selues but accepteth vs as if we came in the very person of his owne Sonne To be short Saint Paule ment to shew here the vnion that is betwene our Lord Iesus Christ and all the faythfull which are the members of his body And like as all the substance of a tree commeth from the root and al the powers and abilities of a natural bodie come from the head euen so is it betwene the sonne of God and vs. For as I haue sayd alredy we haue not so much as one drop of the heauenly life but of his inspyring or breathing into vs. Therefore if we will come vnto God and be partakers of the holy Ghost and of the giftes that belong to the endlesse life let vs be in Iesus Christ and not thinke our selues to be any thing or aught worth of our selues And for the same cause our Lorde Iesus Christ in the sayd text which I alledged out of the xvij of S. Iohn setting out the true and perfect happinesse of his fayeth Father I pray thee that they may bee made one with vs. Ye see then that the way for vs to get out of the dungeon of death wherein we were drowned is to be vnited to our Lord Iesus Christ by the bond of fayth Now S. Paule sayth that that is done in Baptisme Not that all they which are baptized are true members of Iesus Christ in deede for we see the cleane contrarie insomuch that there are some which vnhallow and defile all the holinesse of Baptisme and are giltie of high treason too God bicause that whereas they professe to holde of Iesus Christ they despyze and spyte him and are as dung and filthinesse too marre all things Baptisme then maketh vs not all Christians and againe wee knowe that too bee made the childe of God is too great a benefite to bee fathered vppon a corruptible Element VVhat is the water Too say that the water begetteth or regenerateth vs againe and that thereby we be deliuered from death and obteyne the glorie wherein God lyfteth vs vp too himselfe as say I a peruerting of all order But first of all let vs marke here that when Saint Paule speaketh of Baptisme he presupposeth that we receyue the thing that is offered vnto vs in it Many that are baptised do wype away the grace of God and notwithstanding that it be offered them yet they make themselues vnworthie of it through their vnbeleef lewdnesse and rebellion Thus yee see that the power of baptisme is disfeated in many men But when there happeneth
folke theyr Apsie and that the Pope is come in aboue hym to bring in the state of perfection and yet notwithstāding it is sene how the Pope maketh a minglemangle or hotchpotch as men terme it of al things Then is the word Gospell villanously vnhalowed among the Papistes and these sticklers which would haue men to agree vnto many superstitions and too content themselues with a little of the Gospell and in the meane while let many abuses and errors continue still do likewise darken the pure doctrine of our Lord Iesus Christ That is the cause why S. Paule speaketh expresly of the truth of the Gospell to shew that we must go to it roundly and not by halues and that there must be no adding nor diminishing of the things which the sonne of God hath taught vs but that euery man must be cōtented to heare him speak and too let him haue his mouth open Let vs on our side open our eares and be heedfull to receiue whatsoeuer hee sayth and let no man presume to haue an ore in that boat to say this would be good or this or that should be done VVherefore let vs so reuerence the pure doctrine of the Gospell as none of vs presume too chaunge ought of it but all of vs yeeld to it without exception Thus much concerning the first reason that is set downe heere So to be short let vs keepe our selues true schollers vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ and if any man go about to make vs swarue neuer so little frō him or to gad after the doctrines inuentions of men let vs withstande them stoutly And why For Saint Paule had none other respect but that the Gospell might abide in his pure vncorrupted soundnesse VVherefore let vs followe him in the same nowadayes and we can neuer do amisse Marke that for one poynt Another is that we must also marke well that if an inconuenience should increase and spread abrode by our silence and forbearing wee must prouide for it aforehande For it were to late to shet the stable doore when the Steed is stolne Therefore when we see that such as labour too intangle Gods truth or too mingle their owne fancies with it doo drawe folke to them and begin too haue some traine and tayle following them then is it high time for vs too bee firie in fighting For if we beare it it is certaine that wee bee guiltie of the decay of the Church that shall come vpon it and whereas we thinke too shift it off God will not graunt vs that grace for as much as wee haue bin too colde and retchlesse Therfore when the mischeefe increaseth and that there breedeth any infection of it that is to say when one beginnes too marre another let vs bethinke vs too set our selues lustely agaynst it and not suffer the shrewd weedes too growe so farre as to choke the corne but let vs plucke them vp bytimes And this is too bee done not onely in the errours that marre the pure doctrine of the Gospell but also in all vices and corruptions of manners Truely if there bee any Heresies and wicked opinions which might set all things in a broyle it is all one as if a man should haue a stroke with a swoord or a dagger in his brest or in his throte For wherein is the lyfe and welfare of the Churche but in the purenesse of Gods woord If a man would come and put poyson in our meate whereof wee should take nurrishment should wee holde our peace at it No but wee should rather storme at it Now the self-same reason holdeth in the doctrine of the Gospell and wee muste haue our handes alwayes lift vp too maynteyne the pure doctrine and not suffer it in any wyse to be corrupted Also whē we see vices reygne wee must prouide for them and redresse them in due season For if wee beare with it and doo as most men doo whiche doo but laugh at it and prouide for it at leyzure wee shall afterward bee at our wittes end too see how God hath shet the gate and how Satan hath wonne the goale out of all krie And sure it is a iust reward of our rechlesnesse and coldnesse when wee bee not heedefull to cure the diseases as soone as wee see them infect and marre the bodie of the Churche after that sort Thus yee see what wee haue in effect too remember heere namely that wee must not bee so foolish and lightminded as too receyue the things that these Newters or dubblehanded men doo put vnto vs as who should say that if the great abuses bee amended it ought to suffyze vs. But let vs neuer leaue till the Gospell bee set agayne in his pure soundnesse and that wee haue it in the self same wyze which our Lord Iesus Christ deliuered it too vs without any mingling put thereto by men And secondly agayne thereafter as wee see the mischiefe preuayle let vs bryng these backe vnto God which are gone astray and labour too stoppe those that leade their neighbours after that fashion too destruction and seeke nothing but too turne all vpside downe let such men be repressed and let euery one that hath the zeale of God shewe himselfe their deadly enemie breaking asunder what soeuer may holde vs backe and whither there bee frendship or kinred betwixte vs ▪ or any other of the streyghtest bondes in the worlde lette vs burie euerywhit of it in forgetfulnesse when wee see the foules that were bought with the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ so led to ruine and destruction or when wee see things that were well settled ouerthrowen and nothing else sought but confusion so as menne might not know any more what Iesus Christ is and that by little and little the Diuell getteth full scope and carieth vs away headlong as though the brydle were layd looce in our necke VVhen wee see the mischiefe tende too this poynt let euery of vs streyne himself too stop it and shewe that wee had leuer too haue deadly foode for the seruing of God than too haue all the friendship in the worlde for pleasing and pleasuring of mortall creatures VVherfore let vs not play the blind men or blinkardes when wee see God offended but let vs set so muche store by his truthe and glorie that all other things may be nothing too vs in comparison thereof Thus ye see in effect how we ought to put this doctrine in vre The residue shall be reserued till the afternoone Then let vs nowe fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs feele them more and more and that therewithall for asmuch as hee will haue vs to come to him with true repētance it may please him to draw vs by his holy spirite and to beare with our infirmities till he haue quyte and cleane purged and rid vs of them and brought vs to the perfection wherevnto he calleth and incourageth vs. And
Money or for some Lande an vmper may so qualifie the matter on eyther side as peace shall soone bee made betwixt them But if we graunt Gods enimies their owne asking specially to the preiudice of him that will haue his owne right throughly maynteyned as good reason is that it shoulde bee what a thing is that So much the more then behoueth it vs too marke well this lesson where Saint Paule telleth vs that to serue God we must not shun neither trouble nor vexation nor repinings nor reproches nor any thing else insomuch that if it stande vpon the hazarding of our life we must go through with it And though there be great frailtie in vs yet let vs consider that God calleth vs vnto him and that he is able to remedie al our weaknesse and to giue vs sufficient strēgth to holde out to the vttermost Howsoeuer the cace stande seeing hee imployeth vs in his seruice vs I say which are nothing of oure selues we must not dishonour him so much as to make him subiect to mens lustes Thus ye see what wee haue to consider in the first place Furthermore we bee warned therewithall to suspectall suche as seeke their owne aduauntage and profite and all suche as disguise themselues rowing betweene two streames and falsifying Gods pure truthe at euerie turne too please men withall For as I haue tolde you alreadie we must prepare our selues to many battels if we minde to serue God simplie And we must call to minde this sentence where Saint Paule sayde that if his minde were too please men hee must of necessitie forsake the seruice of our Lorde Iesus Christ his maister For as I haue tolde you before the diuell will not ceasse to make warre vppon vs on all sydes and againe men are naturally disposed therevnto euerie man coueteth to bee soothed and vphilde and to haue all his vyces cloked To be short there is none but he desireth too bee foded and mainteyned in hys rechlesnesse And therefore if wee will bee freendes with men too frame our selues vntoo their willes and desires Iesus Christ can haue no more maystership ouer vs and wee shall not onely become vnprofitable for him but also vtter peruerters of all Nowe therefore when wee see that these which pretende great zealousnesse of christian religion doo seeke their owne profite let vs hardily conclude that they deserue not to haue any authoritie Of which sort are they whiche nowadayes keepe a barking to mainteyne popish abuses and ceasse not to slaunder 〈◊〉 doctrine of the Gospell but labour to bring it in discredite with the blinde and ignorant and yet notwithstanding what is it that the most part of them doo seeke Some to maintaine themselues in their estate with their red hattes horned cappes and crosses Others runne after them like houndes in a chace and these poore storuelings plie them apace that they may haue their wages Besides this all that euer is done of these pelting hypocrites and of all the whole stinging and stinking rable of shauelings what pretence so euer they make tendeth too none other end but to haue their dishes alwayes ful so that all their fighting is but for their bellie Also there are a great number of Neuters which are contented to haue the Gospell preached by halues but to go too it with so great rygour and seueritie ô say they it is no reason at all for the worlde cannot awaye with it And why should not men passe much for Ceremonies say they Although they sprung of superstitions and abuses yet shoulde wee not go too worke so roughly for that were too importunate dealing All they then which cannot abyde too haue the filthie dregges and corruptions of Poperie cutte off to the quicke do certainly ame at none other marke than too eschue persecution and too shrinke awaye from it And woulde God that examples of it were not too ryfe But nowadayes ye shall see an infinite number of such as would be ashamed to withstande the Gospell in all respects consent well ynough with vs to say In deede it is true but yet many things had neede to be borne withall and we had neede to go to it with gentlenesse and modestie And what moueth them to this VVhat foundation haue they See I pray you what they alledge O say they wee see fires kindled euerie where and what a thing were it too moue yet further troubles that shoulde make them greater It should seeme that we bee bent of set purpose to prouoke those that are alreadie enemies to the Gospell and haue the sworde in theyr hande and are able to rende all vp by the roote were it not better too beare with things awhile till God had giuen some rest too his Church It is certaine therefore that such folke as desire too make truce with those that fight openly against our Lord Iesus Christ are ful of treason And so see ye the second warning that is to be marked vpon this text Furthermore whe◠〈◊〉 S. Paule sayeth that the stumbling blocke of the Crosse shall be done away he meeneth that the world shall no more be so prouoked to refuse the doctrine of the Gospel for when we preach Iesus Christ crucified simply without any mixture that doth he purposely name the preaching of the Crosse Now the worlde woulde alwayes fayne haue solemnities and first of all wee see that many mennes eares itche and they desire nothing but that men shoulde flourish in Rhetorike and painted speach and such other like things Again we see that many are ashamed of the simplicitie of the Gospell bicause that if the great and small shoulde bee coupled togither it might seeme that it tendeth too the pulling downe of all highnesse And shoulde menne bee spoyled and robbed after that maner of all theyr glorie thinke they Manie therefore are ashamed of that Nowe for this cause Sainct Paule sayeth Go too it is the preaching of a Gibet or Gallowes It is true for to the intent to open vnto vs the Kingdome of heauen the sonne of God was fayne to suffer our curse and to indure that death which is so slaunderous before men yea and to be cursed of Gods owne mouth according to the saying of the Lawe Cursed is hee that hangeth on tree Then was our Lorde Iesus Christ faine to come to that poynt that hee might be our borrow To be short hee was as good as ouerwhelmed And we see howe the Prophete Esay sayth of him that he was disfigured like a poore Lazerman so as men vouchsafed not to looke vppon him or to count him in the number of men Also wee see howe the .xxij. Psalme sayth I am a worme and not a man I am a mockingstocke euen to the rascallest sort insomuch that the theefe did scorne him and scoffe at him VVell then at the first sight this doctrine seemeth vnworthie to be receyued But wee must bethinke vs what Saint Paule sayth in another text that is to wit