make theÌ„ selues vnworthy of it for some be ful of wilinesse malice like foxes some are full of pride like lions some are like rauening wolues that seeke nothing but to deuour al and othersome are ful of shrewd turnes and harmefulnesse like Apes All these as much as in theÌ„ is do cut themselues off froÌ„ the aray companie of neibours but in this cace we may obserue Gods order And although men on their side deserue not to be counted taken for neibours yet notwithstanding in bearing them loue wee shewe it is good reason that God should ouerwey our owne naughtinesse VVee see then that suche as are our enimies labour to deuour vs do notwithstanding not cease to be our neibors in respect of the order that God hath set And for the same cause also our Lord Iesus Christ telleth vs that it is no charitie to recoÌ„pence him that hath done vs a good turne or seruice nor to loue those whom we like off or at whose hands wee looke for some profite For the heathen do as much as that comes too but they do it not to obey God his law and when we haue regard of our own profite it is rather a louing of our selues thaÌ„ any poynt of charitie For the marks that chatitie shooteth at are God and the communion or felowship that ought to be among vs as I haue said afore Now then we see it is a true proofe that we be desirous to loue God when we indeuer to doo good euen too them that are vnworthy of it Moreouer the adding of this saying as our selues is not to the intent that euery man should first loue him selfe and then afterwarde loue his neybour nexte But our Lorde ment too rippe vp the sore thâ—â— hindereth vs too liue in charitie whiche is as I haue tolde you alreadie that if men were not so giuen to selfeloue as they be there would be good loue agreement among all men but forasmuch as wee be so much giuen to loue ourselues and the excesse of that affection blindeth vs in such wise that it bereeueth vs of all reason equitie and vprightnesse therfore God saith that we must loue our neighbours as ourselues For were not that sayd expresly we would talke muche of louing our neighbours say they ought to be loued but all would be but dissimulation after the maner of these hypocrites whiche protest that they would their enimies no harme but rather that they wish them good and could find in their hearts to procure theÌ„ good But let vs come to the triall that God setteth downe heere let euery man looke into himself then let him iudge whether he loue him self to much or no or whether the loue that he beareth towards his neybours be not ouerfaynt cold To be short here God ment to remedie the hypocrisie wherwith we be too much blinded Also he ment to waken men that they might learne to leaue their flattering of theÌ„selues when it is sayd it is not inough for you to loue one an other but ye must loue your neibours as your selues And thereby we see how farre we be wide from the perfection of the Lawe and that it standeth vs in hande to fight agaynst our owne nature that we may obey God VVhat is then the true exercise of Christians It is to acknowledge bewayle their own sinfulnesse and infirmitie in discharging their dutie towards God and thervpon to labor and indeuer to winne of them selues from day to day so as their lustes may not ouermaster them but rather that God may haue such superioritie that in stead of louing our selues we may labour to imploy our selues in dooing good whersoeuer he calleth vs. Furthermore S. Paule hauing shewed the perfection of the law the mark that wee muste ame at to rule our life according to Gods worde addeth that if men doo bite and snatche one at another lyke Dogges and Cattes they muste needes bee consumed in the ende And this is too shame them the more whiche are so fleshed in their quarellings and brawlings and doo so close their eyes agaynst all reason that they care not what come of it so they maye satisfie their luste of reuenging And what shall yee â—â—â—ne by it sayth Sainct Paule Naturally yee couet too preserue youre selues for that is common too vs euen with the beasts Yee see that the beast which hath nother reason nor vnderstanding doth notwithstanding labor to preserue himselfe and shunneth harme Much more reason is it that men which discerne betweene good and bad should haue the same indeuer of mainteyning themselues and of continuing safe sound But now let vs see what followeth vpon hatred quareling brawling strife rayling and such other like things It followeth that wee must bee all consumed in the end Needes then must the diuel haue vtterly bereft them of all reason which rage and rushe foorth after that fashion in their excessyue hatred and cannot by any meanes bee moderated Too bee short S. Paule sheweth that although there were no Lawe of God too make vs afrayd too offend him yet if wee were well aduised or had any droppe of discretion in vs wee should haue some stay of ourselues so as wee should not quarell and brawle one with another as wee doo But wee runne wilfully and as it were of set purpose into our destruction and that is ageinst nature Yee see then how diuelish men become wheÌ„ they bee once chafed insomuch that they seeke their owne decay And why do wee hate our enemies It is bicause wee will needes gyue brydle to our affections But marke our excuce O say wee they ment mee harme they procured it and they haue done it Very wel-what for that VVhat shalt thou win by making two diuels of one as the prouerb sayth or by seeking too make the fyre too burne hotter which is kindled ynough and to much alreadie It wyll but dubble his rage and make him feercer than he was before Seing it is so why wilt thou go about to end the matter with the destruction of you both Howbeit if wee should do it in none other respect than that it were not ynough for therin wee should bee too fleshly For if I absteine from all hatred bycause I shoulde receyue harme by it I doo still seeke mine owne profit But God will haue vs to shet our eyes continually in respect of our owneselues and to shake of all ill will and to tread all strife vnder foote And why To the end that he himselfe may haue all maysterhod ouer vs. And although men giue vs cause too hate them for their naughtinesse yet notwithstanding forasmuch a God hath knit vs together let vs abyde in that vnitie Therfore the honour that wee must yeelde vnto God is to renounce ourselues to the end we may loue them that hate vs. And as I haue tolde you alreadie this warning is not superfluous For Sainct Paules intent is too shame
vs expressely that the Sonne of God gaue himselfe And hee contenteth not himselfe too say that Christ gaue himselfe for the worlde in common for that had bin but a slender saying but sheweth that euerie of vs must applie too himselfe particularly the vertue of the death and passion of oure Lorde Iesus Christ VVhereas it is sayde that the Sonne of God was crucified we must not onely thinke that the same was done for the Redemption of the worlde but also euerie of vs must on his owne behalfe ioyne himselfe too our Lorde Iesus Christ and conclude It is for me that hee hath suffered Likewise when wee bee baptized as it is not for any one man alone so is not the water sprinckled vppon all men in common but euerie man is baptized seuerally in his owne behalfe too the ende that euerie of vs may applie it particularly too himselfe too saye that wee bee all members of our Lorde Iesus Christ Also when wee receyue the holy Supper euery man taketh his owne portion too shewe vs that oure Lorde Iesus Christ is communicated vntoo vs yea euen to euerie one of vs. S. Paule therefore dooth purposely vse that maner of speech too the ende wee shoulde not haue any colde imagination after the maner of diuerse ignorant persons which take themselues too bee Christians and yet in the meane while are as wretched beastes But when we once knowe that the thing which was done for the redemption of the whole worlde perteyneth to euery of vs seuerally it behoueth euery of vs to say also on his owne behalfe The sonne of God hath loued me so deerly that he hath giuen himself to death for me Furthermore the worde Loue is not superfluous here for Saint Paules intent is too magnifie the gracious goodnesse of our Lorde Iesus Christ as if he shoulde say that we be verie wretches if we accept not such a benefite when it is offered vs seeing that God in sending vs his sonne had none other respect but to our miseries which hee intended too relieue Also our Lord Iesus Christ did so neglect himselfe that he spared not his life for our welfare And what was the cause of it The loue that he bare vs. Seeing it is so must wee not needes be worse than out of our wittes if we accept not such a benefite But it is a verie common doctrine in the holy Scripture that God so loued the worlde that hee spared not his onely sonne but gaue him too death for vs and also that our Lorde Iesus Christ at such time as wee were his deadly enimies as sayth Saint Paule did confirme a maruellous loue towardes vs in that he offered himself in sacrifice to make attonement betweene God and vs and too doo away all our sinnes so as they might no more come to account Lo heere a warrant of our saluation so as wee ought to thinke our selues throughly assured of it Howbeit S. Paule ment purposely here too rebuke mens vnthankefulnesse in that they accept not the benefite which God graunteth them so bountifully yea and of hys owne free goodnesse For it behoueth vs too call to minde howe Saint Iohn in his Canonicall Epistle sayeth that we loued not God first as if shoulde saye wee did not preuent him as those thinke they doo which say I haue done him suche seruice and such For alas what is it that wee can do too him but that he loued vs yea euen at such time as we were his deadly enimies and came euen then to seeke vs out in the verie deepest of the bottomlesse Dungeons And therevppon Saint Paule addeth that hee dooth not dispize or shake off the grace of God This is the knitting vppe of the things that wee haue hythertoo seene For heere he ment too shewe that the Diuell must needes possesse those that make none accounte of Gods mercie that is vttered in our Lorde Iesus Christ and dayly offered vs in his Gospell For looke howe oft the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ is preached vntoo vs and the infinite goodnesse of our God talked of so oft is this message renued vntoo vs that our Lorde Iesus Christ calleth vs vntoo hym to the ende we should forsake the worlde and being out of all hope in our selues fasten and settle our whole trust in him Sith it is so it is good reason that we should not reiect the grace of God And S. Paule in saying so ment to call backe suche as had gone astray before and too shewe them the way as if he had sayde whereas the poore ignorant soules that neuer heard worde of the Gospel might be excuzed we must needes be worse than damnable seeing we refuze the grace of God when it is offered vs for it smelleth of such an vnthankefulnesse as can by no meanes be excused Saint Paule therefore dooth heere make mention of those whome our Lorde Iesus Christ calleth too the hope of saluation by his Gospell and yet doo still welter in their owne wretchednesse and become brutishe not knowing whither there bee a better lyfe or no◠or else of suche as are sufficiently tormented wyth inwarde heartbyting and yet seeke no remedie nor cōfort Yet notwithstanding all they too whome our Lorde Iesus Christ hath not preached his Gospell shall not fayle to perishe without mercie They cannot defende themselues by ignorance I say that all the heathen folke and Idolaters that euer were must haue their mouthes stopped And what shal become of vs then which haue had our eares beaten dayly with the message that God sendeth vs which is that hee requireth nothing but that we should be drawne vnto him wherevnto he incourageth yea and beseecheth vs as we haue seene in the second to the Corinthians It is not a great shame for vs that God should so farre abace himselfe in the person of his onely sonne that he should beseech vs Let vs fall to attonement sayth he And what hath he done on hys side VVhat hath hee offended vs Nay contrariwise wee ceasse not to prouoke him dayly agaynst vs and yet he commeth too say vnto vs I will fall too attonement with you whereas notwithstanding there is nothing but spitefulnesse in vs we be like little feends and to be short we bee damned and forlorne and yet commeth he to seeke vnto vs and desireth nothing but too haue th◠attonement made After that maner speaketh Saint Paule woorde for woorde But nowe what will become of vs if wee reiect such grace seing that God offereth it vs so freely This is it which is ment by that saying And therevppon hee concludeth in the ende that if wee seeke rightuousnesse in the Lawe Iesus Chryst dyed in vayne As if hee shoulde say that if wee iutende to inioy the grace that is conteyned in the Gospell wee muste vtterly gyue ouer the fonde opinion of our owne merites For men are deceyued by bearing themselues in hand that there is euer somwhat of value in
I sayde at the beginning that is too wit that whereas our Lord Iesus Christe hath tolde vs that he will haue vs too heere those that come in his name as if he spake in his owne persone he ment not thereby too make them idolles among men too the ende that such as haue charge to speake in his name should be exalted too haue any tirannie but he ment that his woord should be receyued reuerently and without gaynsaying And whereas S. Paule sayeth heere that he was receyued as an Angell or rather as Iesus Christ it is as much to say as he came not in his owne name but indeuered too preach Gods grace purely and too make men too followe Iesus Christ to frame themselues wholly vnto him that he might haue his due preheminence that the Gospell might be receyued without gaynsaying and that it might bring foorth such frute as it ought too doo that is to wit that it might be the power of God too the saluation of all beleeuers as it is sayd in the beginning of the Epistle too the Romanes Now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs so to feele them as we may be moued more and more to amendment and that it may please him to beare with our infirmities till he haue ridde vs quite and cleane of all and so renewed vs according too his owne image so as all may bee pure and cleane in vs and his glory shewe it self there and we more and more fight in such wise agaynst our own sinfulnesse as it may bee vtterly emptied out of vs and he so fill vs with the grace of his holy spirit as we may draw others therevnto so as all of vs may with one common consent indeuer to serue to his glory and giue ouer our selues wholly therevnto And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. The. 28. Sermon which is the fifth vpon the fourth Chapter 15 VVhere is then your blissednesse for I beare you vvitnesse that if it had 〈◊〉 possible you vvoulde haue plucked out your eyes and giuen them vnto mee 16 Am I then become your enemie bicause I tell you the truth 17 They be ielous ouer you hovvbeit not for any good Nay rather they meene to shet you out too the end you should be fond of them 18 It is good too bee alvvayes earnest minded in good things not only vvhē I am present vvith you 19 My little children of vvhom I trauell in birth again till Christ be fashioned in you 20 I vvould I vvere vvith you novv could chaunge my voyce for I stand in doubt of you WEe neede no teaching to seeke the thing which we thinke to be good and profitable for vs for euery man is inclined to that by nature yea too much giuen vnto it But the mischief is that we know not the true profite frō the thing that is harmfull but are oftentimes so blinded with our foolish lusts that euery of vs ouerthroweth himself wilfully Not that we forget the thing which I said to be imprinted in our hartes but for that we be caried away by our vnruly lustes or else so bleared with the vanities of this world that we haue no discretion at all to iudge rightly And therfore we ought to flee vnto God continually so much the more that he may giue vs skill to discerne what is good for vs to the intent we may serue him and haue our mindes so wholly set vpon him as we may neuer be remoued specially for somuch as it oftentimes falleth out that suche as are taken to be very wise to the worldward become lyke little children according to the alteratiō of their desires giuing vp the things which they had set much store by and gadding after some pelting trifle that cōmeth in their sight so as there is no stay at all in them Sometimes we shall see a chiefe runne after three or foure at once and if there come a thing that he fought for he catcheth at that by and by and anon after if he spie an apple or a cherrie or some other thing that likes him he leaues all the residue too runne after that Euen so play wee no doubt but we alwayes thinke our selues wise ynough and wee take scorne too bee taught at any mannes hande or too bee warned what is good for vs for it seemes too vs too bee an offering of wrong too vs but yet experience sheweth that wee want bothe wit and reason For what is the cause that men doo so tosse and turmoyle themselues out of measure and yet runne astray all their lyfe long As I sayde afore all of vs with one common accorde holde this principle that wee desire too seeke our owne profit there is nother greate nor small but he is inclined vntoo that But lette vs see wherevntoo men apply their mindes there is not that man whose affections boyle not within him in somuch that ye shall see the greatest number as yee would say racke themselues and their mindes neuer ceasse day nor night too runne still vppon the things that come afore them whereby they hope for any profite And when they haue well tormented themselues a man shall scarsly finde one among a thousande that hath his affections well ordered in somuch that it were much better for them too bee a sleepe all the time of their lyfe than too take so much trauell without knowing why or wherefore Nowe then seyng that the moste parte of vs are proued not to discerne betwixt good and euill as were requisite and expedient wee haue neede to submit our selues vnto God praying him too guyde vs by his holy spirite And specially when the souerayne felicitie or welfare commeth in question surely whereas wee shoulde bee caried away and rauished in loue with it wee bee haled another way and doo nothing but fiske too and fro and there is so greate inconstancie and lightnesse in vs that the thing whiche wee loue more deerely than our lyfe too day shall bee as good as despyzed too morrowe And that also is the cause why Sainct Paule dooth in this texte vpbrayde the Galathians with their forgetting of their owne happinesse For this saying of our Lord Iesus Christs that looke where a mannes treasure is there is his harte also is taken of the cōmon order of nature He termeth that thing our treasure which we set most store by and whervpon we do wholly repose our selues for there are many things which men do well like of the which neuerthelesse they can easly finde in their harts too forbeare Though a man see a fayre and costly thing yet can he content himself quietly with his owne state still if he haue wherewith too maintayne himself But if wee esteeme our life vnhappie or vnfortunate without the inioying of any welfare at all surely we shall bee tossed with continuall vnquietnesse till wee haue
Lorde Iesus Christe is expresly set downe in this place Now let vs fal downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgment of our faultes praying him to voutchsafe to make vs too feele them that he may draw vs too repentance the better and that we may alwayes hope that if we be once renewed by him we shall throughly perceyue that it is he which ruleth vs by his holy spirit so as hauing that record imprinted in our hartes wee may boast without hipocrisie that we be not tied to this world although we bee in it and that wee dwell in it but as pilgrims and straungers bycause we haue a better dwelling place in heauen where our heritage is throughly assured vnto vs by fayth although wee possesse it not presently That it may please him to graunt this grace not only to vs but also to all people and nacions of the earth c. The. 2 Sermon vpon the first Chapter 3. Grace bee vnto you and peace from God the father and from our Lord Iesus Christe 4. VVho gaue himselfe for our sinnes to deliuer vs from this euill vvorlde according too the vvill of God our father 5. To vvhom be glorie for euermore Amen THere is no man but he desireth his owne welfare and wee bee inclyned thereto by nature Neuerthelesse wee be very farre ouerseene in that behalf know not which is the fountaine from whence all welfare springeth and muche lesse what is the true cause of our happinesse namely that God loueth vs that we be sure that he holdeth vs for his children For without that al the prosperitie of the worlde is nothing nay rather it shall alwayes turne to our harme bicause that vntill such time as God receyue vs into his fauour we be all of vs accursed and the goods that we receyue at his hand shall cost vs right deerely for they belong not too vs till wee bee of the felowship of his children Therfore wee must aboue all things seeke to be in the fauour of our God and too bee well assured in our selues that he admitteth vs too be of his household and Churche And that is the cause why that after the Prophete hath rebuked mens worldly desires in that one would haue abundance of wyne another abundance of corne and euery man hath an eye to his owne ease it is sayd in the Psalme that nothing is better nor more too bee desired than that God shoulde shewe vs the light of his countenance that is too say than that wee might take holde of his fauour not doubting but he will acknowledge vs for his children as I tolde you afore And that also is the cause why in the hundred and sixth Psalme the Prophete craueth aboue all thinges that God should bee mindefull of him with the fauour that he beareth towardes his people Hee knew well ynough that he wanted many things and yet he ouerpassed all the rest bycause his heart caried and haled him the other way namely too desire too bee comprehended in the number of Gods chozen and therefore hee sayeth purposely according to the Loue whiche thou bearest towards thy people True it is that God giueth oftentimes some signe of his loue too all men in generall but yet is all Adams ofspring cutte off from him till wee bee greffed in agayne by Iesus Christ Therfore there is one kinde of loue whiche God beareth towardes all men for that he hath created them after his owne image in which respect he maketh the Sunne too shyne vppon all men nurrishing them and hauing a care of their life But all this is nothing in respect of the speciall goodnesse whiche he keepeth in store for his chozen and for those that are of his flocke howbeit not for any woorthinesse which hee findeth in them but for bycause it pleaseth him too accept them for his owne And so yee see why S. Paule in all his Epistles bringeth vs backe too the grace of God and too the loue which he beareth towardes the faythfull saying Grace and peace bee vntoo you Vnder the woorde Peace as I haue sayd heretofore he comprehendeth all prosperitie as if he should beseech God too prouide vs of all things which he knoweth too bee expedient for vs too poure out his Riches vppon vs and too shewe himselfe so bountifull towardes vs as we may haue cause too magnifie his goodnesse Yet notwithstanding for asmuche as all the goods of the worlde cannot but turne too our harme vntill wee be in Gods fauour therefore Sainct Paule keepeth this order of setting downe continually Gods grace or free fauour before the benefites which he bestoweth vppon vs. Although then that wee must desire God to make vs feele his goodnesse in all things which he knoweth to be meete for vs yet must wee not forget the principall poynt that is too wit that he should take vs into his Church and assure vs in our hartes that he beareth vs good will VVhen we once see that light let it suffyze vs as it is sayd in the Psalme and let the same content vs. But yet for all that although God giue vs leaue too wishe whatsoeuer is good for vs yet muste wee brydle our selues in suche wise that if he liste too smyte vs with many miseries we neuerthelesse muste make such account of his fauour as too content our selues with that alone though all the rest be taken quite and cleane from vs. I haue told you already that although wee liued at our ease in all pleasures and delights yet should we bee vnhappie vntill such time as we be fully assured in our consciences that God loueth vs and that we be in his fauour Yee see then that wee ought not too haue a minde too any worldly goodes except Gods loue go before them But on the contrarie part if God loue vs and yet in the meane whyle list too trie our patience by suffering vs too linger in this worlde and by putting vs vnder many afflictions wee muste still make suche account of his fauour as to beare all things patiently not withstanding that they seeme to be vtterly against vs. And it standeth vs so much the more on hand too beare this lesson in mind bycause wee see men wander away after their own lustes For most men are become so brutish that they desire nothing but to haue the things that nature teacheth them too like of They haue no regard at all of God One desires to eate another to drinke and the third to haue apparell and these are desires that houer in the ayre But the poynt whereat we ought to begin is too know that God is the founder of all our welfare and that all the commodities which we haue in this world and all the aydes which wee haue too help vs with are benefits proceeding from his hand Then if wee cannot apply our desires vnto God it is too vntoward yea and too beastly a thing and yet for all that the
it is not for vs to bring in mens opinions in that cace to wrap our selues in any doubt as the Papists do now adayes who haue none other buckler agaynst vs but the traditions of the Church Councels and Antiquitie Howbeit when they haue thronged all the world togither will it bee able to counteruayle the Angelles of heauen No certainly Now then we may well mocke at their foolishnesse after the exaÌ„ple of S. Paule and say that if the Pope and all the rable of his stinking Clergie had the Angelles on their side it were nothing at all in coÌ„parison of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath all soueraine power and before whom all knees ought to bow not only of mortall creatures but also euen of things that are aloft in heauen according as it is said in the Epistle to the Philippians where this saying is applyed to his person in that God sweareth that al knees shall bow before him all tunges confesse that he only is to be glorified Yee see then that the way for vs to coÌ„mend the doctrine of the Gospel is to abide vnremoued by the authoritie of men when it is told vs that such a one is of this opinion or that to assure our selues that seyng God hath giuen vs the grace to be fully resolued in our minds it behoueth vs to hold vs alwayes to it without chaunging This is in effect the thing that wee haue to coÌ„sider in this sentence Now herevpoÌ„ S. Paule sheweth how it was not without cause that he speke so of his Gospell that he had preached For he sayeth that he teacheth not after the maner of men or that he doth not set forth men nor counsell them after the maner of men but that he setteth forth God and seeketh not to please meÌ„ but Iesus Christ Afterward he addeth that his Gospell is not of men but that it was reueled to him froÌ„ aboue as I haue declared already It had not bin ynough for S. Paule to haue spokeÌ„ of the Gospell in generall except he had shewed therewith that he had bin a true faithfull minister of it For the Diuell caÌ„ well ynough away that the name of the Gospell should be of very great estimacion among vs but in the meane while he would not haue vs to know what it meaneth nor ceasse to be intaÌ„gled in store of errours to haue our wittes rouing here there Then it is not ynough that the name of the Gospell be honored in the world but we must also know what maner of thing the Gospell is and what is contayned in it And that is the cause why S. Paule chalendgeth that faithfulnesse of teaching the Gospell in so much that if any whit of it be chauÌ„ged let the same be accursed And this yet againe is well woorthy to be noted For when the Papistes reade this place they do nothing but skoffe at it and God also hath dulled them so as there is lesse wit in them than in little chyldren For they vnderstand it thus namely that Paule ment that if a man should make another Gospel as if a man should write a booke and the same shoulde not bee the Gospell that was written by him then they shoulde vtterly reiect it bycause the Gospell was sufficiently proued already But in the meane whyle they thought not that all that was contayned in Paules Epistles was euery whit of it Gospell but they rather surmyzed that he had written some storie of the Gospell and that if any other had bin brought in vppon the refuzall thereof the same that had bin so brought in should haue had no credite nor reputation But wee see that in that cace these wretched beastes haue nother reason nor vnderstanding nor any taste at all So much the more therefore dothe it stande vs in hand too marke that S. Paule had good cause too speake of the Gospell which he had preached euen to shewe as it were with his fingar the doctrine which it behoueth vs to be fully perswaded of VVill we be of the flocke of our Lord Iesus Christ Then is it not ynough for vs too accept what soeuer is tolde vs in his name but wee muste put that thing in â—re which is spoken in the tenth of Sainct Iohn which is too bee able by herkening vnto his voyce too discerne his voyce from the voyce of straungers and too bee alwayes fully perswaded that there is not any other than he too whom wee ought too yeeld Thus ye see how the way to be vnder the guiding of our good shepherd is that we swarue not one way nor other when men assayle vs but euery of vs indeuer to drawe home to himself so as we become not like wauering reedes but staÌ„d stedfast in the doctrine which we shall haue learned In so doing our Lord Iesus Christ will auow vs to be of the coÌ„panie and number of his sheepe and alwayes do the dutie of a shepeherd towards vs. But if we play those men which care not which end go foreward in somuch that if a man tell theÌ„ that Iesus Christ is the only he vpon whom we must rest to haue any trust of Saluation it is well they can like well ynough of that doctrine and on the contrary part if a man set store of trumperie before theÌ„ and go about too trouble their wittes with this and that they can well ynough away with that too and all is one to them if there be no discretion in vs it is a token that we haue no certaintie of fayth For we must be out of all doubt that Iesus Christ is the only Mayster seyng that that charge is coÌ„mitted to him by God his father and also that he hath fully performed the same If wee bee not at that poynt it is certaine that wee shall alwayes bee caried away with opinion and imaginacion and that there shall be no fayth at all in vs. And that is the cause also why S. Paule declareth that the Gospell which he had preached is the same which our Lord Iesus Christ coÌ„maunded to be preached and published and wherof he is the author in the name of God his father Seing it is so it behoueth vs to hold vs to it and so consequently when S. Paule speaketh of another Gospell he meaneth the minglemangle and corruption that might bee put vnto it as if he should say VVhatsoeuer is added or patched to the doctrine of the Gospell by mans deuice so as they can not content themselues with the simplenesse therof but that they do varie from it is euery whit of it mere leasing And therfore let vs shun it as a poyson for surely no poyson can bee so deadly as a false doctrine And if men doo naturally keepe themselues from the things that may hurt this transitorie life ought not our soules to be much more precious too vs VVhat care ought wee to haue that they be not poysoned by any trumperie of men Too bee short
lette vs bee sure that as soone as any by matter is added too the pure doctrine of our lord Iesus Christe it is playne falsehod For he will not onely hee hilde as principall but he muste continue alone without any companion and all those that teach must first become his scholers so as he that speaketh in the Church set not downe any thing of his own or which hath bin coyned in the warehouses of men but shew himselfe to be the true disciple of our Lorde Iesus Christ and teach vs all by the authoritie of him Marke that for one poynt And for a seconde it behoueth vs to knowe what is conteyned in the Gospell For if the woorde Gospell shoulde trotte vp and downe in euerie mans mouth and yet in the meane while men make vs beleue that Chalke is Cheese as they say what a thing were that VVhat shoulde wee bee the better for giuing so honourable report too the Gospell as to say it is Gods pure truth wherevntoo all creatures ought to submit themselues It standeth vs on hande too knowe what is the substance of it so as wee may bee sure that the sonne of God is come downe hither to guide vs vntoo God his father too the ende wee may vnderstande after what manner hee will bee worshipped at our handes and furthermore bee made priuie too Gods will that wee may frame our whole life thereafter and not inuent a seruice after our owne lust and lyking but yeelde him that obedience which he requireth and alloweth aboue all things Againe wee must learne too knowe howe miserable our state is if wee intend to seeke our saluation in our selues For there is nothing in vs but ignorance infirmitie weakenesse yea and stubbornesse and wicked lustes and to be short we bee hilde in Satans bandes so as he draweth vs like sillie beastes euen as Asses and Oxen that are solde and if we intende to be set free from so horrible bondage and tyrannie we must go too none but God assuring our selues that hee is the fountaine of all welfare Furthermore forasmuch as wee cannot come vntoo God but we must first come to our Lorde Iesus Christ who is come downe vnto vs so as wee must seeke all that we haue neede of in his fulnesse and repose our whole trust there and not haue any other preparation righteousnesse holinesse or perfection than him but be vtterly emptied in our selues and yet notwithstanding not ceasse too trust that hee will leade vs too God his father ▪ VVe must also vnderstande by what meanes we bee iustifyed that is to wit by the sacrifice of his death and passion Besides this when we come to pray vnt God let vs resort vnto him as our Aduocate that he may beare worde for vs. Ye see then that the thing which we ought too knowe concerning the Gospell is that there is but one onely lawe whereby to rule our lyues that we must haue but one certaine beleefe so as wee knowe the God whom we should serue and worship that we behold him in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ who is his verie Image that we must haue none other thing to rest vpon than Iesus Christ and that all our thoughts must be directed thither assuring our selues that in him the father hath put all things requisit for our faluation and that he also doth by the power of his holy spirit guide and gouerne vs in such wise that being vnder his protection we be sure that the Diuell and all his champions can do nothing against vs when we bee so preserued by his power This is the contempt of the Gospell which it behoueth vs to know or else the things that are spoken here wil do vs no good at al. Furthermore S. Paule to shew that he doth not without cause preferre himself before those that went about to disguise the doctrine of the Gospel by thrusting in some minglings and additions vseth two arguments The one is that he had behaued himselfe faithfully with a pure and right meening mind in teaching the Galathians and all other mē The other is that he had not set forth any thing of his own head but had receiued his matters by heauenly reuelation frō our Lord Iesus Christ Now it behoueth vs to mark wel these two arguments to the end we may perceyue that S. Paule hath not without cause declared heretofore that this doctrine of his ought too bee of good credit that it was not lawful for any liuing creatur to striue against it Hervpon wee may gather a generall rule how wee ought to be sure of our faith For the Angels shal not come down to speak to vs after a visible maner but we must be taught by the mouthes of men And yet for all that as I haue sayd already we must holde this for an infallible cōclusion that we haue the doctrine whervpon our fayth is grounded and setled from God and from our Lorde Iesus Christ And how shal we perceiue that By the two reasons that are set downe here VVherof the one is that such as teach vs haue a desire and zeale to bring vs vnto god and arme not thēselues with the title name of men no nor hauè any thing at all of man but folow the trace which God hath cōmaunded all his to kepe that is to wit that they win the world vnto the obedience of him Let that serue for one point Secōdly besides their good zeale they must also haue a certeintie of doctrine so as hee that speaketh may not take any thing vpon him nor passe his bounds but from hand to hand deliuer the thing that is cōmanded him in such wise as Iesus Christ may always be heard suffered to speak and al mouthes else be stopped sauing only in way of hearkning that his doctrine may bee knowne vnto vs. Now as touching the first wher S. Paul protesteth his good mind he saith that he doth not coūcel or persuade according to mē but according to God ▪ And hereby he meneth that he went not to worke with a worldly affectiō but had labored to apply himself simply vnto God seing he had bin called by him also that he had takē Iesus Christ for his master so as he laide not forth any thing but him nor toke any backfence of mē as those do which would allure simple ignorāt folk vnto thē who hunt for credit here there saying ▪ ho such a man saith so But it is only God that is to be hearkned vnto For though al mē with one accord would turne vs aside from him surely he alone ought to outwey ten C. M. worldes if there were so many Then seing the cace standeth so let vs mark well the doctrine that is conteined here where S. Paule setteth down his owne affection which serueth to giue vs a generall rule according wherevnto he addeth immediatly that he had not labored to please mē For so sone as folk speake after
iudges agaynst them than themselues For euery of vs ought too condemne himselfe as S. Paule exhorteth vs and specially when we consider how we haue bin wretched vnbeleeuers and as good as beastes wee ought too bee ashamed of our owne leudnesse Sainct Paule therefore wiste well there had bin cause for him too mislyke of himselfe and too bee ashamed of his striuing agaynst the Gospell and therewithall disdeyned not the goodnesse that had bin in Iohn and Iames. At suche tyme as Peter and Iohn were scurged and whipped for the Gospel Sainct Paule was a murtherer and passed not too say that they were rightly dealt withall and that it made no matter But yet for all that hee ameth at the marke which I spake of afore namely that for asmuch as God had so aduaunced him within a little whyle his former misbehauiour in tymes paste ought not to hinder the receyuing of the gracious gifts that were in him that they might not profite too the common edifying of the Churche Thus yee see in effect that the thing which wee haue too beare in minde is that if it bee late ere wee bee called too the Gospell wee muste bee sorie that wee haue spent our tyme so ill and specially that wee haue liued like wretched brute beasts without knowing who is our father too whom wee ought too doo homage bothe for our life and for all the goodes which we haue receyued of him Therefore wee ought too bee sorie for that Againe when wee see a man returne that was gone astray wee muste acknowledge suche chaunge too bee a miracle of God For if a man haue bin a wilde beast and past all hope of beyng brought vnto God and yet afterward becommeth as a sheepe and submitteth himselfe willingly too the obedience of our Lord Iesus Christe it cannot bee but that the hand of God hath passed vppon him Therefore it behoueth vs too know what all men haue bin aforetimes and euery man ought too bee his owne iudge in that behalfe but yet for all that when a man hath bin slowe in comming vntoo God if God woorke in him with suche power as it is seene that he mindeth too set him forewarder in one day than some other men in ten yeeres his so doyng muste not cause vs too plucke backe him that was able too edifie as men sometimes doo saying what was such a one a twoo or three yeeres ago suche sayings are nought woorth Lette vs rather vnderstand that our Lorde hath shewed himselfe so much the more too the end too be honored And therewithall for asmuch as Gods gifts ought not too bee vnprofitable let vs suffer them too bee applyed to the profite and welfare of the faythfull Yee see then that our looking what men haue bin aforetimes must not bee to despyze them still for it may bee that God gaue hym the brydle for a tyme too the intent too bryng hym downe so as he became an vnthrift or liued in ignorance and knew not goodnesse or had not any excellent or commendable qualitie in him and yet for all that God will sette him as it were vppon the scaffold and shewe by effect that he intendeth too bee serued by him Therefore it behoueth vs too take in good woorth the thing that God giueth and offereth vntoo vs in that wyze Thus yee see what wee haue to beare in minde and how needefull it is that wee should so doo for there is not any thing contayned heere whereof wee haue not the experience nowe adayes As touchyng the woordes where Sainct Paule sayeth that God accepteth not any mannes persone it is all one as if hee had sayde that God is not tied too the things that are seene of vs or whiche wee haue in estimation but that he is free too bestowe his giftes on whom he listeth and how he listeth Many men when they heere this woorde Persone spoken of doo beguyle themselues and wrest it agaynst the meeening of the holy Ghoste And therevppon many men suppoze that God accepteth not any one man more than another for then thinke they he should be partiall But see how they darken Gods free Election as who shoulde say hee were beholden too men and that if he choze any of them the same ought too bee generall without exception in so muche that too their seemyng Gods grace flieth in the ayre lyke a Tennisball and it is in our power and free will too reache out our hande too catche it and too apply it too our vse Thus are diuerse besotted yea euen with too grosse ignorance bycause they vnderstande not what is ment by the woorde persone But the holy Scripture telleth vs that God in voutchsafing too chooze menne and too set them in a more excellent state and too bestowe the giftes of his holie Spirite vppon them stayeth not vppon any thing at all in the partie ne passeth whither he bee whyte or blacke olde or yong noble or vnnoble riche or poore beloued or behated of menne fayre or foule God thinketh not vppon any of these small tryfles for if he shoulde delay too loue vs till he found some good thing in vs hee shoulde lette vs alone still in suche plight as wee bee That therefore is the cause why Sainct Paule sayeth expresly that God regardeth not any mannes persone And so wee see now what wee haue too gather vppon that Text. First of all as I haue sayde already let vs learne too receyue Gods giftes and too make our owne profite of them when they bee offered vs and let vs not take occasion too refuze them as many men doo whiche labour too cloke their vnkindnesse by alledging one thing or other But whither they alledge antiquitie or what soeuer thing else lette it not hinder vs too take profite by those whom God sendeth too vs for though they bee not past three dayes old nor can magnifie themselues among men nor haue done many exploytes and valeant enterpryzes yet is it no matter too vs so wee perceyue that our Lord hath giuen them such giftes as may bee auayleable too our edification and therefore let euery of vs stoupe and become teachable assuring our selues that if wee refuze the good that is offered vs by man wee do not wrong too the man but for asmuch as God is the author thereof and wee hold skorne too receyue that which commeth of him we be woorthie too bee vtterly bereft of the thyng that he is mynded too bestowe vppon vs and of the benefites which he hath after a sorte put intoo our hand Lo what wee haue too beare away Furthermore lette vs learne also not too bring any imaginacion of selfe value when wee come vntoo God But let him that is noble mightie or riche too the worldwarde lay away all selfe estimation and acknowledge it too bee vtterly nothing before God and lette him that is poore and miserable assure himselfe that he is not quite shaken off though men despyze him Also let vs
practyze that which is shewed vs by S. Iames which is that the brother which is greate and noble shoulde glorie in his smalnesse knowing that he hath all things of Gods onely meere goodnesse and that the brother which is poore and of lowe and meane degree should glorie in that God hath adopted him and giuen him suche a state as passeth all the kingdomes of the worlde seyng it pleaseth him too auow vs after that fashion for his children True it is that where as men gaze vppon the outward apparance and fayre shewe of things God accepteth a good conscience God looketh at the vncorruptnesse of the hart But yet must he be fayne too put the same before into it for at the first he shall not finde it in vs. Let God looke vppon all the children of Adam and as it is sayde in the Psalme hee shall fiude nothing but vtter corruption They bee starke rotten in their wickednesse See what our nature is Then is there not any thing that coulde moue God too accept vs and too preferre vs before others but wee muste become vesselles of his goodnesse and acknowledge that his accepting of vs is not for our owne woorthinesse but that when he choze vs too himselfe and set vs intoo the way by his holy spirite euen then he knew what soundnesse was in vs. Not that wee haue any at all of our owne but bycause he doth as it were beholde himselfe in vs. For looke howe many good things there are in the faythfull so many recordes are there of Gods goodnesse in that he hath shewed himselfe bountifull towardes them That is the cause why that in the tenth of the Actes and in other places this accepting of persones is put for the deckings and vizors whiche are as false illuzions of whiche sorte are riches credite dignitie nobilitie and suche other things whiche serue too make menne too set store by themselues and too stande in their owne conceytes But it is sayde that God doothe looke into mennes hartes and not gaze vppon the outside of them so they submit themselues too him obediently as I haue declared alreadie This is in effect the thing that wee haue too beare in minde Now S. Paule addeth immediatly that the Apostles auowed him too be their fellowe and gaue him their hande as it were too warrant that the Gospell which he had preached was in all poynts conformable to their doctrine that all of them had serued our Lord Iesus Christ Herevnto S. Paule addeth that he was by common consent receyued as the Apostle of the Gentyles ▪ that is too say of such as had not bin brought vp vnder the lawe nor were Iewes by birthe and auncitrie Heere wee see that S. Paules stryuing was not with the Apostles for they auowed him too bee their fellowe nother did he disdayne them for wee haue seene before that although his comming to Ierusalem was with assured knowledge that God had appoynted him and vppon sure and infallible reuelation after he had bin caught vp intoo the thirde Heauen yet notwithstanding hee was not caried with pryde nother vndertooke he that iourney to Ierusalem to common with the Apostles for feare least he had already or should thereafter runne in vayne For his desire was too haue all menne knowe that he chalendged not any speciall thing too himself but that his onely seeking ▪ was that the Sonne of God might bee published all the worlde ouer and that menne shoulde woorshippe him and rest vppon him so as he brought not a newe Iesus Christe but was conformable in all poyntes too Peter and Iohn and too all their fellowes If Sainct Paule had shrunke aside by himselfe it woulde haue bene sayde that his meening was not too haue any consent of doctrine with the rest of the Apostles But nowe seyng he commeth after that sorte too agree with them he sheweth that he was not caried away with any pryde or presumptuousnesse and that is it whiche he meeneth by saying newe agayne that the Apostles auowed him too bee their fellowe ▪ Then dothe he not take vppon him too bee aboue them but will haue men knowe that the Apostles serued our Lord Iesus Christ that he was one of their number and that the Gospell which he had preached muste not bee taken as a doubtfull thing but as certaine as if Peter or Iohn had spoken it in somuch that when Sainct Paule treateth thereof hee sayeth not it is I but he sayeth it is Iesus Christe VVhither it bee Peter Iohn or Iames that speaketh let vs looke that the Sonne of God haue euer the maysterhood aboue vs and lette the thing that commeth of him bee receyued whither it bee by mee or by an other Sainct Paule will not haue men too gaze after him any more than after the least man in the worlde The thing which wee haue in effect too remember in this texte of Sainct Paules is that he had no minde at all of himselfe ne sought any whit of his owne but was contented that Iesus Christe shoulde haue the prayse that he deserued and that his woord should be receyued with all reuerence and as for all other things he cared not what became of them As touching the other poynt that he was accepted for the Apostle of the Gentiles it is agreeable too that whiche Sainct Luke also rehearceth namely that Paule and Barnabas were ordayned Apostles bycause God had sholed them out for the same purpose too preache the Gospell among the Gentyles Then dyd not that matter come of menne but God had pronounced his vnreuocable sentence of it and Sainct Paules treating after that sorte of himself dooth no whit diminish the commission of the other Apostles But seeing he was sent of God in deed and that his calling was not grounded vpō men nor he had preaced in vnmeasurably nor thrust himselfe in vpon a geerishnesse but was chosen thereunto of God the Apostles shewed that they woulde not in any wise speake agaynst such a calling bicause it was of sufficient authoritie as comming from God And heere we see yet better howe all men ought to frame themselues to obedience too the intent that nothing may let the worde of God to bee a brydle and yoke too holde vs so in awe as none of vs may follow his owne fancies lustes and affections but suffer our selues to be guided and gouerned by the hand of our Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe if it were not lawfull for the Apostles to refuze Saint Paule bicause he was sent from heauen what shall we do Shall it not bee a diuelish pryde if wee cannot indure that the gouernment and order whiche God hath stablished in hys Church shoulde continue vnimpeached but would chaunge callings at our owne pleasure to set vp and pull downe according too the deuice of our owne foolish brayne Then if wee go about too make such trouble in the Church is it not all one as if wee woulde plucke the
of vncircumcision it meaneth the vnclennesse wherewith wee be compassed about in Adam in so muche as there is not any man which is not damned alreadie from his mothers wombe But the Iewes thought that God had set them free from that coÌ„mon curse and they made their boast therof Surely Gods chosing of them after that sort for his own people heritage was a great dignitie and worthy too bee esteemed aboue all worldly goodes But yet neuerthelesse it became them to haue acknowledged with all humblenesse that there was not any excellencie at all in their owne persons For according to our wonted maner of drawing Gods gracious giftes too muche to vayne ouerweening the Iewes did commonly ouershoote them selues by bearing them selues in hand that they were aboue all the rest of the worlde Verily as who should say that God had founde any thing in them why he should preferre them before those whom he had forsaken Therefore that dooing of theirs was a great pride whiche caried with it a shamefull thanklesnesse in that they imputed not to Gods meere goodnesse the things which they had of his free gifte but were puffed vp with ouerweening as thoughe God had knowne them to be better or worthyer of euerlasting saluation than the Gentiles But nowe S. Paule to dispatche all ouerweening sayth Go too wee be Iewes by nature As if he had sayde It is true that wee haue some fauour aboue the Gentiles whome God hath not vouchsafed to receiue into his Church VVhen he speaketh after that fashion it is not to giue the Iewes occasion to waxe proude but to lay before them the things which they had receiued frely of God wherin they had no cause at all to brag of them selues according as we see how that in the Epistle to the Romanes he vttereth two sayings whiche at the first â—lushe might seeme contrarie For on the one side Haue wee then sayth hee no priuiledge aboue the Gentiles Yes verily for God hath chosen vs for hys people he hathe giuen vs the seale of Circumcision too shewe that hee auoweth vs for his children hee hathe alyed him selfe vntoo vs hee hathe promised vs the Redeemer of the worlde and too bee shorte he hath sanctified vs in suche wyse that if wee consider the fauour whiche he hathe vttered towards vs there hath beene well wherwith to aduance and exalte vs aboue the residue of the whole worlde Thus on the one side Paule dothe there magnifie the goodnesse of God and afterwarde he falleth too questioning agayne and asketh what aduauntage haue wee then None at all sayth he for all men are shutte vp vnder Gods curse If the Gentiles bee too bee condemned wee bee too bee condemned double for there may be yet some likelyhoode that ignorance shall serue to excuse them But yet can they make no defence of that before God but shall perishe althoughe they neuer had any instruction or teaching Needes then must wee bee condemned by the lawe sayth he seeing that God hathe taughte vs and yet for all that wee cease not too sinne still and too transgresse his commaundements in so muche that we be plunged in greater and deeper cursednesse than the Heathen folk and vnbeleeuers Now then he sayth that the Iewes are in deede separated after a sort from the Gentiles not that the Iewes are of more worthinesse or that they haue any righteousnesse in them selues â–ª but bicause God of his own meere goodnesse voutsafed to chose them â–ª like as at this day the children that are borne of beleeuing pareÌ„ts are not better than the children that are borne of Paynims Turkes if a man coÌ„sider them both in their owne nature For we be all of a corrupted and cursed lumpe and God hathe so condemned vs as no man can iustly set vp his bristles to thinke him selfe of more value than his fellowes But yet neuerthelesse S. Paule sheweth that they be sanctified and that they be not vncleane as those are which are borne of vnbeleeuers or Heathen folke Heere shoulde seeme to be some contrarietie neuerthelesse all agreeth very well togither For there is nothing but vncleannesse and filthinesse in vs all without exception and that commeth of nature Howbeit there is a supernaturall gifte that is to say a remedie that God giueth whiche is that the children of the faythfull are dedicated vnto him and he acknowledgeth auoweth them for his Then like as now a dayes the children that are borne of the Churche are reckned too bee of the number of Gods people and of the companie of the chosen euen so vnder the lawe the Iewes were separated from the rest of the world And that is the cause why S. Paule sayth Wee bee Iâ—wes and not sinners of the Gentiles VVhereas he speaketh of Sinners he meaneth suche as continue in their filthynesse and are not clensed by the grace of God For Circumcision was a token and witnesse that God accepted Abrahams issue and ofspring for hys owne housholde and peculiar people The thing then wherein the Iewes differed in olde tyme from the vnbeleeuers was that althoughe they were all of one sute for as muche as they were all indifferently the children of Adam yet notwythstandyng God had chosen the one sort and left the other sort still straungers from his house If a man aske why he dyd so there was none other cause than his owne meere grace and yet were not the Iewes in the meane whyle the more excellent But nowe let vs followe the matter that S. Paule handleth heere Wee knowe sayth he that wee can not bee iustified by the deedes of the Lawe but by beleefe in Iesus Christ. In so saying he sheweth that the Iewes them selues what grace soeuer they had receyued coulde not grounde them selues vpon other men nor vpon them selues as thoughe they had deserued aught at Gods hande but must bee fayne to flee to his free goodnesse acknowledging that there is no saluation but in Iesus Christe who is come to finde out the thing that was alreadie loste And herein is fulfilled that which he sayth in another place howe that aswel they which were nere hande as they that were farre off were all gathered togither into one Iesus Christ is the peacemaker to cause God to loue vs and to receyue vs too mercy not onely those that were earst farre of as the Gentiles but also the children of Abraham what noblenesse or dignitie soeuer were in them for that came not of their owne nature And let vs marke that when S. Paule saythe that the Iewes whiche were conuerted to the Christen fayth knewe they coulde not bee iustified by the works of the lawe but by beleefe in Iesus Christ he maketh a comparison betweene fayth and the Lawe to shewe that wee can not bee iustified by grace excepte wee forsake all our owne merites and that is a thing well worthy too bee marked For the Papistes will well inoughe confesse that wee bee iustifyed by faythe howebeit they
that haue our eares beaten with it and are prouoked without end or ceassing to come vntoo God wee bee muche more faultie than they Beholde the Turkes beleeue that they woorship the God that made heauen and earth how beit for asmuch as they refuze our Lord Iesus Christe they haue but an Idoll The Papistes also are deceyued in theyr fond deuotions And yet for all that they bee not a whit the lesse giltie before God But what for that If wee that knowe the way of saluation whiche heare Gods voyce ringing continually in our eares which are inlightened with the sunne of rightuousnesse euen with our Lord Iesus Christ If wee I say become as good as brute beastes and discerne not betweene good and euill must it not needes bee that we are as ye would say bewitched For seing that God is so gratious vntoo vs as too come to vs and to teach vs so familiarly surely he hath iust cause to complayne of vs as he also dothe My people sayeth he by his Prophet Micheas what can I doo more for thee than I haue done Then if God pleade agaynst vs and charge vs with all the meanes whiche he hath giuen vs to make vs wholly his that he might inioy vs without gaynsaying and we on our side cast a stoppe in his way and are loth to bow downe our neckes to receyue his yoke or else be fickleminded and fleeting too forsake all agayne too day or too morrow and had leuer too bee beguyled by the craftes and illusions of Satan than to bee guyded by the truth which is certaine must it not needes be that we are as monsters that is to say folke that make vtter defiance too nature Therfore let vs learne to looke better vpon our selues heere for looke what was once sayd too the Galathians is spoken still at this day vntoo vs. For it was not for that peoples sake alone that S. Paule wrate but the holy Ghost quickeneth vs vp still now and telleth vs that if wee haue once receyued the doctrine of the Gospell and afterward start away from it so as if a man trace vs he shall find no constancie nor stedinesse of fayth in vs we be so much the more damnable and cannot sheeld our selues with any thing for when we shall haue taken all the couerts in the world we shall abide conuicted of such leudnesse as in the end we must needes haue our mouthes stopped and God muste set vs foorth as an example of all vnthankfulnesse in somuch that wee shall become odious both too men and Angels bicause we made no better account of the doctrine of saluation which is so precious a seede as wee see that the Scripture speaketh of it Yee see then that the thing which we haue too beare in minde is not that the onely Galathians are rebuked heere by S. Paule but that we be taught in their persones to walke in feare and awe when God shall haue bin so gracious too vs as too call vs vnto him and too shewe vs what his will is And it is not for nought that he vseth so sharp and rigorous woordes as too call them fooles and witlesse and consequently too say who hath bewitched you But we heare how that in the fourth too the Ephesians concerning the vsing of the Gospell he sayeth that when wee haue once bin taught it we must not be as little babes that are led too and fro and made to beleeue that the Crow is white but we must be so settled in it that although the Diuell stirre vp neuer so many troubles false opinions and lies yet we may still hold our owne and keepe on our pace assuring ourselues that Gods truth is infallible Thus ye see that the end whereto the Gospell ought to serue vs is not only to shew vs what is good for vs but also to arme and fence vs agaynst all incounters and against all Satans slights so that if there rise vp any heresies or other corruptions we may still mainteine the battel valiantly and get the vpper hand by our faith and not be pyped any more into the fowlers snare according to the similitude whych S. Paule vseth Now then seing it is so it must needes be that we be bewitched and possessed with the Diuell if suche a remedie suffise vs not after that God hath manifested himselfe vnto vs and wee knowe yea euen fully and assuredly that it is he which speaketh If we be not moued by his authoritie what will become of it Againe whereas we haue our Lord Iesus Christ shyning vpon vs as it were at high none days must it not needes be that we are at defyance with nature as I sayde afore if wee seeke heere and there for by ways when the right way is layd before our eyes So then it is not without cause that Sainct Paule speaketh so roughly too that people which had chaunged the doctrine after that God had granted them the grace to haue his truth shewd vnto them But we must call to mind also how God vpbraideth his people of olde tyme by hys Prophet Ieremy Go your wayes ouer the sea saythe hee and into the Iles and into farre countries and ye shall see euery nation worship his owne Idolls without chaunging And wherefore then are you so variable As for those they know not wherevppon they be grounded They haue but a certayne opinion which carieth them away and beguileth them and yet notwithstanding they hold on still without turning aside and sticke wholly to it and why then should you which know what God ye obey be so fleeting Nowe therfore let vs marke well that if we be lightly turned and thrust aside from the doctrine of the Gospel there shall neede none other witnesse against vs at the last day than the wretched vnbeleeuers which follow their owne superstitions for we see they be wedded to them Looke vpon the Turkes and Painims looke vpō the Iewes and Papists They wote not what God they worship they haue but a weening in sted of fayth and yet not withstanding a mā cannot plucke them from theyr false fancies and they bee so giuen vnto them as a man can neuer remoue thē Then if wee on our side knowing that it is the liuing God which calleth teacheth vs dayly and that the thing which is vttered by men commeth of him and of his holy spirit and hauing record of the law the Gospel which cannot fayle if we I say hauing such a resting stock for our faith be afterward vnconstāt so as our eares itch to receiue euery new toy and men make vs to alter our mind in lesse than the turning of a hand what else betokeneth it but that we wilfully refuse Goddes grace as if we wold shet the gate against him that he might not com in vnto vs Or else if after we haue once knowen that he offereth vs so in estimable a benefite in his Gospell wee cast it downe and trample it
yet coulde he not loue God as he ought to doo for it would behoue all our wits to be imployed in the loue of him But now let vs marke if wee cast not many vayne lookes when wee open our eyes or if that when wee open oure eares wee bee not giuen too their much fonde talke that tendeth not to the honor of God or which is not vtterly voyde of sinne if at leastwyse it bee not wicked But howe soeuer the cace stande wee shoulde so dedicate our wittes wholly vnto God as that wee should not thinke vpon any thing wherein he should not bee glorified And where shall one be founde that dooth so No where but whiche worse is besides that wee haue our wittes farre haled and drawen away from the loue of God wee see that they tickle vs dayly vnto naughtinesse and that wee doo not so soone stirre a hande but it is to put it too many things of no value As muche is to bee sayd of our feete of our eyes and of our eares Agayne what a dungeon is there in mans hart what a number of croaked lusts are there so snarled one within another as there is nothing to bee founde among them but confusion In so muche that it is vpon very good cause that Ieremie crieth out O what a maze is the heart of man wherein there is neyther ende nor measure to bee seene so that although a man should sounde and gage him selfe neuer so deepe yet it is not possible that he shoulde attayne too the knowledge of the hundreth part of his naughtinesse There is none but onely God that can bee iudge of it So then let vs marke well that although God haue begotten vs agayn by his holy spirite and that we strayne our selues to the vttermost to serue honor him yet must we needes come farre short of the ende and bee still but on our way thitherwarde yea and go alwayes halting And moreouer beside oure slownesse wee meete with many falles and many shrewde rushes we limpe on the one foote and stumble on the other and diuers times we tumble ouer and ouer Lo what our lyfe is Therefore by the Lawe we see we be all of vs accursed yea euen when there is no many fest sinne in vs. For as I haue declared alreadie if there were no more but this that no man dischargeth him selfe of the full performance of the Lawe it were too be concluded therevpon that all of vs are condemned by the Lawe and therfore that it standeth vs in hand to seeke our rightuousnesse else where that is to wit in the mere mercie of God Now then wee see howe S. Paule sheweth vs that all such as haue any vaine trust in their owne merites are ranke traytors too God and make warre agaynst hym For he dooth as it were dragge them foorth by the heare of their heads and shewe them the distresse wherin they be and what a stubbornesse is it if they will not come vnto him Must not the diuell needes haue dulled them VVee see then that S. Paules meaning heere was too driue men too seeke their rightuousnesse and saluation in the only grace of our Lord Iesus Christ for without that the other should neuer befall vs bicause wee alwayes surmize some valew to be in our selues and that selfestimation or ouerweening doth so blind vs that we can not glorifie God in his rightuousnesse by keeping our owne mouthes shet till wee bee conuicted as wee see in this text Furthermore let vs marke that S. Paule hath taken heere a principle which the Papistes cannot finde in their hartes too agree vnto â–ª For among other things they say cursed and banned bee he which shall say that God hath commaunded vs more than wee are able to doo They excommunicate and accurse all such as are of opinion that the rightuousnesse of the Lawe ouerreacheth all the abilitie of man For it seemeth to them that God ought not too commaund vs any impossibilitie that eyther wee must haue wherewith too performe the Lawe or else the Lawe should bee too no purpose So doo they thinke and so doo they say but the holy Ghost saythe the flat contrarie for God is not bound to fashion himselfe to our abilitie It becommeth vs to regard what we our selues ought to do VVho is he that dare step vp and say that he ought not to loue God with al his hart For seeing that wee bee his is it not reason that wee should bee wholly dedicated vntoo him Yee see then that we bee indetted vnto him of the perfect loue which he requireth Ageine if wee talke of our owne strength it is not too bee sayd that wee bee able to discharge our selues of our dutie as in respect of the loue which we owe vnto our God As for example If a man haue wasted all his goods in ryot and haue not aught lefte wherwith too pay his creditors shal that discharge him of his dettes If any man say it is not through our owne default Yes surely is it For in as much as wee bee corrupted in Adam originall sinne holdeth vs sufficiently conuicted and giltie before God so as it is no excuse too say I am weake or rather vtterly vntoward and I can not so muche as thinke one good thought accordyng as Sainct Paule declareth It is true that wee can not thinke so muche as one good thought and that our harts are full of sturdinesse and malice so that al our affections are enemies vntoo God So speaketh the Scripture but howsoeuer the worlde go wee ceasse not too bee still bound too our duetie VVherefore let vs marke that the Law is commaunded vs though it be impossible for vs to fulfill and performe it And if it were not so S. Paule would not haue sayd in the eyght too the Romans that God performed that thing by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ which was impossible too the Lawe In saying so he sheweth well that wee bee not able to performe all that God commaundeth vs. For if wee could bring that to passe surely wee should be iustified by it For it is sayde that all suche as fulfill the Lawe shall lyue therein If any man coulde bee founde that had perfourmed it he should liue But S. Paule taketh the same reason afterwarde too shewe that it is a follie to thinke to get righteousnesse by keeping of the Lawe for no man can bring it to passe as is required Now then as touching this text let vs vnderstande that S. Paule presupposeth that no man is able too perfourme the Lawe thoughe he strayne himselfe neuer so much insomuch that although he be gouerned by the holy Ghost yet shall he neuer be able to bring it too passe during this â—ightfull life bicause God giueth vs his grace by measure It is true that he could giue vs such perfection as nothing should be amisse in all our life but that wee should haue a full and more
whereoutof God hath deliuered me once twice or thrice before and that if God haue pitied me in some affliction to day so as I haue felt his fauor he afflicteth me to morrow with some other affliction what were my life if I rested vpon the worlde So then the Prophet mēt to declare that although the faithful be miserable and do but pyne away in this worlde yet notwithstanding they be blessed of God euen in this worlde and all the miserie which they indure here shall turne to their welfare for why they rest themselues vpon their God VVherfore we must vnderstand that there is a better heritage than this and that we seeke the true and euerlasting happines so as we may haue a stedfast continuance of our state But the woorde Rightuousnesse ought also to be well marked For if Abacucke had sayde the wretched sinners shall liue by fayth it would haue seemed that hee had spoken but to a fewe folke For it wil well ynough bee graunted that wretched sinners shoulde flee for refuge vnto God but as for those that excell in vertue ought they not to be exempted from the common aray and to be exalted too a higher degree at Gods hande and finally too bee iustified by prerogatiue Accordingly as we see nowadayes that although there bee nothing but al maner of filth in the Popish Ceremonies and Clergie as they tearme it so as they ought to be abhorred both of God and man yet notwithstanding vnder colour of their Coules and all other their trumperie they ceasse not to chalenge God too bee greatly in their det And besides this when these dotardes haue made muche babling and trotted and scudded vp and downe from altar too altar and from Chappell to Chappell and gadded on pilgrimage to their seeming God ought not to forget any of these doings but all of it ought to passe for good payment in their account besides an hundred thousande other Items which they haue too set downe before him And that is the cause why our Lorde Iesus Christ sayth that the wretched loce liuers yea euen the verie whooremongers shall much sooner come too the kingdome of heauen than 〈◊〉 any of all these foule toades that are so puffed vp with the vaine trust of their own deserts that although their whole life be wicked and they thēselues are full of all lothsomnesse yet they will nedes bind God vnto thē vnder the shadow of their hypocisie Now to the entēt to cut off all occasion of such imaginations the Prophet saith purposely that the rightuous shall liue by faith At the first sight there should seeme to be some contrarietie in these two sayings How so Must we to the intēt to be rightuous liue by faith yea for if we liue not by faith we be not rightuous For what is the rightuousnesse of the Gospell It is Gods free giuing vs a cōuenient remedie whereby to come vnto him and to be in his fauor through our Lord Iesus Christ bicause we cannot obteyne rightuousnesse by the law Therfore whosoeuer liueth by fayth is out of doubt not rightuous of himselfe But the Prophet saith that those notwithstanding are rightuous which are saued by Gods only and free mercie Therfore it is as much as if he had sayd that although God giue vs the grace to imploy our selues to his seruice and haue by his holy spirit imprinted in our harts the true feare and honor which we owe vnto him so as we fight against the lusts of our flesh to the vttermost of our power striue against the sin that is in vs and in our nature yet must we shet our eies at all the things which wee woulde fayne find in our selues too please God with and rest wholy vpon our Lord Iesus Christ If the rightuous must be faine to be iustified by fayth who shall bee iustified by his owne deseruings None will take vpon them but Diuels wicked wightes and enimies of God Ye see then that the Papistes euen at this day coulde not deuize to shewe betten that they intende not to be rightuous than by theyr stryuing for the rightuousnesse of their owne woorkes and desertes as they doo For it is an vtter fighting euen with a spyte agaynst God and nature You Papists say you seeke too bee rightuous and howe euen by your selues and by your owne workes and deseruings VVell let vs consider what the Prophete sayth he sayth not that the rightuous shall liue by their workes but that they shall bee saued by the onely grace of God Now if the righteous giue ouer all selfe trust of their owne merites as of force they must needes do it is certaine that such as thinke to make God indetted vnto thē by bringing any vertue of their own vnto him do wipē raze thēselues quite cleane out of the register of rightuousnesse Thus ye see that the Papists so long as they dwell in theyr errour are reiected of God according to the sentence which hee gyueth vpon them heere by his Prophete And vndoubtedly when as Saint Paule alledgeth this saying of Dauid Happie is he to whome God imputeth not his sinnes hee sheweth well therby that those men are most righteous which do most condemne themselues and are most striken downe yea and are vtterly out of all hope of themselues till God haue succoured them by his goodnesse Now when Dauid cryed out happie is the man to whom God imputeth not his sinnes he was not a naughtipacke nor an vnthrifte nor a dispiser of God that had neuer tasted what it was too enter into his owne conscience and too ransacke his sinnes too the quicke but contrariwise God had chosen him and annoynted him by Samuell he was an excellent Prophete his reigne was a figure of our Lorde Iesus Christ and finally God wrought so in him that he was as an Angell dwelling among men And yet for all this he confesseth and acknowledgeth his sinnes and in confessing of thē doth sorrow and mourne and is in such vnquietnesse as if hee were tormented vpon a racke or torture till God was so gracious to him as to make him taste of his goodnesse and he knewe no ease till God had receyued him to mercie Then if God vouchsafe too forbeare the examining of our workes that is all our happinesse the onely way for vs to become happie is to haue our sinnes couered and too be in Gods fauour howbeeit not in respect of aught that is in our selues but by his turning away of his countenance frō vs damned wretches so as he consider vs not as of our selues but accept vs for his onely sonnes sake accordingly as wee see howe Dauid speaketh of it in another text saying Lorde enter not intoo iudgement with thy seruant for I knowe that no man liuing shall bee found righteous in thy sight VVherefore let vs marke well that according as eche man shall haue profited in the feare of God so also will he be the more
abashed at his sinnes not for three or foure monethes but so as hee shall abhorre them all his life long forsomuch as hee seeth that hell is alwayes readie to swallow him vp at one chop if God supplyed not his wantes and drewe him not as it were out of the gulfe of death And therefore it is sayde that the righteous shall liue by fayth to the ende that the same should serue as a lesson not for a three or foure monethes onely nor for those onely whiche are not of so perfect life as other men but as a lesson that God speaketh euen to such as are the most excellent And surely that also is the thing wherevnto wee must referre the woord Liue so as wee may liue not for a litle while nor for a day nor for two or three monethes but cōtinually in Gods free goodnesse seeke the same from day too day euen to the end And although our life be hidden in this world as S. Paule sayeth and wee see nothing but death before vs yet let vs not ceasse too repose our selues vppon this promis that our life is sure for asmuch as God hath taken it intoo his custodie and will keepe it safely and therevnto hath left vs so good a pledge of it that is too wit our Lord Iesus Christe who died and is rizen againe for vs and therefore wee shall not neede too say any more who shall go vp into heauen or who shall go downe intoo the deepe or who shal passe ouer the sea For the woord is in our mouth and in our hart in asmuch as wee know that our Lord Iesus Christe went downe too hell that is too say as wee shall see in the next sermon by Gods leaue that he became accursed for vs whiche is the thing that muste content vs and afterward went vp intoo heauen whereof the gate is opened vnto vs euer since he entred in thither in our behalfe Therefore let vs take all our hold there and suffer our selues too be as poore dead men in this worlde wayting for the discouerie of the lyfe that is promised vs for no doubte but God will in due tyme discouer it and manifestly shewe it vntoo vs in such wyze as wee shall fully inioy it as it is preached too vs by his Gospell And now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults praying him to make vs feele them more and more and that wee may bee so touched with them as it may beate vs flat downe before him make vs sigh and grone vnder the burthen of our infirmities and vices wherewith we be hēmed in till he haue clenzed vs throughly of them and praying him also too beare with vs during this mortall lyfe till he haue fully deliuered vs from the bondage of sinne and from the bondes of Satan wherein wee bee hild as nowe till he haue set vs vtterly free from them That it may please him too graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people c. The. 19. Sermon which is the fifth vpon the third Chapter 13 Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the lavve in that he vvas made accursed for vs for it is vvritten Cursed is euery one that hāgeth on tree 14 To the end that the blissednesse of Abraham should come vpō the Gentiles through Iesus Christ that we might receiue the promis of the spirit by faith WEe haue seene alreadie that if wee hope not to bee saued by some other meanes than by discharging our duetie we should all of vs be accursed bycause wee bee all giltie before God in that wee are found too haue transgressed and done amisse many wayes For there was neuer yet any of the holiest men so perfect but that there was alwayes some blemish yea and store of infirmities in him Therefore it is to be concluded that if God should call vs too account wee should bee all damned and forlorne Lo in what plight men bee though they set neuer so much store by themselues But now it standeth vs on hand too haue some meanes too scape this cursednesse Else what shall it auayle vs to haue our eares beaten dayly with Gods woord For his will shall serue but to plundge vs still deeper in eternall death To the ende therefore that Gods woord may bee profitable too vs and auaylable to our saluation it lieth vs vpon to get vs out of the sayd sentence of damnation which is giuen and proclaymed vppon all mankinde And Sainct Paule sheweth vs here the meane namely that Christ hath redeemed vs euen by becomming accursed for vs. He sheweth vs that our Lorde Iesus Christ was not hanged vppon tree in vayne for he was fayne too beare the cursednesse of all suche as were too bee called too saluation Yee see wee are all accursed as I haue declared alreadie and therefore was our Lorde fayne too receyue in his persone the thing that was due vntoo vs. Now it was written in the Law of Moyses Cursed shall he bee hangeth on tree VVhen our Lord commaundeth the bodie too bee taken downe he addeth that it is a cursed sight too beholde a man so disfigured and therefore let it bee taken downe sayeth he And at suche tyme as God pronounced the sayde sentence that he which should bee hanged on tree should bee as it were accursed and banned he knew well ynough what he had determined of his owne onely Sonne For our Lorde Iesus Christe suffered not that kinde of death by chaunce nor at mannes pleasure or appoyntment It is true that the vnbeleeuers crucified him but that was bycause God had so ordeyned it by his owne purpose according as it is sayd that God so loued the world that he spared not his onely begotten Sonne but deliuered him too death for vs. And in good sooth if onely Iudassis betraying of our Lorde Iesus Christ had bin the cause of his death and that he had bin haled to that kind of death by onely violence it could not bee the foundacion of our welfare It behoueth vs to note that God had appoynted the matter after that sorte aforehand according also as Sainct Peter treateth thereof more fully in the fourth chapter of the Actes where he sayeth that our Lord Iesus was so crucified by the wicked as they attempted not any thing but that which had bin determined aforehand in Gods purpose Nowe then whereas it is sayde that our Lorde Iesus Christ was crucified wee muste come too this poynt that all was done for our saluation bycause it was Gods will too reconcyle vs too himselfe by that meane and that when he pronounced this sentence cursed is he that hangeth on tree so as it was his pleasure to haue it registred in the lawe of Moyses he was not ignorant what shoulde happen afterwarde for he had alreadie determined and ordeyned it Then muste wee match these twoo things toogither that is too witte that
that fashion And why For it is all one to pull Christ in peeces and too giue him but the one halfe of that which belongeth fully and wholly vnto him alone He is giuē vs to be our rightuousnesse he is called our peace what betokeneth the word Rightuousnesse That God accepteth vs freely for oure Lord Iesus Christs sake Now thē if we say that we win Gods fauor by our own deserts and that Iesus Christ is but a supplyer of wāts is it not a rending of him in peeces and a dismembering of hym as much as in vs lyeth But that cannot be done nor suffered Moreouer our Lord Iesus Christ is giuen for our satisfaction or amendsmaking for there is none other meanes to set God and vs at one but by knowing that we bee quite and cleane discharged and freely quit of the bond of endlesse death For if wee thinke to ransome our selues by our owne desertes and say that if there be any want in vs Christ shall make it good as a small matter it is a flat mockerie and that is in no wise to be borne with VVe see then that the cause why S. Paule telleth vs that Iesus Christ shal profit vs nothing is that mē should not beguile themselues in deuising a newe Iesus Christ that should do but halfe his dutie for we must receyue him in such wise as he is giuen vs of God his father Now he is giuen vs with condition that we should rid our selues of all selftrust and resort wholly vnto him and furthermore that it should suffice vs to haue him too be our head and thervpon serue God his father offering him al that we haue and assuring our selues that although the same all bee nothing yet notwithstanding howsoeuer we fare it fayleth not to bee taken in good part bicause the adoption that is gone afore groūded in our Lorde Iesus Christ maketh vs and our workes to be alwayes accepted of God vs I say that are nothing woorth and our workes that are but pelting trash and yet notwithstanding God taketh them in good worth bicause he looketh not what wee bee or what we do nor vpon the qualitie or quantitie of our workes but only looketh at this that we come vnto him as members of his only sonne resting wholy vpon the sacrifice whereby he hath redemed vs. And therefore S. Paule for a larger confirmation addeth that he protesteth and witnesseth that he which is circumcised is a detter of the performance of the whole lawe For sayth he Iesus Christ is vnauailable when folke will needes iustifie themselues by that meane VVee haue a declaration cleare and easie ynough of the things that Paule hathe sayde and wee must marke it well bicause it is hard too perswade mē that Iesus Christ is vtterly vnauaylable when they go about to make him vnauylable in any part For although the Turkes and other Heathen folke neuer knewe what Iesus Christ is yet haue they had an opinion fully lyke the Papistes and a man shall finde them to be both of one stampe For there were neuer yet any heathenmē in the world which haue not bin of opinion that they could not satisfie God and yet they haue gloried in their owne workes beleeuing that their saluation or welfare proceeded of them The Heathen men then did alwayes beare themselues in hande that they were able to purchase grace and too deserue somewhat at Gods hande And therevppon they offered Sacryfices knowing not that the same were a figure of Iesus Christ but yet howsoeuer the worlde went they thought too make some satisfaction or amendes Euen so also did the Iewes when they had once marred and corrupted the true meening of the Lawe As much also doo the Papistes at this day fully resoluing that God accepteth theyr dooings and that hee is in a maner bounde too them so too doo Let them then bargaine with him too allowe of theyr dooings though they doo amysse For they bee sure ynough that they can not make satisfaction too the full nor in all poynts but yet on the other syde they say that they can doo more than God hath commaunded and that that shall serue for recompence and payment Nowe forasmuch as it is so harde a matter too perswade men that Iesus Christ will not serue their turne by halues it standeth vs on hand to marke this Text so much the better where Saint Paule sayth that whosoeuer is circumcysed is a detter of the performance of the whole Lawe VVhen Saint Paule speaketh after that sort of Circumcision wee muste marke that hee talketh not according to Gods first instituting of it for too what purpose did God giue it vntoo Abraham Hee gaue it him as a seale of the rightuousnesse of fayth and so dooth he himselfe say in the fourth too the Romanes Therefore the Circumcising of Abraham was not too make him a detter of the performance of the whole Lawe but contrarywise too assure him of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes and that God accepted him for one of his children for oure Lorde Iesus Christes sake Yee see then that Circumcision did set our father Abraham at full libertie VVhy then did hee take it Bicause God gaue it him as a recorde and Sacrament of his free goodnesse But contrarywise those agaynste whome Saint Paule reasoneth tooke Circumcision as a meritorious worke and thought therby to deserue at Gods hande they entered intoo a kinde of bargayning with him as if they shoulde say verie well I am beholding to you for such a thing and I haue done this or that in recompence of it Therfore whensoeuer we fall to indenting after that sort with God we become detters of the performance of the whole Lawe As if he shoulde say yee must not bargaine in this cace men must not beare themselues in hand that they can partly binde God so as he should of right bee in theyr dette and bounde of necessitie to take them into his Paradice for dooing this or that for him No no sayth Saint Paule wee muste go more substancially too worke wee must not fall to bargayning with God to say that he bindeth vs to performe the whole Lawe and that we binde him to giue vs euerlasting life If we come to that poynt wee bee detters of the whole Lawe To bee short Saint Paule stryueth heere agaynst the diuelishe errour that reigneth in the Popedome They terme it a parting rightuousnesse that is too say a rightuousnesse that commeth partly of gods grace and partly of meritorious workes And why so For it is wel knowne that there was neuer yet man in this worlde that performed Gods Lawe and that doth experience shewe too much Forasmuch then as the Papistes as shamelesse as they bee doo knowe well ynough as I sayde that it is too manifest a thing that men are not able to keepe all the Lawe they say we mainteyne not that we bee fully rightuous in all poyntes but wee say that Iesus Christ
to the euerlasting inheritance and in the meane while indeuer to walk in suche wise in his commaundements as it may please him to beare with our frailtie till he haue quite and cleane ridde vs of it And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. The .xxxiij. Sermon which is the third vpon the fifth Chapter 7 Yee ranne vvel vvho hath letted you that ye should not obey the truth 8 That counsell came not of him that called you 9 A little Leuen sovvreth a vvhole lump of dovve 10 I haue hope of you through the Lord that yee vvil be none othervvise minded But he that troubleth you shall beare his iudgement vvhatsoeuer he bee WEe knowe that God hath set downe such a rule for vs too liue by that if wee giue eare too his word wee shall not be subiect to walking at rouers but sure to hold the right way And that is a thing wherein the faythfull differ from the faithlesse For all such as submit themselues to Gods word are not in any doubt or disputation with themselues whither their doyngs are allowable or no for who hath power too iudge of that matter but onely God But he hath giuen his sentence alreadie So then forasmuch as mans life is lykened too a race let vs learne too followe whither soeuer God calleth vs and then shall wee not stray as wretched wanderers that do greatly ouertrauell and tyre themselues without any profit And for that cause also doth Sainct Paule in this text set downe a dubble race the one good which hath a right direction and the other wandering and vncerteine Now it is not ynough for men too take great peynes but they must also â—ame at a certeine end Moreouer we see herewithall a true difference betwene the race that is to bee counted good and the race that doth but ouerlabor men in vayne For S. Paule layeth them foorth certeinly and infallibly saying that all suche as obey the truth doo runne well Lo heere a saying of greate weyghte For therevppon wee may gather that when menne bee gyuen too theyr owne fancies or walke only by gesse or receyue all that is tolde them wythout discretion or skill they maye runne swiftlye ynoughe but they shall come neuer the neerer vntoo God VVhen they haue spent all theyr lyfe in traueling they shal fynde themselues further off than they were at the first And therfore let vs learne to begin at this poynt that is to wit to giue eare vntoo God who dooth vs the grace and honour too teache vs assuring our selues that there is none other truth but that which proceedeth of him and that when meÌ„ follow the deuises of their owne braine it shall bee but vntruth and leasing Yee see then that the waye for vs too fare the better by this saying of S. Paules is firste of all too consider that all the deuotions whyche men doo frame of theyr owne heades are but mere illusions of Satan and that all such as doo wâ—at they lyke best themselues may runne fast inough howbeit they shall be neuer the further forward in the right way but rather the further backe Then is nothing too bee taken and allowed for a good course or race but only the obedience which wee yeelde vnto Gods truthe VVere this throughly well knowen to the world nowe a dayes there woulde not bee so muche trouble and contention as is seene For what is the cause that wee drawe not all by one lyne and that euery of vs reacheth not out his hande to his neighbour It is for that most men cannot be persuaded to obey God Therefore the true course of the faythfull is well shewed to vs by the Prophet Esay when he sayth that euery man shall take his fellow by the hand and say Go we let vs go vp too the Lords hill and he will teache vs his wayes Nowe were wee fully resolued of this poynt so as wee were altogither willing and desirous to submit our selues to God it is certayne that wee shoulde all of vs runne togither and the formost should helpe forward the hindermost and the weaker sort shuld not enuy such as were their guides yea and that would giue them courage to go on But although we see the world full of stubbornesse and euery man giuen to his own liking yet must we profite our selues by this doctrine that is too wit by imprisoning our senses that wee take not a licentious libertie too doo what wee list but that wee obey the truthe assuring our selues that the foundation whervpon it behoueth vs too buylde is the sayde faythfull obedience which wee yeelde vnto Gods worde And whereas S. Paule vseth this worde Truthe it is specially to beate downe all foolishe presumptuousnesse and ouerweening bicause men beare them selues in hande that they be wise inough to order their owne lyfe And out of this ouerboldnesse sprang also the Seagulfe of all superstitions For if men knewe them selues too bee suche as they bee in deede that is to wit to be poore blinde and ignorant it is certein that they woulde with all humblenesse hearken vntoo God and then should not there be so many partakings and sectes as there bee But what As I sayde afore men will needes bee ouerwyse Now S. Paule too pull downe all loftinesse and to ridde vs of all pride and presumption sayth that there is no truthe to be founde but in the doctrine that commeth 〈◊〉 God and that howe sure so euer wee weene our selues to bee there is nothing but mere follie in vs except God gouerne vs and Gods word reigne wholly ouer vs. Further let vs vnderstande that to yeeld our selues techable is a farre greater vertue without all comparison than to enter into disputation and to be inquisitiue of things that belong not to vs nor are lawfull for vs. It is true that fayth is not a dotage or sottishnesse to receyue and beleeue without gaynsaying whatsoeuer shall be tolde vs but yet when God speaketh it behoueth vs too yeeld him so much honor as to keepe our mouths shut to open our eares to herkeÌ„ aduisedly to that which he telleth vs to frame our selues simply to the same Yee see then that the good race wherin we can not go amisse nor bee caried aside one way nor other is to follow the way that god sheweth vs by his word Otherwise as I sayd wee shall but roue according also as S. Paule vseth the selfe same similitude in taunting all the things that the ignoraÌ„t and vnbeleeuers doo to serue God withall For although they take neuer so much payne yet they doo but loose their labour But by the way let vs marke also how he blameth the Galathians for turning aside in the middest of their race saying that their faulte is so much the lesse to be excused in that they had begon well and not hild out likewise to the end True it is that euen the ignorantest in the world shal not fayle
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
according to Gods will To be short the examining of our lyfe can not lye And heerewithall S. Paule ment also to confirme the thing that he spake afore that is too wit that if our lyfe bee to be gouerned by Gods spirite then must wee trauell earnestly that way and not in tryfling things that are neyther heere nor there before God according as I haue declared alreadie that suche as will needes bee most deuout haue neither ende nor measure of their superstitions and when euening coÌ„meth they thinke God to bee greatly beholden to them for their trauelling too and fro and yet notwithstanding all is but loste labour And therefore S. Paule telleth vs that sithe wee knowe that our life is spirituall as truthe is and that God also is a spirite wee must vnderstande also that he will be serued faythfully and that men must not occupie them selues about small trifles which are but as childrens bables but that he will haue vs to vse faythfulnesse loue peace and concorde one with another so as there bee no deceipt no malice nor no rauin among vs. Then if we knowe that the lyfe which God alloweth and whereby wee bee ioyned vnto him is a spirituall life Let vs foorthwith sayth he walke in the spirite that is too say let vs assure our selues that God alloweth not any thing but that which is agreable to his Lawe which for the same cause is called spirituall by Sainct Paule in the seuenth to the Romanes and let the proofe of the same doctrine shewe it selfe in our conuersation So nowe whereas other folkes runne on pilgrimage let vs occupie our selues in the seruing of God and our neibours VVhereas these wretched hypocrites wast al their substance in Idolatrie let vs consider that the true sacrifices holy offerings which 〈…〉 are that we should bee dedicated vnto him both in body souâ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—â—ondly that we shuld so dispose the goods that he hath giueÌ„ vs put into our haÌ„ds as we might shew by so the same may serue to the glorifying of Gods maiestie and too the inlarging of the dominion of our Lorde Iesus Christe Let all looke at him let all sticke too him and let all know that it is he from whom all goodnesse proceedeth Lo wherevnto S. Paule ment too bring vs. Now to the intent too make vs the more too abhorre all vayneglorie and pryde against God and the sayde desire of hauing credite among men he sayeth that wee must not seeke too byte one another nother must we malice one another It is as much as if he had sayd that ambition or vayngloriousnesse cannot reigne in vs but incontinently there will be hartburning and euery man will prouoke his neighbour For if wee bee giuen after that fashion to vayneglorie euery of vs will couet too bee greatest and it will seeme to himselfe that he hath not his right till he see his neighbour brought in contempt Thus yee see what pryde bringeth It tendeth not onely too the aduauncing of a mannes selfe against God but also too the defacing of such as we ought to honour at leastwise if they be our inferiours For when we haue looked well to all it is certayne that euen the least sort ought to bee honorable in our eyes Therefore if we bee led with ambition as I sayd afore euery of vs will bee climbing to get higher and higher Now hereof must needes spring strife and debate hartburning quareling and contention and finally deadly enmitie To be short so long as ambition hath his full scope and is let alone vnbrydled wee must needes bee at warre as experience sheweth toomuch and woulde God that wee might bee fayne too seeke a greate way off for examples of it But so soone as men will needes set out themselues ambition muste needes carie them so away as too shewe themselues enemies too their neyghbours And thereof also proceedeth enuie For it is sayde that charitie is glad of other folkes welfare Haue not wee cause too reioyce when we see God poure out of his gracious giftes vpon our neyghbours yes or else wee pray not vnfaynedly for all such as haue neede of them For if it greeue vs too see that God graunteth them too liue commodiously and at their ease doo wee not therein bewray that there was nothing but hypocrisie and fayned◠〈…〉 Also if God giue any man the gracious 〈…〉 his holy spirite it is for the common welfare and edifying of his Churche So then in all respectes there is cause for vs too reioyce and if wee bee rightly qualified according too Gods will wee shall also therewithall loue the profite and aduauncement of our neyghbours Contrariwyse when euery man is giuen too himselfe and wee bee driuen with this wicked ambition and pryde wee can neuer looke but a skewe at the aduauntage and profite of our neyghbours There will alwayes be repining and spiting in our hartes when God sheweth himself bountifull towardes those whom wee would keepe vnder feete Thus yee see that the thing whiche wee haue to remember in effect in this streyne is that wee muste learne what it is too belong too our Lorde Iesus Christe to the ende that wee take not his name in vayne ne bee reproued of falsehood and leasing before God and his Angelles for glorifying our selues so foolishly before menne For too the intent wee may bee our Lorde Iesus Christes wee must mortifie our lustes and affections knowyng that of our selues wee bee inordinately giuen too all euill and our nature wholly inclyned therevntoo Therefore it standeth vs in hande to turne a new lease And of a truth that cannot bee done of our owne power but the Sonne of God is Priest and readie to helpe vs. VVhat letteth vs too bee made partakers of the giftes of Gods holie Ghost that wee might proue by our lyfe that wee haue a true beleefe in him It is our flattering of our selues in our owne wretchednesse Then seing there is nothing but corruption in vs lette vs learne too lament and lette vs yeelde our selues too our Lorde Iesus Christe that he may kill all wicked lustes and disordinate affections in vs by the power of his death and passion And therewithall lette vs consider the grace that God graunteth vs in that he will haue vs too serue him freely so as wee shoulde no more bee vnder the yoke of the Lawe too bee pressed downe by it too the vttermost for that woulde bee an intolerable burthen too vs but bee gouerned by his holie spirite knowyng that he alloweth of our lyfe and accepteth our seruis when it is so framed according too his woorde although our zele bee not so greate nor so substantiall as were 〈…〉 know this and therewithall let vs walke in such 〈◊〉 as our 〈…〉 and as our feete handes and all other our meÌ„bers and senses may shew by effect that as we haue bin trayned in the schoole of our lord Iesus Christ so we haue also borne away his doctrine
vs and that wee shall haue greater gayne of it than of all the things that wee can doo in the worlde he hath not so muche credit among vs that wee wyll trust too his woorde no wee bee deafe on that syde First of all therefore too the ende wee should not bee thrust out of the way by meannes vnkindnesse our Lord sayth whatsoeuer yee doo too the least or to the most despysed of these I accept it and acknowledge it as done to my selfe Too bee short I receiue it as of myne owne hand Lo how God speaketh as in respect of the word profite Also he addeth a promise that there is no vsurie nor gayne so great as the profit that is to be hoped for at his hand so wee shet our eyes ageynst worldly things that they hold vs not backe but bestowe the things that he hath put intoo our handes and whiche he hath committed to our charge as he appoynteth by hys woord But whereas God speaketh after that manner not once or twyce but manie times so as if there were but one drop of trust in vs surely wee shoulde bee fully resoluâ—â—â—â—f it yet notwithstandyng â—â—â—swade wee bee still fastened heere bylowe and cannot beleeue nor perswade ourselues that God speaketh in good earnest Therefore it is not without cause that S. Paule setteth downe the promise that wee shall gather or reape as if he had sayde yee wretched men yee stande vpon thornes when any profite is shewed you and although the issue be vncertayne yet your couetousnesse driueth you to it and euery of you is willing to disburse your money Lo heere God which is true and can not lye assureth vs oftentimes yea and warranteth vs that whatsoeuer wee put into his hande shall yeelde vs inestimable gayne and yet wee can not finde in our hartes to beleeue him for all his promises whiche he makes vnto vs. And can wee doo him a greater wrong He for his owne parte oweth vs nothing whatsoeuer he promiseth vs is of his owne good will without beeing in any wise bound vnto vs and yet can not any thing induce vs to serue him Therefore marke well what Sainct Paule telleth vs to the ende that euery of vs may indeuer too amende this cursed roote of couetousnesse which is so deepely setled in our hearts that wee must bee fayne to inforce our selues when wee shoulde followe whither so euer God calleth vs and specially when wee should play the faythfull Stewards in dealing foorth the goods which he hath put vs in trust with How be it let vs marke the words which he addeth in conuenient season sayth he And this serueth to confirme and strengthen vs in patience For wee would haue God to shewe vs to day or to morrowe or rather out of hande what the profite is that he speaketh of The husbandman will holde him selfe quiet when he hath layde his seede in the grounde Afterwarde he sees frost and snow winde and rayne heate and colde and yet neuerthelesse he wayteth still for the comming of haruest They that occupie the trade of marchaundise put foorth their money yea and their owne persons also in great daunger and in the meane whyle theyr siluer goes and runnes and is shifted too and fro and yet notwithstanding bicause they bee accustomed to buying and selling they knowe well inough that they shall not receyue any profite at the first day but must be fayne to wayte till the time come Howebeeit there 〈◊〉 hoping or looking foâ—â—â—â— present gaine when we haue to 〈◊〉 with God and yet notwithstanding wee must thinke our selues out of all doubt of it in so muche that the time ought not too seeme too long if wee looke vp to the euerlastingnesse of the kingdome of heauen â–ª and yet for all this no man is pacient VVe will bee quiet inough so long as wee hazarde and aduenture our goods and is it not a very pitifull cace that when as God telleth vs that he will bee a faythfull keeper of the things that are too bee spent in his seruice wee fall into sorrowe and vnquietnesse and beare our selues in hande that all is lost if wee see not the thyng performed out of hande Yee see then that the thing whiche wee haue to marke vpon this saying is that wee must bridle our selues till the conuenient time be come For it is not for vs to appoynte the certayne day that must remayne in the hande of God Therefore let vs be contented that he exercise our patience and the time shall not be prolonged further than is for our profite Furthermore S. Paule ment also to draw vs from the world for we desire temporall profite No doubte but wee will bee well contented that God shoulde giue vs it but yet therein wee shewe our selues too bee altogither earthly For if a man doo any almose deedes althoughe his intent bee too serue God yet coulde he finde in his heart too receyue by and by for euery pennie a shilling or rather a Crowne and vnder colour of dooing some small almose deedes he woulde seeke too rake into him selfe on euery side For as muche then as wee woulde chaffer so with God Sainct Paule to correct suche vyce sayth that wee must looke whether God calleth vs that is too wit too the great day at the whiche euery man shall haue hys wages So then althoughe all seeme to bee lost as in respect of this worlde and of this present life yet let vs not ceasse too trust still in God who is a faythfull keeper of our pawnes and gages will doo muche more for vs than wee can hope for so that wee on our side haue patience Heerevppon he concludeth that whyle wee haue tyme and leysure wee must doo good too all men and specially to the housholde of fayth Nowe in saying that wee must labour to doo good while wee haue leysure he setteth before vs the shortnesse of our lyfe And wee see an vngracious maladie still in vs in that behalfe for euery day seemeth as a yeâ—â—â— too vs. VVyll there 〈◊〉 bee no ende say wee Muste wee still continue in this plight 〈◊〉 wee euer bee newe to beginne Lo howe euery of vs thinketh the tyme to bee ouerlong that is spent in well dooing And therevpon O say wee I shall come soone inoughe for if I spende my selfe to day and one come to craue of mee to morrowe I shall wante wherewith and therefore I were better to spare my selfe Nowe these delayes are suche as a man shall neuer finde time to do good For euery man would preferre his fellow before him not of purpose to folowe him in dooing good but to holde him selfe still at a stay But contrariwyse Sainct Paule telleth vs that if wee consider the matter aduisedly as it is in deede we shall finde our selues too haue no great leysure of all the tyme of our lyfe For although wee dyd neuer ceasse but euery man inforced him selfe as muche as were possible too
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