Darnell as the ignorant and weake sort shall bee hindered by it And therewithall let vs consider the mischiefe that may happen when suche as haue the charge too preache the Gospell are so disfamed by slaunders or else so brought in suspicion as a man cannot tell whither he may beleeue them or no as though God had not ordeyned them too aduaunce the kingdome of his Sonne and too publish the Gospell in many Countries or at leastwise among many folke that should bee edified by them Cursed be he therefore that shall cast such a stumblingblocke in their wayes So then let vs by all meanes indeuer too agree with those that serue God and too help such as haue the gifte and abilitie too edifie the Churche and are put in office Let vs lende them our hand that their labour may bee profitable bothe for our selues and for all our neighbours that by that meanes God may bee glorified and wee more and more with one hart and one mouth call vppon him as our father And now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him too make vs so to feele them as it may drawe vs to right repentance and make vs beseeche him too vse his infinite mercie towardes vs vntill he haue so rid vs of all our imperfections that wee may behold him face to face as he is and attayne too the perfection wherevntoo he calleth vs now by his woord and wherevnto it behoueth vs to go foreward all our lyfe long beyng well assured that wee canno◠come too it till wee bee rid of our flesh and taken out of this pryson wherein we bee now hilde vnder the bondage of sinne That it may please him too graunt this grace not onely too vs but also too all people and nacions of the earth c. The. 8. Sermon which is the seconde vpon the second Chapter 3 And Titus also vvho vvas vvith mee although he vvere a Greeke vvas not compelled too bee circumcized 4 Bycause of the false brethren that vvere priuily crept in to spie out our libertie vvhich vve haue in Iesus Christ to the end to bring vs into bondage 5 To vvhom vvee yeelded not in vvay of subiection euen for an houre to the intent that the truthe of the Gospell might continue in you WEe finde well ynough what an enemie of our welfare the Diuell is sith he ceasseth not to labour by all meanes too stop the course of the Gospell And therein wee perceyue also that God hath set al our welfare ioy and happinesse in beyng taught by his woorde For the Diuell would not be so hastie to trouble that doctrine vnlesse he knew that the whole welfare of men lyeth therein True it is that he laboreth sore and streyneth himselfe too deface Gods glory but they bee things that go togither For God of his gracious goodnesse hath appoynted that too bee the meane too reigne among vs and to gather vs vnto himself and all our welfare is too cleaue vnto him and too ioyne with him Now therfore the Diuell not only stirreth vp many enemies to make warre agaynst the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ but also laboreth too stirre vp much stryfe among our selues and too make vs enemies one too another and that hath bin his practize at all times as wee see by example in the things that Sainct Paule reherceth too vs heere VVee knowe what alarams were giuen him euerywhere and what a number of battelles and plundges he was put vntoo by reason that the Heathen and the vnbeleuers did to the vttermost of their power withstand the preaching of Gods woord and yet ouer and besides this he sheweth how there were deceyuers also which wound thēselues in slyly and entered in as it were by stealth For the Greeke woord that he vseth importeth so much and it cannot wel be expressed by any one woord in our french tunge His meening then is that there were Cousiners which intermedled thēselues vndermyningly with the faythfull and yet all was no more but to cause the truthe of the Gospell to be corrupted And let vs marke that those dogges pretended not to reiect vtterly the whole doctrine of our Lord Iesus Christ but rather bare the name and title of Christianitie Howbeit in the meane while their intent was to haue a halffaste Gospel which should bee nother fishe nor fleshe as they say but a medly of their owne deuice like as at this day there are still too many suche folke in the world who would fayne forge and builde a kind of Religion after their owne fashion taking a peece of the pure truth and mingling many lies and dreames with it Lo howe there haue bin Neuters euen from S. Paules time hither And now he sayeth that be yeelded not too them so much as one minute in way of subiection too the end that the libertie of the Gospell might continue in his full force That is in effect the thing that is rehearced heere And firste of all wee haue too arme our selues agaynst the houshold enemies which labour too turmoyle and trouble the doctrine of the Gospell in such wyse as it may become lyke a mishapen thing and men may not discerne any more of it But lette vs not bee abashed when it happeneth so for it is no noueltie at all ▪ VVherefore lette vs vnderstand that as it was Gods will too trie the constancie of the faythfull in S. Paules time so it is good reason that wee also should bee tried in these dayes according as it is sayd that it is necessarie that there should bee sectes and heresies too the intent that they which haue taken deepe roote might bee knowen by continuyng in their obedience to Godward and beare their marke that men may know them to haue profited truly in the schoole of our Lord Iesus Christ for that they haue not suffered themselues too be misledde or thrust out of the way That therefore is the cause why our Lorde dooth alwayes suffer some troublers to sowe darnell seede and too labour too turne the pure doctrine vpside downe He coulde well lette it if he thought good but he giueth Satan the brydle that our fayth may bee the better tryed Although wee see occasions before our eyes yet lette vs not swarue one way nor other but keepe on still in the way that is shewed vs assuring our selues that wee cannot doo amisse in resting wholly vppon Gods woord Then if we stand too that it is a good tryall of our fayth Furthermore let vs fight agaynst suche dogges knowyng that they bee deadly plagues and doo much more harme than they that leape quyte out of their sockets and shewe themselues manifestly too bee despyzers of the Gospell Those then that are intermedled among vs are the worser sorte and it standeth vs on hand too resist them manfully For if wee shrinke from them in the battell surely wee shall haue so much the greater confusion and men
any worthinesse that he pretendeth in himself He hath an eye onely to the doctrine It is sayd firste that he was receyued as an Angell of God And why not For the same title hath bin giuen too all such as haue had chardge too beare abrode the doctrine of the Lawe and of much more reason ought too bee giuen to the publishers of the Gospell for there God vttereth his maiestie and power muche more than he did in olde time vnder the Lawe For asmuch then as God appoynteth mortall men to speake in his name and authoritie it is requisite that they should be acknowledged to be his Angelles that is to say Messengers or Ambassadors for the woord Angell betokeneth none other thing And in good sooth too what purpose were the doctrine which wee heere if it came not of God It were much better that we preachers were dumbe and speechlesse and that the heerers were deafe and blind than to stand herkening to a man that were not sent of God For the chief honour that God requireth at our hands is that we should be whist and herken to his woord yeelding him all authoritie and holding our selues bridled and captiue as vnder the royall scepter wherevnto he will haue vs too submit our selues Now if a mortall creature should vsurpe this to himself what a thing were it So then let vs marke well that S. Paule doth iustly compare himselfe with an Angell as in respect of his doctrine And why For he knewe well inough he had not forged it of his owne brayne but had receyued it of God And that also is the cause why he addeth as Iesus Christ. For surely our Lorde Iesus Christe will haue vs too receyue such as he ordeyneth too bee his ministers as if he himself were heere in visible shape among vs. He that he ereth you sayeth he heereth mee 〈◊〉 neuerthelesse it is certaine that he ment not too make idolles when he ordeyned his Apostles and such as should bee ministers of his woord He ment not that they should bee woorshipped in his steed for out of all doubte that preheminence is not to be giuen to the very Angelles of heauen and what shall bee done too vs then whiche are but dung and rottennesse Howbeit our Lorde Iesus Christ regarded not what maner of ones men are but ment too aduaunce his owne woorde too the end that all men should submit themselues too it Although then that wee bee but as brittle earthen pottes or rather already broken so as wee bee nothing woorth yet muste not the treasure of the Gospell which wee beare abrode bee therefore despyzed For when Gods woorde is preached purely vntoo vs it is all one as if he dwelte among vs and appeered personally vntoo vs and it behoueth vs too giue a proofe of our feare loue and obedience towardes him by receyuing his woorde though it come out of a mortall mans mouth And furthermore if wee holde skorne of the Gospell vnder colour and pretence that they which speake vntoo vs are nother Kings nor Princes ouer vs let vs assure our selues that that rebelliousnesse of oures heaueth at our Lorde Iesus Christe He that despyzeth you sayth he despyzeth mee and he that reiecteth you reiecteth mee And this is well woorth the marking For wee see now adayes that Gods woord shall bee so lightly esteemed vnder pretence of mens persones as it is dreadfull too behold And all suche as are loth too bee rebuked will by and by haue this answere in their mouth who are you Sir who made you my Prince As who shoulde say that God had not superioritie ouer vs nor might speake too vs by the mouth of his seruaunts A Prince may well ynough sende his officer or some such man as he listeth to chooze and although the persone bee of no countenance yet will he haue him receyued without doubting and men do so And when God who hath soueraine dominion ouer vs and sole preheminence ouer all the kingdomes and principalities of the world sendeth vs his seruāts whom he auoweth and will haue vs too giue them the heering if wee neuerthelesse do disdayne thē and in respect of their persones make none account of the message that he sendeth vs by them and therewithall alledge how now is this fellowe a 〈◊〉 what a presumptuousnesse were that If a man carie abrode Gods woorde ▪ faythfully and tell men that whosoeuer despizeth it setteth and aduaunceth himselfe agaynst God what say they this fellow makes himselfe God As who should say that God might not speake by those whom he hath appointed to be his instruments for as I haue sayd heretofore cursed mought we be if wee bring our owne inuentions It were muche better that wee were drowned a hundred times than that euer wee should go vp into the pulpet if we should not vtter Gods will faithfully and sticke too that which he commaundeth vs and draw it out of the cleere fountayne of his holy woord Should not these things be declared Thinke we that God can be bereft of the thing that is peculiar too him that is too wit of his truth No he and his truthe can neuer bee separated So then let vs abhorre the blasphemies of these naughtipackes which say ô he that speaketh will make himself a God If he require men too heere him without gainsaying namely when he is sure in himself that he bringeth not any thing whiche is not of God it is good reason that he should commend the authoritie of his mayster So then let vs not haue any acquayntance with these worldlings but let vs yeeld such reuerēce to our God that although suche as speake in his name bee of no estimation yet wee may not ceasse to obey the things that they set foorth with a true and lowly fayth Yet neuerthelesse we must also discerne betweene those that pretend Gods name falsly and make a vayne cloke of it and those that be faythfull dealers of his woord which he hath committed vnto them Looke me vpon the Pope with his whole kenell who are not ashamed to say that whosoeuer heereth them heereth Christ that he which reiecteth them reiecteth Christ for they alledge that saying of Christes he that heereth you heereth mee c. too authorize themselues withall But they that will bee receyued as Angels must doo the duetie of Angelles that is too say they muste bee true messengers of God in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath sent them and they must hold all of him so as they serue him truly and seeke not soueraintie too themselues but that he may alwayes bee the shepeherd of the Churche and that the sheepe of his flocke may heere his voyce and follow him whither soeuer he calleth thē And as for them that be false 〈◊〉 peruerting the truth and vsurping superioritie too deface Gods woorde it is meete that they should be taken for such as they be in deede this hath bin shewed by that which
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
Christe And therevppon S. Paule sayeth that it is nothing else but that there bee some among them which trouble them and would ouerthrowe the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christe Heere S. Paule sheweth that what soeuer men bring besides the Gospell is euery whit of it but starke smoke and that in the end it will bee perceyued that the Diuell did cast gewgawes in their wayes too couzen sillie fooles that could not rest wholly vppon Gods truth It is none other thing sayeth hee but that some trouble you Truely this woord Other importeth that it is nothing else or nothing at all Neuerthelesse Sainct Paule declareth that the Galathians may well pretend that they whiche came from Ierusalem and from the countrie of Iewrie had tolde them that they ought not too separate the Lawe from the Gospell No no sayeth hee there is no more but one Iesus Christe nother is there any more than one doctrine that leadeth vs vntoo him and holdeth vs in the faith where through wee obtayne saluation by his meanes So then all such as intend too cleaue vntoo the pure knowledge of the Gospell and to continue in the same muste not seeke any other perfection than that as for them that go any further they be troublers that ouerthrow and disorder all things And this saying is well woorthie too bee marked too the ende wee may knowe that when our Lorde hath done vs the grace too teache vs in his schoole wee muste no more haue a wauering fayth too reele too and fro but a resolute iudgement and determination too say this is the thing wherein wee must liue and die But ye shall see many that will not speake openly agaynst the doctrine of the Gospell but will suffer the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ too be preached If a man aske them what it is that they finde fault with nothing say they But let an Altar bee neuer so soone set vp and puppets vpon it and by and by they runne to it they must needes go heare Masse and see al the rest of the Popish trash they care not which way the world go and when all those disorders are set afore them they thinke not that there is any difference at all But let vs marke that such beastlinesse bewrayeth that there is no fayth in them And why For the thing wherein we may shewe yea and as in respect of our selues feele whither wee bee faythfull is too haue suche skill of the Gospell as to conclude that it is Gods infallible truthe and that it cannot leade vs amisse if wee followe it Contrarywize the Papistes haue deuized an Implicate fayth as they terme it and that is ynough for them and although the wretched soules wote not what they meane themselues yet notwithstanding beholde say they I referre my selfe too our mother the holy Churche I beleeue as shee beleeueth But such folke shewe openly that they haue no fayth at all ne knowe by what meanes too bee saued Neuerthelesse it is sayd that wee obtayne rightuousnesse and saluation by fayth namely for that wee imbrace Christ as the partie by whom all good things are imparted vnto vs. Then if our Lord Iesus Christ bee vnknowen it is no longer fayth but a grosse Illusion of Satan who hath bewitched the Popish doctors too speake after that sorte and thereby we see that they haue no knowledge of God but are vtterly giuen ouer too a lewd minde VVherefore let vs marke well that whereas S. Paule sayeth heere that there is none other Gospell it is too hold vs still in such stedfastnesse that after we haue once learned what our Lord Iesus Christ is wee may continue in him and vtterly giue ouer all things that are contrarie too the doctrine of the Gospell Haue wee once such skill it will serue vs too fight agaynst Satan and all the diuersitie of opinions that are at this day in the worlde so as wee shall not bee shaken downe what trouble soeuer happen nor finally bee turned aside from the certaintie of our fayth But if wee wauer after such a sorte that wee become like little children who if one man offer them an apple at one side they runne thither and if another man offer some other pleasant thing atother side they runne thither likewize and leauing the first go too yeeld themselues too the second I say if wee bee so fickle minded it is a token that there is nothing but mere vnbeleefe in vs. Then let vs assure our selues that there must bee such a mutuall agreement betweene our fayth and the Gospell that wee must giue our selues wholly therevnto and neuer bee plucked from it and our knowing of the things that are conteyned in it muste bee too rest our selues vppon them as I haue sayd already heretofore Not that all men can bee teachers a like for it is very certayne that the most parte of those whom our Lord Iesus Christ hath in his flocke comprehend not the tenth part of the vnderstanding of the holy Scripture but that how soeuer the world go it behoueth vs all to be grounded in these poynts namely that there is but one God the father of whom we haue al things and who hath adopted vs of his owne mere mercie That there is but one onely Iesus Christe by whose meanes wee be made parttakers of all good things And that wee bee begotten new agayne by the holy Ghost And as touchyng our Lord Iesus Christ it standeth vs on hand too bee well assured that he is our aduocate and that without him wee cannot come vnto God nor durst once open our mouthes to call him our father saue in respect that we be members of our Lord Iesus Christ and that he beareth woorde for vs as our spokesman and patron guyding vs as it were by the hand too bring vs vnto God his father If wee knowe not these things it is certayne that wee can obtayne no Saluation And that is the cause why S. Paule blameth the Galathians for that they considered not that there is but one onely Gospell whiche could not bee altered without doyng of wrong too our Lord Iesus Christe who all onely ought too haue all audience Therewithall also he warneth vs that when soeuer there come any busie bodies to turne vs from the pure simplicitie which wee ought too hold vs too concernyng God and our Lord Iesus Christ wee ought too holde them accursed For as shall bee sayd more fully hereafter they ouerthrow the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ And it is a right horrible thing that the Gospell which is the foundacion of our fayth and the key too open vs the gate of Paradice should bee ouerthrowen For that is all our welfare that is the kingdome of God from whence we after a sort are banished and wee can by no meanes come vntoo him vntill he haue made vs way by meanes of his Gospell to the end wee may be his people and he our king and wee bee guided and gouerned
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
it is that the Papists haue lesse colour than had the deceyuers of whom S. Paule speaketh For although they were Satans vnderlings and sought nothing but to peruert the truthe of the Gospell yet had they at least wise this colour that they broughte not in their owne dreames and traditions but alleaged the authoritie of God howe that the lawe ought to be kepte and that was a meetely apparant excuse But the Papists haue no suche foundation For all their Ceremonies are forgeries of mans brayne It is true that they haue mingled Iewishnesse with them and made suche a galimaufrey as a man can not tell of whome they haue borowed moste But howsoeuer the world go yet are the Ceremonies of mens setting vp which are at this day in the Popedome Nowe when we striue to abolishe them they say wee trouble the worlde for nothing And then steppe in these Neuters whiche woulde fayne please bothe parties and make a Bastarde Gospell Those fellowes caste vs in the teeth that wee bee seditious and that throughe oure precisenesse wee set muche trouble in the worlde And for proofe thereof saye they is it meete that there shoulde bee suche stryuing aboute Ceremonies seeing they bee things indifferente Yea forsoothe For if God woulde haue the Ceremonies of the lawe which yet notwithstanding came of him and by his expresse commaundement too come too an ende in our Lorde Iesus Christ what shall wee do when men will of their owne foolishe rashnesse set vp others in their stead Seeing that God would haue his owne abolished why should men step foorth therevpon and bring in their owne deuice and make God beleeue that he was not well aduised See yee not a cursed blasphemie Nowe vve knowe that the cause vvhy God vvould haue the Ceremonies of his lawe abolished in these dayes was to the intent that the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ should be the more lightsome and better knowen For he is the daysunne of righteousnesse Therfore all those shadowes must cease and it is he in whō we haue the body and substance of them sayth S. Paule Seeing then that God had that respect and reason the figures must passe and vanishe away But now what reason wil the Papists bring when as men perceyue by eyesight that all their Ceremonies are a burying of our Lorde Iesus Christ and yet that they binde men to the keeping of them vnder payne of deadly sinne And furthermore when as in all their Ceremonies they haue a certeyn opinion that Baptisme is not inough for them but that they must haue holiwater to christen or baptise men euening and morning and finally that when they haue brought in all their pelting trash and al their gewgawes there must alwayes be somewhat in thē to draw poore soules into bondage is it to be borne withall On the other side we see there is so streight a yoke as it is able to strangle the poore wretches For the seelie soules are bereft of the freedome that was purchased for them by the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ VVe see thē how it is not without vrgent cause yea extreme necessitie that we striue against the Popish tyrannie about ceremonies cōsidering that our Lord Iesus Christ hath not his deserued preheminence so long as men busie their wits about those smal trifles that moreouer their wretched consciences are alwayes in vnquietnesse without ende or ceassing and finally that on the otherside the Papists thinke to deserue grace by the things which they terme Gods seruice bearing themselues in hande that that is the meane whereby men shuld become righteous to obteine saluatiō So thē we see that S. Paul in his time was driuē to susteyn that strife And forasmuch as our case is altogither like at this day so as we cānot hold our peace except we wil betray both god mā we must fight stoutly agaynst that hellish tyrannie and against those pelting trash trumperie and illusions of Sathan whereby hee would fayne eyther quite deface the Gospell or else so turmoyle it as a man shoulde not knowe which is the pure truth This in effect is the thing that wee haue to beare in mynde And whereas S. Paule sayth that he yelded not one iote too such men it is too confirme vs so muche the better on the thing that I touched euen nowe Peace and friendshippe are an amiable thing among men They bee so indeede and wee ought to seeke them to the vttermost of our power But yet for all that we must set such store by Gods truth that if all the world should bee set on fyre for the mayntenaunce thereof wee shoulde not sticke at it As much as wee can possibly let vs purchase peace and if the matter concerne but our owne persons or goodes let vs endeuour too compound with our aduersaries let vs beare with them and let vs labour to ouercome them by our patience Lo in what maner wee ought to buy peace But yet in the meane while let not Gods truth be deminished nor sustein any harme or preiudice For the peace that men seeke among themselues shall euermore be accursed if God be not therewithall acknowledged and magnified as he ought to be and his word also continue vnimpeached for that is the knot of our bonde and if we intend to haue it acceptable to God and the end of it to be good and for our welfare surely God must knit vs togither And hee hath giuen vs his Sonne who is called our peace too the end we should all of vs fall in order vnder him Then if we minde to haue good and holie peace let vs ame vs at this marke of yeelding our selues vnder the obeysance of Gods sonne that he may be our head and we his body like as there is but one Church But if any man goe about too withdraw vs from our Lord Iesus Christ let vs rather beare all the hatred outrages and madnesse of the world than to seeke such agreement And let vs not be afraide of all the reproch that can bee done vnto vs according as nowadayes we shal be falsly slaundered as stirrers vp of many strifes yea verily but what can wee do with it For it behoueth vs to abide still in the truth of the Gospell or else woe bee vntoo vs. If the Papistes will not agree with vs but bee vtterly wilfull in the stubbornnesse that is seene too bee in them wee must bee contented to be at defiance with men seeing they purpose too turne vs from the peace which wee should haue with God by the means of his Sonne who not without cause beareth that title as I told you before Therefore when they crye out vpon vs wee must be fenced with this answere of Elias which hee made vnto Achab. Art not thou he sayd Achab that troublest Israell For the Prophet was accused as we be nowadayes bicause he labored to bring the people backe againe too the purenesse of
a mutual agreement melodie betwene God and vs then hath baptisme the effect whereof S. Paule treateth and discourseth in this text And so the thing that maketh vs Gods children and clothed vs with Iesus Christ is that God draweth vs out of the corruption wherin we were by nature and will haue Iesus Christ to be our head and vs ingraffed into him to be parttakers of his goods Therfore looke when we receiue that then is all accōplished that is figured by baptisme If hypocrites brag of their baptisme S. Paule sheweth them that it is but vanitie and illusion saying that the circumcision of the letter is nothing that is to say if we loke no further but to the outward and visible Sacrament it is all of no value Euen so is it with baptisme it shall stand them in no sted which with their mouthes vaunt themselues to be Christians and great pillers of the Church forasmuch as they defile the thing which God had dedicated to so excellent an vse as I haue told you before Then let vs marke well that S. Paule speaketh this sentence not to all without exception which beare the signe and mark of baptisme outwardly but to such as fare the better by their baptisme Againe S. Paule meeneth not that baptisme that is to say the water hath the power to chaunge vs in such wise that we should be clothed with our Lord Iesus Christ for by that meanes God should be robbed of the prayse that is due to himself alone But he sheweth here the meane whereby we be certified that we be the members of our Lord Iesus Christs bodie I haue tolde you alredie that we must not seeke any other cause of it than Gods mere goodnesse for if we fetch windlasses one wher or other it is like as if a mā were a thirst and would turne his back to the fountaine to seeke water Therfore let vs learne that it is only God which knitteth vs to our Lord Iesus Christ of his own mere goodnesse that he doth it by the secrete power of his holy spirit and yet notwithstanding ceasseth not too woorke by baptisme as by an inferiour instrument according as wee see how all light cōmeth of him in somuch that there was light in the world euen before there was eyther Sunne or Moone And yet neuerthelesse God hath stablished the Sunne whereby we haue light heere bylowe euen vnto this day But yet doth not the Sunne serue too diminish the power that is in God alone Againe it is sayd that man liueth not by bread onely but by euery woord that procedeth out of Gods mouth And in good sooth the bread it selfe is a dead thing VVho giueth it vs It is God that inspireth life into vs for wee liue in him as S. Paule sayeth in the .xvij. of the Actes And yet notwithstanding it is his will too doo it by bread and he applieth it dayly too our vse too the intent we should bee fed with it So then there is none inconuenience that wee should bee clothed with our Lord Iesus Christ by baptisme and yet notwithstanding that the same should proceede of Gods meere grace and that it shoulde bee done by the secrete working of the holy Ghost surmounting the whole order of nature whereof baptisme dothe certifie vs bycause we bee rude and earthly God therefore is fayne too drawe by little and little by reason of our infirmitie too make vs too conceyue the things that otherwise are too high for vs. For where are our wings too stie with aboue the heauens VVee haue much a doo to creepe heere beneath vpon the earth and therefore God is fayne too come downe to vs which thing he doth by his Sacramentes Thus are we clothed with our Lord Iesus Christe by baptisme according also as S. Paule she weth by another similitude in the sixth to the Romanes For he sayeth that we bee greffed into the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ too the end also to bee made partakers of his resurrection and life This similitude of greffyng is as fit as the other of clothing For take mee the syen of a tree and cut mee of the head or some bough of another tree and greffe mee that little syen into it that was taken from another and yee see they growe bothe into one so as they become bothe one substance and the roote yeeldeth his sap too the little sprig that was taken from another tree Euen after the same maner are wee greffed intoo our Lord Iesus Christe sayeth S. Paule and that is too the end that our old man should be crucified in him and we be raysed vp againe in newnesse of life But heere wee haue first too marke howe gratious and bountifull God hath and still doth shew himselfe towardes vs in that it pleaseth him too vnite vs too his owne sonne for that passeth all the benefites whiche wee can conceyue in our imaginacion And therefore also doth S. Paule proue that all things which God hath do belong vnto vs and that we haue the inioying of them whē we once possesse his Sonne Seing sayeth hee that God hath not spared his owne Sonne how should he not giue vs all things with him Too be short God coulde not haue vttered the infinite treasures better than by ioyning vs after that maner to his only Sonne It is more than if he had giuen vs heauen and earth For surely if wee compare Iesus Christ with all the goodes of the worlde yea and all the goodes that are aboue the earthly world he farre surmounteth them all Marke that for one poynt Furthermore let vs vnderstand that God hath so vnited vs to our Lord Iesus Christ as wee must be fayne to haue all our lyfe in him And it serueth to humble vs the better and to make vs perceyue how horrible a thing it is to bee wrapped in the cursednesse of Adam For if the holy Scripture told vs not that wee muste be vnited to our Lord Iesus Christ before wee can bee in Gods fauour wee should not feele sufficiently the wretchednesse wherein we be hild by nature nother should wee hate our sinnes so much as we ought to do But now that it is tolde vs how it is impossible yea though all the Angels should come to our ayde that all the world shoulde helpe forward the matter and too bee short that although nothing wanted yet it were impossible for vs to come neere vntoo God or that he should looke vpō vs with a fatherly coūtenance yea or that he should acknowledge vs for his creatures til we be clothed with our Lord Iesus Christ This were ynough to make vs abhorre our selues And needes must it be that we be worse than lothely seing there is none other meanes to appease Gods wrath towards vs and to set vs againe in his fauour than by his couering of our sinnes by his clenzing of vs frō al our filthinesse infection by
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
VVeakelings are to be borne withall 71. b 36. ¶ VVelfare Mans fondnesse in mistaking his owne VVelfare and wherein the same consisteth 55. a 21. and 102. b 35. and 103. a b and 104. a b and 105. a 207. b 14. and 208. a b and 209. a The lyfe VVelfare of the Church is in the purenes of Gods word 77. a 6. ¶ VVisedome Our chiefe VVisedome 184. a 6. b. ¶ VVorlde VVhat is ment by the woorde VVorlde 15 a 10. 323. a 22. b. VVhat is ment by being seperated from the VVorlde 16. a 8. The meane to be seperated frō the worlde 16. a 30. b ¶ VVorde The sufficiencie of Gods VVorde without any other helpe 113. b 35. 114. a b. God hath not onely giuen vs his ▪ VVoorde but also diuersly confirmed it 313. a 9. b and 314. a The slacknesse of men in hearkening too Gods VVoorde and in following the same 213. a 23. b 214. a How wee ought to behaue our selues after the reading and hearing of Gods VVorde 213. b 34. 214. a Not the hauing but the Practising and following of Gods VVord is to our benefit 217. b 25. 218. a b The causes why we mislike of Gods word 23. b 28. All persons al things must stope giue place to Gods word 25. b 15. 26. a b 27. a b and 35. a b and 44. b. 13. and 45. a b and 78. b 28. and 79. a and 250. a 32. b. The tryall to knowe whether we be learned in Gods woorde or no 111. b 23. Looke more in Authoritie Credit and Gospell The verie Angels must stoupe too Gods woorde 26. a 7. b ¶ VVoorke and working VVhat is ment by the woorde VVorke 293. a 35. 294. a Our woorkes though they were neuer so perfect and holy can not binde God 135 b 28. and 136. a. b How and wherefore our wookes are accepted of God 129. b. 11. Of the woorking of fayth by charitie 242. a 25. b and 243. a The good woorkes of the Papists 83. a 21. b and 278. a 7. Looke more in Holynesse Deuotion and Vertue The accompt that the Papistes make of the woorkes of their ovvne inuentions 139. b 18. VVoorship and worshipping Looke in Honor and Serue ¶ VVrath VVhat is ment by the woorde VVrath 156 b 29. Z ¶ Zeale or Zealousnesse Of Christen Zealousnesse 256. a 11. b and 257. a b The Zeale of a Christian Minister 53. a 22. FINIS ¶ The fyrst Sermon vpon the fyrst Chapter PAule an Apostle not from men nor by men but by Iesus Christ and by God the father vvhich hath raysed him from the dead 2. And all the brethern that are vvith me to the Churches of Galatia 3. Grace be vvith you and peace from God the father and from our Lorde Iesus Chryst 4. VVho gaue himselfe for our sins to deliuer vs from this euill vvorlde according to the vvill of God our father 5. To vvhom be glorie for euermore Amen NOT WITHOVT cause doth S. Peter so earnestly warne vs to watch against our enimie who goeth about like a roring Lyon with his mouth alway open to swallow vp the pray that the fyndeth For although that on the one syde our Lord Iesus Chryst assure vs that God his father hath giuen him the charge of vs and that the thyng which he hath in his keeping shall neuer perishe yet doth it not follow that we shoulde therfore fall asleepe and in the meane whyle haue no care to call vpon God considering the need that wee haue to do so For fayth doth in suche wyse assure vs of Gods goodnesse and that the same shal neuer fayle vs that yet neuerthelesse we must haue an eye to our owne frayltie and thereby bee stirred vp too pray God to giue vs inuincible constancie It is sayd that faith shall always get the vpper hand of the whole world but yet it foloweth not that we shall not haue battayle Now on our owne side we haue no strength at all but we must be fayne to borowe it elsewhere and that we may so do it standeth vs in hande to pray vnto God For as I haue sayde alreadie it lyeth vs vpon to be stirred therevnto by reason of the great neede that we haue of it And therefore here is a myrrour offered vnto all the faythfull whereby wee maye fare much the better if wee can put it too our vse For Saint Paule had preached through all the countrey of Galatia which is a meetly large countrey and there had reered many Churches If euer man were filled with all the giftes of Gods spirite too winne men too the Gospell wee bee sure that S. Paule excelled all others or at leastwise all that were of his companie And it is certaine that he discharged his duetie Yet notwithstanding hee had scarcely so soone turned his backe but by and by Satan gaue a push to ouerthrow all and too make a horrible hauocke in the whole countrey and hee wonne so great a multitude there that the Gospell was as good as quite abolished euen among those that had bin taught so faythfully Sith wee see such an example ought wee not too cast downe our eyes and too consider that God warneth vs too flee vntoo him and to pray him so too strengthen vs as wee may holde out too the ende VVhich thing we cannot doo except wee bee vphilde by him Ye see then that the faultes which Saint Paule bewrayeth heere in the people of Galatia must serue for our learning For it is all one as if God shoulde in theyr person shewe what our constancie woulde bee if hee gaue vs it not Although then that wee haue bin faythfully instructed in the Gospell yet must God bee fayne too woorke from day too day or else wee shall bee so fickle minded that wee shall bee caryed away by and by and for euerie little occasion Furthermore as I haue fayde alreadie Satan is a dreadfull enimie And therefore it is not for vs too bee negligent seeing hee lyeth alwayes in wayte for vs seeking on all sides to inuade vs and that if hee spie neuer so little a hole by and by he taketh hys aduauntage too enter It shall not seeme that there is any gappe open for him and yet wee may bee taken tardie before wee bee aware VVherefore let vs marke well the warning that God giueth vs in this text and let vs make our aduauntage of it And on the other side wee see howe the Diuell hath at all tymes serued his owne turne with the name of God and made thereof a false cloke too disguize the truth and too turne it into a lie or else too sowe some discorde that by little and little the Gospell might quite fade away The Apostles as they that were chosen by our Lorde Iesus Christ too beare abrode his Gospell and to preach it through the whole worlde were well woorthie too haue bin reuerenced euerie where and to haue bin of
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
meanes according also as S. Paules intent heere is to bring backe the Galathians to the pure truthe from the which they had bin led away seduced not that they had vtterly renounced Iesus Christ but that they had intermingled the ceremonies of the Lawe thereby to obtayne forgiuenesse of sinnes as who should say there needed other helpes therevnto according as in papistrie it wil well ynough be graunted that Iesus Christ is the redeemer of the world but yet therwithal euery man seeketh to cōpound with God to make amends by himself Now the Galathians had already bin imbured with the like errour For this cause Sainct Paule sheweth the that sinnes are none otherwize wiped out than by the sacrifize of our Lord Iesus Christ to thintent that our fayth may rest wholly there Therfore if we wil be parttakers of so great a benefite we must giue ouer al our vaine hopes all the illusiōs that the Diuell putteth in our minde when he turneth vs aside frō our Lord Iesus Christ frō his only grace by making vs to beleeue that we can come vnto God if we bring some amends with vs. To be short vntill such time as we be sure that there is none other washing wherewith to skoure out the spottes of our iniquities but the bloud which our Lord Iesus Christ hath shed wherwith we be rinced through the holy ghost it is certain that we cā neuer come freely vnto God nor rest vpon his fauour loue but shall euer be wandering in our own imaginacions that shal be a due payment for our misbelefe in that we haue not yeelded our Lord Iesus Christ the honor that he deserued Thus ye see in effect what we haue to beare in mind here where S. Paule setteth the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ before vs telling vs that that is the thing wherein we shall finde the amends of all our faultes do as they shal not be called any more too account before God And he sayeth purposely that Iesus Christ gaue himselfe too the end wee should the more boldly take holde of his Loue. For wee see heere that when our Lord Iesus Christ did put foorth himself too make attonement betweene God and vs he spared not his owne body soule in somuch that he indured extreme anguish in his foule as he that was our borrow in the same and bare the wrath of God in our behalfe And in his body also he indured all reproch and shame and therewithall also the horriblest tormentes that could be deuized and al this as I sayd afore sheweth right wel that the loue which he bare vs was inestimable sith he forgate himself after that sort for our sakes But yet notwithstanding herewithall S. Paule bringeth vs alwayes backe too the will of God too shew that when our Lord Iesus Christ did in that wyze performe all that belonged too our saluation it was no let but that God in the meane whyle vttered his mercy in the same according as it is sayd in another text that God so loued the world that he spared not his onely sonne but deliuered him to death for vs. To the intent therfore that we should not think that the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ too pacifie God his father was after such a sort that he persuaded him to alter his purpose as men are inclined to such grosse earthly imaginacions S. Paule to shew vs that God was not reconcyled vnto vs after the maner of men telleth vs expresly that the cause why Iesus Christ was deliuered for our sinnes was for that God had so ordeyned it For if a man be angry with his childe some other man may steppe in too appease his wrath and such a one shall supply the roome of a third partie But the cace stoode not so with our Lord Iesus Christ when he offered himself in Sacrifize too do away all our sinnes to make vs way vnto God from whom we were shet out before He came not as one that stepped in of his owne head and as though God had not meddled with the matter How then God as hath bin touched not long since did both hate vs and loue vs before the reconciliation was made And why loued he vs Bicause we be his creatures And again although he saw we were so wretched and vtterly forlorne damned folke by reason of sin yet notwithstanding he had pitie vpon vs would not haue mankind to perish vtterly Thus yee see how God loued vs notwithstanding that in the persone of Adam we were fallen away frō him vtterly corrupted Therwithall he did also hate vs euen bicause he is the welspring of all rightuousnesse Therfore he abhorred the naughtinesse that was in vs by reason wherof there needed an attonemēt to be made in the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ by the sacrifize which he offered But yet must not that benefite bee fathered vppon any other than God Yee see then howe it was Gods dooing too sende his onely sonne and too giue him ouer vnto death for vs. And why To the ende that all hatred betweene him and vs shoulde bee done away This in effect is the thing that ought to be vnderstood of S. Paules woordes when he saith that Iesus Christ gaue himselfe to the death for our sinnes and yet notwithstanding that the same came not too passe without the wil of God who had determined the same aforehande in his owne euerlasting purpose Heere first of all we haue too magnifie the mercie that was shewed vs in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ For if God had but proclaymed a pardon and tolde vs that he woulde take vs to mercie though we were vnworthie of it that had bin verie much yea and it had bin impossible for vs to magnifie such a gracious goodnesse as it deserueth But seeing he hath lent vs such a gage of his loue as his owne sonne and gyueth himselfe to vs in his person thereby shewing himselfe to be our father it so farre passeth all that we haue sayde that if all our wittes were imployed too woondering at suche a goodnesse yet should wee neuer come to the fulnesse thereof Thus ye see what we haue to marke in the first place when Saint Paule speaketh too vs of Gods will Howbeeit let vs vnderstande that euen from the time that God had iust cause to hate vs and to abhorre vs yea and euen from the time that we were his enimies as the Scripture sayth in very deede he neuer ceassed to haue some regarde of vs and to extende his pitie so farre foorth as he would not haue vs to abyde in our destruction in so much that he hath not thought it ynough to declare the same by word of mouth but also hath giuen vs such a pledge as wee see that is to wit that his owne sonne hath answered for it Now seeing it is so that God hath shewed himselfe so gracious
there is nothing but spottinesse rebelliousnesse in vs till God haue changed vs how so answer they and what shall then become of our own free will To be short Iesus Christ shal be named oft ynough and men wil reserue vnto him the title of Redemer But in the meane season his office shal be parted and put too the spoyle and euery man shall catch a portion of it too himselfe Besides this they imagine that the Saints and Angels of heauen are as patrones to them and finally they haue infinit wayes to their owne seeming wherby to come vnto God But herevpon we may well conclude that the holy Ghost doth iustly auow them to be backsliders and to haue giuen ouer Iesus Christ and to be become strangers to him For they falsly abuse his name Iesus Christ is not variable according as wee haue seene howe S. Paule in the seconde to the Corinthians sayd that we shall not finde yea and nay in him but that he will continue alwayes at one stay To be short whatsoeuer the Papists bable concerning Christianitie is altogyther hypocrisie and leasing and they doo but falsifie the name of Gods sonne and abuse it wickedly For they make a mumrie of it or rather an Idoll Yee see then why Saint Paule blameth the Galathians for beeing so caryed away Nowe if a man demaunde the reason howe it was in that some woulde haue made them to obserue the ceremonies of the lawe as things necessarie and yet had God commaunded them Yea verely howbeeit that was but with a temporall condition for the people of olde tyme so as they muste of necessitie haue all ceassed at the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ Forasmuch therefore as the Galathians mingled the olde figures and shadowes of the lawe with the cleare light of the Gospell Saint Paule being not able too suffer it sayth that they were turned aside from God yea and vtterly falne away from him But there is yet a worse thing than that namely that the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ was thereby disanulled bicause men doo always beare themselues in hand that they deserue and earne righteousnesse before God to be in his fauour for their seruing of him and so when these deceiuers had brought in the said error that men ought to kepe the old forworne figures it was all one as if they had threaped a meritorious seruice vpon God whither hee woulde or no. But our saluation must bee of free gift or else Iesus Christ is nothing woorth I terme it saluation of free gift bicause it is giuen vs simplie of God so as wee bring not any thing with vs to the attaynment thereof but onely an eager desire too be filled wyth the thing that wee want Therefore it standeth vs on hande too come as poore beggers vntoo God if wee mynde too bee iustified for our Lorde Iesus Christes sake For if wee imagine neuer so small a droppe of deseruing in our selues it stoppeth vs from comming too our Lorde Iesus Christ And not without cause dooth an auncient Doctor say that wee cannot receyue the Saluation that is offered vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ except wee haue first dispatched the mynding of our owne desertes and acknowledged that there is nothing but vtter wretchednesse in our selues Thus yee see why Sainct Paule had yet more iust reason too say that the Galathians were caryed away from Iesus Christ and from his father But there was yet this clogge more namely that they were made too beleeue what other men lysted and thereby brought in subiection too a slauishe bondage too bee robbed of the quietnesse of conscience which wee ought too haue in our Lorde Iesus Christ For besydes that wee bee reconcyled by the sacryfize of hys death and passion wee bee also set free from the rygor of the law vnder the which wee were hilde in bondage As for example according as we shall see more fully hereafter for as nowe I do but ouerrunne matters whereof we shall see a larger discourse afterwarde Ye know howe it is sayde in the lawe that whosoeuer performeth not al that God commaundeth to the vttermost point shall be accursed But it is impossible for vs to attaine too such perfection Therefore it stoode vs vpon too haue freedome purchased for vs by our Lorde Iesus Christ that the Lorde might not any more holde vs vnder his yoke whiche was intollerable as it is sayde in the fifteenth of the Actes Nowe wee see in effect why Saint Paule blameth the Galathians for falling away lyke periured persons towardes God and towardes our Lorde Iesus Christ as hauing gyuen him the slippe and forsaken the fayth whiche they had plighted vntoo him And by this example wee bee warned to holde vs to the pure doctrine and simplicitie of the Gospell wythout wauering one way or other For it is not ynough to haue the name and title of Christians no nor yet to beare the marke of baptisme but we must continue stedfast in the doctrine of the Gospell For as I haue sayd heretofore our Lord Iesus Christ cannot denie himselfe and when we haue dreamed this and that of him yet must we bee fayne to knowe him for such a one as he is giuen vs of God his father Nowe the Gospell sheweth wherefore he is come what his office is the benefites that wee receyue by him and what hys power is towardes vs. And therefore if wee haue not the pure and single doctrine wherein our Lorde Iesus Christ was manifested vnto vs surely wee haue nothing at all and whensoeuer wee haue once bin instructed in it wee must holde it still too the last pushe For if we swarue neuer so little from it there will bee nothing but vnfaythfulnesse in vs. And in good sooth it standeth vs on hande to bethinke vs of the horrible fall wherevnto we were tumbled with others when wee were plunged in so many errours trumperyes and Illusions of Satan that Iesus Christe was vtterly vnknowne too vs. Seeing that God hath nowe of his owne infinite goodnesse plucked vs out of such a bottomlesse gulfe let vs settle our selues too haue a constant and fast fayth that wee bee no more shaken like Reedes with euery winde but abyde fast in the roote of the Gospell grounded vppon the inuincible power of our Lorde Iesus Christ And againe seeing that in him all Gods promises are yea and Amen and haue their truth in him so as they be performed there let our fayth also abyde stedfast there This is it that wee haue to remember in this saying of S. Paules Furthermore to put the Galathians to the greater shame hee setteth before them their calling by grace These woordes from him that hath called you maye bee referred as well too Iesus Christ as too GOD the Father for there is no great difference in the matter But in the meane time we see in effect what Saint Paule ment too say Therefore hee casteth the Galathians in the
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
meanes thereof coulde not suffer God too guide them nor giue him leaue too lay hys yoke vpon theyr necke Ye see then that the meanes for vs to bee prepared too receyue the doctrine of the Gospell and to bee edified by the same is that wee bee not wedded too our owne lykings but suffer our Lorde Iesus Christ to speake the things that are expedient for our instruction Howbeeit besydes this wee must also bee as it were wounded to the heart by the worde that is preached to vs or else wee shall neuer fare the better for it For as I declared this morning it is not without cause that the Gospell is lykened to a sharpe swoorde and it behoueth vs verely too bee made true sacrifizes by renouncing all our owne lustes and all other things which God condemneth and too indure the same paciently too the intent too bee wholly brought backe too the obeying of his will And heerewithall we must also call to minde what hath bin treated of heeretofore that is to wit that all men as wel great as small must stoupe and the sonne of God muste haue the preeminence and maysterhood in such wise as there may be no mo Sheepherdes but hee and wee all of vs bee his sheepe True it is that suche as haue the charge too preache the Gospell may well bee called Sheepheards howbeeit that is not for that they maye doo any thing in theyr owne name and authoritie or that the same shoulde impeache the superioritie of the sonne of God For as for mee whiche doo speake heere nowe I muste not bring ought of mine nor aduaunce my selfe aboue others for my speaking vnto all this companie is in such wise as my doctrine must first be applied to my self and afterwarde beare sway ouer all other men without any exception For there is no highnesse in the worlde which can exempt it selfe from the subiection whiche all of vs owe too the sonne of God according as wee haue seene heeretofore howe it is the propertie of the Gospel to bring downe all the glorie of the world so as men may not presume too set vp theyr bristles nor too chalenge ought to themselues but that such as weene themselues too bee most excellent maye be vtterly abaced and made nothing and all things bee made captiue to the obedience of the Gospell And that is the cause why Saint Paule too confirme his doctrine declareth that it came not of men nor was learned in their scholes but that hee had it of our Lorde Iesus Christ concerning whom the father gaue commaundement that men shoulde heare him For that prerogatiue is giuen peculiarly vnto him and ought not to be communicated neither to any man nor to any Angell of heauen Good reason it is that men which speake as instruments of our Lorde Iesus Christ shoulde be heard but as I tolde you before that is not to impeach the authoritie which he hath ouer vs. But howsoeuer the cace stande the certaine and infallible rule to attaine to saluation is that our Lorde Iesus be the onely master and teacher and that we be teachable to receyue his worde without gainesay or replying And Saint Paule thinkes it not ynough that he holdeth the things of Iesus Christ which he hath published but also he vtterly reiecteth excludeth men in that behalfe to shew that the authoritie of them were not sufficient to ground and settle our fayth vppon For wee shall neuer leaue staggering till we bee come vntoo God and vntoo that person whom hee hath stablished as heade and cheefe teacher ouer vs. Nowe whereas Saint Paule sayth that hee telleth it them it is not for that the Galathians and others had not heard the like afore but bicause they had bin vnthankfull so as they had bin intangled in many errours and paltryes Therefore hee bringeth them backe againe too the well head as if he should say vntill such time as men haue full concluded with themselues too suffer themselues too be gouerned simply by the pure woorde of God they shall bee alwayes in a mamering and the Diuell shall no sooner rayse vp any trouble agaynst them but they shall bee so dismayed as they wote not which way too turne them For it behoueth vs too bee first of all sure that as touching the doctrine wherevppon our fayth is settled wee holde it of God and not of men True it is that all men shall not haue the like reuelation that Sainct Paule had but it ought too suffize vs that our Lorde Iesus Christ hauyng ratyfied the Gospell wyth his owne bloud and also commaunded his Apostles to publish it abrode hath giuen them such proofe that the doctrine which wee receyue of them is of full authoritie and vtterly out of all doubt this say I ought to suffize to holde vs as it were in prison and too keepe vs from admitting anie of all the things that men can alledge But let vs also call to minde what the Apostle telleth vs in the first too the Hebrewes namely that God hath lastly spoken to vs by the mouth of his owne sonne to the intent we shoulde haue all perfection of doctrine in him Ye see then that the thing which we haue to beare away is that the reualation whereof Saint Paule speaketh here shall not bee common to al other men but serueth to warrant the doctrine which we haue receyued by his meanes so as wee see it is our Lorde Iesus Christ that hath spoken And whereas hee excludeth men after that sort it is to shewe vs that our Lorde Iesus Christ doth not giue vs some bare enterance as if a man shoulde teache a childe his Apcie and afterwarde sende him to a better learned mayster Our Lord speaketh not so by halues vntoo vs but in full perfection insomuch that both in lyfe and death we must alwayes stand stedfast in the things that we receyue of him and forsake whatsoeuer commeth of men for all mingling will bee but corruption as I tolde you thys morning And that also is the cause why he exhorteth those that speake in the Churche too holde fast continually the Maiestie of God and not too bring in ought of their owne nor too put foorth any thing whiche breedeth of theyr owne brayne For in what cace shoulde wee bee if men myghte intermeddle themselues wyth our Lorde Iesus Christ and euery man caste in his morsell and coluppe as they say and that wee mighte haue a Gospell stuffed with mens dreames and fancies It woulde bee nothing else but a horrible confusion Yee see then that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath not his authoritie among vs vntill men bee put downe and all other creatures with them and that all giue eare vntoo him fro the least too the moste This in effect is the matter which wee haue to beare in minde And in deede wee see howe that in another Text too the Corinthians Saint Paule declareth that he had preached the perfect wisedome
openeth vs the gate of Heauen too shewe vs that he holdeth vs all for his children and that he is our father and when our Lord Iesus Christ is so knit vnto vs that by his meanes wee bee already made sure of the endlesse lyfe Can we say that we haue any thing of our owne when God maketh vs parttakers of suche a treasure Yee see then that the thing which wee haue too gather vppon this streyne is that God hath so reserued too himselfe the dispozing of mans lyfe that it is his peculiar office to guyde our steppes and he knoweth wherevntoo he hath ordeyned vs. And therefore it becommeth vs too magnifie his mercie in that he hath vouchsafed too inlighten vs by beleeuing his Gospell too the intent wee might knowe him too bee our father and rest vppon him and pray vnto him with full trust Let vs assure our selues that the hauing of this commeth not of our owne freewill but of his touching of vs too the quicke by his holy spirite For our Lord Iesus Christe who hath all wisedome in him cannot bee knowen of vs except he bee reueled according as he himselfe auoucheth that noman commeth vnto him except the father drawe him Beholde Iesus Christ was conuersant in the worlde at that time he preached the Gospell and published it with open mouth and yet notwithstanding he sayeth that noman shall come vnto him that is too say noman shall frame himselfe too his obedience except the father haue wrought in his hart by the power of his holy spirit Now that Iesus Christ is separated from vs as in respect of distance of place and as in respect of humane nature so as wee see him not heere beneath too haue any visible knowledge of him how shall wee come vntoo him if wee bee not drawen by the grace that is spoken of heere And if fayth bee a speciall gifte of God and wee cannot come too our Lorde Iesus Christe except we bee led vnto him by the hande of God his father howe can they that should drawe others doo it of their owne abilitie Needes then muste God vtter yet a second woorking And that is the cause why Sainct Paule setteth downe bothe twayne of them that is too wit firste that he had bin inlightened himself and secondly that he had bin ordeyned and stablished as a Mayster and teacher too drawe othermen to the good way of Saluation wherein God had set him VVherefore let vs assure our selues that God graunteth a singular grace too such as haue charge too preache the Gospell when he voutchsafeth too apply them therevnto And that is not onely too the end that wee which are in that state and office should walke in the feare of God and not chalendge aught too our selues but also too the intent that euery man should in that behalf haue a record of the loue that God beareth too his Churche If men should thrust in theÌ„selues on their owne heads it might be sayd that wee were taught at all aduenture But when as we know that nomaÌ„ is of sufficient abilitie too open his mouth to speake of Iesus Christ as he ought too be spoken of but that it is Gods doyng to send forth those of whom it behoueth vs to be taught thereby wee perceyue the care that he hath of vs finde much better that he is our father and hath not forgotten vs. And moreouer this serueth to ingraue the truth of the Gospell in our hartes to the end wee may know how it is not a doctrine that proceedeth of men but as of Gods sendyng And that although he be serued by his creatures yet notwithstaÌ„ding he maketh them as instruments of his spirit and it is he himself that gouerneth them Yee see in effect how we may make our profite of this doctrine But yet doo wee vnderstand Gods grace the better in that it is sayd that he hath chozen vs and kept vs too himself euen from our moothers wombe And yet is this no let but that he hath also moreouer reserued vs from before the creation of the worlde according as Sainct Paule speaketh in other textes howbeeit it is ynough that in this place he excludeth all that euer commeth of men VVhen a childe commeth out of his moothers wombe what bringeth he with him VVhat woorthinesse hath he Surely he is a poore carkesse full of filth and vncleannesse Now then if God marke vs out at the time when there is nothing in vs woorthie too bee accepted of him or whiche deserueth any loue or lyking wee may perceyue thereby that if he apply vs too any honorable seruis afterwarde it is by reason of his owne mercie accordingly as they whome God gathereth too bee of his flocke are called instruments of his goodnesse Thus yee see that the cause why Sainct Paule speaketh purposely of his birthe is too shewe that there was no preparation on his owne behalfe when God drewe him but that God had respect too his owne eternall election the which he continued in that it was his will that the same creature shoulde come into the worlde and had alwayes guyded it too that ende Then let vs assure our selues that when soeuer God bestoweth any of his benefites vppon vs wee muste alwayes come backe too this principle namely too mount vp too his euerlastyng purpose Not that wee bee able too comprehende howe or why hee hath chozen vs for that passeth all capacitie of man But for that wee muste conclude that Gods preferring of vs before those whom he leaueth as of castes is not for that hee findeth vs woorthie or capable of suche a benefite but bycause hee had so ordeyned before he had created vs and put vs intoo the worlde yea and euen before there was eyther heauen or earth And that is the cause why it is sayd that it behoueth vs to be giuen to our Lord Iesus Christ before we can come vnto him And who is it that maketh that gift It is not euery mans offering of himself of his owne meere motion True it is that wee ought to do so for our fayth importeth obedience sacrifize so as it becoÌ„meth vs to dedicate our selues to God willingly to make a present bothe of our bodies and of our soules vnto our Lord Iesus Christ as to him that hath bought vs. Neuerthelesse this as I sayd is not of our owne meere motion but God must be fayne to bowe vs therevnto And why so Euen bycause wee were his afore And how belong wee too him not by inheritance nor by any title that wee can alledge on our owne behalf but only bycause he choze vs. Now then wee see what this texte importeth But let vs come backe â—oo the cheefe poynt that Sainct Paule treateth of heere For the things that I haue discoursed hithertoo are but too shewe that our adoption serueth not too bereeue God of his glorie whiche thing they doo that bragge of their owne free will vertues and merites
shall not bee able any more too put a difference betweene whyte and blacke Thus yee see howe it behoueth vs too behaue our selues And nowe lette vs marke what kinde of menne Sainct Paule hath noted here He sayeth that they were crept in as it were by stealth too spie out the libertie whiche wee haue in our Lorde Iesus Christe The libertie that hee speaketh of heere concerned Ceremonies For as we haue touched alreadie and shall more fully see agayne hereafter God had ordeyned many figures vnder the Lawe too holde the Fathers in hope of oure Lorde Iesus Chryste till hee were come and shewed too the worlde The Sacrifizes therefore with all their appendants and appurtenances and the Sanctuarie with all that was in it serued bycause our Lorde Iesus Christe who is the truthe and substance of those things had not yet shewed himselfe It was for the fathers too bee led and guyded vnder suche shadowes And that is the cause why Sainct Paule will vse the similitude of yong children that are vnder Tutors and gouerners The auncient fathers therefore tooke profite by keeping the Ceremonies of the Lawe for thereby they were alwayes confirmed in the things that were promysed concerning the Redeemer And for that cause also it is sayd that the Sanctuarie was made according too the Patterne that Moyses had seene in the Mount Now that Patterne was spiritâ—all that is too wit it was our Lord Iesus Christe with his grace which is vttered too vs by his meanes now adayes in his Gospell For in asmuch as our Lord Iesus Christe is come intoo the worlde he hath made an end of those shadowes and figures And therefore also the veyle of the Temple rent asunder at his death too shew how it was Gods will too haue the faythfull come more familiarly vnto him S. Paule sayeth now that wee haue libertie in our Lorde Iesus Christ and that is bycause wee bee no more subiect too the bondage that lasted in the time of the Lawe according as he will hereafter take example of circumcision and as he treateth of it in another place also too the Colossians VVee then are circumcyzed not by the hand of man but by the woorking of Iesus Christ in vs through the power of his holy spirite And in steede of the circumcision that was ordeyned for the Iewes wee haue Baptime which witnesseth the same thing vntoo vs namely that wee must become new creatures too dedicate our selues wholly too the seruis of God And so wee see that the libertie or freedome whiche is purchaced too vs by our Lord Iesus Christe is that the Ceremonies of the lawe are layd away so as wee bee no more subiect nor bound vntoo them Now at the first blush a man would thinke this were no great thing For what harme were it if we were first baptized and by and by after circumcyzed Or if we knew that our Lord Iesus Christe only is the whole perfection and accomplishment and yet had the figures thereof still First if men should keepe still the ceremonies as in the time of the lawe the glorie of our Lord Iesus Christ should be diminished for it according as it is sayd that the law was giuen by Moyses but truth and grace were vttered too vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ for so it is sayd in the firste chapter of S. Iohn Therefore he should be bereft of his honour if wee shoulde not haue the libertie that he hath brought vs. And it behoueth vs to vnderstand that our state is better and more excellent now adayes than was the state of the old fathers bicause our Lord Iesus Christ is giuen vntoo vs and in him we haue all that was figured at that tyme. So then men do wrong to our Lord Iesus Christ in keeping still the ceremonies of the Lawe That is one poynt Againe for as much as he is named the Sonne of rightuousnesse we must not be led still as though there were but a sparke of light but wee must fasten our eyes vpon the doctrine wherein our Lord Iesus Christe is shewed vntoo vs and wherein wee may also behold him face to face to come euen vnto God his father as hath ben shewed in the second too the Corinthians Moreouer if the ceremonies of the Lawe bee considered without our Lord Iesus Christ that is to say if they be separated from him they bring as it were a binding with them and a recorde of condemnation and death vpon men And therevpon doth S. Paule stand in the seconde too the Colossians where he sayth that our Lorde Iesus Christe hath vpon his Crosse torne asunder and blotted out the obligation or handwriting that was against vs. For if the Sacrifizes stoode in force at this day wee should see there that we be all in daunger of eternall death before God And why so The sleaing of the poore beasts was not for that they themselues had deserued it but to shewe vnto men as it were in a liuely picture that they were all worthy to perishe Then if the same continued yet at this day we should still stand bounde vnder the same obligation of death But we be discharged of it by oure Lord Iesus Christ And that was the tryumph of his death as Saint Paule sayth Thirdly the auncient fathers knewe that although the Lawe was giuen them yet they obtained such fauour of freedome at Gods hand that all their faults were forgiuen them But if men shoulde nowadayes be put to the necessitie of keeping all the ceremonies it woulde be an intolerable yoke as it is sayd in the .xv. of the Actes For the cace would not only concerne ceremonies but also the drowning of vs in dispaire For is it possible for men to do the things which God commaundeth all men to do without any exception or release No. For the thing that God requireth and demaundeth passeth all our abilitie and if we fayle but in any one point we should be ouerwhelmed vnder the buâ—then Therefore for that cause this libertie is of such importance as we cannot bee sure of our saluation nor freely call vppon God excepte wee knowe that we be no more hilde vnder the yoke and bondage of the Lawe There is yet one poynt more which shall bee layd out at length which is that such as would needs make the faythfull subiecte to the keeping of ceremonies had therewithall a wicked and vntowarde imagination that men were iustifyed and did purchace grace at Gods hand by such meanes And that was an vtter abolishing of the force of the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ Now then we see it was not causelesse that S. Paul stroue so stoutly agaynst the ceremonies of the lawe to the ende they should not be so brought in vse agayne that the faythfull should be hilde in bondage vnder them And we haue neede to be warned thereof for in these dayes we haue the like encounter agaynst the Papists True
Gospell it a very notable saying and which importeth a very profitable doctrine For he might well haue sayd simply to the end that the gospell might abyde among you I would not giue place too them so much as one minute But he speaketh of the truth of the Gospell Howbeit not that there is one true and another false but when he sayth that the Gospell shuld continue true he speaketh it in respect of men And why so For although men make a fayre shewe to be Christians yet do they alwayes labour to haue some medly according as we see many geerish heads in this world who cannot abyde that God alone should gouerne vs but euery man woulde cast in his owne collop or morsel and thereof came the confusion that is at this day in the papacie A man would wonder how so many pelting gewgaws fooles bables yea and also grosse abhominations could be gathered togither But that is come to passe bicause that men were not contented to obey God but would needs adde this and that of their owne fancie So then S. Paule speaketh here purposely of the trueth of the Gospell as he speaketh of the simplicitie of our Lord Iesus in the second to the Corinthians And what is ment by the simplicitie or singlenesse of our Lorde Iesus Christ It is matched ageinst all the minglings that men make For as I haue sayde already they haue a foolish fancie of setting forth things deuised of their owne brayne Nowe when men doe so put too things of their owne it is but corruptnesse and starke abhomination And that is the cause why S. Paule fayth that we must holde still the singlenesse of our Lord Iesus Christ Therfore when vnder colour of handling the Gospell men go about to make a patched pydecoted or motley religiō as a mā might term it it is no more a true religion but ther is much falshod mingled with it Then let vs mark wel that wheras S. Paule vseth here such speech he or rather the holyghost by his mouth warneth vs that it is not inough for vs to bear the name of Christiās to make some fair shew of cleauing to Gods word and to the doctrine of our Lord Iesus Christ but that we must stick to it throughly and take heed that we nother mingle nor foyst in any thing to it but consider that lyke as a litle leuen is able to sower a gret deale of dow so al wil be marred as sone as we giue any entrāce to the things that men haue deuized of their own heads To be short the meanes to kepe the doctrine of the Gospel pure is that men adde not any thyng at all to it nor bee so bolde and licentious as too laye one thing or other vppon it but too content themselues with the things that our lord Iesus Christ hath shewed vs so as we become his true disciples and be not so hardie as too replie ageinst him but that all mouthes may be shet and no man lifte vp his neb too say this is my opinion this thinke I to be good but euery one of vs receyue simply that whiche is taught vs by our Lord Iesus Christ who hath all dominion of reigning ouer our soules Lo how we may haue the truthe of the Gospell And it beehoueth vs so muche the more too practyse this doctrine of S. Paules by cause wee see that nowadayes manie men seeke nothing but to mingle one with an other so as they care not of what religion they be so the same be most tolerable and easlyest receyued of the worlde True it is that among the Papistes many be so wilfull as they will neuer abyde that a man should varye one poynt from them For they see well that if there be neuer so little a breache made by and by al their tyrannie decayeth and falles downe to the ground For what holde haue they but by tyrannie and violence too tell vs that wee muste neyther will nor choose but take it for good Those therfore that are flatly on the popes side would haue men too holde through out all the filthinesse and abhominations which they haue had hithertoo But there are a sorte of fantasticall heads which would haue a Reformation wherin the Pope and Mahumet and Iesus Christe shoulde bee mingled toogither so as men myght no more discerne whiche is whiche for all is one to them so the world be agreed vppon it They bear no reuerence at all vntoo God and that is the cause why all thinges haue bene so turmoyled and confounded in our dayes and the verie foundation whervpon the Interim as they terme it was grounded For seing that manye men coulde not fynde in their hearts to consent to Papistrie they thought it good too haue a reformation betweene both And euen at this day a greate sort inclyne stil to the lyke reformation It is true say they that there are abuses and it were meet they should bee mended Yea but their meening is but too plucke away some leafe or little braunche and too lette the rest alone that the roote roote myght growe still that is too say that the Gospell of God myghte be defaced with al maner of superstitions that reigne in the Popedome But what for that heere the holy Ghost condemneth all such neuters and sheweth that theyr dooings are but craftes of Satan yea and mere illusions and mockeries to leade sillie soules to destruction and moreouer also a defacing of the glorie of our Lorde Iesus Chryst And why For we haue not the Gospel at all except we haue the pure truthe wherevnto it maye not be lawfull for men to adde any thing but all of vs to holde our selues to that whiche is shewed vs by our mayster Ye see then how that in these dayes we be inforced by the necessitie of the tyme to put this doctrine in vre And therfore when Gods enimies vpbrayde vs that wee will not agree with them let vs alwayes alledge for oure excuse that our agreement is to be knit together in our Lorde Iesus Chryst and to be all obedient too his woord and doctrine If they alledge that it is a pryde in vs to reiect so the things that are commanded by such men as terme themselues superiors Let vs answer that we must first obey God and that Iesus Chryst must not be bereft of his right and men set vp in his place If they aske why so VVere it not better to haue some meane way and that euery man should shew howe he intendeth not too separate himselfe from the rest than to striue after that fashion and to cause christendome to bee as it were scattered Let vs aunswere that the matter standeth not vpon knowing who shall get the vpper hande or who shall be maister ouer his fellowes but Gods word must continue alwayes vnimpeached or otherwyse all the pretence of concorde that men can make shall be but abhomination before God And why For it were better that all
so let vs all say Almightie God our heauenly father c. The. 11. Sermon which is the fifth vpon the second Chapter 14 But vvhen I savve that they vvalked not rightly after the truth of the Gospell I sayde too Peter afore them all if thou beyng a Ievv liuest after the maner of the Gentiles and not as the Ievves vvhy compellest thou the Gentiles to play the Ievves 15 VVee bee Ievves by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles 16 And yet for asmuch as vvee knovve that a man is not iustified by the vvoorkes of the Lavve but by beleefe in Iesus Christ vve also haue beleeued in Iesus Christe that vvee might bee iustified by the fayth of Iesus Christ and not by the vvorkes of the Lavve for no flesh shall bee iustified by the vvorkes of the Lavve IT hath alwayes bin a cōmon saying that looke what Law a man layeth vpon others he ought too keepe the same himselfe For it is nother right nor reason that a man should go scotfree himself and lay the burthen vpon other folkes shoulders And for that cause doth our Lorde Iesus Christ vpbrayd the Scribes and Pharisies that they passed not to lay heauy burthens vpon the poore people in the meane while tooke leaue to do what they listed themselues And commonly it falleth out through hipocrisie that he which is rough extreme in all rigour towards his neybours would haue other men to forbeare him and to dispence with him But if wee will needes presse our neighbours to do their duetie the true naturall order requireth that euery of vs should first begin at himself Ye see then how it is a most manifest hipocrisie when a mā will not a whit beare with his neibours but chalēgeth their dutie to the vttermost in the meane while offendeth grosly himself will not suffer any correctiō Yea somtimes also it falleth out that we would play the good fellowes at other mens cost Euen so fell it out heere in S. Peter For his inforcing of the Gentyles to keepe the Ceremoniall lawe came not of the foresayde hypocrisie of taking leaue too doo what he listed and of desiring too go quite and cleere before God for his constreyning of other menne too such a poynt but of dubblenesse for that hee was too desirouse too pleasure his owne countrymen He had already taken leaue too liue after the maner of the Gentyles that is to say too giue ouer the vsing of the Ceremonies of the Lawe For as I haue earst touched S. Paule speaketh not heere of the vnbeleeuers nor of the despyzers of God but of those Gentyles that had bin conuerted too the knowledge of the Gospell and were desirous to serue God yea euen without the old Ceremonies Now S. Peter had fashioned himself to their common trade and yet notwithstanding he was a Iewe and therfore he did the Gentyles too much wrong to put a streyter brydle vpon them than he receyued to himself as I sayd afore He did it not in respect of himselfe but playde on both handes as they doo whiche would feyne keepe fauour with all parties and are loth too mislike any man So wee see there was rightfull reason to rebuke him and too shame him before all the Church Now remayneth that he acknowledged his faulte by which example wee muste learne mildenesse That is to say for asmuch as there is none of vs all but he may step awry as they that haue not such perfect wisedome but that we may fall euen into grosse faultes and although we perceyue it not yet now and then we happen to swarue through infirmitie at leastwyze let vs not ieere at it when we be reformed as many proude stubborne folke do who eyther spew out their poyson or else rancle inwardly in their hartes when they bee rebuked Let vs learne first of all by S. Peters example that there is none of vs all so farre foreward in holinesse wisedome and vertue which may not ouershoote himself And therfore let vs patiently heare what is tolde vs that wee may fare the better by it and let vs not bee ashamed too caste downe our heades when we see our selues iustly accuzed and condemned Thus yee see what we haue to remember vppon the first part of this Text. Truely we haue seene already this mornyng how S. Peter had this honorable title to be called a chiefe piller in Gods Churche and in the spirituall Temple that was too bee buylded He was honored he and his fellowes had receyued the holy Ghost and although he had stumbled once afore yet had Iesus Christe set him vp againe and wiped away the remembrance of that fall in saying to him feede my Sheepe haue a care of my Lambes And yet for all this he walketh not the right way but steppeth aside VVherefore it behoueth vs too bee so much the warer that noman deceyue vs as though wee had profited so well in Gods schoole that wee were no more in daunger of doyng amisse Let vs beware of suche ouerweening and keepe continuall watch that wee bee not misledde by the wyles and traynes of Satan yea let it bee a suspicious matter with vs too desire too please men seyng that S. Peter fell intoo that extremitie True it is that his meening was too the contrarie and that his intent was too imploy himself wholly too the glorifying of Gods name He had stoutly withstoode it when he was forbidden too preache any more in the name of Iesus Christ It was the voyce of an Angelicall stoutnesse when he answered God must be obeyed and not men For he sawe there the rulers of his countrie he sawe them assembled with their pompe and there was the statelinesse of Magistrates which had bin able too amaze a poore man of no credite as he and his fellow Iohn were But not withstanding his stout answering that he woulde obey God maugre all those that pretended too haue preheminence ouer him yet he was deceyued in this cace whereof mention is made heere Therefore whensoeuer men doo the thing that may thrust vs out of the way and wee haue some fayre cloke so as it shall seeme too vs that wee doo not amisse too please them Let vs bethinke vs of this example that is set vs down heere and which is tolde vs too make vs euery of vs looke aboute him what his calling will beare and what God commaundeth without casting of our eye aside too purchace fauour in the worlde Let vs shet our eyes agaynst all that is about vs and looke onely at this marke that wee must in all caces and all respectes fashion our selues too the will of God And when wee shall haue looked rightfoorth too Gods ordinances and asked counsell at his mouth and prayed him too guyde and gouerne vs by his holy spirite and finally well considered the boundes of our vocation so as wee attempt not any thing otherwise than becommeth vs then shall wee bee able too
themselues froÌ„ al corruptions of the flesh and on the other side be led to our Lord Iesus Christ to repose their trust in him to rest wholly there So then as touching those that would haue the ceremonies of the Law kept as if it were of necessitie that meÌ„ should be precisely bound to theÌ„ vpon paine of deadly sinne as they terme it it is certayne that their meening was to set vp a seruis of God contrarie too his will and meening and that they were as good as Cousiners for why they peruerted the naturall meening of the Law Marke that for one schoole poynt Another is that they taught men to set vp their bristles to glory in theÌ„selues that was an abolishing of Gods glory for we caÌ„not chaleÌ„dge aught be it neuer so little to ourselues but we rob and rende away that which belongeth vnto him Ye see then how it is a diuelish trayterousnesse when men presume vpon their owne power as though they had any sparke of righteousnesse in themselues And besydes that it is an entering into the gulfe of hell when we weene to get saluation by our owne workes For we renounce the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Chryste where we should seeke all our righteousnesse Agayne the Diuell maketh vs to beleeue wonders â–ª howbeit it is but to make vs to fall into destruction VVherefore let vs marke well that S. Paule treateth heere of the manner of iustification before God that is to say of the meane whereby we bee brought into his fauour bycause it is the principall poynt whiche we ought to learne and without that all the religion or deuotion that can be named is but smoke and leazings And it is not for naught that Sainct Paule entereth into that question For manye men make this allegation â–ª How now The cace concerned the Ceremonies of the law and why then doth Sainct Paule as ye would saye fling himselfe ouerthwart the feelds VVhy speaketh hee of righteousnesse of mans saluation of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and fynally of all the whole lawe Nowe on the one part it behoued hym too deale wyth all those thynges â–ª as for example when we in these dayes teache that men must not keepe the superstitions of the Papists nor any of the thyngs that haue bin so deuised by the witte of man wee shall not only debate whither fleshe may be eaten vppon frydayes or whyther suche a wake vigil or Sainctes euen bee too be kept or whyther thys thyng or that thing be to be done but we shall treate generally whither it bee lawfull for a mortall man to make lawes to bring mennes consciences into tyrannicall bondage For God hathe reserued to himselfe alone the authoritie and prerogatiue to be called the lawmaker to the intent that no man should vsurp any such preheminence in the Church Then seeing that the spirituall gouernement of our soules ought to be taken out of Gods pure word we may coÌ„clude that nother Pope nor any other man of what calling soeuer he be hath power to burthen vs with any lawes or ought to attempt any thing that is against the doctrine whiche we haue of God Then may we well enter into that generall discourse and that is bycause the reason of them is alike in all points If we should dispute onely about the eating of fish or flesh it would be but a fond disputation For euery man must eate according as is for his health or as hee can get and therefore such disputation shoulde not concerne the health of mens soules or the matter that were requisite for them to rest their conscience vpon But when we take in hand too shewe that it is not for any liuing creature to aduance himselfe so hygh as to lay lawes vppon mennes necks the other disputation is fully resolued and dispatched Againe when as men say that in babbling paternosters to buy out their sinnes and in gadding on pilgrimage to get there the things which in poperie are tearmed the workes of supererogation that is to saye workes of ouerplus that men do more than God commaundeth them they raunsome theÌ„selues and make him some recompence for the faultes that they haue committed If we speake simply of pilgrimages and go not to the ground and welspring of the matter it will be a cold and sleÌ„der discourse But if we declare how all our satisfaction is in the things that are purchaced for vs by the death and passion of oure Lord Iesus Christ and therewithall that God vtterly misliketh all that is of our owne inuention and that he will be serued with obedience then do we lay foorthe the cace as it ought to be and may bring it to a sure and certaine conclusion After that manner did S. Paule For he regarded not only what the Iewes sayd how it behoued them to forbeare the eating of swines flesh and to keepe suche a feast or such a feast and all the residue of the Ceremonies but he marked to what end they said it namely how they went about too shew that the keeping of the law was of necessitie of saluation and that was a yoke of bondage vpon mens consciences that could not be borne Againe he saw how the libertie that was purchaced vs by our Lord Iesus Christ was taken away and that was another point that compelled him to enter into that discourse But the cheefe point that he treateth of heere is that such as would haue had men to keepe the Ceremonies had a secret meening that the same was an acceptable seruis vnto God and of such importance as meÌ„ shuld purchace righteousnesse and soulehealth by it and to be short that it was a meritorious thing But S. Paule sheweth that it is impossible for meÌ„ to purchace righteousnesse before God by their works Now therefore we see for what cause S. Paule treated generally of our iustification when as notwithstaâ—ding hys aduersaries pretended no more but the keeping of the Ceremoniall lawe and the continuing thereof still as before the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ so as men should still offer sacrifise and do the rest of the shadowes and auncient figures And heereby we see also what a follie it is for the Papists to thinke themselues escaped in saying that S. Paule speaketh heere but of the works of the law and not of the morall works True it is that they be not the first founders of that dotage For the Diuell hath always had his ministers to cousin the people But we must not rest vpon the authoritie of men specially of such as haue nother religioÌ„ nor feare of God in them Although that many of the Monkes haue bin reported to be men of greate skill yet notwithstanding they haue bin but fantasticall fellowes and neuer had any tast of the feare of God Euen those that were called the auncient doctors haue peruerted the kindly sense of the holy scripture and were as vtterly bewitched by Satan and yet the wretched
adde that it is but partely But that glose marreth all For heere it is proued that wee can not bee founde righteous before God but by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christe and by resting vpon the saluation which he hathe purchased for vs. The Papists see this well inough and therefore for fashion sake they say we be iustified by fayth but not by fayth onely they will none of that That is the thing that they fighte agaynst and it is the chiefe poynte that is in controuersie betwixte them and vs. But S. Paule bewrayeth heere their beastlynesse when he sayth but by beleefe For that word betokeneth that all that euer men presume to bring vnto God to winne his fauour with is quite cut off Yee see then that the doore is shut agaynst all deseruing when S. Paule auoucheth that there is none other meane than by fayth VVee shall see more playnly hereafter why fayth is so compared with the law as a thing ful but agaynst it For the lawe presupposeth that if wee haue once fulfilled Gods commaundements we shall be taken for good seruants and that he wil pay vs the wages which he hath promised and faith presupposeth vs to be wretched dāned forlorne folke and that we must be fayne to seeke the things that we wante in Iesus Christ As for example There are two men that desire to bee boorded and lodged whereof the one bringeth money with him and lookes to be wel interteined for his wel paying and both of them require meate drinke howsoeuer the cace standeth but the second man is poore hath neither penny nor pennies worth and he desireth almes Thus do both twayne of them matche iuste in one poynt for they desire foode as the thing whereof they haue bothe neede But the first hath money to content his host and lyke as he shall haue fared well and bin well and curteously interteyned so shall his hoste receyue money of him and holde him selfe contented with it and not thinke his guest beholden or bounde vnto him For why he is recompenced yea and he hathe gayned by him But as for the poore man that craueth almes he thinks him selfe beholden for his life to him that fedde him and lodged him for he bringeth him nothing but a charge So then if wee will bee iustified before God by the Lawe we must deserue it so as he may receyue of vs and we of him and there may be as it were an interchaunge betwixte vs. And is that possible No as wee shall see more at large heereafter Therefore wee must conclude that wee bee excluded from the righteousnesse of the Lawe and that if wee thinke to bring any thing to binde God withall we doo but prouoke his wrath Then is there none other shifte but to go to hym like poore beggers and so to be iustified by fayth not as by a vertue that is of our selues but bicause we confesse with all lowlinesse that we can not obteyne saluation but by his free gifte ▪ Thus yee see howe the lawe is set heere full but agaynst fayth as if S. Paule should tell vs that all they which go about to winne Gods fauour by their owne merites forsake the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ as shall be declared more at length hereafter ▪ But now if any man say that the lawe was giuen of God so as it can not haue any contrarietie agaynst fayth whereof God is the author also the answere therevnto is easie For God made bothe day and nighte fire and water colde and heate Now it is certayne that the day is not contrarie to the night but we see the wonderfull order of Gods goodnesse and wisdome in that men haue the lighte of the sunne to doo then worke in by day and the darknesse as it were a couert to rest in by night So then although the day differ from the night yet is there no contrarietie betwixte them neither is there any betweene fire and water so eche creature bee put to his owne proper vse but wee see that God hathe very well agreed the fire and the water and yet notwithstanding if 〈◊〉 beholde them fighting togither then is there greate contrarietie Euen so is it betweene the lawe and the Gospell And if any bodie will haue a man to be iustified bothe by the lawe and by the Gospell to he doth but turmoyle and mingle things togither and it is all one as if he should set heauen and earth togither by the eares To be short it were much easier too mingle fire and water togither than too say that wee can purchace any grace at Gods hand by our own deseruings and therwithall also haue neede to bee succored by our Lord Iesus Christe But if a man consider what the lawe is and too what purpose it was giuen he shall find that it is not whit at all repugnant too the Gospell nor consequently vntoo fayth but that they agree very well Thus ye see how this difficultie is dispatched so that if it be alledged that fayth commeth of God as well as the Law it is true Neuerthelesse it is to be considered as wee shall say hereafter to what end God gaue as well the one as the other But let vs returne too that which S. Paule sayeth He sayeth that wee bee not iustified but by the fayth of our Lord Iesus Christe VVhen he speaketh of beyng iustified lette vs marke that it is all one with beyng reckened or taken for rightuous before God And that woorde had neede too bee well vnderstoode for the cace standeth vppon knowing after what maner wee bee saued But are wee not wretched caytifes if after wee haue liued long in the world a man aske vs whiche is the meane too bee saued and wee cannot tell him VVee shall see many beastly wretches whiche haue deuoured Gods breade and yet notwithstanding cannot tell howe they shoulde offer themselues before him And therefore it behoueth vs to take so much the better heede to the things which are taught vs here by S. Paule He sayeth that we be iustified and how Is it that wee bee rightuous and that there is nothing amisse in vs No but it is for that God accepteth vs. Then is the woorde Rightuousnesse put for the fauour whiche God sheweth vs in that he voutchsafeth too bee our father and too take vs for his children If a man demaunde why the Scripture vseth the woorde Iustifie sith it seemeth too make nothing to the purpose for it might well be sayd God loueth vs God pitieth vs God vouchsafeth to become our father and Sauiour and therfore why should not men rather vse that maner of speach than say that he vouchsafeth to iustifie vs I answer it is not without cause that the scripture speaketh so For if we take the woord Saluation rawly say no more but that we be saued by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ we shall not well perceyue what our owne state is nor how
that it was no bloud but filthie corrupt matter Againe what filthinesse voydeth out of a mans bodie when hee is purged for some disease Now shall the Phisition be blamed for it or the medicine that was giuen him It is well knowne that the purgation serueth to deliuer the bodie that was halfe rotten afore So then if our Lorde Iesus Christ do by the light of his Gospell bewray the spirituall diseases that were in vs and the filthie vnclennesse which is lothly before God and shamefull before men and do purge vs quite and cleane thereof ought he to be charged with any blame or reproch for his labour VVhat an vnthankfulnesse were that therefore heere is a sufficient answere to beate backe the blasphemies and grudgings of the enimies of the Gospell which burst for pride and cannot indure to be tamed Let them alledge what they can too proue that they haue some righteousnesse and holinesse and yet shall it alwayes bee founde that there is nothing but vncleannesse in them which they wyst not of and yet it sheweth it selfe cōtinually Marke that for one poynt And secondly Saint Paule addeth a more large and easie declaration when hee sayth that he is dead too the lawwarde by the lawe it selfe and that he was crucified with Iesus Christ to liue vnto God Nowe when as he sayth that he was dead to the lawwarde by the lawe it is in way of mocking suche as pretende too bee iustified by keeping of the lawe For I haue told you alreadie how all his disputing and stryuing was agaynst such kinde of folke They were but deceyuers which went about to mingle Iesus Christ with the lawe of Moyses yea euen too get righteousnesse For it is certayne that our Lorde Iesus Christ is not contrarie too the law but rather his Gospell taketh witnesse of the lawe as it is shewed in the first chapter too the Romanes Neuerthelesse when the matter concerneth Iustification that is too say when men come too scanning too knowe howe and by what meanes God taketh and accepteth them for innocent pure and without spotte then must the lawe bee separated from Iesus Christ And why For the lawe bringeth nothing in it but cursing and Iesus Christe bringeth the remedie of it Therefore the enimies of the Gospell agaynst whom S. Paule dothe nowe dispute would haue mingled the law with it and haue made men beleeue that althoughe they were iustified by our Lorde Iesus Christ yet notwithstanding they shoulde mingle the Ceremonies with him as a parte of their saluation and that by meanes of them they should purchase grace fauour before God But S. Paule cutteth off all this geare and sayth that there is none but onely Iesus Christ that can do that and that men must seeke none other helpes in that cace eyther one way or other but simply content them selues with his grace and not gyue the lawe any roome in that behalfe For he saythe as for mee I am not deade through the Gospell As if he should say will yee make mee beleeue that I can get Gods fauour by meanes of the law Nay I tell you contrariwyse that it is not the Gospell whiche hath condemned mee it is not the Gospell that hath shewed me my filthinesse to make me ashamed of it ▪ it is not the Gospell that hath berefte me of all hope of saluation but it is the Lawe which hath shewed me that I am starke dead that I am dampnable before God that I am vndone and damned This commeth not frō elsewhere than from the lawe And would yee haue mee too seeke righteousnesse there It is all one as if yee would giue mee a poyson to eate to the ende I shoulde take nourishment of it Howbeit to say truthe that inconuenience is not to be wyted vpon the Law for it should redounde to the dishonour of God from the Lawe came But howsoeuer the case stande considering the corruption that is in vs the Lawe can not but kill vs as wee haue seene in the second too the Corinthians and as S. Paule declareth more fully in the seuenth to the Romanes For he sayth that when men beleue them selues too haue lyfe that is too saye when they beleeue themselues to be righteous and to stande in the grace fauour of God it is a signe that the lawe is dead to them that is to saye that it hath not the power and strength to shew them that which else it should do For to what ende was the law giuen Too set the rule of good life before our eyes that rule is called the righteousnesse which God alloweth Marke that for one poynt Secondly the law ought to be as a looking glasse to vs wherein too beholde our owne deformities blemishes foulenesse filthinesse and iniquities so farre out of all order as wee may bee as it were swalowed vp in dispayre at the sighte of them Nowe before wee haue the lawe wee see none of all these things that is too say wee knowe not what maner of ones we bee nor what euill is in vs. But when God setteth his demaundes before vs and we perceyue the same throughly then are wee at our wittes ende and vtterly out of hope The Lawe then is dead that is to say it is as it were thrust vnder foote and as good as buryed so long as wee thinke our selues to be aliue and conceyue any foolishe imagination of beeing righteous and of obteyning heauen by our owne good workes But when the lawe liueth that is too say when God giueth it power to touch vs then are wee dead then is it as a sworde to thrust vs too the hart Therfore wee must needes receyue a deadly wounde so soone as wee haue perceyued what the Lawe conteyneth After that maner speaketh S. Paule in the texte whiche I haue alleaged And nowe following the same matter he sayth that he is dead too the Lawe by the Lawe as if he had sayde Come not hyther too slaunder the Gospell as thoughe it were the cause of our damnation or an enterance vnto vs too bee cursed before God too haue the knowledge of the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ in vs. No no. But it is certayne that the Lawe when it dooth his office and wee reade it in suche wyse as becommeth vs dooth alwayes kill vs and wee lye as it were plunged in dispayre tyll oure Lorde Iesus Christe haue reached vs his hande too lifte vs out of it Thus then am I dead vnto the lawe that is too say I can haue no lyfe I can haue no assurance of soule health I can haue no comforte rest nor contentation to be short there is nothing in the law wherby I may come vnto God but cleane contrariwise it shaketh me off it thrusteth me backe it banisheth me from the kingdome of heauen it cutteth me quite off from the hope of saluation it maketh me a poore cursed and wretched creature and to be shorte it sendeth me to
there is none of vs but he shall finde that he prouoketh God too vse suche sharpenesse towardes him as if a father bee as kinde harted as is possible to be wished yet if he haue vnruly children so as they be â—eude and froward he shall bee prouoked after suche a fashion that he shall as it were chaunge his nature bycause he knoweth not at what end too begin with them and is fayne after a sort too transforme himselfe Euen so is it with vs. For we haue a father which in goodnesse surmounteth all that can bee seene among men but we on our side as I sayd afore in steede of yeelding obediently vnto him as we ought to do and in steede of offering our selues redily to walke as he commaundeth so soone as he doth but speake the woord do nothing but stray VVe haue our lustes alwayes inordinate and boyling wee haue our replies alwayes readie coyned and although our mouth speake not yet it appeereth that there is no such calmnesse in our hartes as too be contented to submit our selues to God as we ought to do Seyng then that we be conuicted to our faces by experience that God had neede to be so rough and sharp towardes vs let vs suffer him to do whatsoeuer he knoweth too be for our welfare And no doubt but the Galathians were as nyce as wee and had as itching eares as wee haue and yet were they fayne too be rebuked so sharply by reason of their vnthankfulnesse As for S. Paule we know he indeuered by all humilitie and meeldnesse too drawe all such to the obedience of our Lord Iesus Christ as were committed and appoynted too his Apostleship He likeneth himself and not without cause too a nurce which will beare with hir nurse childe and not spare any thing too shew the loue that shee beareth it VVee shall see hereafter that he will say Be yee as I am for I am as you bee I seeke nothing but too fashion my selfe vnto you and to bring to passe that wee may agree in one And yet notwithstanding necessitie hath constreyned him too crie out as you heare now Yee vnwize yee fooles yee vndiscreete or witlesse as beasts who hath bewitched you after that sorte must you not needes bee possessed with the Diuell Here are very harde woordes and no doubt but the Galathians were greeued at them at the firste sight Yet neuerthelesse it was meete for them to feele that S. Paule vsed not that maner of speach and language without cause Therefore whensoeuer we bee rebuked let vs blame our owne faultes for it and yeeld our selues giltie for wee shall gayne nothing by checking againe VVhen we haue disputed what we can wee may peraduenture iustifie our cace afore men but wee shall alwayes be giltie before God Moreouer it behoueth vs too marke well the reason that is added heere by S. Paule when he sayeth yee muste needes bee bewitched if yee obey not the truth seyng that our Lorde Iesus Christe hath bin as it were peynted out liuely before you yea and euen crucified among you In speaking after that fashion S. Paule sheweth with what force and effectualnesse he had preached the Gospell Therfore he likneth the doctrine which he had brought vnto a picture therevnto inlargeth it yet better saying that the matter which hee had preached among the Galathians ought too auayle asmuch as if they had seene the Sonne of God crucified among them and his bloud sheaded out for the spirituall washing of their soules For so much then as they had bin taught so faythfully they could no more excuse themselues of their backesliding But first of all we see here whiche is the true maner of preaching the Gospell namely to giue knowledge of Gods loue towardes vs in that he spared not his onely Sonne but gaue him too the death for vs according as in very deede all the treasures of wisedome and vnderstanding are layed vp in our Lord Iesus Christ as it is sayd in another place too the Colossians Sith it is so if we bee desirous to profite well in the Gospell lette vs learne too acknowledge the grace that is purchaced for vs by our Lorde Iesus Christe for without that all that wee haue is nothing Many will brag that they bee well learned in Gods word but the true triall too knowe whither it bee so or no is if wee perceyue howe greate neede wee haue that God shoulde poure out his mercie vpon vs too succour vs by drawing vs out of the gulf of Hell and therevpon coÌ„clude that wee cannot be clenzed and washed from any of all our spottes but by the bloud of Gods sonne nor obtayne rightuousnesse but by the obedience that he hath yeelded nor haue any satisfaction for vs but by the sacrifize that he hath offered nor come in Gods fauour but by his meanes nor open our mouthes too call vppon him but by his intercession Therefore when wee bee throughly persuaded of the gracious benefites that are brought vs by the sonne of God then may wee say wee haue some vnderstanding in the Gospell but without that wee haue nothing but imagination and follie Marke that for one poynt And therewith let vs marke that it is not ynough for vs too know slightly that our Lord Iesus Christ hath bought vs so deerely but that we must continue still in the doctrine of the Gospell till it bee throughly printed in our hartes as though his bloud gushed downe too apply the frute that commeth of it too our vse and that is too the end to waken vs out of our drowsinesse For we shal see many that take themselues too bee very great Clerkes if they vnderstande but three or foure woordes of the Gospell at a glaunce And yet the same shall soone bee defaced and put out of rememberance bycause that whereas wee ought too seeke too bee filled with the benefites that our Lord Iesus Christ hath brought vs they holde themselues contented with a tast of them God then punisheth the vnthankfulnesse of such folke and their despizing of his goodnesse And therfore it standeth vs so much the more on hand to put forth apply all our indeuer to be well settled in the foresayd doctrine that is too wit of knowing whervnto the death and passioÌ„ of Gods sonne and the inestimable benefites which we haue receyued do auayle vs. Again on the other side we be warned that our sins are the heynouser before God if after wee haue bin taught his will wee turne head backe againe and sin not through ignoraÌ„ce but through contempt and wilfulnesse For if we shake off his yoke it is a sure proofe that wee bee loth to be subiect to him and play the wilde beasts True it is that euen the ignorantest folk in the world are reproued by their own sinfulnesse for asmuch as hypocrisie reigneth in all men but yet if coÌ„parison bee made betweene those that neuer heard one woord of the truth and vs
while after VVee see that Dauid was an excellent King and Prophet and yet notwithstanding he sawe not the things whiche wee see nowe but onely in a shadowe As muche is to bee sayde of all those whome God guided vnder the auncient figures And for that cause oure Lorde Iesus Christe sayth that the eyes are happie whiche see the things that wee see since his shewing of him selfe to the worlde and that the eares are happie which heare the doctrine of the Gospel as it is preached vnto vs. Seeing then that God commeth after that sort vnto vs and becommeth so familiar with vs if wee shrinke backe and take Ceremonies and figures in steade of the good doctrine as though we might not come at him is it not a kicking agaynst him as it were in spite of him And dooth not that rebelleousnesse shewe vs to bee vnwilling that God should bee mercyfull and bountifull to wards vs as he sheweth him selfe to bee Nowe then we may easily vnderstande what S. Paule meaneth heere For he vpbraydeth the Galathians with their going backward like Sea-crabbes in that whereas they had bin trayned in the spirituall doctrine of the Gospell they turned backe agayne to the shadowes of the Lawe Likewise if wee in oure time after wee haue once acquaynted our selues with suche order as is according too the Gospell and be inured with such seruice of God as is ruled by his pure worde would needes afterward be mingling of fancies with it and say it will be good to doo thus and thus yet it were a turning backe agayne to the flesh that is to say whereas God hath aduaunced vs on high wee woulde drawe downe and that is a manyfest fighting agaynst him VVherefore let vs learne to apply this doctrine to our owne profite and for as muche as God hath giuen vs his worde purely preached among vs if we once know how he wil be honored and serued let vs not swarue from it neyther too the right hand nor to the left but let vs so profite in the worde that is preached faythfully vnto vs in the name of God as it may appeare that we desire to make it auaylable And surely the further forward that wee shall haue bin in it the lesse excuce shall wee haue if wee turne backe afterwarde as wee see many doo whiche waxe cold or else woulde fayne rowe betweene two streames and whereas it were to be looked for that they should haue gone continually forward and haue come neerer neerer vnto God they be stil musing vpon a sorte of seely toyes And now a dayes they that would shun persecution finde suche shifts as these They disguise and falsifie Gods worde by mingling and turmoyling mens inuentions with it So much the more therfore doth it behoue vs to take heed to this doctrine where S. Paule telleth vs that if God haue once set vs forwarde we must no more returne backe to our Apsie lyke little babes For it is a shame for vs when we haue once profited in the Gospell or at leastwise haue had leasure long inoughe for too profite and yet notwithstanding it shall seeme that wee neuer herd one worde of it according as the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrues vpbraydeth the Iewes saying Yee ought all of you too bee teachers in respect of the time that you haue bin taughte and yet notwithstanding you bee still like yong beginners Thus ye see the first poynt that we haue to marke vpon this text Nowe he addeth consequently Haue yee suffred so many things in vayne If at leastwise it be in vayne Here he wakeneth vp the Galathians by telling them that God had done them the honor to make them as witnesses of his Gospell and yet notwithstanding that afterwarde they had swarued from it And this is a thing well worth the marking For sometimes God doth vs so great honor as to serue his turne by vs so that his worde is by our meanes maynteined before men Nowe if therevpon we swarue aside and holde not out to the end in such constancie as appeared to be in vs it is a double shame and also it is to be taken for the greater crime bicause the occasion of offence is double and moreouer it is a vilanous vnthankfulnesse if wee continue not in the seruing of oure God when he hathe reached vs hys hande after that maner And this is so muche the more too bee noted bicause wee see many men bragge and boast them selues too haue wrought wonders if oure Lorde Iesus Christ haue serued his turne by them in any thing VVhat saye they haue not I doone this and that They wyll alleage their owne abilities in so muche that if yee beleeue them God is greatly bounde vnto them But put the cace they had doone a hundred fold more than they speake of yet are they euen therfore so muche the more beholden to God For it came not of their owne good towardnesse but of God who gouerned them by his holy spirite and if they ouershoote them selues afterwarde their faulte and offence is so muche the worse And why so Bicause they oughte too go forwarde and they go backwarde And moreouer they cause many mo too stumble than they should haue done if they had not bin set foorth too the vewe For when God lifted them vp as it were vpon the stage it was too haue them seene a farre off By meanes whereof they trouble an infinite multitude of people and therefore their faulte is so much the haynouser But yet is that vice too common For nowe a dayes suche as thinke them selues too haue done any thing for the Gospell will needes bee exempted from all lawe and rule in so muche that if a man blame them for dooing amisse what say they ought I not to bee borne withall For I haue doone this and that To bee short men will dispence with them selues after that maner and which is worse they aduaunce them selues proudly agaynst God when he dooth them the honour too imploy them about his seruice But let vs marke howe S. Paule sayth heere Haue yee suffered so muche in vayne He taketh occasion too blame the Galathians so muche the sorer bicause they had alreadie suffered for the Gospels sake and beene persecuted and indured many troubles bothe in their goodes and in their persons Howe nowe saythe he what is to bee sayde of all that you haue suffered Is it not a recorde that God had called you too the magnifying of hys name For in good faythe the things that wee suffer for the Gospels sake oughte too serue vs for a badge as if God did set vs in some honorable office The greatest honor that wee can haue is too bee witnesses of Gods truthe so that althoughe we be subiect to lying yet notwithstanding he iustifieth his eternal truthe which proceedeth frō him selfe euē by vs which are wretched creatures which are but wind smoke shadowes and lesse than nothing Seeing then that God
he sheweth himselfe to be so by his worde and also giueth vs a good pledge and earnest pennie of it in our Lord Iesus Christ insomuch that there he sheweth himself to be ioyned and vnited with vs and that although we be wretched creatures and haue nothing in vs but all mischeefe yet he fayleth not too take vs for his owne and too admit vs into his fauour the reason whereof is bycause our Lorde Iesus Christ is the meane betwixt him and vs. Therefore when wee haue that promise and rest wholy vppon it and doubt not but that God doth and will shewe himselfe gracious to vs vnto the ende and therewithall call vpon him and resort onely vnto him giuing ouer this worlde and continuing in the hope of the heauenly life then bee we sure that we haue fayth and are iustified and that was the maner of our father Abrahams beleeuing and without that let vs assure our selues there is no Christianitie at all in vs. For as Saint Paule sayth in the tenth to the Romaimes vntill wee knowe what the Gospell is wee cannot call God our father VVee cannot call vpon God sayth he except wee knewe him and beleeued in him And howe is it possible for vs to knowe him till hee bee reuealed vnto vs Therefore fayth muste needes go before And whereof commeth fayth Of hearing sayth Saint Paule Then must wee bee trayned in the Goâ—pell or else we can haue no fayth And hereby we see yet better that all that euer is termed fayth in Poperie is but starke dotage And why so For there Gods worde is hidden and the greatest brutishnesse that can bee is taken for greatest deuotion VVhen men babble they wote not what when they gad on pilgrimage and neuer come at God when they busie their heades about fonde Ceremonies and heare not so much as one woorde of good doctrine ô that is great deuotion and holinesse But wee see howe there is no Christianitie without fayth nor fayth without teaching of the Gospell and so consequently we cannot bee Christians till God haue giuen vs the grace to taste of his goodnesse and mercie as it is dayly set afore vs in the Gospell assuring our selues that he accepteth vs in the number of his children so as we may be bolde too call vppon him and continue therein too the ende at leastwise in wayting for the full performance of the things which hee reuealeth vntoo vs nowe by hys mouth that is to say by hys woorde But nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our sinnes praying him to make vs feele them more and more and that the same feeling of them may drawe vs vnto him with true repentance so as wee may not onely aske him forgiuenesse of them but also so reforme and chaunge our selues as we may truely beare the marke of his children when wee shall appeare before his iudgement seat and as oure Lorde Iesus Christ also may repayre the Image of his father in vs in such wise as hee may acknowledge vs for his members And in the meane while let vs beseech him to beare with our infirmities till he haue vtterly clenzed vs of them That it may please him too graunt this grace not onely to vs but also to all people c. The .17 Sermon which is the third vpon the third Chapter 7 Knovve yee therefore that they vvhich are of faith are the children of Abraham 8 And the Scripture foreseeing that God vvould iustifie the Gentiles by faith shevved glad tidings aforehande vntoo Abraham saying In thee shall all nations be blessed 9 Those then vvhiche are of faith are blessed vvith faithfull Abraham IF we were such as we would be taken to bee that is to wit if we were Christians we should be well acquainted with this maner of speech of being iustified by faith But there are verie few to be found euen among those that boast themselues too haue profited in the Gospell which knowe what is ment by the rightuousnesse whereof the Scripture speaketh so much Howsoeuer the cace stande either we must haue skill of that article or else we can neuer haue any assurance of our saluation nor resort vntoo God at our neede to call freely vppon him And that is the cause why S. Paule standeth so much vppon that matter The last Sunday wee sawe howe Abraham was counted righteous bycause hee had beleeued God and I tolde you that thereby is shewed vs that no man can bring any woorthinesse of his owne wherewith to winne Gods fauour but that we must bee fayne to receyue it of his free gift For the woorde beleeuing hath a respect too the promise insomuche that Gods free offering of himselfe vntoo Abraham was the cause that Abraham was counted righteous bycause hee accepted the fauour that was offered him of free gyft beeing well assured that of hymselfe hee had nothing but all iniquitie and cursednesse And therevppon Saint Paule concludeth that such as are of fayth are the children of Abraham It is certayne that Abraham is the father of all the faythfull and of all Gods children and therefore it followeth that eyther wee muste bee fashioned after hys example or else the gate of life and saluation is shette agaynst vs and wee bee quite and cleane banished oute of Gods kingdome Heere Saint Paule sheweth vs the waye For wee come not of Abraham as concerning the fleshe neither belong wee aught at all vntoo him and yet notwithstanding it behoueth vs too bee of his race the onely way whereof is to be partners of the promise that was giuen vnto him and to receyue it as he did heere ye see what it is too bee of fayth so that when wee once knowe and fynde by proofe that we cannot deserue any fauour at Gods hande nor bee allowed for our owne workes merits we repoze our whole trust in his goodnesse apply this promise to our selues which is that he adopteth vs for his children Thus ye see Saint Paules Text made plaine ynough Howbeit he addeth that that promise serued not for the Iewes alone but rather that all men in generall are comprehended in it For without that addition the doctrine that wee haue treated of would serue vs to no purpose God choze AbrahaÌ„ and his ofspring So then are wee shet out from the hope of saluation for his choozing importeth a forsaking of all those whom he choozeth not but he hath chosen the linage of Abraham and so by that meanes it seemeth that all of vs are forsaken But the promise which Saint Paule rehearseth consisteth of two partes The one is that God woulde be the protector of Abrahams lynage and shole it out from the rest of the worlde The other is that all nations shoulde bee blessed in Abraham and in his seede Nowe if God had placed his Church in the onely householde of Abraham then shoulde wee at this day bee miserable But for asmuch as in the seconde
there was nothing but sin in vs God maketh vs parteners of the rightuousnesse of our Lorde Iesus Christ and all the obedience that hee yeelded is conueyed ouer vnto vs. As for example If I owe a summe of money and another pay it for me although I lay out nothing out of mine owne purse yet am I quitte I had not wherewith to pay but I found one that discharged me Euen so is it with vs who beeing destitute of rightuousnesse haue Iesus Christ for our suretie and he hath satisfied God his father for vs. By meanes whereof our sinnes are quite wyped out so as they come not any more to account or remembrance before God and therefore wee be iustified or blessed that is to say where as God must heeretofore haue hilde vs as accursed and damnable now he holdeth vs for his children And herein also we see the fondnesse of the Papistes who cannot finde in their heartes to be perswaded that we be iustified by fayth bycause that too their seeming fayth is not so excellent a vertue as some other are For a man shall not bee perceyued to doo much in holding himselfe too Gods promises and in resting vpon them Men will say verie well such a one is a wretched sinner and knoweth that hee had neede in deed to bee succoured by Gods goodnesse and that is the cause why he resteth therevpon But the man whose cōuersation beares a goodly show is magnified euery where shall be counted the rightuouser As for example if a man be liberall and deale freely of his goods and also shewe himselfe well dispozed in all other partes of his life such a one shall be counted more excellent than a beleeuer Besides this they doo also alledge S. Paules saying in another place howe that Charitie is aboue Fayth and Hope Yea truly but the question is not here whether of them is the greater higher or nobler vertue VVhen we say we be iustified by fayth it is not ment that there is any worthinesse or desert in our fayth as who shoulde say that God were bounde vnto vs and therefore receyued vs for it but that bicause God hath shewed himselfe mercifull towardes vs and promised to bee our Sauiour wee beeing first bereft of all trust in our vertues doo come vnto him by fayth knowing well that if hee consider vs in our selues he must needes curse and abhorre vs. Seing then that fayth bringeth not any thing on mans behalfe but receyueth all things of Gods mere and free goodnesse there is no questioning what woorthinesse is in vs. And so wee see that fayth not onely helpeth vs too the attainment of our saluation but also bringeth vs all perfection Nowe after that Saint Paule hath sayde that all the heathen are blessed in Abraham he addeth that it is togither with the faythfull Abraham As if he should say there is none other meanes to make vs finde fauour in Gods sight than onely fayth There is no seeking of helpe else where in that behalfe For that is yet too grosse an error wherewith the Papists are intangled For although they wote not what fayth meaneth nor what it is to be iustified yet are they inforced to say that fayth helpeth to saluatiō Howbeit they adde that it is but partly and that charitie and al other vertues worke together with it and that if men purpose to be allowed of God they muste deserue well at his hand so that all is nought worth without obedience and holinesse of lyfe It is true that fayth cannot be separated from the feare of God but the matter heere is nothing else but too knowe by what meanes God acknowledgeth vs for his children But if hee haue respect too oure woorkes wo bee to vs. Therefore he must bee fayne to turne away his countenance from the considering of our persons and to receiue vs alonely in our Lorde Iesus Christ or else in his looking vpon vs to marke nothing but our miseries that he may be moued and prouoked to mercie Ye see then that God hath a double respect in iustifying vs. The one is that he beholdeth our miseries for in asmuch as he seeth vs so plunged in all confusiō he is moued to pitie Again to the intent he may no more be an enimie and take part agaynst vs which are sinners he must be faine to looke vpon our Lorde Iesus Christ and vpon his rightuousnesse that the same may doo away all our offences Now S. Paule sayth heere that we can not be blessed but with faythfull Abraham As if he shoulde saye that Abraham though he were neuer so holy a man brought nothing of his owne with him when he obteyned righteousnesse before God Fayth as I haue saide alreadie doth vtterly bereeue a man of all the worthinesse which he supposeth himself to haue Seeing that Abraham had none other helpe than fayth it followeth that he renounced al his own works as which in very deede were nothing worth Then sith it is so let vs learne to leaue such mingling which bringeth nothing but corruption before God and let vs be contented that we be allowed at Gods hand if he finde vs faythfull If a man poze vs and say had Abrahams vertues no fauour in Gods sight It is easie too answere that Abraham of his owne nature had nothing but all maner of iniquitie He had bin a castaway if God had not plucked him out of the dungeon wherein he was sunken according as he him selfe sheweth in the last chapter of Iosua Consider sayth he to the Iewes from whence I tooke your father Abraham Did not his fathers serue Idols Then dyd I plucke him out of the bottome of hell So Abraham had not aughte whereof to boast For he coulde not haue done any good if God had not preuented him with his grace But nowe after that God had giuen Abraham so great and excellent vertues that he is become as a patterne of all holynesse yet were not those vertues able too iustifie him for there was alwayes some faulte too be founde in him eyther more or lesse Let a man inforce him selfe as muche as in possible too obey God and yet shall he always go limping Now there can not be so little a fault nor so small a blemish in our works but the same is inoughe to make them foule and lothsome before God Thus all Abrahams vertues if they had bin examined strayghtly coulde not haue brought him ought but damnation As muche is too bee sayde of Dauid and of all others Besides this when wee fall too scanning whether God loue vs and acknowledge vs for his children it must not bee thought he dooth it for two or three good deedes but for such a perfect obedience as we faile not in any one iote But surely although Abraham had some perfection in parte of his life yet could he not be iustified by it For he was continually a man that is to say a sinner and God hild him so at the
hath good reason to hold them so at the staues end and if there were no law nor any such promis what would come of it VVe know that the heathen men would alwayes needes bee in Gods fauour for their owne vertues sake and yet in the meane while they knewe there were many faultes in them and for that cause they reteyned the vse of sacrifising It is true that they vnderstood not the end of them yet neuerthelesse their sacrifising was a playne confession that they were indaungered vnto God and had neede to be admitted into his fauour Likewise the Papistes do at this day packe togither a great deale of pelting trash to make attonement with God And so ye see that the heathen men did at all times keepe the same trade which the Papistes keepe at this day But howsoeuer they fared their intent was to bee saued at Gods hand for their owne deseruings Howbeit God telleth vs that if we thinke he oweth vs any thing of duetie we deceyue ourselues notwithstanding he promiseth of his owne free goodnesse that if we keepe the law we shall be reckened for rightuous before him But now do we keepe it No we come farre short of it in somuch that if we consider how much we fayle of it we must needs be abashed at it Yee see then how it is not without cause that God hath giuen vs that promis though we reape no profit nor aduauntage by it For it hath a respect to the correcting of the pryde wherewith we be so sore infected that wee must be clenzed of it by some violent remedie or else we shall burst And what remedie is that Behold God talketh to vs thus Go to yee murmur at me if I handle you not after your own lyking but I tell you that I will not only poure out my graciouse giftes and benefits vpon you in this worlde but also do lay vp an euerlasting heritage in store for you so yee serue me Serue me and make me a good account and then shall you be sure that I will recompence you both in this life and in the lyfe to come Gods speaking after that manner is to none other ende but to stoppe mennes mouthes and to make them acknowledge that if God punish them and send them neuer so many afflictions it is ryghtly done in somuch that all such as shall haue well sifted their owne liues shal be driuen to confesse yea euen vnfeynedly Alas if we be not worthie to eate bread for the sustenance of this transitorie life vpon earth how can we by our own deserts get the heritage of heauen whiche is a glory that belongeth only vnto God How can we atteyne to it by our owne strength Yee see then that mens combes are quite cut by Gods giuing of this so large and liberall promis vnto them And therewithall wee haue too note that the same promis is free of itselfe and yet fare wee neuer awhit the better for any peece of it till we haue vtterly let go our hold of it This would be darke if it shoulde not bee layde foorthe more at large The heathenmen as I haue sayde alreadie did fully perswade themselues that they should be recompenced at Gods hand if they liued after an honest and vnblamable fashion among men But that was great follie or rather starke madnesse For howe can God become indetted vntoo vs as it is tolde vs in the seuenteenth of Sainct Luke Though men could do better than the Angelles of heauen coulde they bynd God too them by it No for they bee his aforehand by nature accordingly also as our Lorde Iesus Christe alledgeth the similitude of a seruant not of suche seruants as are now adayes but such slaues or bondmen as were in those dayes If a bondslaue had bin slayne a hundred tymes for his master yet was it at his maysters will whither hee shoulde liue or dye still Therfore our Lorde Iesus Christ maketh his allegation in this wyse Go to ye bee but poore mortall creatures yourselues and yet if any of you haue a bondslaue hee will holde him as an Asse or an Oxe and when the seruant after sore trauell and labour with great payne all the day long returneth home at night his master will not make him too sit downe at the table with him for he hath done no more than his duetie and that which he was bound to do Now then shall God be of lesse authoritie or in worse cace than mortall mē For somuch as you are his although you indeuer to walke in his obedience yet can he not be any whit beholden to you And so as I haue declared alreadie wheras God hathe sayd in his law that he which doth these things shall lyue in them what moued him to such bountifulnesse as to promis vs euerlasting lyfe It was not for that he owed vs any thing Kill we ourselues a hundred thousand tymes to serue him yet cannot that bind him too yeeld vs any recompence Howbeit of his owne superabundant goodnesse he commeth and sayth Although I owe ye not any thing at all nor you be able to bring aught that may deserue any recompence for you be bound vnto mee in all poynts and all respects yet will I rewarde you for your labour Go to therfore settle yourselues to your duetie and do the things that I commaund you and you shall not be disapointed of your paiment Thus ye see in effect what wee haue too remember as I must tell you yet once agayne hereafter Now the Papistes will welynough graunt this in part but not commonly For the most part I meene of those that are the Popes right champions can no skil of those principles at this day Yet wil some of thē graunt that wheras God hath in his law promised the reward of lyfe to such as serue him it is to shewe that works are not of such value as to deserue euerlasting life but by reason of the promis But presuppose that God hath bound himselfe as he hath done and then they thinke that wee deserue and why For else say they Gods promising that he whiche doth those things shall liue in them is in vayne But they like wretched beastes as I sayd afore consider not that God sayeth it not to shew that men are able to purchace saluation by their owne deserts but rather to hold them conuicted and to bring them to true humilitie which they shunne continually through their foolish ouerweening and vain gloriousnesse Now then we see that Paules meening is in effect that if we go about to be iustified by the law and by our own works we must not leaue any thing behynd nor forget any thing for it is sayd he that doth all those things shall liue in them But now where is that mā which is so forward that he can boast of the full discharging of his dutie towards God None but hipocrities that are besotted in their owne diuelish pride or heathenish folke that skorne
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
God with his owne mouth sayd determinately that who soeuer hung vppon tree should be accursed and yet for all that that it was his will therewithall that his owne Sonne should bee hanged on tree And why so Too the end he shoulde beare our burthen according as he is our pledge ordeyned to be the principall detter in our behalf To the end then that wee might bee set free from the curse of the Lawe Iesus Christe became accursed Nowe at the first fight it might seeme hard and straunge that the Lord of glorie he that hath all soueraine dominion and before whose maiestie the verie Angelles of heauen do tremble and are abashed should be subiect too cursing But wee muste go backe too that whiche S. Paule hath treated of in the first to the Corinthians namely that the doctrine of the Gospell is foolishnesse too mankind yea euen too the wyzest of them and that it was Gods will too humble vs after that maner bycause of our vnthankfulnesse For we should haue a good instruction to leade vs vnto God yea euen in wisedome if we could profite our selues by the things that are shewed vs in the whole order of heauen earth But for asmuch as men are blinde and shet their eyes agaynst this wisedome that God setteth afore them therfore he is fayne too take a new way to the woode and too draw them to him as it were by folie So then let vs not iudge after our owne mother wit of the thing that is declared heere which is that the sonne of God was put vnder the curse but rather let vs bee rauished at such a secrete and giue the glorie vntoo our God seyng he hath so loued our soules as too pay so inestimable a pryce for the raunsoming of them And so little ought this thing to imbace the maiestie of our Lord Iesus Christ or to deface that which is giuen him in the holy Scripture as wee rather haue cause too glorifie him the more for it And for proofe thereof our Lord Iesus Christe as sayeth S. Paule committed no robberie when he shewed himselfe in his infinite glorie And yet notwithstanding he abaced himselfe willing and not onely clothed himself with our nature and became a passible mā but also submitted himself to a death that was both shamefull before men yea and accursed before God Then must it needes bee that we were very deere vnto him seing he yeelded himself too such extremitie for our redemption If wee could taste the meening hereof surely wee would giue our selues wholly too the magnifying of that grace which cānot be sufficiently expressed by woordes and surpasseth all wisedome of man Seyng therefore that wee comprehend it not nor can vtter the hundredth part of it let vs yet be as it were astonished at it in considering so much of it as we be able too comprehend But heere we see still the leudnesse and frowardnesse of men in that whereas S. Paule sayeth that our Lorde Iesus Christ became accursed for vs it passeth and slippeth away from vs. Yea and there are some so leud that they take occasiō of stumbling and of flinging out of the way and of estraunging themselues quite and cleane from the Churche when they heare this maner of our reedeming set afore vs. VVhat say they was it of necessitie that the sonne of God who is the fountayne of all goodnesse and ought too make vs all holy should be cursed It seemeth too them that God in so doyng ment too peruert all order and reason But as I haue declared alreadie it is certaine that God condemneth mens vnkindnesse by bringing them to such a kinde of foolishnesse bycause they came not too him by wisedome when he shewed them that way Neuerthe later howsoeuer the cace stande needes muste our wittes shrinke and our reason bee vtterly confounded so as wee may honour Gods secretes and wonder at them though they bee hidden from vs. And againe whensoeuer it is sayd vnto vs that the sonne of God became accursed for vs it would become vs to enter into the examinacion of our sinnes In so doing we shall perceyue how lothly wee be before God till our sinnes and offences bee washed away by the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ Had all the Angelles of heauen vndertaken for vs it had bin no sufficient bayle Then was there none other satisfaction than the persone of our Lord Iesus Christe And he came not into the world too discharge vs of the bonde of euerlasting death wherein we were bound by his diuine and heauenly power How then By weakenesse And not onely so but also he was fayne to bee counted accursed or else we should haue lien still ouerwhelmed with the burthen and haue perished all of vs in that gulf Therefore when wee see that the sonne of God who not only is the vnspotted Lambe and the mirrour of all rightuousnesse holinesse and perfection but also the very welspring thereof was hilde accursed for vs ought wee not at the sight thereof to conceyue such a terrour for our sinnes that wee should be as good as swallowed vp with despayre till we be plucked backe againe by the infinite grace and goodnesse of our God So then let vs marke well that when it is tolde vs that wee were raunsomed from the curse of the Lawe God intendeth thereby to bryng vs to true humilitie But that cannot bee vnlesse men be vtterly cōfounded in themselues so as they be ashamed too loke vpon themselues and therewithall also afrayd and dismayed knowing that Gods wrath wayteth readie for them till our Lord Iesus Christe doo remedie the matter Thus yee see that all our whole lyfe is lothsome before God and there is no way for vs too come too attonement with him till our Lord Iesus Christ take vpon him the cursednesse that is in vs and beare it in his owne persone And therefore as oft as wee reade this text let euery of vs awake and set himselfe before Gods iudgement seate that wee may feele there as it were a gulf to swallow vs vp quyte and cleane and thereat bee abashed for very shame of our selues and on the other side so much the more magnifie the grace that is purchaced for vs in the persone of the sonne of God and keepe our selues warely from diminishing his dignitie in that he is sayd to be accursed and rather thereby be the more prouoked to yeeld him his due and deserued prayse for that he hath shewed himself to esteeme our welfare so highly ▪ Furthermore let vs make our profit of that pledge of our saluation and of the loue that God beareth vs so as we doubt not but that God liketh well of vs when we come to him seyng he hath bought vs so deere that as S. Peter telleth vs in his first canonicall Epistle it was nother golde nor siluer nor any corruptible thing but it was our Lord Iesus Christ himself that was payd for our raunsome Therefore
that the free promis was giuen afore the law and therefore it followeth that the law came not in to diminish or alter any whit of it but that it continueth still in his owne fulnesse nature and force True it is that our Lord Iesus Christ had not yet shewed himselfe to the worlde when the free promis was made to our father Abraham neuerthelesse it suffiseth that he was ordeyned to be our mediator that by hys meanes men might be reconciled to God Now if any man alledge that it should seeme then that the law was more than needed or else that there was some change and variablenesse in Gods purpose seeing the law came in Sainct Paule discusseth the same in place conuenient and wee must not huddle vp thynges togyther for all cannot be vttered at once nother in an houre nor in a day Therefore it is ynough for vs at this tyme too haue thys poynt made playne and cleere that the promis whereby God hath chosen vs intoo the number of his chyldren was before the lawe and also that the same promis had not any respect to our deseruings nor too any woorthinesse that was in our persons but too Gods meere goodnesse and mercie whych moued hym therevnto without looking for any thing in vs bycause hee saw welynough there was nothyng in vs but vtter miserie And finallye that the sayde promis was grounded in our Lorde Iesus Chryste who had alreadye done the â—â—ffice of a mediator to make vs way vnto God his father This being graunted wee must needes conclude that the promis hath abidden and shall abyde for euer euen to the worlds end And that is sayd expresly bycause the Iewes gloried of their auncetrie But Sainct Paule telleth them that their father Abraham had not the lawe but was contented though he vsed sacrifises and such other like thinges And although he was circumcised in the end yet when he receiued the promis there was not as yet theÌ„ any law writteÌ„ no nor any circumcision at all For Abraham was vncircumcised when he receiued the promis and yet neuerthelesse was iustifyed before he was circumcised and all that was by fayth Sainct Paule therefore sheweth that the Iewes were greatly ouerseene too shole out themselues after that manner from the rest of the whole woâ—ld and to rest continually vpon the figures of the law seeing that Abraham their father and the cheefe patriarch of the Church was iustifyed the sefsame way that we must be at this day that is to saye by Gods meere mercie bycause hee knew himselfe to be a wretched sinner and therefore accursed and damned in Adam and that there was no blissednesse to be hoped for other than that which was promised hym for our Lord Iesus Christs sake Thus yee see what wee haue too beare in mind And for the same cause Sainct Paule exhorteth vs heere too wey well these words when it was sayd vnto Abraham that all nations of the earth should be blissed in his seede Now there are heere two principall poyntes The one is that the blissednesse is promised not only to Abrahams fleshly ofspring as I haue told you already but also to all the world in generall VVe therefore are made partakers thereof wee I say that are issued of the Gentiles that is to say of suche as were heathenfolke and banished from the kingdome of heauen Although then that we were not of that holy linage whiche God had chosen at the beginning yet notwithstanding it behoued saluation to be extended vnto vs. And why so â–ª For it had hin promised before that all Nations shoulde be blissed Seeing it is so shall we say that God hath cut off the greatest parte of his bounteousnesse and will haue no more but the sayde linage of Abraham considering that hee hath alreadye tolde vs that he woulde bee the sauiour of the whole worlde and shewe himselfe a father in time conuenient Yee see then howe the firste poynt is that the making of the sayde promis vnto Abraham was not for his linage alone but for all men howbeit that it were not fulfilled at the first dash For the time of fulnesse was not yet come as we shall see in the Chapter following The second point is that the blissednesse which was promised to Abraham was for his seedes sake For Sainct Paule sayth that God spake not of seedes in the plurall number as of mo than one but of one onely seede whiche must be concluded to be Iesus Christ Heere it myght be supposed that Sainct Paule buzied his head about a needelesse matter For the word Seede importeth a linage or ofspring that is to witte not some one man or ten or fortie but a whole people Therefore the Seede of Abraham is the people that came of hym whyche were so many in number that it was iustly sayde of them that they shoulde bee as it were twelue Nations For when mention is made of a people it will bee thought ynough to haue a hundred thousand of them togither and there were many mo in the onely tribe of Iuda So then it should seeme that Sainct Paule dyd not sufficiently consider what God meant by the word seede when he sayd that it is but one only man But wee must wey well the thyngs that Sainct Paule presupposeth heere as fully certaine and resolute and then shall wee perceyue his argumentes to be vtterly infallible Abraham had not one sonne alone but after Ismaell he had Isaac also And what became of his eldest sonne Hee was cut off from hys house as we shall see within a whyle that is to say in the Chapter following Beholde then Ismaell whiche had the birthright in Abrahams house is neuerthelesse put out and made an vtter straunger yea and as a rotten member in somuch that it is sayd of hym Cast out the sonne of the handseruante for hee shall not inherit in my house Afterwarde Abraham had other children but euery of them had their portions giuen vnto them and were sent away Thus was onely Isaac left at home vntoo hym Anon after Isaac had a cupple of children and they were twinnes of one wombe Esau the firstborne whiche ought too haue hadde the prefermente was lykewise cast off so as hee was not counted for the linage of Abraham nor yet was made partaker of the promised blissing There was no mo left but Iacob Yea and although the father blissed his sonne Iacob through ignorance and mistaking yet he declareth that it was not in him to reuoke or chaunge the thing that hee had vttered with his mouth bycause he was the instrument of the holy Ghost Now then if we take the seede of Abraham for all those that came of his race The Ismaelites or Agarenes as they be called and such other lyke and moreouer the Edomites also should be of his houshold But the heritage is taken quite and cleane from them Therefore the seede of Abraham must be considered after a peculiar
fashion Let vs go forward with the whole processe VVe see that without faith there should be no bond to knit any Church togither nor any assurance whereby to know which is the seede of Abraham or to discerne it from the rest of the world but by resorting to the head that is too wit to our Lord Iesus Christ Ye see then that the vnion of the body dependeth vpon the head that is to wit vppon the Redeemer Seeing it doth so not without cause doth Sainct Paule say that it was not spoken of many seedes but that wee must come too one man if we will haue the spirituall people that is to say if wee will haue the Churche of God our Lorde Iesus Christ must bee the marke that we must begin to looke at and wee must bee gathered vnto him and those that are of his body and cleaue vntoo him by fayth are the folke that are reckened for Gods children and houshold and are verily the seede of Abraham as he discourseth more at large in the Epistle to the Romanes where he sayth that all they which come of the seede of Israell after the flesh are not therefore Israelites And why For there was but one promised chylde which was Isaac So then wee must come to our Lorde Iesus Christe in whome all Gods promises are Yea and Amen and in whome they haue theyr substance For without him there is nothing else but soattering And therefore it is said in the first Chapter to the Colossians that our Lorde Iesus Christs office is to gather togither all things that were scattered as well in heauen as in earthe and that without him al should go to wrecke But now we see more cleerely how Sainct Paules meening is that before the law was published to the world wherevpâ—â— was put and added this condition that it behoued vs to fulfill all that is conteined therein God had yeelded a record of his will before hand whiche was that bycause hee saw mankind damned and forlorne he inteÌ„ded to draw out a chosen sort to hymselfe and to be mercifull to them And that was not for one linage alone but for all nations as the scripture expresseth And there of the foundation was layd in our Lord Iesus Christ For asmuch then as our Lord Iesus Christe was already in the tyme of Abraham ordeyned to be a mediator to make attonemeÌ„t betweene God and vs so that if we go in his name to seeke fauour it is ready for vs and we cannot be disappointed of our hope seeing it is so stablished there is no chaunge but wee must assure ourselues that God accepteth vs at this day so we rest wholly vpoÌ„ our Lord Iesus Christ knowing that it was no vncerteine couenant whiche was so ratifyed in his name but that it shall endure for euer and be always of force Ye see then that we may come freely before God and call vpon him as our father bycause he hath adopted vs for his chidreÌ„ whiche thing he hath not done in respect of any worthinesse that was in vs but of his owne meere mercie and bycause we bee made one with our Lord Iesus Christ by faith And by the way like as we must reiect all opinion and imagination of obteyning fauour at Gods hand by our owne deseruings and of assuring our owne saluation so must we looke wel to that which is told vs heere namely that we cannot be partakers of such a benefite but by faith Now as I haue sayd afore faith importeth an imbracing of Gods mercy whiche thing cannot bee done except wee bee touched earnestly with our own wretchednesse for it is not for naught that our Lord Iesus Christ setteth our cursednesse before vs as it were in a glasse by taking vpon him to be accursed for vs. Faith therefore cannot be without repentance for it is vnpossible that we shoulde seeke our welfare in God or desire mercie at his hand till miserie touch vs to the quicke and make vs to mislike of it And so these skoffers whiche mocke God weltring still in their vyces and beeing as it were sotted in them must not looke that euer Iesus Christ shoulde recken them in the number of hys for they cannot by any meanes come at him nother doth he call any other than suche as are so ouerloden and forweeryed as they can no longer hold out and lye groning vnder the burthen of their sinnes Thus ye see how it behoueth vs to resort to our Lord Iesus Christe and that although we cannot bring any desert vnto him and that all the Ceremonies of the law and all the profers that we can make vnto him do nothing at all further our saluation yet we must be prepared to suche lowlinesse as we may perceiue our state to be right miserable till God haue taken vs to his mercy and we must be so beaten downe in ourselues as wee may feele the curse that should light vpon vs if we were not raunsomed with so high and excellent a price as I haue declared heeretofore Yee see then that by faythe wee receiue the promis of the spirite and thereby are linked to oure Lord Iesus Christ and too the spirituall seede of Abraham For although we be not borne of his linage yet is it ynough that wee be made atone with him by faith For then are wee begotten againe of that incorruptible seed wherof S. Peter speaketh that is to wit of Gods word such as it is conteyned in the Gospell And beeing so begotten agayne we know that God auoweth vs too be of the body of his only sonne And although wee come of the Gentiles yet fayle we not for all that to be ioyned to the Church whervntoo there needeth no more but only fayth and as for all merites and vertues of men they must vtterly ceasse in that behalfe and men must acknowledge that they cannot bring any thing but confusion so as they must be faine to seeke all at Gods hande and that by the meanes whiche hee hymselfe hath appointed Now sith it is so let vs learne to leaue our wandering heere and there as we see lightheaded men do whiche are neuer contented with that which God telleth them but are euer adding somewhat of theyr owne deuice Let vs beware of such mingling as shall be treated of more at large after dinner by Gods will And let Iesus Chryste alone suffise vs seeyng that our welfare dependeth wholly vppon hym alone and wee shall want nothing if wee bee partakers of hym as we see how Sainct Paule bringeth vs backe too that poynte Furthermore let vs learne also too holde vs too Gods truth assuring ourselues that hee cannot abyde too haue any adding vntoo it bycause that were a marring reuersing and falsifying of his couenant wherein oure welfare consisteth But when we haue once imbraced our Lorde Iesus Christ let vs abyde fast in him and let hym suffise vs for all and then maye wee call vppon GOD with full mouth
knowing well that although wee bee of the race of cursed Adam yet notwithstanding for asmuch as wee bee blissed agayne in Iesus Chryste hee acknowledgeth vs alwayes for his Children bycause wee be grounded vppon the free adoption whiche not without cause he willed too bee published through the whole worlde to the intent we might haue the gate opened and the way made easie for vs to come vnto him But now let vs fal downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgement of our faultes praying him to make vs perceiue them more and more that we may in suche wise mislike of them as we may labour and indeuer ourselues to honor and serue him in true obedience all our life long and whereas we cannot do it to the full for that is vnpossible considering our frailtie that hee will hold vs vp till he haue rid vs of al the corruptions of our flesh and clothed vs againe with his owne rightuousnesse the whiche he beginneth in vs already as now and giueth vs certayne firstfrutes of it to assure vs that he will performe the thing that he hathe begonne And so let vs all say Almightie God heauenly father c. The .xx. Sermon which is the sixth vpon the third Chapter 15. BrethreÌ„ I speake after the maner of men Although it be but a mans Testament yet if it be proued no man breaketh it or putteth aught to it 16. Novv the promises vvere spoken to Abraham and his seede He sayth not and to the seedes as speaking of manie but as of one and in thy seede vvhiche is Christe 17. This is it that I say as touching the couenant that vvas confirmed before by God in Christe the lavv vvhich came foure hundred and thirtie yeeres after cannot impeach or abolish the promis 11. For if the inheritaÌ„ce come by the lavv then commeth it not of promis but God gaue it to Abraham by promis IT were great shame for vs if God should beare no more sway with vs than mortall creatures For what comparison is there betwixt his maiestie and the state of men which are but a fading shadow And yet notwithstanding it is an ordinarie matter with men too preferre themselues before God which is so ougly a thyng that if the Sunne were matched with the darknesse of hell it were not so great a confusion as to exalt men aboue him to whome all honor belongeth But howsoeuer the cace stande it is a vice as I sayd which hath euermore reigned and stil reigneth at this day too much in the world For looke what man speaketh it shall strayghtways be beleeued and if folke be loth to do it of their owne good will yet must they be fayne to hold them to it in all matters that are allowed by law Behold God speaketh yea and that right substantially so as he ouerslippeth not any thing that may giue credite and assurednesse to his word and yet notwithstanding we bee always in a mamering or else we fall to flat reasoning against hym Must it not needes be then that we be out of our wittes when wee diminish Gods authoritie after that fashion and yeeld more credit to creatures than to him that made both heauen and earth wyth his only word and mainteyneth all things by the same That is the cause why S. Paule in this text vseth this preface I speake sayth he after the manner of men For if hee had sayd no more but thys Couenantes shall bee kept heere bylow without breaking or repealing and therefore needes must Gods promis bee euerlasting that had bin true but yet had he spoken too coldly of Gods maiestie in raunging him so in aray among earthly creatures But whereas hee sayth that hee speaketh after the manner of men it is all one as if he had sayd that he vseth not such maner of stile and speech as might beseeme to treate of the maiestie of God For both the Sunne and Moone ought too forgo their brightnesse when Gods glory commeth in presence All of it must needes bee darkened what shall then become of those that are but as flyes frogges crauling vpon the earth For make men neuer so much of their painted sheath yet are they lesse than naught worthe before God Now when wee heere this wee should bee the more restreyned that wee vse no replying but with all reuerence take in good worth the thing that is tolde vs heere that is too wit that if God haue voutsafed too giue them full assurednesse of their saluation which receiue the promise that is preached vntoo them wee must not take vpon vs to reason against him For when a deede is passed among men if it bee entered of record it shall be receyued and go for good euidence and what then shall bee done when God shall haue opened his holy mouth to beare vs recorde of his good will Is there any solemnitie among men that commeth neere too the glory of God who will haue vs too sticke too that which he hath spoken and vttered True it is as I haue touched alreadie that we ought to fight agaynst the lewdnesse which is rooted in vs too yeelde credite vnto God for wee bee so bent to mistrustfulnesse that not one worde of the things whiche God hathe vttered shall euer haue setling in our harts except wee haue fought agaynst the vice wherein wee bee so sore intangled So then euery of vs when he commeth too bee taught in Gods worde must examine what is in himselfe and when he seeth him selfe subiect still too many distrustes and doubts he must mislike of it and pray God to touch all his senses in suche wise too the quicke that he may rest wholly vpon the thing which he heareth at his hande according also as it is the office of the holy Ghost to seale in our hearts the truthe which is certayne inough of it selfe howbeeit that it bee not certayne vnto vs till it be assured too vs from aboue For if wee were of our owne mouing inclined to beleeue God the holy Ghoste should not neede to worke in that behalfe But it is sayde that he is the very Seale wherewith God marketh vs and whereby â–ª he imprinteth and ingraueth in our harts the â—â—ings whiche else should neuer be receyued Yea and wee must also marke well that Sainct Paule setteth downe heere two wordes namely that no man diminisheth or disanulleth the thing that is authorized among men by lawfull and orderly meanes nor also addeth any thing too it For althoughe wee bee not alwayes vtter rebels yet are our wittes stil tickling vs too make some additions and gloses to Gods worde and we can not abide to holde vs to the simplicitie that is conteyned there Then if wee consider well what wee bee without selfe soothing euery of vs shall finde two vices in vs. The one is that when God hath spoken vnto vs wee can not throughly consent to say Amen vnfaynedly or to accept his promises or to bee
Yee see then that wee cannot inioy any thing at all vnlesse wee bee Gods children And for the same cause also Sainct Paule in the fourth too the Romanes thinkes it not ynough too set downe the heauenly lyfe and euerlasting saluation but also nameth the heritage of the worlde and sayeth that Abraham was made heire of the worlde and that the same was not for that man alone but for all menne in generall Therefore whereas God adopteth vs and telleth vs that he will be gracious vntoo vs it is too the end that while wee liue heere beneath wee should bee fedde by his hand and he in giuing vs foode make vs too taste aforehand of the loue whiche he beareth vs and of the care that he hath ouer vs. Too bee shorte wee may and ought also too beholde Gods fatherly goodnesse in all his creatures Doo wee open our eyes and looke vpon the light of the Sunne Euen there dooth God shewe himselfe a father towardes vs. VVhen wee eate and receyue our sustenance God reacheth out his hande too shewe that wee bee alreadie fedde by him as his owne children Too bee shorte in all things and by all meanes he maketh vs too taste his fatherly loue aforehand too the intent wee shoulde bee confirmed in the things that he sheweth vs in the Gospell that is too wit that he hath reserued a better heritage for vs as for his children whom he hath adopted Then must all creatures direct vs vntoo heauenward But surely wee doo the cleane contrarie for wee apply Gods creatures to our owne lustes so as wee behilde downe still by them heere To bee shorte looke how many helpes God hath giuen vs too drawe vs too him so many lettes haue wee too holde vs backe in the worlde For wee neuer passe too knowe howe wee should bee reckened for Gods children so wee may liue at our ease in this worlde that is ynough for vs. But yet for all that it standeth vs greatly on hande too perceyue that God dooth alreadie in this worlde shewe himselfe a father towardes vs and intendeth too doo vs too wit what a care he hath of vs too the ende wee shoulde learne too referre our selues wholly vntoo him and there too reste Yee see then that by this woorde Heritage or Inheritance God sheweth firste that whatsoeuer he offereth vs is of his owne meere free bounteousnesse and secondly that wee bee so cursed that wee haue no righte too any thing no not euen too a droppe of water excepte God make vs his heyres and that muste bee done all onely for our Lorde Iesus Christes sake And therefore we must once againe call to rememberance how wee haue heretofore seene that the promis was made too Iesus Christe Then is not Abraham the stay and shoote anker thereof And for that cause also is our Lord Iesus named the heyre of all things and looke what he hath peculiar too himselfe that doothe he communicate too vs as too the members of his bodie In that respect also doth S. Paule say that the saying whiche is written in the seuenth verse of the eyght Psalme whiche is that he is made Lord of all things ought too bee applied first of all to his persone True it is that the sayd text is spoken of all men according as wee see how God hath put all beastes of the earth in subiection to man so as they bee fayne too die too giue vs sustenance and too clothe vs and keepe vs warme Againe we see how the earth yeeldeth vs frutes Therefore the lordship of the worlde is giuen vntoo vs how beit that is but by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christe For as I haue touched alreadie if wee bee separated from him wee bee forthwith so cut of from Gods house that the inheritance of them belongeth no more vntoo vs than too the furthest straungers in the worlde But nowe let vs come too the chiefe poynt that is contayned heere S. Paule sayeth that this heritage commeth not of the Lawe but of Fayth VVhereas he vseth these twoo speaches and cuppleth them toogither they bee things flat contrarie as I haue tolde you heretofore Not that the lawe is contrarie too fayth but bycause that too bee iustified before God and too obtayne fauour and mercie at his hand cannot come too passe by the Lawe The Lawe was not giuen too that end as we shall see in the next Sermon but too the cleane contrarie So then seyng that the heritage commeth by fayth we must conclude that our woorkes can doo nothing and that wee must bee fayne too come to God vtterly emptie as poore beggers too craue too bee filled by him bicause wee haue not one drop of goodnesse in our selues Yee see then whereat S. Paule ameth when he sayeth that the inheritance cōmeth of fayth and not of the lawe according also as God gaue it vntoo Abraham in respect of fayth And let vs marke that if wee bee not able too deserue any nurrishment in this worlde what shall wee bee able too doo towardes the possessing of the kingdome of heauen VVhen there is any talking of corruptible sustenance it is nothing in comparison of the heauenly glorie For it is sayde that wee shall bee made parttakers of the glorie of our God and that then wee shall bee all in all things But as now wee cannot deserue so much as one bit of bread for the inheritance cōmeth of fayth that is to say all that euer God hath promised men is of his owne meere free goodnesse And howe can wee then purchace the Realme of Paradice what a pryde is it for men to presume to come to it by their own strength must it not needes be that they are caried away with a terrible rage Moreouer in saying that God gaue all things to our father Abraham in respect of his fayth S. Paule doth yet better expresse and shewe that which I haue told you alreadie namely that man is able to deserue nothing of himself and that he must bee fayne too haue all of free gift He had sayd afore as we haue seene already that the promises were made and vttered but here he vseth the woord Giuing As if he should say here is not a bargayne betweene partie partie too say I will do this and thou shalt do that I wil sell and thou shalt buy but God doth freely giue and man doth but onely receiue Seing then that we must come vnto God to receyue that which he offereth vs and that we haue not any other title to the things that we looke for at his hand than only by free gift let vs forget all the worthinesse which we imagine to be in our selues and acknowledge that we be nothing And surely S. Paule vseth one other maner of speach which serueth to expresse better the thing that is ment here which is that if the heritage came by the Law the promis were disanulled and so consequently faith Therefore to be
leadeth vs right forth to heauē And whereas I said that they were inferior to vs in the measure of faith I meene not that Abraham Dauid other like had a weaker faythe thā we for seeke we neuer so narowly through the whole world it is not to be presumed that any one creature is to bee found at thys day which hath the hundreth part of the faith of Abraham or Dauid And the excellēcie of their faith appeereth in this that although they had not the promises so apparant as we haue but very darkly yet notwithstāding they ouerdame all such temptations as woulde haue ouerthrowē vs a hundred thousand times If any of vs wer put to the induring of the incoūters of Abraham or Dauid what would become of vs For Abraham was a wayfarer al his life lōg in a strāge country wher mē grudged him water to drinke though he himselfe digged the welles He was put to as many plunges as could be Finally God exercised him in so many incoūters that he semed to be minded to throw him into the bottom of hel and yet neuerthelesse his faith abideth stil vnvāquished As touching Dauid he was driuē a lōg time frō place to place Being hunted out of the whole realme hauing no succour to retire vnto but 〈◊〉 amōg the infidels and enimies of God or else into dennes and among wyld beastes he was moreouer put to such reproche that euery man cursed him as the veriest villayne and kaytif in the world and yet for all that he hild out still hee called still vppon God and hee neuer fell to any murmuring or blaspheming but rather glorifyed God in those his extremities and distresses So then wee see that their faith ought to make vs all ashamed And when euery of vs shall haue looked wel into his owne conscience wee shall fynd that wee scarsly haue any little peece of the faith that they had But the greatnesse of their faith must not be measured heere by the constancie and ablenesse that euery of them had to trust in God VVhereby then By the outward obiect of their fayth As for example Although Esay was an excellēt teacher so that his like is not to be found in the world yet the least preacher that setteth foorth the Gospell purely shall be preferred before Esay as is auouched by the mouth of our Lord Iesus Christ hymselfe And why is that Bycause that although Esay was as an Angell and spake with such authoritie yea and maiestie as were able to touch the hartes to the quicke which are most falne aslepe in this world in somuch that euen God himselfe seemeth to haue opened his owne holy mouth in him and his words were not as the words of a mortall man yet did he hold but the manner of teaching that was conueniēt for that tyme that is to say he did set foorth the lād of Chanaan as a pledge to those whom he taught keepe them to the Sacrifises washings figures shadowes al other like things whervnder he shewed what the happinesse of gods children is As for example we see how he likeneth the church to a palace builded of gold siluer and preciouse stones Yee see then that his maner of dealing was fashioned vnto the darknesse of the law But now our Lord Iesus Christ is set forth vnto vs although a simple man preach the Gospel which hath nother great eloquence nor authoritie yet shall hee as it were poynt at Iesus Christe with his fingar he shall shew vs how we be in the time of fulnesse and therwithall hee shall assure vs that our sinnes are forgiuen vs in the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christe in somuch that Gods wrath is pacified and victorie obteyned for vs ouer death Thus ye see that the diuersitie is 〈◊〉 doctrine and not in the qualitie of the fayth as it is in euery mans heart For although Abrahā had a wonderfull fayth and such a one as we shall not finde nowadayes in the worlde yet was it alwayes hemmed in with the sayd Ceremonies and shadowes Dauid was an Angell and myrror of all perfection and yet for all that he was faine to be subiect to the same order that the common people were and to vse all the Ceremonies that were then in vse and his looking at Iesus Christ was but a farre off bycause there was the said Curtain before him which letted him that hee coulde not beholde his glorie as it is shewed vs nowadayes in the Gospell And although we know not the hundredth part of the things that were disclozed to Dauid and Abraham to make them inuincible agaynst all temptations and to make them fight so manfully that god might be glorified in them and to make them beare out all brunts yet had they not that which we haue that is to wit they had not the pledge Iesus Christ deliuered vnto them as we haue to the ende we might call vppon God his father bycause we be members of his bodie and hee is our heade assuring our selues that he and we are all one with condition that his goodes become ours and that we haue full inioyment of them at this day Thus yee see that our fayth is greater than Abrahams was not in respect of our persones nor yet in respect of any stedfastnesse and firmnesse that is in vs but in respect of the doctrine or teaching of it which we terme the obiect of fayth that is too say the thing that is sette before vs from without And so ye see why Saint Paule sayeth that the fathers were hilde in warde as it were vnder a Schoolemayster tyll the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe we for our part haue cause too magnifie Gods goodnesse according also as oure Lorde Iesus Christ exhorteth vs saying blessed are the eyes which see that which you see and the eares which heare that whiche you heare For many Kings and Prophets haue desired the like and haue gone without it Beholde Abraham was called Gods freend Beholde Dauid is reported too haue bin founde according too Gods owne heart and yet for all that hee was fayne too looke aloofe at the promises which are now as it were cast into our lappes and whereof we haue our fill They sought Iesus Christ then absent and hidden and they wayted for him But now that our Lord Iesus Christ hath come downe into the worlde and bin conuersant here he hath gyuen vs a sure warrant that all is performed as he himselfe declared at his death VVhat a lewdnesse then is it if we nowadayes bee not much the more inflamed and quickened vp to followe the promises of the Gospell where God communicateth himselfe so familiarly vnto vs So then on the one side wee haue cause too yeelde vnto God his deserued prayse for that he hath vouchsafed to exalt vs I say vs miserable creatures to so high dignitie as to preferre vs before all the holy kings and Patriarkes
the end we shoulde knowe that onely fayth ought to suffice vs to the atteyning of saluation without seeking any other meanes one way or other too helpe vs. VVhat shoulde wee desyre more than that God shoulde acknowledge vs for his children VVill we needes haue an ouerplus added too so inestimable a benefite Ye see then that our full felicitie and perfect glorie is that we haue leaue to call vppon God as our father not doubting but that seeing he hath receyued vs into his fauour hee will also handle vs as his owne children But howe shall we come by that Saint Paule sayth it is onely fayth that maketh vs parttakers of that dignitie Then let vs conclude that the Lawe can nothing aduauntage vs or else it must needes bee that wee bee woonderfull couetous yea and as good as out of our wits to desire more than too be the children of God The Angelles are greatly honoured in the holy Scripture and yet the cheefe tytle that is giuen them is that they be the children of God Now seeing that we we I say poore wormes of the earth in whom there is nothing but filthynesse no nor aught but corruption of sinne bee matched with the Angelles insomuch that God openeth vs the kingdome of heauen and intendeth too haue vs fellowes with them who bee vertues are nere about him seing I say that we be made partakers of that glorie shall we be so presumptuous to seeke I wot not what moreouer Truely it is not onely fayth that maketh vs to obteyne that benefite VVherfore lette vs learne to renounce all other meanes that may bee set before vs for when men offer vs any other helpes as though the fayth that we haue in him were not sufficient it is but a turning of vs away from our Lorde Iesus Christ That then is Saint Paules meaning But wee shall neuer conceyue the frute that is conteined in this texte except we alwayes beare in minde that by this worde Fayth S. Paule meaneth to exclude all the desert worthinesse that men suppose or imagin thēselues able to bring with thē vnto God VVhen they will needs go through with the matter by their owne power and vertues It is all one as if they would cut off a peece of the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ But he cannot be rent in peeces or deuided Therefore all the working of our saluation must come of him alone and we must not skulk heere and there nor seeke bywayes but come right forth vnto him by the streyte way of fayth Herevpon S. Paule addeth that beeing baptised in Iesus Christ we haue put him on And this is too take away a doubt that might be cast heere namely howe it is possible that we should become the children of God seeing that that dignitie is peculiar to our Lorde Iesus Christ For whereas he is called the Sonne of God the Apostle sheweth that that tytle cannot be verified of the verie Angels of heauen True it is as I haue sayde heretofore that they be named the children of God howbeeit that is not without an addition So is it out of doubt that there is not any creature to whom that dignitie belongeth But nowe seeing that Iesus Christ is the only sonne of God howe doth the same extende vntoo vs S. Paule declareth that it is by reason of the vnion that is betwixt him and vs according as it is sayd in the .xvij. Chapter of S. Iohn Then if we were not one with our Lorde Iesus Christ surely wee should haue none acquaintance at all wyth God for we be quite cutte off from all hope of lyfe by sinne Yea and wee must needes be as deadly enimies vnto him and he vnto vs till hee haue altered and renued vs. Howsoeuer the worlde go beeing separated from Iesus Christ and considered in our owne nature we bee vnworthie too be called men and therefore much lesse can we boast that God is our father But here as I sayde Saint Paule intended to assoyle that question saying that by Baptisme we be clothed with our Lord Iesus Christ And this similitude of clothing is verie ryfe in the holy Scripture and it betokeneth in effect that Iesus Christ is our apparell or rayment whereby all is couered and buryed that might make vs to be reiected at Gods hand and grace is purchased vnto vs so as he doth not any more sift vs and search vs in our selues but accepteth vs as if we came in the very person of his owne Sonne To be short Saint Paule ment to shew here the vnion that is betwene our Lord Iesus Christ and all the faythfull which are the members of his body And like as all the substance of a tree commeth from the root and al the powers and abilities of a natural bodie come from the head euen so is it betwene the sonne of God and vs. For as I haue sayd alredy we haue not so much as one drop of the heauenly life but of his inspyring or breathing into vs. Therefore if we will come vnto God and be partakers of the holy Ghost and of the giftes that belong to the endlesse life let vs be in Iesus Christ and not thinke our selues to be any thing or aught worth of our selues And for the same cause our Lorde Iesus Christ in the sayd text which I alledged out of the xvij of S. Iohn setting out the true and perfect happinesse of his fayeth Father I pray thee that they may bee made one with vs. Ye see then that the way for vs to get out of the dungeon of death wherein we were drowned is to be vnited to our Lord Iesus Christ by the bond of fayth Now S. Paule sayth that that is done in Baptisme Not that all they which are baptized are true members of Iesus Christ in deede for we see the cleane contrarie insomuch that there are some which vnhallow and defile all the holinesse of Baptisme and are giltie of high treason too God bicause that whereas they professe to holde of Iesus Christ they despyze and spyte him and are as dung and filthinesse too marre all things Baptisme then maketh vs not all Christians and againe wee knowe that too bee made the childe of God is too great a benefite to bee fathered vppon a corruptible Element VVhat is the water Too say that the water begetteth or regenerateth vs againe and that thereby we be deliuered from death and obteyne the glorie wherein God lyfteth vs vp too himselfe as say I a peruerting of all order But first of all let vs marke here that when Saint Paule speaketh of Baptisme he presupposeth that we receyue the thing that is offered vnto vs in it Many that are baptised do wype away the grace of God and notwithstanding that it be offered them yet they make themselues vnworthie of it through their vnbeleef lewdnesse and rebellion Thus yee see that the power of baptisme is disfeated in many men But when there happeneth
shadowes bicause that nowe a dayes wee haue the body and the substaunce Seeing it is so if a man should set foorth the ceremonies of the Lawe he should separate them froÌ„ our Lord Iesus Christ and what should they be then They would be of no force For as I sayd afore if a man separate them for our Lorde Iesus Christ surely they shall bee but pelting trash Therefore when men kept the ceremonies so as they were applied to their lawful vse they were good exercises and the old fathers mispente not their time bicause they were confirmed by them in the hope of their saluation and they were vntoo them a warrante of Gods fatherly loue towardes them and they led them to oure Lorde Iesus Christe the fountayne of all welfare But if men busie themselues in keeping the ceremonies without knowing why or wherfore surely it is but flat mockerie For the Heathen men dyd make sacrifice also and some of them had no Idols thinking that they offered too God the maker of heauen earth and yet whereto did al their Sacrifises serue them but to their condemnation For they had ouerthrowen Gods order bycause they ameÌ„d not at our Lord Iesus Christ Now then Sainct Paul doth not without cause say that when the Ceremonies of the law tend not to the seeking of all our welfare in our Lorde Iesus Christe they are but beggerly Ceremonies that is to saye corruptible thinges of this world and consequently things of no force and vnprofitable bycause that Iesus Christ who is the quickner of all things is not ther. And this is yet so much the better to be marked to the ende we be not beguiled It is said that in old time all men offered Sacrifise and thought they worshipped God and yet notwithstanding that the seruis of all such as had not their beleefe settled in Iesus Christ was reiected For the Apostle in the eleuenth to the Hebrues saith that the only thing that made Abels Sacrifise acceptable was faith Now then for asmuch as the heathen men did in their sacrifising imagin God to be fleshly and that they could make their attonemeÌ„t with him by such meanes they buzied themselues about outwarde things and considered not that in asmuch as we be faultie it standeth vs on hand to haue an excellenter raunsome than we caÌ„ bring any If we had a hundred worlds to giue they were not ynough too redeeme any one misdeede that we haue done against God Therfore the Sacrifise that should answer for all our sinnes must of necessitie be heauenly The heathen men coÌ„sidered not this but stood poring vpon the shadow of it as the Turkes and Iewes do yet still at this day who by their often washing of themselues both euen and morne and at noone and by theyr other Ceremonies confesse themselues to be defyled and to haue neede to be clenzed by some others and yet do renounce our Lord Iesus Christ who is the very cleannesse whereby we must be made cleane according also as in very deede it is he that hath wiped away all our spottes Seeing it a so then all they that keepe any Ceremonies in hope to get any fauour at Gods hand by them do not only beguile and martir themselues in vayne without any profit but also do certeinly prouoke Gods wrath still more and more Now we on our side are taughte that our Lord Iesus Christ hath shed his bloud too wash our soules withall Then if we seeke any other â—â—nzing or purgatory besides surely it is an intollerable trecherie And if Sainct Paule spake so of the Ceremonies of the lawe what shall wee say of all the toyes and gewgawes that are nowadayes in poperie For beholde the Papists weene to win much by taking of holywater by babling this and that by keeping of holidayes by tyring themselues in gadding on some pilgrimage by setting vp a waxcandle before some puppet by chaunting masse by note and by saying of thus many or thus many tymes their beads ouer I say they hope well to make attonement with God by such meanes But it is certeine that they plunge themselues the deeper in hell and cast themselues further intoo Satans snares by it as though they had confederated themselues with him to their owne destruction To bee shorte all the Ceremonies of poperie are vtter renouncings of our Lorde Iesus Christ and of the pure truth which hee hath purchaced for vs by his death and resurrection and of the grace that is offered vs at this day in the Gospell For they may well bring what shrowding-sheetes they list but they cannot disproue the holie Ghost who hath vttered the sayd sentence by the mouth of Sainct Paule Then do we see in effect what is shewed vs heere Now as touching the particular whiche Sainct Paule alledgeth heere concerning dayes mooneths and yeeres he meeneth not the seasons of winter and sommer nor the discerning of one day from another nor that men shoulde not recken yeeres and mooneths but hee speaketh of the feasts that were commaunded in the Lawe and which those deceiuers would needes haue to bee kept still euen as of necessitie In which cace there was a kind of binding and thraldome and it was an abolishing of the fredome that was purchaced for vs by our Lord Iesus Christ Lo heere the cause why Sainct Paule vseth such vehementnesse howbeit that hee did it also in respect of the foresayde falshood for it was requisite that our Lord Iesus Christ should haue bin knowen in all those figures and that men should haue amed at that marke But they that had beguiled the Galathians had bound them to the cleane contrary seeing that by holding still the feast of Passeouer and other feastes they intended to bring them backe agayne to the olde forworne figures which ought to be abolished In olde time when men kept 〈◊〉 Easter day vnder the lawe it was to the end that the people beeing put in minde of their deliuerance out of the thraldome of Egypt should looke for the great redemption that was promised them And for that cause Sainct Paule saith that our Easter lamb that is to wit Iesus Christe is offered vp already He sheweth that the thing which had bin figured by the pascall lamb that was offered in the law was now fulfilled in the person of our mediator In like cace was it with the feast of Tabernacls or Tents whereby God did put the Iewes in rememberance that they had dwelled in the wildernesse where there was nother house nor building and yet had continued there a long time traueling too and fro And that was also a warning too them that thys lyfe is but a wayfaring where through we must passe in hast As muche is too be sayde of the firstlings when men came to offer vp theyr firste frutes vntoo God Agayne when the Iewes made solemne confession of their sinnes it was a figure to leade them too Iesus Christe whych was promised to them But
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
Beholde I Paule doo tell you that if yee be circumcised Christ shall profite you nothing at all 3 And agayne I protest to euery man that is circuÌ„cised that he is bounde to keepe the vvhole lavve WE haue seene heeretofore that to haue a state of continuance in the Churche wee muste bee grounded vpon our Lord Iesus Christ For many doo boast themselues to be Gods children who notwithstanding are not begotten of the true seede which maketh the differeÌ„ce wherby God auoweth and acknowledgeth vs for his children Therfore if we wil be truly knit to our Lord Iesus Christ we must hold fast the doctrine of the Gospell that he as our heade and mediator may ioyne vs to God his father Therwithall I haue declared that the cause why S. Paul speaketh so of boÌ„d free seed is for that they which seeke their righteousnesse in their owne vertues do alienate theÌ„selues froÌ„ our lord Iesus Christ froÌ„ his grace For by that meanes they bind theÌ„selues to an impossibilitie that is to say to satisfie God in keeping his coÌ„maundements But there is such weaknes in vs as none of vs is able to perform the least point of the law and therfore much lesse can we attaine to the perfectioÌ„ that is shewed vs heere And for that cause S. Paul coÌ„cludeth now â–ª that we must stand fast in the freedome which our Lord Iesus Christ hath purchased for vs. It is certayn that he treateth heere of the ceremonies of the law but yet must we always resort to the welhead and cheefe poynt For if the matter concerned no further than the keeping of a holyday or the forbearing of some kinde of meate it were not of so great weighâ— that suche strife should bee moued for it in the Church But Sainct Paule pored not vppon a matter so slight and of so small importance He had an eye to the doctrine he considered that if meÌ„ should be tyde to do this thing or that thing of necessitie it were an excluding of them from the hope of saluation For if I must needes performe a thing vnder peine of deadly sinne then if I fayle I am become a transgresser and there is no shift for me bycause God is my iudge and I must be fayne to come too account and there is no meanes to redeeme me Now it is certaine that al of vs are subiect to the keeping of the law but yet notwithstanding there is a remedie for it which is to runne vnto our Lord Iesus Christ in all our needes who was made subiect to the law to purchace vs freedome and bare our curse to discharge vs of it Now if any necessitie be layd vpon vs againe too say that the doing of this or that is sinne then cannot our Lord Iesus Christ stand vs in any more stead as I sayde afore by reason whereof we must needes bee plunged in our owne cursednesse without any manner of releefe Therefore it is not without cause that Sainct Paule exhorteth the Galathians to hold their owne and not too suffer themselues to be brought into bondage For by that meanes he faith that they shall be bereft of inestimable benefyte euen so farre foorth as they shall be falne quite away from Gods grace or fauour and vtterly separated from our Lord Iesus Christ in whome lieth all our welfare and happinesse Now that wee may the better conceiue S. Paules meening and also reape the frute that is offered vs in thys text Let vs marke that by this word Libertie oâ— freedome it is meant that we may walke with full confidence before God and that hee will alwayes be fauorable so that although wee bee giltie of many offences yet we shall be quit of them for our Lord Iesus Christes sake and moreouer that it is not in mans power to bridle vs or too hold vs in bondage but that it ought to suffise vs to yeld ourselues obedient vnto God howbeit not after a slauish and constreyned fashion but as children yeeld themselues subiect too their father knowing well that their father will not handle them roughly Thus ye see what is meant by the worde libertie or freedome whiche S. Paule vseth Neuerthelesse to the end that this shortnesse bee not darksome I will declare it more aâ—â—â—ge So long as we be in doubt whither God do loue vs or hate vs there will always bee trouble and vnquietnesse in our consciences and we shall be as it were locked vp in prison So then there will be no freedome in our mindes till we know and be throughly perswaded that God is at one wyth vs and that he receiueth vs into his fauoure grace though we be not worthy of it But it is impossible for vs to haue any certeintie of it except we haue our quittance alwayes before our eyes which was made vs in the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Chryste VVhy so For as I said afore we be indetted vnto God many wais yea infinite wayes For we be bouÌ„d to keepe the law and we breake it a hundred times a day yea euen or euer we thinke of it Again we offend euen in grosse faultes But howsoeuer we deale we cannot assure ourselues of Gods loue vnlesse wee bee discharged againste him of the obligation of euerlasting death wherein we staÌ„d bound Now we atteine that benefyte when we be perswaded by the Gospel that the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ was shed to wash away al our spottes and that his death is a sufficient sacrifise too appease Gods wrath and to wipe out the remembrance of al our offences iniquities Ye see then that the way to set vs free is to know that God receiueth vs to mercie for our Lord Iesus Christs sake that our faults sins shal not hinder vs to find fauor alwais in his sight or to haue familiar accesse vnto him as children haue vntoo theyr fathers SecoÌ„dly we must not be wauering too fro to make coÌ„science of euery thing that meÌ„ deuise of their owne heads but walke stedfastly according to gods word knowing moreouer that our coÌ„scieÌ„ces are free that whither men coÌ„mand or forbid any thing it is nothing to vs I meene as in respect of the spirituall regiment of our soules For we talke not heere of ciuil policie nor of the common life of men but of our saluation So then all things ought too bee free vntoo vs when they bee not forbidden vs by Gods owne mouth Yet is it not ynough that we haue Gods word for our guide without mingling any thing at all with it but as I haue touched alreadye we must therewithall know that God accepteth our affection when he seeth vs willing to obey him and that although there be much faultinesse and ouer many infirmities in vs and that we come halting vnto him and 〈◊〉 that all that euer wee doo were trifling toyes if he listed to examin them with rigorâ— yet neuerthelesse he taketh al in good woorth And
why For he beareth with vs as a father with his childrē That therfore is the freedom wherein we must stand except we wil be separated frō our lord Iesus Christ For as I haue sayd alreadie if we beleeue not assuredly that God loueth vs though we be vnworthie of it and that his louing of vs is bycause our sinnes are buryed by the death and passion of oure Lord Iesus Christ what will become of vs what shal Iesus Christe boote vs Ageyn if we be in doubt and vnquietnesse not knowing whether God accept our seruice or no and therwithall be bounde to the keeping of this or that at mennes appoyntment the intangling of our selues in so many debatyngs will neuer suffer vs too haue any rest Neyther is it without cause that Saint Paule hauing exhorted the faythfull to continue in the freedome that was purchased them so dearly addeth that Iesus Christe shall not profite them at all vnlesse they know the thing that he hath purchased for them and suffer not themselues to be in any wise bereft of it by men Nowe we see heere that the freedome which Sainct Paule speaketh of is not to giue vs leaue to doo what we our selues thinke good as though he layd the reynes of the brydle vpon our necke and that will he also protest in place conuenient Then intendeth he none other thing than that we might serue God quietly without greef of mind without constreint and without any continuall tormenting of our selues with diuersitie of debatings doubtfull scruples as wee see the vnbeleeuers do namely such as haue not their trust wholly settled vpon our Lord Iesus Christ Therfore besides that which hath bin sayd alredie we haue to mark further that the end of that freedome is too bee able too carie a cheerfull and quiet minde before God For without that wee shall neuer haue the hart to obey him but wee shall alwayes bee in trouble and not bee able too call vppon hym which is the cheefe seruice that he demaundeth and alloweth of VVe see thē that this matter concerneth the cheef point of oure welfare if it bee well vnderstoode VVhen wee speake now a dayes of Christen libertie the Papistes say wee go aboute too abolishe all the ordinances and traditions of the Churche and that we passe not what commeth 〈◊〉 so euery man may liue as he listeth to eate flesh on all dayes alike without let and to despise all other such ordinances But their saying so is bycause they neuer knew that it is no obeying of God vnlesse it be done with an vnconstreyned will For let the Papistes be throughly sifted all the packe of them yea euen the deuoutest of them and it is certayne that they chafe vppon the bitte when they tyre and ouerlabour themselues most to serue God For all that euer they do is but vnwillingly and if they could plucke their heads out of the collar they would full fayne do it Furthermore when they haue toyled after that fashion in their fond deuotions they beare themselues in hand that God ought to like well of it And if a man tell them that they cannot do any thyng that God shoulde accept and furthermore that although their works were good yet they deserue not aught before hym ye shall see them spew out their poyson as they do and fall to blaspheming of God vnlesse yee beleeue them that they be able to worke wonders by their owne merites Howsoeuer the cace stand they are neuer able to know and to tast what it is to obey God For why they vnderstand not what it is too bee quiet namely that it is an vnconstreyned offering of their dooings vnto God with a free hart and an assuring of themselues that he accepteth the same euen bycause he handleth them gently and beareth with them as with his children The Papists know not this and therefore it is not too be wondered at though they thinke it straunge that we should striue for that freedome for they wote not what it meeneth But yet doth not Sainct Paule speake it without cause and by those words we see how precious that libertie is and that it is not a thing to be despised For Iesus Christ did not iest in hys death and passion when he offered vp himselfe vnto God hys father but wrought a worke that in excellencie and worthinesse passeth the creation of heauen and earth Now if Sainct Paule bring in this libertie for an excellent frute purchaced to vs by the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ it must needes followe that it is a high and precious thyng And to the intent wee may conceyue what the nature and power of it is wee must learne too gather in ourselues vnto God when wee bee spoken to of it As for example if we be commanded or enioyned of necessitie too do such a thing or such a thing very well the doing thereof too the worldward hindereth not our freedome before God for the thynges that concerne common policie may bee bidden or forbidden bycause that otherwise they might turne too the hurt of the common weale or else such things may be expedient and thē must one of vs serue anothers turne in common Therefore let vs haue a regard of the things that concerne the policie bycause it behoueth vs to be knit and vnited togither and to haue suche an onement among vs that euery of vs serue his neighbours turne and none of vs be addicted to himselfe But when the cace concerneth the spirituall libertie then must euery of vs draw home into himselfe too consider the nature and propertie thereof Euery of vs say I must draw home himselfe as it were before God For our account is too be made to the heauenly iudge and therefore it behoueth vs too enter into ourselues to say thus How may I present my self before Gods iudgement seate If my life come to be tried by the lawe wo worth me For I am giltie after so many sorts yea euen withoute number that if I should suffer a Million of deaths it were too little for the offences that I haue committed Neuerthelesse God will be fauourable to me and take me to mercy for our Lord Iesus Christs sake and when I resort to him I may come with my head bolt vpright as hauing my quits est and cleere discharge which was gyuen me in the sacrifise that he offered vp for vs bycause that therein hee hath made full satisfaction for me and set me at full libertie Marke this for one point that I must serue God and it is good reason that I should dedicate my life vnto him But at which end shall I begin I cannot bring such perfection as is requisite no nor the hundreth part of it Yet for all that God beareth with me and ceasseth not to take the things in good worth which are vnperfect and weake yea sinful too And why doth he so Bycause he admitteth me as one of his children for our Lord
farre ouerseene as to take vpon him that he hath performed the whole Lawe Then if all of vs be found giltie of offence against God wee be as good as vtterly vndone till our Lord Iesus Christe reach vs his hand Therefore it followeth that wee must forget the rightuousnesse of the lawe and lay it vnder foote so as it may bee vtterly abolished and therevpon that wee go naked too our Lord Iesus Christe for remedie confessing our owne pouertie and not beyng ashamed too bee defaced with all reproche before God that we may be clothed againe with his glorie Thus ye see in effect what we haue too gather vpon this text where S. Paule sayeth that Iesus Christ is made vnprofitable if men hope to iustifie themselues by the Lawe For it hath bin too common an errour in all ages that at the first setting forth and first brunt men will needes pay God all that is due too him and in the end seeke startingholes when they see no power nor abilitie in them too doo it VVell say they though wee cannot doo all yet will wee do somewhat But in this cace it is not for vs to follow our owne imaginacions for God will iudge vs according too his owne woorde Therefore let vs not recken without our host as the Prouerb sayes by making our selues beleeue that God will accept what we think good but let vs vnderstand that Iesus Christ cannot boote vs at all except wee seeke the fulnesse of our saluation in him For it is not sayde in the Scripture that the father hath giuen vs him as a help to obtaine our saluation but that he is giuen vs to be our rightuousnesse and lyfe It followeth then that in our own selues there is nothing but wickednesse endlesse death til we haue recouered the thing in Iesus Christ which wee lost and were vtterly bereft of in Adam And these twoo things are ioyned here togither namely that Iesus Christ profiteth vs not at all and that wee be fallen from grace according as in very truth all the grace or fauour that we must finde at Gods hand is coÌ„municated to vs by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ And it is a very notable poynt For euery man will well ynough graunt that we must resort vntoo God bycause he is the welspring of all welfare But in the meane whyle the most part of men wander in their own windlasses and in stead of coÌ„ming vntoo God do go from him as it is too bee seene in the Papacie where wretched hipocrites the ignorant sort say that their gadding after their Sainctes and puppets their marâ—yring of theÌ„selues in their foolish deuotions is to get Gods fauour But in the meane whyle Iesus Christ is let alone and no man makes accouÌ„t of him but they rather hie theÌ„ to some stocke or stone which they call their Lady than to the Sonne of God And wherof coÌ„meth this Euen bicause they know not how God hath giuen vs his grace nor after what maner he will haue vs too seeke it nor what way and order it behoueth vs to hold Therefore when we be once throughly resolued that God is our father also know perfectly that what soeuer we haue neede of he will haue vs to draw it from out of our Lord Iesus Christ who is as a spring that was vnder the earth and afterward is opened and floweth abrode that euery man may take his fill of it then say I do we know that Gods grace cannot bee drayned drie but yet dooth it not come at vs but by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ Too bee short let vs marke that all that euer belongeth too our saluation is so put intoo the persone of Gods onely sonne that he alone must suffize vs and we go streyght vnto him and take all our contentation there And as I sayd afore let vs keepe our selues from this imagination of thinking to purchace any thing by our desertes for it separateth vs vtterly froÌ„ our Lord Iesus Christ Nowe herevpon S. Paule addeth that wee wayt for the hope of rightuousnesse by fayth in the spirite It serueth to confirme that which he hath sayd heretofore concerning the diuersitie that is betweene vs and the fathers that liued vnder the Lawe For howe was Abraham receyued intoo fauour but through fayth Yet notwithstanding he differed from vs in one thing For in asmuch as Iesus Christ was not yet discouered Ceremonies were giuen him and many mo were added at the publishing of the Lawe according too the neede which the people had too bee so led and guyded Too bee short the faythfull of all ages haue euer sought their whole rightuousenesse in the grace of God Neuerthelesse they were helped by the Ceremonies and shadowes bycause the Gospell was not yet so reueled vntoo them as it is vntoo vs nother was Iesus Christe who is the very pledge of rightuousnesse made yet so manifest But nowe lette vs come too that which Sainct Paule sayeth He setteth heere the spirite now adayes among the Christians to exclude all figures and shadowes as if he should say that it ought too suffize vs that the Sonne of God is appeered too vs for our rightuousnesse and therefore wee muste let go the Ceremonies bycause the shadowe were needelesse now adayes And not in this Texte alone dothe Sainct Paule match the woorde spirite agaynst the shadowes of the Lawe Truly when God in old time did ordeyne Circumcision Sacrifices and suche other things it was not too set folke at a gaze heere bylowe for all things that are contayned in the Lawe are in very deede spirituall There was a patterne of them shewed too Moyses on the Mountayne So then it is certayne that the fathers had a spirituall beleef as well as wee so as they knewe they were not washed and made cleane by three or foure droppes of water nor reconcyled too God by the sacrifizing of a Calfe or of some other brute beast but that oure Lorde Iesus Christe was their onely washyng and clenzing and that hee by the Sacrifyze of his deathe had discharged them quyte or at leastwyse should bycause the thyng was not yet done but the Fathers looked aloofe at the thing which was not yet disclozed And moreouer it is 〈◊〉 without cause that the sayde woord Spirit is set downe heere to shewe that the fathers could not imbrace the grace of our Lord Iesus Christe but by the meanes whiche our Lorde had ordeyned for the time Therefore when any man had done amisse he came with a sacrifice to acknowledge himself woorthie of death before God not too seeke his attonement in a Calfe or in a Sheepe or in any such other thing for that was too bee had in Iesus Christe but yet was it of necessitie that the figure of him should go before As much is to be sayd of the washings and of the residue of those things In these dayes we haue the body sayeth S. Paule and
therfore the shadowes are not requisite any more If a man were present before mine eyes would I seeke too knowe him by his shadow That were to darksome a dealing and if I might behold him in the face what a doltishnesse were it for mee too turne away from him and to go seeke some tracinges too know him by Euen so is it now adayes with such as turne backe agayne to the old figures They turne their backes vpon Iesus Christ knowing not that the rending asunder of the veyle of the Temple at his death betokened that all the auncient figures were abolished and that wee at this day may enter intoo the heauenly Sanctuarie from the which wee were as good as straungers before To bee short S. Paule ment heere too declare that his condemning of the Ceremonies of the Lawe is not to condemne the fathers that vsed them nor God that was the author of them but to shewe that wee in these dayes haue the truth and substance of them and coÌ„sequently that the things which were shadowed heeretofore are no more so and therefore that wee must content our selues with Iesus Christ who hath brought all perfectioÌ„ with him Thus muche concerning the Ceremonies of the Lawe Now whereas S. Paule sayeth that wee wayte for the hope of rightuousnesse in spirite he vseth a kinde of speache that may seeme straunge for what is ment by wayting for the hope of rightuousnesse Let vs marke that heere S. Paule intended to drawe vs away from all things that are to bee seene in this worlde For bycause wee bee too muche inclyned and subiect too sticking fast heere by lowe when wee haue any thing for our senses too rest vppon so as wee cannot lift vp our mindes aloft and bycause that men are too fleshly they euer couet too haue alâ—â—â—ings open afore their eyes But God purposeth to trie our obedience by referring vs too his pure and single woord And we do then honour him aright when we shet our eyes at all these outwarde things and holde our selues satisfied with Gods will whiche he hath shewed too vs thinking our selues to want nothing when wee haue that For this woord wayt betokeneth that we perceyue not by eyesight the thing that wee wayt for according as it is sayd in the eight too the Romanes and so much the more bycause the woord Hope is added to it Therefore it is as much as if S. Paule had sayd Verely my freendes if a man would go about to know the rightuousnesse of Christians that is too wit that they be Gods children that they be heyres of the heaueÌ„ly life and that God accepteth them as if they were Angelles without spot or blemish I say if a man woulde know this after a worldly maner he should deceyue himself For wee see that the faythfull are despized folke men vouchsafe not too looke vpon them but a skew they beare a lowe sayle to the worldward and to be short there is nother pompe nor outward shewe in the rightuousnesse that wee obteyne by our Lord Iesus Christe For wee seeke not estimation when wee say that before God wee cannot rest vpon any thing but his meere mercie and that all our deseruings hang vpon his meere grace and that we must go out of our selues to haue Iesus Christ as the ful perfection of all goodnesse and welfare VVhen wee speake after that fashion it is not to vaunt our selues but too confesse our selues to be full of all reproche so as all our worthinesse is but dung and filth and all our woorkes vnclennesse and that wee should bee lothely in Gods sight lyke wretched Lazermen that are full of sores and botches if wee were not so washed and clenzed by the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ that God did like well of vs by his meanes Now then the rightuousnesse whiche ought too reigne among the faythfull is not a thing full of pompe nor a thing that is greatly gazed at and commended of the world no but it is vtter wretchednesse And therefore S. Paule sayeth heere that when the world laugheth at our simplicitie bycause they see vs hope after that fashion in our Lord Iesus Christ and euery of vs humbly abace himself euen to the dungeon of hell too the end wee may bee lifted vp by the grace of God too the kingdome of heauâ—â— although the worldlings doo mocke and skorne vs for it yet must wee holde on stedfastly assuring our selues that wee shall not be disappoynted For wee knowe with whom we haue left our gage in keeping namely euen with him that hath promised too call vs too saluation Therefore let vs walke on in the sayde fayth and imbrace Iesus Christ and when wee haue him let vs set light by all the rest Let vs not do him the dishonour and wrong too shrink away from him into a corner and too make him serue our turne but in part but let vs acknowledge that we be iustified throughly and in all poyntes by his meanes Now herevpon a man might yet make a question and say VVhat I pray you were the Ceremonies commaunded in the Lawe without cause why Truely Sainct Paule hath answered this matter sufficiently already Howbeit for asmuch as men are slowe in resoluing of matters that concerne the holding fast of Gods pure truth therefore he sheweth newe againe that there is difference betweene vs and those that liued before the comming of our Lord Iesus Christe Also he had a consideration too stoppe the mouthes of many raylers for if a man preache Gods meere mercie in Iesus Christe by and by some Mastife curres or other fall too barking and caste foorth store of slaunders as is to be seene yet still at this day For if wee condemne the Diuelish selftrust wherewith men beguyle themselues in weening too obtaine saluation by their owne desertes ô how so say they that were a condemning of all good woorkes And after that maner doo the hypocrites now adayes slaunder the doctrine of the Gospell whiche we beare abrode as though wee ment to giue leaue and licence too doo euill that there might bee no more difference betwixt vice and vertue Againe if wee tell them that their Ceremonies are but pelting baggage and that the more they take pryde in them the more abhominable they be before God ô how should that bee say they Behold these fellowes would abolish all religion and what a thing were that Shall God be no more serued and honored such is the speach and talke that is vsed now adayes by those curredogges which cannot abide that our Lord Iesus Christ should be the only foundacion whereon to settle the trust of our saluation nor also abide that wee should bee gouerned by the pure and alonly woord of God And for that cauâ—â— S. Paule sayeth here that in Iesus Christ there is nother Circumcizion nor vncircumcizion but fayth that worketh through charitie In saying that there is nother Circumcizion nor vncircumcizioÌ„ in Iesus Christ he meeneth that Gods
coÌ„maunding of the Ceremonies was but for a time that we must alwayes haue an eye wheretoo he tended namely that he ment to mainteyne the people in hope bycause Iesus Christe was not yet appeered too the world For if they had not had washings and Sacrifizes and such other like things they would haue bin dismayed and the frayltie of man is such that they would haue quite quayled a huÌ„dred thousand times And therfore although they saw not yet fully how they should be saued yet notwithstanding they had therein as it were liuely pictures lookingglasses where they might behold the grace of god Thus ye see how the shadowes and figures serued but for a time So then S. Paule declareth that he wil not in any poynt diminish the authoritie of God who had stablished that Law among the Iewes nor also say that all those things were frutelesse and vnauaylable but that wee nowe after that our Lord Iesus Christe is manifested are come to the fulnesse of time and therefore that wee muste haue no more veyles to keepe vs froÌ„ beholding him face to face according as he is set foorth to vs in the Gospell For whensoeuer the Gospell is preached vnto vs it is all one as if we saw Gods sonne crucified presently before vs or as if wee sawe his bloud streaming downe for so much as wee be besprinkled with it by the power of the holy Ghost as sayeth S. Peter in his first Epistle So then seing that our lord Iesus Christ hath by his death and passioÌ„ opened vs the way whereby wee may come to God his father it is not for vs to buzie our selues any more about the things that were apointed for the time of his abseÌ„ce It is true that he dwelleth not now adayes in the world but yet haue we his Gospel which is the accoÌ„plishmeÌ„t of al things that are needefull to our saluatioÌ„ therfore it is as good as if he were crucified amoÌ„g vs as S. Paule hath sayd already Now that we haue the vnderstanding of these wordes in Iesus Christ that is to wit that the Gospel is preached let vs come to this addition of his that there is nother circumcizion nor vncircumcizion that is too say that those things must hencefoorth ceasse and men muste reste onely vppon charitie And wherefore doth S. Paule add the woord charitie Too shewe that Christenfolke will not be idle and that they haue ynough too occupie themselues about though they keepe not the figures of the Lawe For albeit that it was Gods meening to leade the people vnto Iesus Christ in ordeyning the Sacrifizes circumcizion and all the residue yet notwithstanding men beyng of themselues corrupt marred all And truely the Iewes were of opinion that they bound God too them in offering vp sacrifize but it was cleane contrarie For he that offered sacrifize did there passe a recognissance to binde himself solemnly to cursednesse as if he shoulde say I am woorthie of death in token whereof a poore beast is heere killed and hath his throte cut and is it the beast that hath deserued it no it is I. Yee see then that a man might there behold his owne sinfulnesse like as also it behoued him to seeke his saluation els where than in himself Lo I pray you how the figures ought to haue brought folke too such a lowlinesse that all men from the greatest too the least should haue condemned themselues and therevpon imbracing the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ haue rested themselues wholly vppon that But now adayes in the Popedome there is a like deceytfulnesse vsâ—ed in so much that men do falsifie all that God hath ordeyned As how Looke vpon Baptisme looke vpon the Lordes Supper which were instituted to the end that wee should come and protest before God that wee holde all things of him VVhat is there in Baptisme It is shewed vs there that wee must die in our selues And why so euen bycause there is nothing but frowardnesse and cursednesse in vs so as we bee the children of wrath and vtter straungers vnto God Yee see then in Baptisme a man is vtterly ridde of all his trust in himself In the Supper wee come to seeke our life in Iesus Christ and so are wee starke dead both the wayes Yet for all this the Papistes weene these things too bee meritorious workes And that is the cause why they by the Hellish abhomination of their mischieuous Masse haue falsified yea vtterly defaced all things that our Lord Iesus Christ had appoynted For such a woorke euen as it is done by man or the very working of the deede that is too say the very doing of it as it commeth and proceedeth of man muste say they of necessitie bee meritorious But therein wee see a manifest falshood Howbeit S. Paule ment to go yet further in â—â—buking the hypocrisie of suche as are so much giuen too these outwarde things the lyke whereof is still at this day in the papacie It is true that these miserable wretches take great peynes too serue God they trotte vp and downe without ende or measure but what doo they They martyr themselues in vaine things and such as God neuer required but vtterly mislyketh and yet in the meane whyle there is nothing but hypocrisie in all their dooyngs For what doth the deuoutest person among them but only make much babling and mumbling He must heere Mattins in the night and two or three Masses in a day He must gad on pilgrimage and fast the Lent and Sainctes euens He must keepe all the apes toyes that haue bin appointed at the deuise of men And what are all these things Surely if men put their trust in them they bee diuelishe deuises but although there were none other harme in theÌ„ sauing that euery man followeth his own imaginacions yet are they but gewgawes and Apes toyes before God And why For he loueth obedience better than all sacrifices But if wee will obey God wee must serue hym after a spirituall manner and not with these chyldishe playing toyes Nowe let vs come too that which S. Paule sayth Circumcision sayth he is nothing but faith that woorketh by charitie Hereby he betokeneth that although Ceremonyes bee layd aside wee haue ynough too occupie our selues with in dooyng the things that God commaundeth that is to wit that all the perfection and holinesse of the faythfull consisteth in charitie That is the fulfilling of the Lawe that is the ende and shooteanker wherevntoo God bringeth vs. Therefore if wee haue charitie let vs not thinke that wee bee vnoccupyed But nowe a dayes if a man rebuke the superstitions of Poperie and skorne them saying Go too yee haue much baggage amongst you when yee come at Churche yee besprinckle your selues with holiwater yee kneele down before a puppet yee skud from alter to alter ye do this and that and to be short there is an endlesse hotchpotch of al maner of gewgawes among you and poore soules
to be condemned if they follow not Gods word but howsoeuer they fare we offend much more grosly wheÌ„ God hath once bin so gracious vnto vs as to call vs vnto him to shewe vs his will Then if wee turne head and forsake oure holy calling from heauen after we haue bin taught in Gods schole and entred into the way surely our fault is double we deserue much sorer punishment This is it that S. Paul ment in this text by saying how now You ran well Surely this forwardnesse of fayth is a great vertue namely when we be readie to answere God as soone as he speaketh the word to vs but yet is it nothing worth without holding out Then if we be so fickle and inconstant that when we haue gone forward a step or twayne we be readie to runne back ageyne or else to start out on the one side or on the other suche vnthankfulnesse is much more shamefull than if we had neuer harkened to God at all for we can not 〈◊〉 â—ore sheelde our selues by ignorance as they doo which are bred brought vp in errour and misknowledge who will say if we knew which is the truth we would not doo so as we should neede to be pulled by the eare but we be in doubt and we wote not on which side to turne vs. Then if they which haue begonne to followe God yea and haue had some certayne and infallible instruction by his worde doo afterward starte aside or go backe agayne doo they not shew that they doo it not of ignorance but of wilfulnesse and stubbornesse as though they mente of set purpose to spyte God Now it behoueth vs to marke well this thing specially for so muche as God is so gracious vnto vs as too shewe vs whiche is the waye of saluation whiche thing he dooth not too the rest of the worlde For wee see many blinde wretches that runne and trotte vp and downe and wote not what they doo but yet they shewe some desire of seruing God If a man aske them whether they thinke they doo well or no they answere yea howbeeit it is but a weening they bee not sure of it But wee on our side haue the warrant of the holy Ghost whiche oughte too bee sealed in our hearts that the doctrine whiche is preached vnto vs is not deuised by men but that God is the very author of it The holy Scripture is sufficiently proued wee know without adding of any thyng that God is oure guyde so that nowe a dayes there is not so very a dullarde or idiote but hee is iustly too bee condemned if hee receyue not the doctrine that is preached and set foorth and maye vppon hys owne knowledge iudge that hee dooth manifestly make wylfull warre agaynst God Seeing that oure Lorde hathe doone vs the prerogatiue too call vs too him and dooth still dayly allure vs and incorage vs to come forwarde till wee bee come to our races ende if wee bee weery to heare him and euery of vs would fayne take his owne scope to followe whatsoeuer his owne lust liketh what excuse or shift can wee hope to haue that we should not bee condemned with the Galathians for falling to our owne byasse after wee haue runne well and bin well forwarde on our way Yea and wee must also marke this saying which S. Paule interlaceth Who hath letted you sayth he He might haue sayde simply as he sayde in the begynning of the Epystle â–ª that they were quyte gone away yea and vtterly reuolted as Apostates or backslyders But he vseth the worde Let too shewe that it is not inough for vs not to turne quite and cleane away from God but that if wee doo but stoppe or linger that wee go not right foorth on still nor continue alwayes stedfastly in comming neerer and neerer vnto God it is alreadie a very dangerous matter So then let vs be ware of Satans wyles and not onely be afrayde of vtter reuolting from the obedience of oure God but also beare well in minde that when the Diuell shall once haue cooled vs and made vs too slake our pace so as wee fall to loytering in our gooing he shall haue gayned ouer much at our hands Thus ye see in effect what we haue to gather vpon this text Now to condemne the vnthankfulnesse of the Galathians the better he addeth that that counsell came not of him that called them In the first chapter he had sayde I maruell that yee bee so soone caryed away from Iesus Christ which called you to the grace of his Gospell For it is good reason that God should be heard when he openeth his holy mouth to teach vs. VVhat are wee VVretched wormes of the earth and rottennesse and yet notwithstanding our Lorde maketh his voyce to ring from heaueÌ„ to assure vs that if he inlighten guyde vs we can not do amisse and therefore that wee must depende wholly vpon him and reste vpon his truthe But if wee giue eare to this and that and when God speaketh wee be soaring in the ayre and hearken to one that whistleth and to another that singeth Is it not too shamefull an vnthankfulnesse If a Scholemaster see his scholers prattling togither while he speaketh to them or buylding of Castles in Spayne so as they heare not what he sayth the rodde must bee fayne too walke among them and good right it should so Verily a man can not abide that his mate or companion shoulde muse vppon other matters when he is talking with him but he will take it in scorne and derision But beholde God calleth vs and yet if there come any deceyuer to whisper vs in the eare wee hearken too him and followe his counsell which is a token that there was neuer any knowledge in vs too discerne the maiestie of oure God and too yeelde him the reuerence that he deserueth VVee knowe that the chief honor that he requireth 〈◊〉 is to haue our wittes minds bent to vnderstande what he commaundeth and appoynteth For that cause therfore S. Paule sayth that the sayde counsell came not of God who had called the Galathians Now it is certayne that he had called them long afore that time Neuerthelesse he thinketh it not inough to haue tolde vs once for all how wee should walke but also he holdeth on still according also as wee haue neede too haue the remembraunce of that doctrine to be renued dayly Then seeing it is so that God is alwayes at hande with vs yea as the Prophet Esay sayth both early and late that is to saye seeing he hath a continuall care to bring vs to him selfe and to draw vs neerer and neerer it is certayne that our fault is so much the haynouser if wee haue one of our eares in the fielde and the other in the towne as the Prouerbe sayth and that we be not wholly giuen too him and to his worde To be short we see heere that the true perfection of Gods children
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
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
Lo what the life of Christians is But S. Paule sayeth heere that if men will not acknowledge themselues to be vtter enimies too God and full of all naughtinesse and rebellion let them but make a short inquirie and loke into their life and they shall find that some of them be whoremongers some drunkardes some giuen to all ribawdrie some murtherers some Sorcerers some sedicious some full of ambition and othersome desirous to sowe abrode darnell and troubles and to bring vp sects to peruert Gods truth with their corruptions Thus ye see what is to bee found in men if theyr liues be well serched But what shall they win by going to law with God and by labouring to couer their lewdnesse with shifting nothing at al. Howbeit they confesse not it with their mouth it is their life that must speake it their life togither with al their workes that are knowne in it beare record of the things that I haue sayd and so there needeth no more disputing Furthermore when as S. Paule sayth that the workes of the flesh are manifest he meeneth not that all those whom God suffereth to follow their naturall swinge and whom he gouerneth not by his holy spirit are atteinted with all the vices here named but that there is not any man which is not so corrupted that he abandoneth himselfe sometime to one naughtinesse and sometime to two or three at once as occasion serueth Yee shall see many heathen men and vnbeleeuers in whom there is no feare of God nor any knowledge of his word which haue some outward shew of vertue and honestie yet is it no consequent that they bee not corrupted howbeit that the â—â—â—ection is hidden and settled inwardly and there is an impostunâ—â— that rotteth all within Howsoeuer the cace stand there is nother rule nor measure in mannes nature but all is out of order and confounded there You see then that the thing which we haue to gather vpon this streyne is that we must not bee beguyled with our owne hypocrisie but euery of vs muste haue an eye too himselfe and examine his owne life throughly and then shall wee all haue cause to cast downe our eyes and to shet our mouthes and therewith to acknowledge that wee be wretched and that there is nothing but damnation in vs. Truely although none of the things that S. Paule rehearceth heere doo appeere in vs so as we be blamelesse before men yea and seeme too bee little Angelles yet ceasse we not too be wicked and vntoward till God haue reformed vs. Neuerthelesse God giueth euery of vs sufficient recorde in our liues whereby to cast vs quite downe and to make vs giue ouer our pleading of our owne accord Thus ye see in effect that the meane to put this lesson in vre is that if wee thinke our selues to bee any thing woorth and perceyue not the wantes that are in vs we must sift our life and compare our workes with the things that God biddeth or forbiddeth and then wee shall haue a fayre lookingglasse wherein to behold our leudnesse and filthinesse and whereas it seemed erst that there was nothing but all purenesse and perfection in vs God will shew vs to our faces that wee be full of wickednesse And yet neuerthelesse when wee shall haue considered this diuerse and many times let vs therevpon conclude that it is not the hundredth part of it For we shall alwayes be dimsighted in finding out of our owne wantes Although God constreyne and reproue vs in such wise as we cannot denie it yet will he shewe in the ende that for euery poynt that we haue knowen there are a hundred that were hidden from vs. And verely when wee see our woorkes layd open before vs it is to make vs go to the welspring of them Many men are so grosse that if they haue not committed whoredome if they haue not playde the drunkardes openly or if their filching and pilfering haue bin so couertly and finely conueyed as noman could bewray them they thinke themselues quite and cleere But S. Paules intent in saying that the woorkes of the flesh are manifest is not to flatter men as though a sinne were not to be condemned till it were openly seene in deede For 〈◊〉 told you wee must proceede from the one to the other Then if whoredome drunkennesse robberie murther treason blasphemie against God troublesomnesse sedition be detestable things in theÌ„selues we must also conclude thervpon that the wickednesse which lurketh within the hart as ambition and pride when men esteeme like of theÌ„selues too much is detestable likewise Also couetuousnesse when we haue a minde too other mens goodes and all other like things are to bee condemned likewise To be short our outward doings beare witnesse that we be full of infection before God And where is that infectioÌ„ to be fouÌ„d In our desires in our intentes in our thoughts in all our doings wee see there is euen as it were a well spring of all naughtinesse So then let vs bee drawen to such an acknowledgment of our sinnes as wee may be hartely sorie for them before God And wee see that in the Law there is such a fashion of teaching God in his Lawe forbiddeth not fornicatioÌ„ but aduoutrie yea at the first sight he forbiddeth not fraud and filching what forbiddeth he then Theft or robberie He forbiddeth not lying but only falswitnesse Now then it should seeme to theÌ„ which know not the power of the law that they haue well discharged their duetie when they haue well eschewed those crimes And that is the cause why S. Paule sayd that for a time he thought himself to be throughly rightuous and that God could not haue blamed him for any thing After the same maner do the hipocrites sotte theÌ„selues in their own selfweening and thervpoÌ„ become mad if God find fault with theÌ„ bicause they thinke he doth theÌ„ great wrong And why for they coÌ„ceyue not what the nature of the Lawe is It is spirituall sayeth S. Paule that is too say wee must be wholly reformed to frame our selues thereafter But so long as wee follow our owne fleshly nature all that we think and all that we can say or do shall be no better than sinne before God So then we must not looke only at the bare woordes that are set downe in the Lawe but too the things that are ment and conteyned in them God by setting downe the particular kind of Aduoutrie ment too make all kind of whoredome hatefull for if mariage coÌ„tinue not whole and sound without impeachment it peruerteth all order and ciuill policie among men God therefore vnder the woorde Aduoutrie hath shewed that all whoredome and â—chastenesse displeazeth him Againe he sayeth Thou shalt not kill Is it then lawfull too beate a man No nor yet to hate him for as S. Iohn sayeth he that hateth his neybour secretely is a murtherer before God though he nother tormeÌ„t him nor touch
downe into the worlde nor what grace he imparteth vnto vs by his Gospell they knowe not neyther what fayth nor what prayer is and yet for all that they will needes haue leaue to doo what they liste and that folke should lay the bridle looce in their necke Of these wylde Christians there are tootoo many nowe a dayes In the meane while the doctrine of God is blamed by their meanes For the enimies of the truthe vpbrayde vs with all suche as are loose liuers now a dayes and say that the same springeth of our preaching For this cause S. Paule hath answered his aduersaries and also armed and fenced vs to answere them to the ende to stoppe the mouthes of all raylers and of all suche as doo falsly slander the doctrine of the Gospell First of all therfore when the wicked sort say that we giue an inordinate libertie to all suche as seeke nothing but to doo lewdly Let vs looke backe to S. Paule who telleth them that the libertie which we speake of serueth for none but such as are a law to them selues namely through the working of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ But yet notwithstanding this ought to serue for a warning to all suche as imagine a libertie after their owne liking Therefore let them vnderstande that first of all it behoueth them to become members of our Lorde Iesus Christ VVil we then eate quietly without making any 〈…〉 VVill wee bee exempted from all 〈…〉 whiche doo nowe a dayes vexe the simple and ignorant sorte in the Papacie Let vs vnderstande what Iesus Christ is and let vs bee throughly his Let him gouerne vs and let his death and passion shewe their power and effectualnesse in our whole life Thus yee see what we haue to beare in binde in this text And heere S. Paule sheweth agayne that the true perfection of Gods children consisteth in abacing themselues so as they followe not the rule of their owne brayne and affections for wee bee vtterly corrupted Then can wee not bee but rebels agaynst God all the time of our life till wee haue kylled all the sinfulnesse of oure owne nature Marke this for one poynt that our lyfe shall neuer bee framed to the will of God excepte wee bee vtterly chaunged bothe in our thoughts and in our affections Secondly S. Paule sheweth that that can not be done but by communicating with our Lorde Iesus Christ for it is not without cause that he vseth this worde Crucified For thereby he declareth that so long as wee bee separated from our Lorde Iesus Christ and cast off from him and not knit vnto him by fayth our nature will alwayes bring foorth hir owne frutes that is to say nothing but all maner of naughtinesse and vice Thus ye see that first of all Freewill is beaten downe Secondly it is shewed vs that wee can not be partakers of any of Gods giftes nor of his holy spirite but by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christ according as I haue tolde you alreadie that wee must all drawe of his fulnesse for he is the onely fountayne that is able too suffice vs. And if wee seeke neuer so farre aboute elsewhere wee shall finde nothing but drythe and wee shall continue a thirst styll and if wee thinke too fill our selues it will bee but wyndinesse and misweening wherewith wee shall burste and yet not gather any good nourishment or substance Nowe heerevppon Sainct Paule concludeth that if wee liue after the spirite wee shoulde also walke after the spirite And it is a more easie declaration of the thing that I haue touched alreadie It had beene inough too haue auouched that wee can not bee set free but by crucifying all oure wicked lustes howe bee it for as 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Hypocrisie is so great that they doo alwayes finde â—â—aâ—ting holes and 〈…〉 man would bee esteemed as an Angell though his life bee out of order therefore Sainct Paule intended for a confirmation too adde this saying â–ª that if wee liue after the spirite wee must therewithall walke after the spirite As if hee should say that it is not inough for men too protest them selues to haue Gods spirite dwelling in their heart but they muste shewe that he is there for he is not idle Therfore if a man will discerne whether Gods spirit dwell in vs or no he must come to our works and to our life and according as our conuersation is so may he see what we be and what is within vs and giue iudgement by our outwarde workes that are apparant As for example if one would beare mee in hande that a blocke were a liuing a man too see too It stirreth neyther head nor foote thrust at it and shoue at it and yet there appeareth no lyfe in it and shall he then make mee beleeue that a peece of stone remoueth from place too place or hath any power in it or is a creature that hath a soule Euen so is it with those that boast them selues to be spirituall For although the vnbeleeuers and enimies of God be aliue as in respect of the body yet are they dead in respect of the heauenly life bicause their soule is vtterly corrupted but wee liue to Godwarde through the grace of his holy spirite And if this grace be in vs it can not bee idle as I sayde afore And that is the cause why S. Paul sayth that our conuersation will shewe whether we liue in the spirite or no. The worde walke is very rife in the holy scripture when the whole ordering of our life is mentioned neuerthelesse heere is not onely walking The worde that S. Paul vseth importeth more that is to wit too walke orderly as if he should say that we must frame our selues to the thing that is conformable too the will of God and of his holy spirite and that our life must bee so well ruled as it maye bee knowen that God gouerneth vs in deede and that our Lorde Iesus Christ holdeth vs too him selfe as the members of his body and that he hath truly witnessed that he dwelleth in vs by his holy spirite Therefore at a worde this thing muste needes bee knowen Nowe to bee shorte S. Paule ment heere to bewray the hypocrisie of all suche as make fayre protestation with their mouthe and woulde haue men to beleeue wonderous well of their zeale and yet in all their whole lyfe doo shew 〈…〉 at all too come neere God nor any 〈◊〉 of hys worde All such folke then are heere condemned of lying and vnfaythfulnesse And therefore that wee may discerne which are Gods children let vs come to the examining of our liues True it is as I haue touched heeretofore that sometimes the ignorant wretches and suche as neuer had any instruction in the Lawe shall haue some apparance of vertue But if a man sounde them throughly he shall finde it is but a shadowe and that they bee not well bent eyther too loue their neibours or to walke
the maner of the holy Scripture is to terme the giftes of the holy Ghost the spirit of truth the spirit of the feare of God the spirite of wisedome such other like bycause the fulnesse of all goodnesse is in him Yee see then that the summe of that whiche S. Paule teacheth heere is that we must not onely loue vertue and like well of such as walke in all perfection and in whom wee can find no blame but ouermore wee must be gentle in bearing with the faultes of suche as are not yet so well confirmed in the feare of God as were requisite too the ende we may bring them backe agayne into the right way that are turned aside or thrust out of it For if there should be no meeldnesse nor gentlenesse in vs as soone as a man had committed any faulte wee shoulde as it were plundge him in despayre and this is seene too much for that cause therefore Sainct Paule telleth vs that the meekenesse or meeldnesse of Gods children must trie it selfe by releeuing such as are fallen through weakenesse yea and that in such sort as it may be knowen that their saluation is procured Nowe I haue tolde you that there are two extremities or two vyces wherof wee muste beware The one is that we winke when any of our freendes haue offended God in so muche that euen when he hath giuen some cause of stumbling wee let it slippe bycause wee be loth too purchace his displeasure by rebuking him And now adayes yee see that the common way of maynteyning freendship in the world as too giue leaue and licence of all misdoyng through Diuelishe dissimulation For no man can abide too haue his galled backe rubbed nother doo any menne take warnings in good woorth sauing they whom God hath touched and to whom he hath giuen the spirite of obedience too yeelde themselues teachable Therefore suche maner of men as these will say with Dauid that they had leuer too bee 〈…〉 and with all sharpnesse than too haue the oyntments of the flatter 〈◊〉 â—â—ich serue but too rocke men asleepe in their vyces Neuerthelesse ye shall coÌ„monly see that all meÌ„ couet to be borne withall and to haue no woord spoken to them what soeuer they do nor to haue their heads troubled with their vices and misdoings Euery maÌ„ verifieth this in so much that God is forgotteÌ„ as the Prophet Esay sayeth there is no defender any where that maynteyneth the truth for there is as great confuzion and disorder as may be and yet men do let all slip True it is that if wrong be done to any man he will not sticke to say that such licentiousnesse ought too be redressed but he sayeth not so for any zele he hath to maynteyne the honour of God it is but onely for his owne peculiar aduauntage and for the regard that he hath to himselfe Thus yee see that God hath not any proctors or Aduocates to pleade his cace but euery man is for himselfe Therefore when wee see any man doo amisse let vs learne that it is no loue nor charitie too cloke his euill doings so as wee should dissemble them and make no countenance at all of them but that if wee haue a care of him that is so fallen wee muste turne him away If a man bee in the myre wee will reache him our hande too helpe him out and if wee passe by him and will not seeme too see him shall he not say it is too shamefull an vnkindnesse Euen so is it when wee suffer a man too fall a sleepe in his sinnes for by that meanes he is sunke downe too the bottome of perdition Then is it too greate a trayterousnesse if wee doo wittingly suffer a man too vndoo himselfe vtterly and therewithall wee shewe also that there is no zele of God in vs. For if he bee our father ought it not at leastwyze too greeue vs and make vs sorie when wee see wrong and iniurie offered vntoo him So then if the soules whiche our Lorde Iesus Christ hath bought so deerly bee precious vntoo vs or if wee set so much by Gods honour as it deserueth it is certayne that wee will not so beare with mens faultes but that we will indeuer too amend them Marke that for one poynt But there is also a contrarie vyce namely ouer greate rigorousnesse For this is a propertie of the Hypocrites that if they spie a mote in their neighbours eye they crie out alarum vppon him and they must needes follow him with hew crie whereas in the meane while a great beame in their 〈…〉 as our Lorde Iesus speaketh of them For 〈◊〉 therefore as there are many that wyden their consciences to swallow vp a whole Oxe in their owne caces and in the meane season can streyne at a gnat when it toucheth other men therefore we must beware that wee bee not to rough and sharpe in rebuking of our brother Besydes this there are also that haue an vnaduised zeale so as they bee too sowre and bitter and they are of opinion that they discharge not themselues except they proclayme mens faults alowde as it were by the sounde of a trumpet And howe many warnings are made nowadayes with an vpright carefulnesse If a man see any of his neighbours fall to naughtinesse he ought if he can haue accesse and enterance to him too tell him his fault but wee will none of that For as I sayde euerie man vnderpryeth other and lyes in wayt for him like a spie too see if he can finde any thing amisse in him and then vseth he sternnesse to the vttermost True it is that such as are handled ouerroughly after that fashion cannot complaine of it For whereof commeth the naughtinesse that is too riâ—e nowadayes among men that no man is warned secretly to the ende he might be brought backe vnto God but that the vices which were done in couert are blazed abrode yea euen to the diffaming of the partie It is for that euery of vs shetteth the gate bycause our eares are too itching and we cannot abide too bee tolde the truth but will needes keepe the possession of all naughtinesse as though God were deposed from his authoritie and had no prerogatiue of iudgement ouer vs. Forasmuch then as euery man woulde exempt himself from correction therfore all are worthie to be handled hardly after that fashion and too bee delt with like enemies and not like brethren For there can be no brotherhod among vs vnlesse correction take place so as euery man be subiect to it yea euen willingly And bycause we will not in any wise be rebuked therefore we deserue well to be handled with such excessiue rygour For this cause Saint Paul setteth downe the meane which is that we must haue a care one of another so that if any man stumble he may bee helped vp againe And howe By good warnings For that is the remedie which God hath stablished for vs by
very remedie is that which S. Paule setteth downe heere namely to reiect all glory saue that which we haue in the Crosse of our Lorde Iesus Christ Now for the better vnderstanding heereof first of all wee must call to minde how it is sayde in Ieremie and alledged also by S. Paule that all the glory of man must bee cast downe too the ende that God may bee exalted as he deserueth And in very deede it is truely sayde that all the wisdome which men weene them selues to haue is nothing but must come to account and be quite daâ—â—ed and they must resorte 〈◊〉 God as to him that hath the fulnesse of all good things in himseâ—â— Let vs coÌ„fesse I say that all wisdome proceedeth of his free goodnesse inasmuche as we be inlightened by his holy spirite and that bicause we be weake of our selues we must be strengthened by his power and whereas wee be full of all filthe and iniquitie wee must recouer rightuousnesse by his gifte But nowe wee must come to the meanes For it is not inough for vs to knowe that God is our light our rightuousnesse our wisdome our strength finally that the whole perfection and fulnesse of our life ioy and happinesse is in him that is not inough for there is a very far distaÌ„ce betwene him and vs and therfore it standeth vs in hande to know how and by what meanes we may be partakers of all the graces whiche wee haue to seeke in God Howbeit wee knowe that the whole is communicated to vs in Iesus Christ verily for that he came downe heere bilowe and abaced him selfe and was contented to be crucified for vs. Seeing then that our Lord Iesus Christ is he out of whoÌ„ we must drawe all things that we haue neede of now wee see why S. Paule sayth he will not seeke any glory but in the Crosse of our Lorde Iesus Christ And why For in as muche as he suffered so paynefull and bitter a death yea and was set agaynst Gods iustice for vs and tooke all our cursednesse vpon him therefore was he giuen vnto vs to be our wisdome rightuousnesse holinesse streÌ„gth and all that euer wee want But first of all wee must learne what we be to the intent to beate downe all our owne glorying and to settle our selues vpon our Lord Iesus Christ For we see many men burst with pride and they wote not why There is nothing but winde smoke in all the things which they surmise of them selues Howbeit the very cause why they seeke not Iesus Christ is for want of due examination of them selues and suche are the Hypocrites and the Counterfetters and those that are puffed vp wyth ouerweening of their owne works Therefore as I haue touched alreadie it behoueth vs to looke to our owne state and to see howe wretched wee be till our Lorde Iesus Christ pitie vs. That is the way too prepare vs too come vnto him And that shall serue for one poynte Howebeeit that is not yet all For there 〈◊〉 that can graunte them selues too bee sinners and that there is nothing in them but vanitie and yet notwithstanding they welter neuerthelesse in their own filthy dung And why â–ª For they coÌ„ceyue not Gods iustice but are as yee woulde say doted in this world None of all these vnthriftes whiche giue them selues ouer to drunkennesse or to whoredome or to suche other lewdnesse can excuse their vilanies but that they are fayne to be ashamed of them and yet neuerthelesse they delight in them and continue styll in them as if they were hardened And why Bicause they bee made drunken with this worlde and the diuell hath so clozed vp their eyes that they see not howe they must one day come to account They play the amazed men and beare them selues in hande that they shall always stande at a stay and so they go forward with their naughtinesse and neuer sighe nor be sorie for the matter but are alwayes laughing at it as though they ment to spite God wilfully VVee see then that one sorte is letted yea or rather vtterly turned backe from comming to Iesus Christ bicause they presume vpon their owne wisedome and are possessed with an imagination that Satan hath put into their heade so that too their owne seeming they bee wise inough without Iesus Christ and therfore they holde scorne of him The other sorte whiche are infinite in number notwithstanding that they knowledge themselues to be wretched sinners doo neuerthelesse not seeke the remedie And why For this present worlde possesseth them and they bee so wrapped in it as they can not lifte vp their eyes nor their mindes to seeke the remedie that is readie for them in Iesus Christ So muche the more neede therefore haue wee to mynde the thing that I haue touched alreadie that is too wit that wee must ridde our selues of all selfetrust and ouerweening and bee so greeued as wee may neuer be in rest till wee haue founde succour in our Lorde Iesus Christ And let vs not only open our eyes to see our owne foulenesse and to be ashamed of it but also let vs consider that this life is nothing and that God hath set vs heere as in a wayfaring wherin he intendeth to trye whether wee will come to him or no. Therefore let euery of vs summon him selfe euening and morning and as oft as we looke vpon our sinnâ—â— let them be as spurres to pricke vs and prouoke vs to repayre vnto God so as wee may not 〈◊〉 brute beastes nor be hilde backe in this world but that our necessitie may alwayes driue vs too resorte too our Lorde Iesus Christ Thus yee see howe wee may glory in the crosse of our Lorde Iesus Christ And Sainct Paule hath purposely spoken here of the crosse bicause the matter that he delte with was the pulling downe and as it were the treading vnder foote of all loftynesse which men aspire vnto For wee will needes bee alwayes somewhat of our selues and holde still some worthinesse To the ende therefore that we might be discharged of that wicked affection Sainct Paul telleth vs that Iesus Christ the sonne of God can not be our glory but only in respect that he was crucified for vs. And heerevpon inseweth that which he addeth namely that we shall be crucified to the world and the world to vs when wee shall haue learned to glory in the only meere grace that is brought vs by our lord Iesus Christ As how surely they that are not crucified to the worlde that is to say they that couet to bee in some authoritie and to set out them selues they that desire to bee honored and exalted and to be short they that are drawen hither and thither of their lusts doo not yet knowe what it is too glory in the Crosse of our Lorde Iesus Christ for they shoulde haue begonne at the foresayde poynt that is too wit of beeing confounded in them selues Therefore not without cause dooth
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
with the Law And wherefore was it giuen To proue men double giltie before God that their hypocrisie might not stand them in any more stead nor they haue occasion to flatter themselues any more or too shrowde themselues vnder their vayne excuces as they haue bin wont too doo And that is the cause why S. Paule in the fourth too the Romanes reasoneth that a man cannot bee iustified by the Law For sayeth he the Lawe bringeth nothing but wrath And by the woord wrath he meeneth Gods vengeance Lyfe and death cannot come both of the Lawe but in sundry respectes Now the Lawe is deathfull vntoo all of vs so that it condemneth vs and sheweth vs that wee bee all cursed and abhominable before God and therfore what a fōdnesse is it to seeke rightuousnesse by it as who should say that God ought to take vs into his fauour for the keeping of it But he declareth this mater more familiarly in the .vii. to the Romanes when hee sayth that by the Lawe sinne becommeth out of measure sinfull For there is ynough to condemne vs though there were no lawe at all according as it is sayde that they which sinne without lawe shall perish without lawe that is to wit although the heathen folke had no instruction whereby to be rebuked yet had they a recorde ingrauen in their consciences which did find them guiltie Ye see then that men are sufficiently worthy to be condemned though God go not vp into his iudgement seate nor cyte them nor examin them howbeeit that such as sinne and offende agaynst God charge not themselues with their faults For we be so giuē to selfsoothing that euerie of vs weltereth and sleepeth in his owne filth insomuch that till the lawe touch vs too the quicke our consciences are as it were benummed and to be short euerie man dispenseth with himselfe and taketh leaue too doo euill But when the Lawe steppeth forth then is sinne knowne and euerie man spite of his teeth must be faine to stoupe before God or else gnashe his teeth at him as a rebell Neuerthelesse God gathereth vs too him by the lawe by bringing vs to the knowledge of our cursednesse To be short it is al one as if a man had his face all berayed euery man might mocke at him but he himselfe should not see it But if one bring him a glasse he is ashamed of himselfe and hydes his face and goes his way too wash his face when hee sees it so disfigured with filthinesse Or if a man be so yll fauoured that he maketh folke afrayd with his looke he thinketh not that that fault commeth of his owne person till he haue a looking glasse set before him Euen so is it with vs. For though all of vs be saped in wickednesse and sinne insomuch that heauen and earth are ashamed of vs and God prepareth horrible condemnation for vs yet ceasse we not too keepe on our race and to be retchlesse still And why so For our sinfulnesse is vnknowne to vs and hypocrisie doth so blindfolde our eyes that we perceyue not our owne cursednesse But the Lawe sheweth vs what we bee and therewithall setteth Gods iudgemēt before vs. For on the one side it sayth ye shall do all these things vnder payne of cursing And what maner of things are they it is not ynough for vs to absteyne onely in respect of our feete handes eyes and eares but we must be pure and clere from all lusting there must be such an vncorruptnesse in vs that all our senses thoughts and affections must ame at God so as no inticements of this worlde may holde vs backe And where is this to be founde Besydes thys beholde God beeing sette as a Iudge in his seate hathe alreadie gyuen sentence of cursednesse vppon vs as soone as wee bee founde too bee transgressers as wee bee Yee see then that mankynde is in miserable taking And that is it that Saint Paule ment in this Text when hee sayde that the Lawe was added for transgression It is true that the Lawe serueth too other purposes also namely first of all too shewe vs the waye too serue God But wee knowe that hee will bee honoured wyth obedience and not haue euery of vs too behaue himselfe after his owne lyking The Lawe therefore gyueth vs the difference betweene good and euill For what is the reasonable seruice which wee owe vnto God It is too submit our selues too his wyll sayeth Sainct Paule Seeing it is so yee perceyue that the Lawe serueth to excellent good purpose namely that whereas wee labour in vayne too serue God after our owne imagination it sheweth vs the waye in suche wyse as wee cannot mysse and gyueth vs the rule whiche wee ought too keepe by Furthermore when Sainct Paule sayd that the Lawe was gyuen bycause of transgression it came not in his minde to rehearse all the frute and profite which the Lawe bringeth with it for as I haue sayde alreadie it serueth also for our instruction that wee might learne too discerne betweene good and euill and againe it quickeneth vs vp as thoughe God shoulde gyue vs strokes with the spurre too make vs apply our selues the more diligently vnto hym But hee spake according too this present matter and according too the grounde of the text that he treateth of Now then he sheweth that the Lawe is not superfluous and yet that it serueth not to bring vs too rightuousnesse but in stead thereof caryeth vs to such confusion that we must needes be founde to be double sinners and are more condemned and lesse excusable than before so as there is nothing before vs but a bottomlesse goulfe Lo to what end the Law was giuen vs. But hee sayeth that it was added too the promise whereby wee bee done too vnderstand that the adding of it was not for that the promise was weake of it self and vnable to bring men to saluation so as there shoulde neede some other incomme it was nothing so sayeth Saint Paule but it was added too make menne knowe that God had rightfully condemned them all and that they coulde not haue any releefe but shoulde bee continually tormented with such vnquietnesse that they shoulde bee alwayes in dispayre till they rested themselues vpon the sayde promise Nowe if it be alledged that the promise might haue serued that turne afore the answere and solution is verie easie For although God in offering himselfe to be our Sauiour do thereby shewe that we bee all damned in our selues till he haue pitie vpon vs yet can we not be helped as were requisite vntill suche tyme as hee scare vs. By hys promyse hee calleth vs gently and after a fatherly maner and no doubt but the same ought to make vs perceyue our miseryes and to bee sorie for them but we bee so fast asleepe in our sinnes that we neuer thinke on them except we be compelled Although then that vpon Gods making of the promise men had cause
to lament their sinnes to the end they might rest themselues wholy vppon the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ yet did they it not till God had striken them as it had bin with many blowes of a Beetle vpon the heade which thing he did by the Lawe Moreouer Saint Paule sheweth that we abuse the gentlenesse of our God through our vnthankfulnesse bycause that the more curteous hee sheweth himselfe towardes vs the more occasion do we take thereby too flatter our selues Therefore hee must bee fayne too rouze vs vp and to make vs feele what we bee thereby too scare vs and driue vs too seeke his fauour in good earnest Thus yee see what the woorde Added importeth It is all one if Saint Paule shoulde blame vs for that wee make not oure profite of Gods goodnesse seeyng hee allureth vs so gently vntoo him and sheweth himselfe as meelde as may bee but greeue him and after a sort inforce hym too vse rygour agaynst vs too beate vs downe by that meanes and so to prepare vs too the seeking of hys grace the which wee shall finde in oure Lorde Iesus Christ whensoeuer wee lyst And heerewythall Saint Paule addeth that the Lawe serued but till the seede came to whome the promise was made This concerneth properlye the Ceremonyes or else wee must take it too bee spoken of the Lawe with all his appurtenances circumstances and appendants as men terme them If we take the Lawe for no more but the ten commaundements the thing that S. Paule speaketh will not stande For the lawe must euen at this day haue such force with vs as to be our rule of good life and to shewe vs Gods will that we may not liue like vagabondes and gad abrode at aladuenture but haue our way plaine before vs. The lawe then is not transitorie in respect of shewing vs what is good for it must continue to the worldes ende But wee must marke Sainct Paules discourse for he taketh the lawe as conteyning the promises and threatnings and also the Ceremonies Then on the one side there is this promise he that doth these things shall liue in them as we haue seene heeretofore And on the other side there is this threat cursed is he that fulfilleth not all that is conteyned heere Now the lawe as we see promiseth saluation to none but such as liue purely and vncorruptly but all of vs come short of that and therefore the promise of the lawe is to no purpose Marke that for one poynt If it be alledged what Sirra Ment God too mocke men I say no but they haue alwayes beguiled themselues with vainglorie and presumption bearing themselues in hande that they could purchace their owne saluation and therefore God is fayne too say vntoo them Goto if ye bee so able men as ye thinke shew it as for me I giue you my Lawe and bicause you shall not thinke your selues ill delt with for your seruing of me your wages is readie for you if you performe it Beholde I assure you of euerlasting life out of hande nowe let me see a little what you can do buskle your selues to your worke But when men haue tryed the vttermost that is in them surely they shall perceyue their owne weakenesse which was hidden afore Thus ye see that the promise of the Lawe can haue none effect towardes vs and yet it is not guilefull for it serueth vs to another ende As touching the threates of it it is infallible for we be all damned by this threatning Cursed is he that performeth not all But we come so farre short of performing all that there is not one poynt but wee fayle of it If wee thinke too serue God by halues it is nothing for he hath not separated one peece from another but will that he which walketh in chastitie shall also abstain from theft robberie craft extortion and all other sinnes Seeing it is so let vs marke that the threate holdeth all shet vp vnder it and that is the thing that Saint Paule had an eye vnto As touching the Ceremonies they were a confirmation that all of vs are accursed according as I haue tolde you howe Saint Paule in his Epistle to the Collossians lykeneth them to obligations and autenticall euidence that serue too holde a man most straytly bounde If a man haue borowed a peece of money he is a detter and giueth a bill of his hande for it But if hee binde his goodes or bodie for it by recognisance or Statute so as his deede is inrolled of common Recorde then is he bounde more straytly than hee was before Euen so is it with the Ceremonies The lawe of it selfe was ynough too condemne men bicause they are all offenders howbeeit forasmuch as God saw the pride that is rooted in our nature he added the Ceremonies for an ouerplus to the ende they shoulde be as a solemne bonde agaynst vs. But nowe Saint Paule sayth that all this geere serued but till the promised seede were come that is too wit that the lawe serued not too holde those in slauerie and bondage which put their trust in our Lorde Iesus Christ but to bring them to him that there they might find the thing which they wanted in the law So then wee see that Gods vsing of rygour in condemning of vs procureth our welfare and his thundering vppon vs after that fashion is a witnesse of his singular goodnesse towardes vs. And why so I haue tolde you alreadie and experience sheweth it too much that we ceasse not to abuse his gentlenesse and too drawe it cleane contrarie to his meening Therefore he is fayne to rouze vs vp and to shew himselfe to be our iudge and to make vs heere this dreadfull sentence able to cast vs into dispayre that there is nothing for vs to looke for but euerlasting death and finally too confirme and ratifie the same sentence still Yea but all this is but too make vs stoupe that beeing at our wittes ende we should flee to our Lorde Iesus Christ with a true and vnfeyned zeale and learne to rest vpon him when we bee troubled with vnquietnesse and torment of conscience Thus ye see why Saint Paule hath sayd expressely that the lawe was giuen too continue no longer than till the promised seede was come Nowe if a man demaunde howe then did the fathers obteyne saluation I answere that the lawe raigned and had his full scope as in respect of outwarde order before the comming of oure Lorde Iesus Christ but yet for all that the fathers myssed not too resort too the grace that was promysed them although they sawe it not as wee shall see more plainely hereafter Then is it a thing vtterly out of all doubt that the Lawe did nothing preiudice the promise nor was added for any helpe of it as though the promise had not bin sufficient of it selfe too saluation but that it serued too correct mennes pryde and presumptuousnesse too the ende they might with all
S. Paule say that for as muche as he had setled his glory in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ he had quite forsaken and giuen ouer the worlde Nowe by the worlde he meaneth all that is delightsome to the fleshe as when men think neyther vpon God nor vpon the lyfe of heauen so as one is giuen to couetousnesse another to ambition and euery man is driuen by his owne naturall sway and there is not any that passeth further than this world VVhen men followe their owne swinge and God hath not yet touched them with his holy spirite to draw them too him surely although they doo all fling ouer the feelds and runne astray yet is there great diuersitie in their affections so that if the matter come to triall one drawes one way and another another way cleane contrarie and to be short men seeme to differ quite cleane one from another But yet they be all alike in one thing that 〈◊〉 wit that they would aduaunce thēselues to the worldwarde that they be giuen to their owne priuate profite or pleasures At a worde they be so intangled here that they could find in their harts too be separated from God But S. Paule sayth that when wee shall haue set all our glory in our Lorde Iesus Christ knowing that by the meanes of his Crosse he hath dedicated vs vnto his father and purchaced vs the kingdome of heauen then it will be easie for vs to withdraw our selues from the world and to be as it were cut off from it And why For it is certayne that whosoeuer hath bin touched and wounded to the quicke with the feeling of his sinnes will so pursue the grace that hath bin giuen him in our lord Iesus Christ as the world shall be nothing with him And in good sooth wee shew that al the spirituall benefites which God offreth vs whervnto the calleth vs are as things of nothing vnto vs in that wee esteeme them not in comparison of the trumperie and inticements of Satan VVhat is this world if a man view it in it selfe There is no man but he seeth howe frayle our life is and howe it is but as a smoke that passeth and vanisheth away and yet wee see men frye still in their affections and howe they bee vtterly caried away and rauished with them God on his side crieth out Ye wretched folk ye be more destitute of wit than little children For ye buzie your heads about mooneshine in the water and about pelting trifles wherein there is nothing but foolishnesse ye be wholly wedded vnto thē and yet in the meane season whē I offer you perfect happinesse ye make none account of it all is one to you Yee see then that the cause why we be so cold negligent now a dayes in receiuing the benefites which God offreth vs by his Gospel is for that the world hath gotten the possession of vs aforehand and on the other part we also do set too much store by the world And why do we so Bicause we know not the inestimable benefites that God offereth vs. Therefore let vs ioyne these two togither that is to wit that we be crucified to the world and the world to vs bicause we haue our glory in our Lord Iesus Christ crucified But this is easier to be sayd than to be doone and therfore euery man must strayne himselfe in his owne behalfe when he vnderstādeth this lesson he must put it in practise For if we couet to be taken auowed for Christians before God his Anger 's we must be conformabl◠〈◊〉 the holy Ghost in the thing that he setteth down here And in very deede if we were not too farre ouerseene wee haue occasion of it inough as hath bin said afore For they that doo but only enter into themselues to consider what they be and what their state is so long as they be separated frō Iesus Christ must needs be scared with the feling of gods wrath which they haue deserued whē they perceiue thēselues to be plūged in such cursednesse that it were much better for thē if the earth had swallowed thē vp a hundred times than to haue liued in that plight but one day being in the meane while enimies to their God frō whose hands they can not scape Therefore let vs lerne to looke to our selues Such as intend to deck thēselues to the worldward specially women will looke in a glasse that shal be done with as much curiositie warenesse as may be But in the meane while we looke not vpō our selues to spie our own wāts and filthinesse to the end we might humble our selues truly before God seeke our glory where it is to be had Now it is certen that he which knoweth his own reproch shame wil seeke to come to the remedie of it at leastwise of Gods spirite worke liuely in vs that we be not sotted by Satā as I haue said afore Let vs lerne let vs lerne to looke vpō ourselues both without feining without flattery And whē we shall haue knowē our own wāts miseries let vs resort to our lord Iesus Christ And forasmuch as al loftinesse statelinesse vaunting must be beaten down by meanes of the Crosse Let vs be truly crucified to the world and let the world also be nothing vnto vs. Now whereas S. Paule sayth that the world was crucified to him he to the world it is true that he meeneth another thing than playn crucifying For therby he intended to shew yet more strongly how we may renounce the world and be separated frō it namely by beeing crucified to ourselues as in respect of the world that is to say by mortifying al the lusts that fight one against another within vs haue too much force inflame vs al wholly like a burning fire cast vs heere there bicause wee see that the son of God was fayne to suffer so reprochful a death for vs. VVho would now make his triumphes braueries in the world when he seeth that he which is the head of the Angels vnto whō belōg all maiestie glory dominiō 〈◊〉 hāged vpō tree made accursed abhominable for vs Thus ye see by what meanes al our lusts may be mortified and the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ worke so in our hearts as our lusts may be no more so ticklishe as they haue bin And that is for one poynt Agayne the world must be crucified vnto vs. As howe By esteeming all worldly thinges as chaffe and corruption according as in very deede there is not any thing in them whiche is not corruptible in comparison of the spirituall benefites whiche Iesus Christe hathe brought vs and whiche wee inioy by this meanes For in very deede all worldly things are corruptible And moreouer what else are all the things whiche men couet so sore and so vehemently that they bee vtterly intangled in them but snares